beleeue that For if sinne be the breaking of the law then without the law there is no sinne P. No but death is the hyre or wages of sinne and deathe executed hys power aforetymes from Adam vnto Moyses the minister of the lawe euen vppon those that had not yet sinned after the maner of Adam which mischeefe God remedied by sending the heauenly Adam of whome the former earthly Adam was a tipe and figure that like as the first Adā had brought in sin and death so this latter Adā shuld bring in forgiuenes of sinnes rightuousnes and consequently also euerlasting lyfe R. It may seeme scarse cōuenient that the olde Adam should be a figure of the new For he did hurt both him selfe by his sinne and his posteritie by his example and by the spreading forth of his sinne by discent of birth and all men doo euen yet still to this day feele the markes of that old offence that is to wit natural leawdnesse distrust feare hatred of god and other suche thinges But Christe is the fountaine and welspring of all good thinges and chaseth al terrour douting and naughtinesse out of our mindes and procureth vs Gods good fauour and welspring Furthermore what iust comparison can there be betweene the sin of Adam and the fauour of God recouered for vs againe by our Lord Iesus Christ P. Truly you haue hit the matter as it is in deede Howbeit although the similitude seme to disagree in the other parts and to match things repugnant togither yet is it not only like but also far greater in this point that as by that one mans fall very manye fell into the tyranny of death so the gyft and grace of God did ouerflovv sheade forth it selfe more abundantly vppon many through Iesus Christ R. Now I perceiue the matter more plainly lyghtsumly For eyther of thē as I see did conuey ouer a certen heritable right of his into mankind The old Adam conueyed ouer sin and death the second Adam Christ conueyed ouer rightuousnes lyfe grace attonement Or if it be lawful to match the greatest things with the smallest God seemeth to haue incoūtered as it were hand to hand with Satan and to haue vtterly cut vp and ouerthrowen his kingdome that is too wit sinne and death and moreouer to haue deliuered Adā frō his tiranny to haue tryumphed and set vp a monument of victorie in grace ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe by his owne most deare beloued son P. After that you haue moost fitly noted vvhat is peculiar too be eyther of the Adams vvhat is common to them both novv it seemeth meete to be considered that there is great oddes betweene the afterdeele which the first Adam brought mankinde vnto by his fault and the vnmeasurable grace that is broughte vs by the heauenly Adam Christ For by the one sinne of the first Adam al men fell in danger of damnation But now the release of many sinnes is befalne vnto men by the benifyte of Christ who pardoneth the misdooings of thē that beleue and giueth them the spirite of true ryghtuousnesse R. Truly I am throughly perswaded of these things For albeit that all the vyces that euer were are or shall be doo spring out of that one offence as out of the verie well head yet notwithstanding there is offered vs so great and so vnconsumable a treasure of all goodnesse and vertue in Christe that wee be no more in any perill eyther of that originall sinne or of any of all the fruites thereof For all that fountayne of sinfulnesse shal be drawen dry by the diuine power of Christ and by the presence of his spirite But what remedie shewe you for death P. Verily euen a readie one Death reigned ouer all men subdued them to his tyrannie by one mans most heinous offence But they that receiue the full measure of Gods grace and the gift of righteousnes shall much more reigne in life thrugh one namely Iesus Christ R. O noble victorie whereby Satan his kingdome and death it selfe and all the rest of our enemies are ouercome by the heauenly Adam our Captayne and Emperour P. But to the intent we may at length make an ende of the comparing of the two Adams togither thus standeth the case Like as by one mans fault and offence condemnation was spred ouer all men so also by one mans righteousnes wherthrough we be made rightuous the benefite and gift also was bestowed vpon all men to iustifie them and to restore them to the spiritual life For like as by one mans disobedience many became gyltie of disobedience so also by one mans obedience many shall be made rightuous R. Surely Paule I am maruelously delighted with these your trim comparisons wherin to my seming you haue comprehended the whole state of christiā religion Which order of dealing would God that all such as will iustly be counted Christes disciples would follow and leaue all curious disputations To bee short I beare this in minde euer shall that all euils are to be fathered vpon the first Adam and all good things vppon the last But I can not tell what a bone you leaue me to gnawe vpon For seeing you attribute all thinges to Gods grace and mercy set foorth to vs in his Christe I see not to what purpose or vse the Lawe shoulde any more serue but to accuse vs and to bewray our sin and to prouoke vs to sin more more P Of the lawe and of his offices wee will speake more at length heereafter For this present thinke you it inough that the law stepped in to thintent that sinne might abound be more plainly discerned of men who were so blinde that they coulde scarse perceiue the shamefulnes of their sinnes And yet notwithstāding it came to passe thrugh Gods grace that the more that sinne abounded and grew strōg the more also did Gods goodnes and mercy ouer abound that like as sin had reigned to the death destruction of mankind so also grace might reigne through righteousnes vnto eternal life that by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christe the purchaser of mans saluation R. Sir you haue hitherto discoursed many thinges notably well concerning the free righteousnes wherwith god indued the beleuers Howbeit forasmuche as many men as I said at the beginning do take libertie occasion of sinning bicause the Lord doth lay forth the treasure of his grace to all men by his Gospell not only not imputeth not their sins to the beleeuers but also poureth the spirit of righteousnes into them as though the praise of gods mercy grew out of the multitude of sinnes therfore if I may be so bold as to take their person vpon me I demaund of you whether it be lawfull for the iustified sort to continue licētiously in sinning Chapter 6.1 either bicause men are frayle and subiect to corruption or to the intent that Gods grace may appeare more and more P. God
eyther the infirmitie or else the frowardnesse of men is so greate that they hate nothing worse than the miseries and aduersities of this world the crosse which Christ hath layd vppon his seruantes to beare dayly And yet notwithstanding it cōmeth to passe through Gods singular goodnes towardes hys rightuous ones and through his power sheaded into their mindes from heauen that they be no whit at all discoraged with aduersitie but doo conceaue euen a speciall pleasure and cheerefulnes at it in their harts Nother is the burthē of the crosse not greuous to our senses But yet is it eased by the softnes of his fatherly loue and tender hartednes which layd the crosse vpon our shoulders cōforteth our minds with his power P. But there is yet one thing more to quicken you vp withall For we sustain and swallowe vp all troubbles cheerefully bycause we are sure that of tribulatiō is engendred patience of patience experience or triall of experience hope and hope hath suche power of it self giueth such power to a man that neuer deceaueth him ne disapoynteth him of the things that he looketh for R. I like very wel of this witty moūting by degrees specially for asmuch as it concludeth confirmeth oure present matter namely that afflictions are not only not bitter or slaūdrouse to the faithfull but also are matched with great praise glory But by your saying no mā is vtterly ignorant of afflictions As for tryall or experience I referre it eyther to our selues or to God For there our constancie corage strength are tryed good men shew a warrāt of a noble mind Heere the softnes the louing kyndns most of all the faithfulnes of our most mercifull father are felt in that he neuer faileth his childrē in their aduersities Therout issueth springeth hope which resteth vpō the goodnes of our most gracious almighty God But by what reason proue you that the ende of hope is alwaies happie P. I auovve that hope can neuer drope nor be ouerthrowē euen in this respecte for that Gods loue is sheade into our harts from heauen by the holy Ghost whome he hathe gyuen vnto vs. R. To my seeming you place hope in the strongest hold that can be namely in the spirit of God For inasmuchas he is the strength power and myghte of the most high God and communicateth his helthfull force to the man that is indued with rightuousnesse finally breatheth and sheadeth Gods fauour loue good lyking into his hart so as he cannot by any meanes doubt of Gods good wyll it is impossible that hope being walled in with so great strength should be beaten out shaken downe thrust out or disapoynted of his expectation But seeing that man is such a louer of him selfe and that he esteemeth and measureth God by his owne nature howe can he perswade himselfe that he is deere and welbeloued of God and that freely and for no deserts of his owne P. You shall easely vnderstande the meane and reason thereof if you often and throughly consider in your mind the tyme when Christ vndertoke to die for vs moost forlorne sinners Heb. 9.5 1. Pe 3. 