aduersities they suspect that they are hated of God Here ought they to call to remembrance what ones they were before they came vnto Christ what God did for their sakes whē they were yet enemyes which for their saluation woulde haue his sonne crucified And that they haue to their head Iesus Christ in heauen whose members and partes they are And let it be demanunded of them whether Christ can hate himselfe and destroy hys owne members Wherfore they ought to thinke that their afflictions conduce to eternall saluation and are profitably inflicted of their louing father Wherefore euē as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so death went ouer all men for that all men haue sinned For euen vnto the law was sinne in the worlde But sinne is not imputed whilest there is no law But death raigneth from Adam to Moses ouer thē also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of that which was to come But yet the gift is not so as is the offence VVherefore euen as by one man c. Some thinke that Paul therefore writeth these thinges for that after he had by most firme reasons proued that we are not iustified by our owne workes or merites but only by faith in Christ and by grace now he mindeth more largely to set forth the principall pointes of which all these argumentes which he hath hetherto brought depend namely sinne the lawe and grace And therefore maketh this treatise aparte wherby to declare the strength and force of the former argumentes Which whether it be so or no let other men iudge In myne opinion vndoubtedly these thinges may very well be knitte together with the thinges that haue bene alredy spoken The Methode of Paules treatise For a man mought thinke that the passion of Christ and his death was profitable vnto Christ himselfe only and not also vnto vs for that it mought be thought that the righteousnes of one man can not redound vnto an other But Paul will declare that euen as the fall of the first man was spred abroade ouer all men so the righteousnes of Christ hath redounded vpon all the beleuers and that his benefite is of no lesse force then was the sinne of Adam And by thys meanes he declareth the way whereby by the death crosse of Christ we may be iustified and obtayne saluation nether is this a small helpe to confirme our hope when we perceaue that if we cleue vnto Christ we shall through hym be no les endewed with the chiefest good thing then we haue bene by Adam infected with the extreamest euill thing Many thinges are in this place not without greate consideration set forth touching sinne For the knowledge thereof worketh this in vs to cause vs not to be ingrate for the benefite which we haue receaued The knowlege of sinne how it is profitable For he which séeth out of what and howe great euils he hath bene deliuered séeth also how great is the liberality and goodnes of the deliuerer and of him that hath set him at liberty The knowledge of sinnes setteth forth also the worthynes of the iustification receaued by Christ Wherefore Paul enquireth What thinges are reasoned of touching sinne from whence sinne had his beginning what it brought how it was knowen and last of all by what meanes it was driuen away Wherefore he declareth that sinne entred in by Adam that it brought death that it was knowen by the lawe that it was driuen away and ouercome by the death of Christ and fayth in hym Euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death Here semeth to be vsed the figure * Anantapodoton is a figure in writing where some little clause is left out ether in the beginning middle or ende Anantapodotō so that on the other side there should haue bene added So by one Iesus Christ entred in righteousnes and by righteousnes lyfe And Origene affirmeth that Paul would not adde thys for feare of making men slouthfull and sluggishe as though they hauing now obteined righteousnes and eternall lyfe should thinke that they now nede no farther to consider vpon eternall lyfe And for that cause he sayth that the Apostle in an other place added this selfe same sentence in the Future tempse and not in the preterperfect tempse as when he writeth vnto the Corinthians Euen as in Adam all men die so in Christ all men shall be quickened But this reason is of no great force For the holy scripture is not wont to be moued with so light daungers to kepe in silence the benefites of God yea rather it euery where setteth them forth al whole and in ample maner as they are and doth not gelde them nor shorten them of as Origene thinketh But as for slouthfulnes and sluggishnes they are by infinite other places of the scipture sufficiently shaken of For there are in the holy Scriptures exhortations by promises and threatninges wherby to stir vs vp to holines of life and to the endeuour to do good workes And Origene also himselfe confesseth that that which the Apostle here omitteth he afterward faithfully addeth whē he thus writeth Wherfore euen as by the sinne of one man euill was spread abrode ouer all men to condemnation so by the righteousnes of one man was good sprede abrode ouer all men to iustification of lyfe And a little before For if by the offence of one man many haue died much more the grace of God and the gift by grace whiche came thorough one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Erasmus thinketh that this discommoditie may by an other way be holpen so that the parte aunswering be set after this coniunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is and. And the lyke kinde of speakyng he bryngeth out of Mathew in the Lordes prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In these words semeth to be wanting this coniunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is So. So that the sence is Euen as in heauen so also in earth And after this selfe same maner he thinketh is to be made perfect this sentence of the Apostle Wherfore euen as by one mā sinne entred into y◠world so also by sinne entred in death But I rather thinke that here is vsed y◠Figure Anantapodoton For I sée that Paul is after a sorte rapte by the force of the spirite to expresse y◠great destruction brought in by sinne Which being done he most manifestly as Origene confesseth in the second interpretation putteth that whiche wanted in the other But the better to vnderstand these wordes of the Apostle we haue thrée thinges by him set forth which are diligently to be peised first what the Apostle meaneth by sinne Secondly what that one man is by whom sinne entred This word sinne how ample it is into the world Thirdly by what meanes sinne is spred abrode As touching y◠first the Apostle amply
something which is of his owne nature sinne which yet is not imputed of God as we sayd commeth to passe in the beleuers as touching the corruption of nature and pronesse vnto sinnes These thinges are of them selues sinnes although for Christes sake they are not imputed as the Apostle in this The imputation of sinnes of two sortes ether as touching God or as touching men The tyme of the lawe is not excluded from sinne place sayth that before the Law there were many sinnes which yet were not so imputed or counted of men Although herein is some difference for there the imputation is by the mercy of God remoued way but here it is remoued away thorough the ignorance of man Farther although it be said Euen vnto the law yet is not thereby the time of the law acquitted free from sinne For the Law is not of that strength to abolish sinnes And this was of no smal force to abate the hautines and pride of the Iewes For they counted themselues more holye all thē other nations for that they had receaued a law from God The like kinde of speach is vsed of the Ethnikes when they write that euen vnto the tenth yere did the Greacians fight agaynst Troy for in so saying they doubtles excluded not the tenth yeare So when Paul sayth Sinne was in the world Euen vnto the law he excludeth not that time which was vnder the law And this wōderfully Only grace ouercommeth sinne setteth forth the grace of Christ which alone was able to vāquishe and to driue away sinne when as sinne was of so greate force to destroye and had so farre and so long ranged abrode that it could not be restrayned no not by the Law Paul when he sayth That death raigned vseth the figure Prosopopaeia nether ought we therfore to thinke y◠by this word Kingdome is ment any healthfull gouermēt Howbeit Why the power of of death is called a kingdome therefore he calleth the power of death a kingdome to show that the power thereof was exceding great wherunto all thinges gaue place that it was of a wonderfull mighty force which had brought all tlhinges vnder his subiectiō The selfe same forme of speaking he vseth agayne in this epistle saying Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body as if he should haue sayd Although ye cannot prohibit sinne to be in you yet permite not vnto it the kingdome and chiefe dominion it all your endeuors and counselles should geue place and be obedient vnto that And he therefore added that death raygned from Adam euen to Moses to declare that there was sinne in the world For death and sinne follow one the other Agaynst them that deny originall sinne in children inseperably and Sinne and death inferre and bring in one the other Hereby are confuted those which contend that infantes are without sinne and say that for that cause they dye for that by reason of the sinne of Adam they are vnder the condition of mortality being otherwise themselues innocent and cleane from sinne For if this were true the Apostle should then in this place conclude nothing For it mought easely be answered that althoughe men died before the law yet sinne at that time had not his being Wherfore let vs say with Paul Sinne and death are so ioyned together that they cannot be parted a sonder Ambrose suspected the Greke bookes that these two things are so ioyned together that they cā not be parted asonder Ouer them also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam These wordes were in some copies set forth affirmatiuely by taking away this word not And of this reading doth Origen make mencion and so farre is Ambrose of from dissalowing it that he thinkethn one but it to be natiue And he hath a large discourse of the variety of the Greke bookes and semeth for that cause to haue them in suspicion as corrupted in many places after that the contencions of the heretikes grew strōg But in the expositiō of that reading which he followeth he semeth to speake but slenderly to the matter for he will haue death to haue rayned ouer those onely which in sinning were like vnto Adam and this he saith happened in idolatry For he affirmeth that the sinne wherein Adam fell was in a maner of this sorte that he beleued himselfe to be God and preferred Sathā before God more esteming his coūsell then the cōmaūdemēt of God But as for others which keping still their faith in the only Creator did notwithstāding sometimes fall he thinketh not that they fell after y◠like maner that Adam fell and therefore he writeth that they died the death of the bodye Ambrose held that some had in hell a free custody but not eternall death were kept in hell in a free custody euē to the cōming of Christ but in those which had imitated the sinne of Adam ternal death wholy raigned These things as euery mā may easely se are both farre fetched also do much weakē the argumēt of the Apostle wherefore if this text should be red affirmatiuely peraduēture we mought picke therout this sentēce to vnderstād y◠death raigned ouer al mē which sinned after the like māner of the transgressiō of Adam for that he hauing sinned it was all one as if all men had bene present and sinned together with him But let vs leaue this readinge and follow the common readinge and especially seinge Chrisostome Theophilactus and the Greeke Scholies pronounce these woordes negatiuely And so this is the sence that those menne which were before the lawe although they sinned not after that manner that Adam fell who besides the lawe of nature had also a certain commaundement prescribed him yet they also were obnoxious vnto death But Augustine applieth these wordes vnto infantes which die and haue sinne although they sinne not after the selfe same manner that Adam sinned And so Not to sinne after the like manner of the transgression of Adam is nothing els but not to haue sinne actuall and personall as they call it But I woulde thinke that in these woordes may be comprehended both infantes and others that are of age both those before the law and those after the law and those vnder grace Rude and blockish 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 sinne not after the same manner that Adam did as many as are so rude and blockishe that they are vtterlye ignorante of the commaundementes of God of whiche kinde of men it is not incredible but that there maye some be founde in the worlde And in this case vndoubtedlye all men dye although they know not the commaundement prescribed them of God as Adam did Which was the figure of that which was to come By y◠which was to come we may vnderstand all that which afterward happened in all men which procéeded from Adam which were aswel as he obnoxious vnto the curse and vnto death So the first father was a figure and
Adam so also maketh he sinne common vnto them Nether doth Paul to proue the might or power of Christ lene vnto the number of those men which shal be saued but to the weight of the effect For he sayth that it is a greater matter to blot out infinite sinnes then it is to bring in one sinne Oftentymes also he expressedly vseth that particle of vniuersality And as touching that which moued them we answere with Augustine that the meaning of the Apostle is that all that are borne of Adam do perishe and contrariwise that all that are regenerate by Christ are saued And euē as no man is brought forth as touching the fleshe but by Adam so is no man borne agayne but by Christ If after this maner these wordes of vniuersality be applied the analogy How this analogy may be made plaine betwene Christ and Adam shal be clere and playne Euen as by the disobedience of one man Here the Apostle expressedly declareth what that one sin was which he said entred into the world by one man and by meanes whereof death went ouer all men and this sayth he was the The disobedience of Adam is communicated vnto all his posterity ▪ The obedience of Christ is communicated vnto the elect A comparison betwene the obedience of Adam the obedience of Christ disobedience of the first man which he signifieth to haue bene communicated vnto all in whē he sayth that by it many are made sinners And contrariwyse he teacheth what that good thing was which through one Iesus Christ recouered health vnto men And this he sayth was the obedience of Christ Of which writing vnto the Phillippians he sayth that Christ humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the father to the death euen to the death of the crosse How obedient also he was vnto the eternall father those thinges likewise declare which he spake when he finished vp his prayers in the garden being now at the very poynt to be taken of the Iewes saying Not my will be done but thine But Adam did far otherwise for he would not geue credite vnto the words of God nether cōtēted he himselfe with his prouidence as his duty was for he desired to know good and euill as though he ment to prescribe those thinges vnto himselfe and to follow those thinges which he knew to be ether good or euill But he ought to haue done farre otherwise to haue counted those thinges only for good or euill which God by his word had prescribed vnto him Of which thing Christ hath left vnto vs an example to looke vpon when as he wholy submitted hymselfe vnto the will and prouidence of God For when he should suffer death and that a most greeuous and most cruell and most shamefull death he had fixed before his hys eyes only the worde of God which pronounced that that death should be gratefull and acceptable vnto God and also healthfull vnto mankynde Obedience is as we now speake of a faculty or power whereby godly What obedience is men doo wyth a wylling mynde execute the commaundements of God although as touching the cōsideratiō of this world they iudge that the same will not be profitable vnto thē nether do they throughly vnderstād the reason of thē But contrariwise disobedience is a vice which causeth vs not to execute the commaundementes of God either because they are troublesome or els because we can not attaine vnto the reason of them And that which is in this place said What disobedience is That by the obediēce of one man many are made iust very wel agréeth with y◠which is had vnto the Ephe. That we are acceptable vnto God in the beloued And y◠beloued is Christ After the selfe same maner Esay saith in his 53. chapiter when he prophecieth of Christ And if he geue his soule for sinne he shall see his seede a farre of that is his posteritie for a long tyme. Which wordes teach euen the self same thing that the Apostle here saith that through the obedience of Christ whereby he hath The faithfull are called the posteritie of Christ for our sakes suffred death is spred abrode the multitude of the faithful which are called Christes séede and posteritie long to continue And the Prophete addeth My righteous seruaunt shall instifie many for he shall beare their iniquitie Wherfore this obedience of Christ hath merited vnto him to be made the captayne of the elect of God vnto eternall life As on the contrary side Adam by reason of his disobedience leadeth to destruction all those that are borne of him according to the flesh Here let vs note that forasmuch as the Apostle saith that by the disobedience of one Originall sinne proper vnto euery man man many are made sinners by these wordes is gathered an argument agaynste those which thinke that originall sinne is not proper vnto euery man but that it was but one onely sinne and that the same was in Adam wherby we are obnoxious and bound vnto death and damnation For seyng it is said that they are made sinners it must nedes be that they themselues either haue sinne or els at the lest wayes had sinne For no man is called a sinner for an other mans fault Although Chrisostome vpon this place interpretateth these wordes more hardly thē can wel and aptly be vnderstanded For thus he writeth But that by his disobedience an other man should be made a sinner what consequence can it haue For there canne be no paynes due vnto him as one which is not guiltye vnles he become a sinner of himselfe What meaneth it then that he sayth in this place many are made sinners I thinke it signifieth that they are obnoxious to punishment and condemned to death In this sentēce this I lyke not that he interpreteth this worde sinners for obnoxious to punishment and condemned to death as though he should by the way signifie that they haue in themselues nothing that is vile or vncleane which can either offend God or be called sinne And a litle afterward We will not thinke it muche saith he to declare that of this death and condemnation we haue not onely not receiued any losse if we liue soberly and chastly but also we haue therby gotten much gayne That also is harde to say that we haue gotten no hurt of originall death and condemnation For lust It is an excellent gift to liue chastly and holily in this mortall body and the great corruption of nature hath thorow the transgression of Adam brokē into all mankinde I graunt in dede that which he addeth namely that it is an excellent gift in this mortall body to liue holily and chastly and farther also that by the discommodities of our mortalitie we haue occasions of martirdome and of other vertues But this I consider that these thinges are the benefites of the goodnes of God Of which benefites although Adam thorow his fall sometymes gaue occasion yet it doth
corrupted it Thirdly this also maketh agaynst the Pelagians namely that euen the very infantes do dye For as Paule sayth vnto the Romanes in the 6. chapter The reward of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And in the 15. chapter of the first epistle to the Corrinthyans The weapon saith he of death is sinne Lastly the baptisme which is geuen to little ones can not blot The sinne of imitatiō can not be blotted out of young children out of them the sinne of imitation Wherefore of necessity we ought to affirme that there is some other kinde of sinne in them except we will haue them to be baptised in vayne There is also an other opinion which the Master of the Sentences reciteth in the 2. dist the 30. which was of such which thought that originall sinne is only a guiltines or blame for an offence or obligation whereunto we are bound by reason of the sinne of Adam So these men do not acknowledge that there is truly and in very dede any fault or sinne in those which are borne but only a certayne guiltines and obligation that they should dye and be condemned for the sinne of Adam This opinion semeth Pigghius in a maner to haue reniued Pigghius maketh originall sin rather an obligation then a fault He maketh death to come of the principles of nature For he denieth that originall sinne is in very dede sinne because it is nether transgression of the law nor yet voluntary Wherefore he affirmeth it to be nothing els then the sinne of Adam for which we that are his posterity are made guilty of damnation and death and are become exiles from the kingdome of heauē But as for death and affictions of this life and lustes of the flesh and other such like affections he saith that they come of the principles of nature so that he is so farre of from saying that all these thinges are sinnes that he doth affirme them to be the workes of God For he sayth that God is the author of nature and that these thinges follow the humors temperature of y◠body and that thing which we sée happeneth in brute beastes happeneth also in men as touching the fleshe and grosser powers of the mynde as to desire those thinges which are preseruatiue pleasant and profitable whether they be agréeable to reason or agaynst it and to auoyde thinges contrary Wherefore He maketh originall sinne to be only the trsāgressiō of Adam He beleueth that this sinne is punished without sensible payne he maketh original sinne to be only the trāsgressiō of Adam Vnto which one trāsgression he will haue all vs to be borne obnoxious not for any sinne or fault or corruptiō which we haue in our selues And he saith moreouer that those which dye being obnoxious only to this sinne of Adam shall not be afflicted in an other life with sensible payne For he imagineth although he dare not openly affirme it that they shall ether in this world or els in some other very delicious place be happy through a certayne naturall blessednes wherein they shall lyue praysing God and geuing thankes although they be banished from the kingdome of heauen of whiche discommodity neuertheles as he dreameth they shal nothing complaine or be sad therefore For this were to striue against the will of God which a man can not doo without sinne But forasmuch as whilest they liued here they had no wicked will it is not to be thought that they Note two reasons of Pigghius He will haue sinne to be taken but after one onely maner shall haue such a wicked will in the lyfe to come And that they shall not suffer any sensible paine he thinketh he proueth very well and that by two reasons First because they haue committed no euill neither haue they cōtaminated themselues with any frowardnes Secondly bicause in this life is required no repentance or contritiō for originall sinne And of this fained deuise this pretence hath he bicause sinne ought not to be taken but after the true and proper maner that is that it be a thing spoken done or lusted against the law of GOD and that it be voluntary and not obtruded to any against their will but suche whiche may be eschued But forasmuch as these thinges haue not place in little infantes there can therfore be no sinne in them Howbeit he saith that he denieth not but that there is original sinne for he saith that it is the sinne of Adam for which all we are condemned must die But therfore I said y◠he sought pretēses bicause in very dede I sée that he Pigghius thinketh thus wherby to defend free will was moued to speake these thinges for an other cause For he attributing so much vnto frée will and hauing of that matter written so many things against vs and considering also that the same could not consist if he should apertly graunt Originall sinne as it is set forth of all the godly hath for that cause founde out this new deuised sentence which yet as I haue said is not vtterly so new for it is both touched and also reiected by the maister of the sentences But to colour his fond deuise A similitude of Pigghius more beautifully he bringeth a similitude of a noble and liberal prince which doth not onely set at liberty some one of his seruantes but also geueth vnto him great authority and enricheth him with possessions which also shall come vnto his posteritie and the Prince geueth him in charge this thyng onely that he faithfully obserue some certaine commaundementes which if he transgresse then he to be assured that all his riches and possessions shall be taken from him and himselfe to returne to his olde bondage This seruant being vnwise and vngrate violateth y◠commaundements of his prince and by that meanes is not onely himselfe made a seruant as he was before but also bringeth forth children to bondage But those children haue nothing wherof to complain of the seuerity of the prince but rather to geue thankes bicause he delt so liberally with their father But for their father they may be excedingly sory bicause he lost those ornamentes both from himselfe and also from his posteritie Yea what if this also be added that the liberalitie of y◠prince was so great that he also allured the posteritie of the vngrate seruaunt to those selfe same benefites and also to farre greater and so allured them that of his owne accorde he sent his sonne to prouoke them So saith he is it with vs. Adam was so created of GOD that he shoulde be pertaker of that supernaturall felicitie Who yet when he contemned the commaundementes of GOD was spoiled of all those supernaturall giftes and left to the olde estate of his nature And in that estate also are we procreated and so bicause of his sinne we are condemned and do die and are made exiles from the
