so be weakened that they may not be able to attaine vnto them An allegory of the table But let vs diligently consider and weigh all the partes of this execration And that which is first spoken of the table expresseth a goodly allegory for by the table is signified vnto vs whatsoeuer is pleasaunt acceptable and delighting or wherin we content our selues as in a good thing which recreateth and refresheth vs as we know the table to be for vnto it we come to be refreshed with meate and drinke and to be mery yea and in feastes are knitte amities and mutuall frendshippes which are made more firme For Mensa that is a table as Varro saith is as it were Mesa that is to say a meane for it is an arbitrer and mediator betwene two or more But saith Dauid vnto these wicked men let it chaunge his proprieties let it be voide of his end let it not be vnto them pleasaunt nor ioyfull nor sweete but pernicious hurtfull and a snare let them euen there be taken and be destroyed Origen against Celsus maketh mencion of a certaine Poet who wrote a kind of verses called Iambica against Licambes for that he had transgressed against the table and salt and had bene vnfaithfull and cruell against him with whom he had vsed ordinarily to be at table and to eate with and he aptly applieth that vnto Iudas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord with whome together he had eaten And our sauior instituted the holy table whereat the faithfull receaue the Eucharist that there should not only be celebrated the memory of his The table of the Eucharist death but also that in the holy banquet should be wéeded out all maner of hatred and displeasure growen betwene Christians Pithagoras in his banquets and meates would not suffer that bread should be deuided with a knife by bread signifieng y◠bond of humane society And the Macedonians were wōt to make leagues and couenaunts at their feastes and banquets Plutarch also in his problems telleth An vsage of the Macedonians how that the table is an holy thing and therefore the elders were carefull that in presence of the guests it should neuer be empty or voyde for that that is not seemely for thinges consecrated vnto God Wherefore the Prophet prayeth yea he prayeth against the wicked that all prosperous and happy things should be turned vnto them into misery which thing we reade in the histories came oftentimes to passe for wordly men in those things very often came to destruction wherein they both most delighted themselues and placed all their felicity When Pompey was ouercome in Pharsalia Egipt and Ptolome were his table for he hoped that there he mought be recreated and be at rest howbeit there he miserably lost his head Cesars table séemed to be aboue all others in the publike wealth of Rome when as he was the chiefe of the Senate house and as Dictator out of his regall seate gaue lawes and bare dominion but whilest he setled himselfe in these things he was mirably slayne The table of the Iewes was in the time of Christ to kéepe still their dignity place nation and priesthod and whilest they with a blind zeale too much gaue themselues to these things they slew Christ and therefore they were throwen down hedlong into vtter destruction Neither let vs looke for any other ende of the Pope of his kingdome whose table is the name of the Church counsels Fathers customes longtime receaued the pompe and shew of outward ceremonies and such other like things for the defence wherof forasmuch as he together with his fighteth against the truth and that plainly set abroad he shall fall into a snare and into distruction This self thing did the Iewes in the time Ieremy whē they cried The tempell of the Lord The tempell of the Lord boasting that they were the sonnes of Abraham and frée men and the children of promise but yet they were with great miseries brought to destruction And how euen the outward table hath brought vnto some destruction the holy history setteth forth vnto vs in the eldest sonne of Dauid For he was slaine of his brother Absalon for defiling his sister Thamar And the like chaunce happened vnto Simon the high priest as we rede in the first booke of the Machabes who being bidden by his sonne in law to a feast was by him slaine Dauid by an antithesis aptly maketh a snare to be contrary vnto a table For the table ought to be frée where we may safelye refreshe the minde and if any snares bee there laid◠a man can not well auoyde them There is added an other curse which according to the Hebrew verity is of quiet men that is of frends and such as are ioyned by any familiarity Frendship is a necessary thing or acquaintaunce There is no man but vnderstandeth that frendship is a necessary thing Which neither euen great princes nor Emperors can want for if they be destitute of frends by whom shall they gouerne their dominions kingdomes And howe méete and profitable concorde is in aduersityes wée néede not many wordes to declare for that it is to all men most manifeste It is also as a thing most to be desired and most pleasant grafted in vs by nature or rather by God and as Aristotle in his Ethikes sayth of it it is more conuenient then iustice For if we were all truly frendes betwene our selues Frendship better then iustice there should be no nede of iustice for no man would hurte one an other but if we were all iust yet still should we nede frendshippe for that it is a thing of hys owne nature and of it selfe good Of so greate a commodity doth Dauid in hys execration desire that the wicked might be depriued and prayeth that those whome they thought to be theyr frendes mought be vnto them traytors which how detestable and hurtfull a thing it is the history of Samuell declareth where it is written that Ioab slew Abner and Amasa two notable captaynes fraudulently namely pretending frendshippe vnto them and kissing them Our Lord An example of traitry also who for our sakes would suffer all kinde of greues suffred also this kind of mishappe touching which thing we haue in the Psalme a wonderfull complaynte for vnder the person of Christ it is sayd My quiet frend which did eate meate together with me hath lifted vp his hele agaynst me Thus haue we now declared the Hebrew verity But bycause Paul and the Seuentye haue turned it retribution or recompence let vs se how theyr phrase of speach agreeth with thys sence In my iudgement it signifieth that Dauid prayed that in the table where they were wont to refresh theyr mindes and to haue all thinges in safety and security there should happen vnto them a recompence and y◠there they mought be punished for all the wicked actes which they had before committed that whereas the seuerity of God semed before to
