sonnes of Abraham are two testamentes These I say forasmuch as they are found in the holy scripturs may in no wise be reiected but are firme places wherby when nede requireth may be proued doctrines There are other allegoryes which men through their owne iudgement and reason find out whoÌ„ indéede we confesse yâ— they may follow their owne fantasie so that they beware of two things First that they deuise nothing that is repugnant vnto sound doctrine secondly yâ— they obtrude not those their deuises as naturall proper senses of the holy scripture There is also a third kind of allegories which is when the scripture vseth a trope or figure neither hath any other sence but that allegoricall sence as we now graunt is in the words of Dauid And then the allegory is the only sence of the words as Cicero in his oration for Marcus Celius called Clodia by the name of Medea Palatina But what I besech you hath this kinde of allegories common with Origens allegories And whereas he interpreteth the imprecation of Dauid as though he should pray that the Iewes should not sée that things which are euill and hurtfull it is most farre of from the purpose of Paul for he entreated of incredulity and said that the cause thereof is for that the Hebrues were made blind and then he cited the words of Dauid Now there is none which séeth not that faith hath a respect vnto good sound doctrine and if he pray that they might not sée such sound doctrine then doubtles he wished not vnto them good thinges but euill And I wonder that Augustine should fall in a maner into the like interpretacion when he entreateth of a place in the 1. chapter to the Galathians in his 16. booke and 22. chapter against Faustus The place is I woulde to God they which trouble you were cut of The sence whereof he saith is vtinam euirentur yâ— is I would to God they were gelded for the kingdom of heauens sake These meÌ„ without doubt were moued to those expositions for that they thought it a thing not Of imprecations and cursinges mete for Dauid or the Prophetes or Christ to pray for the euill thinges against any man for that semeth straunge from the gentlenes and lenity which we are in the scriptures commaunded to shew eueÌ„ towards our enemies But forasmuch as we are fallen into such matter it shall not be amisse somewhat to speake of imprecations and cursings This maner of execration and euill speaking is in the ExecratioÌ„s much vsed in the scriptures scriptures a thing tyme out of mynd vsed Nohe cursed his nephew Chanaan Cursed be Chanaan let hym be a seruaunt to his brethern Baalake also the sonne of Zippor called Balam to curse Israel In Deut we rede Cursed shalt thou be in the town â–ª and in the field in the barne and in all other thinges cursed be the fruite of thy body These execrations were recited vpon mount Heball The law of ieolosy hath also in the booke of nombers his imprecations that the wombe should swell and rent in sonder and the thighes rotte all which things could not hurt the woman if she were innocent but vnto an adulteresse they were not without vertue and efficacy recited Iosua cursed him which should réedifie Iericho namely that he should do it with the death of his children which thinge happened vnder Achab as the historye of the kinges mencioneth And Nehemias saith that he not onelye reproued them which had maried straunge wiues but also cursed them In the newe testamentâ— also there wante not examples whiche we will hereafter bring yea and the Ethnikes also vsed cursinges Acteius a Tribune of the people of Rome as Plutarche declareth in the life of M. Crassus wheÌ„ he could by no other meanes dissuade Crassus from his expedition into Parthia at the length in the way which Crassus should go foorth at he set on fire the city of Crates and there with horrible and bitter curses he cursed the Generall Captaine and his host and that these execrations were not vaine the euent plainely and manifestly declareth Oedipus also as the Poets tell with banninges cursed his Sonnes Adrastes and Polynices namely that they might be without citie and house that they might be beggers and wanderers abroade and haue such discord betwéene themselues that the one shoulde kill the other whiche thinges according to his wishe came to passe And Horace saith I will banne you and let not my banning be put away or purged by any sacrifice Neyther is that to be passed ouer which Augustine meÌ„cioneth of Paulus and Palladia for they being cursed of their mother miserably wandred about from country to country vntill at the last they were deliuered at the tombe of Sainte Stephan Wherefore séeing that alwayes both amongst the Iewes and amongst the Gentils there hath bene so great plenty of cursinges and banninges is it possible that it should vtterly be vniust and sinne to curse or to wish euill vnto any man so that at no time it should be lawfull Augustine without doubt was of this minde yâ— it is not lawful ExecratioÌ„s â—n the Prophetes are foretellings and entreateth of this matter towardes the ende of his first booke de sermone Domini in monte and writeth that those imprecations which are red in the Prophetes perâ—â—yne onely to prophesies so that vnder that forme of prayer they onelye foretolde the thinges which they saw should come to passe And whereas they vse the optatiue moode in steade of the indicatiue moode that he sayth amongest the Hebrues is not to be wondred at when as they oftentimes vse such figures in theyr speache for manye times they vse one tempse or an other wheÌ„ they put the time past for the time to come Why haue the Gentils sinned the people imagined vayne things Againe They deuided my garmeÌ„ts These thinges were to come and were forespoken of Christ when yet they are written as already paste Howbeit he confesseth that sometimes men praye for punishmentes and chastisementes to come vnto some that they may be corrected whiche is not saith he to pray against them but for them And he citeth a place out of the Apocalipse in the It is lawful to pray for punishmeÌ„ts to light vpoÌ„ some meÌ„ to the end they may be corrected A place of yâ— Apocalips Sinne may be destrâ—ied two maner of wayes The soules of the martyrs pray for the ende of the world 6. chapter where the Martyrs cry vnder the alter Take vengeaunce vpon the earth for our bloud which is shed and he thinketh that therebye is mente that these martyrs pray against the kingdome of sinne And sinne may be destroyed two maner of wais First by bringing in a contrary qualitye so that sinne beinge excluded do succéede mortification of lustes and do followe righteousnes honesty and all kindes of vertues Againe sinne is subdued vnto GOD when vpon it is inflicted punishment for so longe as
that they should beleue This his interpretation I say if we so vnderstand it as though repentance were not ioyned with the first fayth whereby we are iustified is most absurd For howe can any man being endued with a true fayth whereby he shoulde be iustified A place of Ambrose made plain want repentance so that he shoulde be nothing sory for his euill life past But if Ambrose vnderstand ether that Ecclesiasticall satisfactions are not required or els that that repentance which of necessity followeth fayth ought indede to be had but is not required as a cause of iustification then sayth he well Vndoubtedly this sentence pleased him so well that he also wrote it before as we haue mencioned and also vpon the xi chapter as we shall afterward see The fathers mustâ— be red warâ—lye he repeteth the selfe same Hereby we see how warely we must reade the fathers For they speake many thinges sometymes which if they be not well vnderstand can in no case be allowable Yea and sometymes somethinges escape them which a man can scarsely interprete soundly as that which the selfe same Ambrose writeth vpon this place Wherfore sayth he he setteth forth the blessednes of the tyme wherein Christ was borne as the Lord himselfe sayth Many iust men and prophetes desired to see the thinges which ye see and to heare the thinges which ye heare and haue not heard neyther haue they sene As though euen before the coÌ„ming of Christ also God iustified not his after the selfe same maner that he now iustifieth vs. It is manifest that this diuersity of tyme is vtterly repugnant vnto the meaning of Paul For he sayth that Abraham was iustified by sayth Yea and Dauid also whose testemony this is felt that he was after the same maner iustified And the same Ambrose before wheÌ„ he expouÌ„deth this place But to hym which worketh a reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt thus writeth It is for certayne that vnto him which is subiect vnto the lawe of workes that is vnto the lawe of Moses or vnto the lawe of nature merite is not counted vnto reward to haue glory before God For he is debter to do the lawe for necessity is layde on hym by the law so that will he or nill he he must do the lawe least he be condemned As in an other place he sayth but they which contemne do get vnto theÌ„selues damnation because presently they are guilty But to beleue or not to beleue pertaiueth to the will For a man can not be compelled to a thing which is not manifest but is thereto allured and is thereunto perswaded for it may not be by violeÌ„ce vrged vnto him But this difference betwene the workes which are commaunded by the lawe of nature and the law of Moses and betwene fayth which Ambrose here putteth is nothing at all For by the necessity of the commaundement of God we are no les bound to beleue then we are to do good workes And as to do good works is not violently vrged of men agaynst their willes no more is to beleue also And as vpon the transgression of the lawe of nature or of the lawe of Moses dependeth condemnation so also dependeth it vpon the transgression of fayth Thus we sée what maner of things sometimes we reade in the fathers I will adde also how Chrisostome interpreteth this self same place But to him which worketh a reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt Thus he writeth But this thou wilt say is a greater matter Not so vndoubtedly For vnto him that beleueth it is imputed But it should neuer be imputed vnles he himselfe also had brought somewhat