writtē in the selfe same chapter to refell the blasphemies of these mē Which sentence of that holy man confirmeth that which we haue oftentimts sayd namely that the holy scriptures touching these thinges which pertayne to saluation is The holy scripture is sufficient touchinge those thinges whiche are necessary to saluation Vnles we had bene in the flesh the law had not hindered vs What is to be in the flesh sufficient and may be of the faithfull vnderstand so that they be not sluggishe and slouthfull and neglect the reading of the holy scripture Hereafter when we come vnto it we shall declare in what maner and with what moderation and wisedome the Apostle defendeth the lawe And as touching this sentence we ought to note that Paul therefore sayth that the wicked affectes of sinnes by the lawe were of efficacy in our members because we were in the fleshe Vpon this is the blame to be layd and not vpon the lawe For vnles we had bene in the fleshe the lawe had nothing hindred vs. And to be in the fleshe is nothing els but to be stirred vp by our owne strengthes and to be moued and impelled of our vitiate and corrupt nature for whatsoeuer is in vs besides the spirite and grace is called fleshe Wherfore in that in vs are encreased sinnes and lustes that commeth hereof for that we are in the fleshe Men vse as much as lieth in them to eschew a pestilent and hurtfull ayre So we also if we will be saued must abhorre and flye this contagiousnes of the fleshe and flye vp into heauen vnto Christ And we can not depart from the fleshe but by death And for that cause Paul exhorteth vs that by the body The flesh a slippery place of Christ we should dye vnto sinne For the fleshe is a slippery place Wherefore so long as we abide in it we must néedes oftentymes slide Wherefore we must cleue fast vnto Christ which may so gouerne and vphold vs that in this slippernes of the fleshe we fall not into eternall destruction But now ye are deliuered from the lawe being dead vnto it wherein ye were holden c. Now he returneth vnto that estate wherein we are now placed by Christ Now sayth he are we deliuered from the lawe he sayth not from the fleshe or from sinne for these two thinges he counteth for one and the same Being dead vnto it wherein we were holden He sayth not that either sinne is dead or that the lawe is dead He sayth only that we are dead By that wherein we were holden he vnderstandeth the lawe and not sinne For in the Greke is redde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the neuter gender But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sinne is the feminin gender Howbeit it appeareth that there were sundry readinges amongst the Grecians For whereas we haue now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being dead some redde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of death so that the sence should be But now ye are deliuered from the lawe of death that is from the lawe that bringeth death Others rede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the genetiue case as thought Paul would say that we are now deliuered from the lawe that is dead Although that reading which we first followed and interpretated is both more common and also more receaued And the Apostle in such sort sayth that we are deade vnto the lawe as before he sayd that we are mortefied by the body of Christ And as Chrisostome sayth we are therefore sayd to be deliuered How we were holdē vnder the law The law is abrogated not by it selfe but by an other thing from the law for that that bond is now broken whereby the lawe held vs obnoxious And that bonde was sinne And we were holden in the law not as obseruers thereof but as men condemned and guilty Now are we which are made pertakers of the death of Christ deliuered from it By these things we vnderstand that the lawe is sayd to be dead and to be abrogated not through it selfe but by reason of an other thing For therefore it ceaseth now to accuse to prouoke to compell to condemne and to be gréeuousome because sinne is dead Wherefore the ende thereof was not to iustifie vs for that thing could it not performe in as much as it was weakened through the fleshe The ceremonies also of the lawe were taken away by reason of an other thing namely because Christ is now come And ciuile commundementes are now abrogated because the common wealth of the Israelites is destroyed And therefore Paul escheweth plainly to say that the lawe is dead for that this thinge is not agréeable with it according to his owne nature But he alwayes runneth vnto our fleshe and vnto sinne and fréely pronounceth that they are dead For by reason of their death the lawe it selfe also ceaseth and dieth But this is to be marked that we in the meane while so long as we liue So long as we liue here we are not perfectly dead here are not perfectly dead And therefore the lawe so long is not vnprofitable For we are not endued with so plentifull a spirite that we do all thinges by the impulsion thereof Wherefore there are many thinges in vs which the lawe may accuse and reproue Wherefore holy men so long as they liue here cease not to looke vpon the lawe that flieng the comdemnation thereof they may be more and more conuerted vnto Christ For although we be by fayth grafted into Christ Our coniunction with Christ may euerye day be made greater and greater yet may that coniunction euery day encrease For the life of the godly is sayd to be a perpetuall mortification and repentance Neither is this any let vnto our regeneration that we say that much of the olde Adam is still remayning in vs. And therefore when we consider the lawe and sée what is still to be mortefied in vs we are more and more driuen vnto Christ And this is it which Paul writeth vnto the Galathyans that he by the lawe is dead vnto the lawe Wherefore euery Christian ought thus to count with himselfe that so long as he séeth any thing in What are the tokens of sinne yet liuing his conscience worthy to be reproued or any prouokemente to sinne or any hatred or lothsomnes against the lawe of God or that he is drawen against his will to do good so long I say sinne is not in him dead and there is much remayning in him which may be reproued of the lawe That we should serue in newnes of spirite and not in the oldnes of the letter If thou demaunde whome we must serue answere is to be made we must serue God to worship him as it is mete The Apostle in this place vseth this The difference betwene Du 〈…〉 and Latria is not perpetuall Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to serue Wherby it is manifest that that
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
miseries of thys lyfe Now should I also speake of the fourth state of man But touching it Of the liberty whiche we shal haue in our country we may in one word aunswer That forasmuch as in heauen we shall haue most chiefe felicity no kinde of liberty can there be wantyng vnles a man will cal that a liberty to be able to sinne and to fall away from God that is from the chief good thyng but because that that liberty which there we shall haue is a most singuler liberty therfore our hope is that in our countrey we shall be most frée But now Lust and corrupt motions which râ—maine in the regenerate whether they be sins resteth an other question to be entreated of namely whether this lust those corrupt motions which remaine in the regenerate are sins ought so to be called These things are called of Paul the law of sinne the law of the members And that these remayne in holy men after regeneratioÌ„ he teacheth vs by the exaÌ„ple of himself But whither they be sinnes or no caÌ„not rightly be defined vnles we first vnderstand what sinne is Augustine saith that sinne is whatsoeuer is spoken done or lusted against the law of God But whither this definitioÌ„ belong vnto al sins or vnto those only which are coÌ„monly called actual it is vncerten by reasoÌ„ of yâ— ambiguity This word lusted in the definition how it may be taken of this word lusted For if it be referred vnto yâ— ful assent of the will wherby we assent vnto corrupt desires theÌ„ is the definitioÌ„ contracted to actual sins But if this word Lusted be so largely amply takeÌ„ as is that last precept Thou shalt not lust then may the definition be vniuersall and comprehend all maner of sinnes The master of the Sentences in his .2 booke and 35. distinction cited that definition when he had now largely entreated of originall sinne and had begonne to serch out the nature of other sinnes Wherefore it semeth that he thought that that definition pertayneth only to actuall sinnes But howsoeuer it be touching thys matter we will not muche contend Ambrose in his booke de Paradiso in the .8 chapiter setteth forth doubtles a most large definition of sinne Sinne sayth hâ— is nothing ells but the transgression of the Law of God and disobedience of the heauenly commaundementes But leauing the sentences of the fathers the matter is to be called to the triall of the scripture that out of them we maye certaynly knowe what sinne is Iohn in his first epistle and 3. chapiter Sinne saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Definition of siâ—ne out of the word of God is iniquity That Greke word is coÌ„posed of the particle priuatiue that is with out and of this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Law Here the nature of sinne is excellently well declared For it is sayd to be a priuation wherby is taken away from it the good thing which it ought to haue If thou enquire what that good thinge is which by sinne is taken away this Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresseth it For that He calleth sin the priuation of that good thing whiche the law of God prescribeth good thing is taken away which is prescribed in the Law of God Wherefore we may say that sinne is whatsoeuer is repugnauÌ„t vnto the Law of God Now let vs se whither this definition taken out of the holy scriptures be agreable vnto that prauity which remaineth in the saintes after regeneratioÌ„ Which thinge we affirm but our aduersaries deny but the holy scripture is without al doubt one our side For Paul expressedly sayth that the Law of the members warreth agaynst the law of God and of the minde and that the wisdoÌ„e of the flesh is enmity against God so that it is not subiect vnto the law of God yea nether can be subiect And it vtterly strâ—ueth agaynst the fiâ—st and the gretest commaundement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thine hart with all thy strength For if all our streÌ„gths and powers should as it is mete geue place vnto God this lust theÌ„ should neuer haue any abiding in vs. Farther the selfe same lust partly also striueth agaynst the last precept Thou shalt not lust And Augustine as we haue before in mo places then one cited him affirmeth that these two commaundements can not so long as we liue here be fully obserued of vs. But why they were geuen when as they can not be kept he bringeth very firme reasons which here to repete is not nedefull We haue declared by the definition of sinne that this lust whereof we speake is sinne Nowe let vs consider other argumentes One is taken of the institucion of man For man was made vnto the image and similitude of God And we are predestinate to be made like vnto the image of the sonne of God And we are commaunded to put one a new man Which as Paul sayth to the Colossians in the .3 chapiter is renewed to the knowledge and image of hym which created him which new maÌ„ as it is written in the epistle vnto the Ephesians consisteth in righteousnes and in holines of truth And the image of God Wherein consisteth the image of God which we are commaunded to put one herein consisteth as Tertullian sayth that we haue one and the selfe same motions and fealings with God And Paul to the Phillippians exhorteth vs to be of one and the same minde with Christ But these motions and lusts doo moste filthilye corrupt and blot the image of God in vs. Farther that which we ought to crucefye to mortefy and to put of must of necessity be sin For if they were good the holygost would rather haue admonished vs to norishe and to maintayne them And Paul to the Colossians sayth Mortefye your members which are vpon the earth And to the Galathians They which are of Christ haue crucefied theyr flesh with the lusts thereof And in an other place Put of sayth he the old man And if these motions do so displease God it caÌ„ not be for any other cause but for that they are sinnes For God is so good that nothing displeaseth him but only sinne Last of al vnto sinne is death dew as a reward Wherefore death can haue no place where no sinne is For thys preheminence had the Sonne of God only to dye an innocent For he died for our sinnes But we therefore dye bycause we are not without sinne And if it be so then let vs se what our aduersaries can alledge why infantes now regenerate in Christ doo dye For they haue no actual sinnes and the guiltines of originall sinne is taken away Only there remayneth lust and corruption of nature not wholy amended and corrupt motions which Augustine in his 11. booke of Confessions sayth are found in infantes and he both confesseth and accuseth them as
