regarde to his body being past getting of children nor to the wombe of Sara being past childbearing and that he staggered not by reason of distrust but was by faith confirmed most certainely persuaded that God was able to performe what so euer he had promised This example teacheth vs that we ought not to haue a regarde vnto those things which either may or seeme to hinder our iustification but our faith ought vtterly to be fixed in the words and promises of God but contrariwise these men will call vs backe to our owne indispositions as they cal them and will haue vs therefore alwayes to be in doubt of our iustification In dede we ought not to dissemble whatsoeuer imperfection or fault is in vs and that for this cause that it may be daily amended and corrected Yet ought we not therefore to be in doubt and wauering touching our iustification and the grace of God Now haue we to proue the second proposition namely that a man is iustified by faith Which thing we entend first to proue by testimonies of the holy A confirmation that we are iustified by faith scriptures Paule in the first chapter of this Epistle thus defineth the Gosple that it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleueth In these wordes is touched the efficient cause of our iustification namely the power of God and the ende which is our saluation and also the instrument wherby it is receiued namely faith for he addeth vnto euery one that beleueth And this he confirmeth by a testimony of Abacucke the Prophet In which sentence he so much delighted that he vsed it both to the Galathians and also to the Hebrues in the self same sense He addeth moreouer that the wrathe of God was reueled from heauen by reason of the knowledge of the Philosophers which withheld the truthe of God in vnrighteousnesse and which when they knew God glorified him not as God but fell to the worshipping of Idols But contrariwise in the gospell is reuealed the righteousnesse of God namely that righteousnesse whereby men are iustified from faith to faith which phrase of speache we haue in his due place sufficiently expounded in the third chapter Now is the righteousnesse of God saith he made manifest without the law the righteousnesse I say of God by the faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon all them which beleue in him And a little afterward wherefore being iustified frely by his grace by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth a propitiator by faith in his bloud Here also is not onlye shewed the grace by which God fréely iustifieth vs but also Christ his deathe is set forthe that it may manifestly appeare that he is the reconciliator and the mediator Wherunto also is added faith wherby we receiue the fruit of his redemption to the shewing forth also of his righteousnesse in this time that he might be iust and iustifying him which is of the faith of Iesus Christ. If men coulde by theyr workes get vnto themselues righteousnesse the righteousnesse of God shoulde not then be so declared But seeing we sée that it is communicated vnto vs by faith without any preparation of workes it must needes seeme vnto vs very great And amongst other things which God requireth of men this is the chiefest that they should not any thing glory of themselues But if iustification should consist of workes men might boast of their owne endeuor and industry But seeing we are freely iustified by faith there is no place left for boasting Wherfore Paule saith Thy boasting is excluded by what law by the law of works No but by the law of faith Wherfore he concludeth after this manner We iudge that man is iustified by faith without works And that we should not think that that proposition is particular he declareth that it is vniuersall â–ª God saith he is he the God of the Iewes only is he not the God of the gentiles also Yea of the Gentiles also For it is one God which iustifieth vncircumcision through faith and circumcision by faith Wherefore euen as there is but one God ouer all men so iustifieth he all men by one and the selfe same way And in the fourth chapter he saith but vnto him which worketh not but beleueth in him which iustifieth the wicked faith is imputed vnto him vnto righteousnesse By this sentence are bothe workes excluded and also faith is set forth by which is imputed righteousnesse vnto men And straight way he addeth of Abraham that he is the father of all them that beleue by vncircumcision that it might also be imputed vnto them and that he is the father of circumcision not only vnto them which are of circumcision but also vnto them which walke in the steps of faith which was in the vncircumcision of Abraham our father Afterward by the nature of the promesse he sheweth that iustification is by faith For he saith by the lawe was not the promesse made vnto Abraham and vnto his seede to be the heire of the worlde but by the righteousnesse of faith for if those which are of the law should be heires then shold faith be abolished and the promesse made voide In these words are two excellent things to be noted The first is that the promesse is free â–ª neither is it ioyned with the condition of workes and therfore seing faith is as a correlatiue referred vnto the promesse it must needes follow that it is such as the promesse is and therefore it hath a respecte vnto the promesse by it selfe and not to the conditions of our vntowardnesse or indisposition as the good holy Fathers of Trent â—eache The second is that if the inheritance and righteousnesse should depend of that condition of works then had there bene no néede of the promesie For meÌ„ might haue sayd why is that fréely promised vnto vs which we can claime vnto our selues by our owne endeuor and labor Or why is it so necessary that we shold beleue when as by our owne workes we can attaine vnto righteousnesse Afterward Paule addeth the finall cause why iustification commeth by fayth By grace sayth he that the promesse might be firme for if by our owne works and preparations we should be iustified the promesse should alwayes be vnstedfast neither could we appoint any certaintie of it Afterwarde he putteth the example of Abraham who as it is before said contrary to hope beleued in hope neither had he a regarde vnto those things which as touching his owne part mought haue bene a let vnto the promesse of God namely his own body being nâ—w as it were dead and an hundreth yeare olde and the age of Sara his wife These things sufficiently declare what maner of faith that was by which vnto Abraham was imputed righteousnesse so that thereby we also may vnderstande the power and nature of faithe which iustifieth Paule also addeth that by suche a faith is muche aduaunced the
Here is declared that the Gospell is The Gosple is setforth to all men indifferently How the Iewes are preferred before the Gentils set forth vnto all in generall neyther doth the preaching thereof exempt any kinde of men The Grecians he taketh here generally and vnder that worde comprehendeth all nacions besides the Iewes And in that he sayth First he signifieth order but not greater aboundance of fruite as though the Iewes should haue more commodity or vtility by the Gospell then the Ethnikes Of which thyng Chrisostome hath a trimme similitude when they of full age which were conuerted vnto Christ were baptised at the tyme of Easter or Whitsontyde they could not be baptised all together yet they which were fyrst washed did not more put on Christ neyther receaued they more grace then they which wer last Wherfore there is here signified an Analogy or proportion of order An analogy of order as touchyng tyme betwene the Iewes and the Grekes The calling of the Iewes was first Paule preched first vnto the Iewes before he preched vnto yâ— Gentila The definicion geuen is proued by the effecte The effect of the Gosple is that we shoulde be iustefied The end of the Exordium and of the entent of hys treatise The propositioÌ„ which shal be proued euen to the 12. chap. A soft transition the Iewes are put in the first place For Christ was the Apostle of the Iewes and minister of Circumcision For he sayd that he was not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israell And when he fyrst sent hys Apostles he commaunded them the they should not go vnto the Gentils nor enter into the cityes of the Samarytans But in hys last ambassadge when he was redy to ascend vp into heauen he commaunded that they should be witnesses vnto hym in Ierusalem in all Iewry and Samarya and then he added euen vnto the vttermost borders of the earth Yea and Paule also obserued this order For first when he entred into any cities he preached in the Synagoges And together with Sylas and Barnabas he sayde vnto the Iewes vnto you oughte Christ first to be preached whome because ye haue refufed beholde we turne vnto the Gentiles The Iewes oughte to haue beene the fyrste whiche shoulde be called because they had the prophesyes and Prophetes and tables in a manner sealed wyth the promise of Christ Wherefore fayth was fyrst required of them He proueth thys defynicion now set not indeede by things before or by the cause for that is vnpossible but by the effect and as they say by the latter when he sayth For the righteousnes of God is reuealed in it from fayth to fayth That is the effect of the Gospell and of fayth is that we should be iustified Now the Apostle endeth hys Exordium and commeth to the entreatyng of hys disputacion and thys is the principall proposition which in sum containeth that which he goeth about to proue through eleuen chapters that is that a man is iustified by fayth Wherefore this proposition serueth for two thinges for first it is broughte in as a reason of the difinicion set And agayne as the principall proposition of the whole disputacion And so the Apostle by a soft pleasant and couert transition leadeth the attentyue hearer from the exordium vnto the confirmacions and confutacions which follow When we heare the righteousnes of God named in this place let vs not thinke that he entendeth here to speake of the seuerity of Gods iugdements for that seuerity is not called of the Hebrues Nedech but rather Tischpat that is iudgement and Tsedtreth which our men turne righteousnes signifyeth goodnes clemency and mercy whereby God declareth hymselfe good vnto vs. And because he doth this chiefely in geuing vs righteousnes therefore I thinke How this word righteousnes is to be vnderstand that that word was so commonly turned and that word in this place if a man marke it wel aunswereth vnto saluation which he sayd before commeth vnto vs by the gospell And the Prophetes many tymes craue the righteousnes of god which can not easely be taken euery where of the seuerity of hys iudgement For there is none that is wyse woulde haue god to deale wyth hym according to that Ye rather the saynctes crye Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt And god declareth thys his righteousnes or goodnes towardes vs by The meanes whereby God declareth hys goodnes to wards vs. three thinges chiefely First he receaueth vs into fauour forgeueth vs our sins imputeth not vnto death those sins which we commit but contrarily imputeth rather vnto vs the obedience and holynes of Christ Secondly he kindleth in our myndes an endeuor to lyue vprightly reneweth our will illustrateth our reason and maketh vs all whole prone to lyue vertuously when as before we abhorred from that which is iust and honest Thyrdly he geueth vs pure and chast maners good actions and a sincere lyfe All these thinges doth that righteousnes comprehend which is reueled in the Gospell But the first of these thrée is the head and chiefe because it comprehendeth the other and it is sayd to be the righteousnes of God because it commeth from him to vs. For we attayne not vnto it by humane strengthes Wherefore Chrisostome here calleth it righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is from aboue because it is geuen vnto vs as he speaketh without our sweate and labours Howbeit he addeth one thyng whiche must be warely red namely that we ought to bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is from home and from our selues fayth whereby to receaue thys righteousnes In which sentence if he vnderstande that fayth hath hys ofspring of our owne strengthes and nature we ought not to geue eare vnto hym forasmuch as the holy scriptures apertly testifye that it is the gift of God and commeth not of vs which thinge is expressedly read in the epistle to the Ephesians But I thinke not that this father was so farre out of the way wherefore I interprete hym after this The interpretation of ChrysostoÌ„e â—â—nefied maner when he saw that this imputacion of god is after a sort set without vs hys mynde was to declare that if we will apply the same vnto vs it behoueth that we haue fayth in vs whereby we may drawe it vnto vs. But he contendeth not by that sayinge that fayth springeth of our selues as of the first roote Is reuealed in it Some haue vnderstanded that these giftes of the goodnes of god which we haue rehearsed are reuealed in the gospell because they are reade and contayned in it which thyng I deny not but I thinke that there ought to be added after the Hebrew maner that In it is all one with Paule as if he had sayd by it So that the sense is in that the participation of thys righteousnes and goodnes of god is exhibited or geuen vnto vs the same commeth by the gospell so that we receaue
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 vnderstāded 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 vōp these words saying We do nothyng we recompēce 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 whē as two things being ioyned together that which belongeth to the one is ascribed vnto the other But as touching this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 b◠chance And euē as chaunce is to be takē 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 thē 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
forasmuch as so great a price is payd for our saluation we By the vse of the sacramēts we are put in minde of the benefit receaued The wayght of sinne is to be waighed by the price of our redemption ought not to suffer so great a benefite lightly to slippe out of our memory For the auoyding whereof we are holpen not only by doctrine and the scriptures but also by sacramentes For euen as among the elders the often sacrifices shadowed Christ to come so now the often vse of the misteries bringeth to memory his death and bloud shed for vs. And by this price of redemption may we perceaue the greeuousnes of sinne forasmuch as the waight thereof was so great that it kindled agaynst vs the iust wrath of God and such a wrath as was not rashely conceaued which wrath being an appetite or desire of vengeance by a most iust consideration required a most excellent sacrifice vpon which might be transferred all our sinnes And forasmuch as the same wrath is by no other thing asswaged but by the bloud and death of Christ they are to be coūted most greeuous blasphemers which dare attribute the same either to our workes or to outward rites VVhome God hath set forth a propitiator In that Christ is sayd to be set forth vnto vs by God thereby is shewed that the doctrine of the Gospell is God two maner of wayes setteth forth Christ vnto vs to be beleued The merite of the death of Christ dependeth of the predestination of God no new thing nor inuented by men But in what sort Christ is set forth vnto vs is declared by two principall pointes First because God by reuelation setteth forth vnto vs thinges to be beleued vnto the knowledge whereof by the light of nature we could neuer attayne Secondly in that he causeth vs to haue a pleasure in thinges shewed vnto vs and to geue our assent vnto them and moueth and stirreth vp our mynd inspiring vs with fayth This may also be referred vnto the good pleasure and blessed predestination of God wherehence dependeth the merite of the death of Christ Otherwise God mought by any other thing haue redemed vs and deliuered vs from sinnes Wherefore we must count that by his determination and purpose only haue we receaued that he would vouchsafe to accept the death of Iesus Christ his sonne and by it reconcile vnto him the sayntes Of this purpose and good pleasure is mencion made vnto the Ephes in the first chapiter Where it is thus writtē According to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe euen vnto the dispensation of the fulnes of tymes that he might set vp all thinges perfectly by Christ both the thinges which are in heauen and the thinges which are in earth in whome euen we also are by lot called being predestinate according to his purpose which worketh al things according to the counsell of his wil that we which before hoped in Christ should be to the prayse of his glory in whom also we hope forasmuch as we haue hard the word of truth euē the Gospell of your saluation c. And in an other place oftentymes and in this selfe same epistle is mencion made of the purpose of God Although this reason of the will and A probable reason of the counsel of God counsell of God is not to be contēned yet as I thinke this reason may be assigned that by him it was mete the world should be restored to his olde estate by whome all thinges were created This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here put may signifye these three thinges a propitiator propitiation and propitiatory I rather allow the latter signification because Paule semeth to allude vnto the How Christ is our propitiatory oracle of the olde Testament and couering of the arke which is there called the propitiatory or mercy seate For vpon the arke of the couenaunt there was layd a board or table for the oracle of the arke at whose endes stoode two Cherubins but the midle place was empty out of which were answeres geuen vnto them that asked and God was made fauorable vnto the people and was sayd to dwel there It is playne and manifest and not to be doubted but that all these things may aptly be referred vnto Christ as in whom dwelleth the whole fulnes of the godhed corporally as Paule sayth vnto the Collossians and therehence are most certayne oracles geuen of the will of God as touching our saluation And that by hym God is pacefied and reconciled vnto vs there is no doubt we may also interprete it a propiciator as though that word were put in the maskuline gender that euen as we call Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a sauior so we may call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a pacefier Neyther paraduenture is this farre from the true and proper sence if we vnderstand Christ to be our pacification For Iohn in his epistle the 2. chapiter calleth Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our pacification where he thus writeth My little children these thynges I write vnto you that ye sinne not But and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiatiō for our sinnes and not for our sinnes only but also for the sinnes of the whole world But as I haue sayd the first exposition pleaseth me best and that for this cause chiefely because a little afterward is sayd By his bloud For the maner of the high priest of the Hebrues was once euery yeare to sprinkle the propitiatory or mercy seat with bloud when he entred into the place which was called Sancta sanctorū that is the holy of holyes Nether is it without a cause that the Apostle here straightway addeth By faith forasmuch as our aduersaries also do graunt y◠by Christ commeth rightousnes vnto vs but they will not once declare by what meanes we apply the same vnto vs How Christ is sayd of the Papistes to be our redemer and make it ours which thing Paule now plainly expresseth They seme alwaies to tende this way that Christ therfore hath redemed vs because he is to be counted the chiefe and hed of our merites as though as their common phrase of speache is Christ deserued for vs onely the first grace and afterward leaueth vs wholye to our selues But this is to muche niggardly and maliciously to vse the benefite of God Wherefore seing now we vnderstand hym we wil continually oppose vnto the iustice of God the death of Christ as a full satisfaction of our sinnes To declare his righteousnes Hitherto we haue spoken of the efficient cause of iustification which is God and his mercy But those whiche are iustified pertaine to the materiall cause are men of all sortes being guilty of sinnes and destitute The order of iustification of the grace of God The instrumentes also haue bene declared The one
the vncircumcision For we say that fayth was imputed vnto Abraham vnto righteousnes How was it then imputed when he was Circumcised or vncircumcised not when he was circumcised but wheÌ„ he was vncircumcised Afterward he receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnes of fayth which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the father of all them that beleue not beyng circumcised that righteousnes mighte be imputed vnto them also And the father of circumcision not vnto them onely which are of the circumcision but to them also that walke in the steppes of the fayth of our father Abraham which he had when he was vncircumcised Came this blessednes then vpon the Circumcision or vpon the vncircumcision The Latine interpretation hath this worde Manet that is abideth added to this sentence which is not in the Greke bookes Neither doth yâ— verbe which the Latines haue much agrée with the phrase which is by the accusatiue case and by the Greke preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rather as Theophilactus admonisheth we must vnderstand this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth lighteth it or beloÌ„geth it or some such lyke thinge Neither do I disalow the coniecture of Erasmus who thinketh that insteade of this verbe Manet was first written Manat whiche signifieth to come or to spread abrode And thus muche as touching the woordes But this is the meanyng A man might thinke that although Dauid made no mention of workes when he set forth the blessednes of those whose sinnes are forgeuen yet because he himselfe was both circumcised also vsed sacrifices he thoughte that this forgeuenes of sinnes is obteined by these things although he expressed them not And for that cause Paul taketh againe the example of Abraham which he at the first vsed And so returneth Why Paul returneth againe to Abraham to the ground and beginning of circumcision and considereth the very time wherin Abraham receiued it and proueth that long time before he was circumcised he was both iustified and also pronounced the father of many nations that is of all them which beleue Wherof it followeth that we without ceremonies and other workes shall by faith be counted iust and be admitted into the people of God and placed among the meÌ„bers of Christ This argument may thus be made more The forme of the Argument The order of the causes and the effectes in the iustificaâ—ion of Abraham Of what greate waight is the diligent marking of the scriptures Circumcision was had in greate estimation euident That which yet was not coulde not bring righteousnes vnto Abraham But when Abraham was pronounced iustified circumcision was not yet Wherefore it could not iustifie Abraham Let vs in this maner set the order betwene the causes and the effectes First God did set forth vnto Abraham his promises Secondly followed faith And thirdly iustification Lastly came obedience which caused him to circumcise himselfe and to do many other excellent good workes We may not peruert this order that by obedience and circumcision whiche are the last effects we should bring forth iustification which went before Againe in thys place yâ— Apostle teacheth vs with how great study and diligence the Scriptures are to be red and the times and moments in stories are throughly to be considered He entreateth of circumcision bicause all that controuersie sprang first by reason of ceremonies and bicause also they had circumcision in no lesse estimation theÌ„ we now haue baptisme For they counted it for a noble worke and an excellent worship pyng of God Wherfore we may inferre or conclude that if we be not iustified with that kind of workes wherin consisted the worshipping of God vndoubtedly much lesse shall we be iustified by other workes For these are counted more excellent more acceptable vnto God then are other workes For we say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham vnto righteousnes These wordes serue wonderfully to depresse the pride and hautines of the Iewes which continually cried that righteousnes could by no meanes stand without circumcision But Paul contrariwise affirmeth that it was in Abraham before he was circumcised For Abraham was as yet vncircumcised when he was pronounced iustified Wherfore it is no meruaile if many mo of the vncircumcised then of the Iewes were saued after the comming of Christ Here it semeth that there are set before our eyes two fathers the one of the vncircumcised the other of circumcision And if we more depely consider the matter we shall see that the father of the vncircumcised is set in the first place For Abraham was not yet circumcised when he was of God counted iust What theÌ„ is there remayning for the Iewes that they should so aduance themselues aboue the GeÌ„tles Nothing vndoubtedly but the signe And eueÌ„ as Abraham is not the father of the vncircumcised for yâ— cause only bicause they haue vncircumcision but bicause of faith so also is he not the father of the circumcised bicause they are circumcised but bicause they beleue By these things it is manifest Circumcision and vncircumcisioÌ„ are conditions comming by chaunce that both circumcisioÌ„ also vncircumcision are conditions coÌ„ming by chance and of theÌ„selues helpe nothing to the obteinment of iustification Very aptly doth the Apostle bring in these two men Dauid and Abraham Of which the one that is Dauid being now circumcised bare testimony of iustification And Abraham being not yet circumcised obteined neuertheles iustification Wherfore it sufficiently appeareth that Circumcision is not a meane necessarily required to obtain righteousnes And he receaued the signe of circumcision He receaued I say circumcision which was a signe The seale of the righteousnes of fayth This is a preuention for they which heard these thinges mought thus haue thought with themselues If Abraham were iustified before circumcision then was circumcisioÌ„ superfluous vnto this obiection Paule answereth saying that circumcision was not vayne or vnprofitable for it was the seale of the righteousnes of fayth In this sentence Paule Circumcision was not a thing geuen in vain hath two woordes namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a signe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a seale which woordes althoughe they be of very nighe affinitie the one to the other yet ar they not both of one the selfe same significatioÌ„ For this woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a sign is more general then his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yâ— is a seale An image is a signe but it can not be a seale But we vse to put seales vnto such things as we wyll haue with greate fidelity kept and remayne vnuiolated And therefore are letters sealed letters patentes of princes are confirmed with seales yâ— no man should doubt of the authority or truth of theÌ„ So God deliuereth vnto vs sacramentes Sacramentes are not onely signes but sealinges What circumcision signifyed what it sealed as seales of his promises Wherfore circumcision signified two
the difference They by the name of Grace vnderstand those giftes which are geuen vnto them that are iustified namely the habites or qualities which are poured into theÌ„ more ouer good workes and other such like which God worketh in the elect But we forasmuch as we sée that these giftes so long as we liue here are through our corruption vnperfect do deny that we can by them be iustified and that by them by any meanes we are able to satisfy the iudgement of God Wherfore we vnderstande that to be iustified by grace is to be iustified by the only mere and sincere good will of God which he of his only mercy beareth towards vs. We say also that we are iustified by the grace of Christ which his father beareth towards hym For forasmuch as he is most gracious before him he bringeth to passe that he loueth would in him as hys members and brethren adopted by faith But the schoolemen haâ—â— What it is to be iustified by grace and by the grace of Christ The imagination of the Schole men sprang out of the Ethikes of Aristotle fayned vnto themselues that grace is an habite or quality poured into the soule yâ— the foule may more easely rise vp and more redely do good workes Which theyr fayned inuention they can by no meanes confirm by the holy scriptures But they séeme to haue taken it from the philosophers who in the Ethikes teach that the faculties powers of the minde are by an habite strengthned so that they are able to perform those things which before they wer not able or if they were able yet they were not able without great difficulty The self same thing do these meÌ„ iudge of yâ— mynd that forasmuch as of hys owne nature it can not so lift vp it self to be acceptable vnto God and to do yâ— workes which should please him it hath nede of a heauenly and spirituall habite to performe these things And whilest they thus follow their philosophy they depart from the vulgare and receyued sence of this worde grace For when we say that a souldiour is acceptable vnto a kyng or vnto a captaine A similitude we do not say that in the souldiour is grace or fauour but rather in the king or captayne which beareth fauour vnto the souldiour So we in thys case if we would speake plainly or aright should not say that in vs is powred or geueÌ„ grace but rather that we are receiued of GOD into grace or fauour which before were hys enemies But that we may the better fynde out the error of the scholemen we will here sette foorth their definition for they defyne grace to be an habite of goodnes and charity infused of God like vnto his whereby he that hath it is To haue grace of God is to be receiued into fauour of him The definition which the scholemen assigne vnto grace made acceptable vnto God and doth workes that are acceptable vnto him and meritorious When they say that it is an habite infused of God they seperate it from naturall vertues Farther when they make it to be like vnto the goodnes and loue of God they thinke that they bring a reasoÌ„ why they which be adorned with this habite are acceptable vnto God namely because of that similitude And because they can not by the scriptures proue that grace is a thing created in the soule they labour to confirme it with reasons For Thomas sayth that the beneuolence of God can not be idle for God is saide to loue when he geueth any good thing Wherefore he saith that God to do good to some or to loue some is to geue or infuse into them such an habite or quality as we haue now described But this is a very weake argument For we graunt that the loue of God lyeth not idle The loue of God towardes the elect is not idle but filleth vs with benifites and those very manifold But how followeth this argument God geueth very many giftes Ergo he createth or powreth in such an habite Farther this is no small error that they will that by this habite or creature we are made acceptable vnto God For it must nedes follow that seing he hath geuen vs such a gift he therefore loued vs before for the loue of God goeth before all his giftes The vertues in dede which follow may haue some consideration The loue of God towards vs goeth before all his giftes why they should be geuen but yet they can not haue that force to allure God to loue vs for he loued vs euen before he gaue them vnto vs. An other of their reasons is this If they which are conuerted vnto Christ say they haue the holy ghost which before they had not then of necessity it followeth that there happened some mutation But in God there is no mutacion Wherefore we must appoint it to be in our selues namely that we haue such an habite of grace which before we had not But this likewise is of no force for God differreth his aydes God is not chaunged although he do that now which before he did not is as semeth good vnto him and moueth the hartes of men at an appointed time when as before he moued them not which thing yet we doubt but is done without any his change at all For we know that God at an appoynted time created the world which before was not extant and yet we can not say that God is therefore changed Now resteth for vs to confirme by the scriptures that the grace of God signifieth his frée and vndeserued loue secondly that it signifieth also the rewardes It is proued that the grace of God is the fauor which he beareth towardes vs. or giftes which are bestowed vpon the Saintes thirdly that the grace of Christ is that whereby he is of force with the father and by reason of whiche we are loued of the father As concerning the first Paul fayth to the Ephesians that we were elected of God before the foundacions of the world were layde according to his good pleasure to the prayse of the glory of his grace In which place we sée that the cause of our election is that the frée loue and grace of God towardes vs should be commended And in the latter epistle to Timothe he sayth Which hath called vs wyth his holy vocation not by workes but according to his purpose and grace And Peter exhorteth vs to hope in that grace which is offred But it is not lawfull to hope in a thing created And as touching Christ Paul saith vnto the Ephesians that God hath made vs acceptable in hys beloued that is in Christ whome most dearely and especially he loueth And in this epistle he calleth grace eternall life This therefore is the The true definition of Grace true definition of Grace and agréeable vnto the holy scriptures That it is the frée beneuolence of God whereby he counteth vs deare in Christ Iesus and
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 coÌ„mendeth 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 aboundaÌ„t grace to take those sinnes away when as they had so infinitely increased There Paralogismus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 â–ª 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 coÌ„meth 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 accusatioÌ„s 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 bâ—â—wo 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
Paul here writeth He hath deliuered me from the right of sinne and of death That is from the guiltines or bond whereby we were bound vnto sinne and vnto eternall death And when this bond is taken away there then remaineth nothing why we should feare condemnation But forasmuch as that is said to happē through the spirite of Christ it manifestly appeareth that men are not iustefied by workes For workes follow the spirite and are saide to be the fruites thereof And this deliuery pertayneth only vnto them which are in Christ that we may vnderstand that all they are excluded which boast of faith and of the Gospell yet in the meane tyme do wallow in most grosse sinnes and are straungers from Christ and whereas they committe many thinges against their conscience yet are they not touched with any repentaunce This which is added which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirit expoundeth y◠which was before saide To be in Christ And that we may the better vnderstād that it is all one we must repeate that whiche the Apostle a litle before wrote Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body that this although ye be stirred vp by these lustes yet ye ought not to permitte vnto thē the dominion of your minde And that which the Apostle in this place declareth bringeth with it a great consolation They which are shut vp fast in prison and do know themselues to be A similitude guilty do looke for nothing els but sentence of death now if to them pardon and forgeuenes should be offred they not looking for it they can not but excedingly be glade and reioyce So we when we see that damnation is dewe vnto vs for our sinnes can not but excedingly reioyce at these tidinges when we heare out of the holy scriptures that all thinges are freely forgeuen vs for Christes sake Wherefore if we desire to haue the fruition of this so great a benefite it is necessary that we beleue the pardon which is offred vnto vs. For thys liberalitye of God wyll nothynge profite vs without faythe Althoughe by that whiche we haue nowe spoken I doubte not but that men maye vnderstande what the meaninge of Paul is yet are there sower thynges Foure thinges put forth to be examined whiche shall not be vnprofytable more dilygentlye to examyne Fyrste what that is wherby we are deliuered Secondly from what kind of euill we are deliuered Thirdly what maner of thing this deliuery is Lastly vnto whome it pertaineth As touching the first the Apostle saith that condemnation is taken away by the law of the spirit of lyfe wherby we vnderstand the holy ghost which gouerneth our mindes and ruleth them by his inward motions With which exposition agréeth Chrisostome For euen as saith he the law of sinne is sinne so the lawe of the spirite is the spirite But in that this worde of lyfe is added some do thus vnderstand it as though that worde should be ioyned with the worde law so that the law should be called the law of the spirite and the law of life But the nature of y◠Greke tong semeth to vrge that that worde should be an epitheton or proprietie of the spirite For thus it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is of the spirit of lyfe Here the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coupleth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of lyfe with the spirit and not with the law Wherfore the sence is that we are deliuered by the spirite the author of life and not by euery spirite which is cold and wanteth lyfe Ambrose by the law of y◠spirite vnderstoode faith which law he putteth as a meane betwene y◠two other lawes betwene the law of Moses I say and the law of the flesh Faith driueth not nor forceth vnto vices as before Paul taught that the law of the members and of the flesh doth Neither is faith as the law of Moses which only admonisheth what ought to be done but geueth not strengths to do it neither forgeueth whē any thing is committed against it For faith both teacheth what is to be don and also bringeth strengths to do the same and when any fault is committed it obteyneth pardon for the same Hereby we sée what is to be vnderstand by the law of the spirite of life namely the holy ghost or els fayth For either is true for in very deede y◠author of our deliuery is y◠spirit of Christ And y◠instrument which he vseth The efficicient cause and 〈◊〉 of our saluation to saue vs by is faith For it is the first gift wherwith God adorneth and decketh men that are to be iustified by it to embrace the promises set forth vnto thē Now to vnderstand the second part namely fro what we are deliuered We are deliuered from the law of sinne and death By these wordes is not signified the law of Moses although by faith in Christ we ar deliuered from it also ▪ But the Apostle entreateth not therof at this present neither is the law of Moses called in y◠The law of Moses is no◠called the law of sinne holy scriptures the law of sinne For although thorough it sinne be encreased yet doth it not commaund sinne neither was sinne the author of it yea rather the law of Moses is called spiritual partly because the holy ghost was the author of it who gaue it in Mount Sina and partly because all those things which it commaundeth are spirituall neither are they agreable vnto lust nor vnto our flesh It may It is called the law of death but yet per accidens that is by chaunce in dede after a sort be called the law of death for in the latter epistle to the Corrinthians it is called the ministery of death but these thinges are not to be applyed vnto it but thorough our default For otherwise of it selfe it setteth forth those things which should be profitable vnto lyfe But it lighteth vpon the peruersenes of our nature and therof it commeth that death followeth it Which reason if we should follow the Gospell also might be called the instrument of death For Paul The Gopell is per accidens the instrument of death in his latter epistle to the Cor. thus writeth Vnto some we are the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe but vnto other some the sauor of death vnto death Wherfore there is great cōsideration to be had with what maner of sauor we sauor the Gospell For it is not to be meruailed at that of one and the selfe same thing do follow contrary effectes For we sée daily that one and the self same sonne both drieth vp clay and also melteth waxe But seing it is so a man may meruaile why the Gospell is not in the holy scriptures called the ministery of death as the law of Moses is Ambrose answereth Because the Gospell of hys owne nature condemneth not but those which beleue not it leaueth
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 repentaÌ„t 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 â—arre 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 fouÌ„dation 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 depeÌ„deth 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
inculcate then shoulde not boastinge be excluded for euery righteous man mought say of himselfe I haue obtained grace because wheÌ„ it was offred I receiued it I haue beleued God making promise vnto me for that I gaue mine assent I haue obteined Christ because wheÌ„ he came I receaued him But Paul crieth out that our boasting is excluded not in déede by the law of workes but by the lawe of fayth and of grace Neither can the aduersaries That modicum is some kinde of of worke Workes at vniuersally excluded froÌ„ the cause of iustificatioÌ„ The sentence of Paul is to be takeÌ„ simply and not by way of comparison deny but that that modicum which they labour so ernestly to establish is some kinde of worke But Paul so excluded not woorkes from iustification that he lefte vnto them the second place vnto faith but he vtterly and vniuersally excluded theÌ„ as touchyng the power to iustifie For he sayd not onely that we are iustified frely but added without workes Wherefore whereas they say that the senteÌ„ce of Paul is not to be vnderstanded simply but by way of comparison it is vntrue and vain But the scriptures saye they in other places speake so For it is written in the Psalm Vnles the Lord buyld the house they labour in vayne which buyld it And Paul to the Corrinthians sayth Neither he which plaÌ„teth is any thing nor he which watreth but God which geueth the encrease It is certaine say they that these thinges are to be expounded by way of comparison For in very déede both he which buildeth and which planteth and whiche watreth doth somewhat But that whatsoeuer it be forasmuch as it is but little if it be compared vnto the worke of God therefore it is sayd to be nothing and they are sayd to labour in vaine As touching the firste place we say that Dauid speaketh of ciuill works touching which we graunt that men in them take greate paynes and woorke somewhat Howbeit they labour in What is to be thought of ciuill enterprises vaine vnles God vouchsafe to fauor theyr enterprises Let Cesar AlexaÌ„der or Cato take what paynes they will either in the kingdome or in the Publike wealth and yet shall all thinges come to no purpose vnles God geue the successe In the other place Paul entreateth of the holye ministerye of the churche Neyther will I graunte this vnto the aduersaries that the Ecclesiasticall ministerye is eyther a thing small or suche as maye be called nothing For it is a thinge honorable and The holy ministery is both a thing great also nothing with most weighty wordes commended of the holy scriptures Wherefore as touching the office it is not nothing but touchinge the geuinge of spirituall life it is as Paul sayth vtterlye nothing For of it selfe it can not geue that spirituall life neyther perfect nor vnperfect The minister of the church in déede setteth forth the worde of God and the sacramentes but cannot reach to the coÌ„municating of that heauenly life Wherefore Paul spake truly and properly neither néeded he that figure A figure vsed in one place is not alwayes vsed in an other place of comparison whiche these men imagine Moreouer graunte that the scripture in other places vseth these kindes of speaches shoulde it straight way follow that therefore this sentence is so to be taken especially séeing it hath bene by most firme argumentes proued that it is in verye déede neither of him that willeth nor of hym that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy And therefore our election or predestination consisteth not of our works but fréely and of the mercy of God But still notwithstanding they are ouercome by reasons they cauill and say that they deny not but that we are elected of God fréelye but yet that causeth not but that some respecte may be had to woorkes foreséene For so they saye that we say with Paul That eternall life is grace when yet notwithstandyng we confesse that God rendreth vnto euery man accordyng to hys woorkes And if God can haue a respecte vnto woorkes when yet he geueth eternall lyfe fréely what shoulde let hym that he can not fréelye predestinate a man although he haue a respect also vnto workes foresene Hereunto we answer that eternall life is indede geuen Good workes oftentimes go before eternal life but can not preuent predestination Predestination is the efficient cause of good works and not eternall lyfe Predestination and reprobation are oftentimes with ouâ— works freely which yet followeth good workes not as merites but as necessary degrees by which they which are of full age come vnto it And this order the scripture it selfe putteth But that any our workes go before predestination the scriptures in no place haue tought vs yea rather contrariwyse Paul sayth to yâ— Ephesians Hereunto are we predestinated that we shoulde be holye and immaculate And vnto Timothe he sayth that he had obteyned mercy that he moughte be faithfull Why then seke these men to preuent order and especially seyng that theyr own similytude serueth not For eternall life followeth good workes and is not the efficient cause of them but predestination is the cause of good works Farther thys respect to good workes in predestination can not as we haue sayde take place in all men For many are predestinated vnto eternall lyfe and many are appoynted to eternall destruction which neuer should haue any workes at all as it is manifest in infantes Wherfore this is firme and vnmoueable that as touching election and infusion of the spirite there is nothing at all in vs whereby God shoulde be moued to bestowe these thinges vpon vs. For in predestination vocation and iustification there goeth before in vs nothing that is good but good works go before glorificatioÌ„ The reasoÌ„ therof is for that we straight way dye not so sone as we are iustified wherefore it behoueth that that space Why good workes in them that are of age â—o before eternall life of tyme which is betwene haue workes whereby may be declared our fayth and righteousnes which we haue by yâ— electioÌ„ of God obtayned By will Paul vnderstandeth the endeuor of the mynde and by course or running all holy workes vniuersally which metaphore is much vsed in the holy scriptures For Paul in an other place writeth of himselfe I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course And vnto the Corrinthyans So ranne ye that ye maye winne the price And vnto the Galathyans Ye runne well who letted you Out of thys sentence two thynges we ought to gather first that our saluation or election is not of hym that wylleth nor of hym that runneth that is not of our merites but of the mercy of God onely as God sayth in the 9 chapter of Deutronomy Say not for my righteousnes hath the Lorde brought me into thys lande Secondly that it is not of the willer to will nor of the runner to runne but these
thinges Whether faith be defined in that place to the Hebrewes are past neyther are they hoped for to come agayne These two reasons of Hostiensis are very weake neyther do they proue that these wordes vnto the Hebrues can not be applied vnto the definition of fayth I graunt in deede that the entente thereof the Apostle or what soeuer he was that was the author of the Epistle was not to define fayth because then he chiefely entreated of patience endeuoured to shewe that it is most of all ioyned vnto fayth because fayth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a substance c. But by this his reason are touched all thinges that expresse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is applied vnto hope also nature of fayth And to the first obiection we say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance may in deede be applied vnto hope but yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it draweth from fayth not that which it hath of it self Neyther ought it to seeme any new thing if these Diuers and sundry natures haue somethyng common in their definitions thinges which are of a diuers nature haue some thing common in their definitions for a Lyon a dogge and a maÌ„ although they differ much in nature yet herein they agree in that they be liuing creatures and therefore in their definitions is something put which is common vnto them all when as they are both bodies and also thinges hauing life and endewed with senses Wherfore it ought not to seeme meruelous if fayth and hope agree in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forasmuch as they are seperate by other differences For in fayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred vnto the assent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it hath a regard vnto in faith â–ª and what in hope but in hope to the expectation whereby we patiently abide vntill the promises such thinges as we haue receaued by fayth be rendred vnto vs. To the other reason we aunswere that Paul made mencion also of thinges past whiche are made playne vnto vs by fayth for he sayth not onely that it is a substaunce of thinges to bee hoped for but addeth that it is an argumente or conuiction of thinges that appeare not Nowe those thinges also whiche are paste appeare not Faith hath a respect to things pest and also to things present so that they be hâ—â—den for by that worde Paul or any other whatsoeuer he was comprehendeth what soeuer is beleued and is not euident whether it be paste or whither it be to come or whether it be now present But peraduenture thou wilt demaund why in the first place he maketh mencion of those thinges which are hoped for we aunswere that it is aptly done because worthely are those thinges put first which are more harde to beleue For peraduenture there are some which will easly inough graunt that God created all thinges that Christe the sonne of God came into the worlde and was borne of the virgine and such like but yet they will much doubte of the remission of their sinnes of the resurrection of the flesh to come and of the eternal glory which shal be geuen vnto the iuste Wherefore aptlye and orderly are those things placed which are read in the Epistle to the Hebrues But what the nature of faith is Esay the Prophet hath aptly expressed in the 26. chap. in which place is described the church as a citie built of God The Prophet crieth Open your gates a iust nation shall enter therein And he addeth the cause of that righteousnes Schomar emanim that is preseruing or keping fayth where thou séest that by faith the beleuers are iustified Then he addeth in what thing consisteth that faith whereby the people of God is iuste namely because Iatsar semoch titsor schalom that is with a constant affect thou shalt kepe peace This is the true faith whereby we are iustified namelye because we beleue that God will be vnto vs the author of peace and felicity and a faithfull kéeper of his promise Augustine in his 40. treatise vpon Iohn saith What is faith but to beleue that which thou seest not Whiche selfe same thing he writeth vpon the words of the Apostle in his 27. sermon but in his booke de spiritu Litera the 31. chap. he writeth that to beleue is nothing els but to consent that that is true which is spoken The Master of the sentences in the third Distinction the .xxiii. saith that faith sometimes is that which we beleue For in the Symbole of Athanasius it is saide And this is the Catholike faithe that wee The Symbole of Athanasius A distinctioÌ„ of fayth A liuely faith and â— dead fayth The fayth of miracles shoulde beleue c. But somtimes it is that whereby we beleue and in this latter signification do we vnderstande faith in this disputation He seperateth also a liuely faith from a deade faith whiche distinction is to bee liked because Iames maketh mencion of a dead faith But we must know that a dead faith is only a faith in name neither is it any more a faith then is a deade man a man For euen as a dead man is called a man although he be none so a dead faith although it be called a faith yet hath it not the nature of faith There is also an other kind of faith whiche serueth to work miracles and much differreth from the faith which iustifieth and is common both the godly also to the vngodly Of this Paul maketh mencioÌ„ in the first to the Corrinthians when he sayth Vnto one is geuen the woorde of wisedome to an other the word of knowledge to an other he saith is geuen faith and it is not méete that in that rehersall of giftes and frée graces is ment any other faith then that which is the roote of miracles especially wheÌ„ as straightway are added gifts of healinge and giftes of vertues or powers And of this kinde of faith both Chrisostome and also Theophilactus haue made mencion vpon the same firste Epistle to the Corrinth where in the xiij chapter it is saide If I haue all fayth so that I can remoue mountaines And that vnto the wicked also is this kinde of faith graunted is hereby testified in that it is most certaine that of them are set forth both Prophesies and miracles Wherefore Christ shall say vnto them I know you not although with full mouth they boast Haue not in thy name prophesied haue we not caste out deuils There is an other faith whiche endureth but for a time of whiche the Lorde Faith that dureth but for a tyme. made mencion in the parable of the séede which is sowen in the field for all falleth not vpon good earth but some vpon stony ground and when it is sprong vp it very plainly declareth those which with a glad and ioyfull minde receaue the worde of God but when the burning heate and
