vnto hym that woorketh wages is gyuen of duetie and not of revvarde But too hym that woorketh not but beleeueth in hym that maketh the offender gyltlesse hys firme and stedfaste fayth is imputed for innocencie For if a manne haue deserued and earned a thing by his owne labour trauell and paynes taking his obteyning of it is not a rewarde or free gyfte but a ryght and duety But if a man do not the things wherby he may deserue which is most truely verefied of man but doth so perceiue tast feele Gods goodnesse and louing kindnesse that he beleeueth himselfe to be taken for giltlesse before him through his meere mercy without any worke of his owne vnto him is innocency gyuen freely as a rewarde and not as a duety and hys stedfast trusting to the iustifier is reckened to him for ryghtuousnesse and innocency R. I agree fully to this reason For the thing that is freely bestowed vppon any man is not to be taken for a wages or desert but must be ascribed to Gods goodnesse Moreouer the same fayth for the which God rewardeth vs with rightuousnesse is sheaded into our harts by God himselfe and that of his owne mere free liberallitie and good wyll withoute respect of any desert at all whereof the wretched sinners might by any meanes brag or boast But haue you any more to say yet of the same matter P. Behold moreouer the euident authoritie of the kingly Prophet whiche shevveth the blessednesse of the man whose sinnes God forgiueth giueth him his owne righteousnes Psa 32.1 Blessed are they saith he whose iniquities are released and the filthines of whose sinnes are couered Blessed I say is he to whō God imputeth not his sinnes As for the residue conteyned in that Psalme you your selfe shall wey it aduisedly and apply it to this matter R. How fowlly then are they ouersene which surmise so many kindes of happinesse and blessednesse and write so sundrie sawes of it And to let passe the Philosophers how wicked ought those godly and how foolish ought those wise mē to seeme who vpon a conceite of I wot not what a kind of blessednesse refuse no paynes too make satisfacion for their sinnes whereas notwithstanding the said diuine Prophet protesteth that they be released forgiuen men of gods only meere goodnesse And not onely that but also to the intēt that mens drooping harts should be chered vp more more he affirmeth that they be after a sort concealed and hidden and ouerpassed least they myght at any tyme come into the sight of the angry iudge And how farre doth this maner of hyding sinnes differ from the maner that Adam vsed Gen. 3.2 when he would haue hidden his wickednesse from God with fig leaues if it had bene possible For he would haue hidden him self with things that grew in the fields But God clotheth his with Christes rightuousnesse Rom. 13.14 which is a most glorious garment or rather with Christ him self And if your leysure would suffer you to open all the other parts of that Psalme O how great comfort would it bring to mens minds For they that are to be registred in the number of those blessed men must be voide of al guile disceite and flee to Gods mercy whereby they hauing the filthinesse of their sinnes wiped away and hauing gotten the righteousnes of faith must apply al their indeuer to leade a godly righteous conuersation among men I let passe the residue of the notable things there Nowe that our talke may returne to our purpose this is to be cōsidered whether the saide blessednes befel vnto Abrahā before circumcisiō And againe whether this blessednes belong only to the circumcised or may be offered to the vncircumcised also seing you haue auouched that Abrahams faith was accepted for righteousnes Tel also plainly whether the said imputation and iustification were done in vncircumcision or in circumcision P. Surely he receiued not that benefite in circūcision but when he was yet vncircūcised then did the moste deere father vtter his good will mercy fauor towards him bestowed righteousnes vpō him Gen. 17.11 For so doo the holy scriptures most plainly shewe which tell vs that circūcisiō was appointed to Abraham in stede of a cognisance or badge as a pledge of the righteousnesse of faith wherewith he was indued euen at such time as he was yet vncircumcised that he might be counted the father of all beleeuers and euery vncircumcised person might by his example hope that his owne faith shall be reckened to him for righteousnesse R. Forasmuche then as Abraham was iustified fowrteene yeeres before he was circumcised it appereth that circumcision was not the cause of his iustifying for it followed his iustifying but rather the seale of it so that the Israelites may easely espie their owne errour in attributing so muche to the cutting off of a little peece of fleshe Esa 1. Psal 50. as who should say that God did set so muche store by the Ceremonies though he him selfe ordeyned them when they be voyde of true and liuely fayth And yet notwithstanding me thinks that some Christians do fondly follow