same againe This only now I lay that that proposition is not altogether so simplye to be vnderstanded Farther this also is not true which he taketh as a ground when he saith that Paul in this place dissolueth not the question which he did put forth â–ª For Paul most plainely sayth that the election of God is the cause of our saluation And of the election of God he putteth none other cause but the purpose of God and his mere loue and good will towards vs. Neither is he any thinge holpen by that similitude whiche he bringeth out of the fiueth chapter of this Epistle For there Paul sayth that it is not absurd to say that we in such sort haue the fruicion of the righteousnes of Christ that by it we are iustified forasmuch as by the offence and dissobedience of one man many are condemned This sayth he he ought to haue proued that we are infected by the sinne that we haue drawen from Adam which yet he did not but left it vndissolued Yea rather Paul proued that we are pertakers of that corruption euen by this that we die And they die also whiche haue not sinned after the likenes of the transgression of Adam Wherefore by death as by the effect he sufficiently proued original sinne For in yâ— Paul afterward sayth when he entreateth of the calling of That the Gentiles by fayth caâ—â— vnto Christ is not the cause of predestinatioÌ„ but the effect God gâ—ueâ—h not faith vnto his râ—shly but of puâ—pose the Gentils and of the reiecting of the Iewes that the Gentils came by faith but the Iewes sought saluation by the works of the law he putteth not that as a cause but onely as an effect of predestination For it may straightwaye be demaunded wherhence the Gentils had theyr fayth And if they had it of God as doubtles they had why did God geue it vnto them Surelye for no other cause but because he would Wherfore let vs leue those thinges as not agreable with the wordes of the Apostle and this rather let vs consider how the Apostle in this place confuteth iij. The Maniches confuted of Paul errors First he stoppeth the mouth of the Manichies which attributed much vnto the houre of the natiuitie as though we should by the power of the starres iudge of the life death and other chaunces that happen vnto men For Paul sayth that Iacob and Esau were borne both at one time in whome yet we see that in theyr The Pelagiâ—â—s confuted whole life was great diuersitie He confuteth also the Pelagians which taught that the will is so frée that euery one is according to his merites foresene of God which error is also in other places confuted of Paul by most strong reasons For to the Ephesians he saith Which hath elected vs in him before the constitucion of the world that we should be holy He saith not that he elected vs for that we were holy but that we should be holy And vnto Titus He hath saued vs not by the woorkes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy And to Timothe Which hath called vs by his holy calling not according to our woorkes but according to his purpose and grace which is geuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus before the times of the world By which wordes we see that the election of God consisteth of Grace whiche we haue had from eternally Farther by these woordes of Paul is also confuted Origen as we haue sayde Origene coÌ„futed For Paul saith that these two had done neither good nor euell The elder shall serue the younger This seemeth to be a temporall promise What is the groundâ—ele of earthly promises But we haue before oftentimes admonished that the foundation and groundsell of these earthly promises is the promise touching Christ and touching the obteynement of saluation through him And this maye hereby be gathered for if we haue a respecte vnto the principallitie of the first birth we shall not finde that Iacob atteined to it For he neuer bare dominion ouer his brother Esau so longe as he liued yea rather when he returned out of Mesopotamia he came humblye vnto him and desired that he mought obteyne mercy at his handes and it vndoubtedly Iacob had the possessioÌ„ of the first birth not in himself but in his posterity seemeth that Esau was farre mightier then he Althoughe touching the posteritie of eche it is not to be doubted but that the promise tooke place For in the time of Dauid and of Salomon the Iewes obteined the dominioÌ„ ouer the Edumites If these thinges be well applied to the purpose of the Apostle then muste it needes be that that they be vnderstanded of the promise of Christ and of eternall felicity For this is it that Paul endeuoreth that it shoulde not séeme to be againste the promise of God â–ª that few of the Iewes are receaued vnto the Gospell séeing that the greatest part of them were excluded And when he had brought this testimony of Iacob and Esau that the elder should serue the yonger of that oracle he bringeth this reason that the election mought abide according to purpose Which thinge for that it séemed hard vnto humane reason he confirmeth by an oracle of Malachy As it is written Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated This sentence of Scripture which is here cited is the reason and cause of the other sentence The latter oracle is cause of the first A place of Malachie declared which he before alleadged namely That the elder should serue the yonger Which is herebye confirmed for that it is written Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated These wordes are written in Malachy aboute the beginning of the first chapter in which place God thus vpbraydeth vnto the people their ingratitude I haue loued you And they are sayd thus to haue answered Wherein hast thou loued vs TheÌ„ sayth the Lord Iacob and Esau were they not brethern And yet haue I loued Iacob hated Esau And this he hereby proueth for that they beinge bretherne yet he preferred Iacob before Esau And vnto Esau he gaue a waste and solitary land suffered not the Edumites to be deliuered from theyr captiuitie yea rather he threateneth that if they should enterprise to reedifie theyr countrey being ouerthrowen he would then destroy it But vnto the Israelites he gaue a good fertile land who if peradueÌ„ture they should for theyr sins be led away into captiuitie yet he promised From the loue of God commeth eternall lyfe and froÌ„ hâ—s hatred eternal destruction yâ— he would bring theÌ„ home again fully restore again vnto theÌ„ theyr old kingdom But these things forasmuch as they are earthly we do not at this preseÌ„t meddle wt. This thing onely I thinke is diligently to be weighed yâ— of the loue of God coÌ„meth eternall life and from his hatred eternall destruction Some in this place with great curiosity enquire
the corne which groweth in theyr fieldes true corne Augustine confuteth them and sheweth that this is no apt similitude for the bodies of infidels forasmuch as they are made of God are true bodies their corne also for y◠it is his worke is true corne but theyr chastitie forasmuch as it procedeth out of their corrupt vitiate wil can by no meanes be counted true chastitie And he addeth that vniuersal sentence wherof we haue much spoken before Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The same Augustine vpon the 30. Psalme expounding these wordes Deliuer me in thy righteousnes who is he saith he which is saued freely Euen he in whome our Sauiour findeth not any thing worthy to be crowned but findeth much worthy to be condemned in whome he findeth not merites of good thinges but merites of punishments Hereby we sée what is the nature of humane workes before iustification The same father in his first booke 30. question to Simplicianus saith that we are commaunded to lyue vprightly and that by a reward set before vs namely that we may merite to liue blessedly for euer But who saith he can liue vprightly and worke well vnles he be iustified by faith Here we are taught that there mought be in men a merite and deseruing of happy and eternall life if they could accomplishe that which is commaunded But forasmuch as that is impossible for vs to do therefore we fall away from merite The same Augustine in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium the 121. chap. The end saith he of the commaundement i◠of charity out of a pure hart a good conscience and an vnfayned fayth The ende of euery precept is charity and is referred vnto charity And whatsoeuer is done without such charity is not done as it ought to be done Wherefore if it be not done as it ought to be done it can not be denyed but that it is sinne Chrisostome expounding these wordes of Paul The ende of the law is Christ If the Chrisostom ende of the lawe saith he be Christ it followeth that he which hath not Christ though he seeme to haue the righteousnes of the lawe yet hath he it not in very deede By these wordes we gather that he which is without Christ may indéede haue workes which may séeme good which yet in very dede can not be iust And straight way he saith Whosoeuer hath fayth the same also hath the end of the law and whosoeuer is with out fayth is farre from either of them Hereby we gather that they which haue not faith are straungers not only from Christ but also from the righteousnes of the lawe which herein consisteth to do that which is commaunded And straight way For what desireth the lawe To make a man iust but it can not For no man hath fulfilled it But because a man might obiecte although a man not regenerate can not fulfill the lawe yet if he take paynes therein and go about and trauaile he may attaine vnto righteousnes this thing also Chrisostome excludeth And a litle before when he expounded these wordes Being ignoraunt of the righteousnes of God and willing to establishe their owne righteousnes they became not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God This sayth he he calleth the righteousnes of God which is of fayth because it is altogether of the heauenly grace wherein we are iustified not by our labours but by the gift of God This selfe same thing also writeth Ambrose whē he expoundeth these words Ambrose of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered He calleth saith he them blessed of whome God hath decreed that without labour or any obseruation they shal be iustified by fayth only And vpon those words of Paul Being iustified freely by his grace They are iustified freely sayth he because by the gift of God they are iustified by faith only they themselues working nothyng nor making any recompence The same Ambrose vpon these words of Paul Wherefore death hath raigned vpon them which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam He wrote this saith he because it is impossible for a man not to sinne Which thing seing he peraduēture spake of men regenerate what is to be thought of mā that are straungers from Christ Cyprian also ad Quirinum We ought saith he to boast in nothing because we Cyprian haue nothing of our owne I suppose it sufficiently now appeareth that that is true which we affirmed namely that men before iustification can not frame their workes according to the prescript of the law and therfore are they sinnes neither can they merite iustification But if our aduersaries will obiect and say that they affirme not that those works which they call preparatory do merite iustification but only are certayne preparations by which men are made more apt to attayne vnto iustification we may thus aunswere them If they merite not why fayne ye vnto them that your merite of congruity Farther why call ye them good whē as as we haue taught they neither please God nor are done according to y◠prescript of the lawe Lastly forasmuch as they want their end and not only are but also by good right are called sinnes how teach ye that men by them are prepared vnto righteousnes when as they should much rather by them be prepared vnto punishmentes Wherfore let them once at the length ceasse to adorne them wyth these goodly titles For though peraduēture God somtimes by these workes bringeth men to saluation he doth it because of his mercy towardes men which is so great that he will vse workes whiche are of themselues euill and sinnes to their good Now let vs sée if iustification be not geuen vnto works how it is then geuen fréely and it wholy dependeth of the mere grace of God For no manner of way it dependeth of merites Which thing Origen saw for he vpon this Epistle expounding these wordes of Paul Vnto him which worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt But I saith he when I desire excellency of speach whereas he sayth that vnto him that worketh is rendred a debt can scarsely perswade my selfe that there can be any worke which can of duety requyre a recompence of God forasmuch as euen thys that we can do or thinke or speake any thing we do it by hys gift and liberality What debt then shall he owe vnto vs whose grace preuenteth vs A little afterward he rendreth a reason of hys saying which reason Augustine oftentimes vsed For he bringeth that place of Paul The stipend of sinne is death But the grace of God is eternall life For here the Apostle added not But the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life which yet the nature of the Antithesis required For Pauls meaning was to declare that our wicked workes of duty deserued death and that euerlasting death but eternall life is not geuen but only by grace wherefore in
instrument is as touching God and the same is Christ whome the goodnes of God hath vsed for a sacrifice the other instrument as touching vs is faith whereby we take hold of the mercy of God and of his promises Now speaketh he of the ende The end of iustification God would to no other end in such sort iustifie vs but to declare his righteousnes which commeth not to passe but by communicating it with others For theÌ„ doth a man declare his riches when he enricheth others then declareth a man his knowledge when he enstructeth others then also sheweth he his strength when he streÌ„gthned others as Ambrose also saith That the righteousnes of God is made manifest in iustifieng of vs because he rendreth according to his promises which he hath made But there is no smal emphasis in this that vnto righteousnes he addeth this word His Iustification by faith hath tâ—o commodities to declare that there is vtterly no righteousnes of ours Chrisostom vpon this place saith Be not afearde for this righteousnes consisteth not of workes but of fayth and he addeth that in it are two excellent commodities First for that it is easy secondly because God by it declareth his owne proper righteousnes By the remission of the sinnes that are passed I knowe not what moued A strang reding and interpretation of Ambrose Ambrose not to read remission but purpose And in his interpretation he saith because God purposed to deliuer not onely those which dwell in heauen but also those which were in hell Whch thinges seme not to serue for this place Erasmus supposeth yâ— he red not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth remissioÌ„ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth purpose this reading also doth Augustine follow in his boke de spiritu litera the xiij cha But it is best we rede as the coÌ„moÌ„ readyng hath it For so is expressed vnto vs in what thyng chieflye consisteth iustification namely in the remission of sinnes Whiche thyng Dauid setteth forth expressedly when he saith Blessed are they whose iniquities In what thing chiefly consisteth iustificatioÌ„ are forgeuen It commeth in deede by the benefite of the holy ghost that besides the forgeuenes of sinnes followeth an instauration or renewing of the whole maÌ„ But in the first principall pointe consisteth the summe of iustification namelye the forgeuenes of sinnes This particle which is added Of the sinnes passed accordyng to the opinion of some is put to take away licentiousnes of sinnyng that men should not thinke that after they haue obteined righteousnes at Gods hand they should then liue losely But it is to be thought rather that the Apostle would hereby shew the infirmity of the lawe and of philosophy of humayne strengthes as thinges which were not able to put away sinne Sinne vndoubtedly continueth and abideth vntill righteousnes be by faith communicated vnto vs. And that it did still abide we shall afterwarde heare of Paule when a little after he sayth that sinne raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses and that he therby proueth for that death did spread abrode into all meÌ„ And yet caÌ„not by this place be proued that men after iustification can not fall which falles through After iustification we still fall An error of the Nouatians fayth must be forgeuen by iustification agayne obteined Wherfore the NouatiaÌ„s did hereof vnaptly gather that after baptisme forgeuenes of sinnes should not be geuen vnto them that fell Althoughe they beyng compelled by the force of arguments confessed that God in dede can geue remission of wicked actes after baptisme but to vs in the church it is not lawfull to exercise or to promise any suche forgeuenes But they very ill weighed what was said to Peter that he should forgeue his penitent brother not onely seuen tymes but also seuenty tymes seuen tymes Paules meanyng in this place is to declare the state of man before he attayneth vnto iustification namely that he is altogether in sinne Iustification embraceth What maner ones we be when the righteousnes of God first findeth vs. Against woorkes preparatorâ— Christ is perpetually one and the selfe same mediator vs when we are in that state that we bring nothyng vnto God from our owne selues but onely sins to be forgeueÌ„ Which vndoubtedly wheÌ„ they are forgeuen it followeth of necessity that they went before Wherfore by this place are rather coÌ„futed workes as they call theÌ„ of preparatioÌ„ theÌ„ that it maketh any thyng on Nouatus side And without doubt theyr opinion is vtterly to be reiected which thinke that the first iustification in dede commeth vnto vs fréely and the we should be by baptisme regenerated are not required good workes to go before But if we chaunce afterward say they to sin then is it necessary that we make satisfaction As though Christ were not the self same mediator at one tyme the he is at an other time Iohn most manifestly coÌ„futeth those meÌ„ saying Little children these thinges I write vnto you that ye sinne not but if we sinne we haue an aduocate wyth the father Iesus Christ whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our propitiation By which wordes we gather the after baptisme also if we chance to fal Christ is our iustification and not our workes Neither is it conuenient to thinke that the estate of them whiche by greuous falles haue turned away from Christ is better then theyrs which are not as yet coÌ„uerted vnto him so that though before they could not iustifie themselues they are afterward able to do it Wherfore we must nedes thinke that by repentaunce is againe obtained the selfe maner of iustificatioÌ„ the was before in baptism or to speake more vprightly wheÌ„ we were first regenerate by faith Wherfore I The same maner of iustification after baptisme which was before can not inough wonder what came in their heds of Cullen those moste great defenders of abuses in that their booke called Antididagma where they gooe about to put a difference betwene that repentaunce which we preach vnto infidels and yâ— repentaunce which is to be done of ChristiaÌ„s that haue falleÌ„ into greuous crimes They graunt the as touching infidels we should by the law of Moses vpbraide vnto theÌ„ those wicked factes which they haue committed and then set forth Christ vnto them as a remedy and medicine of so great euils But they affirme that vnto those which being Christians haue contaminated themselues with sinnes are to be inculcated the giftes and benefites from whiche they haue fallen and to be set forth vnto them the exercises of the spirite by which they may be agayne holpen And for this their sentence they cite certaine places of the Scripture First that which is written in the Apoc. Remember from whence thou hast falleÌ„ and do the first workes Otherwise I come vnto thee And vnto the Galathians Paule saith O ye foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey
forme of all his posteritye Howbeit we maye more simply and more aptly referre this vnto Christ For in that comparison Paul Adam a figure of Christ wonderfully much delighted Chrisostome also leaneth thys way and sayth that the Apostle with great conninge and manifold and sondry wayes handleth these woordes Of one and one to make vs to vnderstande that those thinges are to be compared together which haue come vnto vs by one Adam and by one Christ And this is very worthy An analogy betwene Adam and Christ An excelleÌ„t coâ—parison of Chrisostome A strong argumente against the Iewes of nothing in Chrisostome that he sayth Euen as Adam was the cause of death vnto al men although they did not eate of the tree so Christ was made vnto his a conciliator of righteousnes although they themselues had wrought no righteousnes In which place he moste manifestly declareth that we are not iustified by our woorkes He sayth moreouer That by this discourse of the Apostle we are throughlye fensed againste the Iewes if they chaunce to deride vs for that we beleue that by one Christe was redeemed the whole world For we wyll obiect agayne vnto them that they also confesse that by one Adam was all thinges corrupted which semeth to be a great deale more absurde if we looke vpon humane reason then to say that by one Christ all men haue bene holpen In this place the Apostle beginneth to entreate of that whiche was the fourth parte of this diuision namely by whome sinne was excluded And this he declareth was brought to passe by Christ whome he maketh like vnto Adam This similitude is The similitude betwene AdaÌ„ and Christe is to be taken generally to be taken generally that euen as all men depend of Adam so all also in theyr order depende of Christe and as the one merited for all his so also did the other But perticulerly and speciallye there is greate difference For Adam broughte in sinne death and damnation but Christe broughte in righteousnes life and grace There is difference also in yâ— propagation For Adam by the generation of the flesh powreth his euels into men but Christ by fayth And therefore Paul when he had sayd that Adam was a tipe of that whiche was to come as it were by way of correction added But yet the gifte is not so as is the sinne Wherefore betweene Adam Betwene Christ and Adam is not a true similitude but an analogy or proportion and Christe is to be put rather a certaine analogye and proportion then a true similitude But to make those thinges which follow more playne we will deuide in to thrée partes al this whole comparison which consisteth of similitudes of contraries and of thinges compared together Firste the Apostle plainelye teacheth that the sinne of Adam is not so as is the gifte for the gifte many wayes excelleth and passeth the sinne Secondly he expresseth wherin consisteth this victory namely in this that whereas Adam had by one sinne corrupted all mankinde Christe hath not onely abolished that one sinne but also a greate many other sinnes whiche we haue since committed Last of all he declareth what that aboundaÌ„ce of good things is which Christ hath brought vnto his elect As touching the firste this we muste know that Christ is so compared with Adam that he is alwayes made the superiour Neither is this to be passed ouer that Paul expresseth sinne by two names Christ is so compared with AdaÌ„ that he is alwayes made the superior They which sinne do first â—â—re and afterward fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which names this we learne that they which sinne doo first erre and afterward fall For these two are thorowly knitte together Wherefore the coÌ„mon saying is he that followeth a blind man must néedes fall This also let vs obserue that Paul in this comparison continually in a maner vseth these woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is gift to declare that our saluation commeth not vnto vs of any of our owne dignity or of works but onely of the meere mercy of God The wordes are thus For if thorow the offence of one many be dead muche more the grace of God and the gifte by Grace whiche is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many For if through the offence of one When he sayth that thorow the sinne of one man many haue died he taketh not away or altereth that whiche he before wrote namely that death had gone ouer all For this worde Many oughte in thys place to be of asmuch force as if he had sayd All euen by the testimony of Origene also Wherfore that abideth firme which was before auouched That all men haue sinned that all are therefore subiecte vnto death By Grace he vnderstandeth the fauour of God whereby sinnes are forgeuen This woord Gift peraduenture What grace is with the scholemen signifieth the holy Ghost and other good thinges which men by the holy Ghost obteyne But the schoole men say that Grace is a quality powred into our hartes by God whereby we lead an holy godly life and by this grace saye they is a man iustified But that kind of iustification shoulde pertaine vnto the law For it shoulde consist of those thinges which are in vs. Wherefore the true iustification whereof is now intreated commeth from Christe of whome thorough fayth and the grace or fauour of God we take holde not that we deny the other kinde of grace For we put both kinds namely both the instauration of the beleuers to liue vprightly and also the imputation of righteousnes by Christ whereunto whole and perfect iustification cleaueth that that might be true which we reade in Iohn that we haue receaued grace for grace and by that grace wherby Christ was of valew before the father we are receaued into his grace The nature of yâ— Antithesis required yâ— euen as he had sayd that thorow the offence of one maÌ„ many haue died so he should on the other side haue sayd that through the righteousnes of one the fauor of God hath abounded vpon many But he would rather put Grace and gifte for that these two thinges are the fountaines and rootes of righteousnes and of euery good thinge whiche we by righteousnes obteyne And he therefore saith that it abounded whiche in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to geue vs to vnderstand that there We haue more grace then is sufficient to extinguishe sinne was more grace bestowed vpon men then should be sufficient to extinguish sinne For for that we haue obteyned forgeuenes of sinnes wee are also borne againe and we rise againe wyth Christe and are sanctified and adopted into the children of God and are made the bretherne of Christe and fellow heyres wyth hym are grafted into his members are
made manifest the power and efficacy of Christ against sinne First for that he bringeth to passe that the haynous wicked actes which we haue committed are not imputed Secondly for that through the holy ghost he geueth vnto vs strengths wherby we are restored and the rages of our naturall lust are broken Christ fought againste sinne wherfore we must nedes make him either superior vnto sinne or equall or els lesse To say that he was lesse is both false and impious for then it should follow that he was ouercome of sinne If we make him equall then will it follow Proues that Christ is of more might then sinne Two kingdomes to be considered that sinne is not yet vanquished for then should they haue left leuing the victory vncertaine But seyng it is said that sinne is ouercome then followeth that which Paul saith namely that Christ was mightier then it Two kingdomes are to be set before our eyes yâ— kingdom of Christ the kingdom of Sathan That Christes kingdome got the victory Christ himself declareth in the Gospel where he sayth That the stroÌ„g armed maÌ„ so long time liued quietly and peaceably til such time as a stronger then he came vpoÌ„ him For then was he ouercome and the other which was mightier theÌ„ he caried away his spoiles armor Wherfore we must warely take hede lest being to much intentiue to those sins which we haue coÌ„mitted we desperatly say with Câ—in Our sinne is greater theÌ„ that it can be forgeuen For this were contumelious blasphemy against Christ to say that there is some sinne to be found which can The desperation of Cayn is coÌ„tumelious blasphemy against Christ Here is not spoken of sin against the holy ghost The sinne which remaineth in the regenerate declareth the might of Christ not be ouercome of him But here is no mete place to declare why sinne against the holy ghost is not forgeueÌ„ nether also maketh it any thing to the purpose for we speake of them which are conuerted vnto Christ which can haue no place in those which sinne against the holy ghost Nether doth this a litle helpe to the acknowledging of the victory of Christ that sinne still after a sort abideth in the regenerate For although there be sinne in them yet Christ by his power ouer whelmeth it so that it can not hurt For sinne is now taken prisoner and brokeÌ„ as somtimes enemies are takeÌ„ on liue of emperors or Captaines reserued on liue against a triuÌ„ph yâ— one the selfe same day may be both vnto yâ— Emperour for a triuÌ„ph vnto the enemies coÌ„quered vtter destructioÌ„ Christ shall come to iudge shal in yâ— sight of yâ— who le world triumph And as it is writteÌ„ vnto yâ— Cor. The last enemy death shall be destroyed and together with him sinne his continuall companion But that in the meane time we haue sinne in vs it is nothing preiudiciall vnto our saluation And it is the Gosple to beleue that sinne is remitted and forgeuen vs although it still abide in vs. Howbeit nether the wisedome of The philosophers vnderstand not that there is sin in vs and yet we are iust the fleshe nor philosophy can attayne to the knowledge of this For philosophy pronounceth none to be iust strong wise and temperate but he which hath gotten these vertues by often actions and vpright workes But we contrariwise in the kingdome of Christ affirme that a sinfull man though he be neuer so wicked so sone an he is conuerted vnto Christ and with a true faith taketh hold of him is streaight way before God iust By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle in this place vnderstandeth iustification of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to be pronounced iust to be acquited Although in this selfe same epistle in the 1. chapter we rede which when they knew the righteousnes of God how that they which committe such thinges are worthy of death yet doo not only the same but also consent vnto them that do them That which is there turned in latine Iusticiam and in englishe Righteousnes is in the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifieth in that place a law prescribed of God Nether is it to be meruayled at that these significatious are so changed for they are not vtterly differing one from the other For some times they are compared together as the cause and the effect For therefore amongst men is a man acquited of the iudge for that he hath done thinges iust and hath bene obedieÌ„t vnto the lawes But thus can not we be before God For we are not absolued from him for that we haue fulfilled his commaundements Only Christ hath fulfilled them Wherfore not only he himselfe is iustified but also his righteousnes performance of the law is adiudged vnto vs forasmuch as we are counted amongst his members Here he beginneth to expresse yâ— which was the third part of our diuision by what meanes Christ hath placed in his elect those good thinges which he hath brought vnto vs and these good thinges are in them most plentifull and also most firme and stable This he gathereth of the Antithesis for euen as Adam brought in sinne and death and so brought them in that they haue raigned so Christ hath geueÌ„ vnto his life grace and righteousnes not after any common sort but most liberally and aboundantly For if thorough the offence of one death raigned thorough one much more shall they which receaue the aboundance of grace of the gifte of righteousnes raigne in life thorough one Iesus Christ For if thorough the offence c. This reasoÌ„ is thus to be declared If Adam could so poure in sin death into men that they raigned in them much more is This amplification is to be noted the same to be graunted vnto Christ And the amplification of the woordes is in this sort It is a greater matter of more efficacy to say pleÌ„ty aboundance of grace theÌ„ simply to say grace And this hath a greater emphasis to say yâ— gift of righteousnes theÌ„ if he had sayd righteousnes simply For wheÌ„ it is called yâ— gift of righteousnes there is signified that it coÌ„meth freely Farther it is of more efficacy to raigne in life then after a sort to obteyne life But what force this word of raigning hath one eche side may thus be vnderstand Let vs set before our eyes a man that is a straÌ„ger from Christ In him doth sinne not only abide Sinne to raigne what it signifieth but also mightely raigne that although he sometimes haue excellent endeuors and now and then doth some morall workes in shew most goodly yet he can by no meanes shake of that tirrany but whatsoeuer he doth it worketh vnto him vnto death and condemnation This is sinne and death to raigne in a maÌ„ On the other side let vs set before vs a godly man and one grafted into Christ This
Righteousnes to raigne what it signifieth Life a companion of righteousnes man hath life and righteousnes and so hath them that they raigne in him wherfore although his nature be vncleane and his affections corrupted and he some times falleth yet notwithstanding standeth he agaynst all these thinges and is brought to saluation Moreouer by this place we are tought that life followeth righteousnes as before we learned that death followeth sinne And thereof it coÌ„meth that the scriptures very oftentimes ioyne life with faith for by faith we take hold of righteousnes And this order of the scripture Paul confirmeth wheÌ„ he so often reherseth this sentence of Abacuck the Prophet The iust man liueth by fayth Christ also sayth He that beleueth in the sonne of God hath eternall life And this is eternall life to acknowledge thee to be the true God Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent The Apostle hath now in a maner in these wordes finished the comparison which he set forth betweene Adam and Christ In which place this is not to be passed ouer to put you in minde of a certaine reason which the Greke Scholies vse to proue that Christ was of more might to helpe men then Adam was to destroy men Bycause death say they taking his begininng at Adam had as a fellow worker with it the sinne of vs all to preuaile against vs all for otherwise it could not haue preuayled if men had kept themselues pure from all vncleanes But the grace of Christ hath come vnto vs all euen without our helpe of working And they say that this thing is made playne by the grace of the Resurrection which shall extend his effect not only vpon the faithfull which may indâ—dâ— seme to haue brought fayth but also vpon the vnbeleuers namely vpon Iewes and Grecians which had no fayth But that is of greater force which requireth no helpe at our handes then that which nedeth vs to worke therewithall to make it of efficacy These thinges are set forth vnder the name of Oecomenius but they are in any wise to be auoyded For it is false that yâ— sinne of AdaÌ„ should The sinne of Adam hurteth euen without our working together with it not hurte maÌ„kinde vnles men had wrought together by reason of theyr sinnes For an infant when he is borne by what meanes can he helpe that original sinne which cleaueth vnto him But if he dy in yâ— sinne he incurreth daÌ„natioÌ„ and perisheth euerlastingly Farther whereas they say that yâ— grace of Christ pertayneth vnto meÌ„ although they worke not together with it this may after a sort haue place in yâ— coÌ„uersioÌ„ of a sinner For a sinner calleth not vnto himselfe yâ— grace of god but rather by his impiety resisteth it But wheÌ„ grace is once come he is not moued of it agaynst his wil. For of an vnwilling persoÌ„ he is made willing But the Greke Scholies wrest not this sentence this way but apply it to the last resurrectioÌ„ wherein yâ— vngodly shall without any their merite or working together be raysed vp from the dead But this if it be rightly waighed of vs pertayneth vnto the most gréeuous punishment of them and not to a benefite or grace For seing Christ sayd truly of Iudas It had ben good for him that he had neuer ben borne It should be good for the wicked that they neuer rise agayne we also of them may say most truely that it should be good for them that they neuer rise agayne from the dead Wherefore let vs leaue this reason and follow that which Paul bringeth as a reason most firme and most true Wherefore euen as by the offence of one man euill came on all men to condemnation So by the righteousnes of one good was spred abroade on all men to the iustification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous Here he bringeth a conclusion of those thinges which he before spake Nether doth he only coÌ„clude and repete the thinges which he had before spokeÌ„ but also expressedly declareth what that one sinne is which was brought in by one man and one the other side what that righteousnes is by which Christ hath made vs iust And hereunto tend all these thinges to make vs to vnderstaÌ„d that we are iustified not by workes but by faith and by that meanes are we made more certaine and assured of our saluation And in this seÌ„tence there is a want which must be supplied For thus he speaketh EueÌ„ as by the offence of one man on all men to condemnatioÌ„ here is to be vnderstaÌ„d euill or hurt was spred abroade And when he addeth So by the righteousnes of one on all men to the iustification of life here also is to be vnderstand Good was spread abroade or saluation Here againe we haue these coÌ„traries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is offence righteousnes Of which the one pertaineth vnto Adam and the other vnto Christ Nether waÌ„teth this an emphasis that he sayth Iustification of life For it is as much as if he had sayde The vitall or liuely iustification For the Hebrues vse oftentimes to pronounce nownes adiectiues by the genitiue case of the substantiue This thing also is to be noted in this sentence that Paul expressedlye sayth that sinne hathreddunded vpon all men vnto condemnation Wherebye it is manifest that when he before sayd That thorough the sinne of one man many haue died by this word many he vnderstoode All men Which word also he did expressedly put in the beginninge of this comparison Whiche I therefore speake because Ambrose and Origene seme to affirme that death and sin haue not raigned ouer all those that haue come of Adam for that many of them acknowledged God and were deliuered from the tiranny of sinne But this is to confound the benefite of Christ with the hurt of Adam For in that some were deliuered from death that could not haue happened vnto theÌ„ but by the death of Christ which they beleued should come which benefite although they obtayned yet doth it not thereof follow that they before they were deliuered by Christ had not as touching their nature and themselues perished in Adam But these fathers séeme therefore to haue inclined this way for that they weighed the matter according to the number of men For when they saw that all men are not saued by Christ least he should séeme inferior vnto Adam they denyed that in Adam all had perished Therfore they held that on ech side are some to be exempted that both Christ may haue his number apart by himselfe and also Adam his by himselfe And it is possible that this also moued them that Paul hath before and also in this place sayd not All but many But this maner of exposition is vtterly agaynst Paules sentence for he euen as he putteth death common vnto all men that are borne of