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 whē 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 seuēth 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 Abrahā 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 cōcerning Abrahā but also he citeth Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuē whose sins are couered Blessed is the mā vnto whō 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 y◠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 y◠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 geuē by faith that it might bee according to grace to
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 câ—usa â–ª 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 â–ª God rendreth to euery man according to his workes hot But it is cleane coÌ„trary 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 reÌ„der vnto euery man according to his works Wherfore works say they are yâ— causes of our felicity But here also as theyr woÌ„ted 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 〈…〉 thâ—se 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 Aâ—riculeâ— 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 â–ª there is nothing that can be forgeuen thee but then hath remission place when the price is
bicause of vnbeliefe they were broken of but thou standest by faith Here is geuen the reason of the fall and destruction of men and on the other side of saluation and constancie namely vnbeliefe faith And of the Iewes which should one day be restored he addeth And if they abide not stil in their vnbeliefe they shal be againe grafted in for God is of might to graft thē in Héere we sée that by departing from vnbelief which consisteth in beleuing Hereby is proued that the restoring of thē that fall cōmeth by faith men that haue fallen are restored This maketh very muche against the error of those which although they after a sort confesse that the first iustification is giuen fréely without any workes going before yet vnto men that haue fallen they graunt not restitution vnto iustification but by satisfactions and many workes preparatory These things haue I gathered out of the Epistle vnto the Romanes now will we in order prosecute the other Epistles In the first Epistle to the Corinthians the first Chapter it is thus written bicause the world in the wisedome of God knew not God by wisedome it pleased God by the folishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleue Bicause the wise men of this world saith the Apostle by their naturall searching out could not take hold of the wisedome of God whereby they might be saued God of his goodnesse hath instituted a contrary way namely the preaching of the Gospell which vnto the flesh séemeth foolishnesse that by it saluation should be geuen vnto men but yet not to all sortes of men but to those only that beléeue Wherfore in the .ij. to the Corinthians the. 1. chapter it is thus written by faith ye stand by which wordes we vnderstand that the foundation wherby we are confirmed and established in the way of saluation is faith Farther Paule to the Galathians the .ij. Chapter where he reproueth Peter for his dissimulation wherby he séemed to lead the Gentiles to obserue the Ceremonies of the Iewes thus speaketh If thou being a Iewe liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as doe the Iewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to liue as doe the Iewes For we which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the workes of the law and we beleue in Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ not by the workes of the law because by the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified Héere we sée that the Apostles therefore folowed Christ y◠they might be iustified by faith which they could not obtaine by works And afterward the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which is all one as if he should haue said As yet in déede sinne sticketh in my fleshe and in it I cary death about but yet notwithstanding I haue life not through mine owne merite but by the faith of the sonne of God In the .iij. chap. he thus wryteth I would know this of you receiued ye the spirite by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith And straight way he addeth he which ministreth vnto you the spirit in you worketh miracles doth he the same by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith By these words we sée that it is faith and not works wherby we take holde of the gifts of God and he addeth ye know that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and that vndoubtedly for no other cause but because in beleuing they imitate him Wherfore sayth he the scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles by faith shewed before hande glad tidings vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all nations be blessed This blessyng spred not abrode vnto them bicause they had their beginning of the flesh of Abraham but bicause they followed the steppes of his faith Otherwise of Abraham as touching the fleshe came not as farre as we can read any other nations then the Ismaelites Edomites and Israelites Then foloweth the conclusion Therefore they which are of faith shal be blessed with faithfull Abraham But to be blessed in the Hebrew phrase is nothing else then to receiue the gifts of God amōgst which iustification is the principallest Wherefore it followeth That vnto the Gentiles through Christ might come the promise made vnto Abraham that we might receyue the promise of the holy Ghost through faith We sée therefore that the promise of the holy ghost is not taken hold of by workes as many faine it is which thing euen reason sufficiently declareth For seing the Lord as it shall a litle afterward be declared had by promise geuen this blessing vnto Abraham we must se what is referred vnto the promise as a correlatiue Which as we haue sayd cā be nothing ells but fayth for fayth setteth forth vnto it selfe the promises of God as an obiect Paul furthermore addeth that the scripture concludeth all thinges vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christ should be geuen to them that beleue Thys is the cause why y◠holy scriptures so diligently shew vnto men how they be guilty of sinnes namely that they should be the more stirred vp to embrase y◠promises of God at the least way by fayth when as they haue not good workes by which they may take hold of them And this vnderstand we by that which is afterward written The law is our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by fayth These wordes signifie nothing els but that y◠law therfore sheweth sinnes setteth forth vnto mē their infirmity and stirreth vp theyr lustes wherby sinnes are more and more encreased that they being thus admonished should returne vnto Christ and might from him thorough fayth receaue righteousnes Which thing they vndoubtedly did of whome it is sayd Ye are all the children of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sons of God but to haue now obteyned adoption which we obteine only by regeneration or iustification And in the 4. chapiter Brethern sayth he we are after Isaake children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing ells but to beleue those thinges which God promiseth wherby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaake borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the 5. chapter he writeth We in the spirite looke for the hope of righteousnes by fayth In this place are two thinges touched the sprite of God whereby we are new facioned and renewed vnto saluation and fayth wherby we apprehēd righteousnes Wherfore in this matter of our iustificatiō although there be in our minds many ther workes of the holy ghost yet none of them except fayth helpe to iustification Therfore the Apostle concludeth Circumcision is
nothing and vncircumcision is nothing but onely fayth which worketh thorough loue Of this only dependeth iustification of this faith I say not being dead but liuing and of force And for that cause Paul added which worketh by loue Which yet ought not so to be vnderstand as though fayth should depend of loue or hath of it as they vse to speake his forme but for that when it bursteth forth into act and will shew forth it selfe it must of necessity doo it by loue So the knowledge of a man dependeth not hereof for that he teacheth other men but therin is it most of all declared But if any perfection of these actions of louing and teaching redound vnto fayth and knowledge that commeth of an other cause and not for that that they depend of it or therof haue theyr forme as many Sophisters dreame In the Epistle to the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is thus written By Grace ye are made safe thorough fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And moreouer in the third Chapiter That according to the riches of his glory he would graunt you that ye may be strengthned with might in the inward man by the spirit that Christ may dwell in your harte by fayth He y◠hath Christ in him the same hath without all doubt righteousnes For of him Paul thus writeth vnto the Corrinthians in the first Epistle and second chapiter Who is made vnto vs wisedome ▪ righteousnes holines redemptiō Here therfore is shewed by what meanes Christ dwelleth in our harts namely by fayth Agayne Paul in the third chapiter to the Phillippians That I might be found saith he in him not hauing mine own righteousnes which is of the law but that which is of the fayth of Iesus Christ Here that righteousnes which is of workes and of the law he calleth his but that which is of fayth and which he most of all desireth he calleth the righteousnes of Iesus Christ Vnto the Hebrues also it is written in the 11. chapter The saynts by fayth haue ouercome kingdomes haue wrought righteousnes and haue obteyned the promises These wordes declare how much is to be attributed vnto fayth for by it the saints are sayd not only to haue possessed outward kingdomes but also to haue excercised the workes of righteousnes namely to haue liued holily and without blame and to haue obteyned the promises of God And Peter in his first epistle and first chapiter In the power of God sayth he are ye kept vnto saluation by fayth In these wordes are signified two principal grounds of our saluation The one is the might and power of God which is wholy necessary for vs to attayne saluation The other is fayth wherby as by an instrument is saluation applied vnto vs. Iohn in his first epistle and 5. chapiter Euery one sayth he which beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God But to be borne of God is nothing els then to be iustified or to be borne agayne in Christ It followeth in the same chapiter This is the victory which ouercommeth the world our fayth By which testimony is declared that the tiranny of the Deuill of sinne of death of hell is by no other thing driuē away from vs but by faith only And toward the end of the selfe same chapiter it is sayd And these things haue I writen vnto you which beleue in the name of the sonne of God that ye might know that ye haue eternall life and that ye should beleue in the name of the sonne of God Now let vs gather also out of y◠Euangelists as much as shall serue for this presēt questiō Mathew in his 8. chap. sayth That Christ excedingly wondred at the faith of y◠Centurian and confessed that he had not found such fayth in Israell And turning vnto him sayd Euen as thou hast beleued so be it vnto thee Here some replye that this history and such other like entreat not of iustificatiō but only of the outward benefits of the body geuen by God But these men ought to consider that sinnes which are in vs are the causes of the griefes and afflictions of the body For only Christ except who vtterly died an innocent all other for as much as they are obnoxious vnto sinne doe suffer no aduersitie without iust desert and although God in inflicting of calamities vpon vs hath not alwayes a regarde hereunto for oftētimes he sendeth aduersities to shewe forth his glory and to the triall of all those that are his yet none whilest he is so vexed can complaine that he is vniustly dealt with for there is none so holy but that he hath in himselfe sinnes which are worthy of suche like or else of greater punishmentes And where the cause is not taken away neither the effect is nor can be taken away Wherfore Christ forasmuch as he deliuered men from diseases of the bodies manifestly declared y◠it was he which should iustify thē from sinnes And that this is true the self same Euangelist teacheth in the. 9. chapter For when he that was sicke of the Palsey was brought vnto Christ to be healed he saith y◠Christ answered Arise my sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee At which saying when as the Scribes and Phariseis were offended to the ende they should vnderstand that the cause of euils being taken away euen the euils themselues also are taken away he commaunded him that was sicke of the Palsey to arise and to take vp his bed and to walke Wherfore it manifestly appeareth that Christ by the healings of the body declared that he was he which should forgeue sinnes and euen as those healings were receiued by faith euen so also by the same faith are men iustified and receiue the forgeuenesse of sinnes And in the selfe same .ix. Chapter is declared that Christe answered vnto two blinde men which were very importunate and most earnestly desired to be healed Doe ye beleue that I can doe this for you And when they had made answer that they beleued he sayd Euen as you haue beleued so be it vnto you And when our Sauior was going to the house of the ruler of the sinagoge to raise vp his daughter from death there followed him a woman which had an issue of bloud which woman was endued with so great a faith that she thought thus with her selfe that if she might but touche the hemme of his garment she should straight way be made whole Wherefore Christ answered her be of good confidēce daughter thy faith hath made thee whole But why Christ adioyneth confidence vnto faith we haue before declared in the beginning of this question whē we declared the nature of faith For we taught that that assent wherwith we take holde of the promises of God is so strong so vehement that the rest of the motions of the minde which are agreable vnto it doe of necessitie follow In Luke also is set forth the history of that sinnefull
gathered out of thē Farther this also is to be noted euen as we haue already before tought that we affirme not that that fayth whereby we are iustified is in our myndes without good workes although we say that it is it onely which taketh hold of iustification and remission of sinnes So the eye can not be without a head braynes hart liuer other partes of the body and yet the eye onely apprehendeth colour and the light Wherefore they which after this maner reason agaynst vs Fayth as ye say iustifieth But fayth is not alone Ergo Fayth alone iustifieth not do fall into a fowle paralogisme As if a man should thus conclude onely the will willeth But Fallacia composition is diuisionis the wyll is not alone in the mynde Ergo not the wyll alone wylleth Here euen litle childrē may sée the fallace or deceate which they call of composition of diuision And is it not a fowle thing that so great diuines should not sée it But here Smith the light forsoth of diuinity setteth himselfe agaynst vs. He of late cryed out euen till he was hoarse that we falsely affirme that those places of the Of the aduerbe gratis that is freely scripture which testify that we are iustified gratis that is fréely should signifie all one with this to be iustified by fayth onely For this worde gratis is not all one wyth Solum that is onely O dull gramarians that we are which without thys good maister could not vnderstand this aduerbe so much in vse Howbeit thys Grammaticall Aristarchus lest he shoulde séeme wythout some reason to playe the foole It is written sayth he in Genesis that Laban sayde vnto Iacob Forasmuch as thou art my kinsman shalt thou serue me gratis Here sayth he put this word Only and thou shalt sée what an absurd kind of speach it will be And in the booke of Nombers The people sayd that in Egipt they dyd eate fishes gratis And in the Psalme They haue hated me gratis Here sayth he can not be put this aduerbe Only Wherefore we rashly and very weakely conclude that for that in the scriptures a man is sayd to be iustified gratis he is therefore strayght way iustified by fayth only But this sharpe witted man one so wel exercised in y◠concordance of the Bible should haue remēbred that this word Gratis signifieth without a cause or without a reward and price And therefore we rightly say that Iustification consisteth of fayth only bycause it is sayd to be geuen gratis For if workes were required there should be a cause or a reward or a price to the obteynement of righteousnes But forasmuch as Gratis excludeth all these things of y◠word is rightly and truly inferred only fayth And those places which this man hath alledged are not hard to confute For Laban sayth Shalt thou serue me gratis that is without this condition that I should geue the any thing which is only to take and nothing to repay And the Israelites when they sayd that they did eate fishes gratis ment that they did eate them with out any price payd And this They haue hated me gratis is nothing ells then wtout a cause or without any my desert Wherfore if this word Gratis take away price merite forasmuch as Paul sayth that we are iustified gratis we must nedes vnderstand that it is doone without any our price or merite Which doubtles should not be true if works should be required as causes and merites And bicause we once brought a place out of the epistle to the Galathians Of this aduerbe Nisi that is except But when as we knew that man is not iustified by the workes of the Law except it be by the fayth of Iesus Christ and of this particle Except concluded that iustification consisteth of fayth only this man according to his wisedome rageth and sayth that this word Except is not all one with Only For sayth he Ioseph in Genesis sayd vnto his brethern Ye shall not se my face except ye bring your youngest brother Christ sayth he sayth Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man ye shall not haue llfe in you Who sayth he wil say that life is had only by the eating of the Sacramēt wherfore sayth he these thinges can not be expounded by this word Only Yes doubtles but they may For in the booke of Genesis what other thing ment Ioseph then to admonish his brethern that they should vpon this condition only come agayne into his sight namely if they brought theyr youngest brother with them ▪ And Christ in the 6. of Iohn entreated not of the eating of the Sacrament for he had not as yet instituted it wherefore by this word to eate he signifieth to beleue And he sayth that they which are of full age herein only haue life if they eate hys flesh and drinke his bloud that is if they beleue that the sonne of God was deliuefor them for the remission of theyr sinnes And that this is the only way whereby they may be saued But Smith addeth that from Iustification is not to be excluded hope and charitie and other good workes I graunt indede that those are not to be excluded from a man that is iustified Howbeit I doo not attribute vnto them the power of iustifieng For that which Paul saith y◠a man is not iustified by workes should not be true if we should be iustified by any kind of workes For if a man should say that an artificer woorketh not with his fingers and afterward should confesse that he vnto that worke which he doth vsed fingers he were worthy to be laughed at although being conuict he would say that he excepted only the litle finger and the third finger and not the thombe forefinger or middle finger For he which vseth thrée fingers vndoubtedly vseth fingers But why doth this man say that hope and charitie are not excluded Bycause sayth he euen ye your selues will haue vs to be iustified by a liuely fayth which doubtles is not without these We graunt that these vertues are always ioyned with true fayth But yet we doo not in them put any part of our iustification before God In this argument is a Fallacia accidentis fallace or disceate of the Accident For vnto those things which are adioyned is attributed that which is proper vnto that vnto whome they are adioyned As if a mā should say The Sunne is round and high ergo the roundnes and highe of the Sū doo make vs warme What workes then doth Smith exclude from iustification when as he includeth hope and charitie I suppose surely he excludeth outward workes fastinges almes and such like But with what face can he so say or teach when as he appointeth and defendeth workes preparatory But this sharpe witted man thinketh that he hath trimely escaped for that he sayth that these things are not of necessity required vnto iustification but only if they
of a sharpe witte at the last this he fayneth That God is not knowen by fayth onely but also by loue But who euer would so say but this man onely Vndoubtedly by loue we know not but by loue we loue But that which is spoken in the booke of wisedome whiche yet with me is not of so great authority Christ himselfe hath most manifestly testified in the Gospel saying This is eternall life that they know thee the onely true God Although of this saying also of our sauior Winchester hath fained a new deuise I know not what namely that to know God is not properly eternall life although it somewhat helpe forwarde thereunto But forasmuch as neither the Fathers nor Paul nor Christ himselfe can satisfy these men there is no hope that we shall any thing preuayle with our reasons They adde moreouer That the fathers say that onely faith iustifieth that is is the principallest thing whereby we are iustified I confesse indéede that only sometime signifieth principall But this sense can not agrée with Pauls purpose This word Only some tymes signifieth principall For if charity be compared with faith charity is excellenter and better as Paul sayth Wherefore if both of them iustify as these men will haue it then shoulde charity haue the chiefest part and not faith And this also is a great let vnto these men which I haue oftentimes spoken of that Paul so ascribeth iustification vnto faith that he sayth without workes But Augustine say they vnto Simplicianus writeth That by fayth we beginne to be iustified Vnto this we may answere two maner of wayes first that that beginning is such that in very déede it hath the very full and whole iustification So that Augustines meaning is that we are iustified so soone as we haue faith Or if this please them not we will say as the truth is indéede that Augustine ment of the righteousnes which cleaueth in vs. They cite also Ambrose vpoÌ„ the 5. chapiter vnto yâ— Galathians In Christ c. For saith he we haue nede of fayth onely in charity to iustification Behold say they vnto iustification we haue no lesse nede of charity then of fayth But they are far deceaued For by those words Ambrose ment nothing els but to make a distinction betwene true faith and a vaine opinion Therfore he sayth that we haue néede of faith only namely which is ioyned with charity But Ierome vppon the 5. chapiter vnto the Galathians sayth That it is charity onely which maketh cleane the hart What other thing els shall we here aunswere but yâ— this his saying if it be vrged roughly simply is false For it is faith also which purifieth the hartes as it is written in the Actes of the Apostles And Paul to Timothe sayth Charity out of a pure hart good conscience c. By which words it is playne tâ—at the hart must of necessity first be pure before charity can come Wherefore we will interprete that sentence by the effect and as touching our knowledge For then is it most certayne that we are regenerate and haue a cleane hart when we be endued with charity After this maner also â—aue we before expounded this Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hath loued much And by the selfe same meanes also may that saying of Augustine in his booke de natura Gratia the 38. chapiter be aunswered vnto It is the charity of God saith he by which onely he is iust whosoeuer is iust But this séemeth vnto me best to vnderstand such sayinges of the fathers of that righteousnes which cleueth vnto vs. For that consisteth not onely of fayth but also of all vertues and good workes But because amongst all vertues charity is the principallest therefore the fathers sometimes Why our righteousnes is attributed sometymes vnto charity attribute righteousnes vnto it onely And that which our aduersaries haue most vniustly vsurped to expound this word Only for principall or chiefe may in this place most iustly serue vs. For here we entreat not of that iustificatioÌ„ which is had by imputation but of that which we attayne vnto after regeneration Wherefore in this our proposition we exclude not from a man that is iustified hope charitie and other good woorkes but this only we say that they haue not the power or cause or merite of iustifieng And when we say that a man is iustified by fayth only we say nothing ells vndoubtedly but that a man is iustified only by the mercy of God and by the merite of Christ only which we can not apprehend We must not leaue oâ— from vsyng this worde Only by any other instrument then by fayth only Neither must we geue place vnto our aduersaries not to vse this worde Only though they cry out neuer so much that of it springeth great offence and mens mindes are by this persuasion somwhat weakned in the excercise of vertues For by sound doctrine we may easely remedy these discommodities For we alwayes inculcate that it is not true iustification or true fayth which wanteth the fruites of good life But we se the subtle and craftie deuise of these men For if we should say that a man is simply iustified by fayth leauing out this word Only Sreight way they would adde of theyr own that a maÌ„ indede is iustified by faith but yet is he no les iustified by hope and charity and other good woorkes For this selfe same cause the Catholikes in times past would not permit vnto the Arrians this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of like substance bicause they would A like example streight way haue sayd That the sonne indede by appellation or name is GOD like vnto the father in a maner equall vnto him but yet not of one and the selfe same nature and substance Wherefore they did with tooth and naile defend and kepe still this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of one and the selfe same substance as a word most apt to expresse the truth of that controuersie which they might also by good right doo and chiefely for that they saw that that word was of necessity concluded out of the holy scriptures out of which also is most euidently concluded thys our word Only and is thought of vs a word most mete to confute the errors of those which would haue iustification to come of workes Moreouer Gardiner bishop of winchester counted this our proposition to be absurd and agaynst it amongst other arguments vsed this and it is to me more then wonderfull how much it is estemed of certayne Papists his parasites The righteousnes sayth he that is geuen vs of God wherby we are iustefied pertayneth to all the faculties of the mind or rather to the wholâ— man Ergo we are not iustified by fayth only For that pertayneth only vnto the higher part of the soule Here gentle reader lest thou shouldest be deceaued lieth hidden a double fallace or disceate For first graunt
of it and cherefully to follow it first it is manifest that the philosophers had not a mynde renewed For they onely allowed their owne doctrines and rested themselues in them onely The wicked also haue not a mynde renewed For if a man aske them what they thinke touching the commaundementes of God if they speake as they thinke they will aunswere that they séeme vnto them hard and yrkesome and importunate Yea and the matter at y◠length proceded to such impiety that there were some which held that the law of Moses was not geuen of the true God but of an euill God such a God as they had fayned vnto themselues In this error or rather wicked impiety were the Valentinians Martionites Maniches and other pestiferous heritiques Last of all neither they also haue their mynde renewed which in sence only and wordes prayse The law of God ought to be allowed not only in sence and wordes but also in dedes and allow the law of God but in déedes do much abhorre from it Chrisostome thus readeth it That ye may allow the better thinges and then by opposition he addeth The will of God as though he should adde an interpretacion which shoulde make playne what these better thinges are namely those thinges which God willeth But that particle is not had in this place but is red in the Epistle to the Phillippians for there after this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to allow is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is better thinges Paul in these wordes setteth forth an excellent rule whereby a mynde renewed ought to be directed namely that the whole order of a mans life is to be taken out of the word of God and out of his lawes For thys is the part of true a Christian that being asked a reason of his doings whatsoeuer he do speake or meditate he aunswere that therefore he doth it for that he knoweth that it pleaseth God That the mynde of man not yet renewed can not allowe The institution of lyfe ought to be directed by the worde of God the thinges which are of God but rather ernestly resist them we may vnderstand by that which Paul before sayd The wisedom of the fleshe is enmity agaynst God for it is not subiect vnto hys lawe yea neither can it Wherefore euen as in a sicke man the tast ought first to be clensed from corrupt humors before that he cā iudge a right of his meat and drinke so in vs humane reason must néedes be purged before that it can vnderstand any thing pertayning to God and conducing to saluation Farther Paul when he exhorteth to renew the mynde séemeth to haue a respecte to that whiche he had before touched concerning those which when by humane wisedome and by the admonition of creatures knewe God yet worshipped him not as it was méete and therefore they were cast of God into a reprobate mynde Wherefore he now exhorteth vs that by a new profession of fayth we vtterly put of the olde mynde Good acceptable and perfect These thinges may be taken two maner of wayes first they may bee referred vnto the will of God as thoughe they were a certaine expressiō of his dispositiō or nature And if we follow this interpretacion thē ought we to take y◠wil of God for those things which God willeth not for y◠power or faculty wherby he willeth For so we vse to say this is my will or this or y◠mans will when as onely thereby is signified what it is y◠I will or what is that this or that man willeth So the meaning of Paul should be that those things which God willeth are good acceptable vnto him perfect Yea we cannot find those proprieties but only in those things which God willeth The other exposition is that that which is here sayd be referred wholy to y◠which went before as if Paul should say that to be transformed in newnes of mind and to allow the will of God is both good and acceptable vnto God and perfect But the first sence is both more simple semeth also more agréeable Origen vpon this place thinketh that there is one wil of God which is takē absolutely simply there is an other wil which Paul calleth good acceptable and perfect For the old law sayth he and the olde ceremonies were the will of God But they could not be called the good acceptable and perfect will of God After this maner we may say that the sinnes wherby God auengeth other sinnes are a certain wil of God but not a good acceptable and perfite wil for such sinnes we ought neyther to allow nor to desire For we wought to follow that will of God which we haue set forth vnto vs in the holy scriptures But I thinke y◠this subtelty serueth nothing to the purpose of Paul For I say thorough the grace that is geuen vnto me to euery one that is amongest you that no man presume or thinke of him selfe more then he ought For we ought to be wise vnto sobriety as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth For I say thorough the grace that is geuen vnto me That which was before spoken summarily and generally Paul now declareth perticularly and by partes and more plainely setteth foorthe and profitably amplifieth By this grace geuen vnto him he vnderstandeth the office of the Apostleshippe and sayth that he was heard of God although not for his owne sake yet for his office sake which he executed He vseth the figure Metonomia whereby the cause is put for the effect For of the grace and mercy of God it was that Paul was an Apostle He sheweth also the necessity wherby the Romanes vnto whom he wrote were bound to obey his sayings And when he nameth grace he escheweth all suspicion of ambition For it signifieth that that office was fréely geuen vnto him of God For he did not thrust himself into the ministery but when he thought nothing les or rather when he persecuted the Gospell God appointed to him this office Hereby also men ought to learne how much they are bound vnto God for the pastors and ministers of Churches For God in this thing no les gratifieth the people then he doth them that be theyr rulers and theyr teachers For those giftes of God which are commonly frée gracious giftes are bestowed not so much to theyr vse vnto whome they are geuen as to the edifieng of the common body of the Church Crisostome moreouer noteth the singular modesty of Paul who as before he did set forth the mercies of God whereby to allure the Romanes to harken to the word of God so here he maketh mencion of his grace to the end those thinges which he speaketh should not be reiected I say Many haue taken this word as an exposition of those thinges which were before spoken As if Paul should say that this is the good acceptable and perfet will of God which he now
⧠Most learned and fruitfull Commentaries of D. Peter Martir Vermilius Florentine Professor of Diuinitie in the Schole of Tigure vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes wherin are diligently most profitably entreated all such matters and chiefe common places of religion touched in the same Epistle ¶ With a table of all the common places and expositions vpon diuers places of the scriptures and also an Index to finde all the principall matters conteyned in the same Lately traÌ„slated out of Latine into Englishe by H. B. ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONdon by Iohn Daye ¶ Cum Gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per decennium ⧠These bookes are to be solde at the shop vnder the gate DIEV ET MON DRIOâ— ARISE FOR IT IS DAY TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VVORTHY SIR ANTHONY COOKE KNIGHT PETER MARTIR VERMILIVS OF FLORENCE PROFESSER OF DIVINITIE IN THE SCHOLE OF TIGVRE VVISHETH HEALTH WHen I oftentimes consider with my selfe right honourable Sir whome for godlines and learning I reuerence all those things which happened all that whole time that I dwelt in England it driueth into me a great and manifolde griefe And in especiall it is a grief vnto me that so great an hope of the gospell of Iesus Christe and of pure doctrine in that Realme geuen by the most mighty and most mercifull God and confirmed by the great laboure industry and study of godly men hath now in a maner vtterly pearished It is a griefe vnto me to thinke that that most noble wit most sacred brest and incredible piety of that famous king Edwarde the .vj. of that name your most deare pupill is so sodainely taken from vs. It is a griefe vnto me that so many English men being of great fame renoum as well for theyr piety as for theyr knowledge and nobility are by voluntary exile for religion sake dispersed throughout externe and straunge countreys and they which at home were counted moste noble and heroicall doe now wander abrode as men obscure abiect and in a manner vnknowne to all men But it is well in that this happeneth not vnto them for any wicked actes by them committed or for filthy life but only for the name and doctrine of oure Lord Iesus Christ It is also a griefe vnto me that so great a multitude of godly brethren are as doubtles it is to often from euerye where signified vnto vs moste cruelly for theyr holy profession put to the sworde fire and tormentes whome for as much as they are our brethren and haue to theyr head together with vs one and the selfe same Christ and are members of one and the selfe same body and finally are euen oure owne bowels when we heare to be entreated with so great cruelty and tyraÌ„ny it is not possible but that we also should in minde be shaken with horror and set on fire euen as they are in body tormented and murthered These and a greate many moe things being vnto me a great griefe so that I am nowe in a maner hardened to any newe griefe yet cease I not to haue an eye hither and thither to see if I might by any meanes gette some healthfull and profitable remedy bothe for my selfe and for such like as I am but now I haue long time had experience of that it is in vaine to hope for mannes helpe or for ayd at the worlds hand And therefore I persuade both my selfe also others to withdraw their mindes from the aides of the flesh and to implore the heauenly and diuine helpe which doubtles I see is offred vnto vs two wayes One is that we with prayers turning our selues vnto Christ shold say How long Lord shall the wickednes and fury of Idolatry of supersticions and of the ignorance of the scriptures range abroade on the earth How long Lord shall thy holy Gospell be troden vnder foote We in dede haue sinned we haue ben rebellious against thee and haue not harkened vnto thy wordes for which cause we are iustly and for our euill deserte thus daily put â—o confusion and shame But thou O Lord our God are most iust in all thy workes But on the other side Lord for as much as it belongeth to thy clemency and constancy to haue mercye to spare and most faithfully to kepe thy couenauntes and promises how long Lord how long wilt thou be angry vnto the end Remember not our iniquities of olde Wherefore we beseeche thee that for as much as in these laste times thou hast by pouring abrode thy plenteous light and that being most mighty vouchsafed to make manifest vnto men which lay in darknes yea more then palpable darknes the secretes of thy truth thou woldest once at the length turne away thy wrath and fury from our ingrate mindes and from the most greuous sinnes whereby we haue laid forth thy most holy name and the pure doctrine which we professe to euil speakings and to blasphemies And deliuer thy congregation from the contumelies and oppressions of the wicked which doubtles light not only vpon vs but also vppon the maiesty of thy name Although thou of thyne owne nature be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vntouchable and not able to be hurt Illuminate O most louing Christ thy face vpon the Church redeamed with thy bloud which is now in a manner vtterly lefte desolate Thy name only and not any other mannes name we call vpon not vndoubtedly trusting to any our own righteousnes but to thy goodnes only and mercy that thou woldest either appoynt an end or measure of those euils and lenify the vexation wherwith we together with our brethren are afflicted or that thou wouldest at the least vouchsafe to geue vnto the hearts of thine such faith and constancy that they fall not away from the profession of true piety yea rather that they may so nobly and valiantly behaue them selues that by their exile emprisonment pouertye ignominy sworde fire and how cruell so euer kinde of death it be the liuely knowledge of thy gospell may more and more shine forth and be made more manifest to the whole world This kinde of ayde and remeady right honorable sir is the first which I see is to be sought for at Gods hands against our euils and which the holy Fathers prophets Apostles and blessed coÌ„fessors of the Christian faith with great fruit vsed in their afflictions Wherfore seing that God heard them praying after this maner or muche like therevnto let vs in no wise distrust but that he will also heare vs when as we haue coÌ„mon with them one and the selfe same cause and one and the selfe same God Vndoubtedly if he heard them he will not despise our prayers but forasmuch as he is alwayes like vnto himselfe if he most louingly and with incredible facilitie receaued theyr prayers he will also fil vs making supplicatioÌ„ vnto him not with a small but with a most ample consolation The second helpe which is also brought vs from God and is euery where
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 frō 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 whē they red this name Tetragrammaton turned it by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 withstād their supersticiō 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 frō 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 cōtinually 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
obiecte vnto vs the Gospell younge menne whyche are studious of the Gospel yea euen theyr own senses and humane reason cryeth agaynst them saying are ye not ashamed of thys new doctrine Are ye so blynde that ye see not that by thys meanes good workes are condemned the worshipping of God perisheth the minstery of the church is troden vnder foote the dignity of priesthode is abiected ecclesiasticall riches are vtterly spoyled what patrones or supporters of learned men shall ye haue hereafter Did your elders which went before you both in thys Mecoenate◠vniuersity and in others being both doctors notable men follow these steps Vnto these men also ought we to aunswere we are not ashamed of the Gospell howsoeuer you speake ill of it If so be they wil say we haue the Gospell yours A collatio◠of the doctrine of the Papistes of the Gospell is a new doctrine Let vs answere them agayne In such sort is that the Gospel which ye haue as that is the Gospell to set forth fayned worshippinges of god casting away and dispising the sincere worshipping described vnto vs of God as it is to worshippe stockes and images as is to obtrude vowes whereby such men are drawen away from matrimony which aboue others haue most neede therof as is to go on pilgrimages vnto Images to worshippe the bones of Saynctes to inuocate the dead and an infinite number of such other like Wherefore ye ought to be ashamed of your doctrine and not we of the Gospell of Christ Let it be diligētly examined what we by the same gospel iudge of the What maner of doctrine ours is honour of god We attribute all thinges vnto hym only we wil in all thinges depend of hym only Farther see what our iudgement is concerning the worshippyng of hym We desire to retayne the same pure and holy as it is delyuered vs in the holy scriptures What do we thinke of good works we vrge them continually and requyre to haue them done of vs so perfectly that we thinke alwayes that something remayneth not perfectly done of vs vnto whiche we should leuel and whereunto we ought to direct all our endeuors What iudge we as concerning the holy ministery we trauayle to haue it to be in great estimation as by which God worketh our saluacion What of Sacraments That they should be kept pure and vndefyled and be reduced vnto that vse whereunto Christ instituted them What iudge we of magistrates that they should be obeyed and that we should be subiecte vnto them in all thinges so that they commaund nothing agaynst the word of God What of poore and miserable men that we should helpe and relieue them What of publike peace and tranquillity That it be kept yea euen with the los of our goods What of sciences and good learning That they should be mayntained and aduaunced Why do ye obiect auncientnes vnto vs There is nothing that we more desire then to haue thynges brought to their olde estate Ye haue brought in new thinges we require againe the estate of the primitiue Church and desire to haue againe the institucions of the Apostles Wherefore there is no cause why we should be ashamed of the gospel of which such as complain do rather lament the losse of theyr commodities then that they can accuse our doctrine And if anye Troubles and discommodities are not to be ascribe◠vnto the Gospel troubles or discommodities happen they are not to be ascribed vnto the doctrine but vnto those which vnder the pretence of Christ and of the gospell doo seeke those thinges which are their owne and not the thinges which are Iesus Christes But now let vs see Paules reason why he is not ashamed of the gospell of Christ Because it is the power of God to saluacion to euery on that beleueth It is the power that is the organe and instrument wherby God sheweth forth hys power to saluation For together with the woord of God and the gospell are instilled grace and the holy ghost and especially remission of sinnes by whiche we are renewed and made safe And yet this knittinge together of mans saluation wyth the gospell is not naturall that is of necessitye so that the gospell The Gospell is not a naturall instrument but at the pleasure of God This diffinicion hath the cause efficient end and instrument of receauinge the Gospel A similitube of the Sacraments The sum of the whol controuersy concerning iustificatiō Why in iustification mencion is made chiefly of the power of god The difference betwene the righteousnes of the law and of the Gospel This phrase of speach to take holde by fayth is not strange nor rare in in the holye scriptures beyng geuen and set forth saluation should streight way follow of necessitye For it is needefull that God doo also inwardly moue the harts of the hearers as in the Actes of the Apostles we reade it was doone vnto the woman that sold silke Wherfore the gospel is to be counted an instrument arbitrary which God vseth according to hys will Many thynke that thys definition is taken of the cause efficient For in it is expressed the power of God whiche maketh vs safe Then is added the fynall cause namely that thys power of God is to saluation neyther is that lest vnspoken of whereby we are made able to take hold of so greate a benefyte and the same is fayth For it is added to euery beleuer For they which come to heare the Gospell and wante fayth receaue nothyng but wordes and the Gospell to them is no Gospell Euen as in the Sacraments they which are without fayth do in deede receaue the simboles or signes but they haue not the fruyte and thing of the sacraments Here is now touched the chief poynt of all the controuersy For in that it is sayd that saluacion cometh of the Gospell vnto euery one that beleueth is sufficientlye declared that we are iustifyed by fayth and not by works nor by our owne strength nor by philosophy nor by ceremonies of the law Neither did he without cause make mencion of the power of God For that before we can be saued our enemyes ought to be vanquished that is the deuill death hell and in especiall sinne Hereby playnly appeareth also the difference betweene the righteousnes of the lawe and the righteousnes of the gospell The righteousnes of the lawe is to do and to worke He that shall do these thinges shall liue in them sayd Moyses as it is alleaged to the Galathyans and shall in this Epistle be afterward intreated of in hys place But contrarywyse the ryghteousnes and saluation of the Gospell is by fayth vnto all thē that beleue For it is fayth which taketh hold of the mercye and promes of God although there haue bene some which durst affirme that this kind of speach to take hold by fayth is straung that is not vsed in the holy scriptures But they are excedingly deceaued It is