Gospell and we must chiefely beware that we geue not them occasion to suspect that we are by hatred enuy desire of vengeance or by some wicked lust moued to We must not flatter them that sinne speake those things which we seme to speake somwhat vehemētly Furthermore on the other side we must beware of the other extremity y◠we flatter not thē y◠sinne making a marchādise of y◠word of God either to win mēs fauour or for lucre sake or for pleasure sake For doubtles the truth as touching doctrine ought neuer to be kept in silēce neither are they which sinne to be spared although troubles should therof arise or that we should therfore suffer greuous things Christ knew right An example of Christ well that by teaching the truth and by reprouing of vices he should at the length be crucified and be also forsaken of his disciples and yet did he not therefore ceasse either from necessary doctrine or from profitable reprehensions Of that that the The autoritie of the Iews was great in the Church Apostle so diligently seketh to auoide the offending of the Iewes we gather that the authority of that nation was great in the primitiue Church for they before other nations beleued the Gospell and the iudgement of them was had in great estimation For the Iewes were studious in the scriptures and most diligent obseruers of the worshipping of God wherefore the offence of them could not be in curred without excéeding great hurt to the Gospell He calleth them bretherne the more to conciliate them vnto him For these are no small degrées of beneuolence to wish well vnto a man to pray for him and to call him by a gentle and louing name Howbeit there is a difference betweene A differēce worthy to be noted the reasō which he vseth in the ninth chapter and betwene that which he vseth in this chapter to proue his loue towardes the Iewes For there he saide that he so feruently loued them that for the redéeminge of theyr destruction he desired to be made accursed but here he writeth that he powreth out prayers for theyr saluatiō Of this difference this is the reason In the. 9. chapter he entreated of election or predestination which is not chaunged by prayers and therfore it had bene in vain there to haue made mencion of them But in this place is entreated of the righteousnes of fayth which faith forasmuch as it is the the gift of God there is no doubt but that by faithfull prayers it may be obteyned for our neighbours He bringeth moreouer an other argumente of his loue towardes the Iewes whereby he excuseth theyr incredulity as much as the nature of the thing suffreth but yet he so excuseth it that thereunto he addeth a most gréeuous accusation I beare them record saith he that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge And yet must we not thinke that all the Iewes had this zeale for in that nation there were a greate many which were manifest wicked filthy liuers But when Paul thus wrote he had a consideration to the sounder sort and vnder this common name ment them onely And to be briefe he vseth the figure Synecdoche whereby an indefinite proposition is by reason of some partes y◠it containeth taken for true This selfe same excuse Peter in the Actes vsed when he said For I know that ye did it thorow ignorance c. Paul nowe attributeth vnto them zele but he reproueth their ignorance as an haynous sinne For séeing that they were by the law and by the scriptures dayly tought they ought not to haue bene ignorant of those thinges Theyr ignoraunce he hereby proueth for What was the ignorance of the Iewes y◠they knew not the difference betwene the righteousnes of God and their owne righteousnes neither saw they that by establishing their owne they fell away frō the true and perfect righteousnes That they had a zeale he therfore saith for that What zeale signifieth they sought to worship God and that diligently but they knew not the manner of true worshipping wherefore their zeale was a blinde zeale And to declare what zeale is we wil first consider the etimology thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is zeale is a Gréeke word deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this word signifieth to loue but yet vehementlye to loue so that after loue followeth admiration after admiration imitation and thē after that a grief if he may not enioy the thing which he loueth or if others be admitted to enioy the same This is the proper signification of the word Wherfore Definition of zeale we may thus define it Zeale is an affection whiche consisteth in that parte of the minde which lusteth or desireth after which by reason of the vehemēcy followeth grief both because of the fellowship of others and also for the wante of the thinge which is desired But the nature of it is not of one sort For there is a good zeale an euill zeale Of the good zeale Paul spake when he saide I am zelous for you with the A good zel◠an euill zeale of God for I haue betrouthed you that ye should geue your selues a chast virgen vnto one man Christ Also in the first to the Corrinthians Be zealous of the better gracious giftes God himselfe also is affected towards vs with a most perfect zeale as the scripture oftentimes teacheth although affectes are not properly attributed vnto him But of the euill zeale is not at this presente entreated But of it Paul to the Galathians thus writeth that the false Apostles loued them with a zeale that they might glory in theyr flesh and leade them away from Christ into the bondage of the law And in many other places is mencion made of it But the cause whereof The cause of a good euill zele either a good or euill zeale springeth may be thys The manner is a lyke in thys affection as it is in other affections Wherfore euen as boldnes lust and anger are so long time good or euill how long they kéepe themselues within certaine bondes prescribed vnto them by prudence or passe those bondes so also commeth it to passe in zeale But this we ought to know that accordinge to morall doctrine prudence commeth by naturall vse or discipline but in very déede as it is here considered it can not be gathered but out of the holy scriptures by the breathing of the holy gost Wherefore zeale is then good when it is thorow faith brideled by a iust and godly knowledge and it is then euill whē it is not by such knowledge restrayned as a ship when y◠maister or gouerner is present is preserued but he being absent goeth A similitude to wracke Wherfore Paul spake most warely for when he condēneth their zeale he taketh away from them knowledge and by one word that which mought haue bene an excellent vertue he
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
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
manifest that righteousnes is vnpleasant vnto our flesh and is 〈…〉 whatsoâ—ueâ— the sayd righteousnes appointeth our flesh to do But that wh 〈…〉 〈…〉 ghâ—â—ay â—olloweth semeth not to agree with this exposition Fo◠〈…〉 members seruauntes to vnclenes c. In these wor 〈…〉 is pa 〈…〉 〈…〉 eth to geue a reason why he sayd before that he desired a 〈…〉 tay 〈…〉 the maner of men by reason of the infirmitye of theyr flesh Ierom 〈…〉 in the 2. question being required to expound this place vnto the Colloss Take hede lest aeny maÌ„ preueÌ„t you of the price or reward sayth that Paul in his writinges desired not to follow the phrases of speach vsed of most eloqueÌ„t writers as of Plato of Demostenes and of such like but vsed words senteÌ„ces that were coÌ„mon and such as were in a maner knowen to all men And for example sake he gathereth Paul vsed phrases of speech of the Cilicians together many of his phrases which were obserued of the Cilicians euen vnto his tyme. For of that countrey was Paul born in yâ— city of Tharsis amongst which phrases he rehearseth yâ— which he was theÌ„ in hand with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth should preuent yâ— reward Also that which is written in the first vnto the Corrinthyans As touching me I passe very little to be iudged of you or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of mans day which signifieth in that place mans iudgement And in the latter epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that ye should not be greued and the place which now we reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I speake after the maner of men Because of the infirmity of your fleshe This therefore he sayth because so long as we lyue here in this world we are not fully regenerate For there remayneth in vs much fleshe and much of olde Adam Yet by these wordes as Chrisostome Paul will haue nothing released of the endeuor of the will We must not adde a moderation vnto the law of God noteth Paul setteth not at liberty the endeuour of the will For although by reason of the burthen of our fleshe we can not performe so much as is required of vs yet our will ought alwayes to contend to farther thinges Neither oughte we to thinke that the Apostle would here teach that we shoulde adde an equity or moderation vnto the law of God as though there were not required at our haÌ„ds that we should performe so much as it commaundeth but so much as we can For in this place he releaseth nothing of the lawe of God For to moderate or lenefie it neither lieth it in the Apostle nor in any other mortall man And this semeth to be the meaning of these wordes Reason in dede would require that ye shoulde exhibite a greater seruitude vnto righteousnes then vnto sinne But I speake onely after the maner of men and require that ye should do only the like things And that is to require all whatsoeuer the Lawe commaundeth For they which Paule in so speaking requireth al our strengthes are not yet regenerate but lyue strangers from Christ do wholy serue sin and do applye all their strengthes and powers to sinne But the lawe requireth nothing els but that we should with the whole hart with the whole soule and with all our strengthes loue God We haue so vtterly serued sinne that although it may seme that somewhat more should be attributed vnto innocency then before was geuen vnto sinne yet that can now by no meanes be brought to passe For we haue with all our strengthes serued sinne Therefore the faulte is in vs that We haue with al our strengthes serued sinne probability of reason can not take place And yet Paul in the meane tyme in writing these thinges diminisheth nothing from the law of God Yea rather by these wordes he highly commendeth it as a thing which requireth nothing of vs but that which is agréeable with the nature of man It is a common saying a man must aske more then right to the ende he may attayne to his right But Paul sayth that he asketh but gently not so much as he mought of dutye require As touching the wordes he sayth that we haue hetherto geuen ouer our members How vncleanes and iniquity coÌ„prehend all kind of sin as seruauntes to vncleanes and iniquity where vnder the name of vncleanes and iniquity are comprehended all kyndes of sinnes For whatsoeuer sinne we commit the same tendeth ether to enioy our owne commodityes and pleasures and this is called vncleanes because of the more grosse workes wherew 〈…〉 fleshe is contaminated or els to be iniurious towardes God or towardes 〈…〉 rne which kynde of sinne he calleth iniquity And he addeth For iniquity to teach vs to vnderstand that 〈…〉 no sinne There is no sinne in a manner that is alone that is alone but one sinne alwayes driueth and impellâ—th 〈…〉 he addeth not for vncleanes because yâ— mought easely be vn 〈…〉 〈…〉 se he taketh the name of iniquity more generally in the la 〈…〉 st So now geue your members seruaunts vnto 〈…〉 s. Euen as vnrighteousnes leadeth vs vnto filthy 〈…〉 rig 〈…〉 usnes leadeth vs to holynes The Apostle setteth forth theâ—e 〈…〉 an Antithesis to the ende we should the better marke and consider And sanctification or holynes is nothing els then a purification from all vncleanes Wherefore the Greke What sanctification or holines is word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is holy as Plato affirmeth in Cratylo is so called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a particle priuatiue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the earth because they are called holy which are purged from earthly spottes and filthines And the Apostle speaketh very aptly that we should serue righteousnes or God for sanctification They which sanctifye themselues do the will of God for when we sanctify our selues we do his will For vnto the Thessalonians Paul writeth This is the wyll of God your sanctification that euery man may know how to possesse his vessell not in vncleanes and in lust of desire c. Also God hath called vs not to vncleanes but to sanctification And in the latter to the Corrinth Let vs make cleane our selues from all vncleanes of the flesh and spirit performing holynes in the feare of God For when ye were the seruauntes of sinne ye were free vnto righteousnesse He bringeth a cause why he admonished them that they shoulde in such maner geue their members seruauntes vnto righteousnes because sayth he when ye were before seruauntes of sinne ye were vtterly frée vnto The liberty vnto righteousnes is pernicious Against works preparatory righteousnes that is ye were vtterly straungers from it And in this place vnto righteousnes is the Datiue case And such a liberty is pernicious and far worse then all scruitude most like vnto that liberty which the prodigall sonne so much desired Againe by
