seme worthy to please at leastwyse in somme behalfe Answete Most falfe is this consequence For God cannot no not euen of couenant allow any other rightuousnes as worthye of that name than such as is fully answerable to the law in all pointes except he wil be repugnant too himselfe which thynge were a sinne to say Thus therefore oughtest thou too haue gathered The woorkes of the regenerated do please God though they bee vnperfect â—rgo God is exceeding mercifull Question Besydes this there is mention made euerywhere of hyre wages reward requiting and recompence An. The name of Wages hath a larger scope than the name of euerlastinge life And it is certain that God of his passinge liberality rendereth temporal blissinges euen too the vngodly be they neuer so vnworthy Againe whither you referre the name of wages too eternall life or too other benifites yet doth it not folow that the same is payde as dewe det But rather this dooth most of all commend Gods mercy that he vout saueth to geue the name of Wages or hyre too the vndew reward which he bestoweth vpon vs of his owne mere grace in Christ too the end y we although we bee but vnprofitable seruantes for who is able too bestow any thing vpon god might notwithstandinge perceiue that wee haue not lost our labour Finallye although this wages be promised fréely and geuen fréely yet is it geuen too hym that woorketh and therefore it is called a wages or hyre Quest If it bee geuen too him that worketh ergo it is geueÌ„ him for his works An. Nay rather if it bée geuen wée bee sure it is not payde as a dewtye Agayn there is farre difference betwéen geuing too a woorker and geuinge for workes I may well say therefore that eternall life is geuen to them worke bicause faith shall bée esteemed by the frutes of it and rightuousnesse by faith but not payde them for theyr works sakes And after this manner must that text bée expownded where it is sayde Euery man shal bee iudged accordinge to the thinges that he hath done in his body and suche other like sentences Quest VVhy so Ans Bycause good woorkes make not men rightuouse but folowe him that be leeueth and that is aredy becom rightuous in Christe like as good fruytes make not a tree too bee good but a tree is knowen to be good by the good fruites of it Que. But alitle afore you fetched good works not out of iustificatioÌ„ but out of Sanctification An. I graunt it For there is no man iustified by imputation of Christes rightuousnes but he is also sanctified by his spirit Quest Say you then that good woorkes bee needefull to saluation An. If faith bee needefull too saluation and woorkes doo of necessity accompany treâ—e faith as whiche cannot bee ydle surely the other foloweth also that good woorks bee needefull to saluation how beeit not as a cause of saluation for we bee iustified and therfore also do liue by faith only in Christ but as a thinge that of necessity cleaueth vnto trew faith So saith Paule that those bee Goddes childreÌ„ which are led by gods spirite Iohn saith that those be rightuous which work rightuousnes And Iames also declaring not by what meanes we be iustified but wherby trew faith insticatioÌ„ are discerned proueth by Abrahams exaÌ„ple y those are not iustified which vtter no workes of faith For in such wise must Iames be made to agree with Paule too the ende it may playnely appeere how they bee but brabblers which condemne the necessity of good workes for false doctrine Question VVhat if a man should neuer be endewed with fayth tyl the laste instant of his death for so it seemeth too haue happened too the theefe that hunge by Christ VVhat manner of good works â—halll such a one bee able to bring forth An. Uerely the faith of that théefe was vnspeakably workful in that short time â—or he rebuked the blasphemies and wicked dooinges of the other theefe he detested his owne crimes with an assured and passing wonderfull faith he acknowledged Christ for the euerlasting kinge euen in the reprochefulnes of his crosse when all his disciples hilde their peace he called vppon him as his sauiour and finallye hée openlye reprooued the mercilesse cruelty and wicked spéeches of the â—ewes But the acknowledginge of sin the callinge vpon god the father in christ and thankesgeuinge are the excellentest woorkes of the firste table whiche cannot bée vtterly seperated from fayth in no man And admitte that some man beeing preuented with death is able too shewe no woorkes of the seconde table