winke at theyr sinnes it might there take vengeance of them Let theyr eyes be made dimme that they see not and theyr backe or loynes or raynes alwayes make crooked or make it to consume or to waste away As it is had in the Hebrew That which is now spoken of the eyes pertayneth vnto the mind and the sence is let them be spoyled of iudgement and vnderstanding that they may not vnderstand what thinges are to be wished for and what thinges are for them profitabe And by the loynes backe or raynes we must vnderstand the strengths which he prayeth might be taken away froÌ„ theÌ„ yâ— they might not be able to obteyne any good thing if paradueÌ„ture they had choyce of it Neither here let vs of this be ignoraunt that in this place is shewed Here is declared that free will is in the wicked ouerthrowen that in the wicked and in them that are forsaken of God frée wil is taken away whose roote and beginning as we haue ells where taught is vnderstanding For the will forasmuch as it is blind can not chuse that which reason offreth vnto it And if they which are reiected of God can not vnderstand thinges spirituall and in very dede good for as much as they are meÌ„ naturall then also shall they not be able to chuse them And though sometimes they be so illuminated with some sclender light that they can iudge somewhat of vprightnes yet notwithstanding theyr strengths are so made crooked and consumed that they caÌ„ not follow the better thinges which they allow but cleaue and sticke fast vnto the worse Pauls argument agaynst the Iewes is in this maner That ye are made blind and therfore receaue not Christ and his Gospell ought not to seme vnto you a thing so incredible when as both Esay foretold it and holy Dauid also hath spoken of it Neither is it to be doubted but that the thinges which are now cited touching the Iewes pertayne also vnto Christes time and also vnto ours for in this psalme it is writteÌ„ The zeale of thy house hath eaten me vp Which It is proued that this psalme pertaineth vnto Christ sentence Christ vsed when he clensed the temple of â—iers and sellers yea there was none which was more moued with this kinde of zeale then he was and for that cause chiefly was he slaine of the Iewes Moreouer in the selfe same psalme we rede They gaue me to eate gaule and in my thirst they gaue me viniger to drinke Which thinges we no where rede happened vnto Dauid But that Christ had at his death such meat to eate drinke to drinke the Euangelists most manifestly testify And in this place we may se an excellent amplification by steps or degrees First is sayd Let the good thinges namely which they now haue and possesse as the table and frendes be turned vnto them into destruction And such thinges which are to be wished and desired let them not se them and if hereafter they shal paraduenture se them yet let not them attayne vnto them Neither is only this execration red in yâ— Psalme of Dauid but also other more greauous then this Poure vpon them thy wrath Lay iniquity vpon iniquity and let them not enter into thy righteousnes Let theÌ„ Why Paul rather toke this part oâ— the psalme then any other be put out of the boke of the liuing and let them not be written with the iust But Paul picked out that part only which serued best to his purpose and chiefely as touching execation for he would not irritate the Iewes more then was nede lest paraduenture he should vtterly haue discouraged them all But forasmuch as these horrible and bitter thinges are applied vnto the wicked it followeth that the godly and faythfull may by a contrary kind of reasoning gather thereout no small consolation vnto themselues For euen as vnto them things pleasant What consolation is herehence deriued vnto the godly and prosperous are turned into misery and calamities so vnto the godly the things which of theyr owne nature are dolefull hard and miserable are made healthful pleasant and glorious as persecution honger banishmeÌ„t ignominie and euen death it selfe for Christ hath sanctified vnto vs the crosse and therefore hath pronounced them blessed which suffer persecution and those also blessed which mourne and likewise those blessed which are affected with contumelies reproches for there is not one of those euilles which in the elect of God haue not a most happy end The cruell dealing of the brethern of Ioseph aduaunced hym Thinges dolefull are to the godly turned into things ioyfull and pleasaunt in a maner to the kingdome of Egipt By the calamities and afflictions wherewith Pharao oppressed the Israelites they obteyned liberty and in the horrible and vnpleasant wildernes they had in a maner a paradise when as by the conduite of Moses yea rather of God they were brought vnto the land of Chanaan the battailes which the Amalikites Chananites and Amorhites made agaynst them were turned vnto them into victories and triumphes The death of Christ although it was ignominious vnto him in respect that he was a man brought vnto him resurrection an heauenly seate and a kingdome lasting world without end And by most cruel martirdomes both the Apostles