affirme that by regeneration is takeÌ„ away the guiltines of sinnes For although these vices remayne both as the scripture testefieth and also as experience teacheth yet their bond and guiltines is taken away Wherfore Augustine oftentymes saith that lust in dede remayneth but the guiltines therof is by Christ takeÌ„ away And he addeth that somtimes it coÌ„meth to pas that the act and worke of sinne passeth away as we see it is in theft and in adultery but the guiltines notwithstandyng abideth and sometymes it commeth to passe that the guiltines is takeÌ„ away but the fault remayneth Which is plaine to be sene touching this lust wherof we speake It remayneth in dede but yet we cannot by it be as guilty condemned to eternall death If thou demaund why it is called sinne when as the guiltines is taken away I aunswer bicause in that it is not imputed vnto vs it hath not that of his owne nature for as touching his owne nature as we haue before taught it deserueth death and damnation but this commeth by an other meanes namely of the mercy of God through Christ But euery thing ought to be considered by it selfe and of his own nature Wherfore seyng the proper nature of sinne Euery thinge ought to be considered by his owne nature is to striue against the law of God and this thing we sée to come to passe in this lust and in these first motions therfore they ought to be called sinnes Neither by this our sentence do we fall into that folishnes which the Pelagians vpbrayded vnto Augustine and to other of the catholikes as though they should say that by regeneration The PelagiaÌ„â— bâ—â—ided vnto catholikes folishnes is not blotted out sinne but only rased For when heares are shauen there remaine still vnder the skinne the rootes of the heares by which they grow vp againe For although we affirme that in men regenerate remaine still lust A similitude corrupt motions yet do we not deny but that God is perfectly reconciled vnto vs. Wherfore although of their owne nature they are sinnes yet by the mercy of God they are so blotted out that they now vtterly cease to be imputed wherfore if we As touchinge imputation sinnes are vtterly taken is regeneration haue a respect vnto imputation there remayneth nothing of them Last of al they obiect vnto vs that we do iniury vnto Augustine when we say that he affirmeth these to be sinnes when as he interpreteth himself that they are called sinnes improperly For as a scripture or writing is called a hand for that it is done with the hand so that these called sinnes for that they come from original sinne and as cold Why Augustine calleth these motioÌ„s sinnes is called slouthfull for that it maketh vs slouthfull so are these called sinnes for yâ— they stirre vs vp to sinnes but yet properly they are not sinnes So say they Augustine by this meanes doth not only interpretate himselfe why he calleth these sinnes but also hath geuen vnto vs a way how we ought to vnderstand Paul wheÌ„ he calleth these sinnes Hereunto we aunswer first that if either Augustine or any other of the fathers do deny that these are sinnes that is to be vnderstand by When the fathers say that these motioÌ„s ar not sinnes they vnderstand that they are not actual sinnes way of comparison if they be compared with actuall sinnes but not that the nature of sinne can wholy be taken away from them Which thing Augustine in another place most plainly declareth For against Iulianus in his 6. booke 8. chap. For it is not sayth he no iniquity when in one man eyther the superiour partes are after a vile maner seruantes vnto the inferiour partes or the inferiour partes after a vile maner resist the superiour partes although they be not suffred to get the maistry Seyng that he calleth this sinne iniquitie he plainly declareth that vnto it is agreable the nature of sinne which we before described And in his 5. booke agaynst the same Iulianus He expressedly calleth these motioÌ„s sinnes and affirmeth thâ— to be iniquities the third chapiter he thus writeth The luste of the fleshe agaynst which the good spirite lusteth is sinne for that in it is a disobedience agaynst the gouernment of the mind and it is a punishement of sinne for that it is rendred vnto the merites of the disobedient person and it is a cause of sinne thorough the falling away of hym that sinneth Here we sée that lust is of Augustine thrée maner of wayes called sinne Neither Note these wordes of Augustine can it be sayd that he writeth these thinges of a man not regenerate For he expressedly saith Against which the good spirite lusteth For in the wicked is not the spirite of God which striueth against lustes Wherfore we haue out of Augustine thrée places one which we before cited out of his 5. booke de libero Arbitrio and Lust remayning in vs is truly and properly sinne two against Iulianus wherin he expressedly confesseth that lust is sinne and bringeth a reason why he so thinketh Neither oughte our aduersaries as touchynge the interpretacion of Paul to runne vnto a figure to say that this is not properly to be called sinne For both out of Paul and out of other places of the scripture is brought good reason why lust is truly and properly called sinne And it is to be woÌ„dred at that these men otherwise are euery where so prone to figures when as in this one proposition This is my body they so much abhorre from al kind of figures when as yet notwithstanding a figure is there most conuenient And if thou desire other testimonies of the fathers wherby to proue that lust is sinne we haue before cited Ierome vpon Mathew And there are in Augustine against Iulianus found cited a great many other sentences of the auncient fathers All which make wholy on our side But now let vs come to the exposition of the 8. chapter The eight Chapter FOrasmuch as nowe there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of lyfe which is in Christ Iesus hath made me fre froÌ„ the law of sinne and of death For as much as in this chapiter are entreated many notable things it shall The Method of this chapt not be amisse to deuide the summe of them into the partes thereof Firste Paul remoueth away condemnation which he sayth is taken away by the Lawe of the spirite of life which spirite we haue obteyned by the benefite of the death of Christ And this liberty promiseth he not indifferentlye vnto all men but only vnto those whiche are in Christe and walke not accordinge vnto the fleshe but according to the spirite For they which seperate them selues from Christ can not be pertakers of his benefite TheÌ„ he addeth that we by this spirit are
to moderate the paines inflicted of God althoughe the bodye be sayde to be deade bicause of sinne yet ought we not therfore to thinke that God retayneth hatred or anger against his whose sins he hath forgeuē For death and aduersities which afflict the godly ought not to be counted amongest paynes or punishments God is wont in déede to exercise the faythfull with aduersities as we rede of Dauid who although he heard that his sinne was forgeuen hym yet he both lost hys sonne and also in his family suffred wonderfull hard chaunces Wherefore the sacrifising priestes ought not hereof to conclude that it is lawfull for them at their pleasures to impose paynes and satisfactions vpon them whome they haue absolued from sinnes For only Christ when he died vpon the crosse hath aboundantly made satisfaction for vs all Neither did Christ impose any paynes ether vnto the thiefe or to the sinfull woman or vnto the man sicke of the palsey vnto whome he sayd Sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee Neither haue these men one word in the holy scripturs of their satisfactions Howbeit we both may and ought to exhort as many as returne vnto Christ and do repent by good workes to approue themselues to shew worthy fruites of repentance and whome they haue before by their euil workes offended him now to reconcile and edefie by their maners being changed Although these men ought not The kayes of the churche can not moderate the scourges of God vnder this pretence to clayme or chalenge vnto thēselues their kayes as though they could at their pleasure moderate the scourges of God whether they are to be suffred in this life or as they fayne in an other For it lieth in Gods hand only ether to send or to release warres disseases hunger persecutions and such other like kinde of calamities Neither hath God when he afflicteth the Saints alwayes a regard vnto this by a fatherly chastisement to correct their sinnes For oftentimes An other end of the scourges of God it commeth to passe that he will haue his Saintes geue a testemony of his doctrine and make manifest vnto the worlde how much his mighty and strong power is of efficacy in them So was Iohn Baptist behedded so were Esay Ieremy and al the Martyrs slayn This matter is clearely entreated of in the booke of Iobe Howbeit it is profitable that the godly be oftentimes admonished of repentance The spirite of Christ is the ground of our resurrection The flesh of Christ really eaten is not the cause of our resurrectiō and of good workes that God may lenefye and mitigate those scourges and calamities which he vseth to inflict vpon sinners Wherefore this place seemeth nothing to confirme either purgatory or satisfactions Howbeit by these wordes we are manifestly taught what is the ground or beginning of our resurrection namely the spirit of Christ which first dwelt in him and afterward also dwelleth in vs. Wherfore they are deceiued which thinke that vnto our resurrection is necessary either transubstantiation or the presence of Christ in the Eucharist as though out of his flesh which they will haue to be eaten of vs really we shal draw eternall life as out of a true fountaine and a certaine ground For here they make a false argument from that which is not the cause as the cause Here Paul writeth that the beginning of a new life is that we haue the selfe same spirite which was in Christ which is the whole and perfect cause of our resurrection But how the spirit of Christ can haue place in the supper of the Lord we may easely vnderstand In the holy supper we are indued with the spirite of Christ How the fleshe and bloud of Christ are a helpe vnto the reresurrectiō Wherefore the fathers sometimes attribute this thing vnto the sacraments A place of Iohn in the vi chapt for there we renue the memorye of the death of Christ of which if by faith we take hold in the communion we are more plentifully endued with the spirite of Christ wherby not only the minde is quickned but also the bodye is so renued that it is made pertaker of the blessed resurrection Hereby it is manifest how the flesh and bloud of Christ conduce to the bringing forth of the resurrectiō in vs. For by