then our aduersaries are brought to yâ— issue yâ— they now openly fight not only agaynst vs but also agaynst Christe vnles peraduenture they will say that an infidel and an aleant from God is a good tree But if they confesse this how do they deny that he pleaseth God wheÌ„ as vnto the good God that which is good can not be but acceptable But he which pleaseth God must nedes without all doubt haue fayth For vnto the Hebrues it is written without fayth it is impossible to please God But these men by this theyr heresy wil obtrude If we consider nature there is no ill tree at all Natures are not to be weighed as they were made of God but by that condition which we haue added vnto them Mercy shewed vnto our neighboure without faith is vnfaithful Mercy is not of it selfe good God dissalowed many woorkes of mercy vnto vs that whiche in that epistle is pronounced to be impossible But a man say they in that he is a man is not an euill tree But Augustine sayth If thou consider only nature then shall there be no where any euill tree For both angel and man wer created of God and receaued good natures But these natures are not to be considered of vs as they wer made of God but according to that coÌ„dition which came afterward vnto theÌ„ A man hauing a good will is called a good trée and a man hauing an euill wil is called an il trée But after the fal of Adam and the first ruine of our kind we say that men are such that they are not moued by a good will but by an euill But to returne to the almes of an infidell whereof we began to speake we may demaund whither thys mercy which is shewed be done with fayth or faythles And forasmuch as it is done without faith it must nedes be faithles Wherfore it can not be without vice and sinne It is not inough for a man to be mercifull vnto his neighbour vnles the same be also done faythfully and rightly For mercy is not of it selfe good For God hath dissalowed many benefites bestowed vp on our neighbours as when the kinge of Israell spared the kinge of Siria and Saul Agag king of Amaleck But fayth whiche worketh thoroughe loue is alwayes good nether can at anye time be euill But forasmuch as mercy is not of yâ— nature therefore is it necessary yâ— there be added an vprightnes wherby it may be done faithfully that it may receaue commendation They crye out that this naturall affection to be mercifull is good Which thing peraduenture we will not deny But they ought to haue considered that men not regenerate abuse The vngodly abuse natural affections this good thing when as they direct it not vnto God which is the only ende of all our actions Neither doubtles doth he commit a light sinne which peruersly abuseth so great a gift of God Farther the same Augustine affirmeth that whatsoeuer good thing can be noted in the worke of an infidell the same is wholy of God Wherefore that our neighbour is holpen and some order of nature kept and ciuill honesty retained it is not had by any other meanes but at Gods hand only But so farre forth as it commeth from an infidell and a man corrupt it is sinne and displeaseth God By these and such like reasons was Pelagius Pelagius putteth certainâ— good men but yet baren brought to that point that he confessed that these men thus by nature liuing honestly are in deede good men but yet barrenly or vnfruitfully Augustine here againe replieth against them saying Such is the nature of barren trees that ether they bring forth no fruit at all or els ill fruit But Pelagius still laboureth They appoint good workes which conduce not to the obtâ—inment of the kingdome to wind himselfe out and sayth that therfore these men are to be called barren for that although those thinges which they do be good yet helpe they nothing to the attainment of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ But in so saying he saith nothing yea he rather hindreth himselfe Doubtles the Scholemen of our time haue euen the like sentence against which yet Augustine all that he may resisteth For he saith By this meanes the Lord shall cut downe and cast into the fire a good tree bringing forth as ye say good fruit What maner of iustice of God is this whiche ye euery where so seuerely defend Of this your sentence do follow many thinges fond and absurd Thus much hetherto out of Augustine But our men boast that they much differ A certaine coloured opinioÌ„ of our aduersaries from Pelagius For we put say they a certaine grace preuenting and knocking whereby may in the hartes of men be included some good treasure whereout they are able to worke some good thing Wherefore they are not trees vtterly A similitude dead for after a sort they bring forth fruite And although that which they bring forth can not budde forth into flowers and into good fruits yet are they bowes and leaues whiche may come and do come out of some sappe of yâ— grace of God whereof no not euen the aleantes from Christe are vtterlye destitute But this selfe thing Pelagius also confessed For he abhorred not from the name of grace when yet notwithstanding by that name as Augustine notably discouereth him he vnderstood what he listed rather then what he ought and a farre other thing then that worde signifieth with the catholike writers in the Church of Christ or in the holy scriptures But these men in their similitude Against the similitude brought haue very small consideration For they remember not that the Lord in the Gospell cursed the trée which had only leaues without fruite and commaunded it to be cut downe and to be cast into the fire But vnto the curse and vnto eternall fire nothing is obnoxious but only sinne But they haue yet another colour whereby to auoyde this place For they say that these trees in dede are euill but not vtterly dead for in them is found some sappe of grace For they put in man a certaine grace knocking and preuenting whereby in the hartes of men not regenerate may be included some good treasure whereout may spring some blossomes froÌ„ a maÌ„ not repeÌ„tant For although they can not bring to perfection that which they bring forth or produce ripe fruite or also flowers yet at the least they bring forth bowes and leaues which verily are a signe of some hidden grace and life It is wonderfull to see how these men delight theÌ„selues in this knocking and preuenting grace Of which grace what is to be thought we haue before declared But they which speak and hold these things are to to much without consideratioÌ„ For they consider not that this their grace is nothing els but a certayne inuiting vnto Christ but yet not of efficacy for men are left together with it vnder the wrath