and also many other of the faythfull are brought vnto eternall felicity so that the Apostle sayd truly vnto them that loue God all thinges worke to good Now that we haue expounded the wordes of Paul we will se what is to be gathered out of the expositions of other men Chrisostome by the table vnderstandeth as we doo the pleasures of the Iewes and maketh these thinges so playne that they nede no exposition at all for experience it selfe teacheth with what calamities both of soule and body the Iewes are tormeÌ„ted He diligently noted also the aduerbe of time which in Hebrew is Hammid that is alwayes whereby he sayth is signified the perpetuity The calamity of the Iewes perpetuall of this misery so that the Iewes can not hope that it shall haue an end It semed vnto him wonderfull that it had now in his time dured aboue 300. yeares but what would he now say wheÌ„ as now it hath lasted fiftene hundreth yeares Theyr captiuity in Babilon continewed 70. yeares Howbeit in it they were not vtterly destitute of the fauor of God for they had with them Daniell and his The captiuity of Babilon was much more tollerable then this fellowes and Esdras also Nehemias Zorobabell Iesus the priest of the sonne of Sadoch Zachary Aggeus and before all these Ezechiell and Ieremy although Ieremy went downe with the runnagate Israelites inotâ—to Babilon but into Egipt howbeit for all that he wrote vnto them And after the 70. yeares were expired they returned home agayne and possessed theyr owne auncient dominion vntil the time of the Macedonians Next after that they were for a while vexed by The Iewes were not infected
to inuent Images was nothyng ells then to light vp Candles and Torches in the Sunne Thys The deuise of the deuill concerning idolatry thyng the deuill chieflye laboured for that the power of God might be bound vnto certayne places that men myghte there onely praye vnto God and there receaue great holynes and lastly there to make an end of theyr godlines as though out of those places they might liue as they luste them selues as we sée now the vse is in receauing of the Supper of the Lorde There onely mē thinke that all good thynges are to bée poured out towardes God vnto it they prostrate them selues there they knocke their brestes there they make inuocation there shewe they forth what soeuer pietie they haue All other thynges in comparison of it are a playe and of no waight Thys is worthye to bée noted that Paule doth here so sharply reproue these men which yet sayd that they worshipped not those Images but by them honoured the one onely God and the Scriptures do euery where reprehend them for that they worshipped the workes of theyr owne handes By which wordes an vpright iudgement may gather that these vulgare and common excuses are not to bee admitted Yea and Augustine also in hys 6. Sermon in the 10. tome after thys sorte conuinceth the Ethnickes that they tooke theyr Idole for a God because vnto it they builded altars For saith he that A vaine excuse or defence of the Ethnikes for Images they haue a God and doe worship that Idole for a God the altar doth testifie What maketh the altar there if that it bee not counted for a God Let no man say vnto me it is not a God I haue already answered that matter I would to God they knew this thyng so well as we know it But both what they haue and also for what thing they haue it the altar doth testifie Thys place of Paule taketh away all excuse from Idolatrers They These thinges pertayne vnto them which worship images in the Papacy An oration of Symmachus wer no lesse wittie to defend their Idolatries then are our men at this day to defend the worshipping of Sainctes Which thyng he that beleueth not let hym read the 30. Epistle of Ambrose which contayneth the oration of Symmachus wherin in the name of the people of Rome and of the Senate he desired of the Emperours Valentinian Theodosius and Arcadius that the worshipping of the Gods myghte bée restored Symmachus denyeth not in that place but that God is euery wherebut yet he sayth that it is much better to haue some certain places appoynted for religion And he would haue the secretes of the deuine nature to bée secluded from the people vnto which diuerse nations aspyre not by one and the selfe same meanes for that all are not of one disposition Hée boasteth muche of miracles namelye that by these Gods Rome was defended from Hannihall and from the Senons and lastly that it had subdued the whole worlde vnder her gouernment but since they were neglected greuous calamities haue happened vnto the publicke wealth He contendeth that there is but one God onely vnto whom all men haue a regarde and doe come vnto hym by sundrye wayes Wherfore in the conclusion he requireth that the Emperours would bée so good to suffer euery nation to haue hys owne religion But what Ambrose aūswereth to these thinges here is now no méete place to declare They whiche are desirous thereof may easilie read it in hys 31. Epistle Wherefore God gaue them vp to vncleanes through the lustes of their owne harts to defile their owne bodies amōg themselues which chaunged his truth for a lye and worshipped and serued the thinges that be made more then him that made them which is to be praysed for euer Amen VVherefore God deliuered them vp Now is described the punishement The punishment wherewith Eod tooke vengeance vpon idolatry wherewith God tooke vengeance vpon the haynous sinne of idolatry Whiche he therefore so greuously punished for that he will haue his owne glory alwayes reserued vnto himselfe By Esay the prophete he sayth My glory will I not geue vnto an other And forasmuch as he hath spoused vnto himselfe the faythful as a spouse and chast virgin he can not abide that they should be defiled with the adulterous worshipping of Idols In the law he calleth himself a gelious God for that he will not suffer this dishonour Further