18 yea euen then cheefly when wee were moost vnworthie of so greate a benefite For in very deede I thinke there is scarcely any that wil die for an honest mā scarcely I say for I deny not vtterly but it may be so For heere may be some one perchance that will finde in his hart to die for a good mans sake But to die for a lewd man for an vnthankfull man for an vniust man vndoubtedly no man will do that And yet Christ did it who sustayned the whipping of his bodie the terrour of his mynde and the sheading of his bloud for vs vnrightuous and vnkynde persones yea and euen his enemies R. Heereby it appeareth sufficiently howe muche Gods loue is excellenter than mans loue For men loue their louers and praysers But God a wonderfull thing to be spoken and right harde to be beleeued did cast so great a fauour to his enemies defyled with all sinfulnesse that he gaue his most dearely beloued sonne to death for them Than the which I see not that there can be desired any greater or surer warrant of loue P. Now then if God shewed his loue in such wise towardes vs vvhen we were yet at deadly food with him how much more boldly becommeth it vs to hope that we shal be saued frō his wrath now that wee be reconcyled too him by the bloude of Christ and iustifyed by hys goodnesse For seeing that when vve were enemies vnto God wee were brought into his fauour againe by the death of his son therefore muche more shall we be preserued by his lyfe novve that we be beloued and saued of God R. Surely my hart hoppeth for ioy at the cheerefull reporte of so many and so great benefits P. And now being so broughte into Gods fauour as I saide and inriched vvith so great riches vve haue moreouer certen boldnesse to glory howbeit onely in God and that by our Lord Iesus Christ by vvhome that attonement of ours is made most stedfast certen R. As though it were a small thing too reioyce in oure hartes for the hope of Gods glorie conceaued in our minds you add also that it is lawfull for vs too do it with boldnes and with any dowting by the lord say you who is the onlye foundacion of true hope Therefore henceforth I will comfort my mind with these musings studyings as oft as it shal be put to incounter with aduersitie as one that knoweth certenly by the great nomber of examples of his vnmeasurable goodnes shewed vppon me that my most mercifull Lord is on my syde and fauoureth me And to knit vp the things in short roome which you haue hitherto sayde I do nowe vnderstande by what meanes mens sins are forgiuen thē also how they conceiue hope of eternal life But yet for all that I am vtterly ignorant why it commeth to passe that men are clothed with Christs rightuousnes and how it is communicated to them P. By a cōparison the matter will be made very playn For like as by one mā that is to wit by our first forefather Adam sin entred into the woorld and death by the same sin so as it reigned ouer all mankind in asmuch as al men haue sinned so also the manne Christ or the second Adam doth by sheading fayth into vs make vs sure and certen of the forgiuenesse of oure sinnes power ryghtuousnesse into vs and gyue vs the spirituall and euerlasting lyfe the aduersarie and vanquisher of death R. How proue you that sinne entred into the worlde sith it seemeth to be against reason that there could be any sin without a law as is saide afore P. But you must vnderstand that sin was longe ago and that it vttered hys force among men euen before the lawe was set foorth and published R. I scarcely
them Also he blameth the Iewes for that they had not kept the Law but rather dishonored God by breaking the Law And so he rebuketh both parts aswell Iewes as GeÌ„tiles shetteth theÌ„ vp vnder the iniquity of traÌ„sgressioÌ„ to shewe that all men are made felowlike and alike gyltie and that they haue neede of redemption Agayne that there was iust cause of the calling of the Gentiles he sheweth by this that grace and redemption ought to befall alike both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles and that when the Gentiles were called circumcision and the shadowe of the Lawe did of necessitie ceasse For Abraham sayth he beeing iustified not in Circumcision but before Circumcision was named Abraham bicause it should come to passe that he should be made the father of many Nations according to the fayth which he had when he was vncircumcised And after that he was iustified he receiued circumcision in his flesh as a signe to his ofspring that shoulde be borne of him as concerning the flesh that circumcision should ceasse when the Gentiles should become the children of Abraham begin to liue according to Abrahams fayth wherethrough he was iustified when he was yet vncircumcised For whereas he was called Abram before in respect of these things he was nowe called Abraham And it was requisite that the signe should ceasse when the things that were betokened by it were come Wherefore if any body compell the Gentiles to be Circumcised they must of necessitie bothe take from him the name of Abraham and call him Abram Now seeing he was named Abraham by God the Gentiles must not bee circumcised neither must the Jewes haue the foreskin of their flesh cut of to the intent that the name Abraham may abide stedfast and he be called the Father of many Nations For it is not to be borne with hereafter that any man should be circumcised seeing that the fayth of Abraham suffiseth and there is no neede of any shadowe of the Lawe For no man is iustified by such things but by fayth as Abraham was When he hath proued these things after this fashion he sheweth agayne that neither Israell nor the Gentiles can obteyne redemption and grace by any other meanes than by beeing quit of that auncient and originall sinne that is spred into all men by Adam But that can not be wiped away by other than by the sonne of God by whome also the curse was made from the beginning For it was not possible that any other body should discharge that trespasse Afterward he writeth that that thing was not done by any other meanes than that the sonne of God tooke fleshe vpon him and became man that he might deliuer all men from death by offering vp the same body for all which was subiect to the same sufferings that wee bee And like as by one man sinne entred into the worlde so also by one man grace came vpon all men From theÌ„cefoorth as a good steward he comforteth the Jewes telling theÌ„ that they shall not be transgressers of the Law if they beleeue in Christ and warneth suche of the Gentiles as beleeued that they should not be puffed vp agaynst the Israelites but consider that as the boughes are grafted into a tree so were they grafted into the Jewes When he hath finished these things he addeth exhortations to good maners and so endeth his Epistle ¶ A Dialoge wherin the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes is familiarly expounded The persons or Talkers thereof are Paule and some one of the Citizens of Rome which visiteth Paule in prison at Rome Act. 28. This Citizen asketh questions and Paule answereth him almost with his owne words layde foorth in larger maner The Romane Paule ALthogh I be very glad of this your comming to the Citie right deare Paule yet should I be much gladder of it if I saw you discharged of these bondes P. Sir I thanke you right hartily for it But yet must not these bondes of mine abate or put away your gladnes forasmuch as they be the sure records and as it were certen badges of mine office or calling But what is the cause that you haue vouchsaued to come to mee R. Surely nothing else but a certen incredible desire of vnderstanding the Epistle whiche ye sent not long agoe to our Citizens Of whome although many be growen into the one Christian Churche yet notwithstanding I can not tell how some of them take singular pleasure of it and other some eyther of wilfulnesse or of ignorance or of a certayne suttle dissimulation can neyther abide to see it nor to heare of it Wherefore if you haue any leysure from your businesse I pray you and beseech you let vs sifte out all the places of it diligently betwixt vs that where any things shall seeme darksome vnto me You may make them easie to me by answering my demaundes according to the true Copie of it layde afore vs. P. Nothing could haue happened to me more acceptable and pleasant than this