faith we take hold that they were deliuered for vs vnto the death by this faith we obteine the spirite to be made both in minde and in body pertakers of eternall lyfe And if the fathers at any time seme to attribute this vnto the sacramentes y◠hereof commeth for that they ascribe vnto the signes the thinges which are proper vnto the thinges signified This may we perceiue by the 6. chapiter of Iohn for there Christ promiseth life vnto them that eate his flesh and drinke his bloud And it is not harde for any man to sée that in that place is spoken of the spirituall eatinge whyche consisteth of fayth and the spirite For the signes were not as yet geuen of Christe And whereas hee sayth The breade whiche I will geue is my fleshe whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde is to bee vnderstande of the fleshe of Christe fastened vpon the crosse whiche beinge by faith comprehended of vs shall so strengthen and confirme vs as if it were our bread and our meate And that Christ sayd in the future tempse I vvil geue it is not to be meruayled at for he was not yet dead But hys death which afterward followed brought to passe that y◠body of Christ was offred vnto vs not only in words but also in outward signes in that last time when he was at the poynt to be deliuered Augustine in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn defendeth this doctrine For he sayth To beleue is To eate And he sayth moreouer That the old Fathers vnder the law did eate the selfe same thing that we doo For theyr sacraments and ours were all one and though their signes were diuers yet the things signified are one and the selfe same And in his epistle vnto Marcellinus he sayth That the sacramentes of the elders and ours were herein diuers for that they ▪ beleued in Christ to come and we beleue in him being now alredy come And Leo bishoppe of Rome in his epistle vnto them of Constantinoble sayth that we receauing the vertue or power of the heauēly meate do passe into the flesh of Christ which is made ours Ireneus oftentimes sayth that our flesh and our bodies are norished with the flesh and bloud of Christ which so it be rightly vnderstand we deny not For euen as by naturall meates is made bloud whereby we are naturally fed so by the flesh and bloud of Christ being taken holde of by fayth we draw vnto vs the spirite whereby the soule is norished and the body made pertakers of eternall life which we shall haue in the resurrectiō Farther we doubt not but that our flesh and body doo
eate the signes of this sacrament which signes are called by the name of the things signified And when we heare the fathers speake of the true flesh and body and bloud of Christ which we eate in the Eucharist if we looke vpon theyr natural and proper sence we shall se that they had to do agaynst those heretickes which denyed that Christ verely tooke humane flesh and affirmed that he semed to be a man onelye by a phantasye and certayne outward appearance And if it were so then as those Fathers very well sayd our sacramentes should be in vaine For the bodye and bloude of Christ should be falsely signified vnto vs if they had neuer beinge in Christe Wherefore throughe our spirite whereby our minde eateth when we communicate our body also is renued to be an apte instrument of the holyghost wherby vnto it by the promise of God is due eternall life And euen as the vine tree being planted into the earth when his time coÌ„meth waxeth grene and buddeth forth so our dead karkases being buried in the ground shal at the hour appoynted A similitude by Christ be raysed vp to glory And if in case the absolute whole and necessary cause of our resurrection should as these men would haue it be that eatinge It is proued that the reall eating of the fleshe of Christ is not the cause of the resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh of Christ which they fayne is in the Eucharist really and corporally receaued of vs what should then become of the Fathers of the old Testament which could not eate it after that maner when as Christ had not yet put on humane nature But peraduenture they wil say that they speake not of them but of vs only For we can not rise agayne vnles we eate the flesh of the Lord for Christ instituted thys sacrament for vs and not for then But doo not these men perceaue that in this theyr so saying they now alter the cause of the resurrectioÌ„ But by what authority or by whose permission or commaundement they doo yâ— let theÌ„ consider For yâ— which is vnto one people the cause of resurrection how What shall become of our infaÌ„ts should not the same be so also vnto an other But to graunt them this what in Gods name will they say touchinge infantes which dye in theyr infancy before they receaue the sacrament of the Eucharist Seing they confesse that they shall be raysed vp to glory euen hereby at the least way they may vnderstand that the corporall eating of the flesh of Christ is not so necessary vnto the resurrection but the spirituall eating is altogether necessary as without whiche no man can arise agayne to saluation For Christ expressedly saith Vnles ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall not haue life in you Shall also quicken your mortall bodies This he therefore speaketh for that through the spirite that dwelleth in vs we are now made yâ— members of Christ But it is not a thing semely that the hed should liue and the members be dead He sayth mortall bodies bycause so long as we liue here we cary about death together with vs but then shall God change the nature of our bodies But so often as we heare yâ— our bodies are called mortall let vs call to mind sinne for by it are we made obnoxious vnto death Chrisostome hath very warely admonished vs that we should not by reason of these wordes of Paul imagine that the Here is not spoken of euery resurrectioÌ„ from the dead but onely of the wicked for yâ— they want the spirite of Christ shall not be raysed vp froÌ„ the dead For here is not entreated of euery resurrection but onely of the healthfull and blessed resurrection For the life of the damned shall be euerlasting misery wherfore it is rather to be called death then lyfe For theyr worme shall not dye and healthfull resurrectioÌ„ theyr fyre shall not be quenched Therefore brethern we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye mortefye the deedes of the flesh by the Spirite ye shall liue For as many as are led by the Spirite of God are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receaued the spirite of bondage to feare agayne But ye haue receaued the spirite of adoption whereby we cry Abba father VVe are debters not vnto the flesh to liue according to the flesh Here he setteth forth a most swete exhortation to moue vs to liue according to the spirite and not according to the flesh And to declare that we are vtterly bound so to Wherof our boâ—d to liue vprightly springeth doo he taketh a reasoÌ„ from that which is iust and honest Seing we are debters it behoueth that we faythfully pay our debts And this debt springeth of those benefites which God hath bestowed vpon vs which we haue before made mencion of namely for that Christ hath dyed for vs for yâ— he hath geuen vnto vs his spirite whereby we are deliuered from condemnation from the Law of sinne and of death and whereby the righteousnes of the Law is fullfilled in vs and we are made pertakers both of the death of Christ and of the blessed resurrectioÌ„ Herefore it is that we are bound not to liue any more according to the flesh To haue made this sentence perfect Paul should haue added but according to the spirite But he suppressed thys part of the Antithesis for that it is by the other part sufficiently vnderstand For these are of the nature of those kindes of opposites or contraries that the one geuing place the other streight way succedeth Here Chrisostome noteth that God freelye and of his owne accord geueth vnto vs all those good thynges which he bestoweth vpon vs but we contrarywyse whatsoeuer we doo vnto God we do the same of dewty For we are bouÌ„d to doo it And if yâ— case be so as is in very dede where are theÌ„ become works of supererogatioÌ„ For let yâ— aduersaries Against workes of supererogation We owe much vnto the nature or substance of the flesh Here is not spoken of the substaÌ„ce of the flesh but of the corruption of nature The necessity of good woorkes answere me whether those workes be according to yâ— flesh or according to yâ— spirite If according to the flesh then are they sins but if according to yâ— spirite we owe theÌ„ of duety Neither doth Paul here mean that we owe nothing vnto the fleshe for we ought vndoubtedly to féede it and to cloth it and that not only as touching our selues but also as touching our neighbours if they haue nede But here is not entreated of the substance of the fleshe but only of the corruption whereby we are drawen vnto sinne For vnto it we in such sort owe nothing but mortification as Paul will straight way declare And when he saith that we are not
who do not only deceiue others but also chiefly thēselues That is the true faith which Paul describeth to the Galath which worketh through loue For alwaies of true fayth springeth charity For it is not possible the the true and chiefe good thing being certainly known should not be beloued and earnestly desired He that séeth not the connexion and order of these vertues séeth nothyng for so straightly are they knit together that euen as of true faith of necessity followeth charity so againe on the other side he which wanteth faith must of necessity abhorre God and hate him so far is it of that he can loue him But this is not to be passed ouer the euen the most holiest men so long as they liue here haue a very slender loue towardes God For oftentimes they be drawen backeward by lustes of the flesh and that is the cause why iustification can not be ascribed vnto it For if we should leane vnto our loue forasmuch as it is very weak we should continually stagger But God will haue his promise to be firme and sure But thou wilt obiect that our faith also is weake I graunt it is so and therfore we leane not vnto faith as it is a worke but we haue an eye vnto the mercy of God his promise which by faith we embrace and so our iustification hangeth not of the worke of faith but of his obiect Howbeit in this infirmity of our loue towardes God thys thing haue the godly which the vngodly haue not that as soone as they haue fallen they straightway run vnto God They are sory they repent by y◠meanes prefer Christ only before all thinges so that for his sake they offer themselues to suffer all maner of thinges But the vngodly alwayes sticke in the mire they returne not earnestly vnto God but become euery day worse worse When Paul writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is we know he meaneth not a slight or slēder knowledge but a firme certaine and sound knowledge For none that is a Christian ought to be in doubt of the last ende of his state The state of the godly is to the better but the state of the vngodly is to destruction We after a sort are as players in a commedie where in although the beginning middle part be troublesome yet it is with a ioyfull pleasaunt ende concluded But the vngodly are as players in a Tragedy which although at the beginning it seme godly and gorgious yet hath it an horrible and lamentable ende This diuersity noted Abraham in the Gospell for vnto the A testimony of Abraham riche man burning in the flames of fire he sayd Remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuedst good thynges but Lazarus euill Wherefore it is no meruayle if thinges do now go otherwise Which are called accordyng to purpose These wordes declare who they be which loue God And he bringeth a reason why vnto them all things turne vnto good for that it is mete and conuenient that all things do seruice vnto the counsell predestination and election of God that whomsoeuer he hath decréed to saue All thinges ought to be seruisable vnto the counsell of predestination him must all creatures whatsoeuer they be of necessity helpe He vseth this word purpose which at other times also in this matter he oftē vseth For in the next chapter he saith That the election mought abyde according to the purpose of God And vnto the Ephe. the 1. chap. Which hath predestinated vs accordyng to purpose and grace by the force wherof he worketh all thynges accordyng to the councell of hys wyll And