put out the handwriting that was against vs. In the The 47. 2. to Timothy the i. chapter Who hath called vs with an holy callinge not accordinge to our workes but according to his purpose and grace which is geuen vs through Christ Iesus Here he speaketh of a calling ful of efficacy by which men are iustified and not of the common calling as touching the preaching of the word of God which is set forth vnto all men And forasmuch as this consisteth not as Paul saith of merites or woorkes neither can iustification also come of them Vnto Titus it is written The 48. The goodnes and loue of God our Sauiour towardes vs hath appeared not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercy hath he saued vs. Also vnto the Hebrues is but one onely sacrifice and one oblation namely the death The 49. of Christ by which sinnes are wiped away and satisfaction made for men Wherfore iustification is not to be loked for of workes and it ought to suffice vs that the good workes which we do after iustification are sacrifices of thankesgeuing and let vs not make them sacrifices propiciatory by which meanes we should do great iniury vnto Christe But settinge a side the Epistles of Paul let vs séeke testimonies also out of other places of the holy scriptures Christe in the vii of Mathew saith Euery good tree bringeth forth good fruites but a noughty tree bringeth foorth euell The 50. fruites And to the end the nature of those which are not regenerate mighte be the better declared he addeth A good tree cannot bring forth euill frutes nether can an euill tree bring forth good fruits Wherfore seing Christ saith y◠that canot so be how dare these men affirme that it may be for they say that by workes men may be iustified Christ vseth the selfe same reason in the 12. chapiter of Mathew Ether The 51. make the tree good and his fruite good or make the tree euil and his fruite euill for by the fruite is the tree knowen O ye generation of vipers how can ye speake good thinges whē as ye your selues are euill for of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of the harte bringeth forth good thinges and an euill man out of an euill treasure bringeth forth euill thinges These wordes of Christ do declare that men which are not yet regenerate are euill trees which neither do bring forth good fruite nor can do ▪ and they testify that the wicked cā not speake good thinges and much les can they worke good thinges and that out of an euill treasure of the harte are euer euill thinges to be looked for And seing the matter is so consider I pray you whither they which are alienated frō Christ ought to be called euill or no Vndoubtedly vnles they be euil none of vs y◠cleaneth vnto Christ can be called good Also in Luke the 17. chapiter But which of you hauing a The 52. seruaunt that goeth to plough or fedeth your cattell that will streight way say vnto hym when he commeth from the field Go and fitte downe and sayth not rather vnto him prepare that I may suppe gyrd vp thy selfe and serue me till I haue eaten and dronken and afterward eate thou and drinke thou doth he thanke his seruaunt bycause he hath done those thinges which he hath commaunded him I trow not So likewise ye when ye haue done all those thinges that are commaunded you say We are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue done that which we ought to haue done These words spake Christ vnto his disciples vnto his Apostles I say and which were now cōuerted to saluation who if they worke vnprofitable works what shall we thē iudge of those which haue not yet receaued the fayth of Christ But the Sophisters haue made the world such fooles that they say that workes before iustification do after a sorte merite it and those workes which follow they say are most profitable wherefore they would now haue men after a sort to make accompt with God and with beades to nomber how many prayers they haue said For what other thing ment they by thē then y◠they would by a certayne nomber recite so many Pater nosters or so many Aue Marias thinking by y◠recital to haue God most assuredly boūd The 53. vnto thē In y◠15. of Iohn Christ is compared vnto a vine tree we to the branches therof wherfore he sayth Euen as the branche can not bring forth fruit of it self vnles it abide in the vine no more also cā ye vnles ye abide in me I am the vine ye are the branches he which abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruite And whosoeuer shal not abide in me they are cast out of the dores euē as the braunches or cuttings of frō the vine they shal gather thē and cast thē into the fire Now that we haue recited these wordes of the lord how agreeth it that men being straungers from Christ not yet regenerate can worke good works by which they may be iustified when as they are called dry braunches which shal be cast into the fire and it is sayd that they only can bring forth fruite which cleane vnto Christ as braunches cleane to the vine And that we should the better vnderstand the will The 54. of Christ there is added Without me ye can do nothing Which sentence some go aboute to darken saying that nothing can be done without Christ in respect that he is God forasmuch as he is the first cause of all thinges as though the Lord disputed then of the generall conseruation of naturall thinges and of that power whereby God bringeth forth all thinges vniuersally Christ came not into the world to teach this philosophye he vndoubtedly entreated of the fruite of saluation and of eternall life and spake of those whiche should cleane vnto hys doctrine or ells should be strangers from it Moreouer the sonne of God commaunded The 55. that the faythfull should in theyr prayers saye Forgeue vs our trespasses Signifieng thereby y◠the faythfull also haue nede of forgeuenes in those things which they do for our workes are vnperfect neyther are they able to satisfye Wherefore if our workes which we doo after our regeneration nede expiation by the merite of Christ And for as much as we pray for the same how can they be propitiatory Much more les then can we thinke of those workes which are done before regeneration that they should be acceptable and pleasāt vnto God Moreouer no man can iustly say that he is out of the nomber of such when as God hath commaunded all men to pray in that maner and his will is not that any man should make a lye in his prayer Yea and Iohn also writeth If we shall The 56. say that we haue no sinne we deceaue