exercise forasmuch as I apply my selfe wholly with all my power and streÌ„gth to the executing of mine office Now therefore begin whereat you wil and I will answere to al things orderly and playnly R. Then let vs begin at the very inâ—ling of the Epistle What teache you â—ere P. I professe my selfe to be the same â— aule whiche was once a most deadly â— nemie to Christes Gospell Acts. 9.1 Gal. 13. Act. 13.2 and to all â— hristians and is now a seruaunt of the â—â— me Iesus Christ and not that onely â— ut also which is more excellent sholed out chosen and called to be his Apostle that is to say his Ambassadour messenger or Interpreter not to deale â— i th worldly affayres but to publishe â— nd spred abrode the Gospell or the â— appie and healthfull tidings from alâ— ightie God which thing I say for this â— urpose least any man mighte thinke â— e to haue stepped rashly into this ofâ— ce or function whereas I protest no â— esse truly than playnly to all men that â— his charge was layde vppon me of â— od R. Very well But how is this a glad â—dings or happie message sithe many â—en doe note it of a certayne newfanâ—lenesse P. So small cause is there that the Gospell should bee reckened among new thinges that in verie deede it is the performance fulfilling and finishing vp of Gods promises that haue bin giuen before al remeÌ„braÌ„ce of man R. What witnesses interpreters of them haue you P. Euen the Lords prophetes themselues which are worthy to be beleued bothe bycause they were many and most assured mainteiners of the truthe R. Out of what records of writing or out of what Presidents were these promises deliuered vnto you P. Out of the holy Scriptures which the Lord reueled vnto his seruaunts to the intent that all men might conceiue a sure persuation and beleefe of his will in their minds R. What is the substance or
to be throweÌ„ downe froÌ„ the highest step of his faith For after that maner did AbrahaÌ„ triumph gloriously ouer his owne flesh by subduing and ouerthrowing the wisdome thereof that it durst not atteÌ„pt any thing at al against Gods promises But I pray you ascribed he the glory of this his victorie to him selfe or to God P. He yeelded all the whole glory vnto God For he that abateth any whit of Gods power abateth also his glory Therefore he gaue the glory to God both bicause he acknowledged the victorie to come from God also bicause he beleeued that God bothe can and colde doo all things R. It is a most euident token and record of a very true faith when we ascribe the happy falling out the luckie succes of things to Gods prouidence Otherwise the faith if it be to be called faith which chalengeth ought to a mans own power glorieth in his owne strength is scarsely pure and voide of suspition of light beliefe and vnconstancie P. But wey you throughly how lightly it was to be estemed that he through vnwauering fayth beleeued that God was vtterly able to performe whatsoeuer he had promised R. Two things are chiefly to be considered in God his good will whiche is seene in his promises and his power of performing bringing things to passe Vpon which two I see that Abrahams fayth was grounded and setled But I long to heare what he obteyned by this so great fayth P. That fayth of his say I vvas imâ—â—ted to him for righteousnesse or if â—â— u will haue it more playne he was â— unted righteous for his faithes sake 〈◊〉 that from thencefoorth he assured â—â— m selfe throughly that God was merâ—â— full louing friendly towards him â—â— d all humaine doubting and distrust â— f it was dispatched away R. It is a wonderfull force of faythe â—hich you shew me wherwith if a man 〈◊〉 fenced and furnished he may certenâ—â— warrant him selfe that God is louing â—â—d mercifull to him and be bolde to apâ—eare before his iudgement seate But â—hinke you that God will voutsafe the â—â—me benefite vpon all other men which â—e bestowed vpon Abraham P. Yea verily For it is not for his sake â— nly that the holy Scripture sayth that â—â— is faith was reckened to him for righâ—â— uousnesse but it is for our sakes also â— hat by his example wee also may beâ— eeue that the like shall bee reckened â— nto vs if we beleeue in him that raised â— p our Lorde Iesus from the dead who â— as both deliuered for the cleÌ„sing away of our sinnes and raysed agein for the iustifying of vs that the sinne of distruâ—â— might be dispatched out of our hartes by the minding of his death and the indeuer of righteosnes and newnesse of life be stablished and increaced in vs by the mynding of his resurrection R. O treble and tentimes happy mankind if at leastwise he happen to hauâ— some desire to inioy so great a benifyte For to what purpose were this example vnlesse we might fare somewhat the better by it that is to say vnlesse AbrahaÌ„ example incouraged vs to settle assured trust in Gods goodnesse Seeing theâ— that that is the amingpoynt of those sâ— notable promises and that they belonâ— to all men who can now dispaire Specially seeing that our fayth hath Christâ— set afore it as a visible marke to ame at who by his death hath reconciled vs tâ— God and takeÌ„ away sin the welsprinâ— of sin that is to say the naturall stubbornesse and wickednesse of our harteâ— matched with distrust and by his resurrection hath called vs agayne to life that vppon assurance of Gods fauouâ— through faith we might become righteous and acceptable in Gods sight and giue our selues to newnes of life But to rehearse in few words what hath bene saide afore you haue sufficiently shewed and declared what righteousnes god requireth at mens hands and also whiche is the right way therunto and finally what is the power of faith which taketh holde of that righteousnes And I can not maruell inough how those so great things should be so lightly esteemed among men Therfore I demaunde nowe what profite and fruit he that is indued with faith reapeth of al the foresaid things at the time that he becoÌ„meth righteous P. First of all Chap. 5.1 as soone as we be iustified by faith by and by we be at peace with god through our lord Iesus Christ R. O most pleasant and precious fruit of so noble a tree For once take away sinne and the welspring of sinne and distrust which stinketh before God and is a deadly enimie to him hath an euill opinion of his goodnes there remaineth no more grudge nor enmity betwen god vs mortall wretches but rather a certein incredible assurednesse of good will insomuch that mans minde beeing indewed with faith may bee frre from all vnquietnesse and inioy safely continuall peace For as you sayde of sinners wee be made righteous throughe fayth and by that righteousnes wee be accepted into Gods fauour and consequently rest in his frendship Otherwise if we be bereft of this fayth and of the trust of Gods good will we be hatefull to God and subiect to damnation and our mindes are alwayes troubled and vnquiet P. The seconde fruite of faith beeing linked with a very straite bande vnto the former is that by the same Iesus Christ Eph. 2.23 and by faith in him we haue an entrance set open for vs into the grace wherein wee stande without quayling in our hartes R. Who woulde not bee amased and wonder at gods so great mercifulnesse towards men that he can not finde in his harte to forbid them his presence as vnholy but rather of his owne accorde allureth them to him that they shoulde come freely and boldly vnto him For we haue free passage vnto God and it is lawfull for all beleeuers to goo vnto God that is to say to serue him to worship him and to call vpon him in the bottome of their harts without ceasing P. Lo heere one other frute of faith that we also being so iustified notwithstanding that we be but sillie wretched soules doo glory in the hope and longing for Gods glorie R. What a word is that Thinke you it to be the point of a christiaÌ„ to glory so Vnlesse you meane perchance that bycause this lyfe is accloyed with so many misteries trubles and aduersities therfore mens mindes are to be cheered vp with a most sure hope of the quietnes felicitie to come which who so hopeth to obtaine may iustly glory in that behalfe But is there any more P. Yea. For we not only receiue the foremencioned commodities but also which you may wonder more at we glorie reioyce euen in the very troubles aduersities themselues Jam. 1.3 therefore much rather do beare them oute with a cheerefull and glad hart R. What can be said more wonderfull sith that