in deede not vsed among the sophisters but it is read in the scriptures For to to the Galathians it is wrytten That we myghte receaue the promyse of the spyrite through fayth And he vseth the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche signifyeth nothynge els then to apprehend take hold and to receaue Also in the Actes of the Apostles Paul speeketh vnto Agrippa the kynge that he was sente for thys cause that menne shoulde receaue remission of sinnes and lotte amonge the Sayntes throughe fayth Where he also vseth the same verbe And vnto the Romaynes the 9. chap. The Gentyles whyche followed not righteousnesse tooke holde of ryghteousnesse euen that righteousnesse whiche is of fayth The greeke woord in this place is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore it followeth that we speake after the maner of the Scriptures Neyther is thys to be left vnspoken of that there are some whiche thinke that this definition of the Gospell is takē of the matter as though it should be thus expounded that the Gospell is the power of God to saluacion for that in it is set forth and intreated of the power of God wherby he saueth mankind And that power is Christ the sonne of God which was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh euen as it is before sayd So the first definiciō and this latter differ nothing as touching the kynd of the cause And in deede I dislyke not thys interpretacion for Paul in the fyrst to the Corinth calleth Christ the power of God and the wysedome of God howbeyt I do more willyngly allow the fyrst interpretacion Paraduenture some will say for asmuch as the Gospell is preached vnto many vnto iudgement and condemnacion and we are as Paul sayde vnto manye the sauor of death vnto death howe then is it called saluacion or power vnto saluacion And to the Corint it is writen We preache Christe crucyfyed Why the gospel is sometymes vnto condemnation vnto the Iewes in deede an offence and to the Greekes foolishnes Hereto we aunswere that the Gospell is hurtfull vnto them which trust in theyr owne strengthes theyr proper workes and theyr owne reason But in the same place to the Cor. Paul wryteth Vnto the called of God is Christe preached the power of God and the wysedome of God Whiche place serueth verye muche vnto the interpretation of this sentence For things ought to haue their name geuen them Thinges must be named bi their wne nature and not by that which chanseth by hap vnto them Christ is rightly called a sauior althoughe to many he turne to offence and ruine of that thynge whyche they haue obteyned of theyr owne disposicion and nature and not of that which is otherwyse annected vnto them by happe and as they speake per accidens that is by chaunce The Gospell hath of hys owne institucion and by the counsell of God the propriety to saue But in that it hurteth the same happeneth from without that is of the infidelity of the receauers otherwyse Christ hymself could not be called a Sauiour because he was put for the fall and offence of many Wherefore when he spake of the Scribes Phariseis he sayde If I had not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde haue had no sinne But for that he was not to this ende sent but these euils happened of an other cause therfore he is called a Sauiour Notwithstanding many by occasion of hys comming perished For as touchyng hymselfe he had the wordes of eternall lyfe And he hymself sayth The wordes which I speake vnto you are spiryte and lyfe But manye of them whyche stande here beleue not Wherefore those thinges disagree not but aptly agree which these whiche Paul nowe wryteth What kind of saluatiō we haue by the gospell Further we must diligently examine what maner of saluation this is whiche is brought vnto vs by the Gospell For politicall or ciuill men do also promise health or sauety by good lawes and seuerity of discipline But that is singular and very contract for it is only that safety wherby we are made safe from the iniuryes of men Phisicions also promise health but that pertaineth only to the body that it may be in good case Souldiers boast also that they are appointed to the sauetye of men but that safety belongeth only agaynst the inuasions of enemyes Yea and handycraftes men say that theyr workmanships are healthfull vnto men but these men also bryng only porcions of sauety They whiche build houses do defend vs from the iuiuries of the aire and wether they which make clothes and garments do after a sort defend our bodys from colde but this sauety which is of the gospell comprehendeth all and contayneth in it the vniuersal summe and head of our conuersation that is felicity it selfe and blessednes Felicitye blessednes come vnto vs of the gospell By Christe and the gospell we are deliuered from sinne from whēce come all euils What is the vulgare definition of felicity This is that saluacion whiche was shadowed in the old Testament as often as the publike wealth of the Israelites was defended from oppressers by Iephthe Samson Gedeon and Debora And that this saluacion which is now intreted of oughte to be taken generally is proued by a sure reason for that all these defectes vnto which the porcions of sauety which we haue now rehersed were a helpe happened vnto vs by reason of synne But by Christ and hys gospell we ar deliuered from synne which thyng the Aungell testifyeth when he sayd vnto Ioseph For he shall saue hys people from theyr synnes and thys is to restore vs to true felicity For felicity as it is commonly sayd is to lyue agreably vnto nature And oure nature is instituted of God that we shoulde be according to hys Image And thys particle to saluation is necessarily added because otherwise the power of God is also to take vengeance to reuenge and to condemne The power of God is both to saluation and to vengeaunce A similitude But the Gospell is not properly instituted to that ende but to saluacion Now if we were once fully perswaded of thys that in Christ and in the gospell we should haue perfect saluation we would not so much fixe our mynde on temporall thynges but would alwayes contende thither where we hope we should haue felicity and blessednes Euen as princes and noble men do seldome go abrode into the market place streates or lanes neyther do they much passe for the spectacles of the common sort of men for that they haue at home theyr delightes pleasures paradises and passing good thinges therefore they willingly tary at home and if they be abrode they quickely get them home So ought we also to vse the good thinges of this world only for the necessities of the body but we ought contynually to be conuersant in Christ and in hys gospell as in our saluation and felicity To the Iewe first and to the Greeke
no reputacion yet was it taken to be geuen for Christes sake And therefore in all the promises of the olde Testament the myndes of the godly ranne vnto this foundation and ground Then let vs consider the finall cause Wherefore would God haue the publike wealth of the Iewes preserued to the ende but only that Christ should be born therehence Why prouided he that the stock of Dauid should contynue safe euen to the ende but onely that the sonne of God should of it take humane fleshe Why brought he agayne hys people from captiuity but only that the Messias should at length be borne at the tyme promised in the place appointed and of a stocke assigned This vndoubtedly was the cause of all those promises vpon this cause did all the fathers bend their minds as many as vnderstood a right Wherfore Paule wresteth not the testemonyes of the prophetes neyther doth he rashely abuse them And let this be vnto vs a sure and faythfull rule for the perfect vnderstanding of the promises of the olde What it is to lyue by fayth testament whereas he sayth that the iust man shall lyue by fayth he meaneth that he shal be able to moue hymselfe to all good thynges as to beleue to hope to contynue in hope and to loue of charity vnto which thynges by the power and strength of our owne nature we canne by no meanes attayne And that by faith we obtaine eternall life it very well agreeth with those thinges which The knowledge whiche commeth by fayth and the eternall lyfe which shal be in heauen are one and the selfe same thyng as touching the matter Wherein the righteousnes which is receaued by fayth consisteth We are not firste iuste and then afterward lyue by fayth Differences betwen the righteousnes of the Gospel and of the lawe Christ spake This is the life eternall that they should acknowledge thee to be the only true God and him whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ These thinges shall we playnly and openly knowe in heauen our countrey and that with a cleare and manifest sight But now haue we these selfe same thinges with a very obscure knowledge that is through fayth This is not an other lyfe from that But then shall that be made perfecte which we haue now but only begon And the righteousnes which by this fayth maketh it selfe open consisteth herein especially that from the tyme we are reconciled vnto God we leade our life in such sorte that both we render vnto hym his due worshipe and also vnto our neighbour our bounden due offices or dueties And whereas the Prophete writeth that the iust man lyueth by fayth his wordes must not so be taken as though he should affirme that we are fyrst iust and that then afterward we liue by fayth But this thyng he teacheth that by fayth do come vnto vs two commodityes both that we should be iust and also that we should obtayne life we see here also set forth vnto vs the difference betweene the righteousnes of the law and of the Gospell The righteousnes of the law is a perfecte obedience of the commaundementes of God But the righteousnes of the Gospell is an imputacion thereof The righteousnes of gospell God geueth vnto vs but the righteousnes of the law we geue vnto God The righteousnes of the law leaneth vnto workes For it is written The man which doth these thinges shall liue in them and cursed be he whiche abideth not in all the thinges whiche are written in the booke of the lawe also If thou wilte enter into lyfe keepe the Commaundementes Also doo thys and thou shalte lyue But here it is sayd The iuste manne shall lyue by fayth Wherfore looke what difference there is betwene to do and to beleue so much seeme these places to be repugnaunt one to the other But these thinges A conciliation of places repugnant shall easely be made to agree by making a distinction of righteousnes For forasmuch as the righteousnes of the Gospell is one and the righteousnes of the lawe is an other some testimonyes speake of the one righteousnes and some teach of the other Now by that which hath bene spoken the Apostle setteth forth three good By fayth we obtayne saluation righteousnes and life thinges and those most principall which by fayth we obtayne namely saluation righteousnes and life For thē Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleueth agayne the righteousnes of God is reuealed by it from fayth also the iust man shall liue by fayth If there be anye that requyre more then these good thinges then is he ouer curious Further euen in the very first entrance into the cause we see how strongly he affirmeth by these three sentences now rehersed that by fayth these good thinges happen vnto vs. Here also maye be noted in what estimation Paul hath the holy scripture for vnto it he ascribeth the chiefest authority to proue the question takē in hand namely that the righteousnes of god is reuealed by fayth And if both the Apostle and also the Prophet do so manifestlye pronounce that we are iustified by fayth then is it not meete that our aduersaryes should so crye out agaynst vs for that we affirme the very selfe same Wherefore if they be herewith offended then let them grudge agaynst the scriptures agaynst Paule and agaynst What remedy we must vse when it is sayd that we reiect good woorkes the Prophet and not agaynste vs. And agaynst them which crye out that we spoyle good workes of theyr dignity and honour there is no presenter remedy then to lyue vprightly and holyly that thereby we may aboundantly haue testemonyes of good workes and say to our aduersaries if any confydence were to be put in good workes then should we in no case geue place vnto you forasmuch as in them we farre excell you And all that whiche we say and teach of iustification which commeth through fayth tendeth only to this that the truth should by the word of God be defended This was Paules meaning when he sayde vnto the Phillippians If any man may put confidence in the fleshe I also may much more and by many thinges he declareth how much in this kinde of glory he excelled others But he afterward addeth that all these things he counted as dongue and losse that he might wyn Christ and that he mought be found in him not hauing his own righteousnes namely which is of works but that which is by the fayth of Iesus Christ This excellent example of the Apostle ought we to imitate that although we attribute not iustification vnto workes yet ought we plentifully to abound in them aboue other men For if we leade an vnpure lyfe and on the other syde boaste of iustification through fayth then shall we be laughed to scorne of our aduersaryes as though we for that cause professed this doctrine to lyue without punishement 〈…〉 ly and without all order For
the wrath of God appeareth from heauen agaynst an vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men whiche withhold tâ—e truth in vnrighteousnes seing that it which maye be knowen of God is manifest among them because God hath shewed it vnto them For hys inuisible thinges that is to say his eternall power and godhed are seene forasmuch as they are vnderstand by the workes from the creation of the world For the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen To the ende he would coÌ„firme The first reason whereby is proued that we are iustified by the sayth of the Gospel Take away the Gospelâ— and then remayneth the wrath of God and most vnpure sinnes do raunge abroad the proposition nowe proposed namely that by the fayth of the Gospell we are iustefied he bringeth many reasons The firste is when the Gospell is receaued by fayth there springeth forth righteousnes But take away the Gospell and fayth and then the wrath of God waxeth hotte and men are defiled with most vnpure vices and sinnes Wherefore it is manifest that the cause of our righteousnes is the Gospel taken hold of by fayth The minor or second proposition that where the Gospell is away there are both wicked actes and the wrath of God he proueth by a diuision as well towardes the Iewes as towardes the Gentiles Of the Iewes he will speake in the next chapiter now he entreateth of the Gentiles And that the wrath of God is powred vpon them he proueth by the horrible and filthy vices which he numbreth and declareth that those men deserued so to be forsaken of God and hedlonge to be thrust into those sinnes because when they knew him they dishonoured hym and gaue his honour vnto creatures And that they knew God he proueth for that his creatures enstructed them thereof And he maketh mencion of so grosse and filthy vices that they were not able to deny theyr owne peruersenes For if he had spoken of those enormious sinnes whiche pertayne vnto the mynde for that in them there is not so much shame it would not so much haue moued the readers But after this maner may the reason of the Apostle be resolued A resolutioÌ„ of the Apostle his reason They were thus filthyly contamynated therefore were they not reformed within neyther renewed through the spirite and grace Wherefore they were neyther acceptable vnto god nor yet reconciled vnto him And we sée that Paule by this reason hath not only confirmed that which he entended but also by the selfe same laboreth instituteth a most holesome exhortation which This is a good exhortacioÌ„ where is preached repentance he began of repentance For he setteth before their eyes their most haynous wicked actes and sheweth them that eternall punishementes are at hand vnto them and that they suffer these thinges through the anger of god towardes them And to the ende he would make them the more afrayd he taketh away from them all maner of excuse affirming that they knew right well after A place of Iohn declared what sorte they should leade theyr life And the summe of this reason is red in the gospell of Iohn the 3. chapter He which beleueth in the sonne hath eternall life but he which beleueth not shall not see eternall life and the wrath of God abideth ouer him There it manifestly appeareth that by fayth which is geuen vs in Christ we do obtayne righteousnes and life and contrariwise it being taken away righteousnes is also taken away and the wrath of god remaynteh kindled Take away the gospell and fayth from philosophy and good artes and what Take awaye fayth and the gospell from Philosophy and then in it shal be left nothynge that is found Why god in such manner forsooke the Ethnikes sound thing shalt thou sée then in those meÌ„ which so chalenge them vnto themselues Vndoubtedly all things shal be contamynated as Paule paynteth them out in colours Here paraduenture a man will aske why god so forsooke men that they should be wrapped in so greate wicked actes Hereto may be answered he did it both for that they deserued this thing by reason of the idolatrye which they committed when as they had the knowledge of the true god and also chiefely to the ende we should vnderstand the necessary helpe had of the comming of Christ For if men had bene but in a tollerable case they woulde scarfely haue iudged that they had any neede of the Mediator Christ But where sinne aboue measure abounded there also was grace made more illustrous of so greate force I say that it was able to breake in sonder the most greuous yoke of sinne The wrath of God from heauen By wrath he fyguratiuely vnderstandeth vengeance Augustine writeth to Optatus in his 157. Epistle that wrath What is wrath in God is not in god a perturbation of the mynde as it is in men but only a iust and fyxed vengeance Which selfe same thing he writeth in his booke de Trinitate Wherefore it is a fygure much vsed in the holy scriptures that for the vengeance of God we rede anger or wrath And Aristotle in his Rethorikes defineth it to be an appetite of vengeaunce for negligence or contempt For when a The defynition of wrath according to Aristotle man seeth himselfe to be conteÌ„ned his desire is straight way inflamed to seeke to auenge Wherefore the Apostles meaning is that these most wicked vices were a reuenge proceding from god being angry From heauen These wordes haue a greate Emphasis or force For they signify that this vengeance is manifest largely spred abroad and most mighty as are showers of rayne and tempestes which fall from heauen vpon the earth And it is as much as if he should say that this wrath or vengeance of God was inflicted by his deuine might or power For we are sayd to receaue those thinges from heauen which seeme to be sent by the power of God as in Satyra the Poete sayd Tertius è coelo cecidit Cato et tanquam Sacculus è coelo discendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is in English The third Cato discended from heauen and as a sacke fell this sentence from heauen Knowe thy selfe And Cicero also sayth of Pompey that the prouince saw him not as one sent from a city but as one fallen from heauen So Paule fayth that this vengeance may in no case be counted as a thing naturall but as a plague inflicted of God For as it shall afterward be declared God deliuered them into a reprobate mynde And although the corporall calamityes wherewith God striketh vs are greuous yet far more greuous is this when we are deliuered into a reprobate mynde For in that case men seeke destrucion vnto themselues and are euen their owne slaughtermen Neyther contrarywise can we obtayne any good thyng more to be wished for then to attayn vnto an holy mynd and a right vnderstanding For euen as this is a singular gifte so is the other
a most seuere vengeaunce Agaynst all vngodlynes and vnrighteousnes of men He sayth not against men because God hateth not them but taketh vengeaunce on their wicked actes And those comprehendeth he vnder the name of impietie and vnrighteousnes for wicked actes are partlye committed agaynst God and partly agaynst men VVhich vvithholde the truth in vnrighteousnes They attayned vnto so much truth that therby they vnderstode how they ought to behaue them selues towardes God and towardes their neighbours And yet withhelde they the truth in vnrighteousnes Which selfe same thyng dyd the Hebrewes committe concerning the truth which God had reueled vnto them by the law Seing therfore both these Hebrues and those Gentiles were so greuously punished what ought men which professe themselues to be Christians to hope for which wyth holde to themselues so great a lyght of the Gospell without fruite Vndoubtedly they shall at the length become most wicked and euen experiēce teacheth that those whych boast of Christ and do liue filthely do at the length in naughtynes and filthinesse passe all men though they be neuer so wicked The truth is after Who they be that withholde the truth captiue With what bondes the truth is bound The truth suffreth nothing in it selfe Aristotle in hys Ethikes a sorte with hold captine in them whych vnderstand it and yet expresse it not in workes life And it is ouercome restrayned with the chaynes of euell lustes which breathing vp out of the inferior parts of our mind do obfuscate the vnderstanding and as it were in a darke prison close in the truth knowen God kindleth the truthe in our myndes but by our lustes it is wonderfully darkened There is no cause why we should thinke as Chrisostome admonisheth vs the the truth of hys owne nature can suffer any thyng For it of hys owne nature is vnchangeable But what soeuer euill happeneth the same is hurtefull to our mynd and soule Paul toucheth in two wordes those thynges whiche Arist 〈…〉 in hys Ethikes when hee disputeth of the incontinent person prosecuteth 〈…〉 many woordes For he demaundeth by what meanes the incontinente person declineth to vices sithen that he hath in hys mynde a right opinion And hée aunswereth that that thing happeneth by reason he is to much puffed vp wit 〈…〉 me singular profite which presētly is offred vnto this senses by the wayght wherof the better part also is oppressed so that it geueth place to the lusts neither excecuteth it hys office with efficacie to consider and peyse the truth whiche before it knew Whiche thyng also the Poete affirmeth of Medea Video meliora probóque Ouide of Medea deteriora sequor whiche is in Englishe I sée what thynges are best and I allow them but I folow the worst All this doth Paul teache vs when hee sayth That the vngodly wythholde the truth in vnrighteousnesse That truth laboureth as muche as is possible to burst forth into acte but it is letted of concupiscence or luste And this is that whiche is written in the first of the Ethikes That the more The noblest part of the soule exhorteth to the best things The power of the conscience excellent part of the mynde alwayes exhorteth and prouoketh to thynges which are of the best sorte For so hath God and nature framed vs that the thyng which we know we desire to expresse in Acte which thyng when we do not we are reproued euen by our own iudgement And hereof come those wonderfull forces of the conscience whiche in sinnes of great wayght can neuer be perfectly quieted To with holde the truth in vnrighteousnes is properly to refuse the callyng of God which continually by hys truth calleth vs vnto hym self Wherfore it shall be very profitable for vs if whē soeuer we haue attained to any thing that is true either by our owne study or els by the obseruation of thinges we streighte way weigh with our selues where vnto God calleth vs through that truth which he layth before our myndes By vnrighteousnes the Apostle vnderstandeth generally what soeuer we sinne either agaynst God or agaynste men Wherefore Paul speaketh of that truth which is naturally grafted in vs and also of it which we attayne vnto by our own study For either of thē instructeth vs of most excellent thynges touchyng God so that the vnrighteousnes whiche we commit is not able to blot it out of our hartes Whiche thing yet the Accademians attempted An error of the Accademians to teache when as they contended that nothing can certainely be knowne of vs. And so they can not abyde that we should embrace any thyng as beyng sure that it is true but they will haue vs to count all thinges as vncertayne doubtfull An error of the Epicures And in lyke maner do the Epicures goe about to blot out of mens myndes those thinges which by naturall anticipation are imprinted into our myndes concerning God And yet notwithstanding neither of these were able to brynge to passe that which they endeuoured themselues to doo For will they or nill they Whither truth be stronger when it is receaued by fayth then being naturally grafted in vs. these truthes continue still in the myndes of men But which is muche to be lamented they are withholden in vnrighteousnes Peraduenture thou wilte aske how it commeth that the truth which we haue by faythe is of more strengthe to burst forth into acte then is the truth which is naturally attayned vnto Vndoutedly this commeth not therof for that one truthe beyng taken by it selfe and set aparte is stronger then an other For eyther truth hath one and the selfe same The diuersity is not in the truth but in the meane whereby it is taken hold of nature but the difference commeth of the meane and instrument whereby it is receiued The strengthes of nature are corrupt weake and vitiate throughe sin And therfore the truth which they take hold of is of no gret force But faith hath ioyned with it the inspiration of God and the power of the holy ghost And therfore it doth with great force take holde of the truth Wherfore the diuersitie is not in the truth it selfe but in the meane and instrument whereby weembrace it This is the cause why there we are changed but here we remayne the selfe same men which we were before Of which thyng we haue a manifest testimony in the Gospell Christ did set forth vnto the yong man what he should do to obteyne saluation which when he had heard yet was he not moued to geue place but went away with heauines He trusted vnto naturall strengthes and therfore he demaunded of the Lord what he mightes to attayne vnto eternall Example of diuers apprehensions of the truth lyfe But contrariwise Mathew as soone as euer he heard his vocation did with so great fayth take hold of it that forsakyng money and hys office he streyghte way followed Christ And Zachens who otherwyse was
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 heauē 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 seruāts 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
reason of inconstancy he doth not alwayes abyde still in one and the selfe same purpose partly because he performeth not those thinges which he promiseth and partly because he oftentymes bringeth forth a lye and that ether of infirmity whilest he is not able to attayne vnto the truth or els of an euill purpose to vse deceite This sentence is read in the 116. Psalme In my hast A place of Dauid out of the 116. Psalme I sayd euery man it a lyar And certayne interpreters of the Hebrues affirme that Dauid had then a respect vnto Samuell For when he was on euery side enclosed in by the host of Saule was in a maner past all hope to escape such cogitacions were offred vnto him through the infirmity of the fleshe as though the Prophet had made a lye touching those thinges which he had promised him concerning the kingdome Or els he mought speake these thinges against himselfe for that when according to mans reason he had cast awaye all hope of escaping and thought himselfe to be in a maner forsaken of God as soone as he came agayne into the right way he brake into this sentence Euery man is a lyer because he also had deceaued himselfe touching the goodnes of God And by the antithesis or contrary position it is playne that a liar here signifieth an vnconstant person For before he sayde Let God be true Wherefore we maye conclude The word of God and the sacramentes depend not of our fayth that the dignity of the scripture or of the sacramentes dependeth not of our fayth or misbeliefe For whether we beleue God or mistrust him they are to be estéemed according to their dignitie because they depend of the institution of God who is most true neither is hys truth chaunged through our defaultes as Dauid writeth That thou mightest be iustified in thy wordes and ouercome when thou arte iudged Thus the 70. interpâ—eters haue turned it whom Paule now followeth when as in the Hebrewe it is thus written Lemaan titsdek be dhob recha tizkeh beschoatecha And that which the 70. haue turned That thou mightest be iustified may accordyng to the Hebrewe be Therfore shalt thou be iustified And where as it is written agaynst thee onely haue I sinned Rabbi Dauid Chimchi expoundeth it thus I haue priuilie and in secret transgressed and therefore agaynst thée onely But thou art iustified and in iudgement ouercommest which hast by Nathan the Prophet shewed the thou knowest these thinges But thys exposition fitteth not very well with the wordes of Paule Wherfore we omitte it Others interprete it Although Dauid sinned agaynst Vrias and agaynst Bersabe and agaynst the hoste of Israell yet these were not sinnes but in respecte that they were prohibited by God in the lawe For there hence dependeth the iuste consideration of sinne But it is better to say that Dauid was so much gréeued because he sawe that God by reason of hys sinne was blasphemed and had in derision which bare fauour vnto such a kyng who to satisfie hys owne filthye luste permitted hys enemyes to haue the vpperhand These things I say so much vexed hym that in that feruencie of minde he had a regarde vnto these thynges onely And therfore by the figure Hyperbole he sayth Against thee onely haue I sinned As we when we are oppressed with many troubles at one tyme are accustomed to say of the chiefest and greatest trouble which afflicteth vs most Thys one thyng greueth me very much But afterward he comforteth hym selfe hauing conceaued a firme hope and sayth That thou mightest be iustified in thy wordes as if he shoulde say Vndoubtedly I haue greuouslye sinned but such is thy goodnes that hereby I sée it to bee more poured out so that alwaies when thou contendest in iudgement thou wilt in the cause haue the vpperhand Neyther is it to be thought that Dauid when he sinned had thys consideration in hys minde to illustrate the goodnes of God For there he sought onely to satisfie hys owne desire and luste Wherefore thys particle That hath Good haps are not to be ascribed vnto sinnes but vnto the mercy of God a respecte not vnto Dauid but vnto God by whose benefite it commeth to passe that of that which is euill shoulde come some good vnto them which loue hym Forasmuch as vnto them all thynges turne to good Wherfore the good things which followe after sinnes coÌ„mitted are to be ascribed not vnto our sinnes but to the mercy of God Neyther let vs maruaile that God is iudged as Paul saith For oftentymes it happeneth that men when they thinke them selues to be euill God is iudged of men handled of hym they reason concerning hys iudgementes and although not in wordes yet in thoughtes they striue agaynst hym But then if they shoulde call to memorye how many how greuous sinnes they haue committed they should alwayes pâ—rceaue that God is in hys cause iustified and ouercommeth Thys worde wordes which in Hebrewe is bedhobrecha may signifie iudiciall actions and in that sense haue I interpreted it Although other take that worde for the wordes of the promises and especially touchyng Christ For Dauid when he considered that he had greuouslye fallen desired God to make him cleane and that he woulde not by reason of the wicked acte which he had committed cease to accomplishe the promise which was that of hys séede shoulde Christ be borne Which interpretation Ambrose hath But besides the expositions now alleaged of these wordes there are two other expositions also Of which the one is thys For that Dauid was a kyng and was the chiefest in authoritie amongest the people of God he had no iudges ouer hym whose tribunall seate or iudgement or sentence he shoulde néede to be afrayde of But he saw that onely the wrath of God dyd hange ouer hys head Therefore he sayd Vnto thee onely am I giltie although men can not punishe me The other exposition is Vrias Bersabe and part of the hoste haue bene ill delte withall through my meanes but they vndoubtedly as they were men had sinnes for which they deserued those thynges which they suffred yea and thynges farre more greuous then them But thou O God hast nothing in thée for which I ought so to offend thée whom thou hast adorned with so many great benefites and exalted to so high a dignitie There were some also which thought that thys addition That thou myghtest be iustified in thy sayinges is to be referred vnto that which went before Haue mercy vppon me O God Washe me and clense me that being receaued into grace I may obtayne those thynges which thou hast promised me and so thou mayest be iustified and ouercome euen by the iudgement of men Here we sée that thys worde Of the woord iustifieng It is the part of perfect men when they are afflicted to acknowledge God to be good iustifying signifieth not to obtayne any newe righteousnes which thyng we can not
thereof Wherfore let no man pretende for their sinne a good entent as they vse to say There is of God a law set forth vnto vs it is our part to be obedient vnto it Let vs not followe the reasoninges of man thinking with our selues if I shall obey the commaundements of the Lord this discomodity or that inconuenience will follow This were for a man to preferre himselfe before God as though he had not foreseene what might happen vnto vs by the obseruing of his commaundemeÌ„ts Augustine oftentimes citeth this place when he writeth to Consentius against lieng And assuredly we also at this time haue much contentioÌ„ with them which defend many euill things vnder the pretence of a good ende They haue presumed to maime and to dismember the Sacramente of the Eucharist because they suspected that the wine might he spilled out of the cuppe if it should be distributed vnto the laye men They will haue the people also to praye in an vnknowne tongue whiche is forbidden by the woorde of God and they say that a laudable entente and good ende is sufficient And so presume they vpon infinite moe other thinges not weighing what the holy Ghost sayth in this place Yea and they lay the selfe same thinges vnto our charge which are now obiected vnto Paule For when we preache iustification freely and without woorkes they saye that we open an entrance and way vnto losenes of life that we condemne good works Iustification freely geuen is not against good workes The famâ—lies of the Papists do debilitate good workes when as yet we teach not these thinges God indeede forgeueth sinnes freelye but he doth not therefore geue vnto his licence to sinne but together with iustification is geuen the holy Ghost and an innouation of life whereof springeth no small endeuour to good workes But if agaynst them we would vrge such kinde of cauillations peraduenture they shoulde be founde to geue farre more greater occasion to loosenes of life forasmuch as they teach that if a manne confesse his sinnes and receaue the Ecclesiasticall absolution althoughe he haue in his mind no good and holy motions yet is iustificatioÌ„ offred so that he lay not a let against it as they vse to speake But this is a very easy matter to do and openeth a way vnto sinnes which thing also no lesse doth theyr purgatory But we promise not iustification but where as is a true and perfect fayth after which continually do followe good woorkes Wherefore seinge vnto vs are obiected the selfe same thinges that were obiected vnto Paule it is manifest that both he and we haue one and the selfe same cause But we muste not geue place to these humane reasoninges The Originall cause of the fall of the Nonatians So fell the Nouatians who pretending that they would not minister any occasions to sinne at length denied repentance And other many suche examples might be brought foorth What theÌ„ are we more excellent then they No in no wise for we haue alredy proued that all both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne As it is written There is none righteous no not one There is none that vnderstaÌ„deth there is none that seeketh after God They haue al gone out of the way they haue ben made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throte is an open sepulchre they haue vsed theyr tongues to deceite the poyson of aspes is vnder theyr lippes Whose mouth is full of cursinge and bitternes Theyr feete are swifte to shead bloude Destruction and calamitie arc in theyr wayes And the way of peace haue they not knowne The feare of God is not before theyr eyes What then do we excell them No by no meanes Now returneth he to his purpose from whence he had before somewhat diuerted And although he seeme to ascribe many great thinges vnto the Iewes at this present yet meaneth he not that therby should be concluded that they excel the Ethnikes But this rather is his entente to make them equall with the Ethnikes Neyther doth that which he now writeth repugne with that which he before spake although at the first sight there seemeth to be in woords some contradiction For before he wrote that the state of the Iewes was very excellent and that circumcision brought vnto them great vtility But here he seemeth to deny those thinges whiche he then spake But the distinction which we before made mencion of doth easly conciliate these thinges For if we looke vpon God vndoubtedly he hath bestowed vpon the Iewes a greate many thinges which he hath not geuen vnto other natioÌ„s But if we haue a respect vnto the Iewes they so abused those good thinges that they had nothing wherein they excelled other nations Whereby commeth to passe that either sentence is true The Greeke Scholies do admonishe vs that this sentence may be red two manner of wayes For the Ethnikes hearinge those things which the Hebrewes had peculiarly obteined of God to be so much extolled demaund What then Are we ouercome or haue they the victory ouer vs So that this woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we haue englished do vve excell may be taken passiuely The other reading is to take this verbe in the actiue signification as though these thinges shoulde be spoken vnder the person of the Iewes For when as they had now hearde theyr giftes to be so extolled they inferre What then do we not in dignity excell the Gentils Vnto whome Paule by negation aunswereth No by no meanes And this aunswere hath a great Emphasis or force as though he should haue sayd The thinges which I haue before made mencion of pertayne vnto the person geuen you of God and they are none of yours And in that he putteth in himselfe amongst them in saying do vve excel he maketh his reprehension more gentle and more tollerable Neyther yet in the meane time maketh he a lye forasmuche as he himselfe also was a parte of the people of Israell as touchinge the fleshe There is in the Church so greate a connexion A connexioÌ„ betwene the good and the euill of those which are in it conuersant together that euen as the euill which are amongest the good are in certaine thinges pertakers of theyr prayses and benefites for for the good sake doth God the longer beare with them and they haue the vse of good thinges aswell spirituall as temporall So contrarilye for the euell sake no small discommodityes redounde vnto the sayntes forasmuche as they haue a feeling of theyr punishments and are oftentimes wrapped in the same miseryes that they are neyther haue they anye thinge whereof iustlye to The sinnes of the wicked pertain after a sorte vnto the good complaine when as vnto them pertaine after a sort the offences of others For they haue not eyther admonished or reproued or blamed them so much as they ought to haue done Neyther haue they alwayes shewed them selues an example of good life
oppressed Otherwise it shall bee all one to bee occupied in them as to marke what Liui Aristotle Salust Plutarche and other writers haue left in writing But now without the law is the righteousnes of God made manifest beyng confirmed by the testimony of the law and of the prophetes Here is expressedly put forth the question wherof he will afterward entreat And thereof he putteth two partes Of which the one is that the righteousnes of God is without the law made manifest The other is that it is obtained by the faith of Iesus Christ And Paule affirmeth that this righteousnes of God hath the testimonye both of the law and of the prophets This is it which he proposed at the beginning that by the Gospell is reueled the righteousnes of God from saith to faith And in that he writeth that this manifestation is done without the law he vnderstādeth without helpe of the law being obserued but onely by the hearing of faith Which The righteousnes of God threefold selfe thing he affirmed vnto the Galathians when he said Haue ye receiued the holy ghost by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith The righteousnes of God as I haue in an other place declared is thréefold The first is wherby we are through Christ receiued into fauour and our sinnes are forgeuen vs and the righteousnes of Christ is imputed vnto vs. And the second kind of righteousnes followeth this namely that thorough helpe of the holy ghost our minde is reformed and we all whole are inwardly renewed by grace Thirdly follow holy and godly workes for they which are once come thus far are most zelous and desirous of working well Now then Paule entreateth of the first righteousnes whiche he saith is declared in vs without the law And he calleth it the righteousnes of God because it is gotten thorough his power and goodnes and not thorough our owne workes And if a man do more narowly consider it it is the mercy of God which he bestoweth vpon vs thorough Christ And I haue in an other place admonished that that which the Hebrues call Tsedech and our men haue turned righteousnes signifieth rather goodnes and mercy And therefore to this day the Iewes call almes by that name And Ambrose vpon this place is of the selfe same mynd For he sayth Therefore is Ambrose Why the mercy of God is called righteousnes that called the righteousnes of God which semeth to be the mercy of God because it hath his originall beginning of Gods promise and when that promise is performed it is called the righteousnes of God For therfore is it the righteousnes of God because that is rendered which was promised Also whē he receiueth those which fly vnto him it is called rightousnes For one not to receiue him that flieth vnto him it is iniquity Thus much Ambrose But we must not harken vnto them which in this place do interprete these wordes Without the law for without the ceremonies of the lawe For we haue before shewed that althoughe the question was moued by reason of them yet hath Paule entreated of the lawe generally so that it comprehendeth all the partes of the law They seme not much to ouershoote themselues which by the righteousnes Christ the righteousnes of God of God vnderstande Christ for whatsoeuer pertayneth to iustification that same commeth from him vnto vs when we beleue in hym Betwene the righteousnes of God and ours Paule plainly putteth a difference when he saith in this self same The manifestation of the righteousnes of God happened chiefly in the tyme of the Apostles The order and maner of the preaching of the Apostles Epistle Being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and seeking to establishe theyr owne they are not subiecte vnto the righteousnes of God But that we may the better vnderstand what this manifestation of the rightousnes of God is which then happened chieflye when Paule wrote these thinges it must thus be vnderstanded that we must haue a regarde what manner of preaching the Apostles vsed As farre as we can gather out of the sermons of the Apostles as they are set forth in the Actes of the Apostles First they preached repentaunce setting before mens eyes their sinnes and condemnation wherin men were wrapped then they gathered together the proprieties and conditions of Christ which should heale these euils and that out of the holy scriptures Thirdly they applied the same proprieties and conditions vnto Iesus of Nazareth to allure men vnto his fayth And suche as hearyng these things beleued the same obteyned of God remission of their sinnes Inwardly they were made new and outwardly they liued moste holily resembling the image of God to which mankynde was made With perseuerance they called vppon God communicating together in prayers breakyng of bread all holye workes They stedfastly did put their trust in God as they which were vtterly destitute of all other helpe They nothing regarded worldly riches laying the price of their things and money at the féete of the Apostles They stoutely bare a good testimonye vnto Why the righteousnes of God is said to be made manifest without the law Christ reioycing that they suffred greuous thinges for hys names sake Lastly in this quarell they cherefully shed theyr bloud bestowed theyr life And the world seyng those thinges could not but be moued and acknowledge that a new kynde of righteousnes appeared on the earth And because amongest them were Ethenikes which had no knowledge at all of the law therfore the Apostle sayth Without the law Also many of the Hebrewes were called who although they knew the law yet they nothyng at all regarded it And it was all one as if they had not had the law There came some also which liued very vprightly and were moste zelous in the study of the law as Nathaniell whome Christ pronounced to be a true Israelite in whom there was no guile And these were iustified without the law for that obseruation of the law which they performed was not the cause why they were iustified The lawe in déede may be a helpe vnto iustification because it admonisheth vs and accuseth vs by whiche meanes we are dryuen vnto Christe But for as muche as it hathe not the strengthe to forgeue synnes to geue the The law helpeth vnto iustification but it is not the cause thereof A conciliation holye Ghoste to suggest faythe into the hartes of the hearers therefore Paule saythe righte well That we are iustified wythout the lawe Augustine in hys booke de spiritu litera saith that the Apostle seemeth to speake thynges repugnaunt For he affyrmeth that the righteousnes of God whereof he nowe speaketh had his testimonye of the lawe and the Prophetes and yet be saythe that it was made manifeste without the lawe But he aunswereth that there is here in verye deede no contradiction if a man rightly distinct those thinges which are here spoken For
he haue transgressed his commaundement And if he had beleued him when he threatened death vnto him he would not haue bene so vnaduised to comitte that which was the cause of death And he also if he had loued his neighbour as he was bounde to do woulde not by his transgression haue throwen all his whole posterity into death And if he would haue delt iustly he would in no case haue taken away an other mans fruite which pertayned vnto him These thinges hath Tertullian excellently well noted of the law geuen in paradise vnto the first man and woman And he also affirmeth that after this law succeded that lawe which is called the lawe of nature I will not speake that Noe The law of nature The law geuen vnto Noe. receaued some preceptes which were common vnto all mankind And if God would afterward by Moses more plainly expresse the lawes which he had before geuen there is no cause why the Iewes should contemne the Gētles as though they were left without the lawe For it is most manifest that whē Christ came he did set forth a most perfect explication of the doctrine which was then set abrode amongest all men of all lawes whereby playnly appeareth how fowly The rashnes of the Iewes the Hebrues are deceaued which are so rauished with the loue of theyr owne stocke that they will rather haue God to want of his glory that he should not be the God of all mē nor his prouidēce reach vnto all mē then they will confesse that they alone are not the people whom God hath a care ouer loueth In this Why God is sayd to be the God of some place let vs note that the Apostle bringeth a reasō why God is chiefly called the God of some namely because he iustifieth them For straightway he addeth VVho shall iustify circumcision of fayth and vncircumcision by fayth What is vnderstand by circumcision and vncircumcision we haue elswhere declared they at to be vnderstand by the figure Metonomia so that by the signe Metonomia we must vnderstand those thinges which are by it signified These prepositions of and by in this place signifie one and the selfe same thing They serue to amplifie the matter as in an other place Paule sayd of God All thinges were made of hym and by hym The difference of these prepositions bred sometymes a greeuous contencion betwene the Grekes and the Lattines The Lattines sayd that the holy ghost proceded not only of the father but also of the son On the cōtrary A contenciō of the Grekes the lattines toching the holy ghost the Grekes affirmed that he proceded of the father but by the sonne not of the sonne But after they had long tyme contended they saw that their contencion was only about wordes By these thinges which haue now bene spoken we euidently see that as touching iustification the Gentles are made equall with the Iewes which is a very great comfort vnto vs. Neyther ought we to be any thyng moued that Paule here vseth a verbe of the future tense when he faith Shall iustifye For although in the olde time very many both of the Iewes and of the Gentiles were so iustified yet because that rarely happened and amongst fewe it was counted as not done if we haue a respect vnto the generall benefite which happened after the comming of Christ Neyther is the emphasis or strength of this sentence following to be passed ouer For it is one God vvho shall iustifye c. For thereby is signified that euen as there is but one God so also to iustifye men he will vse but one waye namely By fayth Those thinges which are here spoken ought much to moue vs not to contemne our neighbours For whē we shall cōsider with out selues One God vseth one way to iustefy al men A reason why we◠ought to loue our neighbors An error sprong of the wordes of Paule Woorkes that goe before iustification are excluded not those that follow Why Peter sayd that in Paul are certaine hard thing s. Iames semeth tobe agaynst Paule Conciliation A place of Augustine declared that our God is their God also we cā not but embrace them with a great loue honor beneuolence Neither ought we to flatter our selues touching singular benefites which we haue receaued forasmuch as the holy scriptures do admonishe vs that many are fyrst which shal be last and contrary many last which thalbe fyrst And Augustine in hys booke of 83. questions in hys 66. question admonisheth that this sentence of Paule which is now proued namely that man is iustified without workes of the lawe was peruersly vnderstand of many which thought that men when they beleued and were iustified had no more any nede to liue holily iustly not weighing that Paule here speaketh of works that go before iustificatiō not of those which follow it This indede is true that there go no works before which are the causes why we should be iustified But after we haue once obteined righteousnes it is necessary that good works follow And hereof he saith it came that Peter said that in the epistles of Paul are certaine harde thinges which men would peruerte accordyng to their owne lust Iames also semeth to haue bene led so farre that in a maner he wrote thinges contrary vnto Paule namely That a man is iustified by workes who also required the we should declare our faith by workes Wherunto also Iohn Iudas in their epistles seme to tend But all these things are wel inough neither ar they any thyng repugnant one to the other For Paul speaketh of workes that are done before iustificatiō but Iames speaketh of those workes which ought to follow it These things haue I brought out of the place of Augustine before cited and out of hys booke of faith and workes the 14. chap. Who yet in the 66. question which we haue nowe alleaged hath a certain sentence which must be warely and aptly vnderstanded otherwise it should not be true For he sayth That it is impossible that we shoulde by workes goyng before obteyne iustification but afterward sayth he it is necessarye that they follow so that we remayne in life And if a man beginne to beleue in the last houre of his lyfe whē he shall streight way die he hath nether good works going before nor good workes followyng after but there followeth him onely a righteousnes of fayth and by it he is saued Augustine semeth by those wordes to affirme that it is possible that true fayth which iustifieth may be had without works which in very dede is false For when a manne at the extremitie of death beleeueth it is not possible but that he loueth God and his neighbour and calleth vpon him and is sory for those thinges which he hath before wickedly committed Wherfore these kindes of good workes which at the least haue place in the mynde follow his faith But I