the same errour who haue no Christianitie in them sauing that they were dipped in the clenzing water in the name of Christ Furthermore if Abraham when he was yet vncircumcised was so dearely beloued and accepted of God for his only faith howe cheerefull mindes and how assured hope ought all the vncircumcised Gentiles to haue if almightie God voutchsafe of his infinite mercie to bestowe the most excellent gift of righteousnesse vpon them Nay rather euen heereby it appeareth that the pride of the Iewes is in no wise blerable who standing vpon the reputation of their onely circumcision disdaine the poore Gentiles and would keepe them off from entring into euerlasting saluation For it is nowe more euident than the daylight that saluation belongeth no lesse to the Gentiles than to the Iewes inasmuche as Abraham was iustified that is to say was taken into the number of Gods children when he was yet a Gentile P. But by the way you must remember that Abraham is the father of all beleuers And forasmuch as he is so he is to be counted the father of the Israelites also yea of the circūcised howbeit but of those which not only are borne of him by fleshly discent but also do followe the footesteps of his fayth which he had before he was circumcized R. Hereby doth gods wōderful goodnes louingkindnes towards all mankinde shine forth most of al in that it imbraceth both Iewes Gentiles setting all as a certen pattern for eyther of them to fashyon their mynds vnto by following both his beliefe giuen to gods promises and also his singular awfulnesse and obedience togither with his contempt of all worldly things and all other his excellent vertues betokened by the signe of circumcision But yet me thinkes I sticke in the mire forasmuche as I am
such a sort that Gods glory was shed from them into Gods people as from a most plentifull storehouse For so doth that worde of God by taking fleshe vpon him not onely shrewd vs from the curse of the law but also sheeld vs defend vs from it and giueth vs most certeine assurance of Gods louing kyndnes if we put our trust in his blud For he is succeeded as our souerein king and euerlasting preest in sted of Moyses and Aaron But shew me wherfore God did cast so great good will to mankind P. Doubtlesse euen for this cause that hee had determined to shew his ryghtuousnesse more bryght than the daylight to mortall men in tyme too come both in forgyuing all mens offences which almightie God hath of his owne incredible mercifulnesse eyther discountenanced or borne wyth vnto this day and also in pardoning wyping away of their sinnes which are still yet alyue or shall heereafter draw this common breth that therby it may appeare openly to all men that God is ryghtuous not onelye bycause hee himselfe is indewed with rightuousnes but also bycause he sheadeth oute his ryghtuousnesse into the minds of them that put and settle their whole trust in his Christ R. I beleeue it to be verely so Therefore it behoueth that so great a benefite to be borne alwaies in remembrance of those too whome Gods goodnesse hath graunted to inioy Christ as their prophet to teache them the wyll of the heauenly father as their high preest which hath with his owne bloud sealed vp the couenant made betweene the father and vs and as their moost mighty King to sit in our mynds and to gouerne vs by his spirit P. You see then what are the causes of mans saluation Now therefore if a man shoulde aske a Iew whether he thought that there were any thing left him wherein he eyther could or should glorie what myght he answere Nay rather if it please you answere you for him and vtter what you thinke R. Nothing so God help me I se nothing why he should be loftyminded or boast himself or his prerogatiue For all cause of boasting is shut out P. Againe if I shoulde aske him whether the Israelites haue any such vauntage by the law it selfe the rule of good deedes that they shoulde thinke themselues better than all other nations or whether the glittering woorkes of the Iewes can haue so great force as iustly to set them in such a iollitie I pray you what would he say to it R. I beleeue he woulde be more dum than a fishe as the prouerbe sayth For how can any doinges of men eyther he or seeme to be so muche worthie before God P. Therefore it is meete that all mankinde should be ridde of all selfe weening pryde stubbornesse and boasting by the doctrine of fayth and be driuen of necssitie to yeeld the whole glory of all things vnto God alone R. Doubtlesse I thinke that to be out of all controuersie P. Therefore it is too be beleeued than the whiche nothinge can be sayde or deuised more holie or true that menne are counted and made ryghtuous and adopted of the heauenly father into the number of his children by fayth without the woorks of the law or without desertes that spring of mens deeds R. If the way to ryghtuousnesse too saluation and to euerlasting lyfe be opened vnto men by fayth and not by the law there is no cause why