of God neither are their hartes changed What good treasure then can there be in them whereout may budde forth workes acceptable vnto God But because we will not go from their similitude for as much as they say that they are plants which bring forth bowes and leaues although they haue no fruite they should haue remembred that Christ as we before said accursed such trées and when in the figge trée he had sought fruit found only leaues he smote it with so a vehement curse that it withered away We doo not denye but that of men may be done some moral and ciuil good thing which is brought forth by that power of God whereby all thinges are preserued For as the Ethnikes also confesse In hym we lyue are moued and haue our being But that power wherby God gouerneth and moueth al thinges nothing helpeth vnto eternall life men not regenerate But the issue of our cause is whether they which be aleants from Christ can do any thing which is allowed and accepted of God Which thing we deny and they affirme And how much the place which we haue brought of the euill trée which can bring forth no good fruite maketh on our side we haue sufficiently declared Now let vs examine the other place which our aduersaries go about to wrest from vs namely whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne This place Augustine alwayes in a manner obiected vnto Pelagius Augustine obiected vnto â—â—lagius that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Pelagius made aunswere that that is only a perticular reason which was spoken only of meates for that cause ought not to be extended vnto other works and especially vnto the works of infidels We confesse in déede that that question sprang first by reason of meates But after what maner that reason is alleadged let vs consider by the wordes of Paul He whiche iudgeth saith he that is whiche putteth doubt in ech part and eateth is condemned This was to be proued The reason which he gaue was for that it is not of faith But because this saying is but particular neither could that which he had spoken haue bene reduced to a Silogismus vnles there shoulde be added an vniuersall proposition therefore he added We must be assured that that which we do is acceptable vnto God whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne By which sentence Pauls meaning is that so often as we attempt any thing we should be thoroughly assured that the same is pleasing vnto God and is of him required by some commaundemeÌ„t of the law Which certainty if it want whatsoeuer we do saith he is sinne And Pauls firme argument may thus be knit together Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne to eate meates prohibited in the lawe with a doubtinge whether the same be lawefull or no is not of faith wherefore it is sinne The Apostle although he proueth Paul by an vniuersall proposition proueth a perticuâ—er proposition a perticular proposition yet he vseth an vniuersall reason Which as it is applied vnto meates so maye it also be applied vnto all other actions so that all those actions what so euer they be which want this faith are sinnes Wherefore nether we nor Augustine abuse that sentence when we applie it vnto the workes of infidels But now a dayes many cry out that faith in this place signifieth a perswasion of the conscience and that Paul had not a respect vnto that faith which we say iustifieth vs. But these men take too large a scope which bring in a new signification of faith without any testimony of the holy scriptures Wherefore we moughte wel denie vnto them this But for that although we graunt vnto them that which they would haue yet are they still coÌ„pelled to returne to our sentence therefore therein we will not much contende with them Be it so as they would haue it Suppose that fayth be the conscience But how ought the conscience to be perswaded of woorkes to vnderstande whiche are good and whiche are euill Verelye if we bee godlye we can haue no other rule but the lawe of God For The law of God is the rule of the coÌ„science it is the rule wherebye good and euill oughte to be iudged Therehence oughte to come the perswasion of our conscience that by faith it vnderstand that that worke which it taketh in hand is good and contrariwise that it is euill if it be agaynst the lawe of God And this is nothing els but that which we before spake of faith Wherefore let vs leue these men which when as they will be sene to speake thinges differing from vs do vnwares fall into one and the same sentence with vs. But we are here tought that whatsoeuer we take in hand we oughte chiefely to sée vnto that we be assured of the will of God And yâ— same thing tought Paul when he saide Let vs trye what is the good will of God And as the same Paul writeth vnto the EphesiaÌ„s let vs not walke as vnskilful which vnderstaÌ„d not what is the will of God And the thou shouldest not thinke geÌ„tle reader yâ— this interpretacioÌ„ is of our own deuising looke vpoÌ„ Origen Primasius yâ— disciple of Augustine those commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome And thou shalt finde that they are The commentaries ascribed vnto Ierome of the same iudgement when they interprete that place which we haue now alleaged For they acknowledge no other faith then that faith which all men acknowledge But when we shall come to that place we will declare what the rest of the fathers haue taught and held touching it But now to come to the principal point of this controuersie we thinke that we haue aboundantly out of yâ— holy scriptures confirmed That all the workes of infidels are sinnes Of whiche sentence is not only Augustine against Iulianus but also Ambrose in his booke de vocatione Ambrose saith that the workes of infidels are sinnes Basilius of the same mind gentium the 3. chap. For he saith That wythout the worshippyng of the true God the thynges that seeme to be vertues are sinnes Basilius in his 2. booke de baptismo the 7. chap. of purpose moueth this question and maketh on our side And he citeth places out of the scriptures As out of Esay A sinner when he sacrificeth it is all one as if he should offer vp a dogge and when he offreth swete cakes it is all one as if he should offer vp swines flesh And moreouer He which doth commit sinne is the seruant of sinne and serueth it onely Againe No man can serue two lordes God and Mammon And againe What fellowship hath lyght wyth darkenes God wyth Beliall Finally he citeth also that testimonye whereof we before largely entreated An euill tree can not bryng forth good fruites Of all these testimonies he concludeth the same thing which we teach By these things I thinke it is now plaine what is to be thought of the state of