forbid For seeing we be dead vnto sin through the spirite of righteousnes how is it possible that we shuld continue and liue in sinne after wee be once iustified R. I scarse vnderstand this geere P. What know ye not that as many of vs as are baptised made cleane in Iesus Christ are baptised washed into his deth that by the same baptim we be after such a sort as it wer dead buried with him that contrariwise lyke as Christ was raised from the dead for the glory of his father so we also must walk in newnesse of life to the glory of him who hath shevved the spirite of righteousnesse into vs to worke righteousnesse therewith R. I am glad that you haue vttred vnto me both the true signification of baptime and also the bond of righteousnes For by this meane the manifolde errour of many may be spied out First there are which full lewdly doo make more account of the signe than of the thing that is signified by it and there are very fewe whiche thinke that baptim betokeneth the mortifying and wasshing of the olde Adam and of all vnrightuousnesse and and vnhonestie and consequently the renewing restoring againe of our soules and of oure whole lyfe to their first state Againe there are othersome which being vtterly ignorāt of the power of Christs spirit and of the workfulnes of his righteousnes do still leaue opē the gate to sin pretending I wote not what excuses of mās fraylty as who should say that Christ were not strōger than the diuel nor Gods grace able to confound the power of sin P. Truely you haue hit the pricke But you shall vnderstande the contrary doctrine if you aduisedly wey the similitude of greffing which I vse heere For if we be planted and greffed into the lykenesse of Christes death then must we needs also be made partakers of his resurrection R. By this trym most proper * A metaphor is an apt cōueying of a worde or spech from his owne proper signification to the betokening or setting foorth of some other thing metaphor you meane that we must be lyke braunches that are greffed into other trees that being greffed into Christ hauing Christ greffed into vs wee may bring forth new fruits of lyfe namely ryghtuousnes innocencie and holinesse P. Verely euen so must we perswade our selues that our olde man is nayled to the crosse with Christ as in respect of iustification and regeneration to the intent that the bodie of sin may be ouerthrowen destroyed so as we may no more follow after sinne and serue it For he that is deade by the deathe of Christ and obteyneth ryghtuousnes by his spirit is thereby free from the bondage of sinne And if we beleeue that we haue obteyned forgyuenesse of sins and are deade with Christ we must also most assuredly beleue that we shall liue with him in suche newnesse of lyfe as maye beare recorde that wee be rysen wyth him R. O the miserable frowardnesse of men who at the report of Gods fauour purchased to vs by the benefit of Christs death do wondrously leape and skip for ioy verely bycause they be certefied therby of the remission of their sinnes past But when mencion is made of his resurrection to the intent that after his example we shoulde begin a new lyfe fashyoned and framed according to his innocene yrightuousnes other vertues and by that meanes labour and trauell with earnest desire to heauenward despising all worldly pleasures there there our harts faynt we be euen at the poynt to quayle So greatly are we delighted foaded with the inticemēts of our sins past P. Yet notvvithstanding they that are iustified of god must nedes renoūce giue ouer ther sins vvicked deedes pleasures and to be short all vnhonest things after the exāples of Christ vvho being once rysen from death dyeth not any more nother hath death any more povver ouer him Therfore like as hys once dying vvas to die vnto sin so that as novv he liueth vnto god so you also for asmuche as you haue obteined the spirit of righteousnes think your selues to be dead vnto sin as true members of Christ participating of his death resurrection lyfe to be alyue vnto God through our Lord Iesus Christ R. O excellent exhortation But alas for sorrow O miserable nature of man vtterly awk from it as wherin sin hath taken so deepe roote that it can scarse be thrust out We haue receiued sin into our minds as a guest or rather as a tirāt into our innermost bowels from whēce he can hardly be driuē or thrust out both by reason of our natural corruption and also by reason of custome continuance P. Euen so is it But yet muste you striue that this sinne may not reigne in your body though it bee subiecte too death nor you obey the lustes thereof nor yeelde your mēbers as instruments of all naughtinesse applied to sinning But rather cleane contrarie apply your selues to god as folke risen again from the dead and yeeld ye your members vnto him as instrumēts of righteousnes R. These thinges matched togither ought both to fray our minds frō sinning also to inflame them with most earnest desire indeuer to liue well blessedly For what is more shameful than to be slaues of lusts Contrariwise what is more honorable excellent than to vse righteousnes godlines innocencie Therefore we must pray to almightie God that as he hath of his own infinite goodnesse already iustified vs so he will also deliuer vs from the bondage of sin P. Be of good cheere For sin shall no more execute tyranny ouer you R. By what way or meanes may so grat a good turne befall vs For to my seeming that is right hard to be done P. In deede it is hard vnto men but nothing is vnpossible vnto God nother is there any thing which he cānot bring to passe But receiue here the reason of it in few words For sin reigneth not ouer those that are vnder grace but ouer those that are vnder the lawe But novv that you be iustified you are not vnder the law but vnder grace R. Many men seeme to be like Spiders turning all thinges into poyson For when vnthrifts and naughtipackes heere this saying by and by as though they had by iustification obteyned libertie to doo what they list they crye oute why then shoulde we not sin still seeing wee be vnder grace and not vnder the law P. God forbid that any man shoulde be of that mind R. But what is to be don to these fellowes that abuse Gods goodnesse vnto euill doing And yet notwithstanding theise wylie and captious witts cannot be subdued but by moost sustantiall and myghtfull reasons P. Those wilfull stubborne natures must be left to god the soueraine iudge as for the men of whō there is better hope I would exhorte them after this maner knovve ye not that to vvhom
soeuer you yeelde youre selues as seruants to obey his seruāts you are Ioh. 8.34 2 Pe. 1.19 whither you obey sin that leadeth you vnto death or obedience innocency rightuousnesse vvhich lead you vnto lyfe R. If men were cleare of hearing they would receiue imbrace this your most certē strong saying For what is more against resō thā to seke to match ioyne togither things that are most repugnāt as for exāples light darkenes fredome bondage sin grace and that do they surely intēd as oft as they feare not to bynd thēselues to sin vnder pretence of grace liberty Yet must you not thinke all mē to be of this mould For ther are many in this our church of Rome which hauing shaken of the yoke of sin by the benefite of regeneration go forward with all their hart vnto vertue and godlinesse P. And I truely do gyue continuall thankes vnto God and euer shall that wheras you were the bondslaues of sin now you being set free by Gods meere goodnesse and made his children haue hartely obeied the order of his doctrine that is to wit of the Gospel which is deliuered to you to bring you life Now therefore you being set fre from sin do serue the rightuousnes and innocency wherūto god hath called you therfore you must not in any wise yeld to sin R. Certesse a greate number of vs are notably well minded vnto holines such is the singular grace working of Gods spirite in our harts and we hope that he will continually help our infirmityes P. In good sooth to the intent I may haue respect of your frayltie I will deale with you after the maner of men Therfore like as you haue yelded your members the witts of your mynde your powers and your strength as instruments to vnclennesse and levvdnesse to doo levvdly so as you became euery daye woorse than other through the reigning of levvdnesse in you so now yeld you your members if not more lustily yet at leastvvise not more lasyly as instrumentes vnto innocency as instruments to vvorke holinesse and becōme you euery day cleaner frō all vncleanes And thervvithall remēber that at suche tyme as you serued sin you vvere straūgers outlavves to rightuousnes But I besech you vvhat fruite reaped you of the thinges vvhereof you be novv ashamed Surely the ende of them is death R. Euery mans owne fault reproueth himselfe As for myne owne parte you will not beleeue howe ill I am ashamed as oft as my former wretched and lewd lyfe cōmeth to my mind For what shall I tel you how that euen from my verie cradle as sone as I had any wit and discretion according to mine own natural corruptiō naughtines the wylines of the old serpent which called for the lesson that he had once taught Adā by by trusting to the abilitie of mine owne wit I thought my selfe wiser than al the world tooke my selfe almost as a God in all my dooings so as I can not sufficiently maruel that Gods mercifulnesse was so great as to voutsafe to beare with me so patiently when I followed my sinne so long time and so wilfully P. Now then seeing you be both