kingdome of heauen suffring many discommodities which are deriued from the groundes of our nature Wherefore we may coÌ„plaine of our first parent but not of God For he was most liberal towards him especially seyng he called vs againe vnto himselfe which is the chiefe felicitie by hys onely sonne and would haue hym to suffer death for our saluation But against this opinion maketh that chiefly which we haue already twise before Death hâ—th no right where no sinne is rehersed namely that infantes do die For death hath no right where as is no sinne vnles we will say that God punisheth the innocent And this reason is confirmed by that argument of Paul wherby he proued that sinne was before the law Because death saith he raigned from Adam euen to Moses But by Pigghius opinion this might be counted a very weke reason For a maÌ„ might say although they died yet therby it followeth not that they had sinne For death happened vnto The Apostle confesseth that sin dwelleth in himselfe We haue not the principles of natuâ—e perfect but vitiated The consideration of man and of brute bests is not alike them thorough Adam for whose sinne they became mortall Farther doth not Paul confesse that there is sinne in nature when he affirmeth that sinne dwelleth in himself and confesseth that the law of the members draweth him captiue and such other like And that is nothing which Pigghius obiecteth namely that those thinges come of the principles of nature for these principles are not of nature being perfect but of nature corrupte and vitiated Neither ought he in this thyng to bring a similitude from brute beastes For man is created to be farre excellenter then brute beastes to beare rule ouer theÌ„ Man had in dede in himselfe principles to desire things pleasaÌ„t profitable but not against reason the worde of God For to haue those affections outragious and violent belongeth not to men but to brute beasts Farther our soule being immortal geuen by the inspiratioÌ„ of God required a body méete for it namely such which mighte be preserued for euer that the soule should not any time be compelled to be without it Wherfore we ought not to flye The bodye ought to be agreable vnto the soule It is blasphemy to make God the author of wicked affections vnto the principles of nature for it was not framed such as now we haue it Now if Pigghius do fayne that God created in vs these lustes and wicked affections theÌ„ is he blasphemous and contumelious againste him whiche faultes he vnworthely goeth about to lay to our charge For forasmuche as God is good and moste wise and moste iuste and hath also created man vnto the highest felicity he woulde not haue geuen him those thinges whereby he should be withdrawen from that felicitie which should entise him to do against his commaundementes whiche of theyr owne accord are filthy and should lead vs captiues into the law of sinne of death For these thinges if they ought to be mortified and crucified as vndoubtedly they ought we must néedes graunt that they are vices and hatefull vnto God Neither E 〈…〉 l affections forasmuch as they ought to be mortified at sins is that of so great force that he fayth that they are not properly sinnes vnles euen as colde is called slouthfull because it maketh menne slouthfull so these thinges because they allure men to sinne may therefore after a sort be called sinnes Or euen as the scripture calleth that a hand which is made with the hand or speach is called the tonge because it is pronounced by the ministery of the tounge so these thinges may be called sinnes because they proceede from sinne These similitudes do nothinge helpe Pigghius cause for althoughe Augustine vsed sometimes so to speake yet he would haue it to be vnderstand of those defaultes and vices which are in maÌ„ after Baptisme In which thing how farre we agrée with him we haue els where declared and peraduenture afterward will farther declare But Augustine plainely affirmeth that before baptisme they are sinnes Yea the holy Ghoste also in Paul calleth theÌ„ sinnes and the nature of sinne agreeth wyth The nature of sinne is extended to al things that are against the law of God â–ª Wherein iniquity coÌ„â—sisteth them For so we haue defined sinne that it pertayneth to all those things whatsoeuer they be that are againste the lawe of God For as Iohn sayth sinne is iniquitie And who seeth not that it is a thing vniuste that the fleshe should haue the spirite subiect vnto it and that our soule should not be obediente vnto the woorde of God Wherefore forasmuch as all these thinges do stirre vs vp to transgresse and to rebell against the woord of God they are both vniust also ought to be called sinnes Farther the wordes of Dauid are most plainely against Pigghius when he sayth Beholde I was conceaued in iniquityes and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me If wicked lust and these vices were the woorkes of nature vndoubtedly that holy maÌ„ woulde not haue complained of them And what other thinge mente the Apostle Paul when he wrote vnto the Ephesians That we are by nature the childreÌ„ of wrath but that there is sinne in euery one of vs Howbeit Pigghius doth by a peruerse interpretacion go about to wrest this testimonye from vs. For he saith that to be by nature the children of wrath is nothinge els but to be the children of wrath by a certayne course of birth because we are so borne into the worlde And he bringeth this similitude that some are called bondmen by nature which is nothing els then that they were borne in that state to be bond But we neither can nor oughte to be contente with this fained deuise for the anger of God is not prouoked but iustly For it is not such that it can be incensed either rashely or by chaunce Wherefore The anger of God is not prouoked but iustly there must nedes be some wicked thinge in our nature to the auengement wherof the anger of God is stirred vp And that similitude of his serueth not to hys purpose for they which are sayd to be borne bondmen by nature haue also by nature some thing in them which is apt for bondage For if we geue credite vnto Aristotle Seruantes by nature haue something in theÌ„ that is apte for seruitude writing in his politiques bondmen by nature are they which excell in strength of body but are dull and slow in reason and thereof it commeth that they are more meete to serue then to beare rule ouer others or to liue at liberty The Apostle also sufficiently declareth why he calleth vs by nature the children of wrath namely because by nature we séeme prone and readye to stirre vp the anger of God and walke according to the prince of this world and because the Deuell is of efficacy in our hartes by reason of
we are so prouoked to sinne that none can flatter hymselfe of hys owne innocencye For who can boaste that he hath a chaste harte For as Iohn sayth If we saye we haue no sinne wee deceyue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Agayne Cyprianus in hys Epistle to Fidus teacheth that infants oughte to be baptised that they peâ—rishe not for euer Augustine also citeth the Bishop Reticius whose wordes we haue before rehearsed He citeth also Olympius a bishoppe of Spayne who saith That the sinne of the first man was so dispersed in the budde that sinne is borne together wyth man He also citeth Hilarius who writeth thus of the fleshe of Christ Therfore seyng he was sent in the similitude of sinnefull fleshe so had he also sin But because all flesh is of sinne namely of the sinne deryued froÌ„ the first parent Adam he was sent in the similitude of sinnefull flesh so that there was not in hym sinne but the similitude of sinnefull flesh The same father in an other place expounding the xviij Psalme vrgeth this sentence of Dauid Behold in iniquities was I conceiued and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me Also in his Homilie vppon the booke of Iob he saith That the body is a matter of malice whiche can not be sayd to haue bene so from the first constitution And Ambrose vpon Luke saith that the body is a stinking puddle and an harbor of sinnes but by the benefite of Christ it is chaunged into the temple of God and made a holy place of vertues The same father against the Nouatians saith that our byrth is in sinne and in his apologie of Dauid he saith that before we are borne we are blotted wyth contagiousnes and before we haue the vse of lyght we receaue originall iniustice are conceaued in iniquity And of the Lord he saith It was mete that he which should not haue in his body the sinne of falling should fele no naturall contagiousnes of generation Wherefore worthely did Dauid be wayle in him selfe the corruptions of nature forth at that filthines begaÌ„ in maÌ„ first before life The same Ambrose of the Arke of Noah Whome then hath he now pronounced a iust man but hym which is free from these bondes whome doth the bondes of common nature not hold Also vpon the Gospel of Luke he sayth That the infants which are baptised are by the washinges of the healthfull ministery reformed from maliciousnes Ierome vpon Ionas the prophete sayth that litle infantes are subiect vnto the sinne of Adam And yâ— it should not be thought that he speaketh it only of guiltines vpon the 18. and 41. chap of Ezechiell he vrgethe that not euen a child which is but a day old is without sinne He vrgeth this also Who can make that cleane which is conceaued of vncleane sede Gregorius Nazianzenus saith The image of God shall pourge the spot of bodely inundacion afterward Haue in reuerence the natiuity whereby thou art deliuered froÌ„ the boÌ„des of thyne earthly natiuity And intreating of baptisme by thys sayth he the spotes of the first natiuity are purged by which we are conceaued in iniquities and our mothers hath in sinnes begotten vs. Augustine defeÌ„deth Basilius Magnus For the Pelagians Augustine defendeth Basile would haue him to seme to be one theyr side For he writeth against the Manichies that euill is not a substance but a conuersation which coÌ„meth only of the will which saying he vnderstode of those which haue gotten the infection of conuersation by their owne will which conuersation he sayth may easely be seperated from the will of them that be sicke For if it could not be seperated from it euil should be a substantiall part thereof All these thinges Augustine affirmeth to be vprightly spoken For the Manechies affirmed that euil is a certaine substance In opinion of the Manechies Euell may be seperated from vs thorougâ— the mercy of God The perfect seperation from euell is hoped for in the life to come and that that euill was the beginning of all thinges in the world But Basilius one the contrary side sayth that that euill is in a good thing and that it happened to be euill thorough the will of the man and woman which sinned But in that he sayth that it may easely be seperated from the will he ascribeth it not to our streÌ„gths but to the mercy of God And wheras he sayth that there shal be left no tokens therof that also doo we hope for but not in this life but in the life to come But that he acknowledged originall sinne his sermon concerning fast sufficiently testifieth For thus he sayth If Eue had fasted from the tree we should not now haue neded this fast For they that are whole haue no nede of a phisitioÌ„ but they that are sicke We haue bene sicke thorough that sinne let vs be healed by repentance But repentance without fasting is vaine By these wordes Basilius affirmeth that by reason of the sin of Adam we are not whole Moreouer he citeth the 12. Bishoppes of the East which condeÌ„ned Pelagius Vnto which ought Origen also to be added who wheÌ„ he interpreceth yâ— senteÌ„ce of Paul which we haue rehearsed namely Death hath gone ouer all men saith that Abel Enoch MathusaleÌ„ and Noah sinned But as for other fathers he sayth he will not recken bycause they haue euery one sinned For there is not one cleane from filthynes although he haue liued but one day only But he speaketh more manifestly vpon the 6. chap. of this epistle wheÌ„ he sayth that Baptisme ought to be geuen vnto infantes by the Apostolicall tradition bycause the Apostles knew that there were in all men naturall corruptions of sinne which ought to be washed away by water and the spirite And Chrisostome vpon Genesis entreating this question why men are now afrayd of beastes and are hurte of them when as they were created to be lordes ouer them thys thinge he sayth happeneth by reason of sinne and by cause saith he we haue fallen from confidence and honour And therby Augustine proueth that the nature of infantes is fallen bycause beastes doo not spare them The same Chrisostome expounding yâ— place which we are now in haÌ„d with sayth That that sinne whiche came thorough the disobedience of Adam hath coÌ„taminated all He hath also many other places which serue for the confirmation of thys sentence And yet the Pelagians were not ashamed and especially Iulianus to cite The Pelagians went about to draw Chrisostome vnto them thys father for a witnes as thoughe he made with them bycause in his sermon of those that are baptised rehearsing many giftes of Baptisme namely that they which are Baptised doo not onely receaue remission of sinnes but also are made childreÌ„ and heires of God brethern of Christ and his fellow heires members and temples of God and instrumentes of the holy ghost addeth at the last Seest thou howe manye are the giftes of Baptisme And
children are holy Wherefore it is not probable that they haue contracted originall A place of the first Epistle to the Corrinthians sinne for holines agreeth not with sinne Some expounde that sentence thus namely that the children of Christians are holy as touching a ciuill consideration namely for that they are to be counted for legitimates and not for bastardes But that is not sufficiente For by that meanes the matrimonye of Christians shoulde in nothinge excell the matrimonye of Infydelles for theyr chyldren also borne in lawefull matrymonye are legitimate and are The children also of infidels begotten in lawfull matrimony are legitimate A godlye education ma◠also happen vnto bastards Adeodatus the sonne of Augustine Some holines redoundeth from the parents into childrē by the power of the couenāt of God What is the promes that we leane vnto when we deliuer our infants to be baptised made heyres Other expound holynes for a godly education For if the godly yoke fellow should depart from the vngodly paraduenture the children should be left with the vngodly and so be led away from Christ but if they dwell together the godly parent will euer instill some piety into the children But this exposition also semeth not to make much to the purpose of Paul for a godly education may happen also vnto thē which are born in adultery or fornication Which thing we see came to passe in Adeodatus the son of Augustine Wherefore the Apostle semeth rather to signifie that some holynes redoundeth from godly parentes into their children which yet dependeth not of the fleshe but of the promise geuen in the couenant For God promised Abraham that he would not only be his God but also the God of his sede Wherefore God in the prophetes calleth the infantes of the Iewes his and complayneth that his sonnes and daughters were sacrificed vnto Moloch And we in the hope of this promise do offer our infantes vnto the Church to be baptised because they pertaine vnto God and vnto Christ that the promise which we haue now spoken of might be confirmed with some outward seale But thou wilt say thou mayst be deceaued for that paraduenture thy sonne doth not pertaine to the number of the elect Hereunto I answere that the like difficulty is there in those that be of full age for it may be that a man professeth faith with a fayned hart or may be led only by humane perswasion or may haue but a faith for a time so that in very dede he pertayneth not vnto the elect But these thinges the minister regardeth not but only considereth the confession which he that is to be baptised professeth and will say that the election of God is hidden vnto him therefore is he not carefull thereof he can appoynt nothing of perticular thinges but only considereth the generall promesse from which although many are excluded A place to the Rom. yet longeth it not to him to define who they are So Paul speaketh of the Iewes If the roote be holy the branches also shal be holy if the first fruites be holy the conspersion or masse also shal be holy By which wordes he declareth that the loue of God was bent vnto the Iewes because of the promise and for their fathers sake and for that cause saluation was due vnto them Although therefore this promise The promes of God is indeterminate and true be indefinite and many are excluded from it yet neuertheles it remayneth vnshakē and firme For alwayes some of them are conuerted vnto Christ and shal be conuerted euen vnto the ende of the world Which thing is manifest in Isaake vnto whose seede although God promised he woulde be mercifull yet An example of Isaak that promise tooke place only in Iacob not in Esau And yet was that no cause why Esau should not be circumcised So we graunt that the children of Christians which pertayne vnto the election of God are holy but yet they are spotted with originall sinne because by nature they are the children of wrath as others are And if God do put away the guiltines and impute it not vnto them to the ende they may be saued that commeth vnto them of the grace of God of his mere mercy not of the purenes of their nature Seing therefore they Infants elect when they are borne are both holy the children of wrath in diuers respectes are borne of a corrupt masse and also they pertaine vnto the number of the elect we affirme ether both that they are holy and that also by nature they are the children of wrath Wherefore it plainely appeareth how this argumente may be dissolued But they adde moreouer that in infantes is found nothing spoken done or thought against the lawe of God and therefore they haue no sinne at all How fowly they are herein deceaued plainely appeareth by those thinges whiche we haue alredy sayd For this is as much as if they should thus reason say They haue no actuall sin Ergo they haue no sin For to reason frō the species to the A false argument generall word by a negatiō is an ill kinde of reasoning But they are deceaued for that they follow not the vniuersall nature or definition of sinne whiche we haue so before described that it cōprehendeth all things that are by any meanes repugnant vnto the lawe of God They obiect also that it is not wel sayd that originall sinne is spred abrode by the sede and fleshe because they haue an insensible and brutishe nature and therefore can not receaue sinne But we haue alredy taught that sinne is not in them but by inchoation as in the roote But then the nature of sinne is finished when the soule is now ioyned to it We haue declared also what is to be aunswered vnto the Pelagians when they contend that these thinges which Paul speaketh in this place ought to be Against the Pelagians vnderstand as touching imitation For first that can not stand with all the sayinges of the Apostle For he sayth that all men haue sinned and that by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners and which is more firme he hath proued that therefore sinne was in the world before the lawe because death raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses There are also other reasons which Augustine vseth against the Pelagians which are not nedefull now to be repeted Farther they adde that humane afflictions and death it selfe are naturall for they haue in vs principles of nature from whence they do flowe But hereunto we answere that these principles were not so framed when the nature of man was first instituted but they were afterward vitiated and corrupted as we now see they are The philosophers resolue the effectes which they see into these principles which are now extant but Christians do rather resolue them into the word of God Seing therefore that the scripture teacheth that death entred through sin and that man as
the merites of the parentes For they can not by procreation of the body poure grace into the children forasmuch as it is a thing altogether spirituall nether hath it any naturall fellowship with the fleshe Wherefore forasmuch as goodnes holynes are the mere and pure giftes of God God doth in dede promise that he will doo good vnto the posterity of godly men euen to a thousand generations But that is not to be vnderstand as though there were put any merit in the parentes God was of his mercy moued to make this promise and not by the merites of men And to declare his libertye herein he suffereth it sometimes to happen otherwise and by that meanes teacheth that holy parentes are not so holy but that they haue still much wickednes and corruption in them which they may se to be naturally grafted in theyr children Whereby we may manifestly se the corruption of our nature which also followeth the sayntes euen to the death And for the more establishing also of thys sentence some bring out of the Psalme a curse of the Churche agaynst the children of the vngodlye That they shoulde be orphanes that no man shoulde haue compassion on them that they shoulde begge theyr liuinge If the children of the vngodly be innocents then is this no iust prayer Wherfore it semeth by these words of necessity to follow that they are partakers of the wyckednes of their parentes And bicause they are infantes it can by no other meanes be done but by propagation I know there are some which will haue these wordes of Dauid to be prophesies of thinges to come wherin the holy ghost hath foretold that these misfortunes shall come vnto them But graunt that they be prophesies Yet can it not be denied but that there is in them both the forme the affect of a prayer But a prayer Whether the latter mē be more miserable then the first ought to be iust for otherwise it should be no prayer But where as they say that that is most absurd which followeth of this doctrine namely that the last men also should be more miserable then all others bicause they should beare the synnes both of Adam also of all their elders it may be answered two maner of wayes For first not all thinges which seme absurd vnto vs are also absurd before God The things that are absurde vnto vs are not absurd before God For not to depart from this selfe same matter Christ threatneth the Iewes that all the murther of the godly from Abell euen to Zacharias the sonne of Barachias should come vpon them And who séeth not that the estate of the children of Israel which were led away into captiuity was much more miserable then very many generations of their elders which had defiled themselues with the selfe same sins Farther we aunswer that that should in dede be absurd if the sinnes of the elders should continually passe into the children But seyng we haue declared that that is not alwayes so but that the prouidence of God hath appointed an end and measure To the reasons of the scholemen Affections of the mind◠are communicated frō the parents vnto the children vnto this euil and hath therfore determinately pronounced onely of the third and fourth generation there is no cause why it should seme absurd vnto any man But the reasons of the scholemen wherwith they withstand this propagation are very weake First they alledge that the qualities of the minde are not communicated from the parentes vnto the children which thing euen experience teacheth to be false For we sée oftentymes that of angry persons are borne angry children and of sad parentes sad children Neither doth this similitude serue thē to any purpose when they say that of a Grammarian is not borne a Grammarian nor of a Musician a Musician For these are artes which are gotten by precepts and exercise not affections which are naturally grafted in men And yet by experiēce we sée that it somtymes commeth to passe y◠in what arte the father chiefly excelleth he hath children very prone vnto the same whither if be husbandry or the arte of war fare or els some liberall science Farther we in this place principally speake of those affections which are the groundes and beginninges of actions In the other Sinne defileth both soule and body argument they say that sinne in the parentes doth vitiate only the soule which is not true For as we haue before taught their body is also defiled And therfore it is no meruaile if fathers do communicate such a body vnto their children Wherfore as touching this matter I gladly agrée with Augustine that it is probable and agreable with the scriptures and this sentence Martin Bucer a man no lesse lerned then holy hath allowed that priuate sinnes are deriued from the parents vnto the children But we must note that that commeth by chaunce and is not of necessitie For God sometimes stayeth the sinnes of the parentes and of his goodnes suffreth not the nature of men vtterly to be destroyed But when he will either represse this traductiō of sins or els suffer it to take place he himself only knoweth Howbeit vnto vs it is sufficient to consider these two things First the sinne is poured from the parentes into the children Secondly that the same is by the benefite of God sometimes prohibited which yet can by no meanes be spoken of Originall sin For we al are borne infected with it Now let vs returne vnto the words of the Apostle which we haue so long tyme intermitted Moreouer the lawe entred in by the way that sinne shoulde abounde But where sinne abounded there grace abounded muche more That euen as sinne hath raigned in death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ Moreouer the law entred in by the way that sinne should abounde But The Methode of Paule where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more We muste call to memory that the Apostle began to reherse the effectes of iustification namely that by it we haue peace with God and that we do reioyce not onely bicause of the hope of that glorye but also we reioyce in tribulations bicause we are assured of oure saluation For the confirmation of whiche hope he hathe declared that GOD hathe geuen his sonne vnto the deathe and that when we were yet sinners enemies vngodly And that it should not be obscure by what meanes the righteousnes of Christ could saue vs he sheweth by a comparison that euen as by the sinne of Adam all men haue perished so by Christ all men haue reuiued And in this comparison he teacheth that the effect of sinne is death And that men are deliuered from it only by Christ Now bycause a man might aske whether the law hath any thing profited to the attayntment of that saluation he answereth by preuention that it rather augmented the disease so farre was it of