in the latter to Tim. the first chap. Which hath called vs wyth hys holy calling not according to our works but according to purpose and grace And by these words he semeth to note Two manner of callinges Here is vnderstand a mighty and constant calling a certain distinction of callings For the one is outward which is by the holy scriptures sermons the other inward wherby the mind is moued by y◠instinct of God which in wardcalling also is not of one sort For there is one during but for a time an other of efficacy and abiding The Apostle whē he saith accordyng to purpose defineth callyng and contracteth it to that strong and constant impulsion Chrisostome in this place thinketh that this worde purpose is not to be referred vnto God but vnto the will and counsell of them which are called that the Apostle should not séeme to attribute so much vnto the election of God The Iewes saith he and Ethnikes whē they An error of Chrisostom hard these things made a stirre and demaunded what should let but that they also might be saued Chrisostome séemeth as often as he entreated of the election or predestination of God to haue bene somewhat afeard lest some occasion should be geuen vnto Whereof Chrisostom was afeard men to liue idly and wickedly or to lay the faulte of their wicked actes vpō God although he sometimes goeth plainly inough to worke ascribeth all our good thinges whatsoeuer they be vnto the grace of God And this place he thus goeth about to extenuate as though God in dede calleth and electeth men but yet those only which either already haue or hereafter shall haue a purpose and will to obey but herein he excedingly erreth in that he denieth that this is the purpose of God For the wordes which follow plainly teach that this is wholy to be referred vnto Purpose in this place ought to be referred vnto God predestination For it followeth Whome he foreknew those also hath he predestinated And in the next chapiter it is written According to election that the purpose of God should abide By which wordes we sée y◠predestination dependeth not of our wil but of the purpose Predestination depēdeth not of our wil but of the purpose of God of God Which selfe thing is declared vnto the Ephe. where it is written That we are predestinate accordynge to purpose by the force whereof God woorketh all things accordyng to his counsell and wyll In which place it cannot be denied but that he vnderstādeth the purpose of God and much lesse can that be denied in the first chap. vnto Tim. where it is thus written God hath called vs wyth hys holy calling not by our workes but by his purpose and by grace Which selfe thing Paul teacheth in the first chap. vnto the Ephe. For he sayth That we are predestinate into the adoption of the sonnes of God accordyng to his good pleasure And Christ saith I geue thankes vnto thee O holy father for that thou hast hidden these thynges from the wyse and hast reueled them to infantes because it hath so pleased thee And Paul vseth this word purpose to declare a certaintie for that the thinges which God by his prouidence hath decréed are stable and firme But his minde is to proue that men ought not to
yâ— he should be yâ— son of Dauid nether had they any deper or higher coÌ„sideratioÌ„ touching him wherfore Christ obiected vnto theÌ„ yâ— 110. Psalme where Dauid calleth yâ— Messias his lord which could not haue bene agreeable to a pure simple man borne of his stocke as they foolishly imagined Ambrose expounding this place coÌ„teÌ„deth yâ— these words must nedes be applied vnto Christ for that there is here mention made of no other person vnto whome they may aptly be applied If they will saith he haue these thinges to be vnderstanded of Christ let them shew some other person mencioned of Paul vnto whome they maye be referred And if besides Christe they can finde none other then let them leue vnto Christ the glory which Paul attributeth vnto him Ambrose indeede confesseth that when the father and the sonne are ioyned together in The father is called God and the sonne Lord when in the scriptures they are ioyned together That rule seemeth not to be perpetuall the holy scriptures the father is called God and the sonne Lorde and this he sayth is done for this consideration for that we affirme that we worship one God only And if we should repete the name of God we mought peraduenture seme to departe somewhat from that vnity and therefore are those names so altered But I see that that rule is not in the scriptures perpetually obserued For we rede in the Psalme as it is cited to the Hebrues Therefore O God hath thy God annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes Here for that he entreateth of the father and of the sonne he repeteth the name of God twise He saith â—dreouer that this particle Christ to be ouer all is had also in the epistle to the Phillippians For there it is written That in the name of â—esu euery knee should bow both of thinges celestiall terrestiall and infernall Out of which place no les then out of The worshipping exhibited vnto Christ is a testimonie of hys diuinitie this wherewith we are now in hand he gathereth the diuine nature in Christ For he should not be worshipped of all if he were not God For in the Apocalipse Iohn was prohibited of the Angell to worship him I am thy fellow seruant said he take hede thou do it not But Christ when as he oftentymes permitted himself to be worshipped manifestly testified that he was true God For forasmuch as he was a most sharpe defender of the sincere and pure worshipping of God he would neuer haue suffred himselfe to be worshipped in stede of God vnles he had bene in very dede God Yea saith he Paul would so vehemently affirm that Christ is God that vnto hys wordes he addeth Amen Which particle without all This word Amen maketh a strong asseueration controuersy maketh a great affirmation Chrisostome also seemeth to ascribe these thinges vnto the sonne For he saith That Paul when he had reckened vp the wonderfull greate benefites which God hath bestowed vpon the Hebrues which were so great that our sauiour tooke fleshe of that nation by this exclamation both gaue thankes and also referred the prayse to the sonne of God and that not without iust consideration especially seing that he knew that Christ was euery where of the Iewes blasphemed and reproched and that most of all when they reiected and cast of his Gospell and preaching We haue els where toughte by testimonies broughte out of the scriptures In his commentaries vpon the first epistle to the Corrinthians and those most certayne that Christ is God wherefore in this place to repete them agayne it is not nedeful Iohn in his 5. chapter of his first epistle expressedly pronounceth that Christ is the true God eternall life At this tyme it shal be sufficieÌ„t to haue noted that by this sentence of the Apostle which we are now in hand with are ouerthrowen confuted many heresies The Manichies tought that Christ had not a true body but that whatsoeuer séemed to be in him as touching an humane body was only a phantasie and an illusion of the eyes But Paul sayth that Christ had fleshe and that he tooke it of the nation of the Hebrues Which wordes of Paul make also against those which confesse that Christ had indéede a true body but yet say that he brought it from heauen and tooke it not of the virgin Mary For they trifle that Christ traduced his body through her no otherwise then water is deriued thorough a conduite or pipe But Paul manifestly saith that the fleshe of Christ was made not through the Hebrues but of the Hebrues Arrius also is by these wordes confuted who impudently durst affirme that Christ was only a creature and with his blasphemous mouth durst deny the sonne of God to be God In this route also is Nesterius who confesseth both natures in Christ but he seioyned the one from the other that he held that that coniunction betwene them is only by grace and that of those two natures is not made one person Wherefore he denied that the blessed virgine could be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mother of God but should only be called the mother of man for which the diuine nature it can not stand to be borne agayne But he considered not that Paul here saith that Christ is of the Iewes as touching the fleshe We graunt indede that the things which were vniuersally spoken of Christ are sometimes to be vnderstanded of the one nature and sometymes of the other when yet notwithstanding Christ himselfe is onely one person and hypostasis So we say that the immortall God was borne crucified and died For there is a certayne communicating of the Idiomata or proprieties by the wonderful connexion A communicating of the proprieties of the two natures which Nestorius went about to seioyne and plucke in sonder Howbeit I am not ignorant that Erasmus in this place imagineth two other readinges besides this receaued reading whiche we follow One of them is that we should thus reade Of whome is Christ as touching the fleshe so that there should be put a stay and then followeth that which remaineth as an exclamacion seperated wherein Paul sayth that God which ouer all is to be praysed for euer so that God signifieth either the father or els the whole Trinity The other is to be reade after this maner Of whome is Christ as touching the fleshe which is ouer all and thereto make a poynt and then adde this as a member by it selfe God is blessed for euer These readinges I see no cause why we should admitte For seing that the common and receaued reading is prospicuous and plaine I thinke it most mete rather to follow it For these readinges put a new apostrophe or turning of speach either to God the father or to the holy Trinity when as there is no such nede Farther Paul semeth to follow the same maner that is oftentimes vsed of A maner of
the Prophets and of the Psalmes the Hebrew prophetes and also in the Psames that the latter â–ª part of the periode should repete that which was spoken in the first Which thing he doth here most playnly and with much efficacy For first he touched the diuinity of Christ when The diuinitie of Christ thre times proued by this place he sayd as touching the fleshe for that particle should not haue bene necessary if there had bene in Christ nothyng els but his humane nature And he addeth Who is ouer all Which thing belongeth to God only Wherefore that which was in those clauses spoken somewhat obscurelye in the other part of the Periode he speaketh more expressedly For he sayth Who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen Neither is the reason of Ambrose lightly to be considered that we ought not in this place to séeke any other thing or any other persoÌ„ wheÌ„ as here is purposedly entreaty made only of yâ— Son Erasmus excuseth this his deuise that he nothinge hindreth the diuine nature which we affirme to be in Christ especially seing the same may be aboundantly proued by other places of the scriptures We answere that we also know ryght well that the diuine nature in Christ is by many other places of the scriptures sufficiently testified but yet we thinke that this is also together with the rest to be retained for so we sée all the fathers haue done Neither is it mete that we should without cause decaye the armory of the Church which we ought rather dayly to fill and to renew But peraduenture he will say They trust but a litle to other places which so earnestly contende for this one Verely we do not a litle put confidence in other places but seing that this place is very firme and cleare we wyll not loose it The commentaryes of Orygen testify that these thynges are spoken of Christ as though Paul in these wordes woulde refell those which at that tyme durst not openly call Christ God which is meruayle to heare Origen affirme when as he otherwise did not rightly thynke of the sonne of God But Erasmus thinketh that that part in those coÌ„meÌ„taries to the Romanes is none of his For he sayth that Ruffinus or whosoeuer he were that turned Origen amended certayne things of purpose that the readers should not be to much offended And Ierome agaynst Ruffinus testifieth that Origen in hys other bookes neuer wrote well of these thinges touching which he had erred in hys bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if it be true then forasmuch as in those bookes he had a most wicked iudgement of the sonne of God it may easely be proued that those thinges could not be written of