loosed from the bonds of sinne and made the seruaunts of God you shall reape the fruit of your holinesse and euerlasting life abideth for you in the ende For as death is the wages of sinne euen so is euerlasting life I say not a wages or hire for the excellēcie therof is such that we can not compare it yet must we not therefore couet it or care for it the lesse but rather the more inasmuch as it is the more excellent lieth in the power of gods soueraigne bounteousnesse but the free gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde and not in any wise for our deserts R. I easily agree with you in this case friend Paule But I do not well vnderstande what you meane by saying that we be loosed from the lawe For in as muche as Gods lawe is holy and righteous and as a certen light whereby to walke in the true way of saluation and was appointed to the Israelites by god for the necessarie vses of the leading a good life so as they mighte beholde the will of the Creator in it as in a cleare glasse how is it possible that the man which is borne anewe shoulde be loosed from that law and that he should thencefoorth liue as without law Or by what meanes can the law seeing it is of god bring foorth euill deedes P. I will make the whole matter playne in as fewe wordes as I can Chap. 7. and in the example of my selfe shew the offices of the law so you cōsider the three states of man namely vnregenerated regenerating and regenerated Nowe that the whole matter might be vnderstoode the better I borowed a similitude from the lawe of wedlocke For these are my words Know ye not brethren I speake of suche as haue skill of the law that the wife is bounde by the lawe of wedlock so long as hir husband liueth Cor. 7.33 For the maried woman is boūd to the man by the Lawe so long as she liueth but if the husbande bee dead shee is loose from the Lawe of the man Therefore I thinke she is to be counted an adultresse if she couple hir selfe with an other man while the husbande is aliue to whom alone she had bound the honest vse of hir body by the law of mariage But if the husbande dye I thinke hir to be lose from the law of mariage so as she is no adultresse thoughe shee couple hirselfe with another R. These things will neuer be denied nother of the Gentiles which are inlightened but by the light of nature nor of the Iewes which haue the law written P. You iudge right Euen after the same maner you hauing obteyned the righteousnesse of Christ are dead in respect of the lawe by the body of Christ on the other side the lawes power of condemning is dead in respect of you so as now you be at libertie to couple your selues to another namely vnto Christ the sacrifice of propiciation for our sinnes who afterwarde was raysed again from the dead Nother haue you now any more to do with the law both bicause you be no more subiect to the curse of it and also most of all bicause that being nowe possessed led by the spirite of god you be not driuen by the comaundements of the law but led by the guiding of the spirite Therefore as nowe wee haue to deale with grace to bring forth the fruites of holy workes vnto God which hath made vs righteous freely through Christ R. The law of wedlock I know very well and what benefite free iustification bringeth I now vnderstande the better by you But yet I do not throughly perceyue what maner of one this mariage of the law with man is P. I wil vtter the meaning of
I had bin off from it Then sin by the name of sin I meane the corruptnesse and lustfulnesse whiche earst without the law might haue seemed to be dead sin I say being accused and cōdemned by the lawe and therewithall wakened and stirred vp began to wax lyuely againe and I was deade in the syght of God and of his euerlasting law when I perceiued mine owne naughtinesse and so it fell oute that the thing which was gyuen me to leade me vnto lyfe for the lavv sheweth which way to go to God who is our lyfe led me vnto death not through any default of it selfe but bicause that I was so lewd that I not onely obeyed it not but also such was my pryde taking skorne to be so bound by the law striued and struggled by all meanes against it lyke a mad and frantik man Therfore sin that is to say myne ovvne invvarde corruptnesse beguiled mee and called mee backe from the ryght vvay vvhich the lavv shevved me and so slevv me at his ovvne plesure by taking occasiō at the cōmaūdement vvhere none at all vvas giuen least you should imagin that gods lavv vvere sin R. Then do you vtterly discharge the commaundement of the lawe by whose occasion the thing was doone from all blame of naughrines or lewdnes P. What els 1. Ti. 1.8.12 For the lavve is holie vvhich shevved me vvhat I ought to do but I vvas vvicked in taking occasion at goodnesse to become vvorse R. These thinges are well But how came it to passe that the cōmaundement whiche of his owne nature is good became death vnto you And looke what I say of you the same doo I meane of my selfe also being in my former state P. You must not in any vvise thinke that it vvas long of the commaundement but sin that is to say corruptnesse or concupiscence bred death in me by meanes of the good commaundement and of the lavv vvhich is both ryghtful and holy caused it to seeme to be sin so the naughtines of it vvas bevvrayed in that it toke occasion of euill euen vvhere none vvas giuen and sin vvas so euill that of the commaundement vvhich is good it toke occasiō to grow in it selfe to put foorth it selfe more feersly and furiously R. As oft as I call to remembraunce that heauenly and in manner vnutterable orderlynesse and forecast which God vseth towards sinners and euill men in the very tyme of their iustifying I cannot but praise his most diuine mercy and prouidence in leading men at length through so many roughe steepe places full of daungers to the knowledge of his Christ that they may becomme rightuous and beare in mynde their former state vndoutedly of all states most miserable who I besech you would beleue your discourses concerning the offices of the law if he had not first had experience of all these things in himselfe P. In deede it is true as you say and these things require the practise of godlinesse the experience of iustificatiō For before that time sin and mans wicked concupisence are so styrred vp that sin becommeth out of measure sinfull and euill insomuch that death is ingendred of sin and the law not through any fault of the lawe but of sin For the law as much as in it lyeth gyueth lyfe by shewing vs the way of lyfe But for as much as the law is spiritual it requireth of vs not onely the outward deeds but also the inwarde affections of the hart Also it requireth of vs all diuine vertues in their full perfection togither with their fruits and deeds proceading from a godly instinct tending to the glory of God Now I at that tyme being yet earthly and more ouer a bondslaue of sin as you and all others were when ye had not yet receaued the spirit of rightuousnesse was not able to discerne the dignity holinesse and excellency of the lavv and much lesse was vvilling to submit my necke vnder the yoke of it too frame both my mind and all my doings according to the precise rule therof R. Suerly I haue often tryed this and I finde it true that it is not all in my power not onely to loue God with all my hart to haue a perfect beleefe in him to hope for all thinges at his hand to loue other men specially to loue myne enemyes with all my hart and that only for Gods glories sake to be indued with all Christian vertues as perfect as is possible as the rightuous and holye lawe of God byndeth me but not euen to rule the affectiōs of my mind to be at a word surely I feele that without Gods grace and the spirit of rightuousnesse I cannot but loue my selfe and worldly things to much I cannot loue God aboue all naturall things and much lesse with all my whole hart nother can I fall to harty attonement with myne enemies but rather euen yet still I am inforced I wote not how to hate thē bycause I am earthly and the seruaunt of sin and concupiscence which reigning tyrannously in me do ouer rule me and harrie me about at their vnbridled pleasure nother am I able too wyth stande them of my selfe P. These thinges are very modestly spoken but I hope it is better vvith you than you speake of In the meane tyme I am glad to heere this your accusation For you speake by experience and I coniecture by your vvoords that you haue bin a verie diligent examiner of your selfe For all men perceiue not this tyranny of sinne But I vvill proceede to declare in my selfe vvhat is vvont to happen to suche as are in regenerating Surely I vvist not vvhat too do I put you out of doubt I doo many things that I acknovvledg not for mine ovvne For I doo not the good vvhiche I vvould doo but the euill vvhich I hate that commit I oftentymes Wherupon I conclude after this manner vvith my selfe concerning the perilles that are past If I do that I vvould not then loke vvhat the lavv forbiddeth that doo I hate as vnright and I mislyke of it but the thing that the lavv commaundeth lyketh my minde very vvell So then vvith my mynde I consent to the lavve that it is good I allovv of it as rightfull hovvbeit that I my selfe am earthly Wherfore if I doo against it it is not I that doo it but sinne that dvvelleth in me For sinfulnesse vvhose prisoner I am ouermaystereth me and caryeth mee avvay to the doing of that thing vvhich I vvoulde not do R. By this your speache and by your acknowledginge of your former state I see nowe there are twoo kyndes of men some are vtterly lawelesse and though they do alwayes obey sinne yet feele they not the stinges of sin at all Againe there are othersome which haue I wore not what a heauenly seed with thē and although they sin and now and then obey the affections of sin yet do they it of all the while as it were vnwillingly so