First that it is not vtterly vnprofitable no not euen without regeneration for it may serue to some ciuile discipline The office of the law For if mē do the outward workes of the law in such sort as they may although vnto them which doo them they are sinnes yet by thē may be obserued a ciuile order For where there is no obseruation of these thinges all thinges are confoūded iniuries are committed filthy lust rāgeth abrode the wrath of God is kindled so that he suffreth not publike welthes being in such maner corrupt verye long to continew There is also an other worke of the lawe which is inwarde which pertayneth vnto the conscience that it should perpetually accuse vrge scourge and condemne it And by this meanes God as we haue sayd bringeth a man at the length to iustification Which iustification being obteyned nether then doth the law lye idle but is like a glasse wherein the regenerate do behold After regeneration the law is not idle what fruites they ought to bring forth how much they ought dayly to profite what they haue to geue thankes for and how muche they want of the iust instauration to y◠end to obtaine it they may the more ernestly call vpon God The law also putteth before theyr eyes y◠marke wherevnto they ought to leuel in al theyr actions Vnto which although they can not attayne in this life yet they must doo theyr diligence not to depart far from it By these thinges it manifestly appeareth how much the law helpeth in outward workes what it worketh in the conscience and how much it helpeth them that are regenerate Now resteth this to marke that this sentence of the Apostle pertayneth not only to ceremonies Vnder this sentēce are comprehended not onely ceremonies but also the morall precept but also to the morall preceptes For sinne is by them most chiefely increased and it is of more greater wayght to stray from them then from outward ceremonies But now let vs returne vnto the Apostle That euen as sinne hath raigned in death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ Here he sheweth a reason why grace in the elect after the increases of sinne abounded namely that by it we should obteyne righteousnes and so at the length come to eternall life For euen as sinne brought death so grace also and righteousnes which must be ioyned together haue brought eternall life The argument is taken of contraries An argument taken of contraries For seing that sinne which is opposite vnto righteousnes brought death it is meete that of grace and righteousnesse shoulde followe life Neyther is it in vayne that righteousnesse is ioyned wyth grace For thereby we are taughts that our righteousnesse consisteth not of woorkes but of grace The wonderfull order also of thynges is here to be noted In the firste place is put the A very godly gradation law then the increase of sinne and then the aboundance of grace afterward righteousnes last of all eternall life and all these things by Iesus Christ As touching the wordes sinne is sayd to haue raigned in death bycause sinne could not be taken away by the law and death was for his cause inflicted as a punishmēt In the 1. to y◠Corrinth Paul hath in a maner the selfe same sentence saying that the dart of death is sinne For nether could death otherwise wound mankind but by sinne Ether of them are sayd to raigne both grace and sinne when we are moued and stirred vp by them for in Publike welthes kinges raigne and gouerne How grace and sinne a◠sayd to raigne as it pleaseth them In godlye men righteousnes raigneth for they after they haue receaued remission of sinnes study to geue theyr members weapons vnto righteousnes and holines as before they had permitted them to sinne And this is called the kingdome of Christ which is therefore ascribed vnto grace by Why this kingdome is called the kingdome of Christ The rootes of death and life A similitude Grace and life cleaue together of necessity cause it consisteth freely and without workes In this place as Chrisostome noteth are set forth vnto vs the rootes of death and life The fountaine of life is grace and righteousnes the foūtayne of death is sinne And he addeth that death is like a souldier whiche is aypointed armed of sin as of his king wherfore take away the king then death being vnarmed can not destroy mē for euer Farther he admonisheth that forasmuch as haue alredy obteyned grace we should not doubt of the obteynement of life For these things cleaue of necessity the one to the other But why the Apostle bringeth this similitude we may easely shew Bicause grace was of more force to make new agayne then sinne was of force to kill And in that it is added by Iesus Christ we must call to rememberance the Analogy or proposition set at the beginning betwene Adam and Christe For euen as from Adam came sinne and death so from one Iesus Christ came grace and life This place admonisheth vs somwhat to speake of grace Nounes which as the Logicians say are put abstractly are vsually declared by their cōcrets whose significations Of Grace Abstractes are knowne by theyr concretes What is to be gracious are more present vnto the sence Wherefore let vs first sée what this worde Gratiosus that is gratious signifieth with the Latines And he amongest men is called Gratiosus whome all men fauour and whome the common people do loue So in the holy scriptures men are called gratious which haue found grace with God For so the scripture vseth to speake of those whom God fauoureth and We are one way gracibefore God and an other way before men whom he loueth But yet as touching this there is great differēce betwene God men For men fauour none but them in whome they finde those things whereby they may be allured and drawen to loue them It behoueth therfore that he which will be beloued of men haue in himselfe the causes of loue and beneuolence But God contrariwise found in men nothing worthy to be beloued wherby he mought be led to loue them For he hath loued vs first and out of that loue he bestoweth vpon vs whatsoeuer we haue that is acceptable vnto him Wherfore the name of The grace of God is taken too o◠manner of wayes grace is in holy scriptures taken two manner of wayes first and principally it signifieth the beneuolence of God towardes men and the frée fauour which he heareth towards the elect Secondly bicause God endueth his elect with excellēt gifts Grace sometymes signifieth also those giftes which are fréely bestowed vppon vs by God This two fold signification of grace beyng well noted declareth with how great diuersitie our aduersaries and we affirme one and the selfe same sentence for either of vs say that a man is iustified by grace But in this is
nature of euill Whatsoeuer euill and infelicity there is in vs the same is wholy deryued from synne Farther he commaundeth vs to deryue our actions from the groundes and principles taught of God The philosophers affirme That actiō is most perfect which springeth of the most◠noblest vertue that action to be most perfect which springeth of the most noblest vertue Wherefore forasmuch as we doo confesse that al our strengths and faculties are moued and impelled by God that is by the most chiefe goodnes of necessity it followeth that the workes which springe thereof are of most perfection For God is farre much more perfect then all humane vertue Wherefore if whatsoeuer we doo we do it by his impulsion thē shal we attain vnto a good end vnto most high felicity Paul speaketh of sinne by the figure * Prosopopaeia and exhorteth Proposopeia that is by fayninge of personages vs not to suffer it to raigne in vs. Which selfe forme of speaking he before when he sayd that death raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses By the mortall body sayth Ambrose is vnderstand the whole mā euen as sometimes the whole man is signified by the soule For confirmatiō whereof he citeth these words of Ezechiell The soule which sinneth it shall dye And he affirmeth that that is to be vnderstand of ether part of man Chrisostome thinketh that therfore the body is called mortall to teach vs y◠this battayle which the Apostle exhorteth vs vnto against sin shall not dure any long time but a shorte time Which battayle he supposeth is therefore commended bycause that sithen Adam although he had abody not subiect vnto death yet refrained not from sinne It shoulde be much more laudable and excellēter for vs if we in this mortal body should eschew sins But I thinke y◠this particle In your mortall body signifieth nothing els then if it should haue bene sayd after the maner of the Hebrues Through your mortall body Forasmuch as that naturall cōcupiscence or lust which the Apostle would not haue to raigne in vs is through the body deriued from Adam into vs receaueth in vs nourishements and entisements For by generation and sede as we haue before at large proued originall sinne is traduced And he addeth this word mortall to encrease a contempte and to lay before our eyes that such a frowardnes is condemned vnto the punishement of death whereby to feare vs away the more from the obedience thereof For it were very wicked to preferre a thing condemned vnto death before the word of God and his spirite He straight way declareth what this meaneth namely sinne to raigne in vs. Which is nothing ells then to be obedient vnto sinne Wherefore he addeth That ye should therunto obey by the lustes of it He saith in the plural number Lustes bicause out of the corruption of nature which he a little before called sinne in the singular nomber doo continually spring forth an infinite nomber of lustes Paul admonisheth vs that we should not obey them He can not prohibite but that lust whilst we liue here will exercise some cirāny ouer vs euē although it be against our willes Wherfore this thing only he requireth that we should not of our owne accord and willingly obey it For thys is to permitte vnto him the kingdome Members in this place signifye not onely the parts of the bodye but also the parts of the minde Why members are called weapons Nether apply your members as weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne He still more plainly declareth what it is to obey sinne And that is to geue our mēbers as weapons vnto it By members he vnderstandeth not only the parts of the body but also all the faculties or powers of the soule All these forbiddeth he to be applied of vs vnto sinne He could haue vsed an other word namely that we should not geue our members organes and instrumentes to lustes But by the name of weapons he would the more aggrauate the thing For that signifieth the they which apply theyr members vnto sinne do fight make war against God do with all the strengths both of their body of their soule withstād his will law Out of this place is gathered the differēce betwene mortall sins veniall The difference betwene veniall mortal sinnes sinnes For when we withstand and resiste the lustes those troublesome motions and entisementes bursting forth of our naturall corruption forasmuch as they are repugnaunt vnto the lawe of God are vndoubtedly sinnes but yet bycause they are displeasaunte vnto vs and we resiste them and doo leaue some place vnto fayth and vnto the spirite of God therfore they ar forgeuē vs neither are they imputed vnto death but contrariwise when we obey thē and do repell the mocion of the spirit of God and worke against our conscience or at the leaste waye with a conscience corrupted so that those thinges which are euil we count good or iudge good things euil thē vndoubtedly we sinne deadly for therby we make sinne to raigne in vs. Paul whilest he vrgeth these things semeth to admonish vs that we should not receiue grace in vayne or without fruite as he also admonished the Corinthians in his latter epistle Hereby we gather that the mēbers and powers of them that are regenerate ought to be so prompt and redy vnto the obeysaunce of God as are the powers and members of the vngodly prone redy to commit sinne And we are plainly taught that we ought to fight And in the Epistle vnto the Ephesians we are commaunded to fight not only agaynst flesh and bloud but also against naughtines and wycked celestiall spirites For they are mighty and of efficacy against vs thorough the body flesh and bloud For euen as weapons may serue both to a good and also to an euill vse for sometyme a théefe occupieth them against his countrey and sometimes a good citizen vseth thē Weapons may serue both to a good and also to an euill vse to defend his countrey so the members of our body powers of our mynde may fight on righteousnes side and also against sinne We sée moreouer what differēce there is betwene a kingdome and a tyrannous gouernment We obey tyrannes against our willes but vnto kings we obey willingly for by their good and iust lawes the publike wealth is established Wherfore there are two things which folow in a iust and lawfull kingdome For first all men of their own voluntary wil accord obey the king vnles peraduēture there be some wicked or seditious persons Moreouer they are redy to fight for his sake But it is farre otherwise where tyranny raigneth for none will gladly and willingly obey tyrants neither wyll they fight in their quarels Wherfore Paul although he cannot prohibite in vs the Two proprieties o◠a iust kingedome tiranny of sinne but that of it we suffer many things against our willes yet he for biddeth that it should
ought to be vnderstand both of Paul and of all the godly And yet followeth it not of necessity that we should say yâ— Paul by reason of natural lust fell into al kindes of sins For here is not entreated of the outward actions but of the affectes of the mind and the first motions Nether is here coÌ„sidered what is done but what may be done by our naturall prones vnto euill For vvithout the lavv sinne vvas dead Then men are sayd to be without the Law when ether by reasoÌ„ of age they can not attayne to the vnderstanding therof or ells wheÌ„ now being come to full age they ether nothing at al peise it or very sclenderly He sayth that sinne was dead bycause as it is written to the How sinne was deade CorrinthiaÌ„s The force of sinne is the Law And eueÌ„ as that body is said to be dead which vtterly wanteth all maner of strengths so sinne also was said to be dead for that wheÌ„ the Law was not it was not of efficacy waÌ„ted his power That which is dead moueth not it selfe So sin wheÌ„ it was not impelled by any law nothing at all moued vs but was sluggish after a sort dead so yâ— it was ether litle or in a maner nothing at al felt But as sone as yâ— Lawe came it receaued strengths Chrisostome interpretateth That sinne was dead for that it was not knowen Vnto which opinion Augustine leneth when he fayth that it was hidden But al these things tend to one end For the Law stirreth not vp sin but by knowledge Ambrose sayth that sinne was dead bycause men before the Law thought they mought sinne freely without punishment But this sentence we haue before confuted For we haue shewed that men also by the Law of nature felt that God was angry against sinne and greuously punished it Vnles paradueneure Ambrose ment this yâ— that thing was theÌ„ more obscurely knowne then it was afterward when the Law was geuen But he sayth moreouer that by sinne may be vnderstand the deuill For he toke an occasion by the Law to worke in vs all maner of lust The law sheweth sin and sheweth not the deuill and he is sayd of Paul to haue bene dead before the Law for that he not so carefully tempted men as being sure of them as of his owne possession But as sone as the Law was geueÌ„ he ceassed of from that quietnes But this interpretation is farre from the skope of the Apostle For he entreateth of sinne which is shewed by the Lawe And the Law sheweth vices and wicked actes and not the deuill Which thing is proued by that which streight way followeth For I knew not lust except the Lavv had sayd Thou shalt not lust But it is wonderfull how Ambrose entreating of this argument should say that the deuill when the Law was geuen lost his dominion ouer men For by the Law and sinne meÌ„ were made more obnoxions vnto the deuill This benefite we owâ— vnto Christ and not vnto the Law Howbeit the Greke Scholies I knowe not by what meanes bend vnto this sentence touchyng the Deuill For they say that it is possible that as our sauiour is sayd to be the way the truth and righteousnes So the deuill may be called sinne a lye and death The commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome fauouring this senteÌ„ce bring a similitude of an enuious maÌ„ which is commonly so much the more moued against him whom he enuieth how much the greatrâ— the benefite is which he séeth is bestowed vpoÌ„ him So the deuil when he saw the singuler gift of the law of God geuen by God vnto man began so much the more to rage against him and by the commaundement of God tooke an occasion of raging But whatsoeuer these fathers say it is very plaine by the wordes of Paul that he in this place speaketh of that sinne which is by the lawe brought to light such as is lust But they when they heard that sinne tooke an occasion by the law and seduced and killed thought that these things ought to be referred vnto some certaine person which might be distinct from vs which are seduced and killed But they saw not yâ— Paul by the figure Profopopoeia speaketh eueÌ„ Paul vseth the figure Prosopopeâ—â— The commentaries ascribed vn to Ierome make wyth the Pelagians of our sinne and lust And they followed Origene as their author But most of all do those commentaries erre which beare the name of Ierome For they in thys place vtterly make with the Pelagians touching originall sinne For thus in theÌ„ is it written If when the law was not sinne was dead they are out of their wits whiche auouch that sinne by traduction commeth from Adam vnto vs. Therfore here he sayth sinne was dead for that it liueth not in infantes which are without the law that is it is in them committed without punishment For when the infante speaketh ill vnto the parentes it semeth to be sinne but yet sinne not liuing but dead Although the child sinne yet sinne is dead in hym for he is not subiect vnto the law Thus much in that place But touching the sinnes of infantes and especially of them that are not regenerate Augustine was of a farre other opinion and especially in his bookes of confessions Neither do the Catholikes doubt but yâ— Original sinne is traduced from Adam into his posteritie and that by it are condemned those infantes which are How sinne in infantes is sayd to â—e dead straungers from Christ Howbeit sinne may be said to be dead in them for that it is not knowen of them and for that they féele not themselues moued therwith But when the commaundement came sinne reuiued but I was dead and the commaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me vnto death When sinne was dead he saith that he liued for yâ— he was not troubled neither was his conscience made afeard Yet did he not liue in dede but as Augustine saith he semed vnto himselfe to liue As when a man thinketh that A similitude his enemy now ceaseth and is quiet he beginneth to be secure So Paul saith that when he was without the law he semed vnto himselfe to liue but when the commaundement came things began a new course Sinne saith he reuiued and I was dead So vndoubtedly scandeth the case When sinne is dead then do we seme vnto our selues to liue But wheÌ„ it once reuiueth we straight way are dead For we féele in our selues the wrath of God and condemnation And when the elect are so dead Christ rayseth them vp agayne and killeth sinne in them For he pardoneth whatsoeuer is done amisse and breaketh and diminisheth whatsoeuer of the corrupt lust is remayning Wherfore the death of sinne is two maner of wayes the one is not a very death but a counterfait death for that yâ— law is absent For sinne The death of sinne two maner of wayes All are not