him in his commentaries to the Romanes But howsoeuer it be touching Origen for his commentaries to the Romanes are not extant in the Greke wherby we might any thing iudge of them thys is certayne that Ciprian a most auncient writer in his 2. booke agaynst the Iewes the 5. chapiter vseth this testimony to proue the diuinity of Christ Although when he citeth the wordes of Paul he leueth out this word God Which same thing Hilary did vpon the 122. Psalme But that may seme to come thorough the negligence of the writers as Erasmus himselfe confesseth Neither is this to be omitted that that particle Ouer all maye be adioyned vnto that particle which followeth Blessed so that the sence is God which is to be praysed aboue all But not as though the word of God hath fallen away For not all they which are of Israell are Israelits nether are they all children which are the sede of Abraham but in Isaake shall thy seede be called That is Not they which are the children of the flesh are the children of God but they which are the children of the promise are counted for the seede For thys is a word of promise In thys same time will I come and Sara shall haue a sonne And not onlye thys but also Rebecka when she had conceyued by one euen by our father Isaake For the children being not yet borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that yâ— purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was sayd vnto her The elder shall serue the younger As it is written Iacob haue I loued â–ª and Esau haue I hated But not as though the worde of God hath fallen away Those thynges which Paul had spoken in the commendation of the Iewes semed as Chrisostome sayth to haue aggrauated the question For the Iewes were offended for that they being adopted into the people of God and hauing the Law geuen vn-them and endewed with promises should be reiected and in theyr places should be put the Gentiles which had bene alwayes aleants from God without adoption without the Law and without any promise at all of Christ And thys offence had now so much increased amongest theÌ„ that they sayd that that Christ whome Paul preached was not the true Messias promised of God Paul considering these things with him selfe ernestly lameÌ„ted that the Iewes were reiected But lest any man should thinke that he so lamented as though he thought that the promises of God were made voyde therfore he now both defeÌ„deth himselfe and the promises I doo not sayth he therefore speake these thinges or am therefore so ernestly sorry for that I thinke that the worde of God is fallen away for I know that his promises are constant and firme although these men perish I bewaâ—â—e indede theyr case but yet not so that I thinke that the league and couenant The cause of the griefe of Paul with God made with the children of Abraham is violated For although the Iewes being blinded refuse the Gosple yet the promises of God abide constant But that which moueth me thus to bewayle my nation is this for that when as I know that vnto that nation were made the promises and do se that so many of them do perish now I perceaue that that saluatioÌ„ promised pertayneth only to a few for which thing doubtles I am excedingly sorry For not all they vvhich are of Israell are Israelites neither are they all children vvhich are the sede of AbrahaÌ„ but in Isaake shall thy sede be called That these thinges may the playnlier be vnderstanded this we ought to know that the Apostle toke this as a thing most manifestly knowen by the holy scriptures that the promise touching Christ and euerlasting saluatioÌ„ was made vnto yâ— Iewes vnto the Iewes I say that is vnto the posterity of Abraham which should be The cause of saluation commeth not of carnall procreation borne of his flesh but yet that naturall procreation from Abraham was not the cause of saluation and of receauing Christ For if that had bene the cause then coulde none issuyng from him haue bene frustrated of the promise of God But that some were frustrated the Apostle declareth in Ismaell
nature of carnall generation And by this second example also Paul ascendeth Workes propagation of the fleshe are remoued away in the latter example higher neither remoueth he away only carnall generation from the cause of the efficacy of the promise of God but also workes For he sayth that those infantes were not yet brought forth to light neither had done either good or euill neither were they therefore seperated the one from the other that the one should be reiected the other elected that the one should be loued of God and the other hated Of these two thinges the Hebrues were accustomed continually to boast as of thinges most excellent namely nobility of bloud holynes of workes The one of theÌ„ Paul had now before remoued away now also he remoueth away workes When they were not yet borne neither had done any good or euill The Apostle entendeth in this place to set forth certayne thinges from which humane reason excedingly abhorreth for first he sayth that the mere goodnes and clemeÌ„cy of God is the ground of election Which thing men for that they to much Two things here entreated of â–ª from which humane reasoÌ„ excedingly abhorreth delight in themselues to much loue themselues do not easely graunt For they would rather appoint the groundes of their saluation in themselues and not gladly committe the same wholy vnto God Farther he sayth that this liberality and mercy of God is vtterly frée from all lawes so that it is bound to no man but that it fréely either reiecteth or electeth whom it will Here also is our reason excedingly offended for vnto men it séemeth equity that seing all men are of a like estate and condition God should also haue towardes all men a like and equall inclination for that they say longeth to iustice Wherefore they seme couertly to accuse Our soules liued not before they were ioined to the bodies God as an accepter of persons Farther by these wordes of the Apostle is condemned their error which thought that our soules either sinned or liued iustly before they were thrust into the bodyes for if it were so then had not the Apostle sayde rightly before they had done either good or euill Of that opinion was Origen thorough to muche following the doctrine of Plato Wherefore we muste holde that our soules had no being before they were ioyned vnto the bodyes For they could not haue liued idely and if they had done any thing the same doubtles should haue bene either iust or vniust and so they had done either some good or some euill But they which thinke that God in his election followeth workes foresene deny that they are by these sentences of the Apostle confuted For in that Paul sayth that God elected the one of these and reiected the other before they were borne that they say is to be referred to the singular sharpenes of the sight of God which séeeth those things which shall come to passe long time before they haue their being But the Apostle when as he straight way addeth that the election should abide according to purpose semeth not to haue had a respect vnto workes foresene but only to the singular will of God But neither by this do they confesse themselues to be confuted They affirme that the election of God is gouerned by foreknowledge whereby Against theÌ„ which think that election consisteth of works foresene when as he foreséeth what maner one euery man shall be so he either reiecteth or electeth euery one The selfe same thing also affirme they of the purpose of God that it ought to be iust and therefore ought to be moderated by the foreknowledge of workes and that for that cause it is called purpose because that that shall vndoubtly and immutably come to passe which God foreséeth But if it were so as these men imagine Paul ought then to haue sayd that vnto workes and merites should abide their dew honor which yet he saith not but opposeth vnto them the election and purpose of God And he expressedly addeth Not of workes and as it were euen of purpose denieth that which these men so earnestly endeuor themselues to obtrude wherfore thus to thinke semeth to be nothing els then to swim against the streame and manifestly to fight against the purpose of the Apostle For Paul to the end that nothing should want to confirme that which we say namely that the election of God is the chief cause of our saluation addeth But of him that calleth Whereby we vnderstand that our saluation There ought not to be put in man any thyng that is good which shold moue the will of God to elect him wholy dependeth of him which electeth and calleth vs. And it is verye absurde to set in man any thing so good that can moue the will of God to elect vs for whatsoeuer good thing is in man the same wholy procedeth from God vnles we wil say that there may be some thing that is good which is not of God which were to make of a creature a God And if they graunt that all good thinges which men either shall do or can do do proceede from God then also doubtles must they nedes confesse and graunt that God distributeth not these thinges rashly or by chaunce or vnaduisedly But now if these things be destributed God in no wise dâ—stributeth his gifteâ— rashly The things which God geueth vnto vs are not the causes of election by the election and predestination of God then can they not be yâ— causes of election or of predestination Farther the Apostle a litle afterward so referreth all things to the wil of God yâ— he vtterly excludeth our wil for he saith I will haue mercy on whome I will haue mercy and will shew compassion on whome I will shew compassion Wherefore it is not either of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy And that we should not take it ill for that God after this maner dealeth with vs he vseth a similitude of the potter which of one and the selfe same masse maketh one vessel to honor and an other to contumely and he addeth That the clay yet can not complayne of his maker Moreouer it is a thing dangerous and not agreeable with a godly man to assigne that Our wil also is excluded from being the cause of the election of God If this should be put to be the cause of saluatioÌ„ â–ª neither so doutles should humane reason be satisfieâ— to be the cause of the election of God which is neither put of Paul when yet he of purpose entreateth of that matter neither is any where extant in all the whole scriptures For that is to imagine vnto our selues that which semeth to be agreeable vnto our reason and besides that neither doubtles can thys imagination in all pointes satisfy humane reason For Augustine against the two epistles of the Pelagians in his 2. booke and 7. chapter
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