the law is two maner of wayes cōfirmed by fayth First because by it we obtaine the holy ghost whereby are ministred vnto vs strengthes to obey the lawe But a man may paraduenture doubt how this can be that by fayth we haue the holy ghost when as of necessity he alwayes goeth before fayth For fayth The holy ghost goeth before fayth in vs. Betwene causes and effects are certayne circuites The holy ghost both goeth before and also followeth fayth The Law maketh vs vncertaineof the good will of God The Law with out fayth is weake and can not consiste is both his gift and also commeth from him to vs. But we answere that betwene the causes and the effectes seme to be certayne circuites as it is manifest by cloudes and showers From cloudes discend raynes out of waters which are in the inferior places are taken vp vapors by the heate of the heauēs which are thickened into cloudes out of which againe discend showers vpon the earth But in this circute we must alwayes haue a recourse to the first according to the order of nature which is whē there is supposed an humor of which cloudes may encrease So also must we do here We will graūt that fayth by the benefite of the holy ghost springeth in vs. By which fayth is increased the aboundance of the selfe same spirite whose encrease the former fayth hath preuented and of a greater fayth is still made a greater encrease of the spirite But yet notwithstanding we constantly affirme that there is but one thing chiefely from whence all these good things flow namely the holy ghost Secondly saith Augustine the lawe is by the helpe of fayth otherwise confirmed Because by fayth we pray and calling vpon God with prayers we do not only obtayne remission of sinnes but also so greate a portion of the spirite and of grace that we haue strengthes to obey the lawe Vndoubtedly the lawe if it be taken by it selfe maketh vs both vncertayne of the good will of God and after a sort bringeth desperation vnles fayth come and helpe which both maketh vs assured that God is pacefied and mercifull towards vs and also by grace obtayneth the renuing of strengthes And the Apostles phrase whereby he sayth that by fayth he establisheth the lawe is to be noted For thereby he signifieth that the lawe if it be left vnto it selfe and without fayth is weake so that it can not consiste And therefore vnles it be vpholden by fayth it shall easely fall And The woonderful sharpnes of wit in Paule The Law and sayth helpe one an other this is the poynte of a singular artificer not only to depel from him that which is obiected but also to declare that the selfe same maketh most of all for hys purpose The lawe and fayth helpe one an other and as the common saying is geue handeseche to other For the lawe doth as a scholemaster bring men vnto the fayth of Christ and on the other side fayth bringeth this to passe that it maketh them after a sort able to accomplishe the lawe For strayght waye so soone as a man beleueth in Christ he obtayneth iustification and is liberally endued with aboundance of the spirite and with grace The entent and purpose of the lawe was that a man should both be made good and also be saued But this thing it was not able to performe Then succeded fayth and did helpe it for through it is a man renued so that he is able to obey God and his commaundementes Chrisostome sayth that Paule here proueth three thinges First that a man may be iustified without the lawe Secondly that the lawe can not iustify Thirdly that fayth and the lawe are not repugnant one to the other Ambrose teacheth that therefore by fayth is the lawe established because that those thinges which by the lawe are commaunded to be done are by fayth declared to be done And we haue alredy before heard that this righteousnes which Paule here commendeth hath testemony both of the lawe and of the Prophetes And if any man obiect that therefore the lawe is made voyde by fayth because by it ceremonies are abolished he answereth that this thing therefore so happeneth because the lawe it selfe would haue it so and foretold that it should so come to passe In Daniell we reade that after the comming of Christ and after that he was slayne the dayly sacrifice should be taken away and the The Law Would and fortold that ceremonis should be made voide Testimonis witnessing that the ceremonis of the Hebrues should cease holy anoynting and such like kinde of ceremonies Wherefore Christ did not without cause saye The lawe and the Prophetes endured vnto Iohn baptistes tyme. Ieremy also most manifestly sayd that an other leage should be made farre diuers from that which was made in the olde tyme. The epistle vnto the Hebrues thereby concludeth that that which was the olde leage and was so called should one day be abolished Zachary the Prophet in his 2 chapter sayth that the city of Ierusalem should be inhabited without walles Which signified that the Church of the beleuers should so be spred abroade and dispersed through out the whole world that it should not be enclosed in by any borders or limites Which selfe same thing Esay semeth to testefy when he sayth That mount Sion and the house of the Lord should be on the toppe of the hilles so that the Gentiles should come vnto it out of al places And Malachy the Prophet pronounced that the name of God should be called vpon frō the rising of the sunne to the going downe of the same so that vnto God should euery where be offred Minchah which many haue transferred vnto y◠Eucharist as though it were a sacrifice when as yet the prophet thereby vnderstādeth prayers and the offring vp euen of our selues as Tertullian testefieth in his booke agaynst the Iewes and also Ierome when he interpreteth that place Wherefore when the Prophets seme to affirme that ceremonyes should be transferred vnto the Ethnikes they are so to be vnderstād as though by the signes they ment the thinges themselues The Ethnikes being conuerted vnto Christ receaued that which was represented by the ceremonies of the elders But they reiected the How the Ethnikes receued the ceremonis of the Hebrues outward signes and thys was by fayth to confirme the lawe And forasmuch as the Prophetes foretold that ceremonyes should be abolished the same is to be taken as if it had bene spoken of the lawe for that the Prophetes were interpreters of the lawe And that Christ when he should come should chaunge the ceremonies euen the Iewes them selues doubted not whych thing is manifest by Iohn Baptist shewed that ceremonis should bee abrogated the historie of Iohn Baptist which we reade in the Gospell For when he would purge menne conuerted vnto God he sente them not vnto sacrifices and vnto the ceremonies of Moses by
For what sayth the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to hym for ryghteousnes VVhat shall we say then The summe of those things which are contayned in this 4. Chapter is deuided into these partes The first is that we must be iustifyed after the selfe same manner that Abraham was iustifyed The seconde that our iustifycation commeth by the imputacion of God The third that it cōsisteth The sum of the things that shall be spoken of in this chapter in the remisson of sinnes In the fourth is set foorth the time wherein Abraham was iustifyed and so is declared that he attayned vnto righteousnes before he had put in vre any woorke of the law namely the worke of circumcision Farther he plainely sheweth that righteousnes is therfore had by fayth that the promise of God mighte be firme and sure Moreouer there is set foorth the example of Abraham and that with an amplification declarynge howe that he considered not hys owne infyrmitye neyther those thinges whyche by nature had bene able to hynder that which God had promised him Lastly is shewed y◠these things were not written for his sake only but also for vs which by faith do follow the steps of the self same father Abrahā Chrisostome bringeth in these things which are here spokē after this maner That it might seme peraduenture to It is an honorable thing to be iustified by fayth The Apostle doth very well in vsing an example some not to be very mete glorious that we should by fayth be iustified witohut works But saith he the matter is far otherwise Because partly we may se how excellent a thing this is for Paul calleth that thing righteousnes which we attayne vnto by faith here declareth that God by this means sheweth forth declareth his goodnes righteousnes and partly bycause Abraham so great a Patriarche was after this maner iustified It is not with out a cause that Paule placeth an example before his other arguments For the thinge that is here chefely sought for is that the truth which is layd before vs might be made manifest and playne And this is the proper vse of examples The dignity of Abraham most manifestly to lay a thing before our eyes And although there were greate plenty of examples yet Paul did choose this example of Abraham because he was both a man of God and also one endued with most excellente vertues because the Hebrues continuallye boasted of him as whome they acknowledge and craked to be the father and prince of theyr kindred And of suche force was his authority amōgst them that the place of the blessed was called the bosome of Of how great a value iustification is Abraham Which name Christ would not haue vsed in his Gospell vnlesse it had bene receaued amongst the commō people Neither ought we to meruayle that the Apostle so diligently and exactly bendeth himselfe to dispute of this iustification For it is not a slight thing nor a matter of small weight but the principall ground of our felicitie wherin if a mā be throughly instructed I dare be bold to say that he shall easely put away all abuses And bycause our aduersaries in it as in the first entry do fowly stumble and erre therefore in other partes of religion also are they most filthily deceaued But in this example this is chiefly to be marked that for as much as in it is entreated of Circumsion and Abraham is sayd to haue bene iustified before he receaued it some suppose that hereby they haue a firme argument that Paul excludeth not all woorkes from iustification but onely ceremonies of the law Vnto whom we answere that Paul therefore in especial reasoned touching these ceremonies for that for them the controuersie happened But yet in the discourse of hys reasoning he mingleth many thinges which cause that the question must of necessitie be taken generally which thing we shall in his place note Wherefore we graunt that the argumentes chiefly tende to that end but yet are they so handled that together he concludeth vniuersally of all workes Farther it is to be noted that in the tyme of Abraham and of the old law for as much as these ceremonies were founded vpon the word of God men were bound no lesse to obey them then the other commaundementes And yet the Apostle affirmeth that by that obedience men were not iustified Wherefore we conclude that those selfe same men could not be iustified by the obseruing of the other cōmaundemētes In this place is deiected the dignitie of good works but not vniuersally Wherfore those thinges which are here spoken ought not to be drawen vnto a loosenes of life and to licentiousnes to sinne but rather are to bee applied vnto the scope and meaning of Paul Paul onely entendeth this thing to shewe that in good workes is not set the cause of our iustification Other praises and commendacions he aboundantly geueth vnto them For it is not to bee thought that by hys doctrine he would bring into contempt the most excellent vertues Paule contemneth not the vertues and good works of Abraham The temptacions and victories of Abraham of a man of such estimation For as the Iewes make mention Abraham was very often tempted and yet neuertheles he continually ouercame God called him out of his land and kinred to lyue as a straunger in the land of Chanaan But there he could not lyue by reason of the famine wherefore hee was constrayned to go downe into Egipt where he was tempted the third tyme when Pharao tooke away hys wyfe from him The fourth temptacion hee suffered when he was compelled to depart from Loth for the auoyding of contencions Finally he was tempted when he made warre agaynst so many kinges and agaynst so victorious an host when as he him selfe had with him but a very few The sixt temptacion was when he being now a very old man was commaunded to receiue Circumcision The seuenth when king Abimelech in Gerara agayne tooke away hys wyfe from him The eight when Agar which had conceaued by him was constrained to flee from Sara who afflicted her greuouslye The ninth when he was compelled to send away his sonne Ismael being nowe of good age together with hys mother The tenth when God required of him to sacrifice vnto him hys onely bogotten sonne Isaack With these other such most excellent workes was Abraham adorned which thinges Paule contemneth not but only sheweth that these were not such that they could be opposed and set agaynst the wrath and iudgement of God so that for theyr sakes he should haue God fauorable and mercifull For in this place is not entreated of the righteousnes which is obtayned by workes which is in vs a quality cleaning vnto vs but only of that righteousnes whereby we are iustified before God The reason of the Apostle may thus be knit together We are iustified after The argument of Paule the same maner that
whiche killeth a dogge and whiche offreth fiue swete cakes like vnto him whiche offreth the bloud of swyne But no man doubteth but that the workes whiche we worke are in a sorte sacrifices Wherfore if sinners offer them vnto the Lord they are displeasant vnto hym He addeth also an other reason He whiche worketh sinne is the seruant of sinne because when we be seruaunts vnto sinne it suffreth vs not to do any thing that is acceptable vnto God Lastly hee maketh thys reason that Christ said No man can serue two maisters neither is it by any meanes possible that we should serue both Mammon and God Wherupon hee concludeth that it is not possible that the wycked shoulde do good woorkes Wherefore the woorkes of preparation whyche our aduersaries fayne are What sins to be couered signifieth are vtterly excluded Augustine interpretyng the 31. Psalme sayth That sinnes to be couered is nothyng els then that God will not consider them And if sayth he hee consider them not then will he not punish them Wherefore sinnes are sayd to be couered before God because God will not punishe them They ought not so to bee vnderstand to be couered as though they were ouer couered and yet neuertheles remayne lining in vs. Their bonde and guiltines whereby punishment was due vnto vs is by forgeuenes taken away And for this thing the Prophet prayed when hee sayd Turne away thy face from my sinnes When Dauid made this Psalme hee was sicke and was troubled with a grenous disease For he maketh mencion that hys bones were withered away and that he felt the hand of God heauy vpon him and that the moystnes of hys body was in a maner all dried vp and manye other such like thinges Wherefore being by the disease admonished of his sinnes and of the wrath of God he brast forth into these woordes by which hee testified those to be blessed whose sinnes God had forgeuen And he taketh blessednes for instification For iustification as we haue sayde is a blessednes begon For Sins onely are a let that we are not blessed sins are onely a let that we are not now already blessed which whē they shall vtterly be taken away they shall no more hinder blessednes But men though they be neuer so good and holy yet so long as they lyue here are not vtterlye without sinne Therefore they alwayes aspire vnto blessednes that is vnto the forgeuenes of sinnes Wherefore in that selfe same Psalme it is afterward added For So longe as we liue here we pray for iustification He which prayeth not for the forthe forgeuenes of sins prayeth ill this shall euery one that is holy pray vnto thee Which thing our Sauiour also hath taught vs. For in the prayer which he made which euen the best and most holye oughte to saye he commaunded vs to saye Forgeue vs our trespasses And they which pray for other thinges and make not mention of this let them take hede that thyng happen not vnto them which happened vnto that Pharisey whom Luke sheweth to haue praid after this maner I geue thee thankes O God that I am not as other men are c. And for that cause saith Christ he departed not home to his house iustified bicause he rehersed before God his good workes onely But contrariwise the Publicane acknowledging his misery durst scarcely lift vp his eies vnto heauen And so being vtterly deiected in mynd he said Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner And by this confession he acknowledged that he brought nothing vnto God but sinnes and therfore prayed that they might be forgeuen him He saith Christ returned home iustified Where as Dauid here as the Apostle citeth hym maketh no mencion of good workes yet some will obtrude it vnto vs out of these things which follow And in his spirite is no guile But vnto these mē August very well aunswereth In him saith he there is no guile which as he is a sinner so acknowledgeth himselfe to be and when he seeth himselfe vitiated with euill workes dissembleth What it is not to haue guile within one them not but manifestly confesseth them Therfore it is added in the selfe same psalme I haue said I will confesse mine owne iniquitie agaynst my selfe But yet againe suche whyche woulde so fayne weaken thys reasonynge of Paule obiecte vnto vs that there is vsed the figure Synecdoche so that wyth those thynges which Dauid setteth foorth wee shoulde also ioyne good woorkes to iustifye And to make their sentence of the more credite they gather other testimonies out of Dauid in which blessednes is also attributed vnto workes as Blessed are the immaculate which walke in the law of the Lorde Blessed is the man which feareth the Lorde Blessed is the man which hath not gone in the counsels of the vngodly and many other Whether blessednes be attributed vnto woorkes Here is entreated of the first blessednes and not of the last such like places in which they say that blessednes is as expressedly ascribed vnto workes as it is in that place which Paul now citeth vnto the remission of sinnes But forasmuch as these men doo recite againe the same argument in a manner which we haue a little before dissolued they shall also haue euen the selfe same answer Namely that here is not intreated of that blessednes or felicitie whiche follow the first iustification but here is disputed of the very first and principall iustification And why we can not here admit the figure Synecdoche we haue before alredy shewed bicause Paul expressedly affirmeth that this righteousnes cōmeth without workes And bicause it should not be said that he spake these things only of ceremoniall workes of the law he afterward addeth that the promise therefore consisteth of grace that it might be firme not wauer which excludeth not onely ceremonies but also morall works And a little before we reade forasmuch as iustification is geuen by imputation it cannot then be of workes And that he confirmed by a generall reason of working and of not working which vndoubtedly extend much farther then to ceremonies For we worke no lesse in morall workes then in ceremoniall workes He said moreouer that they which are iustified haue wherof to glory before God as though they had of him obteined righteousnes and not of their works Whiche reason remoueth from iustification eyther kynde of woorkes both ceremoniall and also morall Wherefore we moste manifestlye sée Ambrose saith we are iustifyed by faith onely that the figure Synecdoche canne by no meanes stande wyth the reasons of Paul Ambrose expounding these wordes oftentimes writeth that we are iustified by faith onely and he addeth without labour and any obseruation But that which he afterward addeth when he interpreteth this sentence of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquityes are forgeuen he sayth Vnto whome iniquityes are forgeuen without labor or any worke and whose sinnes are couered no worke of repentance being required of them but only
that they should beleue This his interpretation I say if we so vnderstand it as though repentance were not ioyned with the first fayth whereby we are iustified is most absurd For howe can any man being endued with a true fayth whereby he shoulde be iustified A place of Ambrose made plain want repentance so that he shoulde be nothing sory for his euill life past But if Ambrose vnderstand ether that Ecclesiasticall satisfactions are not required or els that that repentance which of necessity followeth fayth ought indede to be had but is not required as a cause of iustification then sayth he well Vndoubtedly this sentence pleased him so well that he also wrote it before as we haue mencioned and also vpon the xi chapter as we shall afterward see The fathers mustâ— be red warâ—lye he repeteth the selfe same Hereby we see how warely we must reade the fathers For they speake many thinges sometymes which if they be not well vnderstand can in no case be allowable Yea and sometymes somethinges escape them which a man can scarsely interprete soundly as that which the selfe same Ambrose writeth vpon this place Wherfore sayth he he setteth forth the blessednes of the tyme wherein Christ was borne as the Lord himselfe sayth Many iust men and prophetes desired to see the thinges which ye see and to heare the thinges which ye heare and haue not heard neyther haue they sene As though euen before the coÌ„ming of Christ also God iustified not his after the selfe same maner that he now iustifieth vs. It is manifest that this diuersity of tyme is vtterly repugnant vnto the meaning of Paul For he sayth that Abraham was iustified by sayth Yea and Dauid also whose testemony this is felt that he was after the same maner iustified And the same Ambrose before wheÌ„ he expouÌ„deth this place But to hym which worketh a reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt thus writeth It is for certayne that vnto him which is subiect vnto the lawe of workes that is vnto the lawe of Moses or vnto the lawe of nature merite is not counted vnto reward to haue glory before God For he is debter to do the lawe for necessity is layde on hym by the law so that will he or nill he he must do the lawe least he be condemned As in an other place he sayth but they which contemne do get vnto theÌ„selues damnation because presently they are guilty But to beleue or not to beleue pertaiueth to the will For a man can not be compelled to a thing which is not manifest but is thereto allured and is thereunto perswaded for it may not be by violeÌ„ce vrged vnto him But this difference betwene the workes which are commaunded by the lawe of nature and the law of Moses and betwene fayth which Ambrose here putteth is nothing at all For by the necessity of the commaundement of God we are no les bound to beleue then we are to do good workes And as to do good works is not violently vrged of men agaynst their willes no more is to beleue also And as vpon the transgression of the lawe of nature or of the lawe of Moses dependeth condemnation so also dependeth it vpon the transgression of fayth Thus we sée what maner of things sometimes we reade in the fathers I will adde also how Chrisostome interpreteth this self same place But to him which worketh a reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt Thus he writeth But this thou wilt say is a greater matter Not so vndoubtedly For vnto him that beleueth it is imputed But it should neuer be imputed vnles he himselfe also had brought somewhat with him c. Here he sayth that he which is iustified by fayth bringeth something of himselfe And that is as we before noted in his sayinges fayth And that this is not true he himselfe vpon this place declareth For he sayth that this is the principallest thing that maketh a faythfull man to be notable namely that he is by God endued with so much grace that he is able to shew forth such so great a fayth In this place he affirmeth yâ— faith coÌ„meth not of our selues but of the grace of God So yâ— before he wrote not so soundly when he sayd that we do ether geue or els bring somewhat to be iustified and make God our debter These thinges I therefore rehearse that we should not thinke that the fathers alwayes spake all thinges firmelye and constantly or that out of them we should at all tymes seke the sure exposition The Fathers do not alwaies speake like to themselues By the scriptures ought we to be setled as touching doctrine of the scriptures First we ought out of the very scriptures soundly to define of doctrines Then afterward may the fathers be reade with iudgement But that the scriptures should of necessity be subiect vnto yâ— expositions of theÌ„ it nether can nor ought to be For it were absurd to make subiect the iudgementes of God vnto the iudgementes of men And seing they also are oftentymes obscure and in their expositions diuers and manifold this were to depart froÌ„ the scriptures which are certayne to things vncertayne These things I haue spoken by the way but for our times I hope not vnprofitably Augustine in the preface of his declaration vpon the 31. Psalme writeth Many boast of woorkes and a man shall finde manye Paganes or infidels whiche therefore will not be come Christians because that they suffice theÌ„selues with their vpright life We must of necessity liue well saith he and what shall Christ require of me To liue well I lyue well alredy Wherein then shall Christ be nedefull vnto me I committe no murther nor theft nor rapine I desire not other mennes goodes I am not contaminated with any adultery For let there be founde any thynge in me that is worthy to be reproued and he whiche reproueth me let him make me a Christian This man hath glory but not with God Sée how the ignoraunce of this hidden iustification whiche is not of They which are ignorant of this iustification do abhorre froÌ„ Christian religion That is chiefly called felicity which commeth without labour workes called men backe from Christian religion Wherefore at this day also they that are ignoraunt of it and do iustifie themselues by workes are both farre from Christ and also haue no vnderstanding of the benefite that commeth by him And in this sentence of Dauid let vs this consider also that there is no mention made of good workes whiche thing also this worde blessednes geueth vs to vnderstand For when we attaine to any thing wherein we haue spent great labour we are not for that counted very happy But if we attayne vnto the selfe same thing without labour and in a maner without any our trauaile then are we couÌ„ted happy and blessed Came this blessednes then vpon the circumcision or vpon
thinges both that euill lusts should be cut of out of the minde and also that the children of Israell should be seperated from other nations Farther it was the seale of the will and promise of God which was offred vnto Abraham concerning righteousnes the remissiō of sinnes thorough Christ and the league with God and a greate many mo such like good things This promise I say was sealed with the signe of circumcision And besides these significations of the sacraments ar two other cōmodityes not to be cōtemned For the things which ar so marked Sacramentes also are notes whereby we are knowen to pertaine vnto God as vnto our owner and Lord. By these notes also is shewed how muche God maketh of vs. are therby appoynted to be theyrs who are their owners as in horses oxen other suche like thinges the markes and notes which ar burnte in them declare vnto whome they pertayne So the Sacraments when they are receaued do beare witnes that we belong vnto God Farther such outward notes declare of what value and estimation the thinge that is sealed ought to be counted as it is manifest in coynes of gold and also in horses For the best and excellent horses are marked with one marke and dull Iades with an other marke Farthermore the sacramentes which God hath commended vnto vs declare how much God setteth by vs For the notes and markes of circumcision and of other sacramentes are as it were admonishers of the will and promises of God For forasmuch as we are weake neyther do we easely beleue the promises of God it was nedefull that his good will towardes vs shoulde not only be signified by wordes but also shoulde be sealed by thinges which might be offred to our senses Wherefore Augustine very aptly sayth that the Sacramentes are visible wordes And Chrisostome vpon this place writeth that circumcision preached righteousnes Wherefore God would that we should both haue his wordes in the holy scriptures which should be set forth vnto vs whilest the misteryes were in doing and also that vnto them should outwardly be added visible notes that we might the more firmely resist if at any tyme the minde should beginne to doubt By these thinges it is manifest how they are deceaued which thinke that by the power of the action or as they vse to speake by the worke wrought The worke wrought is excluded the sacramentes bring saluation Vndoubtedly euen as the wordes of the scripture nothing profit without fayth so also nothing profit the sacramentes vnles fayth be present Nether is that opinion to be allowed whereof Augustine in his booke De ciuitate dei maketh mēcion namely that they can not be damned They are deceaued which thinke that no man after he hath once receaued the sacraments can be damned In this place abone all other is is expressed the nature of Sacramentes Sacraments are not onely markes notes which haue once receaued the sacramēts of Christ I thinke there is scarse any place in the holy scriptures wherein is so briefely and so expressedly set forth the nature of the sacramentes as in these wordes of Paule wherein circumcision is called a seale And to the ende we should vnderstand that it is not the seale of euery thinge there is added of righteousnes that is of the forgeuenes of sinnes which pertayneth vnto the will of God Lastly he addeth of fayth to geue vs to vnderstand what maner of thinge that is whereby we may take hold of that righteousnes And that is fayth Wherefore euery man may see how much they are deceaued whiche thinke the sacramentes to be but onlye markes and notes of religion whereby men may knowe one an other For so should they attribute no more vnto sacramentes then vnto garments or coulors whereby familyes and sectes are descerned one from an other Nether is this sufficiente whiche others say which thinke that in sacramentes are shewed forth the signes only and professions of those thinges and actions which are required of vs which are initiated into Christ so that circumcision they make to signifye the mortifying of wicked affection and baptisme to signifie that we must stoutely and with a valiant courage suffer losses iniuries aduersities What is the chiefest and principallest thing in the Sacramentes Graeca Scolia Three significations of circumcision because in it is signified that we are crucified and buried together with Christ And that the supper of the Lord is only a signe of Christian beneuolēce of duties of mutuall charity We deny not but that all these thinges are in the sacramentes But the hed and summe of theyr signification we say consisteth herein that they seale vnto vs the giftes and promises of God which he offreth vnto vs to be taken holde of by fayth The Greeke Scholies haue in this place most expressedly put that Circumcision was for three causes geuen that it should be a signe of fayth and of righteousnes that it should seperate the kyndred of Abraham from other nations and that it should be a note and manifest token of a pure and vndefiled conuersacion This place most manifestly declareth y◠which Augustine writeth to Bonifacius namely that Sacramēts haue the names of those thinges which they signifie And that thing he proueth by many stmilitudes amongest which he maketh mencion also of the Eucharist bicause Circumcision because it was the signe of the couenant therefore it had the name of the thinge It is Paul which teacheth that sacraments do signify seale things promised That we call sacramentes are signes we say it out of the holy scriptures Sacramentes not after iustification vnprofitably receaued Sacramentes stirre not vp faith but the holy ghost stirreth it vp A similitude Our righteousnes hath much vncleanes mingled with it The resurrection shal be a perfect regeneration we call it the body of Christ when as it is only the sacrament thereof And wee also teache that the bread in the holy misteryes is therfore the body of Christ bycause it is the signe thereof These things some cānot abide But they ought to remember that in the boke of Genesis Circumcision is called the couenaunt of the Lord which is nothing ells then the promise of righteousnes and of the forgeuenes of sinnes throughe Christ And this couenaunt the Lord commaunded that the Iewes shoulde carye aboute with them in theyr fleshe That thing Paule now expoundeth namely that it was the signe of that righteousnes and couenaunt Wherefore it manifestly appeareth that this kind of interpretatiōs which we vse was brought in by the Apostle and that to follow those interpretations is nothing els then to follow the steps of the Apostles If thou demaūd that for as much as we haue remissiō of sinnes haue by fayth obteined righteousnes what commodity then bringe the sacramentes vnto vs we answere very much for that they offer themselues before our eyes and so doo admonish vs. For our fayth is stirred vp not
to licentiousnes and liberty of the fleshe But in such sort ought we to frame our selues that we should alwayes dispayre as touching our selues but contrariwise put all our confidence in God only Lastly this is to be knowen that it is not possible that so long as we lyue here we shoulde be so assured in fayth that there should neuer aryse any doubt Neyther are these thinges repugnant one to the other but that we may both beleue and also be assured and yet in the meane time be moued with some doubtfulnes For these thinges procede of diuers principles As for example reason iudgeth that the orbe of the Sunne is bigger then the whole earth but yet in the meane tyme the sence both doubteth touching that matter and also testifieth otherwise Certainety and doubting come of diuers grounds Iohn also sayth he which is borne of God sinneth not Howbeit contrariwise he sayth If we say we haue no sinne we lye for we do not alwayes worke by that grounde whereby we are regenerate and therefore we oftentymes fall sinne So also must we think of certainty doubting that they procede not out of one the self same principles or grounds For doubting procedeth frō our flesh frō humane weaknes humane wisdome But certainty cōmeth of the faith which we haue towards god But because we do not alwayes worke by faith therof it commeth that we oftentimes doubt But at the last the strength of fayth getteth the vpper hand and driueth away the cloude of doubting Now let vs sée Certainety getteth the vpper hand how Paule declareth vnto vs the certaynty of the promise by the second principall poynt namely by the propriety and nature of fayth This thing he doth in discoursing the example of Abraham of whome he thus writeth Which is the father of vs all As it is written I haue made thee a father of many nations Abraham is a father of many nations that is of all those which beleue in what place of the world so euer they be And he is called the father of the beleuers both bycause he was an example of faith vnto the beleuers and also taught and preached the same This is that communion of Saintes The communion of sayntes which we professe in the Simbole or Creede According to the example of God In Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Chrisostome interpreteth by this aduerbe of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as though Abraham Abraham like vnto God were like vnto God And this likenes the same Chrisostome declareth two maner of waies First for that as God is not the father of one nation and not also of an other So also Abraham is not in such sorte the father of some beleuers that he is not also the father of other beleuers Secondly for that as God is not our father by kinred of the flesh but by a spirituall maner So Abraham is not in such sort the father of all the beleuers that he hath begotten them according to the fleshe but as we haue sayd by a spirituall kinred That Greke word may signifie Before so that he was the father of all the beleuers before God namely because it can not be vnderstand by humane sense and reason that Abraham is the father of all the beleuers but this is vnderstand onely before God that is by the power of the spirite This word also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie Before in such sort as in the booke of Genesis the woman is sayd to be made a helper vnto the man the she should be Benegdo that is before him as if a man should say a thing apte and hauing proportion and iust analogy vnto the man and which shoulde euer be at hande which maner of helpe coulde not be found for Adam amongest the other liuing creatures And if a man demaund seing that we differ from God by an infinite distance of perfection What analogy or proportion can we haue towards him How w◠may by fayth be cōpared wyth God I aunswere that that commeth to passe by the helpe of faith For by it we receiue the giftes and promises which God hath decreed to fulfill in vs when yet our strength and power can by no meanes be made equall with God Suche a lyke thing haue the Philosophers of God the first cause of all thinges vnto whom A similitude they say by a certaine proportion and analogy answereth that which they cal the first matter for that in power it is apt to receaue all maner of formes whych God would bring forth So we by faith are made apt to receaue the promises of God and so we are set before him or ouer against him Howe be it euerye man must diligently take heede that he haue so muche faith as is sufficient least hee The wrestling of Iacob with God should be ouercome of the promises of God This is that wrestling of Iacob with God For he would not be ouercome of him but wrastled against him and receaued the blessing Whom he beleued Ambrose readeth Thou hast beleued as though it were an Apostrophe which is a turning of his speche to the Ethnike But the reading which is vulgarly receaued is the playner And calleth those thinges which are not as though they were This apeared in the creation of the world For when God did onely commaund that any Why God is sayd to call creatures thing should be straight way it was By which kinde of speeche is shewed the easines of creation of thinges for in it there is no more griefe to God then it is to vs when we call anye manne Here is declared also that by the sonne whiche is the word of the father were and are all thinges made We also when we are regenerate are sayd to be called Which aboue hope beleued vnder hope This kinde of speach seemeth at the first sight absurde For how is it possible that a man shoulde aboue hope haue notwithstanding hope Chrisostome very well expoundeth this Aboue the hope saith he of man and vnder the hope of God And it is all one as if a man shoulde haue sayd he hoped euen in thinges desperate or elles when there was no hope at all yet hoped he But in that word is vsed the figure Metonymia For by hope in this place we vnderstande those thinges whiche are hoped for The meanyng is Contrary to those thinges whiche moughte by man haue bene hoped for he wayted for those thynges whyche were set foorth by God to be hoped for In this example of Abraham which the Apostle hath taken in hande to entreat of is verye The nature and property of fayth aptly described the nature and property of faith For faith is the gift of God wherby we firmely assent vnto his promises striuyng agaynst the flesh and humayne wisedome That it is the gift of God Paul to the Ephesians by expresse wordes testifieth when he sayth that by fayth we
as it hath not autority out of the holy scripturei it is by the self same easines cōtēned wherby it is proued We sée therfore by the testimony of Ierome that the interpretations of doubtfull places are not admitted vnles they be brought out of the scriptures and by them confirmed And if we will ouercome the difficulty of the Scriptures we must be familiarly conuersant in them day and night And let vs remember this which the Apostle now here mencioneth that they were not written for their sakes onely of whom is there entreated but also for our sakes But in that this worde Onely is added declareth that they were written for their sakes also For Gods pleasure is that we should thinke wel of his elect which self thing also turneth to our cōmoditie for whē we thinke well of thē we are stirred vp to imitate them This is moreouer here hence gathered that so often as we shall establish any doctrine or declare any commaundement of God it shal then be An argument taken of examples is very apt We are made equal with Abraham as tooching iustification aptly done when we bring proues of them by examples For in harde and doubtfull places proues taken of examples bring great perspicuitie For in them both the minde and the sences are ioyned together Farther there is no small comforte conteined in this place when we sée that we are made equall with the Patriarche Abraham as touching iustification For although he were adorned with a greate many giftes which we want yet that we should by faith be adopted to be the children of God it is no lesse geuen vnto vs then vnto him And although our fayth be the instrument whereby we receiue righteousnes and the promise offred vnto vs of God For vnto them that are of full age by that instrument onely is righteousnes geuen yet Christ hath so much estemed it that he hathe spoken of it no otherwise Christ speaketh of faith as the cause of iustification A firme argument for the certainety of saluation then if it were properly the cause of iustification For he sayth Thy faith hath made thee safe And seynge it is saide that faith shall be imputed vnto vs vnto righteousnes as it was in tymes past imputed vnto Abraham we haue a moste firme argument of the certeintie of saluation For as Abraham behaued himselfe towardes the promise of God as touching that he should haue issue so must we behaue our selues towardes the promise of the remission of sinnes But he was certaine neither doubted he wherfore we also ought to be certaine of the saluation promised vnto vs and by no meanes to doubt therof This reason let vs hold fast and not suffer it to slip from vs. But seyng Abraham had many singuler things neither ought we to imitate him in all thinges how doth Paul with any strength gather that this pointe of fayth should haue place that as it came vnto him so also shal it come vnto vs For if we should take armour and beyng priuate men make warre shall it happen vnto vs as it did to Abraham And to lye with our handmaidens shall it be excused in vs as the fellowship which Abraham had with Agar is excused in hym And shall it be lawfull for euery man to sacrifice his own sonne because he was redy to offer vp his This doubt may thus be answered that there Argumētes taken of examples how they be of force Two maner of callinges generall and singuler How callinges are to be discerned A fruiteful consideration of singular callings In singuler callings also of the Saintes at many thinges to be imitated is one callyng which is vniuersall and an other singuler and when we reade the actes of the saints we must take hede that we rashly confound them not For those things which pertaine vnto the general calling we must imitate but those things which pertain to the singuler calling are rather to be reuerēced thē imitated And if thou aske by what meanes these things are to be discerned the difference is not hard For whatsoeuer thinges thou séest that they did accordyng to the prescript of the commaundementes of God those thinges haue relation vnto the general state of the faithful But where any thing is committed that thou séest agréeth not with the law of God the same wholy is in them priuate and singuler Which yet is not red wtout fruite For there we sée how God sometimes by a wonderful maner gouerneth his as one not addicted to one maner of sauing those whom he hath elected Farther always in this kinde of actions if thou come to the roofe and ground thou shalt finde many things which thou mayst imitate Abraham was willyng to sacrifice his sonne Although the same be not lawfull for thée to do yet do thou that which is lawfull for thee Abraham preferred the commaundement of God before the lyfe of his onely sonne so also oughtest thou to preferre the will of God before all naturall consanguinitie Farther he hid al this whole matter from his wife for that he saw she should haue bene a let wherby he should not haue bene able to execute the commaundementes of God so muste we also do that we remoue awaye all lettes from good purposes Finally although he knew that he had in Isaac receiued the promise of an infinite posteritie and saw that his vntimely death was repugnant vnto the promises of God yet ceased he not of from that which he had begonne but permitted the successe of the promise vnto the prouidence of God so also let not vs by humaine reasonings resist the commaundements of God All these thinges beyng thus well weighed shall easely call vs from our infirmitie to shew our selues obedient vnto God VVhich beleue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead vvho was deliuered for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Here is set forth a The sum of the Gospell briefe and redy summe of the Gospell for in the death of Christe are vnderstād al the misteries of Christ which went before it as his Natiuity preaching labors inteaching accusatiōs cōdēnatiō crosse burial And his resurrectiō frō the dead setteth forth vnto vs al these things which followed it as his restitution to life that eternal last glory chief felicity finally al those things which pertain therunto The Apostle very aptly in this place maketh mencion of our lord Iesus Christ for that he is the mediator and arbiter betwen God and mē And seing he hath hitherto spoken of fayth which is the instrumēt wherby we are iustified it serueth very well to the purpose that he should also make mencion of Christe for he is the obiect of our fayth as by whome God would communicate vnto vs his righteousnes Nether could we haue bene otherwise certified of the will of God except Christ himself had enstructed vs therof For Iohn sayth No man hath sene God at any
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 beloÌ„geth 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 thereheÌ„se 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 depeÌ„deth 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 putieÌ„ceâ—as 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 senteÌ„ce 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 conuâ—rted 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
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 fâ—ll 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
Whereof springeth the certainty of hope touching the constaÌ„cy of God which no vnworthines of ours caÌ„ make frustrate and if we looke vpon this vnworthines withdrawing vs from this confidence we ought agaynst hope to beleue in hope and though it neuer so much cry out agaynst vs we ought to haue full confideÌ„ce that we shal by Christ be made safe setting before vs our father Abraham whose steps we ought by fayth to cleaue vnto he as touchinge the promise that he should haue issue had no consideratioÌ„ vnto his age or to his wife which was past childbearing but had a respect only vnto him which made the promise had a consideratioÌ„ vnto his might and therfore he most firmely setled with himselfe that that should come to passe which God had promised So although that we be vnworthy and that our filthynes sinnes are a let vnto vs yet let vs haue no distrust but that we shal by Christ be made safe vnles we will be infected with infidelity from which AbrahaÌ„ so much abhorred for he doubted not through vnbeliefe sayth the Apostle Wherfore this vncertaynty of our aduersaries is vtterly taken away from the minds of the godly For for this cause as the Apostle testifieth would God haue vs to be iustified by fayth not by works that the promise should abide certaine and What is to geue glory vnto God The vngodly ought to haue hope vnshaken And this is in deede to geue the glory vnto God whiche thinge Abraham did For he notwithstanding those wonderfull great impediments hoped that that vndoubtedly should come to passe which God had promised Iob also so little estemed these letts that he sayd Although he kill me yet will I hope in him By which words he declareth that it is the part of the godly althoughe they be seuerely afflicted of God appeare to be hated of him yet not to cast away hope Wherfore him let vs imitate if our fallinges and vnworthynes themselues against vs yet let vs not distrust Let vs in the meane time detest our bices and as much as lieth in vs amend them but yet through them let vs by no meanes be deiected from the hope of saluation For if when the promises of God are of fred we should looke vpon our owne worthines we should be stirred vp to desperation There should be no peace if we stood in doubt of saluation rather then to any hope For there is no man whose minde is not ladeÌ„ with many and greuous sinnes Farther Paul teacheth vs that peace towards God is had by Christe and by the fayth which is towardes him which peace vndoubtedly should ether be none at all or ells very troublesome if we should continually doubt of his good will towards vs. Do we not alwayes in our praiers call him father But no sonne which followeth naturall affection doubteth of his fathers good will towards him How then do we call him father whome we suspect to be our enemy There mought be brought a great mani other such The fathers taught the certainety of saluation like reasoÌ„s for the certainty of hope But now I will in few words declare that the fathers also in theyr writings taught the selfe same certainty Chrisostome vpon this place thus writeth do not saith he though thou be neuer so vnworthy discorage thy selfe seing thou hast so great a defeÌ„ce refuge namely the loue or fauor of the iudge And a little afterward he saith For that cause the Apostle himselfe when he saith hope confouÌ„deth not ascribeth all the things which we haue receaued not vnto our good dedes but vnto the loue of God Ambrose also saith That forasmuch as it is impossible that they which are deare vnto him should be deceaued he would make vs assured of the promise because it is God which hath promised hath promised to those whome he counteth for deare Augustine in his sermoÌ„ which he made vpoÌ„ yâ— moÌ„day in yâ— RogatioÌ„ weke Why sayth he doth your hand tremble when you knocke why is your conscieÌ„ce halfe on slepe when you beg I am the dore of life I abhorre not him that knocketh though he be vncleane And vpoÌ„ the 41. Psalme he sayth Put not hope in thy selfe but in thy God For if thou puttest hope in thy selfe thou shalt fill thy soule full of trouble for that it hath not yet found how it may be secure or assured of the. By these words he declareth that security which we haue coÌ„meth not of our selues but of God And vpoÌ„ the 27. psalm when he expoundeth these words of Paul out of the secoÌ„d chapter to yâ— EphesiaÌ„s we also were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrath as are others Why doth he say we were Bycause sayth he by hope nowe we are not for in deede we are so still But we speake that which is better namely that which we are in hope bycause we are certaine of our hope For our hope is not vncertaine so that we should doubt of it And Chrisostome vpon the. 5. chapter vnto the Romanes sayth that we ought no les to be fully perswaded of those things which we shall receaue theÌ„ we ar of those things which we haue alredy receaued Cyprian also in his sermon of the pestilence when he sawe the godly fearefull to dye many wayes confirmeth them to be sure of theyr saluation and amoÌ„gst all other things saith that they are afeard and abhorre death which are without hope or fayth And Bernardus wonderfully reioyseth of the 〈…〉 of Christ of his wounds and crosse In that rocke he sayth he standeth and shall not fall for no violence done against him He maketh mencion also of many excellent things touching this firm and coÌ„stant certainty Wherfore those things which we haue auouched of the constancy and security of hope agree not only with the holy scriptures and with most sure reasons but also with the sentences of the fathers Now it shal be good to define hope that yâ— certainty therof may the more plainly be known Wherfore hope is a faculty or power breathed into vs Definition of hope by the holy ghost wherby we with an assured and patient minde wayte for that the saluation begonne by Christ and receaued of vs by fayth should one day be perfited in vs not for our merites but through the mercy of god First it is said to be instilled of the holighost bicause that springeth not of nature or of our coÌ„tinual actioÌ„s It is indede after faith although not in time yet in nature which thing we may perceaue by epistle vnto the Hebrues Where it is written that Hope is after faith that faith is the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of things to be hoped for For forasmuch as the things which we hope for ar not euideÌ„t manifest but ar a gret way far of froÌ„ vs they ought to cleaue fast vnto faith wherby as by a certain brase or sure post they may be staied vp And yâ—