Yet is not the faith in him therefore too be counted ydle because that althoughe it haue not Charitie in actuall deede yet is it accompanied with it in possibilitie Quest I haue yet one doubt more behinde VVhy any man shoulde be damned for euill woorkes if no man be iustified for good woorkes Ans The reasone is manifest namely because that euen the lightest sin that is deserueth althoughe not the extreamest paines in euerlastinge death yet euerlastinge death it selfe whiche generallye is the hyre of sinne but no rightuousnesse can worthely deserue eternal lyfe except it be suche a rightuousnes as the law requireth that is to wit a perfect and sound state Therefore shew me one that fulfilleth the law as there is none found which is not a breaker of the lawe and I will graunt the foresaide argument Quest Saye you then that there shal bee oddes in the punishements of the damned sort An. Althoughe this matter bee to be inquired of verye soberlye yet haue I not spoken it vnaduisedly For besides that the order of Iustice requireth that hee whiche hathe sinned more greeuouslye should be more greuously punished considering that all sinnes are not alike heynous sauing so farforthe as they matche in generalitie for it is a Paradoxe of the Stoykes not of christians to auouch that all sins bee equal christ himself witnesseth the same thing expresly saying y the case of the Sodomites shal bee more tolerable in the day of iudgement than the case of them that had reiected him Quest Then shall therebe oddes in the glory of those that shal be saued An. Verelye so doothe the reason of contraries require And wheras the Apostle sayeth that suche as haue sowen sparelie shall reape sparelye it séemeth not that the same shoulde be restrained to temporall blessinges onely Quest But of sowinge cometh reapinge ergo rightuousnes and life proceede of good workes An. Truely similitudes must neuer bée racked further than the nature of the thinges that are treated of and the purpose of him that vseth the similitudes will beare For else ther wil ensew most fond false things out of nomber which thing wheÌ„ vnskilful interpreters marke not they must néedes setforth manye foolishe and false thinges But in the foresaide place the Apostle
vpon christ offered vnto â— both at once For the cause of a thinge â—nnot bée woorkinge in verye déede vnâ—se the effecte of it come foorth together with it But if yee looke too the ordâ—â— of causes I graunt that the traynmeâ—â— of faith yea of trewe fayth goeth befoâ—â— the taking holde vppon Christe andâ— consequently is geueÌ„ not to them y aâ—â— already greffed but to them the are â—â— the poynt too bee greffed intoo him Yâ—â— foloweth it not therevpon that fayth 〈…〉 not geuen vntoo vs in Christe consiâ—â—ringe that the heauenly father settyâ— his determination in his onely Sonnâ— dooth not then first behold vs in Chrisâ— when wee be geuen vnto him but haâ—â— chosen vs knowen vs and loued vs 〈…〉 him yea euen before the foundations 〈…〉 the worlde were layde muche rathâ—â— when as yet wee hated him like 〈…〉 Christe himself also toke hold of vs first to the ende that wee might take holdâ— him afterward Again loke what is begon in vs by grace that we migh therbâ— bee greffed into Christ and therfore 〈…〉 in respecte of the order of causes is doâ—â— before our takinge holde vppon Christâ— the same is increased and strengthenâ—â— in vs afterwarde by the same grace iâ— Christ whom wee haue now taken hâ—â— on by faith Quest VVhat then are the things that wee atteine in Christ An. Paule concludeth this whole matter most plainly and also most briefelye when he sayeth that God the father hath made Christe our wysedome Iustificaâ—ion Sanctification and Redemption Que. What meene you by being made â—ur wisedome An. The selfesame thinge that zacharie â—â—eeneth when he sayeth that his owne â—â—â—nne Iohn Baptist is sent to shewe the â—nowledge of saluation that is too saye â—o shew Christe himselfe For the onlye â—rewe wisedome is this which Christe â—â—acheth vntoâ— men namelye when hee â—iscloseth himselfe vntoo them whiche â—â—inge the father also hath testified with lowde voice from heauen saying heere â—ee him Quest Recken you this among the gifts â—hat wee receiue by Christ Answere My méeninge is that Christe hymselfe 〈…〉 so géeuen vntoo vs to bée the onely teaâ—er of that trew and natiue wisedome â—â— that hee teacheth himselfe vntoo vs For he is both the teacher and the thinge