with him c. Here he sayth that he which is iustified by fayth bringeth something of himselfe And that is as we before noted in his sayinges fayth And that this is not true he himselfe vpon this place declareth For he sayth that this is the principallest thing that maketh a faythfull man to be notable namely that he is by God endued with so much grace that he is able to shew forth such so great a fayth In this place he affirmeth yâ— faith coÌ„meth not of our selues but of the grace of God So yâ— before he wrote not so soundly when he sayd that we do ether geue or els bring somewhat to be iustified and make God our debter These thinges I therefore rehearse that we should not thinke that the fathers alwayes spake all thinges firmelye and constantly or that out of them we should at all tymes seke the sure exposition The Fathers do not alwaies speake like to themselues By the scriptures ought we to be setled as touching doctrine of the scriptures First we ought out of the very scriptures soundly to define of doctrines Then afterward may the fathers be reade with iudgement But that the scriptures should of necessity be subiect vnto yâ— expositions of theÌ„ it nether can nor ought to be For it were absurd to make subiect the iudgementes of God vnto the iudgementes of men And seing they also are oftentymes obscure and in their expositions diuers and manifold this were to depart froÌ„ the scriptures which are certayne to things vncertayne These things I haue spoken by the way but for our times I hope not vnprofitably Augustine in the preface of his declaration vpon the 31. Psalme writeth Many boast of woorkes and a man shall finde manye Paganes or infidels whiche therefore will not be come Christians because that they suffice theÌ„selues with their vpright life We must of necessity liue well saith he and what shall Christ require of me To liue well I lyue well alredy Wherein then shall Christ be nedefull vnto me I committe no murther nor theft nor rapine I desire not other mennes goodes I am not contaminated with any adultery For let there be founde any thynge in me that is worthy to be reproued and he whiche reproueth me let him make me a Christian This man hath glory but not with God Sée how the ignoraunce of this hidden iustification whiche is not of They which are ignorant of this iustification do abhorre froÌ„ Christian religion That is chiefly called felicity which commeth without labour workes called men backe from Christian religion Wherefore at this day also they that are ignoraunt of it and do iustifie themselues by workes are both farre from Christ and also haue no vnderstanding of the benefite that commeth by him And in this sentence of Dauid let vs this consider also that there is no mention made of good workes whiche thing also this worde blessednes geueth vs to vnderstand For when we attaine to any thing wherein we haue spent great labour we are not for that counted very happy But if we attayne vnto the selfe same thing without labour and in a maner without any our trauaile then are we couÌ„ted happy and blessed Came this blessednes then vpon the circumcision or vpon
And being taught by the holy scriptures we acknowledge it to be vtterly How the wils of men are the selfe same how they are not the selfe same corrupted and vitiated And as touching this we do not without iust cause affirme that the willes of all men are a like for all are brought forth out of one and the selfe same lompe Afterward when men come to more yeares wherein is had the vse of the will we say that endeuores and desires of all men are the selfe same not indede simply for there are diuers endeuors and sundry enterprises but all to euill in as muche as they are gouerned by the lawe of sinne For being left distitute of the grace of God they can bring forth nothing of themselues but sinnes Howbeit herein we acknowleged diuersity of wils for y◠vnto all men are not offred the self same occasiōs For euery one hath his impulsions according to the consideration either of education or of the body or of the workes or of the place or of the time By meanes whereof it commeth to passe Originall sinne bursteth forth into sundry formes of sinnes that originall sinne bursteth forth into sondry formes of vices But whereas he sayth that the vessels of the potter haue not theyr difference of the lompe whereof they are made but only of the appoyntmēt of them which vse them and that men in like sort haue theyr differences of the diuersity of elections and of wils that doubtles is not true For the vessels of the potter are not first made differēt by theyr vse but by the workemanshippe of the potter For men therefore vse them not a like bycause they are made hauing diuers formes So men before What is the first sundring of mē that they are sundred by theyr desires and willes are first sundred by the predestination or reprobation of God If a man diligently weighe the similitude which Paul bringeth to come to him agayne at the length leuing Chrisostome he shall se that there could not haue bene found a similitude more apte and more mete for the question put forth For the matter which the potter vseth is so vile How apt the similitude of the potter is and abiect that if peraduenture there be of it made any fayre or trime vessel appoynted for the table or for some other honorable vse the same is wholy to be ascribed vnto the industry and conning of the potter But when contrariwise of the clay are made pots for the kitchen the matter cannot complayne that it hath iniury done vnto it For it was of his own nature most abiect Yea rather when as it is appoynted to be made so vile vessels it can not deny but that hys so deformed nature hath receaued greate ornamentes But if a goldsmith or a lapidary should of gold or precious stones make any vessel to serue for a vile vse he mought worthely be blamed for that he had delt so vily and vnworthely with so precious a matter For so the Ethnike Poete reproued Bassus for that he by reason of to much sumpteousnes eased nature in a potte of gold Wherefore Paul considered that mā after sinne was made both as touching the body and also as touching the soule so abiect and vile that if he be by the election of God exalted to the dignity of eternall glory the same he ought wholy to assigne not to the excellency of his nature which now by reason of sinne is brought into a most miserable estate but vnto the most excellent cunning woorkeman But if any man be in the election of God ouerhipped and be made a vessell of wrath yet can not therefore the predestination of GOD be blamed as though he reiected a worthy creature vnder his desertes Wherefore not with out iust cause doo we finde this metaphore so oftentymes repeted in the holye Scriptures For being well considered it ministreth excellent doctrine For that is in my iudgement a notable place whiche is in the 56. chapiter of Esay where the A place of Esay Prophete humblye prayeth vnto GOD vnder the person of the people afflicted with the captiuity of Babilon Thou sayth he art our father but we are claye thou art the potter and we the worke of thine handes The people coulde not more aptly confesse their vilenes and vnworthines or more expresse the mercy which they implored at Gods hand then by that similitude taken of the potter and of the father For when God is called a potter thereby is signified that he both is able and knoweth how of vile men to make them glorious and when he is called a father thereby is declared that he beareth such good will towardes hys that he will also performe that thing Wherefore it is not lawful for the potte as the Apostle concludeth to contend with his maker that is to chide with The things whiche Paul hath spoken may be extended farther God for that it is not appoynted to serue a kinges table And although these thinges which Paul here writeth pertayne chiefly to election and predestinatiō yet way they extend farther to our edification so that of these wordes we may gather that it is not lawfull for vs to complayne of our estate and as it were to contend with God If the flesh suggest vnto vs that it were better for vs to be richer to be endewed with greater honour and to haue more strength of body let vs streight way suppresse it by this similitude that we are as clay in the hand of the potter Being warned or admonished by this consideration we shall not dare to complayne of our estate or to grudge aganst the vntemperatenes of the heauen or of the ayre or agaynst the administration of any other things For what thing ells is this but for the clay to go aboute to prescribe lawes vnto the potter Wherefore let man remember his estate and seing that he is euē vanity it self it is not mete that he should take vpon him to contend with God What meditation may make men very moderate Wherehēc◠consolation is to be sought for in aduersities who is most good and most mighty Dauid in the 38. Psalme sayth I was domme and I opened not my mouth bycause thou madest me Thys is a most firme reason wherunto we must in all chances of mans life perpetually cleaue namely that whatsoeuer happeneth is done by the commaundement and will of God Such a meditacion maketh men in prosperity moderate neyther suffreth it them to waxe insolent For when they remember that they are as clay in the hand of the potter streight way they vnderstand that all those thinges may euen at one instāt be turned vpside down and that that felicity may be turned into extreme misery Agayne being in aduersities vpholden by this consolation they are not discouraged And so much the rather when they vnderstand that that most cunning potter can sodenly change claye being in extreame infelicitye into a vessell of