hope cōtaineth expectatiō or wayting for y◠epistle to the Romanes Hope containeth expectacion or waiting for Hope hath a respecte vnto thinges of great difficulty A similitude expressedly declareth in the 8. chapter when he sayth The hope which is sene is not hope For how doth a man hope for that which he seeth But if we hope for that which we see not we do by pacience wayte for it Nether is this to be ouerhipped y◠that good thing vnto which hope hath a respect is hard and difficile For naturally in liuing creatures the affection of hope consisteth in the grosser part of the mynde which they call the angry part whereby the liuing creature is moued to labour to gette that good thing which is set before it although there séeme to be some lettes agaynst it For by such an affection it is stirred vp to ouercome whatsoeuer let commeth in the way The woolfe being hungry meteth with a bull and by the lust that he hath he coueteth that pray But when he seeth the great difficulty that hāgeth ouer him for that he must haue a sore battaile and conflict he is of the angry power of the mynde by hope stirred vp and is not aferd to put himselfe into danger and to fight And so at the length hauing put away all lettes he obtayneth his pray So hath God in the nobler part of our mynde placed hope whereby is brought to passe that when the chiefe felicity Hope is placed in the nobler part of the minde In hope heauines is ioyned together with ioy which is a thing both difficult and farre of from vs is set before vs we should not be feared away but by fayth haue boldnes and accesse vnto God as Paul sayth in the 2. chapter to the Ephesians And forasmuch as this felicity is a great space distant from the godly it can not be otherwyse but that in hoping they haue some griefe and that they in themselues sorrow that their present condition or state should be so farre remoued from felicity But on the other side when they are certayne and assured that they shall attayne vnto that end they can not but be affected with an incredible ioye And so this faculty of hope is mingled with the affectes of ioy and sorrow And the Apostle hath signified vnto vs some part of the sorrow thereof in that place to the Romanes which we haue alredy cited when he sayth Euery creature groneth and trauayleth in payne together with vs euen vnto this present And not only the creature but we also which haue the first fruites of the spirite euen we do sigh in our selues wayting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body And that ioy is ioyned with the self same hope he declareth in the 12. chapter of the selfe same epistle saying reioysing in hope And although fortitude and long suffring séeme to bring vnto our myndes expectation or wayting for yet those vertues haue not this expectation but at hopes Other vertues haue expectation of hope hand which we haue now described Nether is it to be meruayled at that one vertue should receaue any thing of an other vertue for they whiche are any thing acquaynted with the Ethikes know that liberality temperance and such other vertues haue much helpe at the handes of prudence for by the ayde thereof they haue a mediocrity appoynted them to follow This is the difference that chiefely distinguisheth hope from fayth namely that by fayth we admitte and embrace the promises offred vnto vs of God but by the helpe of hope we patiently waite that those promises should at the length be performed vnto vs. Nether was hope for any other cause geuē of God but that we should Why hope was geuen ▪ not cease of from following after that good thing which we perceaue can not be obtained by our owne déedes for nether are they by any meanes to be compared with it For the Apostle sayth The suffringes of this tyme are not worthy the glory to come which shal be reuealed in vs. For that they which are endued with hope are assured in themselues that that which they want in the strengthes of nature and in workes shal be supplied by the mercy of God and obedience of Christ And if a man demand whether a pure life and holy workes can any thing auayle vnto the certaynty of hope we will easely graunt it may so that we seclude Workes ar no small helpe to the certainty of hope the bying and selling of merites For our workes of themselues haue nothing at all whereby they can produce hope Howbeit the perswasion of faith may by them conceaue an argument to confirme hope and to reason in thys sort God hath now of hys meare liberality geuen me grace to do this or that good worke to put away this or that vice out of my mynde Wherefore he will yet geue greater thinges nether will he deny me the thinges which are remayning vnto saluation If the Sophisters had sayd thus they mought haue bene borne withall for it is not strange from the reason of the Apostle For as we shall a little afterward see he would haue vs by those thinges which God hath alredy graūted vnto vs to be certaynly perswaded of his perpetuall loue towardes vs. But these men haue both written and tought that hope it selfe dependeth of merites and so dependeth that to hope without them they say is presumption and rashenes But it semeth that somwhat may be obiected out of the holy scriptures which may make agaynst this sentence of Paul wherein he sayth that hope confoundeth not For to Timothe it is written In my first defence Whether Paule wer euer frustrate of his hope no man was on my side all men forsooke me God grant it be not imputed vnto thē but the Lord was on my side and I was deliuered out of the mouth of the lion and the Lord shall deliuer me from euery euill worke Here Paul hoped that he should escape the persecution of Nero but he was deceaued for vnder him he was slayne And agayne to y◠Phillippians whē he had sayd that he was greatly in doubt on both those sides for that on the one side he desired to be losed and to be with Christ and on the otherside he saw that it was necessary for him to abide in the fleshe for their sakes he addeth this And this I am sure of that I shall abide and with you all continue for your furtherance and ioy of your fayth Here also agayne it appeareth that the Apostle hoped that he should be deliuered from that captiuity which yet followed not Wherefore it may séeme that that hope confounded him To aunswere vnto these thinges we will repeate that which we before sayde namely that hope receaueth hys certaynty of fayth and fayth hath hys certaynty of the worde of God Wherefore it followeth that eyther of them is as certayne as are the promyses which are
forme of all his posteritye Howbeit we maye more simply and more aptly referre this vnto Christ For in that comparison Paul Adam a figure of Christ wonderfully much delighted Chrisostome also leaneth thys way and sayth that the Apostle with great conninge and manifold and sondry wayes handleth these woordes Of one and one to make vs to vnderstande that those thinges are to be compared together which haue come vnto vs by one Adam and by one Christ And this is very worthy An analogy betwene Adam and Christ An excelleÌ„t coâ—parison of Chrisostome A strong argumente against the Iewes of nothing in Chrisostome that he sayth Euen as Adam was the cause of death vnto al men although they did not eate of the tree so Christ was made vnto his a conciliator of righteousnes although they themselues had wrought no righteousnes In which place he moste manifestly declareth that we are not iustified by our woorkes He sayth moreouer That by this discourse of the Apostle we are throughlye fensed againste the Iewes if they chaunce to deride vs for that we beleue that by one Christe was redeemed the whole world For we wyll obiect agayne vnto them that they also confesse that by one Adam was all thinges corrupted which semeth to be a great deale more absurde if we looke vpon humane reason then to say that by one Christ all men haue bene holpen In this place the Apostle beginneth to entreate of that whiche was the fourth parte of this diuision namely by whome sinne was excluded And this he declareth was brought to passe by Christ whome he maketh like vnto Adam This similitude is The similitude betwene AdaÌ„ and Christe is to be taken generally to be taken generally that euen as all men depend of Adam so all also in theyr order depende of Christe and as the one merited for all his so also did the other But perticulerly and speciallye there is greate difference For Adam broughte in sinne death and damnation but Christe broughte in righteousnes life and grace There is difference also in yâ— propagation For Adam by the generation of the flesh powreth his euels into men but Christ by fayth And therefore Paul when he had sayd that Adam was a tipe of that whiche was to come as it were by way of correction added But yet the gifte is not so as is the sinne Wherefore betweene Adam Betwene Christ and Adam is not a true similitude but an analogy or proportion and Christe is to be put rather a certaine analogye and proportion then a true similitude But to make those thinges which follow more playne we will deuide in to thrée partes al this whole comparison which consisteth of similitudes of contraries and of thinges compared together Firste the Apostle plainelye teacheth that the sinne of Adam is not so as is the gifte for the gifte many wayes excelleth and passeth the sinne Secondly he expresseth wherin consisteth this victory namely in this that whereas Adam had by one sinne corrupted all mankinde Christe hath not onely abolished that one sinne but also a greate many other sinnes whiche we haue since committed Last of all he declareth what that aboundaÌ„ce of good things is which Christ hath brought vnto his elect As touching the firste this we muste know that Christ is so compared with Adam that he is alwayes made the superiour Neither is this to be passed ouer that Paul expresseth sinne by two names Christ is so compared with AdaÌ„ that he is alwayes made the superior They which sinne do first â—â—re and afterward fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which names this we learne that they which sinne doo first erre and afterward fall For these two are thorowly knitte together Wherefore the coÌ„mon saying is he that followeth a blind man must néedes fall This also let vs obserue that Paul in this comparison continually in a maner vseth these woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is gift to declare that our saluation commeth not vnto vs of any of our owne dignity or of works but onely of the meere mercy of God The wordes are thus For if thorow the offence of one many be dead muche more the grace of God and the gifte by Grace whiche is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many For if through the offence of one When he sayth that thorow the sinne of one man many haue died he taketh not away or altereth that whiche he before wrote namely that death had gone ouer all For this worde Many oughte in thys place to be of asmuch force as if he had sayd All euen by the testimony of Origene also Wherfore that abideth firme which was before auouched That all men haue sinned that all are therefore subiecte vnto death By Grace he vnderstandeth the fauour of God whereby sinnes are forgeuen This woord Gift peraduenture What grace is with the scholemen signifieth the holy Ghost and other good thinges which men by the holy Ghost obteyne But the schoole men say that Grace is a quality powred into our hartes by God whereby we lead an holy godly life and by this grace saye they is a man iustified But that kind of iustification shoulde pertaine vnto the law For it shoulde consist of those thinges which are in vs. Wherefore the true iustification whereof is now intreated commeth from Christe of whome thorough fayth and the grace or fauour of God we take holde not that we deny the other kinde of grace For we put both kinds namely both the instauration of the beleuers to liue vprightly and also the imputation of righteousnes by Christ whereunto whole and perfect iustification cleaueth that that might be true which we reade in Iohn that we haue receaued grace for grace and by that grace wherby Christ was of valew before the father we are receaued into his grace The nature of yâ— Antithesis required yâ— euen as he had sayd that thorow the offence of one maÌ„ many haue died so he should on the other side haue sayd that through the righteousnes of one the fauor of God hath abounded vpon many But he would rather put Grace and gifte for that these two thinges are the fountaines and rootes of righteousnes and of euery good thinge whiche we by righteousnes obteyne And he therefore saith that it abounded whiche in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to geue vs to vnderstand that there We haue more grace then is sufficient to extinguishe sinne was more grace bestowed vpon men then should be sufficient to extinguish sinne For for that we haue obteyned forgeuenes of sinnes wee are also borne againe and we rise againe wyth Christe and are sanctified and adopted into the children of God and are made the bretherne of Christe and fellow heyres wyth hym are grafted into his members are
Christ which thing Paul also teacheth saying The end of the law is Christ to saluation The law doth not by it selfe bring men to Christe and to saluatiō The Ethnikes opinion concerning the end of the law What is the law which yet he speaketh not vniuersally But to euery one that beleueth For the law doth not of it selfe bring a man to thys end The Ethnikes sayd that the end of the law is knowledge which it engēdreth of thinges that are to be done Wherfore Christippus as he is cyted in the digestes fayth that the law is the knowledg of thinges diuine and humane But thys end and thys definition extend to largelye For all wisdome and all good artes doo geue some knowledg of diuine and humane thinges Now resteth diligently to se what is the matter and efficient cause of the law And briefely to speake of these thinges I say that the Law is a commaundement of God wherein both hys will and also disposition or nature is expressed When I say a commaundement I note the generall woorde For there are commaūdemēts of people Senators kings of Emperors But whē I say of God I adde the difference which noteth the efficient cause But in that I The law expresseth vnto vs the disposition nature of God say that in the law is expressed the will of God that is so manifest that it nedeth not to be expounded But this may peraduēture seme more obscure in that I said that in the law the disposition of God is taught vs and we are stirred vp to the knowledge of his nature we wil therfore by examples make it more playn Whē God commaundeth vs to loue him he therebye teacheth that he is of nature amiable For those things cannot iustly be beloued which are not worthy to be beloued And vnles he bare great good will toward vs he would not set forth vnto vs the chiefe good which we should loue Wherfore he for this cause exhorteth vs therunto bicause he desireth to haue vs pertakers of himselfe We sée therfore that he is such towardes vs as he desireth vs to be also And when he prohibiteth vs to kill First therin he declareth his will farther he sheweth himselfe to be such a God which abhorreth from violence and from iniuries had rather do good vnto men then hurt them After the same maner these two thinges may also be declared in the other preceptes and out of this definition may those thinges also be gathered which we haue before spoken concerning the forme and ende of the law bicause of necessity such doctrine ought to be both spirituall and also to engender a wonderfull excellent knowledge and we are taught that God by it hath geuen no small Benefites of the lawe benefite vnto men for it causeth vs both to know our selues and also to vnderstand the proprieties of God Plato in his bookes of lawes of a publike wealth and Platoes definition in Minoe seemeth thus to define the lawe namely that it is an vprighte manner of gouerning which by conuenient meanes directeth vnto the best ende in setting forth paynes vnto the transgressors and rewardes vnto the obedient This definition may be most aptly applied vnto the law of God yea there can be no such law Lawgeuers made God the author of theyr lawes vnles it be of God It is no meruaile therefore if the olde lawgeuers when they would haue their lawes commended fayned some God to be the author of them For Minos ascribed his lawes to Iupiter Licurgus his to Apollo Solon and Draco theirs to Minerua and Numa Pompilius referred his vnto Aegiria But we are assured and that by the holy scriptures that our law was geuen of God by Moses The Manichies do wickedly condemne the law There is no good or euill whych is not by the law of God either commaunded or forbiddē The law requireth not onely deades but also the wil The law bringeth vs to the knowledge of God and of our selues in mount Syna And these thinges beyng thus sene concerning the nature and definition of y◠law we mayeasly vnderstand how fowly the Manichies erred which blasphemed it and cursed it as euil For seyng that the law commaundeth nothing but things worthy to be commaunded and prohibiteth nothing but thinges mete to be prohibited how can it iustly be accused For there can be no iust or honest duety found which is not commended in the law of God nor nothyng filthy or vnhonest which in it is not forbidden neither are wicked actes onely prohibited in y◠law but also wicked lustes are there condemned Wherfore it sheweth that not onely outward workes are to be corrected but also the mynd and will And forasmuch as a great part of felicitie consisteth in the knowledge of God and Philosophers do so much extoll the knowledge of our selues and the law of GOD as we haue taught performeth either it can not but with great wickednes be reproued as euill and hurtful Howbeit this place wherein it is sayd That the law entred in that sinne should abound may seme to make somwhat with the Manichies as doth that also vnto the Galathians That the law was put for transgressions and that also in the 7. chap. of this epistle That sinne through the commaundement killeth and that likewise which is sayd in the second epist ▪ to the Corint That the law is the ministery of death All these thinges may seme to confirme the error of the Manichies But The things which are ioyned vnto the law of themselues and the thinges that come by chaunce must be seperated A similitude we must diligently put a differēce betwene those things which of themselues pertaine vnto the law and those things which follow it by reason of an other thing per accidens that is by chaunce For as we haue before taught sinne death damnation and other such like do spring of the law by reason of the corruption of our nature But if a man compare not the law with our nature but consider it by it selfe or if he referre it to a sound vncorrupt nature then can he affirme nothing els of it then that which Paul sayth Namelye that it is spirituall holye good and instituted vnto lyfe and it is said rather to shewe synne then to worke synne Wherefore if men deformed lying hidde in the darke shoulde saye vnto a man whiche by chaunce bryngeth a lyghte vnto them gette the hence least by this thy light thou make vs deformed vndoubtedly we could not gather by their wordes that the power and nature of light is such that it doth make men deformed but this we might rather gather that those things which of themselues are deformed are by the light vttered and shewed what they be And so is it of the lawe for it after a maner bringeth light and openeth to our knowledge the sinnes which before lay hidden But a man will say if the law be good and holy why
all the whole holy scripture there is not one seÌ„teÌ„ce 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 〈…〉 e. If he beleued what needed â—e 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 ignoraÌ„tly 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„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈…〉 ation which addition is of so great force that in the booke of Iob a man fearing God is turned of the 70. interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 faiâ—h 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
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 â—â—lagius 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 commaundemeÌ„t 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 perticuâ—er 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 coÌ„pelled 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 coÌ„science 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 EphesiaÌ„s let vs not walke as vnskilful which vnderstaÌ„d not what is the will of God And the thou shouldest not thinke geÌ„tle 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
pertakers not only of the death of the Lord but of his resurrectioÌ„ also for forasmuch as Christ was by it raysed vp from the dead as many as are endewed with the same spirite shall likewise be raysed vp from the dead For that cause he exhorteth vs by the spirite to mortefye the deades of the flesh that we may be made pertakers of euerlasting life Thirdly he amplifieth and adorneth this state and condition which by the spirite of Christ we haue obteyned namely that now we are by adoption made the children of God that we are moued by this spirit and made strong against aduersities to suffer all afflictions Which prayses serue not a little to quicken our desire that we should desire to be dayly more aboundantly enriched with this spirite Fourthly he confuteth those which obiected that state to seme miserable and vnhappy in which the faythfull of Christ liue For they are continually excercised with aduersities so that euen they also which haue the first fruites of the spirite are compelled to mourne And he writeth that by this meanes these thinges come to passe for that as yet we haue not obteyned an absolute regeneration nor perfect saluatioÌ„ for we haue it now but only in hope which when time shall serue that is in the end of the worlde shall be made perfect Fiftly he teacheth that notwithstaÌ„ding those euills which doo enclose vs in on euerye side yet our saluation is neuertheles sure for the prouidence â–ª of God whereby we are predestinâ—te to eternall felicity can nether be chaunged nor yet in any poynte fayle And by this prouidence sayth he it commeth to passe that vnto vs which loue God all thinges turne to good and nothing can hurt vs forasmuch as God hath geuen vnto vs his sonne and together with hym all thinges wherefore seing the father iustifieth vs and the sonne maketh intercession for vs there is nothing which can make vs afrayd Lastly he sayth that yâ— loue of God towards vs is so greate that by no creature it can be plucked from vs. Hereby it is manifest of how greate force the spirite of adoption is wherewith we are sealed so long as we wayte for the perfection of our felicity And these thinges serue wonderfully to proue that our iustification consisteth not of workes but of fayth and of the meare and free mercy of God This is the summe of al that which is coÌ„tained in the doctrine of this chap. As touching the first part the Apostle alledgeth that condemnation is now takeÌ„ away which he proueth bycause we are endewed with the spirite of Christe But this deliuery he promiseth vnto those only which are in Christ Wherfore seing it is manifest what his proposition or entent is now let vs se howe these thinges hange together with those which are alredy spoken Toward the end of the former chap Paul cried out twise first when he sayd Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And by the figure Aposiopesis he expressed not the deliuerer but here he sayth that that deliuerer is the Lawe The law of the spirit and life deliuereth of the spirite and of life Farther in that place with greate affection he sayd I geue thankes vnto God through Iesus Christe our lorde nether declared he wherfore he gaue thankes But nowe he playnly expresseth the cause For he sayth that now there remayneth no condemnation and that we are deliuered from the Thankes are to be geuen for that there remayneth in vs no coÌ„mendation Law of sinne and of death This is it for which he gaue thaÌ„ks Lastly he added how that in minde he serued the law of God but in flesh the law of sinne Now he more playnly expresseth what that is namely to be in Christ and not to walke according to the flesh but according to the spirite Hereby it manifestly appeareth how aptly these thinges are knit together with those which are alredy spoken The Apostle seemeth thus to speake Althoughe sinne and the corruption of nature where wyth the godlye are vexed be as it is alredye sayde styll remayninge in them yet is there no daunger that it shoulde brynge condemnation vnto men regenerate for they are holpen by the spirite of Christe wherewith they are now endewed And euen as before he aboundantly entreated of the violence and tiranny of sinne which it vseth against vs being vnwittinge What thinges auayle to know our selues and vnwilling thereunto so now on the other side he teacheth what the spirite of Christ worketh in the Saintes Wherefore seing not only the holy scriptures but also the Ethnike writers do expressedly commaund that euery man shoulde knowe himselfe peraduenture there is scarse any other place out of whiche the A godly maÌ„ consisteth of two principles same may better be gathered then out of these two chapiters For a godly man consisteth of his owne corrupt and vitiate nature and also of the spirit of Christ because we haue before learned what yâ— corruptioÌ„ of nature that is sinne woorketh in vs and now is declared what benefites of Christ we obtayne by his spirite by this may euery man as touching ether part know himselfe Vndoubtedly wonderfull great is the wisdome of the Apostle who when he wrote of the force of sin expressed it chiefely in his owne person to geue vs to vnderstand that there is no Why Paul chaungeth the persons in these two descriptioÌ„s man so holy which so long eas he liueth here is cleane ridde from sinne But afterward when he entreateth of the helpe of the spirite of Christ he bringeth in the person of other men least any man should thinke with himselfe that not all manner of Christians enioye this excellente helpe of God but onelye certaine principall and excellent men such as were the Apostles After these things which we haue before heard out of the seuenth chapter a man mought haue sayd forasmuch as we are so led away captiue of sinne and that by force and against our willes what hope can there be of our saluation Much saith Paul Forasmuch as now there is no condeÌ„nation to theÌ„ which are in Christ For by the spirite of Christ we are deliuered from the lawe of sinne and of death This reason is taken of the cause efficient whereby is not only proued that which was proposed but also euen the very carnell and inward pithe of our iustification is touched For although men being now iustified are so restored vnto the giftes of God that they begin to liue holily and do accomplishe some certayne obedience begonne of the lawe yet because in the iudgement of God they can not stay vpon them forasmuch as they are vnperfect and are not without fault of necessity it followeth that our iustification should herein consist Wherein consisteth iustificatioÌ„ â–ª namely to haue our sinnes forgeuen vs that is to be deliuered from the guiltines of them And this is it which
they shonne persecutions but valiantly stand fast in all maner of dangers Which selfe thing Paul in the latter to Timothe wrote in other wordes saying We haue not receaued the spirite of fearefulnes but of might and of loue Wherefore he exhorteth Timothe not to be ashamed of the testemony of the Lord nor of him being in bondes for the Lordes sake but couragiously to indure labors for yâ— Gospell sake Although these thinges are true yet this is not it which this place of Iohn teacheth For it there maketh mencion of the iudgement of the Lord of which he willeth the Godly which loue God not to be aferd And he rendreth a reason for that feare hath vexation ioyned with it Wherefore I gladly assent vnto Augustine which saith that Iohn speaketh of perfect charity Which forasmuch as it can not be had in this life we may not looke to haue it without feare Farther we mought in this place vnderstand that feare which is seioyned from confidence and therefore driueth men to desperation For they which beleue and loue God truly vphold their feare with a liuely fayth The same spirite beareth witnes with our spirite that we are the children of God And if we be chyldren we are also heyres euen the heyres of God and fellow heyres of Christ if so be that we suffer with hym that we maye also be gloryfyed wyth hym For I count that the afflictions of thys present tyme are not worthy the glory which shall be reuealed in vs. The same spirite beareth witnes with our spirite that we are the children of God He sheweth that by those praiers wherby we call vpon God we are made more certayne of the adoption whereof he before made mencion For forasmuch as in our prayers we are stirred vp by the holy Ghost to cal God father we ought fully to be perswaded that it is so for that we know that the spirite of God can not lye Paul in the first to the Corrinthians sayth That no man can say the Lord Iesus but in the holy ghost Here he sayth that no man can in such sort pray to call It is the spirit which putteth vs in mind to call vpon God as vpon a father God his father vnles the same be geuen him of the spirit of God Hereby we see that those thinges which are set forth vnto vs to be beleued and which the lord himselfe hath taught can not be receaued of vs vnlesse the holy ghost doo firste throughly moue our hartes Chrisostome to confirme this testimony of the spirite of God sayth If ether any man or Angell or Archangell or any creature should preache vnto vs this adoption we mought peraduenture be in doubt of it But seing the holy ghost who is lord of all testefieth of the same what place can there be lest of doubting If a king A similitude or a Monarche should out of his regall seâ—te approue and commend any man what one of his subiects would presume by any meanes to speake against him or to set himselfe against his iudgement Where the Apostle sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is beareth witnes together Two testimonies of adoption he signifieth after a sort that there are two testemonies of thys adoptioÌ„ the one is our sprite and the other the spirite of God For it is no small or light signe of thys adoption that we haue a quiet conscience and that we doo beleue that we are now reconciled vnto God and doo now fele that we are refreshed and recreated with many other good gifts Although these things are not sufficient for our incredulity and infirmity For there is none of vs which hath our conscience so quiet as we ought to haue and which putteth so much confidence in God as he ought to doo Wherfore seing the testimony of our spirite is weake and infirme God would put to a confirmation of his spirite For he it is which testefieth together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Hereby ought we to gather of how greate force are prayers as well publique as priuate as Of greate force are prayers aswell publike as priuate well with ceremonies as without ceremonies For in them is confirmed our fayth yâ— we are by Christ adopted into the children of God Howbeit let euery man beware that when he calleth God father he also truly in the hart fele that which he pronounceth in wordes that he doo it not only of custome or of hipocrisy or call God father with the tounge and in yâ— hart doo an other thing or thinke otherwise But here maye be demaunded howe that feare whereof we haue Security and feare how they may agree together before so much spoken is not repugnaunt vnto thys security and confidence of our adoption I answere that these two thinges can not agree together if they be taken in respecte of one and the selfe same thinge But forasmuche as they happen by sundry meanes and of sondry causes they are nothing repugnaunt one to the other For therefore the sayntes feare for that they se they oftentimes fall and liue contrary to the prescript of the Law of God For they vnderstand that sinnes of theyr owne nature deserue the wrath of God scourges and hell fire When they diligently consider these thinges into theÌ„ is smitteÌ„ a feare But on the other side when with fayth they looke vpon the promises and mercye of God they are deliuered from that feare and made certayne of theyr saluation There is nothing to the contrary but that diuers causes may in our mindes bring forth diuers effectes Which thing may by a very apt similitude be declared He which out of a high tower looketh downe vnto the ground if he thinke A similitude that he shall stagger and fall straighte waye will he or nill he he is wonderfully aferd and al his body shaketh for horror But agayne when he thinketh with hymselfe that he is so closed in with a wall that he can not fall he plucketh vp hys spirites and beginneth to be secure of his safety So godly men when they consider theyr sinnes they feare punishement but when by fayth they looke vpon the mercy of God they are secure of theyr saluation And if vve be childreÌ„ vve are also heires eueÌ„ the heyers of God fellow heires of Christ Here the Apostle sheweth what we get by this adoptioÌ„ namely this to be the heires of God Which vndoubtedly can not be a small matter For not al they which are yâ— childreÌ„ of any man ar streightway also his heires For only All children are not hepres the first begotten haue that preheminence as we se the maner is at this day in many realnes and in yâ— holy scriptures it is manifest that Esau and Ismaell were not heyres Wherfore we are heyres and that not of any poore man or of smal matters For we haue obteyned the inheritaune of God and we are made the fellow heyres of
These things we now hold by hope â—nto which hope are not repugnaunt gronings and sighinges yea rather they very Two thinges included in hope much agrée with it For hope includeth two thinges namely the absence of the thing which is desired and the assured wayting for the same Wherfore for that the good thing which we desire is differred is not present we are vexed in mind Sorrow ioy follow hope neither can we be but greued But forasmuch as this waityng for that God will performe his promises is sure and certaine we reioyce and are glad And therfore the scriptures euery where set forth the reioycinges and ioyes of the saintes The absence of the thing waited for Paul declareth by the nature of hope For he saith that the hope which is sene is not hope Which words are to be expounded by the figure Metonymia For hope is put for the thing hoped for And Pauls meaning is Hope is put for the thinge hoped for nothing els but yâ— hope is not touching those things which are sene Those thinges he saith are sene which are present which we may both haue fruicion of and also delight our selues in That which is sene saith he is not hope For that hope is of that thing which is not sene Neither bringeth he any other reason then the coÌ„mon sence of all men For how can a man saith he hope for that which he hath Afterward he declareth the waiting for which we said is contained in hope But if we hope for that we see not we do with patience waite for it By these wordes Paul declareth yâ— vnto hope pertaineth that we with a valiaunt and quiet minde waite for the promises of God although they be absent and long differred And therfore is required hope lest we should fal into dispayre by reason the The good thing which we hope for is hard and difficult Hope is not touching that thinge which is vnpossible good thing which we hope for is difficult and hard Hope erecteth the minde that it should not geue place either to aduersities or to differring of the thing hoped for It behoueth also that yâ— thing which we hope for be not so hard or difficill to thinke that we can by no meanes obteyne it otherwise we should cease from hoping For there is no wise man will labour for things impossible Wherfore when we behold that eternall felicitie is promised vnto vs these two thinges straight way come in to our minde that it is a thing infinitely distant from our strengths and yet may be obteined of such as beleue But the power of attaining vnto it dependeth neyther of our merites nor of our workes but only of the mercy of God and merite of Christ Here heÌ„ce is the certainty of our hope to be sought for which could be none The certainty of hope should be nothing at all iâ— felicitie should depend of merites at all if eternall felicity should be attained vnto by our merites or workes By this certaine and assured expectation our mindes are in aduersities and temptations confirmed For vnto souldiours is set forth the victory which being a goodly thinge and very muche delightinge their mindes causeth them to haue a regard vnto two thinges First that it is a thing hard and to be attayned vnto by great labours and daungers Secondly that it is not only possible for them to attaine vnto it but also that they are certaine therof and so being full of good hope they couragiously fight and obtayne yâ— victory Out of these proprieties which Paul in this place attributeth vnto hope we may gather the definitioÌ„ therof Hope therfore Definition of hope is a faculty or power breathed into vs by the holy ghost wherby we with a valiant and patient minde wayte for that the saluation which is now begun in vs and is receiued by faith may one day be made perfect in vs. And that hope is geuen by the holy ghost hereby it plainly appeareth for that it can not be gotten by any humane reason For we wayt for those good things which farre passe our nature That it engendreth in vs a patient waiting for Paul declareth in these words But if we hope for that we see not we do with patience waite for it That we haue eueÌ„ now receiued some part of yâ— saluation which we hope for hath bene before declared For Paul saith that we ar now adopted to be the sonnes of God are made his heires and the fellow heires of Christ And the epistle vnto the Hebrues teacheth that now are begonne in vs those good thinges which by faith we waite for for theyr faith is described to be the substaunce of thynges that are hoped Hope and charity follow faith for For hope hath no other foundacion to leane vnto but faith wherof it springeth For such is the nature of these thrée principall vertues faith hope and charity that the one euer followeth the other For first by faith we know the eternall good thing which is promised of God Vnto this promise faith geueth a firme assent and therof in our mindes springeth hope For for that we beleue that God is true and will performe that which he hath promised we patiently waite vntil the promise be rendred although we know that in the meane tyme we must suffer The order of the production of the three vertues These vertues haue theyr being togâ—ther at one and the selfe same time One of these vertues produceth not an other as the cause but the holy ghost is the author of them things most hard long enduring But for that we sée yâ— at the length shall be rendred vnto vs so great good things we are kindled with a great desire of them which thing pertaineth vnto charity this is the order of the production of these vertues in this sort the one goeth before the other although in very dede they haue their being all at one time and together But we ought not to thinke that fayth is the efficient cause of hope or that of those two springeth charity For the spirit of Christ is the only author of all these vertues he stirreth them vp in our mindes in such sort as we haue now declared But how the propriety of hope is not to make ashamed and how it hath certaintye inseperably ioyned with it we haue before taught in the 5. chapiter when we expounded this place Hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is powred abroade into our hartes Now let vs sée why Paul vnto hope addeth the helpe of the holy ghost In my iudgement he doth it therefore for that faith and hope embrace that good thing which is as yet farre absent neither can be attayned by the senses nor comprehended by reason But euils and calamities and corrupt affectes wherewith we are vexed are alwayes present and light vnder some one sence Wherefore that their rage should not ouerwhelme the power of
priuately applied vnto himselfe generall that no man can priuately be assured of himselfe Doubtles he which calleth vpō God and calleth hym his God applieth that generall God seuerally vnto himselfe Nathan sayd vnto Dauid The Lord hath taken away thy sinne which thinge is likewise sayd vnto euery one that asketh The Gosple is to that end preched to euery creature that euery one should singularly embrace y◠promise and haue remission of sinnes The Minister sayth I baptise thee in the name of the father and of the sunne and of the holy ghost and that is to be vnderstand into the remission of sinnes And euery one priuately to hymselfe receaueth the Eucharist And these thinges are certayne seales and sealinges of the promises of God but they should seale nothing vnles the promises should now be applied perticularly vnto this man or to that man But let vs consider the scriptures Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes and he receaued circumcision the seale of the righteousnes of fayth Did Circumcisiō seale the generall promise No vndoubtedlye but rather the singular promise and whiche was now applyed vnto Abraham Wherefore let these men ceasse thus to bleare mens eyes and let them confesse that hope hath that certaintye of saluation whiche it hath receaued of fayth by reason of the firmenesse of the promises And that thou mayste vnderstand that hope is repugnaunt vnto doubt count Hope is repugnant vnto doubting To what end hope was geuen vnto men with thy selfe to what end it was geuen of God vnto men Vndoubtedlye to no other ende but that they shoulde haue wherewith to striue againste doubting For when we doubt of our saluation we haue no other weapons wherby to ouercome that doubtinge but hope onelye whiche springeth of a liuelye fayth Wherefore seeing it alwayes striueth agaynste doubtinge there is no cause that anye man should ascribe vnto it doubting as a perpetuall companion Let vs looke vpō and consider the other commaundements of God so shall that which we auouch be yet more playne God hath commaunded vs to worship him only and bicause he Why God gaue the cōmaundementes saw vs of our own accord earnestly bent vnto idolatry and vnto supersticiō therfore woulde he haue vs with the word of his law fight against this euill He hath commaunded also that we should not steale nor kill nor commit adulteries for y◠he saw that we by reason of our corrupt nature are prone to these euils So also Why God hath commaunded vs to hope God hath commaunded vs to hope for that he saw our vnbeleuyng hart to be infected with continual doubting And as in beleuing we ought not to haue a regard vnto those things which seme to be against the promises of God which thing Abraham excellently well performed when he considered not his body past children gettyng nor his wife being olde and barren but gaue the glory vnto God so in hoping we ought not to haue a regard vnto our workes for they by reason of theyr deformednes and filthines would rather feare vs away from hoping We ought In hopinge we ought not to haue a respect◠vnto our workes The security of the fleshe and the security of faith differ to fixe our eyes in the only promise and mercy of God Neither also when we vrge this certainty of hope do we open a window vnto lose lyfe as many falsly lay to our charge For the security of the flesh farre differeth from the commendable certainty of faith and of hope For neyther doth it as our aduersaries thinke expell the feare of God out of the mindes of the godly We haue before at large taught that the certainty of saluation and the holy feare of God very well agrée together in the hartes of the faithfull Likewise also the spirite helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought But the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Besides that stay of hope wherwith our patience is vpholden Paul sayth that there is an other helpe also of the holy ghost geuen vnto vs. This is y◠which Christ when he should depart out of the world promised to his Apostles I wyll not leaue you orphanes but wyll send you an other comforter If the power of the holy ghost be compared with the weakenes of our strengthes it wil The holy ghost is mightier then our in firmity Against the Pelagians farre passe our infirmity Therfore Paul vseth this comparison that therby might be increased in vs cherefulnes and confidence Here the Pelagians are put to a great foyle For so farre is it of that by the strengthes of our nature we can helpe our selues that without the helpe of the holy ghost we can not of our selues so much as know what thinges shal be profitable vnto vs and what things hurtful But in what maner we know not what to aske and how the spirite maketh request for vs with vnspeakable ▪ sighes bicause it is very obscure to vnderstand first How we know not what we ought to aske I thinke it good to declare the expositions of the fathers and secondly to declare what in them is the best Chrisostome forasmuch as at that time were greuous persecutions against the Christians thinketh that they with prayers feruently desired of God that they might at the lēgth be deliuered from so great euils and this thing not cōming to passe they conceiued a great sorrow in their minde And therfore Paul after this manner comforteth them for that we our selues know not what to pray or what to aske Wherfore God who knoweth all this right well oftētimes geueth not vnto vs those things which we aske but those things which he himselfe knoweth shall be most profitable for vs. And that he should not séeme to deiect their mindes vnto whom he writeth as though he iudged them rude and vnapt vnto things spiritual he numbreth himselfe also together with those which are troubled with this ignoraunce neither did he that falsly or only for consolation sake For he himselfe in dede oftentimes prayed that he might go to Rome and yet Paul was not alwaies heard in his prayers God heard him not He prayed also that the pricke of the flesh mought be taken frō him that is that his tribulations might be slaked as Chrisostome in this place interpretateth it And he receiued an answer of the Lord that his grace ought to be sufficient vnto him Moses prayed that he might enter into the promised land Examples of other saintes which prayed were not heard The maner of the primitiue church Ieremy prayed for the health of the people Abraham prayed for pardon for the Sodomites Samuel prayed that Saul mought be forgeuen The two Apostles prayed that the one of them mought sit on the right hand of Christ and the other on the left in the kingdome of God But these men could not obteine their
large prosecute the same and chiefely by thys reason for that aduersities helpe forward our saluation And when he had seuerally declared that we are holpen by hope and by the intercessioÌ„ of the spirite and had before taught that all creatures grone with vs now he pronounceth vniuersally that all thinges woorke vnto vs vnto good He sayth not that God prouideth that we should not be vexed with aduersities but teacheth that the nature of them is after a sort inuerted as which of themselues are able to engender nothing else but our destruction but now contrariwise they bring vnto vs commodity saluatioÌ„ But this thing doo they not of theyr owne force but by the election and predestination of God Nether is it to be meruayled at if we attribute vnto God so greate a force For we see that phisitions somtimes doo the like For they oftentimes expell out of yâ— A similitude bodies of men venome or poyson by venemous medicines hemlock although otherwise it be present poyson yet being tempered by that art it is so farre of from hurting that it also expelleth poysen So afflictions in godly men fight not against them but rather fighte againste the remnants of sinne And by these wordes of the Apostle we may inferre of the contrary that vnto those whiche An argument taken from the contrary Examples either loue not or hate God all thinges turne to theyr destruction which thyng we know came to passe in Iudas in others For wheÌ„ he began to hate Christ no good occasions or quickening wordes of the Gosple or power to worke miracles could any thing profite him The Iewes also when they were led about thorough the wildernes and were adorned of God with excellent and manifold giftes yet oftentimes became worse and worse Ambrose thus knitteth together thys sentence with that which went before Although we be enfected with great ignoraunce so that ether we aske those thinges which are not to be asked or els we out of time aske those thinges whiche are to be asked yet oughte not that therefore to be a let vnto vs when as by the benefite of the spirite thorough the mercy of God al thinges worke vnto vs vnto good Howbeit this is to be noted that the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is worketh together may be taken in the singular nomber and be referred vnto the spirite namelye that the spirite worketh and conuerteth all thinges to good to those which loue God And so this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is All shal be the accusatiue case But the receaued sence is more playne it is a phrase of speach much vsed of the Attike writers to ioyne vnto nownes newter being in the plurall nomber a verbe of the third person singular Augustine Vnto the elect sins also are profitable De correptione gratia so largly taketh this senteÌ„ce the he doubted not to write that vnto holy men sinnes also are profitable Which saying indede although I will not deny but to be true yet wil I not easely graunt that it agréeth with the sentence of Paul For both those thinges which are alredy spoken and whiche shall afterward be spoken pertayne to calamities and afflictions But the same Augustine else where more diligently weighing this place vnderstandeth by The sentence of Paul is to be referred vnto calamities and afflictions Why the burthens of Christians are said to be lighte Paul entrâ—ateth not here of of pleasantnes but of commodity How aduersities profite the godly The contrary endeuor of the Deuill it the whole burtheÌ„ of grieues and tribulatioÌ„s which he sayth is by this meanes made the lighter for that we loue God For he which loueth any man from the hart so for his sake beareth calamities that he is nothing grieued at them Iacob for Rachel serued 14. yeares and that so long space by reason of his loue semed but short And this is it that Christ sayth that his burtheÌ„ is light and his yoke pleasant not that those thinges which the Christians both do and suffer are not hard and difficile but bicause by reason of the loue which they beare vnto God all thinges be they neuer so hard shal be pleasant vnto theÌ„ But Paul here entreateth not of that kinde of good thinge which is light and pleasant but which is profitable vnto the godly vnto saluation And if thou demaund how aduersities are profitable vnto the godly I answere bycause God by theÌ„ auocateth his froÌ„ the delightes and pleasures of thys world and from themselues For such are we thorough the fault of nature and naturall corruption that we can not with out some hurt of ours be driuen vnto those things which are in very dede good On the contrary part the deuil laboureth as much as lieth in him by tribulations and aduersities to draw vs from God which thing he oftentimes bringeth to passe in the vngodly but in the elect the prouidence of God ouercommeth hys malicious purpose Farther by these afflictions calamities sin which perpetually froÌ„ our birth cleaueth fast vnto vs is dayly more more diminished The Apostle saith that this commeth to passe vnto them that loue God for that they are first loued of God For Iohn testifieth that we preuent not the loue of God God in louing preueÌ„teth vs. for no man can loue him vnles he be first loued of him It may peraduenture seme wonderfull why Paul sayd Vnto them that loue and not rather vnto theÌ„ that beleue especially when as at other times he attributeth iustification vnto fayth But this is to be knowen that in this place is not entreated of iustification For he writeth of the suffring of aduersities The cause whereof if thou wilt serch from the bottome then must thou go vnto grace and vnto the holy ghost Of grace and the holy ghost streight way springeth fayth by whiche after we haue embrased the goodnes and promises of God without any delaye springe hope and charitye Wherefore Paul tooke that thinge which is in aduersities next ioyned vnto fortitude For streight way so sone as we loue God for hys Loue is not the chiefest cause that maketh vs paciently to fuâ—â—er aduersities but the â—iest cause Charity distinguisheth the true faith from the false The connexion of faith and charity The most holiest men haue but a slender loue towardes God Why vnto loue can not be ascribed iustification Difference betwene the godly the vngodly sake we patiently beare all aduersities Wherefore he declared not the chiefe and principall cause but the niest And to the ende we should not stay there he streight way adioyned the roote and fouÌ„taine of that good thing For he saith Vnto those which are called according to purpose Farther he therefore maketh mencion of loue to put a difference betwene true faith and a fayned counterfeate and dead faith which is no faith at all For some boast of faith which bere no loue at all vnto God