that this is taught And therefore amonge Christes giftes the verye foremost and chiefest is that he géeueth himselfe vnto vs when he furnisheth vs with the knowledge of himselfe Quest VVhat doth Paule cal iustification in this place Ans That wherby we bée made rightuous that is to saye so farfoorth perfecte sounde faultlesse and vnblamable as not onelye there is quite wyped out of vs whatsoeuer vncleanenesse is in vs from top too to wherby God who is singulerly pure maye by anye meanes be offended but also there is moste plentuouslye founde in vs whatsoeuer may so muche delight him in this humaine nature as he of his good will maye voutchesaue to crowne wyth euerlastinge lyfe And of that rightuousnesse whereby a man iâ— accounted ryghtuous béefore God the certeine squéer and inuariable rule iâ— Gods owne law And the lawe not only forbiddeth the thinges that are not to be done threatning euerlasting death for a penaltie but also inioyneth the perfect louig of god and our neighbor Therfore that a man may be accounted rightuous afore god there be two things required of necessitye that is to say the vtter absence of all sinne and the fulfilling of all right according to the lawe Que. But this was neuer founde in any mortall wight An. Sauing Christ who not onely neuer sinned but also performed y who le lawe to the full Que. Tell me I pray you was not christ perfectly rightuous euen from the very moment of his conception Ans In respect of his Godhead he not onely was rightuous from euerlasting but also the very rightuousnes it self y is to say the souereine and most perfect purenesse And in respect of his manhod he was indewed with singular holines yea euen farre aboue the Angels euen from the very instant of the conception of his fleshe But now by the name of rightuousnesse wee meene that which foloweth vppon the perfect performing of gods law which rightuousnesse christ had not in effect vntill he had finished the whole woorke that was inioyned him For this is the rightuousnes by the imputation whereof wee bee iustified or made righteous and not the foresayd essentiall rightuousnes which is proper to the godhead nor yet the other naturall purenes of Christes fleshe wherof wee will intrete seuerally by it selfe for want of which distinction Osiander hath ouershot himselfe to fowly Question But I see not yet how this rightuousnesse may suffice For inasmuch as we not only performe not the lawe but also are ouercouered with innumerable sinnes howe shal wee bee accounted as though we had neuer sinned that is to say to be vndefiled of our sinnes if the spots of our sinnes be not first washed out and that caÌ„not be don without suffering of the punishments dew to them Answere Thou sayest righte Therefore whereas I sayde that Christ not onely brake not the lawe but also dyd most fully and perfectly performe the lawe thou must take his so dooing to comprehende in especially a satisfaction for al the sinnes of them that beleue for euery man is bounde by the lawe to loue god and his neyghbour perfectly not indefinitely but defynitelye that is to saye as hauinge regarde of hys owne peculiar callynge As for examples sake if a magistrate loue God but as some other priuate person dooth hée cannot bée saide too haue done his duetie because he is bound to loue god as a magistrate whiche maner of dealinge is too bée vnderstoode of all other kinde of callinges And Christ was sent to suffer for vs the punishmentes dew for our sinnes which thinge hee performed all his life longe but specially in that Sacrifice of his wherin he béecame obedient to hys father vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Therefore by woorkinge in sufferinge and by offeringe himselfe for vs he both fulfilled the lawe for vs and also made satisfaction for our sinnes Quest But in respecte that Christe is beecome man it seemeth he was bound by nature to performe the rightuousnesse of the lawe that is to saye too loue God and his neighbour perfectlye because the said law is laid vpon the very nature of maÌ„kind And therfore it semeth that his fulfilling of the lawe was not for vs but for himself that he might purchace himself life which thing cannot be said of the punishmentes that were to be indured by him for our sinnes An. Althoughe we should say that christ as touching his flesh purchased himselfe eternall life by fulfillinge the lawe whervnto hée was bounde yet were it no absurditie to saye also that the force of this desert is so great that it floweth also eueÌ„ vnto the beleuers But the former parte cannot well be iustified