Neither in this place as I haue admonished is to be imagined any other holines in y◠roote or in the first fruites then the blessing What holines in the first fruites is here mēt Holines of the roote originall sin let not one the other of the couenant made betwene God and the fathers Neither is the holynes of the roote or first fruites any thing against originall sinne for by nature we incurre that sinne which nature we draw corrupted from our parents But by the promise and force of the couenaunt it is forgeuen which forgeuenes when God worketh we can not learne by the testimony of the scriptures Paraduenture it is forgeuen vnto infantes when they are yet in the wombe or when they are borne or straight way after their birth neither is it paraduenture geuen vnto all men at one and the same time And such a forgeuenes is nothing els but not to impute that sinne vnto them although in very déede it be in them Wherefore we putting our confidence in the constancy of the couenaunt and truth of the promise of God do baptise our infants This allegory of Paul of the holines of the rootes and of the first fruites might at the first sight seme to be against a saying of Ezechiell Whether Paul be against Ezechiel in the 18. chapiter wherein he saith If the father be godly innocent and adorned with vertues the sonne which is borne of him if he be vngodly and an oppressor and defiled with wicked facts shall dye the death the holines of his parent shall nothing profite him And Christ séemed to declare the selfe same thing when he sayd If ye be the children of Abraham do his workes But in very déede obseruing the exposition which we before brought in those sayinges there is no contrariety for we do not affirme y◠the generation or propagation of the flesh is the whole perfect absolute The propagatiō of the fleshe is not the cause of holines cause of grace or of holynes for God can without it geue grace and in very déede he geueth it vnto many which were the children of infidels and many of those which are the posterity of holy parēts are excluded from it but the promise which is y◠cause of holines is in this manner forme set forth offred vnto vs of God y◠he will be our God and y◠God of our séede Which promise y◠childrē of the godly whē they come to age ought by faith to take hold of and to assent vnto it and y◠with an effectuall assent which hath ioyned with it the fruits of good workes otherwise they should not haue saluation the piety of their parēts elders should nothing profite thē Neither must we say as some say y◠Paul now speaketh not of actual holines as they call it but of holines in power for the children of the wicked also maye as touching power be saued for they are created vnto the image of God whereunto is not repugnant so that it please God but that they may be brought to saluation Howbeit they vse to say that the childrē of the faithful haue a more nigher power But this also is not inough for that in this sorte to be nigh in power what thing is it Doubtles they can assigne none other thing but this promise and couenante made with God Howebeit Ambrose laboureth thus to declare it Forasmuch as saith he they haue had faithfull elders they also are not vnworthy to be called vnto the fayth But he séemeth to write ambiguously For if he take worthines for merite Iustificatiō cosisteth not of merites his wordes ought in no wise to be admitted For there is none which meriteth or deserueth to be brought vnto iustification But if by woorthines he vnderstande that they by reason of the promise and couenant of God are somewhat more apte then others this is to come to that exposition which we firste gaue Let vs in the We as touchyng our childrē haue the fruicion of the same priuiledges that the Iewes had meane time hereof gather that the Iewes are not to be reiected as Paul concludeth Let vs also constantly beleue y◠we are in such sort brought into theyr society that as touching our children we haue the fruition of the self same blessinges and priuileges that they had And therfore is not their saluation past all hope whiche now both in the east parts and also vnder the tyranny of the Papistes liue in sondry supersticions séeing that they haue discended from faithfull elders for it maye easly come to passe that the blessing and vertue of the couenant may spring forth againe in them and that they may be drawen to saluation And though some of the braunches be broken of and thou being a wilde oliue tree was grafted in them and made pertaker of the roote and of the fatnes of the oliue tree boast not thy selfe againste the braunches And if thou boast thy selfe thou bearest not the rote but the roote thee And though some of the braunches be broken of When the Apostle had now proued that the fall of the Iewes was not so horrible but that manye of them were saued and shall hereafter be saued and had added that y◠fall was such that it brought no small commoditye vnto the Gentils and after that had by the holines of the roote and of the first fruites proued the excellēcy of the Iewes now he concludeth that we ought not to despise them nor to reproche them And he vseth the figure occupatio that is a preuention for the Gentils moughte haue sayde what profite haue they by the holines of the roote and of the first fruites when as they are cut of from the holy stocke of their godly parentes The Apostle aunswereth now indéede they are cut of but ye haue bene long time wilde oliue trées vnfruitfull The calling to minde of a mans olde estate much conduceth to modesty and straungers from God He putteth them in minde of their old estate which thing much conduceth vnto modesty Men should plucke the wallet whiche hangeth at theyr backe before them and looke vpon it and beginne firste of all to wéede their owne fieldes and then they should not easly skorne at other mens infirmities misfortunes and chaunces In this sorte doth Paul now deale with the Gentils The braunches saith he are broken of but ye haue bene longe time vnfruitefull they are cut of but they were in the stocke we are grafted in but they before obteined the naturall sappe and proper fatnes when the Gentils are sayde to haue bene wild oliue trées without fruit he entreateth not of any Ethnikes perticulerly which thoroughe faith obteined saluation but as I before admonished these things are spoken of the people of the Gentils generally which are worthely called a fruiteles wild oliue trée for that they had not publikely the profession of true piety as the Iewes had Some thinke it straunge that Paul
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
sacrifice 451 Almes are a blessing 452 Almes geuing what is to be sene vnto there in 453 Altares ought not to be vsed in this time 335 Allegoryes what they are 83. 327. 345 Amen what it signifieth 245 Anathema what it is 237. 238 239. 240. 241 Angels may not be prayed vnto 231 Angels some are good and some are euil 235 Angels are subiect to vanitie 213 Angels gouerne diuers regions 359 Anselme his saying vpon free will 28 Antithesis 74 Antiquitie of papisticall churches 244 Apostles and Bishops are not of like authoritie 3 Arguments of the deuinity of Christ 5 Arme of God what it is 325 Arrogancy is a pestileÌ„ce vnto brotherly loue 424 Artes of speaking are not to be condempned 232 Augustine vpon free will 26 Augustine vpon predestination 26 Augustine against Iulianus 27 Auntient fathers how they shold be read 76 Auriculer confession is wicked 382 B BAal what it signifieth 334. 337 Baptisme what it is 52. 86. 143. 145. 146. 147. 148 Beasts were worshipped 25 Beleuing what it is 38 Blasphemy what it is 46 47 Blessednes what it is 75 Blindenes of the heart is sinne 125 Blindenes of the minde 345 Boniface a proud and arrogant Pope 432 Brethren to praise them is profitable for vs. 446 C Câ—uses why Christ offred him selfe vnto death 210 Cerimonyes what they are 69. 70. 71. 152 Circumcision what it is 47. 48. 85. 86. 87. Charitie distinguisheth true faith from false 225 Chaunge of things in the ende of the world 216. 217 Children of wrath who they are 278 Christ excelleth philosophers 10 Christ to dwell in vs how it is to be vnderstand 199 Christ â–ª howe we receiue him and are ioyned vnto him 200 Christ is still the minister of oure saluation 230. 231 Christ is the ende of the law 90 Christ is the heyre of al the world 88 Christ why he is called Lord. 6 Christ had a true body 4 Christ is the head of the promises of God 18 Christe had not his soule from the virgine Mary 110 Christes church shal neuer pearish 235 Christes diuinitie 246 Christes fleshe eaten in the sacrament is not the cause of our resurrection 201. 202 Christs death why it was acceptable to his father 107 Christians what things ought to moue theÌ„ to loue one an other 454 Chrisostome is expounded 16 Chrisostome and Ambrose fail in memory 17 Churches ought to be shut when there is no congregation 31 Church what it is 236. 237. Commaundements of God expounded 46 Concupiscence is not lawful 32. 33. 150 Constantine the great 16 Contention what it is 40 Cornelius iustified 181 Creatures why they are said to mourne 214 215. 216 Creatures are signes that set forth God 21 Crosses are aduersities 209 D DEath is not naturall vnto man 112 Death hath no right wher sin is not 121 Deathe is improprely called a rewarde 157 Degrees to saluation 356 Deuell is a prince of this worlde 337 Differences betwene wryting and painting 30 Difference betwene Dulia and Latria 162 Difference betwene the law and the gospell 61 Dignity of almes 451 Dscord in the church of Rome 415 Disobedience what it is 113 Distinctions 346 Diuorcement vsed among the Iewes 160 Dumme Bishops 13 E EFfects of honour and of contempt 219 Egiptians Idolaters 25 Election what it is 229. 335 Election is the cause of saluation 246. 247. 248. 249. 250. 251. 252. Election of grace what it is 253 Election and reiection depend on the will of God 257 Election and reprobation how they differ 258. 274. 275 Enemy what he is 196 Epistle to the Romains when it was written 451 Epicures error 20 Error of the Maniches 197. 173 Error of the Pelagians 197 Eternal life is called a reward 157 Ethnickes vpbrayd the gospell 14 Ethnickes excel in sharpnes of iudgemeÌ„t 36 Execrations 345 F FAith chiefly glorifyeth God 23 Faith and the gospell may not be taken from Philosophy 19 Faith deâ—ined 20. 40 Faith may not be seperated froÌ„ the gospel 19 Faith is oures and also Gods 18 Faith what it is to liue by it 18. we are iustifyed by it 19 Faith compared with philosophy 98 Faith only iustifieth 63. 64. 75. 87 Faith hath a double signification 16 Faith what it is wherof is a large discourse from the. 62. leafe vnto the. 98. Faith hope are distinguished 220. 22â— 222. Faith is called obedyence 325. and is also called law ibidem Faith excelleth feare 355 Faith must goe before the receiuing of the Sacraments 362 Fire that shall consume the world in the last day 217 Figures are necessary in scriptures 198 Feare is defined 207. 208 Felicitie and blessednes what it is 15. 150 Freewil what it is 26. 171. 172 176. 177. 178. 254. 255. 361. Frendship is a necessary thing 343 Frustrate what the nature of that worde is 23 Fruit of almes 451 Fruit of preaching wherof it cometh 452 G GEneration what is the nature thereof 271 Gentiles conuerted to Christ are Israelites 282 Giftes of the holy ghost 223 Glory and glorifying of God what it is 23. 63. 211. 212 Glotony what it is 434 God is the searcher of our heartes and why it is so sayd 224 God of Sabaoth what it signifieth 283 Gods glory consisteth in all things 24 God suffereth long 37 God forbid what it signifyeth 53 God nedeth no aduocates 24 God tempteth not to euill 28 God willeth that is good 256. 257 God doth things contrary to his lawes 25â— God of coÌ„trary things worketh like effects 232 God is called a Lyon a Bear and a fire 274 God tempted the fathers 169 God seeth all men 55 God ought not to be expressed by images 30 God how he deceiueth 268 God hath not commaunded things vnpossible 194 God worketh in men 151 God worketh not by chaunce 278 God is faithful in his promises 106 God why he is called the God of hope 446 God is wise 456 God confirmeth his by the gospell 456 God is witnessed to be God by any thing in the world how vile so euer the same be 22 Gods reuengement for Idolatry 25 Gods gifts vnto men 13 Gods knowledge is attributed to the vngodly 22 Gods knowledge is speâ—ially knowne in two things 22 God is iudged of men 51 God in dede loueth and in dede hateth 252 God is not the author of sinne 28 God forsaketh the Ethnickes 19 Gods word is the foundation of faith 326 Good workes are not to be reiected 18. 90. 158. 159. Gospell per accidens is the instrumente of death 192 Gospell what it is 3 43. 61. 62 Gospell is no new doctrine 456 Gospel who are they that are ashamed there of 14 Gospel is preferred to al men indiffereÌ„tly 16 Gospel is not new and when it began 4 Gospel is more common then Philosophy 13 Grace what it is 115. 116. 117. 140. 141 Grace is not common vnto all men 335. 336 Grace and life cleaue together 139 Grace is not bound to the Sacraments 83 Grafting in of the GeÌ„tils â–ª truth had