greate was the anger wherwith he was incensed because these wicked actes were done by thē of whom they were least of all to be looked for that is of the learneder sort which farre excelled others in wisdome as it is reported the Egiptians did For as this nation was counted the mother of sciences so also was it a most aboundant As the Egiptians were moste excellent in lerning so were they the greatest idolatrers Chrisostom of Plato Socrates Astronomers fountayne of idolatry There not only men were worshipped but also Oxen Crocodiles Leekes Oynions Cattes and many more such like thinges And as Chrisostome thinketh Plato for that by much traueling he had attayned vnto their doctrine had a great pleasure in himselfe And Chrisostome reproueth Socrates the scholemaster of Plato because when he was at the poynt of death he desired his friendes to pay vnto Aesculapius a Cocke which he remembred he owed him Astronomers which aboue others boast themselues as touching the knowledge of celestiall thinges haue transferred into heauen a Beare two twynes a Bull a Crowne an Egle a Scorpion a Snake and such like monstrous thinges and to the starres which are the excellent workes of God they faynedly adioyne these theyr madde dreames and do after a sort attribute vnto them the gouernment of the world This thing hath the deuill procured that men should become subiect vnto those thinges ouer whiche they ought to be Lordes and rulers So man which was made to be lifted vp into heauen neglecting himselfe hath to his power lifted vp to the same place brutishe and vnreasonable beastes Further the Poetes which aboue other men were had in admiration did they not fayne what they lusted themselues of the Gods Of The sondry iudgemente of Plato touching Poets their deuise and opinion Plato which is counted the most graue amongst the Philosophers speaketh doubtfully In his bookes De Repub he iudgeth them worthy vtterly to be banished out of the city because they spake so vnreuerently of the Gods And yet in an other place he commaundeth that when they entreate of thinges deuine we shoulde geue credite vnto them because they declare such thinges not of themselues but by heauenly inspiration If a man Why Idolatrers worshipped Crocodiles and Serpentes would demaund of them why so wise mē worshipped eyther Crocodles or serpentes paraduenture they would haue aunswered that they in them wondred at the most mighty power whereby they do hurt men and that in them is expressed the auenging wrath of God
vnpunished punished adultery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is englished wickednes signifieth that endeuor whereby we labor to do hurt vnto an other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is couetousnes is deriued of these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth hauing to much and those men are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seeke by all meanes possible in all manner of commodities to haue more then other men and with the hurte and losse of theyr neighbour vsurpe more then is meete whether it be as touching riches or as touching pleasures or honors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is englished maliciousnes if it be generally taken signifieth vice and is contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to vertue Sometimes it signifieth sluggishnes from whence commeth this prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to speake negligently And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth that vice whereby we are strayghte way wery of well doing It signifieth also trouble and affliction wherunto we bring our neighbors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is full of enuy murther and debate Again he sheweth that they wer not in a meane sort infected with euils but wer ouerwhelmed with thē Very wel ioyneth he enuy murther together For first the murther of Cayne sprange of a certayne enuy Agayne contencions or debate follow straight way after the committing of murthers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is deceate by it are signified guiles for whome they cannot kill and oppresse by violence those they encounter with guiles and disceate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is euill conditioned Here are reproued those that are bytter sharpe and hard to be pleased And such ar they which can almost be contented with no mans condicions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is whisperers These are they whiche priuely cary tales to and froo of whatsoeuer they ether heare or see and chiefely they seeke by all meanes possible to breake and dissolue frendshippes betweene party and party 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is backbyters who herein differ from whisperers for that backebyters detract openly but whisperers do it secretly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is suche as bate God as of whom they delight neuer either to heare to thinke or to speake And Iulius Pollux in his dictionary sayth that it is an Epitheton of the vngodly and that also it is a tragicall word For it signifieth those whiche saye vnto God depart from vs we will not haue the knowlege of thy wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are cōtumelious persons which ouerburdē theyr neighbours with reproches infamies and filthy iniuries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is proude these men in al places that they come shew themselues disdainful proud and high mynded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is boasters he meaneth such Thrasos and glorious fellowes which attribute vnto themselues those thinges that were neuer ether seene or written or pictured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is inuenters of euill These men are so wicked that a man can set before them no good sound or fyrme thing