obnoxious to many troubles They added moreouer that therefore he sayth he is sold vnder sinne for that he was subiect vnto that death which had through the sinne of Adam crepte into the worlde For to be solde vnder sinne after them is to be subiecte vnto death and vnto other iniuries and troubles of this life which haue by the meanes of sinne crept into the world And by this meanes in Gods name they thought that they had excellently well interpretated Paul although they make no mencion at all of the vice of nature of the corruption of mans dispocition and of the prauity of all the partes both of the soule and of the body traduced through Adam into all his posterity But Paul far Against the Pelagians otherwise therefore saith that he was sold vnder sinne for that he did those things which he would not but those thinges which most of all he would he did not and for that when as to will was preseÌ„t with him yet he found no ability to performe that which is good and for that he fel into that infelicity which he lamented so that he felt a lawe in his members which sharpely fought agaynst the vnderstanding of the minde These sentences and causes being diligently considered it is very manifest that Paul bewayled not the death of the body or the afflictions of this life but his owne corruption which he had as wel as other men drawen from Adam Forasmuch as there are certain things which Ambrose noteth in this place which are not to be contemned it shall not be amisse here to write his iudgement First he acknowledgeth that these thinges are to be vnderstand of the lawe of Moses Farther that the lawe is therefore called spirituall for that it calleth vs backe from sinne and prohibiteth vs to geue vnto creatures that worshipping which is due vnto God only Moreouer he testefieth that we are fast bound with a double bond first by reason of Originall sinne which we haue drawen from Adam secondly by reason of infinite other sinnes which we our selues haue added He confesseth also that we are so bounde vnto sinne that we can not vse our owne power By which wordes we may gather that our frée will is not a little hindred Ambrose confesseth that free will is not a little hindâ—red The deuill mingleth himselfe with our thoughtes Farther he sayth that by reason of all these thinges it commeth to passe that the deuill mingleth himselfe with all our thoughts which he could not do but through sinne Wherefore seing that we can not discerne our owne thoughtes from those which are of the deuill offred vnto our mindes it is necessary that we oftentimes looke vpon the lawe of God Here we ought to note that Ambrose affirmeth that the deuill mingleth himselfe with our thoughtes which the Scholemen will not absolutely graunt For that which I do I know not For what I woulde that do I not but what I would not that do I. If theÌ„ I do that which I would not I consent to the lawe that it is good For that which I do I know not He now by reason he proueth yâ— he is sold vnder sinne for that he doth not those thinges which he would himselfe but is rather He which of necessitye followeth the will of an other man is a seruant bought for mony violently drawn to those things which he would not But he yâ— of necessity followeth the will of an other man and doth not his owne will vndoubtedly is in no better estate then a seruant bought for money And this is to be vnder tiranny to be led vnto those thinges which thou thy selfe in minde and in will allowest not And when he sayth that he doth not those thinges which he woulde he meaneth that will which is now by the benefite of Christ made comformable vnto the law of God which nether willeth nor not willeth any thing but so farre forth as it séeth it ether allowed or dissalowed of the lawe of God Wherefore the Apostle rightly of this concludeth that the lawe of God is good because the minde of men regenerate being now after a sort amended so iudgeth of it And wheÌ„ as he saith that he doth not those thinges which he would and imputeth not that let vnto the lawe it remaineth that that is to be ascribed vnto our lust and naturall vice which of his owne nature is euill For besides these three there is no other thing whereunto that can be imputed And he sayth that he doth not the thinges which he would for that he is not led by his iudgemente as he is regenerate but is resisting and against his will drawen backeward of lust Into this infelicity incurre we through sinne so that we ceasse to be Lords of our owne motions and workes But we were not so at the first framed This place declareth how broken and diminished our frée will is left vnto vs. For we fréely and of our owne accorde do Free will broken and diminished those thinges which in our owne iudgement we allow not Neither are we the seruauntes of sinne only touching the inferior partes of the mynde as some hold but all whole whatsoeuer we are touching nature For if there be any thing in vs which resisteth that commeth of the spirite of Christ Neither are we for any other cause sayd not to will or not to do that which we do but for that being instructed by yâ— spirite of God we determin appoint with our selues yâ— that is not to be done which we do Holy men are sometimes angrye more then they would be and speake sometymes many thinges which they would afterward were vnspoken An example Dauid in his anger sware that he would kill Naball the Carmelite with all his whole famelye But beinge admonished by the woordes of Abigail he reuoked his dangerous othe Our hart sayth Ambrose as it is cited of Augustine is not in our owne power We sometymes appoynt with our selues that we will with an attentiue hart pray vnto God but for that many thinges offer themselues vnto our thoughtes we straight way filthyly wander from our talke with God That which I do I know not That which he afterward sayth he hateth and would not he now sayth that he knoweth not But forasmuch as knowledge is of two sortes the one simple which iudgeth or determineth nothing of the thing Knowledge of two sorts knowen the other which ether alloweth or dissaloweth it Paul speaketh of this latter knowledge so that the sense is that which I do I know not that is I allow not with the full asseÌ„t of my minde Althoughe as Chrisostome admonisheth out of these wordes may be picked an other sense So great a perturbation commeth of the affects that what we do we consider not For the deceit of yâ— entisemeÌ„ts of yâ— lust is subtle great Subtle men hauing ben long time practisers of craftines although The entisements of the lust
pertakers of the resurrection namely when by mortification we are Howe we are pertakers of the resurrection The spirite of God will do the selfe same thinge in vs that it hath done in Christ made like vnto his death The reason of Paul leueth vnto this foundation that the spirite of God will worke the selfe same effecte in vs that it did in Christ For of one the selfe same cause are to be looked for yâ— selfe same effectes And God forasmuch as he is euery where like vnto himselfe by the selfe same meanes bringeth forth the selfe same workes Wherefore the consequence followeth well And seing when Christ was raysed from the dead ther was rendred vnto him a pure eternall and diuine life such a life also shall one day be rendred vnto vs which life we wayte for in the blessed resurrection when our bodyes shal be raysed vp being perfectly renued and now also we beginne the same when as by new motions Our resurrection is now begon of the spirite we are stirred vp to good workes Wherefore by these wordes are we admonished to mortefie the affectes of the flesh as Paul in an other place saide They which are of Christ haue crucified their fleshe with all the lustes thereof And vnto the Colossians Mortefie saith he your members which are vpon the earth and thys is the body to be deade Neither is it to be meruailed at that by the name of the body is vnderstand sine for sinne is named of that part whereby it had entrance into vs. For the soule saith Ambrose is not traduced from the parentes but only the body Now to dye vnto the body or vnto sinne is nothing els then to do nothing at the commaundement of lustes This is all one with that which we had What to dy vnto the body or vnto sinne signifieth before in the 6. chapter That we are now in baptisme dead with Christ and are buried together wyth hym And the Apostle commonly when he writeth of mortification and newnes of life taketh argumentes of the resurrection of the Lord by which Christ layd away mortality and did put on eternall life Which selfe thing shall also come to passe in our resurrection For in it shall we lay a side all oldenes of error and of corruption Which although before that tyme we shall not perfectly haue yet nowe also in this life we beginne to possesse in some sorte alreadye Wherefore Paul saith in the 2. epistle to the Corrinthyans Euen as our olde man is dayly destroyed so on the other side is our new man dayly renewed And vnto the Collossians If ye haue risen together whith Christ seeke the thynges that are aboue And vnto the Phillippians Paul saith That he alwayes endeuoreth himselfe to the thinges that are before neglecting and setting aside those thynges which are behynde that he mought by any meanes attayne vnto the resurrection of the Lord beyng already made pertaker of hys suffrynges And thus much as touching the first interpretacioÌ„ which Chrisostome followeth which if we more narrowly consider we shall sée that it containeth that which we a litle before spake namely that it is the proper duty of Christians not to liue according to the fleshe but according to the spirite For what other thinge is this but to mortify the body of sinne and to rise againe vnto a new life with Christ as though eueÌ„ now beginneth to shine forth in vs the resurrectioÌ„ which we hope shall in the last time be made perfect The second interpretation which Augustine foloweth is to vnderstand the body properly that is for this our outward substaunce And this body he saith is through sinne dead for that vppon it by reason of sinne was sentence long since geuen And he teacheth that by Christ By Christ we haue recouered a better nature then we lâ—st hy by Adam we haue recouered a better nature then we lost by Adam For he had a body not obnoxious vnto the necessity of death howbeit mortall for if he sinned he shoulde die But we by the resurrection of Christ shall receiue a body so frée from the necessitie of dying that it can not any more dye So according to this interpretatioÌ„ Paul declareth that we besides the benefite of the death of Christ haue an other benefit also of the spirite of Christ so that we are now by him pertakers of immortality Wherfore as touching the resurrection of the bodies eche interpretation is agreable But about this particle The body is dead they agrée not for Augustine taketh the body properly but Chrisostome by it vnderstandeth the vice and corruption of nature Wherfore according to this second interpretation Paul semeth to aunswer vnto a priuy obiection For against those thinges which haue hitherto bene spoken mought some man make this obiection This spirit whome thou so highly commendest as though it deliuereth vs from sinne and froÌ„ death doth yet stil leue vs in death and obnoxious vnto many aduersities diseases and calamities Paul aunswereth that this is true only as touching the body by reason of sinne which is still left in it For there hence come those euils Howbeit he willeth vs to be of good cheare for that spirite of God which is in vs hath now taken away condemnatioÌ„ that sinne which is remainyng in vs should not be imputed vnto vs vnto eternal death and will also bring to passe that euen as Christ which was dead was by him raised vp againe from the dead so also our bodies which are yet mortall shall be repayred vnto true immortalitie This sence is easy and plain and very wel agreing with those things which haue bene spoken therfore I allow it although in yâ— other exposition I know there is no absurditie or discoÌ„moditie Here are two things to be noted first that yâ— lust which is remayning in vs is of Paul called sinne and such a sinne also that after it followeth death Which cannot be denied The luste which remayneth in vs is sinne after which followeth death Why God sendeth aduersities vpon his elect in infants that are baptised and yet die for if in them sinne were vtterly taken away death could haue no place Although in the elect which are nowe reconciled vnto God death and such other afflictions are not inflicted as paines but rather as a crosse sanctified of God and that by a fatherly chastisement we should vnderstaÌ„d how highly God is displeased with sinne and should be more and more called back vnto repentaunce and that death mought be in vs a way wherby should be extinguished whatsoeuer sinne is remainyng in vs. Wherfore although by reason of sinne death be said to haue place in vs for vnles it were death could by no meanes be yet followeth it not that it is inflicted vpon the godly and elect as a payne And God retayneth not anger againste those whoÌ„â— he receiueth into fauour An example of Dauid It lieth not in the sacrifisinge priestes
owne proper wil apply it vnto himselfe Wherfore let them cease to adorne this theyr opinion with the title of the mercy of God They bring also an other argument that forasmuch as God prouideth for al men thinges competeÌ„t vnto the life of the body it is not very likely that he wil fayle them as touching the preperation of eternal saluation which he should not do vnles vnto euery man were set forth so much of the grace of God as is sufficient But by this theyr similitude they them selues are reproued for euen as God geueth vnto euery man corporal life without any theyr assent so also must they nedes conclude of spiritual life which thing by al meanes they refuse to graunt We graunt in dede that God thorough his mercy maketh his The reprobate want not all the benefites of God Many are borne vnapt to naturall felicity Sonne to aryse vpon the good and vpon the euill and we also confesse that both the predestinate and the reprobate are pertakers of some of the benefits of God And euen as in this life the commodities of the body and of life are not a like geuen vnto al men so also predestination vnto eternall felicity is not common vnto al meÌ„ Some are borne leprous blind deafe folish most poore vtterly vnapt vnto al maner of natural felicity neither attayne they vnto it at any tyme wherefore the comparison which they bring maketh very much agaynst them selues But say they God hath created al men to his owne image and therfore hath appoynted al men vnto blessednes wherefore we ought not to say that some are predestinate and some are reprobate That men are made to the image of God we graunt that they were able to receaue blessednes but after the fal nature was vitiated and the image of God much blotted Wherefore men can not of them selues attayne vnto felicity but haue nede to be deliuered from misery But that God hath now decreed to deliuer al men from misery and thorough Christ to make them blessed the scriptures teach not Wherfore we do not without iust cause say that he hath decreed to deliuer some and to leaue other some and that iustly the causes of which iustice yet are not to be sought for of our workes when as they are knowen to God only thorough his Whether al men haue power to be made the sonnes of God hidden and vnspeakable wisedom They obiect this also out of Iohn He gaue vnto them power to be made the sonnes of God As though they could thereof inferre that euery man may be made the sonne of God if he wil. But they geue no hede to those things which folow for it is added Vnto those which haue beleued in him which are borne not of bloude nor of the will of the flesh nor of the wil of maÌ„ but of God These things if they be rightly peysed declare yâ— this dignity priueledge is geuen vnto the beleuers and vnto the regenerate for to haue power geuen to be the sonnes of God signifieth nothing els Wherfore this dignity is put as an effect of regeneration and of faith and not as the beginning thereof as these men dreame They alleadge also that Christ dyed for vs all and thereof they inferre that his benefite is commoÌ„ vnto all men Which thing we also wil easely graunt How this is to be vnderstanded Christ hath â—â—ed for all if only the worthines of the death of Christ be considered For as touching it it mought be sufficient for all the sinners of the world But although in it selfe it be sufficient yet it neither had nor hath nor shall haue effect in all men which thing the schoolemen also confesse when they affirme that Christ hath redemed all men sufficiently but not effectually for thereunto it is necessary that the death of Christ be healthfull vnto vs that we take hold of it which can not otherwise be done but by faith which faith we haue before aboundantly declared to be the gift The coÌ„parison of AdaÌ„ with Christ how it is to be vnderstanded of God and not to be geuen vnto all men This also is obiected vnto vs that the Apostle compared Adam with Christ and said vnto the Romanes that euen as in Adam we all dye so in Christ we are all quickened Wherfore by this meanes they say that the grace of Christ ought vniuersally to be layd forth vnto all men But if they will so take this comparison they shal be compelled to graunt that all shall by Christ be brought vnto felicity as by Adam all are throwen hedlong into sinne and into death But seing that the thing it selfe declareth the contrary they may easely perceaue that this similitude is not to be taken as touching all the partes thereof especially when as none fall of their owne consent into originall sinne but those men will not haue grace to be receaued but through a mans own consent Wherfore if they admit this difference how dare they affirme that the matter is on eche side a like The skope of the Apostle in this comparison is to bee considered and besides the skope nothing is to be inferred And in that comparison Paul ment nothing elles but that Christe is to those whiche are regenerated the beginning of life and of blessednes as Adam is vnto them that are deriued of him the cause of death and of sinne Nowe whatsoeuer is afterwarde besides this scope gathered touching the equalitye of multitude or of the manner the same is per accidens that is by chaunce and pertaineth not vnto the skope and substance of the similitude They obiect also the sentence vnto Timothe God will haue all men to be saued For this sentence Pigghius perpetually inculcateth How God will haue al men to be saued as though it were inuincible wheÌ„ yet Augustine oftentimes hath tought yâ— it may in such sort be expounded that it bringeth no waight at all to proue those mens fond inuention First we take it to be spoken of all estats and kinds of meÌ„ namely that God will haue some of all kinds of men to be saued which interpretacion agréeth excellently well with the purpose of the Apostle He had commaunded that prayers and supplications should be made for all men and especially for kings and those which haue publike authority that vnder them we may liue a quiet life in all piety and chastity And therefore to declare that no estate or kind of men is excluded he added that God wyll haue all men to be saued As if he shoulde haue said no man is letted by that vocation and degrée wherein he is placed so that it be not repugnant vnto the word of God but that he may come to saluation and therefore we ought to pray for all kind of men But hereof we can not inferre that God endueth euery man perticularly with grace or predestinateth euery man to saluation as in the time of the floud all
we beleue that god raised vp our Lord Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Is it not here most manifestly said that we ought to beleue that that Iesus Christ whome God raised vp was dead and rose againe that we should be iustified and haue all our sinnes forgiuen vs doubtlesse it is a thing most vncomely for a man that professeth diuinitie so willingly not to sée things that are most manifest Afterward he maketh a cauillation about the perticular fayth wherby we say that euery one that beleueth truly in Christ ought to be most assured with him selfe that his sinnes are forgeuen him He denieth that there is any such faith foūd in the holy scriptures And that therfore this is only our deuise and inuētion Here vndoubtedly I can not hold my selfe but that I must nedes say that Pighius loudely lieth For I would haue him to tell me what did Abraham beleue whē he was iustified but that vnto him should one day be rendred those promises of God For vnto whome is it most likely beleued he that they should be rendred but vnto him selfe The selfe same thing may be sayd of Moses of Dauid and of many other of whome it is most certayne that they beleued that the promises which God made vnto them should perticularly be rendred vnto them And what I besech you mēt Christ when he sayd vnto the man that was sicke of the palsey Sonne thy sins are forgeuen thee And when he sayd vnto the woman Thy fayth hath made thee safe And did not Paul vnto the Galathians thus speake of Christ Who hath loued me and deliuered vp him selfe for me What can be more manifest then these wordes Let Pighius go now make his vaūts that we were the first finders out of this proper and singular fayth and let him cry that euery Christian man ought to beleue that the promises are made only indefinitely that it is not mete that euery one of vs should apply them seuerally vnto him selfe For we ought to beleue of our selues and not of other For we may as touching others be deceaued whether they beleue or no. But touching our selues we may be assured and certayne of it Let euery mā beleue the promises of God indefinitly as touching others for we know not who is predestinate and who is reprobate but none which is faythfull ought in any wise to doubt of him selfe but to beleue that the promise is perticular as touching him selfe by that that he séeth that he truly beleueth Farther when promises are set forth in an vniuersal proposition we may most assuredly of them gather theyr singular propositions And Christ sayth in Iohn This is the will of my father that euery one that seeth the sonne and beleueth in him should haue eternall life Wherfore we thus inferre But I beleue in the sonne of God Ergo I haue now and shall haue that which he hath promised Pighius still goeth one and to the end he would proue that the fayth of euery article and not that fayth only which is referred vnto Christ for the remission of sins iustifieth vseth the example of Noe. For he sayth that he beleued only those thinges which pertayned to the safegard of his house and to the destruction of the world and by that fayth he sayth he was iustified Here sayth he is no mencion made of Christ or of the remission of sinnes But it semeth vnto me that this man hath not very diligently red that which Peter writeth in his 1. Epistle and 3. chapter For Peter sayth when once the long suffering of God abode in the dayes of Noe while the Arke wos preparing wherin few that is eight soules were saued thorough the water vnto the figure wherof Baptisme now agreeing maketh vs also safe whereby not the filth of the fleshe is put away but wherebye it commeth that a good conscience Noe was iustified by fayth in Christ well answereth vnto God That which Peter saw was signified by the Arke and by those thinges which Noe did can we thinke that the patriarch him selfe saw not This vndoubtedly were to much derogation vnto him And if he saw those things which Peter maketh mencion of He beleued not only those thinges which were then done but also those which were looked for to be accomplished by Christ And therfore it is very well written vnto the Hebrues the he was by such a faith made the heyre of righteousnes But Pighius nothing passeth vpon this who so that he may be agaynst vs is nothing at all aferd to fight euen against the Apostles themselues For he is not aferd to affirme that our first father Adam was iustified but yet not with that fayth which we speake of which concerneth the remission of sins thorough Christ For he had no promise as touching that as farre as may be gathered out of the scriptures But doubtles this man is both farre deceiued and also hath forgottē his Fathers whome he would be sene to make so much of Was not the selfe same thing Adam was iustified by faith wherby he beleued the remission of sinnes through Christ sayd vnto Adam which was by God promised vnto Eue his wife that his séede should bruse the hed of the Serpent Christ was that séede he hath so broken the hed and strengths of the deuill that now neither sinne nor death nor hel can any thing hurt his members This place all the fathers in a maner thus interpret But Pighius which yet is les to be borne withall is not afeard to say that iustification is not geuen vnto vs by the promise In which thing doubtles he is manifestly agaynst Paul For he vnto the Galathians thus writeth God gaue vnto Abraham by the promise and there is no doubt but that vnto vs it is geuen after the selfe same maner that it was vnto Abraham But this is to be knowen that Distinction of the promise this woorde promise is taken two manner of wayes eyther for the thing promised and so it is not to be doubted but that we are iustified by the promise that is by Christ and by the forgeuenes of sinnes which is promised vnto them that beleue or ells it is taken for the very words of God in which he thorough Christ promiseth vnto vs remission of sinnes And in this maner also we may be sayd to be iustified by the promise For although the cause of our iustificatiō be the mere will and mercy of God yet is not the same offred or signified vnto vs but by the wordes of the promises and by the sacramentes For these words haue we as sure testimonies of the will of God towards vs. And so fayth want not wherby we apprehend the thinges that are offred we are iustified by the promises Afterward Pighius to the end he would proue that God attributeth more vnto workes then vnto faith citeth a place out of the 22.