and Paul here chiefely reproueth the Iewes We may also hereby learne how farre we are of from the perfection of God He suffreth long tyme beareth with men God is more patieÌ„t then men that will not beleue in him but all men are high mynded and can not abide that either their wordes or writinges should be contemned Then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Here again is repeted the commeÌ„dation of the ministery that by it faith is diuulged amongst CommendacioÌ„ of the ministery men Faith is by hearing this sentence must be rightly and soundly taken that is when God will worke therewithall and put to his ayde Some haue thought that by hearing is here to be vnderstanded the inward word for that in it is the full and perfect cause of faith Which thing as I deny not so also I sée that Paul speaketh not of the inward hearing that is of the motion that is done by the holy Here is entreated of the outward worde The worde of God abideth firme though it be not beleued ghost but of the outward preaching to the office whereof the Apostles were sent And although faith can not after the ordinary and accustomed maner be without the word of God yea and that without the outward word yet the word of God abideth still although faith be not geuen vnto it for knowledge hath relacion as they vse to speake to the thing knowen but that which may be knowen is not on the other side referred to knowledge when as there are many thinges which may be knowen are not knowen After which selfe maner very many thinges are to be beleued which yet are not beleued Wherfore faith forasmuch as it is an asseÌ„t WhereheÌ„ce faith taketh his differences geuen vnto the word of God although it take not his differences of the subiect or of his forme yet taketh it them not either of the efficent cause or of the obiect for it is occupied aboute those things which haue bene reuealed by God neither commeth it by the light of nature but by the illustracion of the holy ghost But as touching the subiect it is placed in the minde as wisdome prudence and other sciences are and the nature thereof is a quality as other knowledges also are qualities Furthermore if hearing whereof springeth faith be by the word of God it is manifest that the foundacion of faith is the word of God only Wherefore the ministers of the Church and preachers ought hereby to learne what is to be preached Onely the worde of God is the foundacion of faith Humane traditions are not the worde of God namely the word of God only and not humane traditions although now they are so bold to call them the word of God which yet they are not by any meanes able to proue when as they are vncertaine and repugnant the one to the oâ—her and are oftentimes abolished or renued which in no wise agrée with the word of God Basilius in his sermon de confessione fidei saith that it is a falling away from faith and a great pride either not to admitte the thinges which are written in the holy scriptures or to adde any thing vnto them Which sentence he confirmeth by the testimony of Paul to the Galathians where he saith The testament although but of a man when it is once ratefied no man maketh voyde or addeth any thing thereunto which thing ought much more to be taken hede of in the testament of God set forth in the holy scriptures But here a riseth a doubt For if onely the woorde of Whether we must beleue miracles God is to be beleued why sayd Christ that if they woulde not beleue him they shoulde yet at the least beleue his workes For it séemeth by thys sentence that we shoulde also beleue miracles But we aunswere that miracles are as testimonies by which men are the easelier brought to beleue so that they are thinges by meanes whereof men beleue not that fayth is directed vnto them as vnto his obiect although as touching the miracles of Christ and of the Apostles we must beleue that they were done by God and not by Belzebub or by the deuill as the Pharise is sclanderously reported and this is conteyned in the worde of God for it geueth testimony that these miracles should be wrought and that they were wrought in theyr due time namely in the preaching of souÌ„d The Sacramentes are beleued doctrine The Sacramentes also are beleued but they are nothing ells but the visible words of God wherunto also is adioyned yâ— word of God which is heard as Augustine fayth The worde commeth vnto the element and it is made a sacrament Howbeit there is discretion and iudgmente to be had when we beleue the word of God that we picke not thereout any wicked or corrupt sentence there is also requisite good triall and examination to discerne miracles and in the sacrameÌ„ts Whether we must beleue with iudgementâ— or without iudgement â–ª is to be considered that they be orderly ministred that is as they were instituted of God And by sound iudgement we must remoue away and set aside the inuencions of men that we beleue not them as we would beleue the wordes of God And when Basilius or other of the fathers doo say that we must beleue with out examination or iudgemeÌ„t which semeth to be taken out of that which Paul sayth in this epistle that Abraham beleued neyther iudged he that word in greke Distinction of iudgement is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To answer to this doubt this is to be vnderstanded that iudgement is of two sortes â–ª The one is when we take counsell of the sences and humane reason and this is vtterly to be remoued from fayth for it alwayes resisteth the word of God The other is the iudgment of the spirite which is of necessity to be had And this is it which Paul sayd Proue all thinges and that which is good hold fast And vnto the Corrinthians Spiritual thinges are compared with spirituall thinges and by this iudgment it is necessary to conferre one place in the holy scriptures which is more obscure with an other whiche is more manifest The authority of the Church hath not dominion ouer faith as some wickedly thinke The office of it is to preach to admonishe to reproue to testifie The autority of the church hath not dominioÌ„ ouer fayth to lay the holy scriptures before mens eyes neyther requireth it to be beleued but so farre forth as it speaketh the wordes of God Paul before he here made mencion of the worde by which fayth is brought forth made mencion of them that preach the Gospell that is of the ministers which are sent of God in whoÌ„ he described the ministery of the Church namely that it consisteth in preaching of the Gospell Moreouer if fayth as it is here written come by hearing that is as it is added by
obiecte vnto vs the Gospell younge menne whyche are studious of the Gospel yea euen theyr own senses and humane reason cryeth agaynst them saying are ye not ashamed of thys new doctrine Are ye so blynde that ye see not that by thys meanes good workes are condemned the worshipping of God perisheth the minstery of the church is troden vnder foote the dignity of priesthode is abiected ecclesiasticall riches are vtterly spoyled what patrones or supporters of learned men shall ye haue hereafter Did your elders which went before you both in thys Mecoenate◠vniuersity and in others being both doctors notable men follow these steps Vnto these men also ought we to aunswere we are not ashamed of the Gospell howsoeuer you speake ill of it If so be they wil say we haue the Gospell yours A collatio◠of the doctrine of the Papistes of the Gospell is a new doctrine Let vs answere them agayne In such sort is that the Gospel which ye haue as that is the Gospell to set forth fayned worshippinges of god casting away and dispising the sincere worshipping described vnto vs of God as it is to worshippe stockes and images as is to obtrude vowes whereby such men are drawen away from matrimony which aboue others haue most neede therof as is to go on pilgrimages vnto Images to worshippe the bones of Saynctes to inuocate the dead and an infinite number of such other like Wherefore ye ought to be ashamed of your doctrine and not we of the Gospell of Christ Let it be diligētly examined what we by the same gospel iudge of the What maner of doctrine ours is honour of god We attribute all thinges vnto hym only we wil in all thinges depend of hym only Farther see what our iudgement is concerning the worshippyng of hym We desire to retayne the same pure and holy as it is delyuered vs in the holy scriptures What do we thinke of good works we vrge them continually and requyre to haue them done of vs so perfectly that we thinke alwayes that something remayneth not perfectly done of vs vnto whiche we should leuel and whereunto we ought to direct all our endeuors What iudge we as concerning the holy ministery we trauayle to haue it to be in great estimation as by which God worketh our saluacion What of Sacraments That they should be kept pure and vndefyled and be reduced vnto that vse whereunto Christ instituted them What iudge we of magistrates that they should be obeyed and that we should be subiecte vnto them in all thinges so that they commaund nothing agaynst the word of God What of poore and miserable men that we should helpe and relieue them What of publike peace and tranquillity That it be kept yea euen with the los of our goods What of sciences and good learning That they should be mayntained and aduaunced Why do ye obiect auncientnes vnto vs There is nothing that we more desire then to haue thynges brought to their olde estate Ye haue brought in new thinges we require againe the estate of the primitiue Church and desire to haue againe the institucions of the Apostles Wherefore there is no cause why we should be ashamed of the gospel of which such as complain do rather lament the losse of theyr commodities then that they can accuse our doctrine And if anye Troubles and discommodities are not to be ascribe◠vnto the Gospel troubles or discommodities happen they are not to be ascribed vnto the doctrine but vnto those which vnder the pretence of Christ and of the gospell doo seeke those thinges which are their owne and not the thinges which are Iesus Christes But now let vs see Paules reason why he is not ashamed of the gospell of Christ Because it is the power of God to saluacion to euery on that beleueth It is the power that is the organe and instrument wherby God sheweth forth hys power to saluation For together with the woord of God and the gospell are instilled grace and the holy ghost and especially remission of sinnes by whiche we are renewed and made safe And yet this knittinge together of mans saluation wyth the gospell is not naturall that is of necessitye so that the gospell The Gospell is not a naturall instrument but at the pleasure of God This diffinicion hath the cause efficient end and instrument of receauinge the Gospel