as the iudgement of their mind stryueth against it But yet as I thinke these latter sort haue no excuse at all in the sight of God although they be earthly For that same willingnesse and forewardnes of mynd whereby they be glad and faine of the good is so weake and faynt that now and then they suffer themselues too be led wholly by their vnbrydled lustes wheras contrariwise it ought be so effectuall mightye stout and constant as to outstande sin when it woulde ouerrule them P. You iudge aryght For the forevvardnesse of the will maketh sin nother is that thing sin vvhich is doone againste the vvill of the sinner But I knovv am able to affirme it for a certeinty that those men as I haue learned by mine ovvne experience are willingly led of their owne lustes after the manner that you spake of For I know that in them as wel as in me that is to say in my flesh there is no goodnes but rather naughtines which prouoketh me to euill and striueth to ouermaster mee R. You meane in the fleshly man in whom the lawe executeth the office of a husbande But you denie not that there is some goodnesse in respect of the presence of Gods seede whiche can not yet vtter his strength without the spirite of righteousnesse For eyther I am vtterly deceiued or else in those men that I spake last of there is some knowledge of gods will also there are alreadie in them some sparkes of commendable likings and desires howebeit that these things bee not in the fleshe whiche regardeth nothing but hir selfe and hir owne pleasures P. See that you vnderstād these things wel least perchaunce you confound the sundry states of man togither or els vnaduisedly wite that thing vpō gods law which can not be wited vpō it without great wrong to the eternal God For to the intent I maye make these thinges playne in mine owne person truly there is in mee a will to doo good but I finde not any way to perfourme it For I am hindered by the flesh and by sinne that reigneth in me and I am caried away vnto euil so as I do not the good which I vvould doo but I doo the euill which I am lothe to doo Wherfore if I do the thing that I vvould not then is it not I that doo it but sinne that dwelleth in me which doth so roughly ouermaster me when the power and working of Gods spirite is absent vvhereby victorie is obteyned that I am compelled to do the thing vvhich my reason in lightened by the law of God doth vtterly abhor Therefore in that I vvould do good and can not I finde and perceiue by the lawe while it playeth his part in mee that there is euil in me in me I say forsomuch as I am earthly weake and vnable to performe it not in the law For that I may vtter the meaning of my minde as plainly as can be I delight in gods law as in respect of my inwarde man that is to say as in respect of reason inlightened by Gods law gods law doth please me and delight me I allow it to be rightfull I agree with it and I would fayne obey it But on the contrarie part I see feele and find by experience another law in my members in the sences powers abilities of my soule contrary to the law of my minde and fighting agaynst it For when as by the iust and holy law of my mind I perceiue what is right and allow of it and delight in it as good and vvolud fayne do it therwithall the wicked law of my body counseleth inticeth me to the contrarie and this lawe deliuereth me prisoner to the law of sinne insomuch that I am oftentimes inforced to crye out vvretch that I am vvho shall deliuer me from the body of this death May any man deliuer me from the body and burthen of sinne that killeth me out of hande Who I say shall set me free from the tyrannie of mine own vnbrideled lusts and of sinne reigning in this my wretched dody vvhich leadeth me vnto death R. O Paule it can not scarsly be vttered howe many wayes and how mightely this talke of yours which are a most expert souldier in this spirituall battell doth moue my bowels and in maner inforce me to teares For these your words do bring me in remembraunce of that old plight and state of mine wherin I perceiued that our owne strength is farre to weake to get the vpper hande in this incomber vnlesse Christ the coeternal worde of God be with vs to arme vs with his spirit and to giue vs victory agaynst so great tyrannie of our enemie P. Therfore I thank my God which hathe deliuered mee from so miserable bondage of sin by Iesus Christ our lord For to conclude in two words vnlesse he vtter his power and vndertake the battell for me and ouercome and tryumph farewell my good dayes I truly in the meane while do serue Gods law with my mind but with my flesh I serue the law of sinne which striueth to ouercome me in the battell R. You haue so plainly and lightsomly in your own person shewed how gret the worthinesse and holinesse of Gods law is how dyuerse offices it is wont to execute towards man till he bee truly and perfectly borne a new in Christ that now by this talke of yours I vnderstād one of the hardest poynts of this epistle which poynt consisteth in the knowing of the offices which gods lawe vseth towards a man now if it please you let vs treate of the thirde state of man that is to wit when he is iustified and made holy But first of all I pray you shew me more playnly what maner of state this state of the regenerated sort is and afterwarde by what markes the partie that is godly minded may be certified of his regeneration or newbirth P. Like as in the cōsidering of the first and seconde state of man namely vnregenerat in regenerating I vsed mine own example so in laying forth of this third member of our partition I wil alledge mine owne experiences as a patterne wherin to represent the image of a man regenerated Chap. 8. As touching the first part of your demaund surely the state and dignitie of thē that are iustified regenerated is most excellent as vvho beeing dead to the old Adam and greffed into the new Adam Christ are not henceforth in daunger of any damnation For hovv is it possible that Christe our head should giue vp his own members to destruction Heerevpon may also be gathered an ansvvere to the other part of your demaunde For Christes vvorkfulnes is so great in the minde of such as are truly regenerated that their life is consecrated vnto holinesse By meanes vvherof they be after a sort certified of the presence of Christ dwelling in them But of these things vvee shall speak more hereafter Novv to vse mine ovvne experience
as an argument the reason vvhy these most excellent effects are vvrought in my mind is this that the lavv of the quickning spirite in Iesus Christe hath set me free from the lavv of sinne death insomuch that by the gift of faith the recorde of gods spirit I feele my selfe discharged of the feare of damnation And I thinke the same thing to haue befalne to all the true members of Christ R. I pray you let vs fifte out the first part of my question and shewe me more playnly gods drift and maner of dealing in the case of our iustification without the righteousnesse of the lawe P. Haue here the summe of the whole matter in few words The law was giuen of god as a rule of true holines How be it looke what could not be done by the law nother as it was naturally printed in our mindes nor as it was set foorth plainly by Moses namely that we shuld be set free from sin death become righteous bicause the law was weake feeble without power howbeit not of it owne nature but by reason of our flesh for we be fleshly do striue and wrestle against the law that say I did God bring to passe by sending his own son in a body like to the bodies of sinners For he cōdemned sin of sin in the flesh of his sonne by that meanes did vvipe out clense avvay abolish sin that did he to the ende that the righteousnes of the lavv as the lavv it selfe requireth it might be vvrought fulfilled in vs that beleue I say to the end it should be fulfilled in vs novv regenerated which obey not the corruptnesse lusts and lykings of the vnsatiable flesh but the holy inspiration of the spirite whereupon it commeth to passe that our dooinges are acceptable to God