but they will gather some euell thereof Or els it signifyeth those which not being content with the formes and kindes of vices which are alredy in vse do inuent new kindes of wickednes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is disobediente vnto their parentes By parentes he vnderstandeth not only father and mother but also magistrates scholemasters and pastors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without vnderstanding They are such which do thinges without iudgement or reason order all thinges foolishly furiously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is couenaunt breakers These men will abide by no conditions couenauntes nor leagues They are vnfaythfull and breakers of all couenauntes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without naturall affection which are moued with no affection toward those which are ioyned vnto them by any kind of kinred They neyther care for parentes nor children nor bretherne nor countrey nor friendes and at the length for no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this signifieth those whiche will neuer be reconciled or pacefied when they are once moued or haue taken any quarell in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnmercifull So last of all he maketh mencion of those which are so cruell that they are touched with no kinde of mercy But these fower vices last spoken of Chrisostome doth after this maner order that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we haue turned couenaunt breakers he vnderstandeth those which can agree with no man no not with those whose nature is like vnto theyr owne An horse acquainteth himselfe with an horse and an Oxe with an Oxe but these will agree with no man By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche we haue turned without naturall affection he vnderstandeth those which are not touched with their next most friendes By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is englished to be those that can neuer be appeased he vnderstandeth those that breake all maner of leagues and felloshippes By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is in the Englishe vnmercifull he vnderstandeth those which shew mercy or compassion to no man These vices are therefore so diligently rehearsed that by them as by certayne Notes or markes of vngodlines notes impiety mought the better be knowen And they are for this cause also set forth vnto vs partly that we should behold y◠miserable estate of those which lyue without Christ and hys Gospell and partly that we shoulde haue before our eyes the enemyes agaynst which we must fyght Who when they knew y◠righteousnes of God that they which commit such thinges are worthy of death yet not only do the same but also haue pleasure in them that do them By amplification he still depresseth them when he sayth that both they themselues are wicked and also they excedingly delight in those that are wicked when yet notwithstanding they knew the righteousnes of God For both knowing willingly they commit sinne How the lawes of God were knowen vnto men he teacheth not for that it is well knowen vnto all mē that the same The law of nature is the law of God It is knowen by the light of nature that ▪ sinnes ought to be punished with death Draco punished all sinnes with death commeth by the light of nature And this righteousnes which men by nature attayne vnto he calleth the righteousnes of God so that we must remember that the law of nature is also the law of God They were not ignorant that they which do these and such like thinges are worthy of death because the light of nature sheweth whiche thing also Paule teacheth that the reward of sinne is death Draco the lawgeuer punished all maner of sinnes with death And when he was admonished that all sinnes were not alyke he aunswered that he knew that to be true but he had no punishement more greuous nor crueller then death and therefore he could adde no greuouser punishementes vnto the haynouser
church can not releâ—se the afflictions of the godly these punishementes which God inflicteth vpon vs whilest we liue here are not in the power of the Church that it can at pleasure and as it listeth it selfe alter or lenifye or mitigate them as our aduersaryes haue fayned of the paynes of purgatory Which their fayned deuise they can not confirme by any reason taken out of the holy scriptures We must diligently also weigh the wordes of the Apostle For as when he fayth That we stand in grace by fayth he declareth that the property of fayth is to erect and to confirme our mindes Which property vndoubtedly it hath not but by that it cleaueth vnto the woord of God For so by it are broken the rages and tempests that rushe agaynst vs so are we established not to wauer with euery wynde of doctrine nor to change our opinion for euery chance of fortune The philosophers when they woulde amply set foorth the constancye of a iust man compared it with a fower square stone which howsoeuer it falleth falleth right But A comparison of fayth with philosophy fayth much more truely accoÌ„plisheth this theÌ„ doth philosophy Chrisostome addeth That the good thinges of this world whatsoeuer they be are nether firme nor constant For they are oftentymes assayled with many dangers and not seldome ouercome And although whilest we liue here we lose them not yet when we dye will we or nill we we must nedes forsake them But these spirituall things whereof we now intreate are both firme and shall after death be made more ample But the same Chrisostome vpon this place is of vs warely to be red For he sayth that Paul in making mencion of those thinges which we receaue of Christ rehearseth many thinges But when he commeth to those thinges which we haue of our selues he setteth forth only one thing namely fayth â–ª which sayth he we our selues bring of our owne But we must surely sticke