A similitube of the Sacraments The sum of the whol controuersy concerning iustificatiō Why in iustification mencion is made chiefly of the power of god The difference betwene the righteousnes of the law and of the Gospel This phrase of speach to take holde by fayth is not strange nor rare in in the holye scriptures beyng geuen and set forth saluation should streight way follow of necessitye For it is needefull that God doo also inwardly moue the harts of the hearers as in the Actes of the Apostles we reade it was doone vnto the woman that sold silke Wherfore the gospel is to be counted an instrument arbitrary which God vseth according to hys will Many thynke that thys definition is taken of the cause efficient For in it is expressed the power of God whiche maketh vs safe Then is added the fynall cause namely that thys power of God is to saluation neyther is that lest vnspoken of whereby we are made able to take hold of so greate a benefyte and the same is fayth For it is added to euery beleuer For they which come to heare the Gospell and wante fayth receaue nothyng but wordes and the Gospell to them is no Gospell Euen as in the Sacraments they which are without fayth do in deede receaue the simboles or signes but they haue not the fruyte and thing of the sacraments Here is now touched the chief poynt of all the controuersy For in that it is sayd that saluacion cometh of the Gospell vnto euery one that beleueth is sufficientlye declared that we are iustifyed by fayth and not by works nor by our owne strength nor by philosophy nor by ceremonies of the law Neither did he without cause make mencion of the power of God For that before we can be saued our enemyes ought to be vanquished that is the deuill death hell and in especiall sinne Hereby playnly appeareth also the difference betweene the righteousnes of the lawe and the righteousnes of the gospell The righteousnes of the lawe is to do and to worke He that shall do these thinges shall liue in them sayd Moyses as it is alleaged to the Galathyans and shall in this Epistle be afterward intreated of in hys place But contrarywyse the ryghteousnes and saluation of the Gospell is by fayth vnto all thē that beleue For it is fayth which taketh hold of the mercye and promes of God although there haue bene some which durst affirme that this kind of speach to take hold by fayth is straung that is not vsed in the holy scriptures But they are excedingly deceaued It is
default when as otherwyse the prouidence of God vsed theyr wickednes to hys glorye and to set forth hys iustice God vsed theyr wickednes to hys glory We must not desist frō teching though men seeme not to profyte therby The true doctrine is herein profytable in the vngodly namely they should be condemned themselues Thus much they profited through their sinnes that the doctrine and knowledge which they obtayned furthered them to iudgement and condemnation Wherfore we ought not to be feared away from teaching though we sée that men become nothing the better forasmuch as the selfe same thyng happeneth vnto that doctrine which God hym selfe ministreth vnto vs. At the least way thys commoditie shall therby aryse if men bee not of God conuerted yet shall they by theyr owne iudgement and testimonie be condemned And thys thyng chieflye séemeth God to will namely then to appeare righteous when he punisheth or condemneth The profite that Iudas the betrayer receaued by the doctrine of Christ was at the length to condemne hym selfe saying I haue sinned in deliuering the iuste bloude For to that poynt are the vngodly driuen at the length by their own iudgement to be condemned And such which ought to haue taken profite by the doctrine are by the same greuously hurt which thyng we read in Esaie the Prophet when it is sayd Make blinde the harte of thys people Stoppe their eares and shutte their eyes Least peraduenture they shoulde see heare and vnderstand and bee conuerted and I shoulde heale them So also by the wordes of Moyses was the hart of Pharao alwayes more and more hardened Because when they knew God they glorisied him not as God neither were they thankefull Here is added a reason why they were without excuse And The Methode of Paule not to go confusedly to worke this is the methode which Paule vseth He made mencion of the naturall knowledge which ought to haue bene to the Ethnikes a most profitable lawe how to leade their life namely to expresse in maners that which by knowledge they vnderstoode Now he accuseth thē of the transgression of this lawe And his accusation contayneth two principall poyntes First he layeth to their charge the contempt of the worshipping of God and The principall poynts of the accusation ingratitude towardes hym which thynges pertayne vnto the mynde then he accuseth them for that they attributed vnto Images which they themselues had made and vnto creatures that honour whiche was due vnto God only And to the ende he would exaggerate or amplyfye these sinnes he sheweth how Sinnes are aggrauated by the greuousnes of punishments they escaped not vnreuenged For fyrst God tooke vengeance vpon their wickednes with thys punishment that he blynded theyr hart and theyr mynde waxed foolishe so that they which aboue other professed learning and wisdom appeared most fooles of all and theyr reasones whiche they counted wittye were made frustrate and became vtterly vayne The punishement of the other sinne namely of the inuention of Idoles was that they should contaminate themselues with most fylthy vices By this order of accusation is gathered Idolatry springeth not but frō a corrupted minde A place of Ieremy that idolatry taketh not place vnles error or to speake more playnly sinne first haue place in the mind And those things which are here spokē of these two principall vices are bewayled of Ieremy in the 2. chap. when he sayth Be astonished O ye heauens be afrayde and excedingly abashed For my people hath committed two greuous thinges They haue forsaken me the fountayne of the water of life and haue digged for themselues cesternes which are not able to hold water To forsake God is to take away the worshipping due vnto him and true geuing of thankes And to make and worship Images is to make cesternes out of whiche can not be The Methode of the two fyrst commaundements drawen the waters of helpe and grace The selfe same order we fynde in the first table of the tenne commaundementes For God first commaundeth that he be worshipped alone then in the second precept he commaundeth that we take not vnto our selues any other Gods And vndoubtedly if we depart from the true God it is not possible but that straight waye shoulde spring forth idolatrye Because will we or nyll we we can not be without a God Wherefore take away him which is the true God out of our hartes and of necessitye We cannot be without some God an other fayned God must be substituted in his place And Chrisostome hath profitably noted that euen as they which walke or sayle by night without light do oftentymes hit agaynst some rocke or stumblyng blocke and miserablye perishe fo farre is it of that that they come to the place they determined to come vnto so they which depart from the light of the doctrine set forth vnto vs by The naturall knowlege whych we haue of God is weake God must needes of necessitie fall into most greuous euils By these thinges which the Apostle now speaketh is easely perceaued that this was a weake knowledge which the Ethnikes had naturally touching God for asmuch as it altered thē not but rather was ouercome with lustes which darkened that minde They glorified him not as God neyther vvere they thankfull By these wordes he describeth the worshipping which they ought to haue performed in Foure principal points of the true worshipping of God mynde and in spirite whereof we haue before written at large and haue reduced the whole matter vnto fower principall poyntes namely vnto prayers hope thankes geuing and the feare or obeysance which good children haue towardes their parentes For then we worshippe God truly when we wholy submitte our selues vnto him so that we embrace him aboue all thinges and aboue our selues also And all this is expressed in that commaundement Thou shalte loue thy Lorde thy God wythall thy harte wyth all thy soule and wyth all What is to glorify God thy strengthes And this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paule here vseth which is translated to gloryfye signifyeth chiefely to iudge very well and honorably of a man But how sclenderly the Philosophers iudged of the prouidence of god of hys iudgements of his rewards I say punishements their opinions which are euery where abroade do sufficiently declare If a man should demaunde what it is that doth chiefely gloryfye god I would answere that it is fayth Which Fayth doth most of all glorify god thyng I affirme not of my selfe but the scripture teacheth it for afterward it is sayd of Abraham that when god had promised vnto him an heyre by Sara his wife he considered not hys body being in a maner dead nor the wombe of Sara now past childe bearing but gaue glory vnto God For he iudged so honorably of hym that although he saw that by mans power that could not be performed Who they be that do truly geue thankes