sepulchre 55. a The poison of Aspes is vnder theyr lippes 55. b The folish mā hath said in his heart there is no God 22. a The Lorde hathe heard the desire of the poore 381. a Loke vpon my labor and my vtility and forgeue me al my sinnes 382. a Blessed are they whose synnes are couered 75. a And in his heart there is no guile 75. b Blessed are the immaculat which walk in the law of the Lord. 75. Hoping in his mercy 102. a. b Beholde I was conceiued in iniquitie 130. b The heauens declare the glory of God 327. b Let their table be turned into a snare 342. b Returne O my soule again into thy rest 386. a Deliuer me in thy righteousnes 385 The mercy of the Lord is from generation to generation on them that feare him 397. b I as a grene Oliue tree in the house of the Lorde haue put my trust in my God 353. b Prouerbes I Do loue them that loue me 297 I also wil laugh in your destruction It pertaineth to a man to prepare the heart but thanswer of y◠tonge is of the Lord. 381 Wisedome GOd reioyseth not in the destruction of the wicked 307. Ecclesiasticus THe fornace tryeth the vessels of the potter and so doth temptation the iust men 273. All mercye shall make place to euery one according to the merite of his worke 159. b God hath mercy vpon al men and winketh at the sinnes of al men because of repentance 307 Esay ANd if he geue his soul for sin he shal se his sede a far of 118 Why hast thou made vs to erre 27 Iudg thou house of Israel betwene me and my vineyard 47 And euery day my name is euil spoken of 46. b Thou arte oure father but we are clay 276. a Make grose the heart of this peple that they vnderstād not 270 Beholde I say in Syon a stone of triall 284. b All the day long I stretched abroade my hāds to a people that beleued not 307. a He hath borne our infirmities 323. a Behold I go to a nation which called not vpō my name 330 Howe long Lord euen to destruction 338. a In hearing heare ye and vnderstand not 338. a My seruaunt shall iustifye many and shall beare their iniquities 392. b Vnto wdome shall I loke but vnto the pore contrite c. 399. a Heauen is my seat and earth is my footestole 399. a Jeremy BE ye conuerted vnto me sayth the Lord and I wil be conuerted 388. a 381. b If I shall speake of a nation or kingdome c. 273. b They haue forsaken me the foūtain of the water of life 23. a The way of man is not in his owne power 177. a Thoughe a mother can forget hir childe yet will I not forget thee 307. a Not according to the couenaūt which I made with your fathers 362. b If a nation shall repent him of his wickednes I wil repent me of that which I spake against him 309. b Ezechiell THe sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the father 131 As truely as I liue sayth the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue 300. a Walke in my wayes and make you a new heart 381. b If the wicked men shall repent him of al his sinnes c. 402. a If a prophet be seduced I haue seduced him 27. a Noe Daniel and Iob shal deliuer their owne soules only 42. a Daniell REdeme thy sinnes with almes 382. a Osea TAke a wife to thee of fornication c. 290. b Ye are not my people that ther shal be called the children of the liuing God 290. b Thou shalt call me my man and not my husband 334. b Joel EVery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued 68. a. 321. b Amos OVer .iii. euils and ouer .iiii. I wil not conuert him 133 a Nahum VVHat doe ye think against the Lord he wil make an ende neither shall tribulation arise the secōd time 37. a. 118. 131 Abacucke THe iust manne shall liue by faith 17. b Zacharie BE ye conuerted vnto me I wil be cōuerted to you Malachie IAcob haue I loued but Esau haue I huted Mathew IVdge not and ye shall not be iudged 36. b When ye haue done all theese things say we are vnprofitable seruaunts 39. a An euil tree can not bring forth good fruit 185. a He which seketh finedeth and vnto him whych knocketh shall be opened 284. b Aske and ye shall receiue seeke and ye shall finde 383. b Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much 383. b Lord haue we not in thy name prophesied c. 394. a Saue me otherwise I pearish 11. b I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob 68. a Vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias 96. a Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee 126. Come ye blessed of my father receiue the kingdome 192. b Heauen and earth shal passe away but my words shal not passe away 218. a What so euer ye wold mē shold do vnto you do ye the same to them 240. a No man knoweth the father but the sonne and he to whō he wil reuele him 303. b He hath borne our infirmities 323. a Vnto him that hath it shall be geuen but he which hath not euen that which he hath shal be taken away 339. b Why speakest thou in parables to them ibidem Forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs. 382. a How often would I haue gathered thy children as the hen hir chickens 306. b What so euer ye shal aske beleuing it shal be geuen you 383 Come vnto me all ye that laboure 398. b Marke HE which beleueth and is baptised shal be saued 68. a Goe ye and preache the gospel 383. b Luke THat you may eat and drinke vpon my table c. 88. b For he hath loked vpō the humility of his handmaidē 298 Geue almes all things shall be cleane vnto you 383. b Lead vs not into temptatiō 27 When you haue done all these things say we are vnprofitable seruaunts 39. a Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much 339. b Goe out into the hie ways and stretes and compell them to enter 361. a Blessed is that seruaunt which when his Lord cometh shall finde him thus doing 348. b Ihon. NOwe I will not call you seruaunts but frends 1 The true worshyppers shall worship in spirit truth 8. a He which amōgst you is without sinne let him cast the first stone at hir 36. a Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents 133. a He which is borne of God sinneth not 149. a If any man loue me he wyll kepe my commaundements 397. a If ye had God to your father doubtles you shold loue me 397. a True worshippers worship in spirite and truth 8. a He which beleueth