fast to thys ground that fayth also is the gift of God and is deriued from him into vs. Out of this place also may be gathered a most firme argument that we are iustified by fayth only Which shall be made playne by the effect after this maner That by An argument wherby is proued that we are iustified by faith one lye which we are iustified ought to make vs quiet before God This thing can not workes bring to passe but fayth only Ergo we are iustified by fayth and not by workes The maior is very playne that we are not iustified vnles we haue such a quiet mynde that we abhorre not nor flye from the fight of God And that our workes are not able to performe this theyr vncleanes and vnpurenes declareth Wherefore Dauid hath not without cause written Enter not into iudgement with thy seruauntes Lord. We reioyce in the hope and glory of God Here is declared the nature of this peace and tranquilitie of the minde namely that it maketh vs most assured and sure of perpetuall felicity for we reioyce not but for that which we now possesse And that we euen now also possesse eternall lyfe Christ manifestly declareth We posses eternall life euen now also when he saith He that beleueth in me hath eternall lyfe But bicause it is not yet ful neither as yet appeareth therfore Paul addeth In the hope of the glory of God This glorye whiche we hope for is a coniunction with God that he maye wholye dwell and worke in vs which thing when we shall haue attayned we shall be adorned with the last and highest point of felicitye neither shall there be left any place vnto misery But when he sayth In the hope of the glory of God He séemeth to speake that by preuention For that as touching those which beleue the common opinion of men is excedingly deceiued For the Ethenikes commonly deride Christians for that they count themselues to be happye when yet in the meane tyme they want not wicked affections and are vexed with tribulations and aduersities They thinke yâ— we should weigh our felicity by those things which we haue Our felicity is not to be weighed by those thinges which are in vs. of our owne But we are of a farre other opinion for we so far forth counte our selues happy as we are so counted of God and that he imputeth vnto vs righteousnes not that we are not in the meane tyme renewed both in minde and in bodye although we are yet vnperfect And euen this selfe same righteousnes whiche we haue now obteyned and the renouation which is in vs we in no case thynke to be of that force that by it we can attayne vnto the rewardes of eternall lyfe Thys peace and felicitie and reioycing of which the Apostle now intreateth is yâ— which confirmed the Martirs when in Christes quarell they did shed both their lyfe and What is this peace which is had by faith bloud This is that hundreth folde which is rendered also in this lyfe is of more value then all the riches and pleasures of this world Wherefore when the Ethnikes deriding vs do boast of their riches and pleasures and power we ought not to be moued For we easely perceaue that they with al these their goods are miserable and wretched but on the other side we féele our selues happy when we haue possession of this one good thyng although we want all those thinges whiche they so highly estéeme And here is to be marked the order that the Apostle vseth in rehersing the effectes of iustification First he setteth forth peace wherby is declared The methode or order of the effectes of iustification that the battaile that sin had stirred vp against vs is now at an end For sin beyng by the death of Christ blotted out and the righteousnes of christ beingimputed vnto vs of God through faith of enemies we are made frendes whereby is made opeÌ„ vnto vs an entrance vnto his manifold grace and to the obteinement of innumerable benefites For so long as yâ— warre endured we were a great way of froÌ„ God and strangers from the promises but now that the peace is made by the mediator we are brought nearer there is geuen vs frée accesse vnto God which accesse yâ— Apostle worthely putteth in the second place as which could not haue come vnto vs vnles we had first obteyned peace Farther thirdly followeth reioycing in the hope of the glory of God For who will not now hope that he shal be adorned with the glory of God Whome will not so assured an expectation of so great a thyng of the glory I say of God make ioyfull and glad And of how great force and power this reioycing in the hope of the glory of God is that which followeth declareth And not that onely but also we reioyce in afflictions Of so greate force is this reioycing that those thinges which men especially wicked men count for a dishonor and from which they abhorre
one that it be three and that it begatte a sonne and suche other yet were it a wickednes to thinke that anye externe effecte commeth from him by naturall necessitye when as whatsoeuer he doth he doth it freelye and of his owne accorde and it is free vnto him not to do what he will not Nether do we here put any necessity by supposition of the ende For the saluation of mā mought haue bene wrought by many other wayes and meanes so that hys will had bene so But it was of necessity y◠Christ should dye by supposition of the deuine prouidence and counsell for that God had decreed it should be so And this he did chiefely to declare his infinite loue Much more thē being now iustified by his blood vve shal be saued from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled vve shal be saued by his life Here is brought a comparison of diuers estates both of Christ and of vs we were before weake vngodly sinners enemies But now our cōdition or estate is changed for we are nowe made frendes we are now iustified and reconciled vnto God Christ by his death wrought much for vs but now he liueth and that an eternal life wherein he raigneth with y◠father It was a greater matter