vnto them to consider the faults of other men Moreouer they reioyce not neyther delighte themselues in the condemnation of theyr neighbours especiallye that condemnation whiche is done rashely For they know that theyr brother forasmuch as he is of God eyther stādeth to his Lord or falleth But we intreate now of priuate menne and not of Magistrates or Pastors whose parte is by office to be inquisitiue touching the life and manners of those which be committed to theyr charge Wherefore all men as well subiectes as magistrates ought to iudge sinnes which are layde before them by admonishing and punishinge euery manne accordinge to hys office leaste vices shoulde spreade to farre abroade But thys thinge aboue others is diligentlye to be taken heede of as Paule nowe teacheth that wee winke not at those thynges whyche we our selues wickedlye committe For as he sayth In that we iudge an other we condemne our selues The selfe same sentence whereby we punishe other men striketh also our selues And seing we can not escape our owne iudgement how shal we escape the iudgement of God which is according to truth For then shall not that thinge happen whiche we see now doth that in one and the selfe same kinde of crime one is condemned and an other escapeth Euen as our deedes are so shall they be iudged Now men spare themselues and are seuere agaynst others But so shall it not be in the iudgement of God It resteth therefore that we execute the selfe same seuerity vpon our selues which we vse in iudging of other men Which thing how little the aduersaries of religion do performe hereby it is manifest in that they Papistes in what things they condemne vs and flatter thēselues euery where crye out agaynst the mariages of priestes because they seeme vnto them vnpure but in the meane tyme while they ouerpasse themselues being ouerwhelmed with all kynde of filthy lustes They make exclamation that vowes are not performed and they consider not what they haue promised vnto God in Baptisme They complayne that fastes which men haue commaunded are not kept and they neuer make an ende of their bankettinges and delicious feastinges They make lamentacion that the sacramentes are vnworthely neglected of our men when as they themselues with their lyes of transubstāciation haue hitherto sold them mangled them and filthyly deformed them The summe of Paules doctrine is that we iudging others shoulde discend into ourselues for that it is most certayne that the iudgement of God shal be according to truth Therefore we must to our power endeuour our selues to make our life and maners acceptable before so great a iudge But this sentence to sinne and to consent vnto sinners which before he obiected to the vngodly semeth to be repugnant vnto that which he afterward The selfe same mē are both seuete agaynst others ▪ and towardes their owne they are most fauorable speaketh namely that they punished others but spared themselues For how do they consent vnto others which do euill if by their iudgemente they condemne them but the apostle speaketh not generally And the selfe same disease of selfe loue stirreth them vp both to spare themselues and also to supporte and mayntayne them which are by any aliance knit vnto thē whē as they are infected with the same vices that they themselues are but strangers and such as they beare no affectiō vnto by their iudgemēt they most seuerely cōdemne if at any tyme they commit any fault Which thing is most playne in the history of Dauid For when Nathan the prophet had accused before him the cruell act of An example of Dauid the riche man the kinge burst forth strayght way into these wordes he is the sonne of death which hath committed this acte Vnto whome the prophet declared that he himselfe was the man which had committed this so haynous an act He was seuere against an other mā and had yet neuertheles so lōg time wincked at himselfe hauing committed the like fault Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnes patience and lenity not knowing that the goodnes of God leadeth thee to repentance But thou after thyne hardnes and hart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath agaynst the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will render vnto euery man according to his workes Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnes patience and lenity In amplifiing How the scripture vseth thys word riches and setting forth the wonderfull and excellent proprieties of God the scripture very oftentymes vseth this word riches notwithstanding that the goodnes of God is not limited or bound in with any endes but much excedeth copia cornu as Latine men vse to speake that is all kinde of plentifulnes Neither is goodnes in this place all one with vprightnes iustice and temperance but is a redines and an endeuour to helpe our neighbour For thys Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued of profite and commoditye This bountifulnes of God Christ partly touched when he sayd that God our Father maketh his sunne to arise vpon the good and the euill and the rayne to rayne vpō the iust and the vniust Paule also partly here expresseth it when he sayth that God with long suffering beareth with the wickednes of men For in this place Paule ouerthroweth an other foundacion whereunto the vngodly lening perswaded themselues The ground of the vngodly whereby they promise vnto themselues to escape vnpunished that they should escape vnpunished for that God differreth to inflict hys punishementes This commeth not hereof sayth he because God neglecteth these thinges or that he will haue them to go vnpunished but with lenity and pacience he suffreth for a tyme otherwise whē he seeth hys tyme he will seuerely auenge them And this word long suffering is of great efficacy to moue our myndes as though it were paynfull vnto God to suffer our iniquityes For we are not sayd to beare and tolerate but only such thinges which of their own nature are both odious and troublesome Which kindes of speach we haue first in Esay the Prophete when he sayd vnto the vngodly king Achab Is it a small matter vnto you of the house of Dauid that ye are greuous vnto men but ye must be greuous also vnto God And the same Prophet bringeth in God speaking of the sacrifices and obseruations of the vngodly that he could no longer suffer thē but that it was a payne for hym to suffer them For they being voyde of fayth and piety gaue themselues whole vnto ceremonies And Dauid in his Psalme writeth that God complayneth that by the space of 40. yeares the generation of Israell was greuous vnto him in the wildernes because they alwayes erred in their hart And the patience of God which should haue wrought in them repentaunce through their owne default profited them not a whit Which he now vpbraydeth saying Knowest thou not that these thinges leade thee to
Christ for no other cause so long tyme differred his comming in the flesh but to kepe downe mans proude Pecoks tayle For if he had come straight way at the beginning vnto vs men would easely haue sayd that Why the sonne of god diffeâ—red his comming so long they had not then so great neede of hym that without him they could not be saued wherefore he would that mankinde should so long tyme be oppressed with the seruitude of sinnes and burthen of the lawe vntill they should vnderstand that they had vtterly nede of a redemer But why God so much laboreth to destroy our glory the holy scriptures aboundantly inough declare namely that Why God will haue our glory to be repressed his glory might the more brightly sinne forth Wherefore it is manifest that whatsoeuer glory we claime vnto our selues all that do we robbe from the glory of God Neyther nedeth it any greate exposition what Paule meaneth by the lawe of workes For by that word he vnderstandeth as well the lawe of nature as the lawe of Moses and also mans lawe For that all these lawes do engender glory if a man can vaunt that he can fulfill them VVe conclude therefore that man is iustefied by faith without the vvoorkes of the lavve Those thinges which he before sayd he confirmeth with a briefe conclusion which by a reason thereunto annexed he will afterward proue And where as he sayth Arbitramur that is we think in Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not to thinke or to suppose but in this place it is to conclude to inferre and certaynly to demonstrate namily of those thinges which before were spoken In which signification it is taken in the 6. chapter when the Apostle sayth So thynke ye also that ye are dead vnto sinne but are alyue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Where this word thinke ye is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is thereby signified is to haue for certayne And as touching this thyng Ambrose is of our mind and he vnderstandeth these words man is iustified without works of the Gentiles But Chrisostome contrary wyse thinketh that by this word man is ment nature to make the seÌ„tence of the Apostle more ample and large whose iudgement I mislike not for it agreeth as well with the Iewes as with the Gentiles not to attayne vnto sound righteousnes by workes but by fayth Further seing the Apostle so expressedly sayth that man is iustified without the workes of the lawe hâ—reof is inferred that which we before also tought namely that it is fayth only which iustifieth which thing not only Origine vpon this place but also Chrisostome acknowledgeth who fayth that fayth only Faith only iustifieth as OrigeÌ„ and ChrisostoÌ„e vpon thys place confesse is required to obtayne this righteousnes But I heare our aduersaries say that wheÌ„ we reade in the fathers That fayth only iustifieth that word only is to be vnderstanded principally for that it hath in iustification the chiefest partes And they bringe a place or two where this word only so signifieth But vndoubtedly if a maÌ„ weigh Pauls words well they wil not agree with this interpretatioÌ„ For he putteth righteousnes without the works of the law which is not true if works do so follow fayth that with it they bring forth iustification in the elect of God An obiectioÌ„ of the aduersaries Simple men sometimes herein gaue place vnto the papists but when they vnderstood theyr guile they returned againe into the rightway Dangers may be anoyded by an vprighte interpretation The aduersaries cry out that if we teach meÌ„ after this sorte we then open a window vnto sluggishnes and flouthfulnes Vnto which their coloured preteÌ„ces some of our men haue sometimes simply and without guile consented who when they saw that true faith whiche iustifieth hath alwayes ioyned with it good works absteyned in their sermons from that worde Onely But afterward when they vnderstoode the fraude of the aduersaries whiche obtruded this deuise to the ende they might at the length teach the people according to their owne fayned inuentions that men are not onely by faith but also by workes iustified they returned vnto their olde forme of speaking that the people should not be any more deceiued And seyng Paule most warely alwayes eschued flaunders and offences of the hearers so much as he might by the truth of the scriptures and we sée that he most