he haue transgressed his commaundement And if he had beleued him when he threatened death vnto him he would not haue bene so vnaduised to comitte that which was the cause of death And he also if he had loued his neighbour as he was bounde to do woulde not by his transgression haue throwen all his whole posterity into death And if he would haue delt iustly he would in no case haue taken away an other mans fruite which pertayned vnto him These thinges hath Tertullian excellently well noted of the law geuen in paradise vnto the first man and woman And he also affirmeth that after this law succeded that lawe which is called the lawe of nature I will not speake that Noe The law of nature The law geuen vnto Noe. receaued some preceptes which were common vnto all mankind And if God would afterward by Moses more plainly expresse the lawes which he had before geuen there is no cause why the Iewes should contemne the Gētles as though they were left without the lawe For it is most manifest that whē Christ came he did set forth a most perfect explication of the doctrine which was then set abrode amongest all men of all lawes whereby playnly appeareth how fowly The rashnes of the Iewes the Hebrues are deceaued which are so rauished with the loue of theyr owne stocke that they will rather haue God to want of his glory that he should not be the God of all mē nor his prouidēce reach vnto all mē then they will confesse that they alone are not the people whom God hath a care ouer loueth In this Why God is sayd to be the God of some place let vs note that the Apostle bringeth a reasō why God is chiefly called the God of some namely because he iustifieth them For straightway he addeth VVho shall iustify circumcision of fayth and vncircumcision by fayth What is vnderstand by circumcision and vncircumcision we haue elswhere declared they at to be vnderstand by the figure Metonomia so that by the signe Metonomia we must vnderstand those thinges which are by it signified These prepositions of and by in this place signifie one and the selfe same thing They serue to amplifie the matter as in an other place Paule sayd of God All thinges were made of hym and by hym The difference of these prepositions bred sometymes a greeuous contencion betwene the Grekes and the Lattines The Lattines sayd that the holy ghost proceded not only of the father but also of the son On the cōtrary A contenciō of the Grekes the lattines toching the holy ghost the Grekes affirmed that he proceded of the father but by the sonne not of the sonne But after they had long tyme contended they saw that their contencion was only about wordes By these thinges which haue now bene spoken we euidently see that as touching iustification the Gentles are made equall with the Iewes which is a very great comfort vnto vs. Neyther ought we to be any thyng moued that Paule here vseth a verbe of the future tense when he faith Shall iustifye For although in the olde time very many both of the Iewes and of the Gentiles were so iustified yet because that rarely happened and amongst fewe it was counted as not done if we haue a respect vnto the generall benefite which happened after the comming of Christ Neyther is the emphasis or strength of this sentence following to be passed ouer For it is one God vvho shall iustifye c. For thereby is signified that euen as there is but one God so also to iustifye men he will vse but one waye namely By fayth Those thinges which are here spoken ought much to moue vs not to contemne our neighbours For whē we shall cōsider with out selues One God vseth one way to iustefy al men A reason why we◠ought to loue our neighbors An error sprong of the wordes of Paule Woorkes that goe before iustification are excluded not those that follow Why Peter sayd that in Paul are certaine hard thing s. Iames semeth tobe agaynst Paule Conciliation A place of Augustine declared that our God is their God also we cā not but embrace them with a great loue honor beneuolence Neither ought we to flatter our selues touching singular benefites which we haue receaued forasmuch as the holy scriptures do admonishe vs that many are fyrst which shal be last and contrary many last which thalbe fyrst And Augustine in hys booke of 83. questions in hys 66. question admonisheth that this sentence of Paule which is now proued namely that man is iustified without workes of the lawe was peruersly vnderstand of many which thought that men when they beleued and were iustified had no more any nede to liue holily iustly not weighing that Paule here speaketh of works that go before iustificatiō not of those which follow it This indede is true that there go no works before which are the causes why we should be iustified But after we haue once obteined righteousnes it is necessary that good works follow And hereof he saith it came that Peter said that in the epistles of Paul are certaine harde thinges which men would peruerte accordyng to their owne lust Iames also semeth to haue bene led so farre that in a maner he wrote thinges contrary vnto Paule namely That a man is iustified by workes who also required the we should declare our faith by workes Wherunto also Iohn Iudas in their epistles seme to tend But all these things are wel inough neither ar they any thyng repugnant one to the other For Paul speaketh of workes that are done before iustificatiō but Iames speaketh of those workes which ought to follow it These things haue I brought out of the place of Augustine before cited and out of hys booke of faith and workes the 14. chap. Who yet in the 66. question which we haue nowe alleaged hath a certain sentence which must be warely and aptly vnderstanded otherwise it should not be true For he sayth That it is impossible that we shoulde by workes goyng before obteyne iustification but afterward sayth he it is necessarye that they follow so that we remayne in life And if a man beginne to beleue in the last houre of his lyfe whē he shall streight way die he hath nether good works going before nor good workes followyng after but there followeth him onely a righteousnes of fayth and by it he is saued Augustine semeth by those wordes to affirme that it is possible that true fayth which iustifieth may be had without works which in very dede is false For when a manne at the extremitie of death beleeueth it is not possible but that he loueth God and his neighbour and calleth vpon him and is sory for those thinges which he hath before wickedly committed Wherfore these kindes of good workes which at the least haue place in the mynde follow his faith But I
corruption and prauity of whole nature dependeth I haue now declared so much as I thought should be sufficient for this present purpose how the Apostle taketh this word sinne by whome he sayth it hath sprede ouer all mankinde and what the ecclesiasticall writers haue left in writing touching the maner how it passeth from one to an other Now is this thing only to be added that by the world is to be vnderstand all mankinde For I like not to playe the Philosopher as doth By the world is vnderstand all mankinde Origene by the world to vnderstand only those men which liue according to the affections of the fleshe For so should we séeme to exclude from the meaning of the Apostle originall sin which thing the very nature of the woords will not suffer And by sinne death and so death hath gone ouer all men Here he declareth what sinne hath brought which was the fourth part of our deuision Sinne brought death but what maner of death he meaneth can not better be vnderstaÌ„d then by the contrary therof namely by life And this life is of two sortes the one Life of two sortes is wherby we are moued to spirituall deuine and celestiall good things and this taketh place so long as we are ioyned together with God for vnlesse we be led by the spirit of God we can not frame our selues to those thinges which passe our nature The other life is wherby we are moued to follow those good things which Sinne toke away â—ther life serue to preserue nature to defend the state of the body And both these kindes of liues hath death which is inflicted for sin takeÌ„ away For death is nothing els but priuation of lyfe For so soone as euer man sinned he was turned away froÌ„ God so left destitute of his grace and fauor yâ— he could not afterward aspire againe vnto eternall felicity This corporall life also may be said to be taken away by sinne for straight way so soone as sinne was committed the force of death and his souldiors Our first parentes died euen straightway so sone as they had sinned did set vpon man Such as are hunger thirst diseases wasting away of moystures and heate a daily quenching of the lyfe For all those thinges lead men vnto death â–ª And Chrisostome vpon Genesis at large entreatyng of this matter sayth That the first parentes so soone as euer they had sinned streight way died For the Lord streight way gaue sentence of death vpoÌ„ theÌ„ And eueÌ„ as they which are coÌ„deÌ„ned vnto death although they are kept for a tyme on lyue in prison yet are they counted for dead so our first A similitude parentes although thorough the goodnes of God they liued longer yet they were in verye dede straight way dead after that God began accordyng to his sentence to punish them Ambrose saith that they were sodenlye oppressed with death for that they had afterward no day or houre or moment wherin they were not obnoxious vnto death Neither We haue not one houre wherin we are not subiecte vnto death is there any man in the worlde which can assuredly promise himselfe that he shall liue one houre Wherfore by these thinges it is manifest that both kindes of death were brought in by sinne Wherefore we must beware that we assent not vnto them which vse to say that death is vnto a man naturall and as a certayne rest whereby the motion of the life is interrupted Such opinions are to be left vnto the Ethnikes For all the godly affirme that in death is a féeling of the wrath of God Death is not natural vnto a man In death is a feeling of the wrath of God and therefore of his owne nature it driueth into men a certaine paine and horror Which thing both Christ himselfe when he prayed in the garden and many other holy men haue declared And if there chaunce to be any vnto whom it is pleasaunt and delectable to dye and to be rid of their life that they haue from els where and not from the nature of death And Paul to the Corinthians sayth That death is the sting of sinne For death otherwise could be able to do nothing against vs but that by sinne it destroyeth vs. Wherfore they which affirme that originall sinne is only a certaine weakenes which can not condemne a man do neither vnderstande the nature of sinne nor this sentence of the Apostle which we are now in hande with Farther if of sinne commeth death all sinnes are of their owne nature to be All sinnes are of theyr own nature to be called deadly called deadly For in that God imputeth not some sinnes vnto vs that commeth not of the lightnes of the sinnes but of his mercy For there can be no sinne so light which bringeth not destruction vnles the mercy of God helpe And yet doo we not say with the Stoikes that all sinnes are alike For we know that Paul describeth vnto vs certaine sinnes which are so greuous that they exclude men froÌ„ the kingdome Sinnes are not a like of heauen For that all men haue sinned This mought haue seemed very sharpe and harde that for the sinne only of the first man all men should dye But Paul sheweth that this is iustly done bicause all men haue sinned About this particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth in quo that is in which and is englished For that is no small controuersie how it ought to be takeÌ„ Some will haue it to be referred vnto sin But the Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which weÌ„t before it semeth to be against that For it is the Feminine gender Howbeit it may be that Paul had a respect vnto yâ— other worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the newter geÌ„der which word he afterward ofteÌ„times vseth although it be counted a fault in speache to referre the relatiue to things coÌ„ming after Others thinke that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be referred vnto Adam But against these men is the signification of this preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which when it is ioyned with a datiue case as Erasmus sayth is not amongst any good authors founde to signifie all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in Wherfore it semeth that the Latine interpreter was deceiued which turned this sence thus In whome all men haue sinned Howbeit the A similitude Gréeke scholies vnder the person of Phocius vary not from the Latine interpretation For they expounde thys sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in whiche Adam by by which Adam But touching this matter I wil not much coÌ„tend For I thinke that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a particle causall so that the sence is Therefore hathe death gone ouer all men because all men haue sinned For Chrisostome sayth That when Adam fell all other men also which did not eate of the fruite were touched
them spirite and in nature whatsoeuer Why the law is sayd to be spirituall is moued of it selfe and hath in it by any meanes life it hath it by the benefite of the spirite Wherefore if the lawe should of it selfe bring death doubtles it should do it against the nature of the spirite And the lawe is called spirituall for two causes First because it was not deuised of mans vnderstanding as ciuil laws are but was written by the ministery of Moses in mount Sina God himselfe by his spirite being the inditer thereof Wherefore comming of the spirite being the author thereof it is call spirituall It is called also spirituall for that not being content with outward actions it perseth euen to the will and to the minde and to the inward motions senses and spirites of a man and commaundeth vs to obey it with all the soule and with all the spirite Wherefore they are fowly deceaued An error in distinguishinge the law from the Gospel which so distinguishe the olde lawe from the new that they thinke that the olde lawe only restrayneth the hand but the new pertayneth also to the affectes of the minde For they are not to be counted to satisfy the olde lawe which obserue only an outward righteousnes And if they do not that which the lawe commaundeth that which they do doubtles pleaseth not God yet rather it is to be counted sinne The lawe of God forasmuch as it dealeth not with vs after a ciuill maner is not The law of God dealeth not with vs after a ciuill manner content only with an outward honesty of maners Wherefore nether Socrates nor Aristides by their righteousnes satisfied the lawe though they be neuer so much commended of writers And when the Pharisey had geuen thankes vnto God for that he was not as other men but fasted twise in the weke and did many other thinges which mought please men Christ pronounced that he went not to his house iustified But without al doubt he should haue obtayned righteousnes if by those his workes which he made mencion of he had satisfied the meaning of the lawe This excellency and perfection of the commaundementes of God carnall men vnderstand not so that the Israelites when Moses came downe from the mountayne could not looke vpon the brightnes of the countenance of Moses neither could they abide it And we also so long as we vse this vayle of humane reason The law of God is not vnderstand by the force of humane reason shall not be able to behold the spirituall light of the lawe Origene thinketh that the lawe is therefore called spirituall for that it is not to be expounded according to the letter as commoÌ„ly it is sayd but by allegoricall senses But seing Paul here entreateth of the ten commaundementes as that precept which is of him rited Thou shalt not lust plainly declareth this interpretation ought vtterly to bee counted from the purpose For in this part of the law we may not deale with allegories Neither doth Paul therfore say that he is carnal for that he vnderstood not In the Decaloge allegories haue no place allegories but for that he felt in himself affections striuing against the law of God Now then forasmuch as the law is spirituall in that manner that we haue now declared it followeth of necessitie that it of his owne nature bringeth not death but rather lyfe For so Moses in Deut. the 30. chap. sayth that he had set forth vnto The law of it selfe bringeth life the Israelites life and death good and euill blessing and cursing For the perfect obseruation of the law draweth with it blessing life and good and yâ— violating therof bringeth cursing euil and death And the law commaundeth not transgression It lieth not in our will and choise in as much as we are corrupt to chose life but obseruation But yet it lieth not in our choyce or will of our own accorde to chuse good life and blessing For the commaundemeÌ„ts of the law are displeasaÌ„t vnto vs vntill the spirite of Christ come And Christ sayth If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commaundements And Dauid in the 19. Psalme saith That the law restoreth the mynde Which testimonies if they be rightly vnderstanded teach this selfe same thing But if a man demaund whether these proprieties of the law at any time attaine to their effect We aunswer that they do but yet euen then wheÌ„ The law sheweth forth his effects in the regenerate the law is written not only in tables but also in our hartes and bowels For theÌ„ although the law be imperfectly expressed in our workes yet are not the promises therof made frustrate which in the elect of God are performed not thorough merites but thorough grace and mercy After yâ— the Apostle had in such sort coÌ„mended the law he rendreth a reason why of it he drew not life but death Bicause saith he I am carnall sold vnder sinne Here the crime of slaying the increase of sinne is transferred from the law to the corruption of our nature And there is nothing more gratefull vnto God then for vs to accuse our selues with due prayses to set forth his worde It was not possible to deuise a more apte commendation of the law For Paul doth not only set forth the singuler dignitye therof but also speaketh that which he saith is well knowen and vnderstande of all the godly We know sayth he that the law is spirituall And to make this the more playne he setteth against it our vncleannes I sayth he am carnal and sold vnder sinne The law is the maistresse of vertue and enemy of all vices I abhorre vertue and folow vices euen against my will When he sayth that he is carnall he meaneth that he was infected with Why Paul saith that he is carnal originall sinne and corruption For that euill is deriued from Adam by the flesh whiche yet containeth not it selfe in the fleshe but possesseth the whole man and all his strengthes And the better to declare what this worde carnall signifieth he Why we are said to be solde vnder sinne addeth sold vnder sinne For euen as bondmen are oftentimes drawen and impelled of their masters to that which they would not so are we by originall sinne drawen to many things which we allow not Neither are we only vnder the bonds of Originall sinne but also through our owne will we adde therunto a great hepe of sinnes Wherfore we are bouÌ„d with many kindes of snares By this metaphore Paul notably setteth forth our captiuity The Iewes were oppressed with greuous seruitude when they were captiues in Egipt neither were they any gentler delt with in Babilon but most cruelly of all were they handled vnder Antiochus But there can no seruitude be compared with this wherof Paul now speaketh for in No captiuiâ—ye can be compared with seruitude of sin those seruitudes was only an outward enemy and the