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 â—oresent 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 noâ—ed 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 〈…〉 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 heresâ—e 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
of the age of the fulnes of Christ that we alwayes wauer not like children Farther this place teacheth that we are not only predestinate vnto eternall life but also vnto good workes in thys life namely that we should be like vnto Christ For Paul playnly writeth to the Ephesians that we are created in Christ in good workes which God hath prepared that we should walke Wordes of the vngodly abusing predestination We are not onely predestinate to blessednes but also to an holy life Predestination to good woorkes pertaineth not to all which shal be saued in them Wherfore they are fowly deceaued out of theyr wittes which are not ashamed to vtter these blasphemous wordes If I be predestinate I shal be saued howsoeuer I liue for these miserable men se not that we are predestinate not only vnto eternall felicity but also to behaue our selues purely and holily in thys life For predestination pertayneth both to the end and also to those things by which we come vnto the end Which thing yet I would not haue so to be vnderstand as though without these meanes no man is predestinate vnto eternall life For the infantes of the godly which dye in that age and are saued are doubtles predestinate vnto eternall life when as yet notwithstanding by reasō of age they coulde not attayne to good workes But this we ought to hold that the giftes of God are not geuen by chaunce but vpon good sure cōsideration Wherefore sithen good workes are certaine giftes of the goodnes of God they happen not without predestination Wherefore predestination pertayneth as well to the good thinges of thys life as also to eternall life This sayth Paul is done of God to the honor of Christ That he might be the first borne amongst many brethern So good is the almighty and most louing God that hauing a sonne and such a sonne in whome was well pleased yet he would adopt vnto him selfe many other sonnes out of The goodnes of God in adopting vs. our kind amongest whome Christ should be the first borne Alwayes the prerogatiue of the first borne was great both before the Law as it is manifest in the Patriarches and also afterward vnder the law The first borne had two parts of the inheritaunce and succeded the father in the administration of the famely The prerogatiue of the first borne God aboue all thinges loueth order wherefore forasmuch as his will was that the famelyes of men shoulde be gouerned orderlye he appoynted a father to be as it were a Lawfull Lord of all thinges pertayning to the household Who if peraduenture he should dye or fall sicke or thorough age be weake his wil was that the gouerment of the famely shoulde come vnto the eldeste sonne Nether ought that to moue vs that Aristotle in his Ethikes teacheth that brethern exercise amongest them selues a politicall gouernment and that amongest them is a certayne forme of a cōmon welth For he vnderstādeth these things whilest the father yet liueth and gouerneth his famely himselfe For so long brethern are amongest themselues all of like power Or peraduenture the Grecians attributed not so much vnto theyr first borne as did the Hebrues which at thys day also we see is not done in many places howbeit it is sufficiēt in one word to note that the first borne ought to be preferred before the rest of the brethern not to exercise tiranny agaynst thē but to gouern to admonish to helpe to sustayn and to succor them All which thinges Christ hath so performed for his brethern Christ hath performed towardes vs the part of a first begotten brother Christ according to his diuine nature is the onelye begotten that for theyr sakes he suffred death and therefore as Paul sayth vnto the Colossians He is the chiefe amongest all his brethern But in that he is sayd to be our first begotten brother that commeth by the dispensation of the nature which he tooke vpon him for otherwise as touchinge hys diuine nature he is the onelye begotten We are therefore called hys brethern bycause we are coapted by grace And thys byrthryght of Christe shall then at the length be notable and honorable when we beinge wholye renued shall be made pertakers of hys glorye Wherefore it is our duetye both to geue thankes vnto God and also excedingly to reioyce with our selues that we haue gotten such and so great a brother and as touching that which is remayning to deliuer our selues wholy vnto him to be ordred and instructed And sithen we know that he is set forth vnto vs as an image whereunto we ought to conforme our selues we ought alwayes to haue him before our eyes as the rule and example of our life VVhome he predestinateth those also hath he called whome he called those also hath he iustified whome he iustified those also hath he glorified In this In this chayne is nuer a link of woorkes or merites The principles of the church chaine is neuer a linke of workes or of merites For here we sée that all thinges are done freely and of the mere mercy of God For who hath geuen vnto hym first and it shal be rendred vnto him agayne All thinges are of hym by hym and in hym as Paul saith Here are we taught what are the principles of the Church the grounds of the people of God The Church is a fellowship not gathered together by humane reason but assembled by the foreknowledge predestination calling of God So they haue a respect not to any successiōs of nature or prerogations or conditions of places for they are distributed only by the iudgement and good will of God After calling straight way followeth iustification Betwene which forasmuch as nothing can be set but only faith therefore by it we are worthely sayd to be iustified not that it is the cause of our iustification but for that it is an instrument whereby we apprehend the calling exhibited Causes of iustification vnto vs by the promises But the proper causes of iustification are these which Paul here assigneth namely foreknowledge predestination and vocation And herein consisteth our iustification to haue our sinnes forgeuen vs and to be reconciled vnto God But good works holy life the renuing of strengths Holy life good workes pertain to glorification and the giftes of the holy ghost do afterward follow and pertaine to glorification whereunto also pertayne those thinges which we waite for to be geuen vs in an other life Augustine noteth not all those which by any way are called but only those which are called according to the purpose of God and according to predestination wyth a calling I say mighty and strong whereby they are vtterly changed Otherwise many are called but few are chosen Hath glorified He speaketh in the time past both for that a great part of that glory is alredy geuen vs and also for that we by hope holde that which is remayning which before God is
haue despised me And in Ezechiell God saith That the children of Israell are his children namely by reason of this promise generally published amongst them and confirmed by circumcision and many other ceremonies and rites Howbeit forasmuch as many of them fell away from piety and from saluation it was very plaine that not all they were the children of God or the séede of Abraham vnto whom the promises were by election due Wherfore when Paul saith That not all they which are of Israell are Israell by Israel in the second place he vnderstandeth that séede whereunto is adioyned election and by children and by the children of God and by the children of the promise he vnderstandeth those vnto whoÌ„ the perfection of the promise was by the purpose of God coÌ„tracteth He bringeth the firste example of Isaack and Ismael out of the 21. chapiter of Genesis where Abraham is commaunded to caste forthe the handemayden and her sonne as Sara had requested â–ª For in Isaack saith he shall thy seede be called â–ª That is that promise The generall promise is by electioÌ„â—ontracted to some perticuler men which I haue made to thy séede shall by electioÌ„ be performed in Isaack neither shall pertaine to thine other sonne Ismael This place declareth that that which was before promised generally is by the hidden election of God contracted to certaine perticuler men The other oracle touching this selfe same matter is extant in the 18. chap. of Genesis In that tyme will I come and Sara shall haue a sonne This thing God promised when he was entertained of Abraham vnder yâ— oke of Mambra Ismael was nowe borne yet God promised vnto Abraham perticularly that A similitude he should haue a sonne of Sara in whom should be certainly performed the promise which before semed to hang vncertaine As if a father hauing many childreÌ„ should be promised that it should come to passe that in his stocke he should haue a kyngdome he should not streight way perceiue which of those children should be exalted Election or purpose directeth the promises Election is not repugnaunt vnto the promise to that dignitie but that appointing should consist onely in election Paul here by sheweth that the hidden purpose of God moderateth and contracteth that which was promised generally Not as though the election of God is repugnant vnto the promise yea rather it performeth accomplishethit but yet in these in whom it is decréed to be performed Neither ought we to thinke that the election of God is bound to naturall procreation And when the Apostle maketh mencion of the children of the flesh and of the children of the promise by children of the flesh he vnderstandeth those which haue in them nothing singuler or excellent besides the generation of the flesh which came vnto them from the holy Patriarkes And the children of promise he calleth those vnto whome the promise is now by election appointed From a perticuler proposition he ascendeth to a generall proposition And in this example of Esau and Ismael this is to be noted that the Apostle from a perticuler proposition ascendeth to a generall proposition that by such singuler factes he mought gather the order and maner of the election of God Here are we admonished neuer to step backe froÌ„ the faith of the word of God although these thinges which are in it intreated séeme to ouerreache humane reason and iudgement or to be made void Doubtles there should at that time most of all haue bene great doubt when as the promises made vnto the nation of the Iewes were now publikely extant but on the other side there were none in the whole world which more resisted Christ or with more cruel furiousnes repelled his Gospel then did that nation And yet notwithstanding the Apostle with an inuincible faith persisteth and as we haue now declared comforteth himselfe touching the promise of God After the same maner commeth it to passe touching the children of the faithfull We haue a promise that God is not onely our God but also the God of our We baptise infantes vnder the faith of the indefinite promise Against the Anabaptistes séede which promise being indefinite is by the hidden election of GOD applied vnto infantes not in déede alwayes to all but to some certaine as it shall séeme good vnto the purpose of God Which purpose being hidden from vs and we being bounde to follow the outward worde which is commended vnto the Church vnder that promise we baptise our infantes euen as the Elders circumcised theirs This facte the Anabaptistes reproue for that wee are not any thing assured either of the spirite or of the faith or of the election of these infants But we nothing passe vpon that only we haue a respect vnto the worde of God which is offred vnto vs in the generall and indefinite promise But the execution therof we commit vnto God when as we cannot iudge of his election But let them on the other side aunswer vs by what reason they baptise those that are of full age when as it is vncertaine whether they pertaine to election or no and whether yâ— thinges which they say they beleue and professe be truly said and whether with a sincere minde they come vnto Christ or no. Here they can answer nothing but that they follow the confession of that faith which they that are of full age make before the church when they come to be baptised But forasmuch as by yâ— confession they may easely be deceiued neither do they certainly know any thing either of their mind or of the election of God there is no cause why they should accuse vs. For it is euen so with vs in infantes which are offred vnto the church to be baptised as it is with them in those that are of full age And not only this but also Rebecka when she had conceaued by one euen by our father Isaack For the children being not yet borne and when they had done neither good nor euill Vnto the example which he before brought of Isaack and Ismaell he now addeth an other of Iacob and Esau and that not without great cause for men mought haue suspected that there had bene a diuersity in Isaack and Ismaell for that one was the sonne of an handmayden and the other of a frée woman when as no such thing could be pretended in Iacob and Esau For they had one and the selfe same father and one and the selfe same mother they were brethern which came both out of one bely and also twines conceaued in one and the same houre Wherefore as touching nature or procreation of the flesh there could be put no difference at all betwene them Wherefore seing that the one of them was reiected of God and the other elected it is of necessity that the same be attributed wholy vnto the will and election of God as to a higher ground and principle whereby are seuered those which haue one and the same
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 makâ—th Paul very blockish duâ—â—itted â–ª 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 â–ª 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 hâ—dden 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 â—e 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 â–ª 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 caâ—â— vnto Christ is not the cause of predestinatioÌ„ but the effect God gâ—ueâ—h not faith vnto his râ—shly but of puâ—pose 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 Pelagiâ—â—s 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 coÌ„futed 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 groundâ—ele 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 â–ª 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 peradueÌ„ture they should for theyr sins be led away into captiuitie yet he promised From the loue of God commeth eternall lyfe and froÌ„ hâ—s 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 preseÌ„t meddle wt. This thing onely I thinke is diligently to be weighed yâ— of the loue of God coÌ„meth eternall life and from his hatred eternall destruction Some in this place with great curiosity enquire
much contende wyth hym For fewe are elected as the Lord sayth neither was any of vs the cause of his owne election And therefore in the scriptures the iust are called the lot of God And when I consider of this matter I call to mynde a sentence of Plutarch which he bringeth out of Plato namely that y◠life of men is like to those A similitude which play at dise For first it is required that they haue good happe or lucke in their casting thē whatsoeuer shal chāce to vse it warely So vnto vs for y◠obtainmēt of eternall life is first necessary felicity that we be in the roule and nomber of the elect and that we be called and iustified by grace and by the spirit of Christ And after that we haue obtayned these things we must with great industry care fulnes and warines excercise our selues and wisely worke together with God Origene addeth that he wondreth at in what maner God will declare his wrath when as wrath is farre straunge from him goodnes is most nigh vnto his nature For Dauid saith how great is the multitude of thy sweetnes O Lord Which thou hast hidden in them that feare thee Howbeit touching this matter he bringeth this reason for that it is expedient for vs to be vnder the feare of wrath least through our frailenes we should decline to synne and through hope of the bountefulnes of God we should be made In what sence wrath is not strange frō God loose and become negligente But if by the wrath of God we vnderstand his power whereby he ministreth iustice auengeth sinnes I do not thinke y◠that wrath is strange frō God but y◠which he citeth out of Dauid I do not so take as though he ment that God hideth all his goodnes for we féele a great part therof yea also euen whilest we liue here But I thinke that Dauid speaketh of that goodnes whiche abideth vs in an other life And after this manner as the goodnes of God is hidden so are also the last punishments of the dāned hiddē so that in this thing there is no Faith profiteth more then feare An answer of a philosopher difference at all I confesse indéede y◠in the elect is the feare of God but I deny that that feare is more profitable then faith which herein consisteth that we embrace the goodnes of God offred in the promises of God A certaine philosopher when it was laid vnto him as a fault that he was fearefull For that cause sayd he sinne I the lesse Which saying we may inuert and say the more faith and hope we haue so much the lesse we sinne Origen also thinketh that the riches of the glory of God are made known when those which are contemned of men are taken of God For so in the olde time the nation of the Iewes was abiect and vile so that it was oppressed with a most gréeuous kinde of seruitude So the Ethnikes althoughe they were ouer whelmed with idolatry and infinite other vices yet were they called vnto Christ But we ought to consider that here is not entreated onely of some vniuersall people but those thinges which are here spoken may be applied vnto euery particuler man Moreouer Paul meaneth that by the vengeaunce which is taken vpon the vessels of wrath are declared the riches of his glorye vpon the vessels of mercy Neither séemeth he at this present to entreat of that assumption or taking whiche is made by election but of the execution of predestination The Gréeke Scholies say that of God are made vessels of wrath thorough faith which he foreséeth and vertues which shall follow But we haue at large declared that none of those thinges are the causes of the mercye of God but rather the effectes thereof Ambrose in this place first weigheth what this signifieth to be vessels prepared to destruction And this he saith God doth When with lenity and long suffring he differreth The patience of God which profiteth not the wicked profiteth the elect punishmentes for by that meanes men are made the les excusable And God in this wayting is sayd to vse patience for that he foreseeth that they shall not be conuerted And it seemeth a great patience if thou wayte for that a long time which thou knowest shall not come to passe And yet doth not God this in vaine For that space whiche is geuen although it profite not the wicked yet it profiteth the elect For they by their example come to amendement Hereby it is manifest that those wordes Prepared to destructiō Ambrose referreth vnto God when as yet in very déede they may be applied vnto mē which through theyr vitiate nature corrupt inclination are of their own accorde apte inough to destruction Although as I haue before taughte the selfe same thinge may be attributed vnto God Farther Ambrose interpretateth the riches of glory to be that dignity which we shall haue in eternall felicity Which dignity although I know right well shal be a most full declaration of the mercy of God yet I do not thinke that this sentence of Paul is to be contracted vnto it For the mercy of God towardes the elect is aboundantly declared both when they are called and when they are iustified and when they lead an holy life Moreouer to prepare he thinketh is to foreknowe what manner one euery man shal be But if he plucke away this foreknowledge from the good pleasure and purpose of God frō that mercy which God in electing followeth I can by no meanes assent vnto hym For preparation signifieth the gifts which are bestowed vpon the elect Chrisostom also at large entreateth of this place by the exāple of Pharao declareth who are y◠vessels of wrath For he thinketh y◠Pharao was through his owne default called a vessell of wrath for that through his hardenes of harte and obstinacy he alwayes more and more kindled the wrathe of God againste himselfe If by the wrath of God we vnderstand the last effect thereof namely the punishment of eternall dānation that is true whiche Chrisostome saith For euerye wicked man kindleth against himselfe continually by committing of sinne But if we thus interpretate the wrath of God that God euen from the beginninge woulde not on some haue mercy and that he preseruing some he would ouerhip Pharao with many others that doubtles came not of themselues For this is done by the méere purpose and frée will of God namely not of workes but of him that calleth to the ende election might abide according to purpose Therfore was it said Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Again He hath mercy on whō he will whō he will he hardeneth as Paul before taught Chrisostome addeth Euē as Pharao omitted nothing which might serue to his owne destruction so God left nothing vndone which mighte serue to his correction The first part I confesse namely that all thinges which Pharao did
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 coÌ„maunded 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 〈◊〉 of God â–ª 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 â—nd 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 râ—der 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 Pharaoâ—euen 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 â–ª 〈…〉 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 excelleÌ„tly 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 caÌ„not 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 assâ—yled 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 y◠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 whē 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 repēted 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 sentēce of Christ that they by themselues euen by the strēgth 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 thē to saluation As touching nature there is no difference minē 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 y◠euen by nature is a distinction in men which the election of God foloweth Neither consider they y◠all men are borne the sonnes of wrath so that as touching the masse or lompe wherout they are takē there can not be put in thē any difference at all for whatsoeuer good cōmeth vnto vs y◠same with out al doubt cōmeth frō God from grace And the in the nature of mē is not to be put any difference the Apostle declareth euē 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 handmaydē 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 cōmeth 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 i◠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 thē 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 takē 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 â–ª 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 â–ª 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 punishmeÌ„ts 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 iudgemeÌ„ts 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 prouideÌ„ce 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 coÌ„ming 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 coÌ„pared 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 saâ—ing 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 gâ—ue 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
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 exēplers wherin is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y◠is But what saith the scriptures Nether is this to be passed ouer y◠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 vppō 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 strēgth 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 iudgemēt 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 assēteth 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 whē 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 whē 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 y◠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 repētance 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 belōgeth to confessiō 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 y◠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 mā 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 mā is knowen onely by confession In the resurrectiō 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
doth not without good consideration setfoorth vnto vs the resurrection of Christ for that doubtles in the resurrection is accomplished our saluatioÌ„ For that which is now begonne in vs we shall haue absolute and perfect when we shall be pertakers of that life which Christ in his resurrection hath gotten not onely for himselfe but also for vs. Farther if Christ had not risen again from the dead he should not now be with the father obteining by his intercession grace spirite life for vs. And as Augustine teacheth the faith whereby we beleue that Christ arose againe from the dead is proper vnto christians for that he died the Iewes also and the Ethnikes The fayth of the resurrection of Christ is proper vnto christiaÌ„s The article of the resurrection is a knitting together of al the rest of the articles and all infidels beleue but that he arose againe onelye the members of Christ are persuaded thereof Lastly the resurrection of the lord is after a sorte a knitting together and a bond whereby the articles going before and the articles following concerning the faith of our saluation are very well knit together For if Christ rose againe it followeth that he died for our sinnes and that his sacrifice was acceptable vnto God neither could these thinges haue bene done vnles he had for the redemption of mankinde taken vpon hym flesh and had in very dede become man Moreouer if he rose againe he hath eternall life he is ascended vp vnto the father neither is he in vaine with him in heauen yea there he is as he hath promised at hand to helpe vs and prepareth a place for vs. For with the hart man beleueth to righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made to saluation With a certayne exclamation and that doubtles very profitable he concludeth the entreaty of the place which hee alledged out of Moses wherein he attributeth righteousnes vnto fayth onely and ioyneth coÌ„fession thereunto because a man should not thinke that hee speaketh of a weake dead fayth but of such a fayth as bryngeth forth confession And although there are a great many good woorkes which followe fayth yet Paule mencioneth that which is the chiefest and may easeliest be gathered out of the woordes of Moses before alledged for he as we haue heard vnto the hart ioyned the mouth And Christ sayth Of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh How be it this is to be noted and that noâ— negligently that Paule in this place attributeth iustification vnto fayth but some saluation he attributeth vnto confession And by saluation he here vnderstaÌ„deth not the chiefest saluation that is our reconciliation wyth God or absolution from sinnes as he before dyd when he sayd If thou beleue that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saued And afterward Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued But by saluation he vnderstandeth a farther perfection which is geuen vnto them whych are now iustified for dayly the powers of their mynde and the instrumentes or members of theyr body are made perfect by doyng good woorkes And wythout doubt when wee confesse the Lord by this laudable and holy worke we get much profit So ment Paule vnto the Philippians when he sayd Woorke your saluation with feare and with trembling And if thou contend that in this place by saluatioÌ„ is vnderstanded iustification that we wyl not sticke to graunt so it be vnderstanded onely as touchyng the effect and a posteriori as they vse to speake that is by that which followeth namely yâ— a maÌ„ may hereby iudge that such a one is iustified â–ª This place also maketh very much against certaine Libertines whych renew againe the errour Against Libertines of the Carpocraâ—ians and say that we must not confesse the â—eâ—â—ye of fayth before the iudgement seates of persecuters From whych errour the Nicodemites of our time are not very farre of whych say that it is mought to thinke we in the hart although outwardly true pietye be dissembled and although men gâ— to the rites and ceremonies of the Papistes We must in deede sake héede that we doo not rashly cast our selues into daungers but when God â—ath brought vs into them and that wee are examined touching the truth wee must remember that they which are ashamed of Christ before men he at the length wyll he ashamed Faith consisteth not without good works of them before the father Let our aduersaries go noâ— and obiect vnto vs that fayth can consist without good workes The Apostle when he entreateth of iustification describeth alwayes such a faith which of necessity hath confession and good woorkes ioyned with it For the scripture â—ayth Whosoeuer beleueth in him shall not be ashamed Now is it manifest why the Iewes could not complaine of theyr reâ—ection namely for that they were vnbeleuers And it is euident that righteousnes if we speake of the true righteousnes whych is before God can not be had but by fayth onely Whereof we may inferre that wheresoeuer fayth is there also is iustification and contrary The complaint of the Iewes stopped wyse where it wanteth iustification can in no wyse haue place Wherefore the Iewes haue nothing whereof to complaine For euen as the chiefest cause of our saluation namely the election or predestination of God is not contracted vnto the Iewes but is also poured abroade amongest the Gentiles as it hath bene declared in the. 9. chapter so faith which is the next cause of saluation is not shut vp amongest the Iewes onely yea rather but fewe of them beleued therefore the Iewes ought not to haue bene displeased for the conuersion of the Gentiles Hereunto the Apostle now endeuoreth him self to proue the the sentence which he had before spoken indifinitly namely with the hart man beleueth vnto righteousnes is to be vnderstanded vniuersally Lest the Iewes paraduenture should say It is true in deede that thou sayest but yet in our stocke onely and in the seede of Abraham It is not so sayeth Paule when as the Prophet Esay in hys 28. chapiter speaketh it by this word of vniuersality whosoeuer for hee sayeth who soeuer beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed To bee made ashamed in this place is nothing els but to be frustrated of the successe which was loked for For What is to be made ashamed when men are deceaued they are ashamed of vayne confidence This testimony of Esay the Prophet is in the. 28 thapiter which Paule also before vsed towards the end of the 9. chapiter But forasmuch as we haue there declared how it is written in the Hebrew and haue by the exposition of the Hebrew verity and of the translation of the 70. interpreters which Paule followed shewed the natiue and proper sense thereof wee will now ommitte to speake any more touching it For there is one Lord ouer all This sentence firmely proueth that as toothing saluation there is not to be put
oftentimes we are ignorant what it is that we aske and then God which knoweth what thinges are profitable for vs although perticularly he seeme not to graunt vnto our requestes yet most of all he heareth our prayers when he geueth saluation and therefore is he neuer in vaine called vpon of his faithfull These things being thus set forth and confirmed Paul setteth the Churches in quiet dâ—claring that neither the Gentiles ought to despise the Iewes nor the Iewes also ought not to enuy the Gentiles when as faith and inuocation may be common to ech people For the Prophetes also testifie that wheresoeuer shal be sounde faith and inuocation there also shal be saluation and an assured obtainment of righteousnes For as touching the lacke thereof the Iewes and the Gentiles were both equall as it is said in the 3. chapiter of this epistle For all haue sinned and haue nede of the glory of God Neither herein is there any difference betwene Iewe or Grecian Moreouer neither people hath of himselfe faith whereby to be iustified Wherefore as touching these things the lot both of the Iewes of the Gentiles is a like And therfore it was mete yâ— as the Gospel was preached vnto the Iewes so also it should be preached vnto other people the Iewes wer vnwisemen for this thing to be angry with the Apostles We are also taught forasmuch as faith may be geuen of God vnto whomsoeuer he will neither is We must despaire of no man Note his predestinatioÌ„ knoweÌ„ to despayre of no maÌ„ but by teaching admonishing preaching to endeuor our selues to draw all men vnto Christ The Lord commauÌ„ded the Apostles to go into the whole world to preach to al nations neither excepted he any Therefore Paul earnestly laboured to be made all to all yâ— he might winne all or at the least some vnto Christ None when he falleth into any sinne or in any thing disagreeth from vs is straighway to be reiected he may yet beleue and call vpon God and thereby obtaine righteousnes and saluation Neither ought we hereof to be ignorant that the wordes of the Apostle which we haue hitherto entreated of in this 10. chapiter so proue certainty of saluation that vndoubtedly they can not be denied nor auoyded First he sayd Hereby is certayntye of saluation proued Say not in thine hart who shall ascend into heauen By which wordes he suffreth vs not to doubt that Christ being in heauen pacifieth the father and maketh him meroifull towardes vs and that by his death he hath ouercome eternall destruction sinne the deuill and hell fire so that they can not preuaile against vs if we hope in him Moreouer that we should not doubt he added He which beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed Agayne Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued This suffreth vs not to doubt of saluation whatsoeuer our aduersaries obiect vnto vs. But how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleued and how shall they beleue in him of whome they haue not heard and howe shall they heare without a preacher And howe shall they preach except they be sent as it is written How bentifull are the feate of them which bring glad tidinges of peace and which bring glad tidinges of good thinges But how shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleued That thou shouldest not thinke that by the worke of inuocation thou shalt haue saluation the Apostle straight waye declareth vnto thee the roote whereby thou art made safe namely faith None inuocateth but he which beleueth wherefore the fruit of inuocation commeth vnto vs through faith Paul in this place The fruite of inuocation coÌ„meth vnto vs by faith maketh a certaine kinde of gradation wherein he knitteth the causes together with their effectes We must beginne at saluation which is put for the last effect saluation commeth of inuocation inuocation is by faith faith commeth of hearing and hearing is by preachers and they come by the sending of God Wherefore it followeth that if the Gentiles ought to haue saluation as well as the Iewes then God should send preachers vnto them also Wherefore the Apostles are not to be blamed in that they preached vnto the Gentiles seing that God sent them This kind of argument is called Sorites of heaping vp together for the causes are gathered of the effectes and of the first is inferred the â—â—st or of the last is concluded the first How shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleued No man imploreth the helpe of God vnles he be perswaded with himselfe that God is at hand and redy to helpe him And here againe thou hast an argumeÌ„t to confirme The certainty of saluation confirmeâ— â–ª the certainty of saluation How shall they beleue in him of whome they haue not heard We must first heare the thinges that are to be beleued for that whiche is beleued is the word of God which is receaued by hearing It is not lawfull that we should of our owne hed deuise things to be beleued of vs we muste beleue God in suche force as he hath reuealed hym selfe vnto vs. The ministers of the church are adorned with an excellent title But how shall they heare without a preacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold with how excellent a title the ministers of the Church are adorned they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the ambassadors of God This is theyr chiefest worke to publishe abrode the wordes of God But they haue vtterly lost this dignity which are of this minde that the highest and singulariest honor is to consecrate as they vse Vnles they preach the Gospel they are not the Ambassadours of God to speake the sacrament or to transubstantiate bread and wyne They are not so described in the holye scriptures but that they shoulde preache and doo the office of ambassadors How shall they preach vnles they be sent For an ambassader can signifie nothing of the will of his prince but so much as his prince shall before shew vnto him Paul was not ignoraunt but that it is possible that God can by him selfe worke without an outward minister he knew very well that he which planteth and which watreth is nothing but it is god only which geueth the encrease God can without outward preaching bring to saluation But he here speketh of the ordinary way which God vseth in the Church For he ordeyneth the ministery and vseth the voyce and words of the preachers to kindle fayth by the holy ghost in the hartes of the hearers Wherefore we ought to geue thankes vnto God for so singular a gift But manye contemne and loth the ministers of the Church and would as I suppose be instructed by Angells are ignoraunt that Christ would by his humanity minister vnto vs saluation God delighteth in the loue and knitting together of the members in the Church that we should hang
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 coÌ„sisteth 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 â—e and he which despiseth you despiseth me We haue now the iudgemeÌ„t of God â—ouchyng Ministers wherewith the beleuers ought very mutch to comfort themselues although the world iudge otherwyse and count them for mad men and 〈…〉 castes and estéeme them as paringes and chips so long as there is a world thâ—y shall be so iudged of But for as much as the iudgement of the world is foo 〈…〉 and vnderstandeth not the thinges that pertayne vnto God therefore we 〈…〉 st not leane vnto it but rather embrace the most firme and most pleasant sen 〈…〉 ce of God Nahum the Prophet in hys fyrst chapter hath the lyke saying of 〈…〉 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
and Paul here chiefely reproueth the Iewes We may also hereby learne how farre we are of from the perfection of God He suffreth long tyme beareth with men God is more patieÌ„t then men that will not beleue in him but all men are high mynded and can not abide that either their wordes or writinges should be contemned Then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Here again is repeted the commeÌ„dation of the ministery that by it faith is diuulged amongst CommendacioÌ„ of the ministery men Faith is by hearing this sentence must be rightly and soundly taken that is when God will worke therewithall and put to his ayde Some haue thought that by hearing is here to be vnderstanded the inward word for that in it is the full and perfect cause of faith Which thing as I deny not so also I sée that Paul speaketh not of the inward hearing that is of the motion that is done by the holy Here is entreated of the outward worde The worde of God abideth firme though it be not beleued ghost but of the outward preaching to the office whereof the Apostles were sent And although faith can not after the ordinary and accustomed maner be without the word of God yea and that without the outward word yet the word of God abideth still although faith be not geuen vnto it for knowledge hath relacion as they vse to speake to the thing knowen but that which may be knowen is not on the other side referred to knowledge when as there are many thinges which may be knowen are not knowen After which selfe maner very many thinges are to be beleued which yet are not beleued Wherfore faith forasmuch as it is an asseÌ„t WhereheÌ„ce faith taketh his differences geuen vnto the word of God although it take not his differences of the subiect or of his forme yet taketh it them not either of the efficent cause or of the obiect for it is occupied aboute those things which haue bene reuealed by God neither commeth it by the light of nature but by the illustracion of the holy ghost But as touching the subiect it is placed in the minde as wisdome prudence and other sciences are and the nature thereof is a quality as other knowledges also are qualities Furthermore if hearing whereof springeth faith be by the word of God it is manifest that the foundacion of faith is the word of God only Wherefore the ministers of the Church and preachers ought hereby to learne what is to be preached Onely the worde of God is the foundacion of faith Humane traditions are not the worde of God namely the word of God only and not humane traditions although now they are so bold to call them the word of God which yet they are not by any meanes able to proue when as they are vncertaine and repugnant the one to the oâ—her and are oftentimes abolished or renued which in no wise agrée with the word of God Basilius in his sermon de confessione fidei saith that it is a falling away from faith and a great pride either not to admitte the thinges which are written in the holy scriptures or to adde any thing vnto them Which sentence he confirmeth by the testimony of Paul to the Galathians where he saith The testament although but of a man when it is once ratefied no man maketh voyde or addeth any thing thereunto which thing ought much more to be taken hede of in the testament of God set forth in the holy scriptures But here a riseth a doubt For if onely the woorde of Whether we must beleue miracles God is to be beleued why sayd Christ that if they woulde not beleue him they shoulde yet at the least beleue his workes For it séemeth by thys sentence that we shoulde also beleue miracles But we aunswere that miracles are as testimonies by which men are the easelier brought to beleue so that they are thinges by meanes whereof men beleue not that fayth is directed vnto them as vnto his obiect although as touching the miracles of Christ and of the Apostles we must beleue that they were done by God and not by Belzebub or by the deuill as the Pharise is sclanderously reported and this is conteyned in the worde of God for it geueth testimony that these miracles should be wrought and that they were wrought in theyr due time namely in the preaching of souÌ„d The Sacramentes are beleued doctrine The Sacramentes also are beleued but they are nothing ells but the visible words of God wherunto also is adioyned yâ— word of God which is heard as Augustine fayth The worde commeth vnto the element and it is made a sacrament Howbeit there is discretion and iudgmente to be had when we beleue the word of God that we picke not thereout any wicked or corrupt sentence there is also requisite good triall and examination to discerne miracles and in the sacrameÌ„ts Whether we must beleue with iudgementâ— or without iudgement â–ª is to be considered that they be orderly ministred that is as they were instituted of God And by sound iudgement we must remoue away and set aside the inuencions of men that we beleue not them as we would beleue the wordes of God And when Basilius or other of the fathers doo say that we must beleue with out examination or iudgemeÌ„t which semeth to be taken out of that which Paul sayth in this epistle that Abraham beleued neyther iudged he that word in greke Distinction of iudgement is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To answer to this doubt this is to be vnderstanded that iudgement is of two sortes â–ª The one is when we take counsell of the sences and humane reason and this is vtterly to be remoued from fayth for it alwayes resisteth the word of God The other is the iudgment of the spirite which is of necessity to be had And this is it which Paul sayd Proue all thinges and that which is good hold fast And vnto the Corrinthians Spiritual thinges are compared with spirituall thinges and by this iudgment it is necessary to conferre one place in the holy scriptures which is more obscure with an other whiche is more manifest The authority of the Church hath not dominion ouer faith as some wickedly thinke The office of it is to preach to admonishe to reproue to testifie The autority of the church hath not dominioÌ„ ouer fayth to lay the holy scriptures before mens eyes neyther requireth it to be beleued but so farre forth as it speaketh the wordes of God Paul before he here made mencion of the worde by which fayth is brought forth made mencion of them that preach the Gospell that is of the ministers which are sent of God in whoÌ„ he described the ministery of the Church namely that it consisteth in preaching of the Gospell Moreouer if fayth as it is here written come by hearing that is as it is added by
end and willeth them to weigh with themselues that they stād by fayth whereof they can not glory for that they haue freely receaued it at Gods handes In the first to the Corrinthians the 1. chapiter he sayth likewise that the beleuers stand by fayth Neyther is that hereunto repugnaunt which is written in the selfe same epistle in the 15. chapiter That the Corrinthians stoode in the Gospell for fayth is referred vnto the Gospell as to his proper obiect yea rather after a sorte it thereof springeth as we haue before hard Neyther is in this place entreated of men perticularly but of the congregation body of the beleuers And therefore he not without iust cause addeth Be not high minded but feare For euen as the Church of the Iewes is now extinguished and Affrike likwise and Grecia and Asia haue lost many churches The comparison is declared No perticuler mā oght to stand in doubt of his saluation So long as we liue here we cannot vtterly shake of all feare so is it to be feared lest the self same thing happē now vnto the Churches which seme to stand Wherefore let them not puffe themselues vp But no man of the member of the faythfull ought to be in doubt of his own saluation For the nature of fayth is to make men assured of the promise of God Howebeit thys is to be knowen that it is not possible that so long as we liue here we should vtterlye shake of all feare For we are continuallye tossed betwene two cogitations the one of the goodnes fayth and constancye of GOD the other of our corruption infirmitye and prones to euill For when we consider howe weake we are and prone to euill and consider also the filthines and imperfection of our workes thoughe they be neuer so good there with all the seuerity of the lawe in requiring euen to the vttermost the thinges which it commaundeth This consideration I say if it be vehement can not but excedingly make a feard the minde and deiect it But on the other syde when we consider the clemency goodnes and mercy of God and his constancy in his promises and therewithall also remember that all the merites of Christ are communicated vnto vs we are refreshed and recreated and the feare is eyther lenified or els sometymes vtterly layd away And these affectes where they are perfect vehement doo succede the one the other for they can not be both at one tyme or if they be both at one tyme then are eyther of them remisse and not vehement But in what maner they geue place the one to the other we may by daylye experience vnderstand For if any man be set vpon the toppe of an highe toure and if being there his mind runne vpon nothing els but vpon the heigth of the tower and what a déepe way he should fall so that he can not fall without daunger of death it is not possible but that his mind being still vpon this he should be altogether smitten with an horrour But if he turne his eyes a syde to the barres or battlements which stay him vp so that he can not fall then will he plucke vp hys spirites agayne and put away all feare Neither ought it to seme vnto any man straunge that we say that fayth expelleth that feare which is ioyned with doubting Faith doth no lesse expell feare then doth charity of saluation when as in Iohn it is sayd that charity dryueth feare out of doores For it is most certaine that that which the scripture attributeth vnto charity ought much more to be attributed vnto faith for charity springeth of it But as we haue alredy sayd Paul in this place entreateth not of men perticularly but of the publique profession of Christ and of the preaching of the Gospel and of his religion receaued in any whole nation or prouince And that which is here spoken ought to stirre vp godly men to most feruent prayers for the preseruation of the churches After that he addeth a reason of his sentence For if God spared not the naturall branches take hede that he also spare not thee He reasoneth à minori that is of the lesse for it séemed les likely that the naturall branches should be broken of then they which are agaynst nature Now if they be broken of thē is it much more to be feared lest others also should be cut of But let vs sée what is to be vnderstanded by the natural branches or by the brāches of nature which phrase Paul a litle afterward also vseth Chrisostome sayth Forasmuch as in things natural is found necessity in this place can not be put that necessity for that holynes and these gifees of God whereof we now entreat may both be in vs and also be remoued away from vs. Wherfore he thinketh that here is rather to be vnderstanded a certayne likelines of truth and consequence as we commonly saye that that is naturall whiche reason iudgeth probable and agreable Ambrose expressedly writeth these woordes For if they which throughe the prerogatiue of the fathers were woorthye vnto whome also was made the promise and which were adopted of God into childrē were for theyr incredulity sake made blind what shall become of them which are without any commendation exalted on high and which being of no dignity at all are brought to honour But Origen by nature vnderstandeth frée will as though this whole dignity should depende of frée will which opinion we haue a litle before confuted Wherfore Ambrose commeth nerer vnto the truth who referreth this dignity or worthines to the promise of God althoughe none of them haue properly declared why mencion is made of nature And Paul in my iudgement therfore maketh mencion of nature for that the children of the saints were so borne that they came out of a good trée and out of an holy roote The etimology of this worde nature And verely the etimologie of this woord nature is deriued of this woord nasci that is to be borne And yet is not this so to be taken as though they should haue in themselues the beginning of holynes for that dependeth of the goodnes promise and will of God For there is no part of the blessing of God to be attributed vnto the stocke of the fleshe being considered apart by it selfe but so far forth as vnto the stocke or propagation is ioyned the promise which is a thing of great efficacy which promise if we will know of how great force it is let vs looke vpon How the blessing of God in towardes the stocke and propagatiō of the flesh the nation of the Iewes which was in déede sinfull and contaminated with many kinds of sinnes and yet it cessed not to be the people of God vntill they had publiquely denied and reiected Christ although euen then also remnants of them were saued Howbeit that people was first corrected with the rodde and with afflictions and sometymes sent into captiuity