he made all thinges whatsoeuer he would it can not be auoyded but that the will of God after some maner concurreth to the producing of sinne But this thing ought we alwayes to haue before our eyes that one the selfe same thinge as it proceedeth from vs is sinne but as it is of God it is no sinne Therefore if in thys question we should aunswere simplye we ought to say that God is not the cause of sinne in that it is sinne Because he as we haue alredy often sayde inflicteth those thinges whiche in vs are sinnes as punishementes and wythdraweth his grace from such as haue deserued Whether a man endued with the grace of God can fall into sin The grace of God is not alwaies of one and the selfe same efficacye euill and oftentymes ministreth vnto them occasions of falling to the ende they should iustly be punished And if thou wilt demaund whether a man endued with grace and not forsaken of God can fall I would answere that the grace of God is not alwayes after one and the self same maner For sometymes by the iust iudgement of God it is more remisse and by it our hart and mynde are not so strongly and with such efficacy chaunged And then a man may fall and often tymes committe greuous sinnes But when it is of efficacy and mighty and when it fully beareth dominion in our hartes it preserueth vs from the greuouser sort of sinnes so much as in this life is possible But to returne to that which we were in hand with we can not deny but that God after a sort is the cause of sinne whether we consider the action whiche is naturall or the taking away of strengthes and grace although that happen not but through our fault For so sayd Oseas Thy perdition or destruction commeth of thee O Israell but thy saluation commeth from me Wherfore when it is sayd that God is the cause of sinne we must graunt that not to be spoken properly forasmuch as we haue in our selues sufficient cause of sinne And although we cauel neuer so much of other sinnes yet what shall we say of Originall sinne Vndoubtedly there is none which doubteth but that it is inflicted to vs of God for the auengement and punishment of the first fall And we are so borne with it that it can not be sayd that we draw it by any other proper sinne before committed of vs. But in these thynges we must deale moderately and in a Christian assembly we must speake warely For if a man streight way shall absolutely and simply say that God is the cause of sinne he shall not say true and the thyng not beyng well vnderstoode will cause many to be offended and men wyll excuse It must be aunswered by partes theyr wycked actes and go about to lay the cause of them vpon God The matter may be declared by partes and the truth may in such maner be spoken that all maner of offence may be auoyded But which is the best way thus to deale The Maneches we haue alredy shewed A great many heretofore haue erred in thys matter The Maneches for that they woulde not make the almighty God the author of sinne because they perceiued the Scriptures to be repugnaunt vnto theyr sentence appoynted two beginninges and framed vnto themselues two Gods one good and an other euil one of the old Testament and an other of the new one the Creator of thys visible worlde an other the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ They thoughte that by this meanes they could conciliate those thynges which are euery where written in the holy scriptures The good God they vtterly denied to be the cause of sin But the author of it they made the god of this world whome they pronounced to be euill They abused a place of the latter epistle A place of the latter Epistle to the Cor to the Corinthians where it is sayd In whome the God of this world hath blinded the hartes of the vnbeleuers Behold sayd they to make blynde pertayneth not not in any case vnto the good God but vnto the God of this worlde But thys place nothinge helpeth them For we may thus vnderstande it that God hath blynded the hartes of the vnbeleuers which are sayd to be of this worlde And after this maner doth Augustine read it Farther peraduenture by it is signified the Deuill whome Christ and also Paule calleth the prince of thys worlde with his fellowes powers aduersaries vnto vs the gouerners of this worlde and of darkenes Neyther is it any meruayle if he be called a God for so was he counted and worshipped of the infidels For the Scripture vseth sometymes to name thinges not as they are but as they are counted Moreouer there is no cause why but that we may vnderstande by the God of thys worlde the true God which hath created this world that is thys visible world and the self same God is the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ Neither is it a thyng vnsemely for hym to blinden the hartes of the vnbeleuers when as Paule in this place saith that he deliuered them vp both vnto theyr owne lustes and also into a reprobate mynde Yea and Christ also sayth of hymself that he came into iudgement that they which saw should be made blynde and they which were blynde should see But vnto those thinges which we haue now spoken of as touchyng occasions A place of Iames. Whither God tempteth men namely that God sometimes ministreth suche occasions by whiche men destitute of grace and the holye Ghoste are stirred vppe to sinne a place of Iames seemeth to be repugnaunte who in hys 1. chapter writeth thus God tempteth not to euill And yet we cannot deny but that the scriptures sometymes testefye that God tempted the Israelites Abraham and others Augustine de consensu Euangelistarum deuideth temptations into two kyndes Namely that some are to Two kinds of temptacion proue and other some to deceaue And he graunteth that God somtimes tempteth to proue but neuer to deceiue But this distinction semeth not to be sufficient For one and the selfe same temptation when it ighteth vppon a godlye man profiteth to trye hym wyth all But if it happen to an vngodlye person and one that is destitute of grace it serueth to seduce him As in the desert the temptacions as touching Moses Aaron Iosua and Chaleb were probations and trials but vnto others they were prouokementes vnto sinne And yet it sufficiently appeareth that God was the author of them Wherefore An other distinction of temptacions The Greeke schooles Howe God is not the author of inward temtations laying a part Augustines distinction there is an other which is more allowable which is read in the Greeke Scholies namely that there are certayne temptations vtterly outward whose beginning or cause we haue not in our selues as aduersities and persecutions but there are other temptations which seeme to burst