It is a greater matter to iustifye then to bringe to blessednes them that are iustified to restore vs to life to iustifie vs and to reconcile vs vnto God then it is to bring vs being now iustified vnto felicity and the foresayd thinges hath he brought to passe by his death wherefore that which remaineth he shal much more easiely accomplishe being now placed in life and in his kingdome for that whiche remayneth is lesse and Christ to bring this to passe for vs is after a sort mightier then himself Now resteth to declare how men not yet reconciled are called the enemies of God Of this may two reasons be geuen the one is touched in the How before iustification we are called the enemies of God epistle vnto the Hebrues where it is said That it is vnpossible without faith to please God And forasmuche as men that are straungers from Christe wante fayth and seinge that they beleue not the oracles of God they beare witnesse that God is a lier and therefore they can not please him An other reason is for that they are still oppressed with vices and by meanes of theyr naturall luste they all the wayes they canne resiste the will and lawes of God Wherefore they are woorthelye called enemyes But Paule affirmeth that by the death of Christe we are iustified whiche is first vnderstande before God by imputatiō Secondly also bycause dayly is augmented in vs a new righteousnes How we are iustified by the deth of Christ which in liuing holily we get by the instauratiō of our strength which we haue now receaued of the holy ghost Although we must cleane fast only to the first iustification for in it is the stay of our saluation For the other righteousnes for asmuche as it is vnperfect is not able to stande before the iudgement seate of God When the Apostle sayth That vve shal be saued from vvrath By wrath he vnderstandeth not a disturbance What wrath is in God or perturbation of the minde For these thinges can haue no place in God But as Augustine hath wel interpreted in his bokes of the Trinity wrath in God signifieth a iust vengeance And God is sayd to be angry when he sheweth forth the effectes of an angry man which are to punishe and to auenge So he is sayd to repent himselfe that he had made man bycause like a man that repenteth himselfe he would ouerthrow his worke And the reconciliatiō wher of the Apostle here speaketh is referred to this kinde of wrath and signifieth that the vengeāce is now at an end Contrariwise it is sayd in the Gospel of Iohn That the wrath of God abideth vpon him which beleueth not in the sonne of God wherfore we seing we are now recōciled vnto God by the death of his Sonne ought Vpon thē that are iustified is no thing sent of God but with a fatherly mind to be fully perswaded in our selues that for asmuche as the wrath of God is ended and taken away nothing can by him be sent vpon vs but of a frendly and fatherly minde Otherwise afflictions and aduersities mought of theyr own nature driue a feare into vs and perswade vs that God is angry with vs. Which thing forasmuche as by the death of Christ is the reconciliation made can by no meanes come to passe And this reconciliation pertayneth not only to those faythfull which then liued when Christ died vpon the crosse but also to all as The reconciliation made by Christ hath a respecte to all times wel those which from Adams time went before those seasons as also to those which shall be euen vnto the end of the world And so great was the goodnes of God in this sacrifice that whereas therein were committed of men many horrible actes for they both condemned an innocent man and also most spitefully crucified the Lord of glory yet the deuine clemency was nothing at all offended The wickednes of them that crucified Christ diminished not the dignity of that price with this so great iniquity and ingratitude but that it counted as most acceptable the obedience of Christe and his infinite loue and vnmesurable patience accepted it for the redemption of mankinde Now resteth to se what this so great loue of God requireth agayne at our handes for there are many thinges which it requireth For first euen as Christ applied all his will and endeuor to redeme vs so is it our part on the other side vtterly and all whole to addict our selues vnto him And as he setting a side all thinges had a care only of our saluatiō so also ought we to plucke away our minde from all things not any more to seke our owne thinges but only the thinges that longe vnto What thys so great loue of God requireth againe at our hand Christ They may be an example vnto vs which haue returned into fauour agayne with theyr enemies for they lest they shoulde seme to haue done anye thing counterfeately or faynedly leue no dewty vndone whereby to win their new reconciled frendes and of this thing they haue a greate care not to be thought to retaine still any remnāts of enmity or hatred closed vp in the mind as we rede Cicero Crassus Pompeius and many others did Farther also we must take hede that seing by the mercy of God through the death of Christ we are place we doo not through wicked and filthy actes throwe our selues downe hedlong from thence For they which after they haue once ben reconciled cease not to contaminate themselues with vices do not only fall downe hedlonge frō theyr most