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they are broken of but of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 grâ—uous 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 braÌ„ches 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
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 GeÌ„tles 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 thâ—t 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 traÌ„slatioÌ„ of the 70. or els it is corrupted Faith whiche iustifieth hath repentaunce annexed with it all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 waÌ„teth 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
scripture entreat speake of him by the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he is described as one stirred vp by affects for that he doth those things which men stirred vp by affects vse to do He God is not moued with affects is said to be angry because he auengeth as mē ouercome with anger do although he thereby suffer no perturbation He is sayde also to repent for that althoughe he be not sory yet he chaungeth the thinges which he had before done He had appointed Saul to be king whome he afterward reiected and he had appointed man vpon the earth to be encreased in number whome he afterward destroyed by the flood and therefore he is sayd to haue bene moued by repentaunce But here thou wilt say I speake not of the perturbation of God admitte that he be quiet but forasmuch The things which are geuen by predestination are not chaunged as he can chaunge the thinges which he hath done he can also chaunge his vocation and can take away the giftes from them vnto whome he before gaue them This we deny not but this is to be knowen that Paul here speaketh not of all kinde of gifts or callings but of those only which according to his eternall predestination he geueth for they are most constant and vnchaungeable as it was before sayd in this self same epistle Whome he foreknewe those hath he predestinated whome he hath predestinated those also hath he called whome he hath called those also hath he iustified and whome he hath iustified those also hath he glorified this gradatiō is vnmoueable and this chayne is indissoluble But to make the thing yet more playne we will make this distinction they which receaue the giftes or calling of God are either predestinated or els are not of the number of the elect If they be not predestinated they haue oftentimes certaine gifts of God but those are slender gifts which do not perfectly chaunge thē so that in temptacions and persecutions they fall away and are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men during but for Giftes bestowed vpō them that are not predestinated are taken away from them a time and they easely lose theyr gifts not that God repenteth him or that he is chaunged but the chaunging is in them which withdraw themselues from the truth and God appointed to geue vnto them gifts not perpetually but for a time But they which are predestinated do as touching vocation to saluation and touching the gift of the fauor of God abide in the state of saluation without any repentaunce and chaunging of the purpose of God And although for a tyme be taken away from them the spirite consolation and some certayne grace as from Peter when he denied Christ and from Dauid when he fell into adultery yet are they restored againe and so the gift of election and their calling abideth perpetually The calling saluation of the predestinated is not chaunged and God repenteth him not thereof But the Apostle at this present speaof the nation of the Iewes generally and not as touching euery singular persons And this is worthy to be considered that in the threatnings which the Prophetes vse against the Iewes is alwayes in a manner towards the ende added a consolation of the pacifiyng of God to come and that they shal be restored and called The threatonings of y◠prophetes oftentimes end in consolations home agayne to their olde estate In Deut. the 30. chapiter it is sayd Though thou be dispersed thoroughout the fower corners of the worlde yet will I gather thee together agayn into thyne owne land Howbeit although those things are spoken of that nation and of the couenaunt made with it yet can it not be chosē but that they must nedes helpe also our confidence namely that we which beleue in Christ should not be in doubt of our saluation But thou wilt say what if my calling and giftes should be temporall and should thorough my default and not through the inconstancy of God be chaunged We ought to aunswere that in déede our fleshe and Whereby we are confirmed touching the certaynty of saluation corrupt nature is so made that it may goe backe woulde easely of it selfe fall away but faith when it is a true faith perswadeth to the cōtrary on Gods behalfe namely that he will not suffer that when we fall we should for euer fall away from him For how is it possible that we should confesse and beleue that God is in very dede our father and yet in the meane tyme be in doubt of his faith Those thinges hang not together Wherefore although as touching vs there is no let but that we may be destroyed and we haue in our selues the causes of damnatiō yet notwithstanding faith bringeth with it a contrary perswasion that God is our father and wil be our God and sauior And that which the Apostle now saith is in a maner all one with that which he before sayd What if some of them haue not beleued shall their incredulity make voyde the faith of God God forbid Let God be true and euery man a lyar Ambrose semeth to interprete those things vtterly wide from the text as we also before sayd for he will haue this sentence the giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce to be referred vnto baptisme namely that they which are baptised haue fréely the forgeuenes of sinnes neither are they compelled to any repentaunce And this he thus goeth about to apply vnto thys place That it mought seme wonderfull that the Iewes being such vnbeleuers obstinate persons wicked and vngodly men should one day be receaued agayne of God into fauor this saith he is not to be wondred at forasmuch as that receauing by baptisme is done without repentaunce But it is most manifest that Paul at this present ment no such thing but onely would declare that they by reason of election and for the couenaunt sake made with the fathers are beloued For confirmation of which reason he bringeth that God repenteth him not neither chaungeth he his purpose Further the Greke wordes suffer not this interpretacion for it is sayde that the calling and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is giftes or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is these are the things which are without repentance But if Ambroses exposition should be true not the gifts but the sinnes before cōmitted should be without repentaunce so that they which are baptised should not repent them of theyr sinnes Moreouer it is not true that in baptisme is not as touching them that are of full age required repētaunce For Peter in the Actes of the Apostles sayth Repent ye and be baptised In the baptisme of them that are of full age is required repētaunce with a true faith is ioyned repentaunce euery one of you Neither auaileth this any thing if thou say y◠this repentance is takē for fighing and morning such workes which are called satisfactions For
oftener expressed hope confidence but in the new testameÌ„t fayth both to fayth and to trust For euen as it is sayd The iust man liueth by fayth Also He which beleueth in him shall not be confounded And in the new Testament He which beleueth in the sonne hath eternall lyfe Agayne We thinke that a man is iustified by fayth So also is it written in the Psalme Blessed are all they which put their trust in him And in Esay the 26. chapiter He shall keepe peace because they hoped in him And in the new Testament Hope confoundeth not To Titus also the 3. chap. That we may be heyres according to the hope of eternall lyfe Althoughe in the old Testament we finde the promises are oftener made vnto hope then to fayth yet in the new Testament it is contrariwyse whereof this may be the reason because in the old tyme the Hebrues erred not in the beliefe that there was but one God yea they professed the worshippinge of hym onely but this was not well amongst them that they had not a liuely fayth which draweth with it a trust but onely by education had conceaued eyther a certayne opinion or els a certayne knowledge and therfore vnto this the Scripture exhorteth them to beleue truly and with efficacy which is expressed by the affecte vnder the name of trust But in the new Testament they erred in the meaning both the GeÌ„tiles which were worshippers of Idoles and of many goddes and also the Iewes as touching the conditions of Messias for they looked that he should come in glorious pompe like a kinge and magnifical in worldly gouernement wherfore faith was oftentymes beaten into them whereby they myght obteyne the promises of God For it was very necessary that they should rightly be instructed of the chief point of the thing that they should beleue And of this Hebrue verbe A man is deriued this nowne Emunah Faith signâ—fieth firmenes which signifieth fayth And it sometymes signifieth certaynty and constauncy of wordes and promises Wherfore God is in the holy scriptures oftentymes called faythfull and his workes are called faythful because they are firme and constantly coÌ„tinue And we read before in this Epistle What if some of them haue not beleued hath their incredulity made vayne the fayth of God Yea and this latten word Fides that is fayth if we may beleue Cicero is deriued of Fio because that thing is done in dede which was spoken And sometymes it signifieth the assent of our mynd whereby we receaue words which are set forth vnto vs as it is sayd of Abraham How fayth is taken in this disputation He beleued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes And forasmuch as is this disputation nowe we take fayth after this maner it shall not be from the purpose to define what fayth is wherefore fayth is a firme and an assured assent of the mynd vnto the words of God which assent is inspired by the holy ghost The definitioÌ„ of fayth vnto the saluation of the beleuers And therfore it consisteth in the mynd and is occupied about the words of God from whence we haue the matter thereof Of the forme also we neede not to doubt because it is defined to be an assent The efficient cause is here to be the inspiration of the holy ghost And the ende is declared in the last place when as we say that this assent is inspired of the holy ghost The definition of faith which is written in the 11. to the Hebrues is declared What hypostasis signifieth to the saluation of the beleuers Not much vnlike vnto this definition are those thinges which are written concerning fayth vnto the Hebrues the 11 chapiter namely that fayth is a substance of thinges to be hoped for and an argument of thinges that appeare not Where that which the Latine interpretor hath turned substantia â–ª that is substance in Greke is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word Budeus most lernedly turneth in his commentaries boldnes strength or valiantnes of mynd And it is deriued of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to susteyne to receaue not to geue place to one that rusheth vpon a man Hereof a souldier is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is trusty and turneth not his backe vnto his enemies but goeth agaynst them and resisteth them And vndoubtedly in beleuing we haue neede of this strength and patience by reason of the greate fyght of which there we haue In beleuyng we haue nede of strength experience For we must resist the fleshe reason must be ouercome whiche very much striueth agaynst fayth we must also resist the condemnation of our owne conscience synne and the anger of God and there are many thinges besydes by which a faythfull assent is both letted and resisted Very well are compared together betweene them selues these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a substance and those thinges that are hoped for For God promiseth resurrection but yet vnto the dead he promiseth eternal lyfe but yet to them that are rotten He calleth men blessed but yet those which aboundantly thyrst and hunger and are on euery side oppressed He pronounceth men to be iustified but yet such as ar couered with sinnes and filthines Wherefore seing these thinges seeme to be so farre of from vs it is needfull that we haue boldenes strength and the assuraunce of a most firme assent which may make these thinges to abide and to consiste vnto vs as thinges most assured With such a shield of defence ought we to be armed whereby we may quenche all the fyrie dartes of the deuill when they are cast agaynst vs that we may also ouercome euen the world For as Iohn testifieth This is the victorye which ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Further we must note that this word Argumentum that is argument which in Greke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned of some demonstratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a declaration because by fayth are shewed and declared those thinges which appeare not but me thinketh Augustine althoughe peraduenture not so Latine like yet very faithfully turned it conuictio that is an ouercoming For by fayth our mynd is ouercome to graunt that those thinges are true whiche God eyther speaketh or promiseth But Hostiensis in his booke De summa Trinitate fide Catholica laboureth by two reasons to shewe that fayth is not by these wordes of the apostle defined because that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance agreeth also with hope Wherfore forasmuch as it is not proper to fayth it can not be applied to the definition therof Further because fayth hath not a regard onely to thinges to come and those thinges which are hoped for but also is referred vnto things past For we beleue that GOD created heauen and earth that Christ was borne of a Virgin that he suffred for vs and was raysed from the dead but all these
man should say y◠we take our argumēt only of the which happeneth thorough the slouthfulnes of men when as the disputacion is of that which may be done if mē would put to theyr good will for many are not iustified by theyr good workes when as yet they might be iustified by them if they The 〈◊〉 would hereunto we answere with the Apostle in the 8. chapiter who sayth For that which the law could not performe in as much as it was weake bycause of the fleshe that performed God by his owne sonne being sent vnder the similitude of flesh subiect vnto sinne and by sinne condemned sinne through flesh This place admonisheth vs that the iustice of God which is commaunded in the commaundementes could not be performed by the helpe of the law by reason of the vice and infirmity of the flesh and for that cause was Christ sent of the father to performe that whiche The 20. could not be accomplished of vs. The same thing also teacheth he a litle after for when he had sayd that the lust of the flesh is death he addeth moreouer That it is enmity agaynst God for it is not subiect vnto the law of God neither indede can be Wherefore whatsoeuer we do by our naturall strengths which is called flesh the same resisteth God for our corrupted nature can not be subdued vnder the law of God And forasmuch as it is so thē can we not be iustified by y◠dedes therof In the same chapiter also we read Vnto those that loue God all thinges worke to The 21. good vnto those I say which are called of purpose In which wordes the Apostle touched the beginning and chiefe poynte of all our goodnesse namely the purpose of God whiche is so the cause of our saluation that all our other goodnes dependeth thereof but it is not moued by any of our goodnesse But the very causes of mans felicity are afterward orderly and distinctly described amonge which there is no mencion at all of our good workes Those which he knew before he also predestinated and whome he hath predestinated those hath he also called And whome he hath called them also hath he iustified and whome he hath iustified them also will he glorify This chayne is lincked together with all the meanes and helpes by which God bringeth vs to saluation But seing there is no mencion made of the workes of the law and of merites it sufficiently appeareth that by them we are not iustified Farther when it is sayd Who shall accuse against the elect of God The 22. It is God which iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which dyed yea which also is risen agayn which also sitteth at the right hand of God which also maketh intercessiō for vs If by the iudgment of God we should be iustified by workes it had bene sufficient to haue sayd the elect shal be accused in dayne forasmuch as they haue good merites and seing by theyr vertuous and holy workes they shall obtayne absolution He sayth not so But saith he it is God which iustifieth And it mought haue bene answered No man shall condemne the elect when as theyr workes ar such that they deserue both absolutiō and a reward But he maketh no such answere but sayth It is Christ which dyed c. Why then should we take vpon vs to mingle our woorkes therewithall when as the scripture willeth vs in no case so to doo Now come we to the ninth chapiter wherein is entreated of the prouidence of God which directeth and ordreth all thinges not for any other cause vndoubtedly but that we should thinke that the nature of it and of iustification is all one for either of them is geuē fréely and not of works For the Apostle writeth that of two brethern which were not yet borne and when they had done neither good nor The 23. euill to the end the election of God shoulde abide according to purpose not of workes but of the caller it was sayd The elder shall serue the yonger as it is written Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Here as we se are workes most manifestly excluded Also vnto Moses it was answered I will shew mercy to whomsoeuer I shew mercy The 24. and will haue compassion on whomesoeuer I haue compassion These wordes also declare y◠the forgeuenes of sinnes the meanes whereby men are receaued into fauor depend not of theyr workes but of y◠mere merciful beneuolēce of God And y◠same thing also do the wordes following declare It is not of him that willeth The 25. nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy Againe He hath mercy on whō he will and whome he will he hardeneth But if iustification might be gotten by our will or by workes then should it be both of him that willeth and of him that runneth neither should they be conuerted on whome God hath compassion but they which should chiefely haue compassion vpon themselues neither also should God harden any man when as all men might promptly easely and at their pleasure by good workes be reconciled vnto God and also be iustified But it is farre otherwise for they which put their confidence in workes do to farre erre from the true righteousnes whereof we now speake Toward the end of the 9. chapiter the Apostle sayth Israell which followed the lawe of righteousnes attayned not to the law of The 26. righteousnes And why euen because they sought it not by fayth but as it were by the workes of the lawe And if the works of the lawe were a let vnto the Iewes for the obtainment of iustification what should we then hope for thereby This selfe The 27. same thing the Apostle although in other wordes declareth in the 10. chapiter They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and goyng about to establishe their own righteousnes are not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God These wordes signify nothing els but that they fal from the righteousnes of God which attribute to much to their owne righteousnes namely to workes And so great is the contrariety betwene grace and workes that the effect which procedeth from the one can not The 28. procéede from the other For Paul sayth There is a remnaunt left according to the election of grace If it be of grace then is it not now of workes for then grace is no more grace and if it be of workes then is it not of grace For this is the property of grace to be geuen fréely and of a mere liberality but the property of a worke is that the reward should be geuen of duty and euen by very right Lastly what shal we say The 29. when the Apostle crieth out Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God Vndoubtedly Paul by this affection declareth that it is a thing most hard to be knowen whether God deale iustly which predestinateth whome he will and
the extremity of the law be set forth in any decrée and the equity and moderation of the same extreame law be no where expressed An argument taken of the Romane law the iudge ought to follow the extreame law and ought not to adde equity whiche equity yet he may thē follow if it expressed in any law As for example All lawes agrée that if a debiter pay not his mooney at his day and the creaditour by that meanes susteyne losse the debitour is bound to beare the losse And this they call to pay the interest or as other speake to pay the dammage But bycause it is had in the digestes de Regulis Iuris In all causes that thing is taken for a facte wherein it commeth to passe that by an other mans meanes there is a stay why it is not done wherefore if the debter can proue that the fault was not in him why the mooney was not payd for he had the mooney and offerd it but the creditor was in the faulte why payment was not made although the creditor sustayne neuer so much losse by forbearing of his mooney yet is not the debter bound to make recompence by equity For by equity written it is counted for a déede when the let came by reason of an other Wherefore it manifestly appeareth that it is not in the power of a iudge or of any man to moderate lawes as he lust himself And if the case be so in the Romane lawes inuented and set forth by men what shall we thinke of the law of God For it ought infinitely to be more firme then the law of man Neither is it lawfull for vs to fayne in it any equity vnles The law of God more firme then the law of man when we se it expressed in writing As for example The law is He which shall shed mās bloud his bloud shall also be shed Here we haue the extremity of the law which vndoubtedly we ought alwayes to follow vnles in some other place equity teache y◠the same extremity ought to be mitigated But in an other place it is thus writē If two go forth together into the wood to cutte downe wood and the axe by chance falleth out of the hand of the one and killeth him that standeth by him let there be some cities of refuge vnto which this manqueller may fly and in which he may liue safely till such time as the matter be tried so that if he can proue his innocency then let him be let go free at the death of the Highe priest This equity mought the iudges vse bycause it was written in the lawes of God yea they ought also to vse it so often as they saw that the matter which they had in hand so required But that it was lawful for them by theyr authority to bend the lawes of God or to mitigate them it cā not be proued by any testimony of the holy scriptures Yea rather contrarily they were commaunded There may nothing be added vnto the law of God nor any thing taken from it The law of God is impossible to be obserued by humane strengthes that they should not decline neither to the lefte hand nor to the right hand and that they should not adde any thing vnto the law of God nor diminish any thing from it And we nede no long discource to teach that the law is impossible to be obserued as touching our strengths and especially before we are regenerate For that the scripture it selfe manifestly testifieth For Paul thus writeth in the 8. chapiter vnto the Romanes That which was impossible vnto the law in as much as it was weakened by the flesh Also in the same chapiter The wisedome of the flesh is enmity agaynst God For it is not subiect vnto the law of God yea neither can it vndoubtedly And in the first to the Corrinthians The carnall man vnderstandeth not those thinges which are of the spirit of God for neither can he for vnto him they are foolishnes Christ also An euill tree saith he can not bring forth good fruits Also How can ye speake good thinges when ye your selues are euill All these thinges doo manifestly teach that it is not possible that the law of God should be obserued by humane strengths being as they are now vitiate and corrupted But as touching these cauillations and subtle euasions of the Papistes let this suffice Now let vs come to certayne singular obiections which they make whereby they labour both to trouble vs and also to establish theyr owne fond lyes They An obiectiō touching the repentaunce of Achab. say that Achab the vngodly king did rent his garmentes at the threatninges of Elias did putte on sackecloth and so lay on the grounde and fasted and wente barefoote and for that cause the lord sayd vnto the Prophet Hast thou not sene Achab humbled before me In his dayes I will not bring the euill but in the dayes of his sonne Behold say they the workes of an vngodly king and one not yet iustified doo so please God that they pacified God towardes him But we say on the contrary that Achab was by these factes iustified For if he had had that true fayth whiche How Achab is said to be humbled before God iustified men he would not haue abiden still in idolatry and other most grosse sinnes indede he was somewhat moued at the threatninges of the Prophet but that thing which he did pertayned only vnto a certayne outward and ciuill discipline rather then to true repētaunce But God sayth that he was humbled before him I answeare that that word Before me may be referred either vnto the words of God which were spoken vnto Achab by the Prophet so that the meaning is Before me that is to say at my wordes or ells Before me that is to say in the Church of the Israelites And by that facte Achab testified that he repented of the wicked facte which he had committed and that was a good and sound example before the multitude But God which beheld the inward part of his hart saw that that repentaunce was fayned and vnfruitfull And for that cause he promised that he would only differre the punishement so that that punishement which otherwise should haue happened in his dayes should happen in the dayes of his sonne Neither is God holdeth backe his scourges for the obseruing of outward discipline this strange neither ought we to be ignoraunt thereof that for the keping of outward discipline plagues are differed and most greauous punishemētes of this present life are auoyded For our doctrine is not that all sinnes are alike God also wayted till the sinnes of the Amorhites were full And then at the length is hys wrath wont to be powred out when filthy lustes and wicked actes impudently without any bridle range abrode Yea where outward discipline is kept God oftentimes geueth many good thinges not indede for the merite of the factes but by an
woman vnto whome the Lord thus answered thy faith hath made thee safe signifiyng that he for her fayth sake had forgeuen her her sinnes And that the faith of this woman was very feruent she declared by the effectes in that she loued much in that she kissed his féete in that she washed them with her teares and wiped them with her haire In the Gospel of Iohn the .iij. chapter Christ sayd vnto Nicodemus So God loned the world that he gaue his only begotteÌ„ sonne that he which beleueth in him should not pearish but haue eternall life And in the selfe same Chapter Ihon Baptist thus speaketh of Christ He that beleueth in the sonne hath eternall life but he that beleueth not hath not life but the wrath of God abideth ouer him Out of which place we gather not only that we presently entreat of but also this that they are strangers Here is prâ—ued that they which are straungers from Christ can do no good thyng that may please God from Christ and those which beleue not can doe nothing that may please God and therfore they can not merite of congruitie as they call it and as our aduersaries affirme the grace of God And in the .vj. chapter Christ saith This is the will of him which sent me that he which seeth the sonne and beleueth in him hath eternall life And I sayth he will raise him vp in the last day And when as he had before said No man commeth vnto me vnles my father draw him Also He that hath heard of my father and hath learned commeth vnto me afterward he addeth And he which beleueth in me hath eternal life In the .xj. chapter when Christ should raise vp Lazarus he said vnto Martha He which beleueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue and he which liueth and beleueth in me shall not die for euer And in the .xvij. chapter this is eternall life that they acknowledge thee the only true God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ But this is to be noted that here he speaketh not of a cold knowledge but of a mighty and strong faith Wherefore if it be eternal life then shal it also be iustificatioÌ„ For as we haue before taught wheÌ„ we expounded this sentence of Abacuk the Prophet The iust maÌ„ shall lyue by fayth Iustification and life are so ioyned together that the one is oftentimes taken for the other And in very déede Iustification is nothing els then eternall life now already begonne in vs. And in the. 20. chapiter Those things saith he are written that ye should beleue that Christ is Iesus and that in beleuing ye should haue eternall life In the Actes of the Apostles the 15. chapiter it is thus written by faith purifying their hearts In which place Peter speaketh of the Gentiles that they should not be compelled vnto the works of the lawe of Moses for Christ had without them geuen vnto them the holy Ghost and had by faith made cleane their hearts from sinnes Paule also in his Oration to king Agrippa said that he was called of Christ to be sent vnto the Gentiles which should by his ministery be illuminated and by faith receiue remission of sinnes and lot amongst the saintes And these testimonies hitherto we haue gathered out of the Newe testament But if I should out of the old testament reherse all that which maketh to this purpose I should then be ouer tedious And if there be any of so obstinate a heart that those things which we haue alredy spoken can not vrge them to confesse the truthe neither should it any thing profite suche men if we should bring many testimonies Wherfore a few shall suffice and besides those testimonies which Paule hathe cited out of the. 15. Chapiter of Genesis Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse out of Abacucke The iuste man shall liue by his faith out of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeueÌ„ out of Esay Euery one that beleueth in him shall not be confounded and a fewe others suche like besides these testimonies I say I will cite the. 53. chapter of Esay wherein Christ is by most expresse wordes painted forth For there he is sayd to haue taken vpon him our sorowes and to haue borne our infirmities to haue geuen his soule a sacrifice for sinne and many such other things which are so plaine that they can be applied vnto none other but only vnto Christ Iesus our sauioure And it is sayde moreouer and by the knowledge of hym shall my righteous seruaunt iustifye many and he shall beare their iniquities These words teache that Christ iustifieth many namely the elect by the science and knowledge of him which knowledge vndoubtedly is nothing else but a true faith And that he in suche sort iustifieth them that he taketh vpon himselfe and beareth their iniquities And Ieremy in the. 15. chapter wryteth O God haue not thine eyes a regarde vnto faith vndoubtedly they haue As if he should haue said Although thou séest al things and there is nothing pertaining vnto man hidden from thée yet hast thou chiefly a regarde vnto faith as vnto the roote and foundation of all good actions And as touching the oracles of the scriptures this shall suffice Now will I answere vnto such obiections which are commonly brought agaynst this second proposition And we will heginne first with Pigghius because our aduersaries count him for their Achilles or chief champion and thinke that he only by his subtil sharp wit hath persed euen into the inward misteries of the truth And this man vseth this cauillation we are not iustified by that from which this iustification may be seperated For it is not possible that the causes should be pulled away or seperated from their effects But faith is seperated from iustification for many that beleue do notwithstanding liue most filthely so farre is it of Whether iustification may be seperated from faith that they should be iustified But because he thinketh that this may be denied he bringeth a reason to proue that it is not against the nature and definition of faith but that iustification may be seperated from it And he maketh an obiection out of the 13. chapiter of the epistle to the Corrinthyans If I haue all fayth so that I can remoue mountaynes and haue not charity I am nothing By these words he concludeth that faith may be seperated from charity and therefore from all good works He citeth this also out of Mathew many shall come in that day and shall say Lorde in thy name we haue prophesied and haue cast out deuils and haue wrought signes But vnto them shall answere bee made I know you not These signes sayth Pigghius can not be done without fayth wherefore seing that they are shut forth from the kingdome of heauen which yet do these things it is cleare that they were not iustified Wherefore in them faith was seperated from righteousnes But this he
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 propositioÌ„s are to be drawen vnto thâ— matter wherof is at that tyme entrâ—ated 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 mouÌ„taines 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 woÌ„derful 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 prophesâ—eng 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 coÌ„pareth 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 â–ª 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 pertâ—rbations 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 fouÌ„d in the holy scriptures As for example If I shall ascend vp into heauen thou art there if I shall desceÌ„d 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
repeteth the selfe same promises fayth But why God would repeate the self same promises it is not hard to see For so weake is our minde that except the wordes of God be repeted and agayne and agayne inculcated it easely starteth backe frō fayth Neyther is iustification only once taken hold of but so often as we truly and mightely assēt vnto the promises of God For forasmuch as we continually slide and fall into sinnes we haue nede euermore that our iustification should be repeated Afterward he maketh a caueling that in the epistle vnto the Hebrewes are many thinges had touching fayth and many wonderfull factes made mencion of which haue bene by it obteyned but yet not one word spoken that iustification is to be ascribed vnto it But this man with an vniust payr of balance weigheth the words of the holy scripture neyther sufficiētly considereth him what those words meane The iust haue by fayth ouercome kingdomes haue wrought righteousnes haue obteyned the promises For these are so to be resolued that from the last effect we must returne vnto the first The last is to ouercome kingdoms the next to worke In the 11. chap. to the Hebrewes saith is said to iustify righteousnes the first is to obteine y◠promises amongst which promises are reckoned blessing life remission of sinnes and such other like which serue to iustification Wherfore that which is first made mencion of sayth apprehendeth by it we are iustified afterward follow good workes therfore it is sayd and they wrought righteousnes lastly by the selfe same fayth we obteyne also temporall good thinges and for that cause it is sayd They haue ouercome kingdome Wherfore Pighius falsely affirmeth that in the Epistle vnto the Hebrues among the effectes of fayth is no mencion made of iustification For although that word be not there read yet is it of necessity and manifestly gathered of those thinges that are there written For neyther are we Arrians as some wickedly belie vs that we will graūt nothing but that which is by playne and expresse wordes read in the holy scriptures For we graunt those thinges also which are by euident and playne arguments gathered out of them But Pighius afterward demaundeth why we take away from workes the power of iustifieng Vnto this we could make answere with one word that we do it bycause the holy ghost in the holy scriptures so teacheth vs namely that men are iustified by fayth without workes But to the end we should not so briefely dispatch it he hath layd a blocke in our way for he answereth vnto him selfe that the cause therof is for y◠our works are imperfect neither satisfie they y◠law of god nether also can they stand sure before the iudgment of God But by this meanes also sayth he we may affirme that iustification is not of sayth for it also is imperfect Faith as it is a worke iustifieth not For there is no man that beleueth so much as he should doo But vnto this we answere as we haue in other places oftētimes answered that fayth as it is a worke iustifieth not For that effect commeth vnto it not by any his owne power but by his obiect For from the death of Christ and promises of God is righteousnes deriued into vs. So a beggar receaueth almes with a leprous weake and sore hand and yet not in that respect that his hand is in suche sorte weake and leprous But thou wilt say why doo not other good workes also by theyr obiect namely by God for whose sake they are done apprehend righteousnes as well as fayth I answere that fayth was to this vse made and iustituted of God For so also in the body of a man although it haue diuers and sondry members yet the hand only taketh hold and receaueth And so is casely dissolued that common paralogisme we are iustified by fayth Fayth is a worke ergo we are iustified for worke sake Here in the conclusion is stuffed in this word For which was not in the premisses and therfore the collection is not good Farther the forme of the reason is ab Accidenti For it is accident or happeneth vnto sayth to be our worke in that it iustifieth vs. Wherfore it is a fallacie or deceite as they call it of the Accident Farther Pighius obiecteth that charitie iustifieth rather then faith for y◠it is the nobler excellenter vertue But this reasō we haue before confuted as ridiculous The nobilitie of the vertue serueth nothing to the power of iustifieng charitie is more nobler thē faith therfore it iustifieth rather thē faith For nobilitie or dignitie serueth nothing to iustification For it is al one as if a man wold thus reason The eyes are more excellenter then the mouth and the hands Ergo meats are to be receiued with the eyes and not with the mouth or the hands Which also we sée happeneth in naturall things that things which follow are of more perfection although they geue not life In the childe conceiued nature ascendeth as it A similitude were by degrées from the power of vegitacion to the power of féeling and from the power of féeling to the power of vnderstanding And yet doth it not therof folow that y◠powers of vnderstanding or of féeling for that they are more noble thā the power of vegitacion doe therefore geue life vnto the childe And that to iustifie It is declared by reasō that faith iustifieth not charitie rather pertaineth vnto faith then vnto charitie besides that the holy scriptures doe teache the same it may also be shewed by good probable reason For the power of knowledge which pertaineth vnto vnderstāding consisteth in perceiuing And therfore they which are taught any thing after they once vnderstand it are accustomed to say Accipio or teneo that is I take it or I holde it For in very déede by knowledge a thing is after a sort receiued into the minde Wherefore it ought not to séeme marueilous if by faith we are sayd to take holde of the promises of God and the merites of Christ But charitie consisteth in pouring out bestowing and communicating our goodes vnto others Which thing ought to follow iustification and not to go before For before that we are regenerated we are euil neither can we vprightly or in suche sort that God should allow it communicate any good thing vnto others Hereunto Pighius addeth that if that faith which iustifieth suffreth not with it hainous sinnes which may trouble the conscience and which may alienate a mā from God it must néedes follow that if a man which beleueth doe chaunce to fall into any greuous wicked crime he is straight way destitute of faith and ceaseth to beleue that there is a God when yet notwithstanding we sée that wicked men doe not only beleue that there is a God but also doe confesse all the articles of the faith This argument at the first sight séemeth to be very
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 wheÌ„ce 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 â–ª 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 dâ—riued 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 preseÌ„t and the word preached yet part do beleue and part beleue not we answere in one word that that coÌ„meth 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 bouÌ„d 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
gone about to haue proued what their strength could haue done their endeuor for that they were not as yet iustified should haue bene in vaine and sinne As if a master should bid his seruaunt which is lame to walke and he shold excuse himselfe and say that he were lame and could not goe without great deformitie it is not to be thought that therefore he is excused We are not of that minde that we thinke that all sinnes are alike Yea rather we teach that they which omit or neglect those outward workes which they might performe and put not to endeuor and study to do wel do much more greuously sinne then they which according to their strengthes obserue some certaine outward discipline And as Augustine sayth Cato and Scipio shal be much more tollerablier dellt with then Catiline or Caligula But I would haue y◠Pighius whome our opiniō so much misliketh to declare himselfe when he thinketh that the holy ghost is geuen vnto men He will aunswere when as now these preparations haue gone before when a man hath beleued feared hoped repented and sincerely loued What more could Pelagius haue sayde As though to beleue to loue and such other like shoulde spring of humane strengthes He alleadgeth this also and thinketh it to make for his purpose Come vnto me all ye which labour and are laden and I wil refresh you For he thinketh that labours burthens contrition confession and as they say satisfaction fastings teares such other like make to the obteynment of iustification But this place is to be vnderstand farre otherwise For Christ calleth them laboring and loden which were oppressed with the law and felt theyr owne infirmity and the burthen of sinnes and which had now long time laboured vnder humane tradicions These men being now weried and in a maner without all hope the Lord calleth vnto him For they are more apt vnto the kingdome of heauen thē are other blessed secure men which by theyr own works good dedes thought thē selues very iuste God sayth Pighius requireth workes preparatory and them he promiseth not to fayle them of his grace This was vtterly the opinion of the Pelagians against which the holy scriptures are vtterly repugnant For they teach that it is God which geueth both to will and to performe according to his good will that it is God which beginneth in vs the good worke and accomplisheth it euen vnto this day that it is God frō whome only we haue sufficiency when as otherwise we are not able to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues Wherfore it is manifest that Pighius confoundeth the lawes of God disturbeth those things which ar wel setforth in y◠holy scriptures Farther when as we say that vnto iustification is not sufficient an historicall fayth he fayneth him selfe to meruayle what maner of historicall fayth we vnderstand For if sayth he they call all those thinges which are written in the holy scriptures an history wil they bring vnto vs an other faith wherby we may beleue those things which are not in the scriptures But we reiect not an historicall fayth as though we would faine some new obiects of fayth besides those which are The difference betwene a◠historicall faith and a straunge faith setforth in y◠holy scriptures or are out of thē firmely cōcluded But we require not a vulgar or cold assent such as they haue which are accustomed to allow those thinges which they read in y◠holy scriptures being thereto led by humane persuasiō some probable credulity as at this day y◠Iewes Turkes confesse beleue many things which we doo but an assured firme strong assent such which commeth frō the afflation of the holy ghost which changeth maketh new the hart and the mind and draweth with it good motions and holy workes In this maner we say that that fayth which is of efficacy differeth very much from an historicall assent And that we are by that fayth which we haue now described iustified we haue thrée maner of testimonies The first is of the holy ghost Which beareth witnes vnto our spirite that we are the children of God The second is of the scriptures The third is of workes But contrariwise they which hold and crie that a man is iustified by workes haue no sufficient testimony For the holy ghost testifieth it not the holy scriptures deny it only works are brought forth and those without piety and fayth such as were in times past the workes of the old Ethnikes and at this day the woorkes of many which beleue not in Christ and are strangers from God But it is woorthy to be laughed at that he hath cited also a place out of the 66. chapiter of Esay by which and if there were no more places then it only his cause is most of all ouerthrowen Vnto whome sayth God shall I looke but vnto the poore man vnto ▪ the contrite of harte and vnto him that trembleth at my woordes By these wordes Pighius thinketh are signified those workes wherby God is drawen to iustifie vs. But the matter is farre otherwise For the scope of the Prophet was to detest the suspition of the Iewes For they neglecting the inward piety of the mind trusted only to outward ceremonies Wherfore this thing God by y◠voyce of the Prophet condemned and declared how odious it was vnto him Heauen sayth he is my seate and the earth is the footestoole of my feete As if he should haue sayd I nothing passe vpon this your temple which ye so much boast of For heauen is my seate such a seat as you can not frame nor make and the earth adorned with all kind variety of plants liuing creatures herbes flowers is the footestoole of my féete Where thē shall be that house which ye wil build for me And where shall be my resting place And straight way to declare y◠it was not the tēple built with handes All these thinges sayth he hath mine hand made and all these thinges are made sayth the Lord. By which wordes we learne that God delighteth not in these thinges and in outward ornamentes and sumptuous buildinges for theyr own sakes but chiefly requireth fayth and inward piety of the minds that he may dwel in them And who they be that beleue and are in very déede godly is declared by theyr certayne and proper notes Whosoeuer is poore and séeeth him selfe to want righteousnes and whosoeuer is contrite of hart that is to say afflicted in this world whosoeuer is of a moderate and deiected spirite and not of an arrogant and proud spirite whosoeuer with great reuerence and feare receaueth the wordes of God he most iustly may be nombred amongst them These are fure tokens and as it were the proper coulours of faith and true piety Afterward the Prophet declareth how much God estemeth the workes of men that beleue not and are not as yet regenerate though these workes be neuer