though they be not fully in all poyntes answerable to his law vvhich otherwise requyreth most perfect purenesse R. If it be true as you say as I beleeue it to be most true in deed in any opinion few are at this day become ryghtuous and holy For the number of them is exceading small that thinke vppon newnesse of lyfe or which are carefull to obey Gods wyll and muche lesse which bestyrre themselues in makyng warre against their owne naturall and new incomme sinfulnesse P. But beleeue me brother so longe as men hold with flesh they wil care for things belonging to the flesh and sinne shall execute his tyranny ouer them Contrariwyse they that holde with the spirit wil be spirituall minded and bycause Gods spirit reigneth in thē they will also delight in spirituall thinges as whose intentes and indeuers are all guyded by the holy Ghost and therfore tende to Gods glory which thing cannot happen to such as follow the flesh bycause they do rather purchace Gods displeasure and consequently endelesse destruction to thēselues by their naughtinesse and wicked deeds R. Moost miserable is the state of the vngodly which you tel me of But wherfore ascribe you so muche euill to the louing and obeying of the flesh P. Bycause the entent the indeuer the desire to vse myne owne words the wisedōe of the flesh is deadly or to speake more rightly very death it selfe as which is contrary to God who is our lyfe But on the contrarie parte the entent affection and wisedome of the spirite is verie lyfe and peace And if you aske me the reason why it is ready shapen For the wisedome of the flesh is enemy against God of whom forasmuch as it hath an ill opnion taking him for hir vtter aduersary and imagining him to be a most cruell tormenter how is it possible that she should be vvylling to commit hir selfe to his care and prouidence And therfore much lesse will she passe for his will and cōmaundements For how should she haue any mynd to obey his commaundement whom she beleueth to be hir so This as I thinke is the reason why the flesh nother will no nor can obey Gods law so long as it is nothing els but fleshe Heereuppon then it followeth that they which liue after the liking of the flesh cānot please God R. O most miserable wretches as we be which are compelled to keepe continuall wrestling with the vntrusty wisedome of our owne fleshe so long as we be inclosed with the bulke of this body P. Be of good cheer This wrestling may rather win you a crowne than destruction and damnation For you so doth charitie teach me to think of such as beleue in christ you I say are by faith greffed into Christ as true signes of saluation You be iustified and regenerated and therfore you be not now carnall but spirituall for somuch as Gods spirit dwelleth in you R. Heerein is all the cunning and maistrie Paule P. Surely if any of you haue not Christs spirite he is none of his marke wel what I say I say he is none of Christs he is no member of his he is no brother of his he is no heire of eternall felicitie with him R. I beleeue that with all my harte But the thing that I thought with my selfe was this that there are a great sort now a dayes which boast of the receyuing of Gods spirit whose lyfe is notwithstanding no more like the holines most pure exāple of Christs lyfe than an apple as they say is lyke an Oyster Wherefore I pray you tell me by what markes I may discerne such as haue Gods spirit in very deed For it will do me good also to perceiue the presēce of Gods spirit in my self P. Let this be the aunswere to the other part of your demaund and beare you well in minde the true and sure tokens of regeneration of which the one consisteth in lyfe death the other in the inward motions of Gods spirit R. In lyfe and death say you What is that to say P. Herken you shall vnderstande If Christ and his spirite be in you the old man that is to say the flesh is dead as in respect of sin and the vnruly and vnstayed deedes of vvickednesse And this is the death of the old man vppon putting avvay on the contrarye parte reigneth the spirite of God and executeth his power vppon man and liueth as in respect of rightuousnesse R. Surely a verye notable marke of regeneration or newbirth For the spirit of Christ into whome we be greffed not onely gyueth vs lyfe by inspyring vs to goo vnto God our lyfe as meete is we should but also is himselfe our spirituall lyfe But to confesse vnto you plainely my thoughts or I wote not whether I may better say temptations in that behalfe when I looked vppon myne owne naughtinesse and the tyrannie of sin ouer me I haue oftymes doubted of the power of Gods spirite in vs and whether the working therof do kill the old Adam and plucke vp the roots of that euill tree or no. And vpō such maner of thoughts being sorowfull to say the
than the otheâ— Patriarks of Alexandria Antioche buâ— that the Bishop of Rome which nowe adayes calleth al things backe to himself is no Bishop at al no nor so much as an elder except he do his duty in ministring the Sacraments and in instructing admonishing and teaching the people That God is the creator of al things God beeing singular good and almightie created all things bothe visible and inuisible by his coeternal word and also preserueth the same by his coeternal spirite according as Dauid witnesseth saying Psal 33. by the word of god the heauens were made and all the power of them by the breath of his mouth And al thinges that God made were as sayth the Scripture exceeding good and made for the vse and commoditie of man and I say that all those thinges proceeded from one beginning Therefore I condemne the Manichees Marcionites which did wickedly surmise two substances natures the one good the other bad likewise two beginnings two coÌ„trary gods one good another naught Of Prouidence I beleue that al things both in heauen earth in al creatures are mainteined gouerned by gods wisdome Psa 139. For Dauid witnesseth saith the lord is high aboue al natioÌ„s his glory aboue the heauens Who is like the lorde our god who hath his dwelling on hye and yet stoupeth to loke vpon the things that are in heaueÌ„ and earth The same man saith againe vnto god Thou hast forsene al my ways For there is not a worde in my toung which thou knowest not euery whit O Lorde Also Paule witnesse the same and saith by him we liue Act. 17. moue and be And of him by him and in him are all thinges Most truely therefore and according to the scriptures Rom. 12. doth Austin in the eyghte chapter of his booke concerning Christs Agonie say the Lord said are not twoo sparrowes solde for a farthing and one of them lighteth not vppon the grounde without the will of your father In saying so he ment to shew that euen the thing whiche men take to be vilest are gouerned by the Lords almighty power Ma. 10. For after the same maner doth the truth say Ma. 6. that he feedeth the birdes of the aâ—re and clotheth the lyllies of the feeld and also keepeth iust account of the heares of our heades Of the Angells both good and bad I admit with the right beleuing church that among all thinges created Angells and men are the cheefe the scripture of God pronounceth of the Angels that he made his Angels spirits his ministers a flame of fyre And againe are they not al ministring spirits sent forth to do seruice for them that shal be heires of saluation And the Lord Iesus himselfe witnesseth of the Diuill that he was a murtherer from the beginning John 8. and stode not in the truth bycause there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne for he is a Lyer and the father of lyes Therfore we teache that of the Angels some abode still in obedience and are appointed to the faithfull seruice of God and man and that othersome fell of their owne accord and were throwen downe into destruction and are become enemies of all goodnesse and of al faithfull men Of mans creation Concerning man and creation I beleue the doctrine of the scripture that at the first he was created good after the Image and lykenesse of God and the God did set him in Paradice Gen. 2. put all things in subiection to him Which thing Dauid coÌ„meÌ„deth mightily in the eyght Psalme Also he gaue him a wife and blessed theÌ„ And I say that man consisteth of twoo dyuerse substaÌ„ces in one persone namely of an immortall Soule and a mortall body Of the state of Innocency or of the originall ryghtuousnesse of our firste fathers and of their fall God made man at the beginning after the Image of God in true ryghtuousnesse and holynesse good and ryghtuous but by the inticement of the Serpent and by hys owne faulte he fell awaye from goodnesse and ryghtuousnesse and became subiect to sinne death and sundry calamities And suche as he became after his fall such are al the spring of him namely euen subiect to sin death and sundry calamities Of Sinne I vnderstoode Sin to be the natiue corruption of man deryued and spred abroade into vs all from those oure firste parents wherethrough we be plunged in