Which haue the first fruites of the spirite By this phrase of speach he signifieth ether aboundance or els only a certain smacke or tast before For so may those good thinges be called which we now haue fruicion of if they be compared vnto those good thinges which we waite for Wherefore from creatures Paul passeth vnto men which are endued with faith and with the spirite of Christ Those also he saith do grone and with ernest desire waite for that our adoption and the redemption of our body may at length be made perfect Wherefore it is manifest that they go foolishly to worke as Chrisostome noted which being led by entisementes of pleasures desire to abide here perpetually and thinke not vpon their departing hence without great griefe For what a great infelicity is this that we should reioyce euen of our misery Ambrose commendeth the excellently approued olde man Simeon which with greate cherefulnes prayed after this maner Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Waiting for the adoption What meaneth thys saith Chrisostome that thou so often to and froo tossest thys adoption as though we had now alredy gotten it seyng that thou calledst vs beleuers the sonnes and heyres of God and fellow heyres of Christ But now thou semest to make vs frustrate of it for that thou writest that we although we haue the first fruites of the spirite do yet styll wayte for that adoption He answereth vnto this and saith that the Apostle in thys place is to be vnderstand of the perfect and absolute adoption For euen so that semeth he to signifie when he addeth The redemption of our body These wordes I take not in that sence as though we are now redemed in spirite but the body remayneth which shall afterwarde be renewed For there is some what still in the soule whiche hath neede of instauration For we féele that we haue in vs man â—e corrupte motions yea euen against our willes there are also still remayning sinnes not As touching the soule also we are not perfectly ren 〈…〉 Our body and flesh is in some part renued Why Paul maketh meÌ„ 〈◊〉 rather of the body thâ—â— oâ— the soule when he entreateth of the redemption which we waite or Of the chaunge of thinges in the end of the world in all pointes healed the body also that we haue now is not without some inchâ—ation or beginning of redemption for it is now made the temple of God and the holy ghost dwelleth therin Paul to the Ephesians calleth vs fleshe of his flesh and â—oâ—e of hys bones Which could not vndoubtedly â—e sayd vnles both our flesh and the body it selfe were in some parte alredy renewed But sithen we wayte that somewhat should be restored both in spirite and in body why doth Paul make mencion rather of the body then of the soule I will tell you Bycause he had a respect vnto the fountayne of euills which are traduced from Adam thorough séede from the body For herehence began our contamination nether can it euer be weded vp by the rootes vnles the body be first extinguished by death or doo put on glory by the last changing whiche is to come Hereto tendeth the course of the Apostle when he so often maketh mencion of our body which shall in the last time be redemed For vnto the Corrinthians he sayth When this corruptible shall put on vncorruption And vnto the Phillippians He shall conforme the body of our humiâ—ity to the bodye of hys glory These thinges being thus declared the place it selfe semeth to require to speake somewhat of the chaunge of thinges which shal be in the end of the worlde First I thinke it good to declare those thinges which the Master of the sentences writeth of thys matter in hys 4. booke of sentences the. 48. distinction WheÌ„ the lord shall come to iudge the Sunne and Moone shall be darkened not saâ—th he that theyr light shal be taken from them but by the presence of a more plentifuller light For Christ shal be present the moste bright Sunne therefore the slarres of heauen shal be darkened as candells are at the rising of the Sunne The vertues of the heauens shal be moued which may be vnderstand of the powers or as some speake of the influences whereby the celestiall bodies gouerne thinges inferior Which shall then forsake theyr right and accustomed order Or by those vertues we may vnderstand the Angelles which by their continuall turning about moue the orbeâ— of the heauens Peraduenture then they shâ—ll ether cease from theyr accustomed worke or els they shâ—l execute it after some newe maner After he had gathered these thingâ— out of Mathevv and Luke he addeth out of Ioell that there shall be eclipses â—f the Sunne and of the Moone The Sun sayth he shal be darkened and the Moone shal be turned into bloud before that greate and horrible day of the Lord come And out of the 65. chapter of Esay Behold â— create a new heauen and a new earth And streight waye The moone shall shine as the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seuenfold that is enduring seuen dayes And out of the Apocaâ—ps There shal be a new heauen and a new earth Although there be no mencion made of the amâ—lifieng ether of the light of the Sunne or of the Moone Ierome interpretateth that place that the light of the Sunne shal be as it was in those first seuen dayes wherein the world was created For by reason of the sinne of the first parentes the light sayth he both of the Sunne of the Moone was diminished Which saying some of the Scholemen vnderstand not of the very substaunce of the light but bycause both the world and men haue receaued lesse fruites of these lights after the fall then they had before But all these thinges are obscure and vncertayne Whereunto I adde that some of the Rabbines thinke that these are figuratiue speaches For there shall be no chaunge in the starres but they say that vnto men being in heauines and bewaylinge the vnluckye state of theyr cases shall come so small fruite of the light of the Sunne and Moone that vnto them those starres may seme to be darckened and vtterly out of sight But contrariwise when they begin to be in more felicity and to liue according to theyr desire then at the last the light of the Sunne and of the Moone shall seme vnto them to be doubled and a greate deale more brighter then it semed before Which exposition as I deny not so also I confesse that at the end of the world shal be a great change of those things Wherfore I graunt either to be true both that in thys life oftentimes happen thinges so dolefull that dayes being otherwise most bright seme vnto vs moste darke and also that when all thinges shall haue an end the state of the worlde shall be troubled Yea also whilest we liue here sometymes it happeneth that those lights of
the end the promise should be firme as if he should haue sayd our mynde should continually wauer if the promise should depend vpon workes none could appoynt any certainty of his owne saluation for his conscience would euermore accuse him that he had not performed those workes vnto which the promise should be made to the end therefore we should not in such sort wauer God would that our iustification should consist of faith and grace that the promise might be firme The same thing also is gathered out of that which is declared of Abraham how that contrary The thirtenth to hope he beleued in hope He is sayd to beleue in hope contrary to hope which either in himselfe or in nature séeth or féeleth no maner of thing which might perswade him to hope As Abraham was an hundreth yeares of age his body was in a maner dead his wife an old woman and barren all which thinges naturally feared him away from hoping and yet preuailing against them all he hoped But we if we should haue merites or good workes by which we might obtaine righteousnes then should we not hope contrary to hope but in hope and accordyng to hope Wherefore our iustification is to be appointed no otherwise thē we read that it was in Abraham For he is the father of vs all as it was imputed vnto him so shall it also be imputed vnto vs. But now let vs come to the 5. chapter There The fourtenth agayne Paul plainly expresseth in what case men are before they be regenerate for he sayth For Christ when we were yet weake according to the consideration of the tyme dyed for vngodly ones And straight way But God setteth out his loue towardes ve in that that when we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs And he addeth For if when we were ennemies we were reconciled to God by the deathe of his sonne muche more being now reconciled shall we be saued by his life Hereby we gather that before regeneration men are weake sinners vngodly and the enemies of God Who then can ascribe vnto such men power to attayne vnto iustice when they will by bringing forth good workes Others may beleue it but the godly will neuer be so perswaded This is moreouer an other profe in that he setteth forth the cause of so greate The fiuetene an euill when he sayd Therfore euen as by one man synne entred into the world and by sinne death and so doath went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned as if he should haue sayd we were euen thē from the first beginning by the first man lost and condemned And lest thou shouldest thinke that infantes are to be excepted he sayth Yea death hath raigned from Adam euen to Moses ouer them also which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam The Masse or lompe of perdition comprehendeth all those that are borne from whiche corruption the holy scriptures teach that it is not possible for men to escape by their workes to claime vnto themselues iustification Afterwarde in the 6. chapter thus speaketh The sixtene our Apostle What fruite had ye then in those thinges whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of them is death But now being deliuered from sinne and made the seruantes of God ye haue your fruit to sanctification and the end euerlasting life What other thing meane these woordes then that all thinges whiche men do before they beleue in Christ deserue nothing els but ignominy and shame And there is no fruit of sanctification but that which followeth regeneration And who will say that we are The seuentene iustified of those thinges whiche are full of ignominy and shame But now let vs heare what is said in the beginning of the seuenth chapter Knowe ye not bretherne for I speake to them that know the lawe how that the lawe hath power ouer a man as long as it endureth For the woman which is in subiection to a man is bound by the law to the man as long as he liueth but if the man be deade she is loosed from the lawe of the man Wherfore if whilest the man liueth she coople herselfe with an other man she shal be counted a wedlocke breaker but if the man dead ▪ she is free from the lawe of the husband so that she is no wedlocke breaker though she coople her selfe with an other man Euen so ye also my bretherne are dead vnto the law by the body of Christ that ye should be coopled to an other namely to him which is risen againe from the deade that we shoulde bring foorth fruite vnto God Paul would by this reason declare that we before our faith in Christ were as it were to husbande 's coopled to the law and to the flesh of which copulation could come no fruites but those that are pernicious and deadly But now being deliuered by the grace of God we are coopled vnto Christ by the spirit vnto Christ I say being raysed from the dead by which copulation we shal now bring forth fruite vnto God and not any more to death and damnation And the selfe same thing he affirmeth or rather expoundeth when he addeth For when we were in the fleshe the lustes of sinnes which are by the law were of force in our members to bring forth fruite vnto death Here let vs note that so long as we were in the flesh we were subiect vnto wicked affections whiche by the lawe were of force in our members how then could we be iustified by our workes Further in the same chapter is written For that which I do I allow not For what I woulde that do I not The eightene but what I hate that do I. If now I do that which I would not then is it not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Here as it manifestlye appéereth is entreated of the bodies of men and although in interpreting these wordes I am assured that they are to be vnderstande of those workes which are done of the godly which haue already obteined iustification yet now I leaue it fre vnto the aduersaries to take whether part they wil and if they graunt that these things ought to be vnderstand of works done before iustification then forasmuch as they are neither allowed nor good how shall they deserue righteousnes for they are called euil no man is iustified by an euil actiō But if we vnderstād works which are here described to be the works of those that are iustified then wil I make mine argument a maiori that is frō the greater If those workes which rather séeme to be acceptable vnto God iust holy are called euil by the iudgement of reason now renued are not allowed howe can we affirme thē that those works which are done of sinners are such that they are able to iustifye And lest any
God mought seme to haue bene the God onely of the Hebrewes and to haue left the Gentles without hope of saluation as though he were not their God This reason leadeth to absurditie as though God were a taker of partes which thing is The idols of the Ethnikes were 〈…〉 diuerse partes or sides God fauored the Iewes but yet he for sooke not other nations An error of Aben Ezre by no meanes to be attributed vnto him as the Ethnikes ascribed vnto their idols when they fayned yâ— some toke part wyth the Troyans some with the Grecians so that they fought also one against an other and lamented when things went not with theÌ„ as they defired But with the true God is no such acceptioÌ„ of persoÌ„s It is true in dede that some singuler giftes were geuen vnto the Iewes but yet not in such sorte that other nations were forsaken Howbeit Aben Esdra durst take vpoÌ„ him to define that Gods prouidence reacheth not vnto euery singuler maÌ„ but onely as touching the Israelites vnto the other he faith he looked onely generally but had ouer the Iewes a peculiar care as touchyng euery perticuler thing by them done But Paulâ— here testifieth that God is the God as well of the Gentles as of the Iewes And forasmuch as God is as it is most certayn the chiefest good thing he communicateth himselfe vnto others after the best maner that may be whiche is most chiefly done in iustifieng them Wherfore Dauid fayd Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. But what blessednes can there be wythout the gyft of iustification And vndoubtedly God deliuereth from all euill those whose God he is Wherfore he suffreth them not either to be oppressed wyth sin perpetually or to Blessednes can not be without iustification From whence is concluded the resurrection of the dead be obnoxious vnto eternall punishmentes By this meanes Christ concludeth the resurrection of the dead for that in the scriptures is written I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob For if he were their God then is it necessary that he at the length deliuer them from euill and from the payne of death which thyng by yâ— resurrection he will performe vnto them when he shall redeme them from death And it is manifest that that ought to be graunted vnto all men whereby all men are iustified And forasmuch as this commeth to passe by the benefite of God therby is concluded that God is the God of all those vnto whome he geueth his righteousnes from which number the Gentles can not be excluded when as in the time of the Apostles they both came vnto Christ and also most manifestly receiued the holy ghost as did other which beleued in Christ and were of the Iewes And for as much as God hath created all maner of thinges vniuersally and by his prouidence gouerneth all thinges and formed the first one man from whome is spred abrode Places by which is proued that vnto the Gentiles also pertaineth the true God all our whole kinde shall not he be thought to be the God of al men Which thing also is hereby proued for that in the holy scripture it is written That euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued And againe it is sayd They which beleue and are baptised shal be saued And vnto this tendeth that which is sayde of the prophet All flesh shall see the sauyng health of God where by fleshe we vnderstande man And this thyng also do all those oracles testifie in whiche is intreated of the callyng of the Gentles as is that which was said vnto Abraham In thy sede shall all nations be blessed And Iacob affirmed that the scepter should not be taken away froÌ„ Iuda vntill he came which should be sent and he sayth he shall be the expectatioÌ„ of the Gentles In Esay also we reade of the roote or féede of Iesse that in him the Gentles should hope And it were an infinite labour to rehearse all the places which serue to this purpose The Hebrewes boasted that the lawe was geuen for them But yet that as touchyng thys parte the Gentles were not neglected hereby is testified The Gentles were not excluded from the Law in that there moughte come vnto the publike wealthe of the Iewes and vnto theyr lawes as manye Proselites as woulde And when the Israelites were called oute of Egipte there followed them no small multitude of the Egiptians vpon whome God in the deserte bestowed the selfe same benefites and giftes that he gaue vnto the Iewes And he made a promise in his lawes that straungers also shoulde be admitted to the eatinge of the paschall Lambe so that they woulde be circumcised By all whiche thinges it is manifest that the Gentiles were not neglected of God euen as touchinge the benefite of the lawe Farther we knowe that Melohisedech who hath a singular prayse in Ethnikes praised in the scriptures the lawe was commended as iuste and the priest of the moste â—ygh God Also Iethro the father in law of Moses Iobe being Gentiles are notably coÌ„mended in the holy scriptures It is certayne also that Queene Saba is commended because she came to heare the wisedome of Salomon Nether were the Niniuites omitted who when they had repented were saued By these thinges it is manifest that before the comming of Christ amongst the GeÌ„tiles were some which had the true God and worshipped him for God Further after Christ was now come there is none but playnely seeth how it was declared that God had a care ouer the Gentiles He disdayned not the woman of Samaria nor the woman of Chanaan which were Ethnikes and Cornelius the Centurion before he had receaued baptisme was accepted of God and when he had beleeued he receaued the holy ghost in a visible forme before he was baptised Neyther came Peter vnto him without an assured oracle of God when as vnto him was shewed a vessell let downe from heaueÌ„ wherein were contayned both serpents and all kind of vncleane beastes of which it was sayd vnto hym that he should kyll eate This also last of all is coÌ„firmed by the history of the Eunuch which longed vnto Candaces Queene of the Ethyopians who was by a singular miracle instructed of Phillip baptised This thing woÌ„derfully yrked the Iewes that they sawe the Ethnikes admitted vnto grace without the lawe But they ought to haue remembred as sayth Tertullian in his booke agaynst the Iewes that whereas they so much boasted of the lawe the lawe was not first geuen vnto them For before them Adam first receaued it in paradise and in that which was geuen vnto hym was contayned whatsoeuer was afterward by Moses commaunded in the morall preceptes especially as touching the princicipall The Law was geuen vnto AdaÌ„ wherefore not the Iewes onely had the law but all men in Adam poyntes For if Adam had loued God with all hys hart how could