manifestly teacheth those things wherof most plainely followeth That fayth onely iustifieth we ought not to be afeard of such daungers which may easily be auoyded if we aptly adde an vpright interpretation of that which we speake They agayne obiect vnto vs that workes of the law in this place signifie ceremonies Vnto whoÌ„ we aunswer as we haue before already said that the question in dede began about ceremonies but Paule dissolueth it vniuersally and answereth in suche sorte that he concludeth of all kinde of workes Wherfore the reason which he bringeth in in the first place That God is the God not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles hath a respecte vnto ceremonies For the Ethnikes had not receiued the ceremonies of It is proued that here is entreated also of morall workes the Iewes But afterward when he addeth that by faith the lawe is not abolished but rather established he declareth that his exposition is chiefly to be vnderstanded touchyng morall workes which faith abolisheth not but rather confirmeth Which thing we cannot affirme of ceremonies whiche we sée are by Christ and his fayth taken away Farther in that he before sayd that all men haue sinned and were destitute of the glory of God and by that meanes euery mouth is stopped and the whole world made guilty vnto God it sufficiently declareth of what law he speaketh And so doth that also where he sayth that the law sheweth sinne and that also which he citeth out of Dauid No liuing creature shall be iustified in thy sight and many other thynges which afterward in their places we shall sée do sufficiently shew that the wordes of the Apostle comprehend also morall preceptes Wherfore workes are excluded Woorkes ar excluded from the cause of iustification but not froÌ„ the effect therof but they are excluded as from the cause of iustification but not as from the effect And Christe to declare this to be true in Luke sayde When ye haue done all these thinges say ye we are vnprofitable seruantes vnto whom neither is this in deede due to haue thankes geuen vnto vs. But if by workes we should attayne vnto iustification then should we not be vnprofitable in doyng well and vnto vs should be farre greater things due then geuing of thankes God is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentles also Yes euen of the Gentles also He proueth now his proposition namely that men are iustified without the workes of the law For if righteousnes should depende of them
ought to haue bene stirred vp to the workes whiche he did And that he erred he hymselfe testifieth of himself in many places Vnto the Eph. the. 2. cha he sayth And you that wer dead in sins wherin in times past the walked according to the course of this world after the prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirite that now worketh in the children of distrust Among whome we also had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our fleshe in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of affections and we were by nature the children of wrath as well as others But GOD which is rich in mercye thorough hys greate loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together with Christ And vnto Titus For we also were once fooles disobedient straying out of the way seruing the desires and pleasures in maliciousnes and enuy one of vs hating an other Such a one was Paul before he was conuerted vnto Christ although he mought not vnworthely make great boast of his outward righteousnes And that thou shouldest not say that he was changed and deliuered frō these sinnes when he began earnestly to apply himselfe vnto the doctrine of the lawe wherein he so much profited that he coulde now be neither accused nor slayne of it he hymselfe in the selfe same epistle to Titus auoutcheth that he was Paul affirmeth that he was iustified by Christ only by Christ only iustified and by the benefite of the holy ghost acquited Wherefore before he was come to Christe the knowledge of the lawe coulde do nothing but kill him For thus he sayth but when the bountifulnes and loue of God our Sauiour towardes man appeared not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of regeneration and of the renuing of the holy ghost which he shed on vs most aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that being iustified by his grace we might be made heyres according to the hope of eternall life But vnto that which he writeth vnto Timothe that he had from his elders serued God with a pure conscience answere may thus be made That although he had not in him his conscience accusing him yet this acquited him not from sinne For there are many and haue bene many Scribes and Pharises which being instructed with an ill conscience had an ill iudgement of the law of God They which are not well instructed in the lawe ar not sometimes reproued of their conscience whome yet Christ manifestly reproueth Wherefore when as afterward came a more sounder knowledge of the lawe by it by reason of sinne now known were they slayne Farther we must see what it is that Paul goeth about in that place to perswade vnto Timothe he sayth that he geueth thankes vnto God that without ceassing he maketh mencion of him in his prayers and desireth to see him And that he should not think that he spake this after any common maner as though he did it only to flatter him but spake not from the hart he sayth that he had neuer bene accustomed to lye And although his conscience could not reproue hym of lying yet were there a greater many other thinges which the lawe being truely knowen mought reproue in him And that he had not the perfect knowledge of the lawe hereby it is manifest for that he persecuted Christ in hys Paul before his cōuersion knew not the law perfectly church who is the ende of the lawe In which thing he did nothing agaynst his conscience for it was then in no other sort enstructed And therfore he sayth be did it through ignorance and infidelity Neither hath the law of God that power to kill through sinne but when it is perfectly known And these thinges are spoken of Paul when he was yet of the Iewishe religion And how these thinges pertayned vnto him after he knew Christ and how they pertayne to vs shall afterward be declared Howbeit in the meane time these things ought to moue vs to detest the naturall sinne grafted in vs. That sinne might be out of measure sinfull by the commaundement Here the Apostle declareth that he entreateth not only of the knowledge of sinne which is perceaued by the lawe but also of the comming of that wickednes which is wrought by taking an occasion of the law For by y◠figure Hyperbole Why the Apostle vseth the figure Prosopopeia he saith that sinne is made sinfull aboue measure And vnto sinne by a figure he fayneth a person which sinneth deceaueth and slayeth Which he therefore did for that he considered that we are slow and blockishe and vnderstand not the pernicious blot of our originall sinne But because the lattin translatiō hath aboue measure sinfull Ambrose demaundeth whether paraduenture there be any measure of sinne granted by the lawe And he answereth that there is none for the lawe condemneth all sinnes vniuersally although he confesse that there is The law cōdemneth all sinnes a certayne measure as touching the seuerity of God aboue which measure God differreth not his punishements and vengeance As it may be sayd of the Chananites There is with God a certaine measure of sinnes aboue which they are not suffered to escape vnpunished Sodoma Gomorrha and other nations whome God suffered a longe while to escape vnpunished But afterward when they exceded that measure whiche God coulde no longer suffer to excede he vtterly ertinguished and destroyed them Although some say that sinne aboue measure encreased after the law was geuen if it be compared with that tyme wherein the lawe was not For then mought haue bene pretended some ignorance but that ignorance so soone as the lawe was geuen and published was taken away But I would rather expound this by the figure Hyperbole that is vnmeasurably For when lust waxeth of force we fall into all kindes of sinnes But the kindes of sinnes can not be expressed For euen as archers but one only way hit the marke but yet infinite wayes mysse it A similitude so vertue consisting in the middest as a marke we may infinite wayes erre from it but there is but one only way to attaine vnto it That which is in the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may thus be turned in Lattin Peccatum peccator that is sinne a sinner But because that soundeth not so well it may be turned sinne out of measure vicious Aristotle in his 3. of Ethikes sayth that of extreames the one is more vitious and the other lesse The lawe is spirituall but I am carnall being sold vnder sinne Here is rendred a reason why it is not to be imputed vnto the lawe that of the knowledge thereof followeth death For saith he the lawe is spirituall but the propriety of the spirite is to geue life And this thing experience well teacheth vs. For we sée that bodyes do so long liue how long there is in