the Iewes should repyne at the Gentyles or enuy them P. None at all For which of them is so blockishe or ignorant of things belonging to God as to imagin in his mind that God is the God of the Iewes onely and not of all other nations also Out of doubt god is the god of al people and nations and will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowing of him 1. Ti. 2.4 R. Then doth it follow that there is no odds betweene circumcision and vncircūcision as in respect of saluation P. Surely they be both in one cace or both alyke bycause that for asmuch as God is but one and the onely creator of all men alyke he doth also kepe one selfe same maner of sauyng mankynde For he iustifieth the circumcised by fayth and accepteth the vncircumcised for rightuous by fayth taketh them for his owne R. But heere is a doubt greeueth me that you seeme to pull downe vtterly the law and the dignitie thereof by the doctrine of fayth P. It is nothing so For we be so far of from purposing to ouerthrow the law by fayth that we indeuer to strengthen vphold and stablish it most of all thereby which thing I will shew moost euidently in conuenient place For seeing that Christ is the ende the performing and the vtmost poynt of the law and that the law is as a certeine scholing and trayning of men vnto Christ as the which yeeldeth not wherewith to fulfill Gods commaundements but only sheweth the necessitie of fulfilling them I beseech you how greatly is the law beautified and aduanced by fayth when by the doctrine of faith we shew the way to performe the lawe by the spirit of Christ R. Syr Cha. 4.1 you haue spoken ynough of the law more truely in myne opynion than men will well lyke of But we will say more of this heereafter You knowe of how greate authoritie Abraham was alwayes among the Israelites for his good workes sakes And yet notwithstanding all that dignitie shall seeme to fall to the ground if he obteined no rightuousnesse and innocencie by his owne procurement Or else poynt you me oute some fruite of those good workes wherwith he was adorned P. I graunt that Abraham had gotten no small glorie and commendacion of ryghtuousnesse to himselfe by hys good Godly and well ordered doinges if he had become ryghtuous by his woorkes But yet then shoulde this prayse haue rested eyther in him selfe or haue taken place alonely amonge men but not at all before God R. I pray you shew by what meanes that came to passe P. Truely the holie scriptures shew it inough and more than inough Ge. 15.9 Gal. 3.6 Ja. 2.23 For thus is it written Abraham beleeued God and that true fayth of hys vvas reckened to hym for ryghtuousnesse R. I acknowledge the recorde of the old testament and imbrace it with both my handes But whereto tendeth it P. You shal heare Consider the state and circumstance of that tyme. For as yet the lawe was not whiche was afterwarde gyuen by Moyses in somuche that what soeuer Abraham dyd at that tyme he ought not to father it vppon the law written Therfore he could not glorie of the performyng of the lawe And for that cause God by that saying of hys affirmeth that Abraham was iustified at his hand by fayth R. Thinke you the whole matter to be dispatched with this one argument P. No But you shall vnderstande the whole cace the better if we compare the wages wyth the gyfte For
destruction and casting away of such sort in deed are the vnbeleuers and the wilful stubborne Iewes that he might punishe them the sorer afterwarde and so make his power and rigour famous renomed is he to be blamed for it Againe what if that he moreouer to shew the gretnes of his glory in the vessels of mercy prepared theÌ„ to glory Is it therfore to be ascribed to mens deseruings R. He that thinkes of anye deseruing is starke madd But see agayne what the Isralites obiecte If God say they doe punnishe the falscharted disobediente and stifnecked Iewes hee may doe as he sees cause but yet should he not for those wicked mennes sakes dispossesse the people of Israel of their prerogatiue and dignitie which is nowe conueyed to the vncircumcised which as they surmise are oute of Gods couenaunt and cast awaies To conclude in few woords the Iewes accuse not God of vniustice for punishing the Israelites offences but they blame him of vnconstancie for gathering a new people to him by the preaching of the Gospell P. No maruell though he do so For god the maker of all men had so determined from euerlasting For whom he had chosen in his diuine minde them did he aftervvard call from heauen not onely of the Ievves but also of the Gentiles R. But this seemeth straunge and vnwonted to the Israelites and they crye out with full mouth that this is a new found and forged doctrine and vtterly vnknowen of old Prophets P. O gentle interpreters of the Prophets Ose 2.23 1. Pe 2.10 Remember they not vvhat the Lord promised by Osee I vvill call a people mine saith he vvhich are not my people a nation beloued which is not beloued and vvhere it was sayde you are