so goodly to the shew He which killeth an oxe sayth he it is all one as if he should kill a man and he which sacrificeth a shepe as if he cut of a dogges necke he that offreth an oblatioÌ„ as if he offred swine flesh and he that maketh mencion of incence as if he blessed iniquity All these kindes of oblations and sacrifices were commaunded and appointed in the law of God which yet bein done of an vnclene hart and of a stranger from God were counted for most greguous sinnes Wherfore Pighius hath nothing out of this place wherby to defend his error but we by the selfe same place doo most aptly and most truly confirme our owne sentence But this is a notable and sharpe disputer which bringeth for â–ª him selfe those things which make so playnly and manifestly agaynst himselfe But he draweth this also out of the epistle vnto the Hebrues That he that coÌ„meth Two maner of wais of sekyng after God vnto God ought to beleue that there is a God and that he rewardeth them which seeke vnto him By these wordes it séemeth that he would conclude that iustification is geuen vnto them which séeke God namely by good workes But he ought to haue made a destinction of theÌ„ yâ— séeke God which thing Paul also did Namely that some seke him by workes other some by faith This distinction Paul sheweth neither leaueth he vnspoken what followeth of it For thus he writeth vnto the Romanes Israell which followed after righteousnes attayned not vnto the lawe of righteousnes because they sought it of workes and not of fayth Wherefore they which séeke God to be iustified of him by fayth as the Apostle teacheth do attayne vnto that which they desire But they which will be iustified by workes do fall away from iustification And that God rewardeth works which are done of men regenerate and by which they contend to the crowne of eternall saluation we deny not But that pertayneth not vnto this question For at this present the contencion is not about this kinde of workes but only about those which are done beforâ— regeneration Those Pighius contendeth to haue their reward and to be merites after a sort of Iustification Neither doth this any thing help this cause that he affirmeth yâ— this kinde of merite redoundeth not vpon God or maketh him debtor vnto vs or is equall vnto that which is rewarded For these thinges although vnto him they seme to serue only to extenuate the dignity of merites yet do they vtterly take away all the nature of merite For whatsoeuer good thing men do also euen after iustification the same is not properly theirs For God worketh it in them Moreouer also all that whatsoeuer it be was alredy before wholy dew vnto God neither can we do any thing that is good or geue any thing vnto him which is not his Wherfore we must vtterly take away al merite not only in theÌ„ which are not as yet iustified but also in them that are iustified Merite is taken away both from theÌ„ that are not iustified and from them that are iustified But Pighius the easelier to perswade putteth forth a similitude of a certaine maister which hath many seruauntes vnto whome to the end they should the diligentlier and spedelier accomplishe some certayne worke which he setteth them to do he appointeth a reward Who sayth he will deny but that those seruants which spedely and diligently haue finished their worke haue deserued the reward that was promised We will briefely examine what may be concluded by this similitude If by seruaunts he vnderstaÌ„d men regenerate in Christ we wil graunt that God setteth foorth prices and rewardes whereby we are stirred vp to liue holyly neither will we deny but that such may be sayd to receaue a reward But yet we will not graunt that they truely and properly merite the crowne of eternall felicity And certayne of our writers to declare that this thing pertaineth vnto the iustified do vse a similitude not of a maister and his seruauntes but of a father and his children For fathers are wont oftentimes with some certaine condition to promise a gowne a cap or money vnto theyr children which otherwise they would fréely geue vnto them yet they do it to quicken their endeuor thereunto as for example sake that they shall haue this or that after they haue throughly learned this booke or that booke Here no man that will speake as he should do and properly will say that these children when they haue finished their woorkâ— haue deserued the giftes which were promised vnto them For the father geueth them fréely and of liberalitie vnto them But Pighius entreateth of seruauntes that is of men not as yet regenerate but that vnto such are by God setforth anyâ— rewards of good thinges I meruail out of what place he can at the length declare Or whereby will he proue that the workes of such men seing they are yet as we haue taught sinnes can please God And seing the matter is so vnto them is set A comparison betwene seruaunts children forth not a reward but a punishment But to make the thing more playne let vs compare children and seruauntes together Children though they do nothing yet they enter vpon their fathers inheritaunce onely so that they will receiue it But seruantes though they labour neuer so much yet they haue no inheritancee with the children This is so plaine that it néedeth no further declaration But to wrest out of our handes this that we say that if woorkes â—e required vnto iustification the honour of Christ shoulde be diminished as thoughe hys merite alone could not be sufficient to reconcile vs vnto GOD I sayth he doo take away nothing from Christ but do leaue vnto him his honor whole and safe But I besech thée how doost thou take awaye nothing when as thou requirest workes vnto our iustification and so requirest them that thou sayst that God more regardeth them then faith But he thus expoundeth his suttle riddle â–ª That Christ in that his order is a sufficient cause as if he should haue sayd if we speake of the reconciliator and of the sacrifice whereby we are reconciled vnto God Christ onely is sufficient But we cannot be prepared and be made apt vnto that benefite but by many workes I cannot doubtles but meruaile where is become the wit of this so great sophister As though forsooth they against whome the Apostle disputeth euer said that works are required vnto iustification as outward principles or grounds Vndoubtedly they also went about the same that Pigghius doth that workes are certaine purgings and preparations of the mynds Farther who séeth not that an vniuersall proposition being true it is lawfull to apply vnto all the singular propositions thereof that which is either affirmed or denied in it Wherefore séeing Paul denieth yâ— a man is iustified by workes he excludeth all kindes of workes in what order so euer they be
to haue peace with God For it reconcileth vs vnto God when our sinnes are taken away which had before made vs enemies vnto GOD. And afterwarde vppon these wordes The law of the spirite of life It is fayth sayth he which iustifieth them that flye vnto it to remit vnto them that which the law helde them guiltie of that liuing vnder faith they might be free from sinne And in his 2. boke vpon the Gospell of Luke he saith that Peter wepte not but when the Lord had looked backe vpon him And he addeth that the Lord brought forth in him both repentance and the power to weape But Augustine when he entreateth of this matter séemeth to be in his owne field so that to hunt in him for testimonyes touching this controuersie is as the common saying is to séeke water in the sea Howbeit it shal not be strange from our purpose to picke somewhat out of him also In the sermon of the Lord vpon the mountaine touching the wordes of the Gospell in Mathew in his 7. Sermon towardes the end If thou presume of thine owne worke a reward sayth he is rendred vnto thee and not geueÌ„ vnto thee by grace I demaund now Beleuest thou o sinner I beleue What beleuest thou that thy sinnes may by him freely be forgeuen thee Then hast thou that which thou beleuest In his preface vpon the 31. Psalme Thou hast done no good and yet remission of sinnes is geuen thee Thy workes are considered and they are al found nought If God should render vnto these woorkes that which is dew doubtles he should condemne thee And in his booke de Spiritu Litera the 12 chapiter We gather that a man is not iustified by the rules of good life but by the fayth of Iesus Christ. And in his booke agaynst the 2. epistles of the Pelagians in his 3. boke and 5. chapter Our fayth sayth he that is the catholike fayth discerneth the iust from the vniust not by the law of workes but euen by the law of fayth And Augustine and Alpius in his 106 epistle of righteousnes is of fayth whereby we beleue that we are iustified that is that we Note diligeÌ„tly what grace we ought to confesse are made iust by the grace of God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. The same father agaynst Pelagius and Coelestius in his 1. booke and 10. chap. It is not inough sayth he to confesse what grace thou wilt but that grace whereby we are perswaded whereby we are drawen and whereby euen that which is good is geuen This maketh planly agaynst theÌ„ which put I know not what generall grace and will haue it to lye in euery mans power either to admitt or to refuse the same But this grace wherby we are so persuaded is nothing ells but fayth Which fayth indede is necessary to iustifie but those workes which are done before we be iustified doo nothing auaile For the Workes which seme good are turned into sinnes same Augustine agaynst the 2. epistles of the Pelagians the 3. booke and 5. chapter Euen as workes sayth he which seme good are vnto the vngodly turned into sinnes c And in his booke de Spiritu Litera the 28. chapter Euen as saith he there are certayne veniall sinnes without which euen the iust men can not liue and yet they hinder vs not from saluation so are there certayne good woorkes without which euen the most wicked men can very hardly liue which workes yet nothing profite them vnto saluation And that we should not thinke that this faith whereby we are iustified is a thing common What may be aunswered to be the causes why one man is persuaded and an other is not and straying at pleasure he addeth afterward in the 34 chap. Why is this man so instructed that he is vtterly persuaded an other not so There are onely two thinges which I thinke good to answer O the deapth of the riches c. Also what is their iniqâ—ity with God He that is displeased with this answere let him seeke saith he men better learned but let him beware of presumptuous persons If we should geue credit vnto our aduersaries this had ben a very rude blind doubt For they would haue straight way answered at one word that the one was perswaded because he would the other was not perswaded because he would not But Augustine considering yâ— matter more depely namely that it is god which worketh in vs both to wil to performe according to his good wil perceiuing the Paul himselfe being ouercome with the admiratioÌ„ of this thing made such exclamatioÌ„ thought it most mete rather to referre the whole matter vnto God who distributeth vnto euery man yâ— which semeth vnto hym good that without doubt iustly although we sée not the reasons of his iustice Yea neither is it méete for vs to search them out vnles we will haue that to happen vnto vs which commonly happeneth vnto flies which being allured by the The grace which the Pelagians taught was set forth to be common vnto al men was nature Grace is geuen vnto some and is not geuen vnto other some light of the candell and flying more nigh vnto it are oftentimes burnt with the slame thereof The same Augustine de Predestinatione sanctorum in his 5. chapiter reproueth Pelagius for that he had fayned that common grace vnto all the saints which he would haue to be nothing els but nature which selfe thing our aduersaries also at this day do when as they cry out that that grace is set forth as it were openly vnto all men and that it lieth in euery mans power to receaue it so that he will The same author ad Vitalem in his 107. epistle Vnto those sayth he whose cause is a like with those vnto whome grace is geuen vnto whome yet it is not geuen that they vnto whome it is geuen might vnderstand how freely it was geuen vnto them And in the selfe same place he playnly declareth that it is God which of vnwilling maketh vs willing and taketh away our stony hart and geueth vs a fleshy hart This manifestly declareth that it is fayth whereby we are iustified and that God distributeth it according to his good will The same father de dogma tibus ecclesiasticis in the 4. chap. for that booke whosoeuer was the author thereof beareth the name of Augustine To be purged from sinnes saith he God tarieth not for our will and in the 44. chapter The holy ghost maketh vs to chuse thinke and consent vnto euery good thyng pertaynyng vnto saluation And in his 13. booke and 17. chapiter de Trinitate The word of the sonne of God sayth he toke vpon hym the nature of maÌ„ without any maner of merite And after the selfe same maner also is the grace of God geuen vnto vs. This comparison is taken of the greater For if that man which was made the sonne of God obtayned the same
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 wisedōe 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 spokē 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 inuētion 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 dissēbled 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 frō 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 repentāce 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 sacramēts 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 whō 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 sentēce for he counteth that booke for canonicall but as he is
eschew the one and to the vttermost of our power to embrace the other For we offende in that sinne not onely in our actions and in the executing of duties but also in the study of knowledge of vnderstanding For there are many which neglecting the care of knowing things necessary vnprofitably wander in things vnfruitfull and vaine Did not the Emperor Adrian make himselfe a laughing stocke when amongst the waighty affayres of the common wealth he curiously enquired of Grammarians who was the nurse of Euandre who was the great grandfather of Priamus and other such like trifles and fond toyes And was not y◠philosopher worthely derided of his handmayden when as he attentiuely and carefully considering the starres fel into a ditch which was before his féete This oftentimes happeneth in ouer much busiyng our selues in curious thinges that whilest we go about to search out these thinges which nothing pertayne vnto vs we to our shame are ignorant of other things which are profitable necesssary The vnderstanding of mē is weake neither is it able to consider many sundry things at one and the self same tyme. And therof it cōmeth to passe that where with great earnestnes we séeke to pease any thing our attentiuenes is very much slackened touching the searching out of other things Wherefore Seneca iustly cōplayned y◠a good part of our life is lost whilest we do nothing but a greater part whilest we do euil things the greatest part of all whilest we do things strange A most graue saying of Seneca that is vnprofitable and nothing pertayning vnto vs. They also breake this commaūdemēt of the Apostle which in things profitable necessary to saluation will be wiser then they ought to be For there are some which search out thinges pertayning vnto Christian fayth with greater study then is nedefull For they wyll not be content with those thinges which are set forth in the holy scriptures but according to the rashenes of humane reason will either adde somewhat to the words of God or plucke some thing therefro Who will not say but that these men are besides themselues Wherefore we ought to obey this doctrine of the Apostle For there can nothing be deuised which is generally more profitable then it And that we may the easelier performe this Paul addeth a meane which we ought to keepe in esteming our selues As God hath deuided to euery man the measure of fayth In these wordes is vsed the figure Eclipsis which signifieth want And the want may thus be supplied Let him in such sort thinke of himselfe and let him not arrogantly take vppon him more When mencion is made of fayth it is by the figure Metonomia ▪ For in the cause we vnderstand the effect namely the gifts and spirituall powers geuen of God For no man ought more to presume of himselfe then y◠measure of y◠giftes of God suffreth him which giftes forasmuch as they are receaued by fayth therefore Paul aptly sayd that we must be wise according to the measure of fayth But what this fayth is all the interpreters are not of one minde For some thinke that in this place is vnderstanded that sound fayth whereby we are iustified For to vse the giftes of God vprightly is geuen vnto vs by regeneration which we haue obtayned by fayth But because the Apostle afterward teacheth those things which serue chiefely to the right vse of the giftes of God it is not likely that he woulde now before due place entreat of that doctrine Moreouer we sée that the quantity or measure of spirituall giftes which they call frée giftes are not according to the measure of fayth which iustifieth For we sée oftentimes those which haue a very slender fayth or rather not that fayth at all which iustifieth are yet notwithstanding endewed with a wonderfull gift both of teaching and of perswading and of doing thinges orderly And in that last day many shall say Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name c. But answere shall be made vnto them I know you not And on the other side we sometymes sée most holy mē endued with a true fayth and feruent charity which yet haue these free giftes either very slenderly or sometymes not at all Wherefore it séemeth that fayth in this place may be taken for y◠fayth wherby are wrought miracles Chrisostome also in this place discourseth how fayth ought in these words to be takē but so obscurely that it can skarsely at the length be knowen what his mynde is Origen mencioneth that certayne of the learneder sort gathered out of these wordes of Paul Let no man be wise more then is meete that a certayne measure and mediocrity is to be retayned in all vertues For if a man kéepe not measure in that iustice whereby sinnes are punished he straight way incurreth into the vice For if in that kinde he want of the meane then shall he be remisse and dissolute But if he excéede the meane then shall he be cruell and tyranous For so shall he séeme to be to gréedy of vengeance In christian liberty also he which passeth the meane is rashe and hedlong Mediocrity betwene extremes ought to be kept he which dareth not vse it is fearefull and cowardishe So in prudence he which wanteth of the meane is a foole and he which passeth the meane is crafty wyly and malicious So the serpent in paradise is said to haue ben more prudent then all liuing creatures Touching chastity also he sayth that they are wiser thē Against supersticious sole lyfe they ought to be which geue themselues to the doctrines of deuils and prohibite matrimony and forbid meates created of God This place the supersticious bond sclaues of the Pope ought well to pease For those pestilent furies contend and cry out that it is well done that no man be admitted into the fellowship of the ministers but he onely from whome is wrested the vow of sole life Moreouer in this vertue they also depart from the meane which through lustes and adulteries impudently let loose the bridle vnto the fleshe Yea saith he there are found some which touching Christ himselfe are wiser then they ought as are those which thinke that he is not the sonne of that God which made y◠world as though forsooth they could find out a more excellent father for him Neither do they commit any les sinne which thinke that he tooke not an humane body of the blessed virgen but fayne that he brought a celestiall body with hym from heauen These thinges bringeth Origen for the laudable mediocrity which is to be kept in all thinges and that according to their iudgement whome he calleth wise and learned The ecclesiastical vocation is not to be eschewed Moreouer this is not to be passed ouer that they are not so wise as they ought to be which vnder the pretence of modesty eschew a higher degrée and place in the Church for that they say that they
the Centaures and of the Lapethites But put â—e on the Lord Iesus Christ When he had taught that the olde man together with his works of darknes is to be put of he thought it good afterwarde to setforth vnto vs a new garment namely Christ him selfe This form of speaking What is our wedding garment Christ was geuâ—â— as a garment to our first parentes he vsed to the Galathians As many of you sayth he as are baptised haue put on Christ This is that wedding garment which euery christian ought to put on And if we will follow allegoryes this garment God commended to our first parents when he clothed them with the skinnes which were plucked of from deade beastes Christ geueth not to vs that garment but in as muche as he hath made himselfe a sacrifice for mankinde And take not thought for the flesh to fulfill the Iustes of it By the fleshe he here vnderstandeth not naturall health For that is not to be neglected that we may be able the more constantly to serue God Paul wryteth to Timothe Vse a little wine because of the stomake and often infirmities Here he prohibiteth only the pleasures and delites of the flesh For when we let loose the bridle to them the flesh is made vnruely Wherefore seing that we ought continually to wrastle agaynst the prone affects therof let vs take héede that with ouer much delicatenes we norish them not The fourtenth Chapiter HIm that is weake in the fayth receiue not for controuersies of disputations One beleueth that he may eate of all things an other which is weake eateth herbes Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not let not him which eateth not iudge him that eateth for god hath receiued him That we may the easelyer vnderstande those things which shall afterwarde be spoken let vs briefly declare the state of the Churche at the beginning The Here is declared the state of the churche in the first times Church in those first times consisted of Iewes Gentiles conuerted vnto Christ And the Gentiles liued more fréely as they which were not bounde to the lawes of Moses and as for theyr owne ceremonies of the Grekish religion they plainly saw to be vaine and dampnable But the Iewes which knew that their lawe was geuen of God himself could not straight way be persuaded that it was to be abrogated Therefore they stayed neither would they easely be plucked away from it And therfore they abstained from meates prohibited in the law and obserued the festiuall dayes of the Iewes All which things declared that they were yet weake in faith And this their infirmitie of faith the stronger and learneder sorte bothe sharpely reproued and also derided On the contrary side the Iewes reproued the Whereof sprang the discorde betwene the Gentiles the Iewes in yâ— church Gentiles as they which liued to fréely and condemned them as violaters of the lawes of God for that they did without putting any difference eate of al kindes of meates as it were with a certaine vnsatiable gredinesse of the belly And this discorde did not a little vexe the Churches at that time Therefore Paul earnestly as much as lyeth in him laboureth to put it away and admonisheth the stronger sort not to reiecte the weaker either as heretikes or as infidels but rather to instruct them and with all charitie to cherish them vntill they were confirmed in sound doctrine And on the other side he commaundeth the weake ones not rashly to condemne them that were better learned and stronger then themselues Him that is weake in the faith receiue That is adioyne him vnto you and through your humanitie and doctrine ease him of the burthen and payne of ignoraunce If thou demaunde whether that weaknes of faith were a let that they could not be iustified in Christ I thinke we may answere that it was no let For Weaknes of faythe is not a let to iustificatioÌ„ we are not iustified by the strength and excellencie of our fayth but by the obiecte thereof as we haue oftentimes taught for although some fayth be weake yet is it faith But these men thou wilt say beleued not all the things which are to be beleued for they beleued not that the ceremonyes of the law of Moses were abrogated But that faith which beleueth not all the articles of the fayth is not a true faith I graunt this in dede if that it happen throughe the default of him that beleueth as if a maÌ„ do contemne the truthes which he hath heard out of the holy scriptures and will not admit them but will be his owne iudge and arbitrer howe muche ought to be beleued of the holy scriptures and ascribeth more vnto himselfe then There is not always required an expresse faith touching all things to the testimony of the word of God this is not a true fayth For the holy Ghoste vseth not to breath into any maÌ„ suche a minde But if a man beleue not any thing which is not yet sufficiently knowen and tried out when yet notwithstanding in minde he is ready to receiue the truthe if it be once made plaine I sée no cause why suche a fayth shold not both be and be called a true faith iustifie the beleuer especially if he assent to Christ and to the principall poynts of religion Not for controuersies of disputations He prohibiteth odious contentions which rather alienate then edefie the mindes of the weake The mindes of men ought not in vaine to be wearyed but rather to be taught Paul in the last chapter of the first Epistle to Timothe sayth that certaine were sicke about vnprofitable questions and contentions of wordes And in the latter Epistle he admonysheth Timothe to eschue questions which he calleth foolish and without learning Which thing if the schoole diuines had obserued and taken héede of we shoulde not then haue had in theyr bokes so many intricate and darke I will not say vngodly and sacrilegious questions How be it all questions vniuersally are not to be condemned as vnprofitable â–ª Wherfore I can not commend certain men which are wise indéede and wary in other matters but in this one thing doubtles are not very circumspect which thinke that yâ— question touching the Eucharist which is at this day euery where debated in the churche is not conuenient and is vnprofitable The question touching the Eucharist is not vnprofitable For they consider not how much it auaileth to our saluation constantly to holde â–ª that Christ both had and at this day hath the true and perfect nature of man and to expell that detestable idolatry brought in by thys that men beleue that in the bread and wine or as they speake vnder the accidences of bread and wâ—ne is really and corporally the body of Christ When we labour for this that the horrible abuses touching Christian religion might be taken away we dispute not about the shadow of an asse or about
semeth by a certain preuention to answer to those which sayd they wold liue fréely and defende the faith which they had receiued Paule answereth haue thou thys fayth before God and kepe it to thy self Chrysostome thinketh that in this place is not to be vnderstanded that fayth wherby Of what faith Paul here speaketh we beleue the doctrines of fayth For Paul before sayd with the harte men beleue to righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made to saluation Wherfore it is not inough to beleue rightly before God vnles also thou profes thy faith before men But here to make profession of faith out of ceason is ioyned with a vice which thing pertaineth to oâ—tentacion But I sée not why this which Paul now entreateth of caÌ„not be a doctrine of faith For christiaÌ„ liberty is not the least of those things which Christian liberty pertayneth to the doctrine of fayth we ought to beleue which vnles it wer so the boÌ„dage of the law of Moses might easly returne agayne Neither doth Paul prohibite but that we may into our weake brethren instill the doctrine of our fayth For our moderation whereby we frame our selues to them hereto only tendeth that they mought one day at the length be brought vnto our faith and be made more strong therein Wherefore this is the meaning of Paul haue it before God and with thy selfe that is excercise not thy faith out of ceason So he prohibiteth vnto them only the vse of meates for a tyme which they beleue to be frée and not properly a true and apt declaration of their fayth And vnto a weake brother and to one that is not yet fully perswaded it shall for this tyme be sufficient if he haue fayth touching the principall poynts of religioÌ„ For it is not straight way required that he expressedly beleue all things which are to be beleued This sentence is no defence at all to those which contrary to the most manifest word of God winke at supersticious and idolatrous Masses and at the prophanations and abuses of the sacraments for that they wil not offend the litle ones but thinke it inough to haue faith in themselues and before God For here Paul speaketh only of such thinges which are meane and indifferent and not of thinges necessary or repugnant with the word of God Blessed is he which condemneth not himselfe in that thing vvhich he allovveth Least he should séeme to haue to much fauored the weake he now to defend the stronger sort declareth that the greatest felicity herein consisteth that euery A great felicity of christians one when he examineth and peyseth that which he alloweth or doth do not condemne the same but do assuredly sée that it agréeth with the word of God This is the greatest felicity of Christians that they neuer at any tyme be accused of theyr owne hart as though they had allowed or committed any thing which they iudged not to be vpright These thinges as sayth Chrisostome are not spoken of the wicked which delight altogether in whatsoeuer they themselues inuent but of the faithfull which whatsoeuer they thinke speake or do measure the same by the rule of a sound fayth and by the word of God And Chrisostome thinketh that these The conscience is not vpright vnles it be established by an vpright fayth wordes aunswere to those which were before spoken Hast thou fayth haue it with thy selfe and before God As if he should haue sayd Let not this séeme to thée a small thing herein art thou blessed for that thou hast a sound iudgement of things For this is a most ample gaine and better then the whole world For although al men accuse thée yet if thy fayth conscience accuse thée not thou art blessed and of this thine inwarde iudgement thou receiuest most great fruit But the iudgement of thy conscience can not be vpright vnles thy faith be vpright perfecte For otherwise many when they kill Christians and godly men thinke that they doe God high seruice Hereunto pertaineth that which Paul sayth in the second Epistle to yâ— Corinthians the. 1 chapiter This is our glory the testimony of our conscience And Iob in his 27. chapter For mine heart shall not reproue me so long as I liue But he which doubteth is condemned if he eate for that he eateth not of faith He which doubteth and eateth is coÌ„demned for that he is not persuaded with him self that that which he doth pleaseth God wherfore he caÌ„ not direct it to his glory when as he thinketh that it displeaseth him but euery worke what so euer it be that wanteth his ende is sinne Diiudicare which is turned to doubt here chiefly pertaineth to infidelity namely when the minde is tossed to and fro with reasoÌ„s neither is there in the minde any firme persuasion Wherfore Abraham is commended for that he without any such debatings beleued For that he eateth not of faith The cause why he is condemned commeth not of the vnclennes of the meat but for that he beleueth otherwise then he sheweth in acte This sentence is of great force to keepe vnder the strong in fayth not to compel the weake those that are not yet persuaded to eate those things which they thinke to be prohibited For vvhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne This is a generall cause whereout is gathered most excellent doctrine namely that God regardeth not the shewe pompe and outward glory of workes but weigheth inwardly whether they procéede from a true obedience And this is done when by the word of God we beleue that suche things are bothe required of God and also doe please him Wherefore This sentence of Paul is generall The good workes of heretikes are to them made sins whatsoeuer springeth not out of this fountaine is sinne Origen thinketh also that this sentence is generall And therefore he sayth that the workes of heretikes are turned into sinnes for that theyr faith is not a true fayth but a counterfaite and false faith euen as some knowledge is called a false knowledge And he citeth this sentence Let theyr prayer be turned into sinne The fiftenth Chapiter WE that are stroÌ„g ought to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please our selues For let euery man please his neighbour in that that is good to edification For Christe also pleased not himselfe But as it is written the rebukes of them which rebuke thee haue fallen vpon me For whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we through patience and conâ—olation of the scriptures might haue hope Now the god of pacience and consolation geue you that ye bee like minded one towardes an other according to Christ Iesus That ye with one mind with one mouth may praise God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christe Wherfore receiue ye one an other as Christ also receiued vs to the glory of God The Apostle still prosecuteth that which he tooke in
not by discord broken Wherefore I thinke we ought with most feruent prayers to pray vnto God to geue at the length vnto his Church this most pleasant agréement For so long as there are so many which disâ—ent from the truth how can God with one minde with one mouth be glorified VVherefore receaue ye one an other as Christ also receaued vs to the gâ—ory of God Paul in these his prayers which we haue now heard touched yâ— end of maÌ„s life namely that we should all agreing in one the selfe same mind glorifie God and the Lord Iesus Christ Now he finisheth vp the matter and the thing which he hath entreated of he closeth vp with a most profitable conclusion For here he not only repeteth the end which he had set forth but also thereunto addeth an example of Christ Christ sayth he receaued vs when we were weake infirme and lost Wherefore it is our partes also to embrace and cherish one an other vnles we will be vnlike to so excellent a maister And as he when he erected and holpe vs sought nothing ells but the glory of his father so we in helping our brethern The vehemency of Paules conclusion ought to set before vs to regard nothing ells but the glory of God and of Christ And so vehement is this conclusion of Paul that there is left no place to make deniall For if thy weake and infirme brother did neuer hurt thée but is otherwise of honest conuersation vndoubtedly thou dealest vncourteously if thou beare not with his infirmity But if he be odious vnto the and haue paraduenture committed any thing for which he may seme to be vnworthy of thine helpe yet oughtest thou to haue a consideratioÌ„ to that example which Christ hath set forth vnto thée and oughtest alwayes to set before thyne eyes the glory of God which shall by thy louingnes be illustrated Neyther wanteth it a certayne religious art and conning that Paule in a maner with the selfe same woordes endeth this matter with which he began it For at the beginning he sayd Him that is weake in faith receaue ye And here he sayth Receaue ye one an other Now I say that Iesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises of the Fathers And let the Gentiles prayse God for his mercy As it is writen For this cause will I confesse thee amongest the Gentils and will sing vnto thy name And agayne he sayth Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people And agayne Prayse God all ye Gentiles and laud him all people together And agayne Esay saith There shal be a roote of Iesse and he shall rise to raigne ouer the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust Nowe I say that Iesus Christ was a minister of Circumcision for the truthe of God to confirme the promises of the fathers Paul by a most soft transition as I thinke now goeth to take vp an other discorde which at that time was risen not only at Rome but also in other Churches For those Churches for that they consisted partly of the Iewes and partly of the Gentiles were long time at great dissension An other dissensioÌ„ of the church of Rome by reason of the differences of kinred and of nations For the Iewes through the pride that they conceiued bicause of the lawe that was geuen vnto them and through the hautines and opinion of their holy stock and bloud deriued of the fathers insolently contemned the Gentiles But the Gentiles not able to beare that boasting and arrogancy despised the Iewes as men through their own default reiected of God and in a maner excluded for that they saw that they were now after a sort substituted into theyr place Wherefore Paule to take away these contentions opportunely vseth this reason wherewith he had knit vp his former talke namely that Christ had receiued them to the glory of God which benefite for as much as Christ had bestowed as wel vpon the Iewes as vpon the Gentils it was not méete that they following theyr owne iudgemeÌ„t shold so much esteme the differences of kinred and of merites which God in receiuing of them wayed not that therfore they should be disseuered one from an other Wherefore Paule hereunto wholy bendeth himself plainly to declare that bothe the Iewes and the Gentiles are through Christ receiued of God into fauor And he first maketh meÌ„tion of the Iewes for that vnto those before all other men was preached the Gospell of Christ And that they should not attribute this to theyr owne vertues Paul rendreth a reason why Christ would by himself be vnto that people a minister of Christ was not the minister of the Iewes for their worthines sake saluation This sayth he was done for the promises sake which were made vnto the fathers least they should lye voyde and frustrate if Christ should haue done otherwise For that had bene a great empairing to the truth of God which ought to be most constaÌ„t For Christ bestowed not this benefit vpoÌ„ the Iewes for yâ— they were more worthy then other nacions but yâ— the truth of God should not seme to haue deceiued them Neither could they refer to the commendation of their owne dignity the promises that were made to theyr elders For those promises ceassed now to be due vnto them for that they had degenerated from the faythe of theyr elders and had thorow their perpetuall violating of the lawes stirred vp yâ— wrath of God against them vnles God had had a consideration to his truthe rather then to theyr worthines These things hath Chrisostom very wel noted in these words What maner of thing the ministery of Christ was And Christ ministred vnto Circumcision that is vnto the nation of the Iewes when preaching the Gospel he called them back to saluation and to life This ministery consisted not in masses belles alters prayers for the deade holy water stoles silke vestments choyse of meats bowes candles ashes and other rites ceremonyes and ornaments of the Popes maiestie Neither did he in title only cary about the dignity of the ministery as many at this day doe but he daily sed the shéepe committed vnto him and with all industrye and diligence preached vnto them the worde of saluation When others slept he watched in prayers in which it can not be doubted but that he by all maner of meanes desired of God that the ministery which he executed might be moste frutefull to many And as touching his priuate life he alwayes behaued himself holily and innoceÌ„tly and adorned his ministery with a most excellent example of his whole life For what so euer is coÌ„maunded in the law the same he wholy so performed and accomplished that it being after that manner fully accomplished can not be any more a burthen to vs which are now through faith adioyned vnto Christ For the olde ceremonies haue The law thorough Christ is not vnto vs a burthen now
but was not altogether reiected And that this benefite was bestowed vpon the fathers the Scripture in many places mencioneth There were other nations which in déede receaued the Gospel but yet kéept it but for a while skarce aboue one age or two It is true that we haue succeded in the place of the Iewes and are made pertakers of the selfesame priuiledges with them yet notwithstanding the Iewes were before vs abode the long tyme before in possession Wherefore if they be nowe broken of we ought more to bee afeard if they for their pride were smitten with blindnes were for their incredulity cut of what is to be thought of vs wild oliue trées and barren vnfruitfull branches Thorough incredulity were they broken of sayth Ambrose not for thy sake but by reason of their owne defaulte whiche thing I meruayle he should write If this Preposition propter that is For do signifie the cause efficient I graunt that our saluation was not the cause of their cutting of They had Our saluatiō was the small cause of the reiection of the Iewes in themselues the sinne of incredulity which GOD minding to punishe in this sort by his iustice reiected them But that our calling was not the finall cause which God in their reiection had a regard vnto I can in no wise deny seing that Paul affirmeth it wherefore I thinke rather we may say that they were broken of from their fruitefull trée both for theyr owne default and for our sakes Be not high minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is which is otherwise sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vice is opposite vnto the pouerty of the spirite which Christ so commended that he called them which were endewed with it blessed But they are to be laughed at which by this saying of the Apostle labour to defend ignoraunce to feare away men from knowledge Noli altum sapere say they that is Be not ouer wise Whiche exposition how strang it is from the skope of the Apostle I suppose now euery man plainly séeth But to close vp the exposition of this place I thinke that betwéene the degrées whereby we come to saluation the meanes which bring vs hedlong to destruction this order is to bee put As touching them The degrees to saluation and the degrees to destruction which shal be saued first is election or predestination Thereout burst forth grace the spirite and fayth strayght way follow good workes then haue they geuen vnto them perseueraunce and at the last is rendred the crowne of felicitie But vnto destruction the first degrée is the corruption of the lompe of mākind thorough originall sinne that God would not haue mercy thereof followe many sinnes which we by liuing wickedly afterward adde after them followeth blindnes they are infected with incredulity moreouer the harte is hardened and at the last followeth eternall damnation See therfore the bountefulnes seuerity of God Towards thē whiche haue fallen into seuerity but towards thee bountefulnes if thou continue in his bountefulnes or els thou also shalt be cut of And they also if they abide not still in vnbeliefe shal be grafted in For God is able to graft them in agayne For if thou wast cut out of the oliue tree which wast wild by nature and wast grafted contrary to nature into a right oliue tree how much more shall they that are by nature be grafted into their owne oliue tree Se therfore the goodnes and seuerity of God c. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greke the is See some turne Ecce y◠is Behold for in signification it is somtimes all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle cōtinueth stil in one the self same matter For this treatise was very necessary to put away the discord which in the primitiue sprang betwene the Gentiles the Iewes He exhorteth thē to set two things before their eyes the goodnes of God his seuerity Goodnes he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth clemency a redines of mind to do a man good to do him pleasure Seueritye he calleth in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is then when thinges are done with extremitie and that men are delt with euen according to the rigor of iustice The singuler bountefulnes of God towardes the Gētiles Against the Maniches and Marcionites The scripture euery where inuiteth vs to consider the seuerity an◠goodnes of God Towardes thee saith he goodnes For that was a singuler bountifulnes that when as the Gentils were contaminated with idolatry and mought iustly worthely haue bene left in their infidelity they were yet notwithstanding called adopted and adorned with so many ornamentes and giftes By these woordes are confuted the Manichies Marcionites which affirmed that there are two Gods one good gentle and mercifull the other seuere yea and cruell when yet the Apostle in this place attributeth the selfe same proprieties vnto one and the self same true God It is manifest also that they which are cut of are by the iust seuerity of God broken of and fall away so that they are without excuse Moreouer not onely Paul in this place but also the whole scripture in infinite places in a maner prouoke vs to the consideration of those two thinges And that not without iust cause for in the consideratiō of the goodnes of God we are prouoked vnto faith and vnto loue towards him also to geue him thanks for y◠benefits receiued at his hands But when we consider y◠seueritie iudgements of God it maketh vs to pity those which fall and to be fearefull of our owne estate Chrisostome expounding this sentence See the goodnes It is not saide saith he See thy merites and thy laboures for it commeth all whole of grace from aboue I woulde to GOD he had alwayes spoken after this manner and that he had abode still in that whiche he here teacheth The entent of the Apostle in the consideratiō of the seuerity of God is that we beholding other mens dangers and falles should be made more ware Which selfe thing he in an other place meaneth when he sayth in the first to the Corrinth He which standeth let him take heede that he fall not and vnto the Galathians Considering Two kinds of feare thy self least thou also be tempted Wherfore this is to be known that feare is of two sortes the one is which abateth nothinge of confidence but onely engendreth a greater diligence and bringeth more effectuall endeuors The other is which excéedingly diminisheth yea rather taketh away confidence pulleth away endeuor and bringeth sluggishnes The latter commeth of infidelity the other cōmeth of diligence and of fayth By this kind of feare are the churches moued more and more to apply themselues vnto God and to praye instantlye for their preseruation What prayer is vaine namely that the kingdome of God shoulde not be transferred from them
vnto other nations This is the cause why in holy seruices prayer is made for the churches which I would to God it were done with that feruentnes of minde that it ought to be done with and that vnto the prayers were adioyned an endeuor to adorne and reforme them for to praye and not to labour to do thereafter is to dally with God Otherwise thou also shalt be cut of None which beleueth ought as touching himfelf to be persuaded that he shal be cut of For faith suffreth not this persuasion None that is godly is vncertayne of his saluation to take place The Lord saith that he which beleueth passeth from death vnto life not to euery kinde of life but vnto eternall life whiche is nowe already begonne and shall be accomplished in the world to come Wherfore séeing that eternall life is promised vnto vs we ought in no wise to doubt therof euery one of the faithfull beleueth that he is adopted of God into his sonne and that he is elected vnto eternall life Wherfore it shal be vnto him as he beleueth For the Etimoligy of this woorde faith many thinke hereof to come as thoughe that shall indéede be The etimology of â—aith done which is spoken Howbeit he which so beleueth ought always to be mindfull of perseuerance and not to liue loosely and ought also to implore at Gods hands his gift and grace to abide in his bountefulnes touching the obtainment whereof we oughte not to doubte when as God hath both promised it vnto his and also a Our flesh is to be taken hede of for that it is weake and vncleane faithfull prayer cannot be powred out with doubting as the Apostle Iames testifieth howbeit it is profitable attentiuely to looke vpon our flesh which is weake and euery way vncleane neyther is any thinge in the nature thereof but that it may be damned Wherfore these words of the Apostle stirreth vs vp to bridle the pride therof and to breake the security of it and also to shake of sluggishnes Howbeit for the retaining still of certainty we must fly vnto that whiche is a little afterward written that the giftes and calling of God are without repentance And that What is to be feared touching the church It is not possible that the church should perishe Perticuler churches may fayle we may sée howe profitable this admonition of the Apostle is vnto the faithfull and not in any wayes in vayne we will vse this distribution firste to sée as touching the church what is to be feared If we speake of the whole church we muste not in any wise feare that it shall euer fayle for Christ hath promised that he will be with it vnto the end of the world It may indede be tempted cisted and shaken but vtterly ouerthrown it can not be And therfore we pray that the crosse temptacions and persecutions thereof might be asswaged and turned to good But touching perticuler churches for that it is possible that they maye be transferred we do pray both against their continuall temptacions and also that with them and especially with our church may abide the kingdome of God And as touching our We iustly feare touching our posteritie posterity also there is cause why we shoulde feare for that the promise is indefinitely set forth and vnles it be contracted by election and predestination it maye come to passe that it shall not comprehende them as all the Iewes were not comprehended in the promise And touching infants we may also iudge the like The couenant indéede and promise excludeth them not yea they are generally ment in these wordes wherin the lord saith I wil be thy God and the God of thy sede Vnder which promise we baptise them and visibly incorporate theÌ„ into the churche who yet when they come to age may reiect the couenante and contemne the Gospell whereby is made manifeste that they in very déede pertained not to election and vnto the promises Wherfore we may iustly feare least they should not stande as we sée happened in Ismaell and Esau There are moreouer in the church some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which beleue but for a time and in time of temptacion step backe as did Iudas and they which in time of persecutions denied Christe wherefore for these also we haue greate cause to be afeard And touching those which sincerelye beleue in Christ although they haue confidence of their saluation and are assured Many fals hange ouer the faithfuls heds We are in hope that they whom we excommunicate may be restored agayne The godly also haue whereof to be afeard thereof yet so long as we liue here there alwayes hang ouer our heads many fals and those greate as it is manifeste in Peter and in Dauid Wherefore they haue wherof to be afeard although they be not afeard that they shall eternally be damned but assuredly hope that either they shall be defended of God from fallinge or that if they do fall they shal be restored againe as we also haue confidence of them which are excoÌ„municated for they are not cast out of the church that they shoulde pearish but that at the last their spirite should be saued And therfore the elect also and they which sincerely beleue ought continually to be afearde of falles and that they be not cut of from Christ at the least way for a time And of this restitution of them that haue fallen is also mencion made in Ieremy the. 3. chapter Thou hast played the harlot with thy louers howbeit returne againe All these things declare vnto vs that this exhortacion of Paul vnto feare is not vnprofitable when as we ought so many ways to be careful both for our selues also for others Chrisostome addeth also hereunto that the abuse of the grace of God whiche raigneth amongst vs ought to be vnto vs a great feare and horror so often as we consider it If thou continue in his goodnes Otherwise thou also shalt be cut of And they also if they abide not still in vnbeliefe shal be grafted in agayn Forasmuch as it is not to be doubted but that very many of the Iewes so fell away that they sinned against the holy ghost and could no more be grafted in againe it is manifest that Paul speaketh these thinges whiche he speaketh indifinitly of yâ— people of the Iewes as touching a part Further forasmuch as it is vncertayne wheÌ„ a man doth fall into so horrible a case vnles it be declared by some certayne peculiar reuelation of God therefore Paul so speaketh that we should not put away all hope of any man so longe as he liueth here Chrisostome semeth now to alter his mind as touching that yâ— he had before spoken namely that all thinges ought to be attributed vnto the grace of God and that merites or good workes are not to be regarded For by this he sayth It is manifest how greate the dominion of our purpose and the power