A similitude Dâ—fâ—rence betwene Paul and the Philosophers we sée what they do yet oftentimes they so beguile our eies the we perceaue not what they do Aristotle sayth that in euery sinne is mingled some kinde of ignoraÌ„ce Although betwéene yâ— philosophers the seÌ„se of Paul there is some differeÌ„ce For they thinke this power to be grafted in the nature of the minde reason and will alwayes to desire and to approue that which is good but the confusion beginneth only in the grosser partes of the soule But the apostle affirmeth that al the partes of man both the inferior and the superior doo by reason of originall sinne resist the spirite of God But seing that both from himselfe and from the Law he remoueth away the cause of sinne it is manifest that it hath hys place only in lust grafted in vs. And seing he sayth that he himself doth not the things which he would and which are euil much les vndoubtedly doth the Law them For he by the Law vnderstoode that these things are not to be done Wherfore herehence haue we a commondation of the Lawe and he doth not here as heretikes faine which frowardly peruerte the sayings of Paul blame the Law For that vvhich I vvould I doo not but that vvhich I hate that doo I. Some thinke that this is to be referred only vnto the first motions But seing the scripture manifestly sayth that the iust also fall and that we all in many thinges offend I se no cause why we should into so narrow a streight contract this saying These thinges are not to be draweÌ„ onely to the first motioÌ„s of the Apostle For I doubt not but that euen holy men also haue not only some times euill lusts but also sometimes doo certayne thinges which ought not to be done But they are streight way sorye and they accuse themselues and as much as lieth in them correct the sinne And yet I would not that any maÌ„ should hereby thinke that I affirme that the iudgement of the spirite and the purpose of the will renewed abideth sound wheÌ„ the godly fall into most heynous wicked The iudgement of the spirite abideth not sound in faultes that are very haynous factes as when Dauid committed adultery and murther For these sinnes are of that kind whereof the Apostle sayth They which doo suche thinges shall haue no portion in the kingdome of God Wherfore Augustine made an excellent distinctioÌ„ namely that a crime is one thing and sinne an other thing Wherefore seinge in this kinde of crime the right of regeneration is after a sort lost it is not to be tought that Paul thereof speaketh in this place Now then it is no more I that doo it but the sinne that dwelleth in me For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but I finde no ability to performe that which is good It is not I that doo it He affirmeth that he doth it not for that he all whole doth it not For in respect that he is regenerate he abhorreth from that whiche he doth The lust and vice whiche is by nature grafted and planted in vs is it which wresteth from vs many things But they which are wise fly vnto Christ that he may make that seruitude which they serue more milde which thinge he not only doth but also mercifully forgeueth the thinges that are committed amisse Wherfore for these causes Paul denieth that he doth that thing which he doth And vndoubtedlye it is to be ascribed vnto the singular gift of God that we will not and that those thinges displease vs which we doo and contrariwise that we wil and wishe those thinges which we doo not For thys propertye is not in all men For it is in them only which are now grafted into Christ and regenerate in him In dede Iudas Cain and Esau were displeased with their sin but yet not therefore for that they allowed the Lawe of God but for that they now began to fele their own discommodity and calamity and destruction For How sins displeasetheÌ„ that are desperate Difference betweene the godly the vngodlye they were not touched with any loue of the Law and wil of God So much difference is there betwene a godly man and an vngodly The godly maÌ„ although he fall yet he doth not from the hart violate the lawe of God For he hath euer thys in hym that continually he resisteth and repugneth sinne But the vngodly man neuer doth good from the hart or escheweth euill as the law commaundeth For he alwayes hath a regard vnto gayne commodity fame and such other like thinges and not vnto the will of God These declare that Paul speaketh Paul in this place speaketh of himself and of the regenerate those thinges which are contayned in this chapiter of himselfe and of the sayntes which are now in Christ regenerate For he sayth that in mind he serued the Lawe of God and to will was present with hym but to performe that which is good he found no ability And when he had cried out vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body subiect vnto death He added a geuinge of thankes for that he knew that by Christ he shoulde attayne to it Thys can not they â—â— which are strangers from Christ and vngodly and voyd of yâ— holy ghost Testimonies where by is proued that holy men haue sinne They which deny thys are thereunto by thys reason chiefely moued for that they perswade themselues that sinne can haue no place in holy men when yet the scripture teacheth farre otherwise For Paul vnto the Galathians speaking of the godly writeth in a maner the selfe same thinges that he doth now in this place walke ye sayth he inspirite and performe not the desires of the flesh He sayth not haue ye not the desires of the fleshe but performe them not And the fleshe sayth he lusteth agaynst the spirite and the spirite agaynst the flesh so that whatsoeuer thinges ye would ye doo not This is it which he here sayth I doo not that which I would Dauid sayth Who vnderstandeth his sinnes Cleuse me from my hidden sinnes Enter not into iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall no liuing creature be iustified And Esay sayth that our righteousneses are like a clothe stayned with the naturall dissease of a woman And the Lord commaundeth vs to pray Forgeue vs our trespasses If we say we haue no sinne sayth Iohn we deceaue our selues and the truth is not in vs Iames saith we all offende in many thinges The Fathers also affirme that Paul Augustine proueth that Paul speaketh of himself and of the regenerate Ambrose of the same iudgement in thys place speaketh of himselfe And amongste other Augustine agaynst the two epistles of the Pelagians the 10. chapiter And the reasons that moue him thereunto are those for that the Apostle sayth It
faineth two children to be borne of vngodly parentes and strangers from Christ both of them are cast forthe and set to daunger of death And the one of them in deede dieth but the other being of somewhat more stronger nature is by a Christian by chance comming by preserued and brought to the Church and baptised and is with other of the faythfull made a partaker of Christ Verely touching the saluation of the one childe we haue nothing that we can certainly affirme but of the other if the childe dye we can skarsely put any doubt And if the matter be so we affirme that one of them was elected and the other reiected Wherevnto then had the election of God a regarde Thou canst not say vnto workes foresene when as those thinges which shall neuer come to passe can not be foresene For the prouidence of God prouideth those thinges which shall come to passe and not those thinges which shall not be yea rather he forseeth that those thinges shall not come to passe Wherefore we see that that deuise touching workes foreseene can not in all cases satisfy humane reason Wherefore we must rather beleue Paul who leadeth vs to the highest cause namely to the wyll of God whereunto doubtles we do iniury if we thinke that there is any cause aboue it What shoulde we flye vnto the workes of men when as All men are by nature of one and the selfe same disposition and prones to euill This opinion makâ—th Paul very blockish duâ—â—itted â–ª we all are of one the selfe same nature of one the selfe same propriety and of one and the same disposition For that lompe of Adam wherehence we are deriued is vitiated and corrupted whereunto if peraduenture there be added any thing that is good the same it hath of the mere and only goodnes of God Farther they which so teach seeme to make Paul very blockishe and dull witted which could not see that which these men so easely vnderstand For he of the election of God bryngeth no other cause but the purpose and wyll of God And at the last also he crieth out O the depth of the riches c. But these sharpâ— witted men doo euen easely rid themselues of this greated difficulty euen I say by one pore word Augustine being yet a priest and newly baptised expounding this place although he saw that God could not haue a respect vnto our workes to come as causes of predestination wherby he embraseth vs yet he thought fayth foresene to be the cause of his loue towardes vs. And of this his sentence as touching ether part he bringeth this reason It is certayne that good workes are deriued into vs from the holy ghost for thorough him God worketh all in all and the same God geueth vnto vs the holy ghost Wherefore â–ª good workes sayth he forasmuch as they procede from God caÌ„ not any thing moue to his electioÌ„ or predestinatioÌ„ But he thought that God had a respect vnto our fayth and electeth them whome he foreséeth should beleue for that he thought that fayth is of our selues For although we rede sayth he that God worketh all in all yet we rede not that God beleueth all in all Wherfore Augustine erred whilest he was yet a priesâ— he thought it is of our selues to beleue but to work wel he thought to come of God These thinges wrote he being yet rude following as it should appeare to me the doctrine of his father Ambrose For he vpon this selfe same place teacheth the selfe same thing namely that God electeth them whome he knoweth shall afterward beleue But Augustine when his iudgement was now thorough Augustine reuoked his error age excercise more ripe and of deeper consideratioÌ„ reuoked this sentence as it is euident by his first boke of Retractations the. 33. chapiter in which place he thus writeth of him selfe These things had I not writteÌ„ if that I had vnderstode that Faith is no lesse the gift of God then good workes fayth is no les the gift of God then good workes And that fayth is geuen of God he gathereth by that which is written to the Ephesians in the 6. chapiter Charitye and fayth from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ And in the same epistle the 2. chapiter By grace ye are made safe thorough faith that not of your selues For it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast And vnto Timothe I obteyned sayth he mercy that I might be faithfull but he saith not for that I was faith full To this purpose mought be brought a greate many other sentences but for this present I thought these should suffice And as touching the wordes of Paul Purpose electioÌ„ why they are attributed vnto God no man ought to wonder that the Apostle when he speaketh of these things at tributeth vnto God purpose and election For the holy scriptures euery where frame themselues to our infirmity and speake vnto men after the maner of men By those wordes we vnderstand the constancy and immutability of the will of God For euen