inheritance but we must first in this sort suffer hath gone himselfe he will not offer you to drinke of any other cup but of yâ— wherof he hath himselfe drunke Howbeit this shall be a great comfort vnto vs for that those thinges which we shall suffer shall not be comparable with the glory which shall be reueled in vs. Ambrose followeth this interpretation Howbeit I thinke that this place is so to be vnderstand as though it were a proofe of that which followeth by that which goeth before Ye shall haue the eternal inheritance because ye suffer together with Christ which selfe sentence he vseth in the latter to Tim. If we dye together wyth hym we shall raigne together with hym Chrisostome vpon this place writeth That this is an argument taken a maiori that is from the greater God sayth he hath freely geuen vnto vs many thinges For when we had done nothyng he adopted vs into children he graunted vnto vs to call hym father wherof followed an assured and constant fayth that we are the sonnes of God And how now shal he not geue the inheritaunce which is behynde especially seyng in the meane tyme we haue suffered most greuous calamities Vndoubtedly he wyll not after such and so many trauailes deny it which hath freely and without any our helpe bestowed vpon the beleuers such most excellent giftes And after this sort he declareth that God hath excellently well prouided for men which to the ende they should not boast of their trauaile or industry hath geuen vnto them many thinges fréely and againe that they should not be ashamed that they had obteyned so many great giftes without trauaile he would not haue theÌ„ to come vnto this singuler inheritaunce without wonderfull great fortitude suffring contencion vexation and affliction These thinges auoucheth he and that not amisse nor vnprofitably so that they be of vs rightly vnderstande in such sorte that we confound not the promises of the lawe with the promises of the Gospell And that we should not so do it shall not be out of the way to make plaine what difference there is betwene eche promises They do not herein differ What difference betwene the promises of the law the promses â—f the Gospell as some thinke yâ— the promises of the Gospell haue no conditions ioyned vnto theÌ„ but the promises of the law are neuer offred without conditioÌ„s For euen as it is sayd Honour thy father and thy mother that thou maist lyue long vpon the earth Againe If ye wyll and shall harken vnto me ye shall eate the good thynges of the earth Euen so in the Gospell also we rede Forgeue and it shall be forgeuen you Geue and it shall bee geuen you Againe He whiche forsaketh father or mother or wyfe or house or landes for my sake shall receiue an hundreth folde and possesse eternall lyfe and in this place If so be we suffer together wyth hym we shall be glorified together with hym And Ech promises haue coÌ„ditions annexed vnto them vnto Timo â–ª If we die together with hym we shall also raign together wyth hym Wherfore seyng that this can be no sufficient differeÌ„ce we must seke an other The conditions which are anexed vnto the promises of the law are coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts which the law commaundeth to be fulfilled euen to the vttermost neither will it otherwise render the things promised vnles the conditions be absolutely performed Wherfore The conditions of the law are put as causes of the obteynemente of the promises it is manifest to him yâ— diligently considereth the matter yâ— the conditioÌ„s of the law may be causes of the obteynement of the rewardes whiche were promised For if they mought haue bene so fully performed and accomplished as they were commaunded in the lawe they mought haue bene compared euen with the rewardes and should haue had the nature of merite But for that they coulde not of men be performed God of his mercy in their place substituded promises of the Gospell which although they haue conditions adioyned vnto them yet are they offred fréely For yâ— things that are by them commaunded vnto vs are in déede necessary if we haue power time place and occasion geuen vs to do them This I speake because of infantes and of those which in the last time of their life being at the point of death come vnto Christ For eternall life dependeth not of those conditions as of causes For as we haue now sayd it may both of infantes and of those which in the last moment of their life are conuerted vnto Christ be without The promise of the Gosple may consist without conditions those conditions obtayned And because the promise if it should depend of those conditions as of lawfull causes could not be firme when as there is no man which can fulfill those conditions as they are commaunded euen for that cause also may the promise of the Gospell consist without those conditions This also maketh herewith that Paul saith yâ— they can not be compared with yâ— thing which is promised Three things here to be considered which can not be true in iust and lawfull causes if they be compared with their effectes Wherefore if thou ioyne these thrée thinges together namely that the rewardes of the Gospell are promised fréely that the conditions can not be made equall with them and that the promises ought to be most firme thou shalt both take away the consideration of merite and also shalt easely perceaue wherein they differ froÌ„ the promises of yâ— lawe If thou wilt theÌ„ demaund whether yâ— promises of the lawe were geuen in vayne seing there was neuer any man found which could performe those conditions I will answere that nothing was here done in vaine or rashly For therefore were such impossible conditions annexed The conditions of the Law not put in vain vnto it that men should be put in minde of their infirmity that they throughly vnderstanding it should high them vnto Christ of whome being receaued into fauor and hauing now obtained iustification they may obtaine the selfe same promises For as touching towardes them the promises are now of promises of the lawe made promises of the Gospell for that they which beleued in Christ to come were exercised in the obedience of the law which obedience although it were but only begonne and not to the vttermost perfect yet was it allowed of God And therefore mought they haue the fruition of the promises offred vnto them Chrisostome vpon this place wondreth at the wisedome of the Apostle for that he intending to set forth the goodnes and mercy of God comprehended his seuerity and iustice in one word only For he before as briefely as might be sayd If ye liue accordyng to the fleshe ye shall dye But here in reckening vp the benefites he is so diligent that he doth not only set forth all thinges but also illustrateth them with most excellent amplifications Which thing Paul doth not
without great cause The amplification of the giftes of God perswadeth vs to fortitude For these ornamentes whereby are set forth the giftes of God are of much force to perswade vs to fortitude and to the bearing of calamities which thinge saith he the Apostle chiefely in this place entended He had before exhorted to mortification now in persecutions he exhorteth to constancy For it is not inough for vs to beate backe wicked affectes vnles also we permitte our selues to be crucified to the world the fleshe the deuill and to wicked men Now how aptly and warely Paul commeth to the handling of these thinges the gradation which he vsâ—th plainly declareth Bicause ye are adopted saith he ye cal God Father and seing it is so ye shal be also heyres and not that only but also fellow heyres with Christ with whom ye now suffer many and gréeuous thinges What it is to suffer with What it is to suffer with Christ Two câ—uses why Christ offred himselfâ— vnto the death Christ may thus easely be expressed if we declare what causes moued Christ to suffer so bitter a death vpon the crosse And there were two causes the first was to be obedient as he himselfe said vnto his good father the second to vanquishe and to condemne our sinne They which when they suffer aduersities embrace these two in their hart do suffer with Christe Whatsoeuer sorrowes or aduersities happen vnto them let them reckon with themselues yâ— they happen vnto theÌ„ by the prouidence of God and let them beare whatsoeuer burthen is laid vpon theÌ„ to this ende willingly to obey God the author of that affliction let them consider moreouer that by these calamities the olde man is tamed sinne is broken and that spot throughly grafted and by nature rooted in vs is dissolued But why God Two causes also whych persâ—ade vs to pâ—cience in aduersities Why God suffreth his to be so vexed suffreth those whom he hath adopted vnto himselfe to be so tossed it is not hard to sée For first as we haue alredy said his will is that sinne should be diminished and weakened in vs. Wherefore whatsoeuer aduersity we suffer the same wholy turneth vs to good so that we loue God the father Farther wheÌ„ we are in such sort afflicted we are driuen to call vpon God of whom otherwise it is vncredible how vnmindfull we are Moreouer by this meanes we are called backe through our most louing father from the affection of the world and from the entisements of the flesh from which louing father oftentymes we fall away both to our own also to his great dishonor I omitte that which shoulde chiefely haue bene sayde that the might and power of God is most of all set forth in holy men when with an inuincible and chearefull minde they suffer afflictions calamities I could bring also a great many other causes but these fewe shall for this tyme suffice But why the world wicked men and the deuill after a man is conuerted vnto Christ beginne straight wayes by all maner of most cruell meanes 〈…〉 rage against him I thinke it is not so hard a matter to perceaue For men so soone as they truly and from the hart come vnto Christ straight way beginne to make warre with impiety Hereby are hatredes inflamed against the godly Vnto men conuerted vnto Christ straightway happeÌ„ aduersities and persecutions stirred vp against them By two reasons the Apostle comforteth vs touching the bearing of aduersities Of which the one is taken of the ende after this maner These euils of godly men shall obtayne a blessed ende and happye departure wherefore they are to be suffred with a cherefull and valiant mynde The other is for that those thinges which we suffer although they seeme troblesome and greeuous yet can they not in any wise be compared with the rewardes which shal be rendred vnto vs in an other life By thys vnequall proportion it is manifest if we will speake properly that thys worde merite is not to be attributed vnto our good workes Chrisostome vpon thys place not vnprofitably noteth that Paul before he came to the exhortation of patience in aduersities wonderfully amplified the honour and dignity of the sonnes of God which he did not with so great a diligence before when he entreated of the restrayning of the affectes of the fleshe For as we haue before sayde there are two kindes of Two kindes of mortification mortification of which the one herein consisteth to cepresse the deedes of the flesh the other is valiantly for Christes sake to suffer perils crosses and all maner of tormentes when nede shall require which two thinges if they be compared The suffering of aduersitieâ— is harder thâ—n then the battaile with euill affectes together we shall perceaue that the sustring of aduersities is as far harder matter then is the battaile with the wicked lustes of the minde Aristotle in his Ethikes as he with wisedome saw many other things saith that fortitude is to be preferred before yâ— vertue of teÌ„perance which otherwise is most worthy of praise Of this thing doubtles was not yâ— deuill ignorant for wheÌ„ he reasoned with God touching blessed Iobe A man said he will for his soule geue skinne for skinne and all that he hath Wherefore extend forth thy hand a little vpon him and then shalt thou se whether he will blesse the to thy face or no. For by naturalâ— sharpenes of witte wherein he much excelleth he easely saw that this of all temptations is the greatest when the life it selfe is to be endangered then which is nothinge more swete The fruite which they shall receaue which valiantlye shall labor is alwayes as Paul admonisheth vs to be set before our eyes For so shall we se that when we suffer for Christes sake we shall bring singular commoditye not vnto him but vnto our selues That which the Latine interpreters haue turned Exislimo that is I thinke or count is in Greke written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whiche word can not be referred vnto an opinioÌ„ which is doubfull and vncertayne For yâ— word is chiefly vsed of such as make reckonings which bring theyr accompts into a somme both knowen and sure Wherefore the meaning is as if he should haue sayd Thys I hold for certayne that those euills which we suffer are not to be compared with that glory which we wayte for The afflictions in dede of Afflictions otherwise greeuous are by comparison extenuated the godly are not of theyr owne nature so light but Paul extenuateth them only by a coÌ„parison Wherfore this place conteyneth an amplificatioÌ„ of that felicity which God promiseth vnto vs which is hereby made the more notable for that it farre excelleth all the trauayles of thys life Of which thing godly men are so perswaded that they reioyce euen in the middest of their tribulations Thys selfe same comparison Paul vseth in the latter to the Corrinthians the 4. chap. For he