whose God he is a saluation which endureth but for a tyme for this thing haue brute beasts at his hand and the wicked also Moreouer Christ the most true interpreter of the law teacheth the selfe same thing For a young man demaunding of him what shall I doo to possesse eternall lyfe He made aunswere Keepe the commaundementes if thou wilt enter into lyfe This place moste plainly proueth that the talke was of eternall lyfe Neither is it anye meruaile that the Lawe is the woorde of God whose propriety is to bring lyfe with it so that it be receaued Although the Law The law the Gospell are diuersly receiued The worde of God bringeth lyfe and the Gospell are not receaued after one and the selfe same maner For the Lawe is receaued by doing and moste exactly performyng that whiche is commaunded But the Gospell is receaued by a lyuely and effectuall assent of fayth And that the propriety of the woorde of GOD is to bryng life it is manifest by the creation of thinges wherin God called those thinges whiche were not and streight way they had being And Christ also many tymes said y◠his wordes are life which thing the Apostels also ment when they sayd Thou hast the wordes of life c. And Paul most manifestly before in this selfe same Epistle in y◠7. chap. writeth of the Lawe that it is spirituall And of the commaundement of God he affirmeth that it is iust holy and good and ordayned vnto lyfe Moses also in the 30. chapiter of Deut. writeth of the selfe same lawe that he had set before the people lyfe and death manifestly declaring that if the Lawe were receaued and fulfilled The promises of the law art by supposition The promises of the law were vnto the trāsgressors of the law turned 〈…〉 o a cu 〈…〉 e. The promises of the law freely follow the good work◠of thē that are iustified it would bring with it lyfe and that eternall lyfe But for that wee are debarred of this commoditye our mercifull God hath prouided an other woorde namely the word of fayth which if by assenting vnto it it be receaued hath with it lyfe By this place it is euident that the promises of the Lawe are giuen by supposition or condition of workes going before So that if these workes be not performed the promises are made voyde yea rather in stede of them succeedeth a curse which thing was declared in Deutero when vpon Mount Garizim and Hebal were recited the blessinges and cursinges But in the Gospell if vnto promises be annexed workes they are not to be taken either as desertes or as causes of those promises but we must thus thinke that those giftes of God which are promised follow after workes although those workes be not perfect and absolute as they are commaunded in the Law But the righteousnes which is of faith speaketh on this wyse Saye not in thine hart who shall ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue c. As the fyrst righteousnes is sayd to consist in doing so this all whole standeth in beleuing For if thou haue the word nere thee that is if thou beleue in thine hart thou shalt obtaine saluation The Apostle séemeth by the figure Prosopopaeia to bryng in the ryghteousnes of fayth thus speakyng as though it should say Say not in thine hart c. Although we may reade it other wyse namely that Paule putteth forth this sentence absolutely But the righteousnes which is of faith And straight way he addeth this he sayth as though Moses should speake of it But which way so euer we reade it it is no great matter But this is certain that he declareth the nature of faith What is that fayth which engēdreth righteousnes by the propertie thereof that we should not thinke that euery kinde of faith bringeth righteousnes but onelye an assured and constant fayth For this is the nature of fayth to exclude all ambiguitie and doubtes For if we should with feare and suspition geue our assent that assent should be but an opinion and not faith Seing therefore that there are two principall thinges set forth vnto vs to be beleued namely that Christ perpetually obtaineth of the father grace and reconciliation for vs and that by hys death he hath ouercome eternall death Of these two humaine reason doubteth and therefore it is brought in of Paul as though Incredulity of mans hart it should say And who shall ascend vp into heauen to see that God is pacified towards vs through Christ Or who shall go downe into the deepe to see that eternall death is by hym broken and extinguished After this sorte is the vnbeleuing mynde woont to wauer which thing Paule by the figure Mimesis expresseth These cogitacions ought fayth to driue away and onely to looke vpon the goodnes and power An example of Abraham of God Which thing our Apostle before did notably teache that Abraham did for when he had sayd that Abraham beleued it was imputed vnto him to righteousnes he declared how his fayth resisted such reasoninges He considered no◠saith he his body now in a maner dead nor the wombe of Sara now past child bearing The property of faith is to mortifye the assaults of reason but gaue glory to God most fully knowing that he was able to performe the things which he had promised And so in hope he beleued against hope Wherfore the propertye of fayth is to mortifie these assaultes of reason Say not in thine hart The Apostle therfore wrote this for that althoughe these cogitaciōs of reason be not expressed by the mouth or by the wordes yet they We can not let but that euil motiōs of the mind will aryse Paul was accused as an enemy to Moses wander abrode in the harte Neyther doubtles can we let but that such cogitations will assault our minde howbeit we are taught to resist them For he which geueth place to these thinges both denieth Christ and also despayreth of saluation Paul not without iust cause cited Moses For he was accused as though he were an enemy to Moses and preached that men should fall away from him Wherefore his meaning is to declare that he is not agaynst Moses but rather teacheth the selfe same thinges that he taught wherefore we may say that he turneth y◠argument of the aduersaries agaynst themselues They sayd We will not receaue the righteousnes of fayth for that we beleue Moses Yea rather sayth Paul forasmuch as ye beleue Moses ye ought to follow thys The ministery of Moses and the ministery of the Gospell in what sort they differ righteousnes But if Moses preach the righteousnes of fayth how is his ministery distinguished from the ministery of Christ and of the Gospell Iohn sayth The law was geuen by Moses but grace by Iesus Christ And if he preached the righteousnes of fayth he also brought grace Vnto this question we answere That Moses