philosophers namelyâ— that in all mankind there is but onely one soule Besides this these wise men are not euen yet agreed vpon the immortality of the soule And what quarelyng is there amonge them about the affections And if we come downe to the mutuall dewties betwene man and man how many things not onley fondly but also wickedly and shamefully haue the best coÌ„mended lawmakers of al nations ordeined which of them did eueÌ„ bethink him of the trew remedy against the headines of affections and no maruell seing they knew neither y causes nor the effects of that deadly disease You sée therfore y euen very reason it self so longe as it continueth but naturall is starke blind in the matters of greatest weight And how many things be there wherin it not only is blind but also stark mad for besides y eche of theÌ„ defendeth those fewe errors which I haue reckened out of a great sorte mo so wilfully as they caÌ„not abide to be taught righter things That the world should be created of nothinge that the woord should become fleshe that any man shoulde bee borne of a virgyn that we should bee counted rightuous for another mannes rightuousnesse that the dead bodies shoulde rise againe and many other such things reason not onlye admitteth them not but also lotheth and skorneth them yea and if ye presse ouer far vpon hir at length like a bedlem shée trampleth all the whole heaueÌ„ly wisdome vnder hir féete except she be made spirituall by the grace of god Yea and euen then also shée ceaseth not too wrestle against the knoweÌ„ wisdome so farfoorth as shée is not chaunged And therfore I trowe ye sée the thinge too bee trew which I spake Quest But you diuines also be ye neuer so spiritual agree not throughly among your selues in all thinges An. That cometh not to passe through faulte of the scriptures wherein the pointes of trew religion are set forth plainlye and manifestly ynough but wée may blame the selfsame reason for it whiche is both blinde and also stubborne Neyther sayd I that wée bée regenerated throughlye but onely in part for were wée regenerated thurrowlye wee shoulde all of vs agrée fully too the truth in all poynctes And therefore I denye not but there remayne the remnantes of that ignorant and stubborne nature but they shalbée done awaye by little and little Quest VVell then let vs graunt that what soeuer pure knoweledge or right iudgement or iuste desire there is in vs the same procedeth of the mere grace of the heauenlye father in his sonne but wylte thou not graunt that this rightuousnes which sticketh in vs is rightuousnes therefore also exceptable too God Ans I graunt it is rightuousnesse For a good trée bringeth foorth good fruyte howbeit but by way of comparison that is to witte if it be compared wyth suche fruites as are rotten in déede But if the verye beste woorkes euen of the holyest men shoulde bée tryed by the rule of Gods wyll that is to saye by the lawe I saye they bée sinnes and albeit they bée not suche as fyght full but agaynste the lawe suche as aduoutrye stealinge lyinge and suche lyke bée yet are they synnes because they shrynke from that degrée of goodnesse whiche the lawe dooth iustlye exacte at mannes hand And therefore as I haue saide afore wée must rest our selues vpon the onlye obedience of Christ imputed to vs by fayth as the only rightuousnes that is absolutly perfect and full in all pointes Quest Nay rather by what right should god exact any thing at mens haÌ„des whoÌ„ he knoweth to be vnable to make payment euen by nature whereof he himselfe is the aucthor Ans That we be not able to make payment it is not of nature which both would and could yelde vnto hir creator after whose image shée was made the thinge that both he required and she owed in asmuch as she was created to the same purpose but it sprange of the willinge corruption of the same nature whiche bringeth too passe that no man eyther wyll or â—an acknowledge that dette and muche lesse pay it Nay rather all of vs do nothinge else but increase that det But too speake euen after the manner of men doothe anye man cease to bee a detter which throughe his owne faulte is not able too paye Furthermore where the creator maye of verye good right and dewtie require at our handes that whiche hâ—â— doth yea and peraduenture somewhat more too if hee take the same in so good worth at