not my people there they shall be called the childreÌ„ of the liuing god R. I see a very euident recorde of the casting of the Gentiles P. Heere also on the contrary side what Esay cryeth against the Israelites that vvere to be cast off Although the number of the children of Israell sayth hee be as the sande of the sea Esa 10.22 yet shall but a remnant be saued For the Lorde shall doo the thing rigorouslye and at once and that vvith ryghtuousnesse I say he shall doo a rigorous thing vppon earth R. The Prophet theÌ„ foretelleth that it was done as sone as said and that it is iustly done that so few of them shal be saued Therfore the matter as it should seeme is vnpossible to be called backe bicause it is iustly decreed P. Heere further what the same Esay sayd in his first sermon concerning the casting off of the Iewes Esa 1.9 If the Lorde of hostes sayth he had not lefte vs some seed vve had bin lyke to Sodom and Gomor we had all perished for our falshartednesse and stubbornesse For you must vnderstand it is the singular benefite of the euerlasting God that I and a few others doo beleeue the Gospell of God For our wicked deeds deserued euerlasting damnation R. I am ryght well assured of that nother thinke I that Gods mercy shyneth forth lesse manifestly in the calling of you than in the calling of vs. But I pray you what shall we say to this that so many Gentiles imbrace the Messias that was borne of the Iewes and promised to the Iewes and that so few of the Iewes beleeue in him Seeing that the election and calling of them both commeth of Gods grace whereof commeth so great difference that so few of the one sort and so innumerable of the other sort receiue Christ P. My iudgement is this that the Gentiles which followed not the righteousnesse of workes or of mens deseruings ouertooke righteousnes I meane the righteousnesse that springeth of faith contrarywise that the Israelits which followed the righteousnes of the lawe attayned not to the righteousnes of the lawe R. What is the cause P. As I suppose it is for that the Israelites seke not to be iustified by faith but by the deedes of the lavv reposing the whole state of their hope in their ovvne works And therfore they dashe agaynst the stumbling stone whiche thing the prophet Esay forshewed shuld come to passe Esa 8.14 18.16 wheÌ„ he bespake the children of Israell in these words Beholde I will lay in Sion a stone to stumble at and a rocke to dashe agaynst and whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed nor beguiled R. Truly the falling out proueth the Prophetes foresaying For Christe is a stumbling stone to the vnbeleeuers and disobedient But to suche as sticke to him by fayth he is the sure foundation of singular quietnesse peace and happines But to tell you the truthe Paule you are very ill reported of among your own countreymen for this doctrine For they thinke you speake it of spite or that you seeke your owne glory in the Churches of the Gentiles by their vnbeleefe P. Cha. 10.1 My dere brother I pray you giue no credite to their words For I assure you that I haue an earnest good wil tovvards them And in my prayers which I povvre out vnto God I make suite for the saluation of the Israelites and vvishe it with all my hart and cease not to be earnest with God for it rather pitying them than spyting them For I am vvont to witnesse thus muche of them that their striuing against Christ agaynst grace and agaynst the Gospell is done of a zeale to godwarde hovvebeit vnskilfully and not vpon knowledge R. I thought as muche my selfe but herken Some seeme to them selues to be ledde with a certayne desire of Gods honour and think that he thrusteth them forwarde to withstande the iustification of â—ayth But if a man could creepe into the bowels of their hartes perchaunce he shuld see that they referre not al their intents and indeuers vnto god Neuerthelesse I would be lothe to condemne any body but yet dare I say thus much that they haue no pretence of excuse before God though they sinne through ignoraunce P. I will shew you the welspring of al the mischeefe These men knowing not what righteousnes god requireth of vs indeuering to settle stablish their owne righteousnes by the deedes of the lawe vvithout faith will not submitte themselues to the righteousnes of god But you know welinough that the obeying of gods lawe without the foundation of fayth is rather a visor of righteousnes than a righteousnes that pleaseth god Nowe the very marke that faythe ameth at is the coeternall and coessentiall sonne of God becomme fleshe the true Messias and aduocate of Mankynde And the ende or vttermoste restynge poynte of the Law is the same Christe Gal. 3.24 to make them righteous and cleare vvhich trust in him Thus ye see hovv great differeÌ„ce there is betweene the righteousnes of the lavv and the righteousnes of fayth which difference my countreymen confounde and mingle togither For Moises treating of the righteousnes that commeth by the