ye not heare what the lawe saith For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one of an handemayden an other of a free woman and he whyche came of the handemayden was borne accordynge to the fleshe but hee which came of the free woman was borne acoording to promise which thinges are spoken by an allegorye for these are two testamentes the one from the mounte Sina which gendreth vnto bondage which is Agar for Agar is mount Sina in Arabia is ioyned vnto the city which is now called Ierusalem and is in bondage with her children But Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all In these words this thing is chiefly to be noted yâ— the law gendreth not but as Agar did vnto boÌ„dage But if by the workes therof it could iustifie it should gender to liberty for what thing els is iustification then a certain liberty from sinne But forasmuch as it is both called a seruant and gendreth to bondage we ought not then by it to looke for iustification In the .v. chapter it is written If ye be circumcised Christe shall nothing profite The 39. you And he bringeth a reason of the said sentence For saith he he which is circumcised is debter to kepe the whole law So much doth Paul take iustification from circumcision and woorkes that he saith that Christe nothing profiteth them if in case after they beleue they will be circumcised And still he more stronglye confirmeth that which was said Christ is become in vaine vnto you for if ye haue iustification as the fruite of your woorkes then the comming death and bloudsheding of Christe should not haue bene necessary And I if I yet preach circumcisiom why do I suffer persecution Then is the offence of the crosse abolished the offeÌ„ce and slaunder of the crosse The 40. is that meÌ„ being wicked and otherwise sinners are counted of God iust throughe Christ crucified and faith in him here the flesh is offended here doth reason vtterly resiste whiche thing happeneth not when iustification is preached to come of workes whether they be ceremonial or morall But God would haue this offence The 41. to remaine bicause it pleased him by the foolishenes of preaching to saue them that beleue Vnto the Ephesians the. 2. chapter it is written And ye when ye were deade to trespasses and sinnes in whiche in time passed ye walked accordinge to the course of thys world euen after the gouernor that ruleth the ayre and the spirite that now woorketh in the children of vnbelief among whome also we all had our conuersation in time past in the lusts of our flesh and fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our thoughts and as it is in the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were by nature the children of wrath euen as others are Let vs note in these woordes yâ— men at the beginning before they come to Christ are dead in sinnes and therfore are not able to moue themselues to this that they should liue and be iustified who euer saw that a deade man coulde helpe himselfe Further by those wordes is shewed that they were in the power of the Prince of darkenes which worketh and is of efficacy in the children of vnbelief Seing therfore they are gouerned by him how then can they by their workes tende to iustification And because we shoulde not thinke that he spake onely of some other certaine vngodly persons he addeth All we comprehending also the Apostles a 〈…〉 them saith he were we And what did we then we were conuersante in the lustes of our flesh And to the end we might vnderstand that these lustes were not onely the wicked affections of the grosser part of the soule it foloweth we doing the will of the flesh and of the minde or of reason did follow also the thoughtes or inuentions of humane reason If we were all such from whence then commeth saluation and iustification But God which is riche in mercy for his exceeding loue sake wherwith he loued vs yea euen when we were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs together with Christ But The 42. what instrumente vsed he to geue vnto vs our saluation For by grace saith he were ye saued through faith and that not of your selues For it is the gifte of God not of workes least any man should boast Could workes be more manifestly excluded In what place then shall we put them Certeinely they follow iustification For the Apostle addeth For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath prepared that we should walke in them but before they could not be The 43. in vs which thing is very well thus described Ye were at that time without Christe being alienated from the common wealth of Israell straungers from the testamentes of promise hauing no hope and being without God in this world Who can in this state faine vnto himselfe good woorkes by which men may merite iustification And to the Phillippians the. 3. chapter If any other man maye seeme that he hath whereof he The 44. might trust in the flesh I haue more being circumcised the eight day of the kinred of Israell of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrue borne of the Hebrues as concerning the law a Pharisey as touching feruentnes I persecuted the church of God as touching the righteousnes which is of the law I was vnrebukeable Seing that Paul had so manye and so great thinges before his conuersion and that he had whereof to â—rust and boast in the flesh let vs heare what he at the lenth pronounceth of all these thinges These thinges saith he if they be compared vnto the true righteousnes whiche is throughe the faith of Christ I count losse vile and dounge If we should thereby obteine righteousnes should so profitable thinges be counted for losses so precious and holy things for vile thinges and thinges acceptable and pleasaunte vnto God for donge Let Paul take héede what he saith here or rather let the readers take héede that they beleue not Sophisters rather then Paul And to the Colossians the first chapter And The 45. you which were sometimes farre of and through euill workes enemies in your harts hath he yet now reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Here ought euery word diligently to be noted that we may sée that they which are farre of from God ought not to haue a regarde to those thinges thereby to come into fauor Peace which is ioyned with iustification can not be obteined of those which are enemies in mind there can not come good woorkes from those whiche before they be chaunged are saide to be full of euil workes But what manner of workes those were is described in the ii chapter when as it is there written And ye when ye wer dead through sinnes and through the vncircumcisioÌ„ of your flesh hath he quickned together with him The 46. forgeuing all your sinnes and hath