our handes that beléeue in hys sonne Christ whom he hath geuen vnto vs most liberally and fréelye that of hys lyke liberalitie he géeues vs fayth also whereby to take the giftes y hee offereth vs who would not rather honour the fathers so infinite goodnesse than stande in contention with him Quest To God therefore the souereine good be glory praise euerlasting Neuertheles giue me leaue to ask you thus muche At leastwise this rightuousnesse that cleaueth vnto vs so farfoorth as it hath regard of rightuousnes must nedes please God who delighteth in rightuousnesse Ans I perceiue the wylinesse not of you as I thinke but of Sathan For inasmuche as he cannot bereue Christe quyte and cleane of the glory of our saluation therefore he goeth about at leastwyse to nippe of some péece of it whiche thynge woulde surely come to passe if he coulde make men beléeue that thynge whiche the filthye Sophisters beare folk in hande namelye that Christes rightuousnesse dooth but simplye that whiche is wantinge in our rightuousnesse Thus therefore standeth the case God beareth suche a loue towardes rightuousnes that whatsoeuer hath any spark of rightuousnesse and cleannesse at all hee alloweth it after a sorte but that is of his owne infinite goodnes and not for anye desert of suche maner of rightuousnesse whiche is but shadowish So allowed he the repentaunce of the Niniuites and of Achab although it were no trew repentaunce but a certaine shrinkinge of themselues vnder the mightye hand of god For he is so excéedinge good that he doth good euen too them that be most vnworthie and much more too suche as bée by any meanes touched with the feelinge of his maiestie Then delighteth he muche more in the woorkes of them that bee regenerated althoughe they bée vnperfect But first I saye that these woorkes of the regenerated doo please hym not for anye woorthynesse of them but of the méere grace of the father who pardoneth that whiche is missinge of rightuousnesse and accepth that whyche proceedeth of hys owne spirite Agayne I deny that our iustification and so consequently that life euerlasting shall bee giuen too these workes after one manner that is to wit as the cause of them please they God neuer so much through his mere grace For this is a sure ground that the rightuous shall liue by faith and euerlasting life is the gift of God. Question But if they please they
setteth foorth the proporcionable resemblance of woorkes and glory and not y cause of glory For in all places he stedfastlye defendeth that rightuousnesse is the mere gyfte of God without the woorkes of the lawe and is not payde as a dew det but bestowed vppon the beléeuers as a grace Que. He meaneth but the works of the Ceremoniall lawe Ans A fond answer For hys matchinge of duty grace one againste another caÌ„not stand onles all the workes of the lawe bee excluded without exception and yet I wil ouerpasse other argumeÌ„ts of paules which are bent directlye against the very law of the tenne hests bent I say not toâ— deface the law which is the madnes of the Manichees but too take away from it the power of iustifiyng Again I besech you if works may be thanked for any maner of rightuousnes why should yee exclude the ceremonies y bée rightlye vsed For truly they be compreheÌ„ded in y sowerth commaundement of the ten hestes as longe as they were rightlye vsed they were most excellent workes Quest But ceremonies be abolished by the comming of Christ An. I confesse they be abolished because they bée fulfilled in Christ But the matter it self declareth that where Paule disputeth of the causes of Iustification his reasons tend not to proue that the Ceremonies bee abolished but too shew that saluatioÌ„ rested alwaies in the only rightuousnes ef christ imputed to theÌ„ that beleue for confirmation therof among other things he alledgeth y examples of Abraham and Dauid Quest Then may wee say that paule excludeth but onely the good works that go before the grace of Iustification An. No lesse fond is this answere also For besides that the Apostle alledgeth manifeestly the examples testimenies of them that were iustified namely of Abraham and Dauid to the intent I may â—et passe his other reason grounded vppon the very nature of the lawe what a madnesse were it to busie a mannes self aboute the excludinge of those thinges whiche are not at all for why to déeme that they wiche are not iustified can dâ—o anye good woorkes it is no lesse folie than if a man