lewd lustes and turned away from goodnesse but forewarde to all euill and full of all naughtinesse as distrust contempte and hating of God can do no good of oure selues no nor once thinke any But rather the more we growe in yeeres the more do we bring forth corrupt frutes meete for an euill tree in our thoughtes and words and deedes done lewdly against Gods law In which respect being through our own desert subiect to Gods wrathe we be put vnder iust punishmentes in so muche that we shoulde all of vs haue bin cast of from God if Christe oure deliuerer Mat. 12. Gen. 14. in whom mankinde whiche els was lost was restored againe had not brought vs to him againe Of death the wages of Sinne. Therfore by death I meane not onely bodily death whiche we must all of vs once suffer for oure sins sake but also the endlesse punishments due to our sinfulnes and corruption Eph. 2. For we were deade saith the Apostle in oure offences and sins and we were the children of wrath as others are But God who is riche in mercie quickened vs with Christ when we were dead through our sins Rom. 5. Againe like as by one maÌ„ sin entred into the world death by sin so also death passed into al men inasmuch as al men haue sinned Of originall sin and of the cause of sinne I acknowledge that there is original sin in all men and I acknowledge that all other sins which spring thereof are called sins and are sins in very deede by what name so euer they be called whyther deadly or veniall Mar. 3. or the sinne that is called the sin againste the holye Ghost which is neuer forgiuen Also I confesse that all sins are not equall though they spring all out of one fountaine of corruption and vnbeleefe 1. John 3. but that some are greuouser than othersome according as the Lord hath sayd that it shal be easyer for Sodome and Gomor Math. 10 than for the city that refuseth the word of the Gospell Therfore I condemne all suche as haue taughte contrarye heereto and specially Pelagius and all Pelagians and Iouianistes who with the Stoikes make all sins a lyke heynouse In this cace I am fullye of opinion with Sainte Austin who alledged his matters out of the holy scriptures and defended them by the same Furthermore I condemne Florinus and Blascus and all suche as make God the author of sin Psam 5. against whom
helper But none can be helped but he which doth somewhat The Manichies bereeued man of all dooing and made him as a stocke or a stone Secondly I make that in the regenerated there remayneth infirmitie For asmuche as sin dwelleth in vs and the fleshe fyghteth againste the spirite in the regenerated euen to the ende of our lyfe the regenerated performe not their purposes altogyther withoute incomberance These thinges are confirmed by the Apostle in the seuenth to the Romanes and in the fift to the Galathians And therfore that freedome of oure wyll is weake by reason of the dregges of the olde Adam and of the corruption that is bred and borne with man and remayneth in vs euen to the ende of our lyfe Notwithstanding for asmuch as the strength of the fleshe and the remnants of the old man are not so effectuall as vtterly to quenche the working of Gods Spirite therefore the faithfull are saide to be free but yet so as they acknowledge their owne weakenesse and boast not at all of the freedome of their will For the faithfull must euer beare in minde this saying which Saint Austin harpeth vpon so muche out of the Apostle Mar. 11. what hast thou which thou hast not receyued and if thou haue receyued it why bostest thou as though thou haddest not receyued Moreouer the thing that I had determined doth not foorthwith come to passe For the fallings out of things are in gods hand And thervppon S. Paule prayeth the Lord to prosper his iourney Rom. 1. Therefore euen in that respect mans freewill is weake Neuerthelesse no man denieth but that bothe the regenerated and the vnregenerated haue freewill in outwarde things For man hath this propertie common to him with all other liuing things to whome he is not inferiour namely to will some things and to nill other some So can he speake or holde his peace and goe abrode or tarie at home howbeit that euen in this behalfe an eye must always be had to Gods power whiche caused that Balaam coulde not attayne to the mark that he shot at nor Zecharie speake as he woulde haue done when he came out of the Temple In this case I condemne the Manichees which denie that mans freewill when he was good was the beginning of euill vnto him Also I condemne the Pelagians which say that an euill man hath sufficient free will to do a good commaundement For they be disproued by the holy scripture which sayth vnto the one sort God made man righteous and vnto the other if the sonne make you free then are you free in deede Of the true iustification of the righteous By the worde Iustifie the Apostle in his discourse of iustification Rom. 8. betokeneth the forgiuing of sinnes the acquiting of men from gilt and punishment the receyuing of them into fauour and the pronouncing of them to be righteous For the Apostle sayth to the Romanes It is God that iustifieth who shal then condemne There Iustifying is matched agaynst Condemning Act. 13. And in the Acts of the Apostles the Apostle sayth By Christe the releasing of your sinnes is preached vnto you and of all the thinges from which you could not be iustified by the Lawe of Moyses by him is euery one that beleeueth iustified For in the Lawe and the Prophets also we reade in this wise Deu. 25. If variance rise betweene man and man and they come to iudgement let the iudges iudge them and let them iustify the ryghtuos and condemne the vngodly And in the fift of Esay it is sayde woo be to them that iustify the vngodly for rewardes Nowe it is most certeyne that by nature all of vs are sinners and vngodly and cast and conuicted of wickednesse and condemned to die before Gods iudgement seate and that we be iustifyed that is to say released or set free from sin and death by God the iudge onely for Christes sake and not for anye desert or respect of oure owne For what is more manifest than this saying of Saint Paules Rom. 3. All men haue sinned and are destitute of Gods glorie but are iustified freely through his grace by the redemption that is in Christe Iesus For Christ toke vppon him the sins of the worlde and toke them away and satisfied Gods Iustice God therfore only for Christes passion and resurrections sake is mercifull to oure sins and layeth them not to oure charge but imputeth Christs ryghtuousnesse vnto vs as oure owne so as henceforth we be not onely clensed and purged from oure sinnes or made holie but also rewarded withe Christes ryghtuousnesse 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 4. and so consequently set free from sin death or condemnation and finally made ryghtuous and heires of the endlesse lyfe Therefore to speak properly only God iustifieth vs and onely for Christes sake doth he iustifie vs not imputing our owne sins vnto vs but imputing vnto vs Christs rightuousnesse Rom. 3. And bycause we receiue this iustification not by any workes but by trust in Gods mercy and in Christ therfore I teache and beleeue with the Apostle that the sinner is iustifyed by onely fayth in Christ and not by the law or by any workes For the Apostle sayth Rom. 4. I am of opinion that a man is iustified by fayth without the deedes of the law Againe if Abraham were iustifyed by workes he hathe whereof to boast but not before God Gen. 15. For what sayeth the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was reckened vnto him for rightuousnesse Now vnto him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is imputed to him for rightuousnesse And againe you be saued by grace through fayth that not of yourselues but it is gods gift Not by works least any man shoulde glory Ephe. 2. For asmuche then as fayth receyueth Christ our righteousnesse and imputeth all things to Gods free fauour in Christ therfore is iustification fathered vpon fayth howebeit for Christes sake and not bicause it is our worke for it is the gifte of God But that we receyue Christ by fayth the Lorde himselfe sheweth by many words in the sixth of Iohn where he putteth eating for beleeuing and beleeuing for eating For like as we receiue foode by eating so doo wee participate of Christe by beleeuing Therefore I deuide not the benefite of Iustification partly to Gods grace or to Christ and partly to our selues or to our owne charitie and works or to our owne deseruing But I attribute it wholly to Gods free fauor in Christ by fayth Besides this our loue and works could not please God if they were done of vs beeing yet vnrighteous and therefore it behoueth vs to be first iustified before we can loue or doo good works But we be iustified as I sayde afore by fayth in Christe through the onely grace of God who imputeth Christes ryghtuousnesse to vs and not our owne sinnes and consequently imputeth oure beleeuing in Christ vnto