to be harkened vnto We ought to receaue and reuerence those Counsels only which haue framed theyr doctrine to the rule of the holy scriptures Demosthenes in an oration against Androtion sayth that decrees of the senate ought not to be made but according to the prescript of those thinges which are alredy determined in the lawes So in ecclesiastical counsells ought not new decrées to be made as touching doctrine but of those things only which are either had expressedly in yâ— word of God or ells may assuredly and euidently be gathered out of it First we will begin with the Counsell of Aphricke in which in the 80. chapiter a curse is pronounced Concilium AphricanuÌ„ agaynst the Pelagians who sayd that the grace of iustification is therfore geuen that by grace we may the easelyer fullfill that which we are commaunded to doo as though also with out grace although with more difficulty we might by our frée will fullfill the commaundementes of God when as yet the Lord speaking of the fruites of the commaundementes sayde not Without me ye can hardlye doo anye thing but with out me ye can vtterly doo nothing By these wordes are reproued the Papistes of our time which are not ashamed to say that a man before iustification can do yâ— workes which are commauÌ„ded in the law and which do please God and prepare a man to regeneration For what thing ells is this then with the Pelagians to say that a man may indede also before iustification performe the law although not so fully and easely as after he is iustified And that is nothing which they say namely that they put a certayne grace preuenting whereby men not yet regenerate may doo those workes which they call preparatory For in thus saying they differ in name only from the Pelagians For they also taught no les then these men doo that there goeth before a certayne grace of the law and of the knowledge of the will of God and of illumination wherby a man vnderstandeth what he ought to doo But as for the rest they attributed it vnto frée will which thing these men also do And that the Pelagians were of that opinion the counsel Mileuitanum declareth wherin it is thus written in the 4. chap. We curse all them which say that the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord helpeth vs onely for that Concilium Mileuitanum by it is reueled and opened vnto vs the vnderstanding of the commaundements of God that we may know what we ought to desire what to auoyd and that by it is not geuen vs also to loue to be able to do that which we know ought to be done For forasmuch as the Apostle sayth knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth it is very wicked to beleue that we should haue that grace of Christ which puffeth vp and not that grace which edifieth especially seyng it is written in the 4. chapter of the 1. epistle of Iohn Loue is of God In the second counsel also of Arausicanum the 4 chap. it is thus writen That Concilium Arausicanum they resist the holy ghost which say that the Lord wayteth for our will when as SalomoÌ„ sayth The will is prepared of the Lord and also when as Paul saith vnto the Philippians It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will And in the 5. chapter are reproued those which affirmed that of the grace of Christ is geuen an increase of faith not the beginning For the beginning also of faith commeth of the inspiration of the holy gost which correcteth our infidelitie bringing it from infidelitie to faith and from vngodlines to godlines And the proofe hereof is brought out of sundry places of the scriptures For Paul sayth vnto the Philippians I trust that he which hath begonne the good worke in you shall accomplish it euen to the day of the Lord. And againe in the same epistle Vnto you it is geueÌ„ not onely to beleue in hym but also to suffer for him And vnto the Ephes By grace ye are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues For it is the gift of God Moreouer they are there subiect vnto the curse which would say That the mercy and grace of God is geuen vnto the willing vnto the beleuers vnto them that are desirous vnto them that go about it vnto them that labour vnto them that watche vnto them that study vnto them that aske vnto them that séeke vnto them yâ— knocke but confessed not that by the infusion and inspiration of the holy ghost and by the gift of God is geuen vnto vs to haue a will to beleue to endeuour our selues and to labour They cite these testimonies out of the scriptures What hast thou â—that thou hast not receaued And if thou hast receiued why boastest thou as though thou hast not receaued And the Apostle writeth of himselfe By the grace of God I am that I am In the 7. chap. are condemned those which thinke that by the strengths we can thinke or attaine vnto any thinge that serueth to saluation or that we can without the illumination of the spirite geue credite vnto the worde of GOD preached This may be confirmed by the scriptures For Paul saith that we cannot thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God Christ also saith Without me ye can do nothing Also blessed art thou Simon Bariona for flesh and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee They also are cursed which graunt that frée will is in dede in some maner weakened and hurt but yet not so but that men by it may be conuerted vnto saluation The scriptures are apertly repugnant vnto that sentence For the Lord saith No man commeth vnto me vnles my father shall draw hym Paul also vnto the Corinthians No man can say the Lord Iesus but in the spirite of God This is an excellent sentence God loueth vs beyng such as we shall be by his gift and not such as we are by our owne merite And in the 13. chapter it is thus written Free will beyng lost in the first man cannot be repayred and because it is lost it cannot be restored but by him by whome it was geuen at the beginning Wherfore the truth it selfe sayth If the sonne shall make you fre then are ye truly free Farther in the 17. chapter is decréed that the strength of the Ethnikes commeth of worldly lust which wordes declare that their vertues as we haue before shewed out of Augustine and other Fathers were not true vertues chiefly forasmuch as they sprang out of an euill ground But humane lust comprehendeth whatsoeuer is possible to be found in men not regenerate It followeth in the selfe same chap. that the loue of God maketh the force and strength of Christians which loue is poured into our hartes not by frée wil but by the holy gost which is geuen vs wheras no merites go