of death For forasmuch as death and sinne are so ioyned together that the one is alwayes engendred of the other therefore Paul when he had confuted the first obiection touching sin goeth to the other obiection concerning death For before he denied that the law was of it selfe the cause of sinne now he also denieth it to be the cause of death And euen as before he defended the Law by translation when as he sayd that As the law by it selfe is not the the cause of sinne so also is it not the cause of death the lust naturally grafted in vs is the true and proper cause of sinne So now also he vseth the selfe same translation and ascribeth death not vnto the Law but vnto the vice grafted into vs by nature If a man demaund what commodity hereof followeth that our lust beinge irritated by the Lawe committeth more haynouser wicked facts and bringeth death he answereth that we are thereby brought opēly to the knowledge of the malice of our naturall prauitye which prauity herein chiefely consisteth that it perniciously abuseth the most excellent Law of God so that y◠which was ordeyned to good doth now bring vnto vs destructiō And yet must we not sticke stay in this knowledge of our misery For the more we know that we are in perdition with so muche the greater endeuor We must not stay in the knowledge of our misery The scope of the whole scripture Why the law is not the cause of death ought we to flye vnto Christ at whose hands alone we must looke for saluation and who is the only remedy of our so greate misery And this is the skope of the whole scripture For euery where in it is ether declared our prauity or ells set forth the mercy of God thorough Christ The reason whereby Paul proueth that the Lawe is not the cause of death is this That whiche is spirituall and ordeyned vnto life can not bring death But the Law of God is spirituall and or deyned to life wherefore it can not properlye be the cause of death The Maior or first propositiō hath two parts the first is that the Law can not bring death for that it was ordeined vnto life This sentēce is proued by the nature of things contrarye For death and life forasmuche as they are thinges contrarye can not at one time be found in one and the selfe same subiect For it is not possible that of one and the same Law should in the selfe same men together at one and the same time be engendred both life and death The second part is that the law is spirituall and therefore can not bring death And that is hereby proued for that the nature of the spirite is to quicken and not to destroy VVas that then which vvas good made death vnto me Thys he therefore What is the nature of the spirite obiecteth vnto himself for y◠before he semed to speak things repugnant namely y◠the commaundemente was ordeyned vnto life but yet turned to him to death These thinges seme at the first sight not well to agree It semeth that he should rather thus haue sayd What then Is the Law which bringeth life made vnto me death But Paul to set forth the obiection more vehemently comprehendeth the Law vnder this word Good or this pronowne which is referred to y◠which was before spoken namely ordeyned to life For before he had affirmed both namely that the Law is both good and also ordeyned to life Wherefore he now not without cause obiecteth vnto himselfe Was that then which was good made vn to me death God forbid But Sinne here vnderstād vvas made vnto me death For so is the sentence to be made perfect Now he declareth what vtility the Lawe which was geuen broughte For he sayth that sinne abused it and by it slewe vs that sayth he it mought be knowen and appeare that sinne by that which was good wrought vnto me death God would haue vs to vnderstand that our corruption is greate that by the Law that is by a thing most good it bringeth death Paul speaketh not here chiefely of the death of the body althoughe it also What death Paul here meaneth doo follow but rather of that death whereinto we incurre when we ernestlye fele our sinne by the knowledge of the Law For hereby we see that we are obnoxious vnto the wrath of God adiudged to hell fire Which thinge when we A taste of ēternall condemnation A similitude with efficacy seriously consider we fele in our selues some tast of eternall condēnation By which meanes it commeth to passe that although in body we liue yer we are sayde to be slaine of sinne by the Lawe And as they which are kept in prison after that they know that sentence of death is geuē vpon thē although they are permitted to liue two or three dayes to take their leue of theyr frends yet are they filled with incredible heauines and horror and euery houre haue a tast of theyr death so that al that time they may seme rather to dye then to liue An other similitude And euē as they which are sure to be very shortly rewarded with a greate and looked for reward although in the meane time they take greate paynes yet do they nothing weighe that trouble for that euen in theyr labors they seme to thē selues to haue after a sort the fruition of theyr hoped for reward and to haue it in a maner in theyr hands So they which by the Lawe see fele that they are now condemned to eternall death take no pleasure at all in the delights of thys life For euen now they fele in themselues that those paynes are begon But many maruell that Paul should say that this came to passe in himselfe and especially when as he writeth vnto the Galathians that he had profited in the religion of the Iewes aboue all the men in his time And vnto the Phillippians That he had How Paul was decraned and slaine of sin bene conuersant in the righteousnes of the Law without blame And vnto Timothe That he had from his elders serued God with a pure conscience But Augustine in hys first booke agaynst the two epistles of the Pelagians in the 8. and 9. chapiters diligently dissolueth this doubt He mought sayth he be honestly conuersant in outward workes so that before men he mought without blame performe the righteousnes of the Lawe But before God and as touchinge the affectes of the minde he wa◠not free frō sinne For it mought be that he thorough feare of men or through feare of punishmentes which God threatneth vnto transgressors was moued to liue vprightly but as touching Paul acknowledged himself◠obnoxious vnto the lust grafted into him by nature lustes and inward motions agaynst which men would not that God had made any Law he also was obnoxious vnto vice sinne Nether was h◠by faith and charity as he