should say that a tree can bringe forth good fruite before it be gâ—od â—t selfe Quest But although the hyre of eternal life be not dew for the worthines of the very workes yet is it dew at leastwise by couenant An. What couenant meene you I beseeche you Quest The couenant of the lawe which is Do this and thou shalt liue And if thou wilt enter into life kepe the commundementes An. How this couenant is to be vnderstoode it is to bée sene by the threatning which is set against the promyse And that is this by the witnes of the apostle cursed is euery one that abydeth not in all the thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe that he may kepe theÌ„ But the law requireth perfect loue And no man but onely Christ hath euer performed the law to the full therefore life is dew to none by the couenant but only vnto Christ As for vs we haue it giuen vs by mere grace from out of him who also is himselfe giuen vnto vs by mere grace Quest VVherfore call you them good woorkes then if they deserue not eternall lyfe An. Surely the Latin diuines yea euen the auÌ„cient sort of them haue vnproperly vsed the word Merit or Deserue in sted of Obtein and the woord Desirt or deseruing or Merit for a good worke whiche thinge ye shall neuer finde in the holye scriptures Now although the works of y regenerate are not so good as thei shold deserue eternall life yet are they good so farforth as they proceede from the good spirit of God from a hart y is clensed by faith And agein they be good bicause y by theÌ„ the lorde is glorified our neighbor helped and we our selues also reape this excellent fruite of theÌ„ that they bee witnesses vnto vs of our faith and consequently of our election Quest Let thus far then suffice concerning both the partes of Sanctification Now remayneth that which the Apostle saith also namely that Christ is become our redemption Ans By the woorde redemption the Apostle meeneth in that place not the verye act of redeeming but the effect of it that is too say the end whervnto the sayde Iustification and Sanctification lead vs the which is this that being redeemed from synne and death by Christ we should also be made partakers of eternal life in him whose pledge and earnest penny wee haue euen in this lyfe that is to wit the holy Ghost by whom we bee sealed vp Que. But Dauid grouÌ„deth this redemption and blesing in the release of sins VVhy then adde you also the imputation of the sanctificatioÌ„ that sticketh in Christ and his fulfilling of the law An. What if I shold incounter thee with these textes Blessed are the cleane in hart blessed are the blameles in y way and suche other like woldest thou gather here vpon y the releasing of sinnes is excluded I think not So now then sanctification is ment by the terme of iustification bycause these twoo go neuer a sunder And why maye I not make answer thus also that somtimes there is mention made but onely of y releasing of sinnes not to the ende to exclude all other pates that make men blessed but by cause the rest are couerfly comprehended vnder it And if thou wilt vrge mee yet further I may also fitly answer that aâ— the other are ment by y releasing of sins For who can denye but that euen originall sin hath néede of clensinge Ergo it is compreheÌ„ded in the releasinge of sins Also who can saye that he only is too bee taken for an offender y doth some thinge which he is forbiddeÌ„ not he also which performeth not that which is inioyned him Ergo not to haue fulfilled the lawe is also sin whiche also hath néede too be released Now remaine the sinnes that is to say the déedes that are don ageynst the law wherof there is no question but they haue néede too bee satisfied for All these are released by Christes satisfaction whiche is imputed too vs all Nowe let vs come too the name of Release That man is properly saide to release a dette whiche fréely yea and vtterly dischargeth his detter so as hee reserueth no action too himselfe ageinst him Now then wee bee all of vs the children of wrath not onely bycause we be corrupted or bycause wee fulfill not the lawe or bycause wee doo the thynges that are forbidden vs but also bycause wee ought too appeare pure béefore God such as he made vs and not only not too be transgressors of the law but also to be performers of the law Therfore too she ende that we who else must perish may haue full perfecte release of all sinnes this foresaide release muste of necessitye matche with the other release