as men are wont as touching thinges whiche they haue rashly appoynted afterward when they haue better considered the matter to alter them but those thinges which they haue decréed with good consideration and deliberation they will haue to be firme and to continew so also thinke they of God For that cause Paul calleth his will purpose and electioÌ„ An oracle was geuen to Rebecka That the elder of these two brethern should serue the yonger for she had asked counsell of God what the brethern striuinge together in her wombe signified By this oracle we se that it is God which putteth a difference God putteth a difference betwene those yâ— are borne betwene those which are borne when as otherwise by nature they are equall And promises made to this or that stocke and to this or that posterity signifie nothing else but yâ— of that stocke or posterity shall some be elected but who they be it lieth not in vs to iudge We ought rather to haue a respect vnto the effects and whom we se to be called to beleue to geue themselues to good works those Forasmuch as prebestination is a thing hâ—dden vnto what thinges we ought to haue a respect A similitude to count for elect and alwayes in this matter to haue a regard vnto the commaundementes and vnto the promises that is vnto the outward word of God But concerning the hidden counsell of God as touching euery perticular man we haue nothing reueled vnto vs. But Chrisostome semeth to be against this First â—e sayth That there arose greate offence touching the reiection of the Iewes and the election of the Gentiles especially seing that the Gentiles had alwayes bene vncleane but the Iewes had moste playne promises For it is all one sayth he as if the sonne of a king vnto whome the kingdome semeth to be by
doctrine How predestination is obscure and how not obscure When we will do any thing we must not haue an eye to predestination but to the scripture These things writeth he vpon that place where it is writen that the Samaritanes would not receiue Christ He citeth also Gregorius Nazianzenus Who sayth that God geueth that the faithfull both beleue the blessed Trinitye and also confesse it But whereas it was obiected that this doctrine is very obscure neither can be vnderstand but rather bringeth men to be vncertaine of the will of God he aunswereth that indeede it is an obscurenes vnsearcheable if a man should go about to seke out reasons of the iudgements of God why other men being reiected this man or that man is elected But if so much be taughte of predestination as the holy scriptures do set forth vnto vs those thinges are not so obscure but that they may be perspicuous inough vnto our faith Neither counsell we that when a man dothe any thing he should deliberate with himselfe of predestination but rather that he should referre himselfe vnto the will of God expressed in the scriptures and euery one also ought to haue a trust that he is not excluded from predestination Neither is this any let to preaching that the nomber of the elect as it is in very déede is certaine The determinaâ—â— number of the elect hindreth not preaching vnmoueable For by preaching we go not about to transferre men out of the noÌ„ber of the reprobate into the noÌ„ber of the elect but that they which pertaine to the elect might by the ministery of the worde be brought vnto their appoynted ende Which selfe same ministery as vnto the one it is profitable so vnto the other it bringeth destruction and taketh away from them all manner of excuse But whether predestination and election vnto saluation may be sayde to pertaine vnto all men that God will haue all men to be saued we will afterwarde in his due place speake of Howbeit in the meane time Augustine willeth vs not to kepe in silence the truth touching predestination for that thereon hangeth daunger least by the euill vnderstanding thereof should be confirmed corrupt doctrine neither are those which are of capacity to be defrauded for theyr sakes which are not able to attaine vnto it And forasmuch as out of this doctrine may be had many consolations it is Many consolations by this doctrine of predestination Predestina is to be preached vnto al men but not after one sâ—rt Augustine bringeth an argument of the likâ— What thinges are to be takeÌ„ hede of in preaching predestination A similitude With what dexteritie predestination is to be entreated of indifferently to be set forth both to the learned and to the vnlearned although not alwayes after one and the selfe same manner For for some milke is mete and for other some strong meate And this selfe same thing may so aptly be entreated of that it may satisfy both the learned and the vnlearned Which thing Augustine did very well accomplishe who not onely most sharpely disputed of this matter against the Pelagians but also in his Homelies and familiar sermons plainly and gently entreated of the selfe same thing vnto the people What saith he is more deepe then the sentence of Iohn In the beginning was the woorde or then this And the woord was made flesh In which sentences many may fall and perniciously erre and yet notwithstanding we must not cease to set it forth both to the learned and to the vnlearned but yet vsing therein diuerse manner of speakinge We ought not so to preach predestination to the people of God to say whether thou dost this or dost it not thou canst not alter the determination of God and if thou be of the elected whatsoeuer thou dost cannot remoue the from saluation For this might easely hurt weake vnlearned men It is the poynt of an vnskilfull or rather of a malicious phisition so foolishly and vnaptly to apply a medicine which is otherwise good that it maye be hurtfull vnto health But to setforth this doctrine profitably and with fruit the endes and vtilities which we haue before spoken of ought to be regarded And let all our speach be directed to this that they which are of Christ ought not to put coÌ„fidence in theyr owne strengths but in God and that they ought to acknowledge his giftes and to glory in God and not in themselues and to féele the grace mercy exhibited vnto them that they are fréely iustified by Christ Let theÌ„ vnderstaÌ„d also yâ— they are predestinate to be made like vnto the image of the Son of God into the adoption of childreÌ„ to walke in good workes Lastly yâ— they haue a testimony of the certayntie of Gods good will towardes them Farther euery thing hath his eares or handels by which a man may most aptly hold it which if it should be taken by any other way or by any other partes eyther it would slippe out of the handes or ells hurt hym that taketh it This haue we gathered out of these bookes of Augustine which we before cited in which he answereth to the obiections of Hilarius and Prosperus Now resteth two doubtes to be disolâ—ed First that they say that we appoynte a certayne fatall necessary secondly that they thinke that men by this meanes are brought to desperation As touching the first if by fate or desteny they vnderstand a certayne force proceding from Whether by this doctrine be confirmed a fatall necessity We must absteine from the name of desteny although the thing being well vnderstand be not euill the starres and inuincible connextion of causes by which God himselfe also in brought into order we and that not without iust cause do vtterly reiect the name of fate But if by that name they vnderstand the order of causes which is gouerned by the wil of God then can not that thing seme to be against piety although in my iudgment I thinke it best that we should vtterly abstayne froÌ„ that name lest the vnlerneder sort should thinke that we approue the faynings of the Ethnikes Of this matter hath Augustine excellently well written in hys 5. booke De ciuitate dei the 8. chapter Neyther by this predestination are the natures of thinges changed as touching necessity and happe or chance as we haue before declared where we entreated of prouideÌ„ce Yea rather by the effect By predestination we are made free The consideration of predestination confirmeth our hope of predestination that is by grace we are made frée from sinne and made seruauntes vnto righteousnes which seruitude is holy and in the lord worthy to be embrased And so farre is it of that by predestination our hope should be broken or diminished that euen by it it is most strongly confirmed For Paul in the 8. chapiter of this Epistle when he had sayd Hope confoundeth not had added That vnto them that loue God all
〈◊〉 Paul vnderstandeth to fall irrecouerably but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to fall thorow negligence which happeneth vnto them that liue carelesly and loosely Neither is this a meane honor which the holy Gost by Paul ascribeth vnto the natiō of the Iewes when vnto theyr fall he adioyneth the calling of the Gentils and vnto theyr laste conuersion the resurrection from the dead Origen vpon this place noteth that the fall of the nation of the Iewes was not as the fall of the Deuill for that their fall is recouerable But Satan cannot be conuerted no not at the ende of the worlde Which sentēce is both worthy of admiration and is also most manifestly repugnante vnto his opinion whiche he hath both in his booke Peri arch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also in Origens interpretatiō vpon this epistle suspected many other places Wherfore this his interpretacion vpon this Epistle to the Romanes is not without iust consideration suspected of the learned as though it wer none of his vnles we wil say that at diuers times he was diuersly minded or that his bokes were as some thinke corrupted by heretikes ▪ which thing in my iudgemente is not so credible for that it is scarse possible to corrupte all the examplers But this mighte be that he whiche turned this exposition into Lattine salued it somewhat in some places But touchinge this matter howsoeuer it be it shall suffice to be admonished thereof In the meane time let vs consider that God in his iudgements is alwayes one therfore y◠which we haue now hearde let vs neuer How we may vse the sinnes of other men suffer to slippe out of memory Namely that falles and sinnes by the prouidence of God alwayes bring with them some profite and somewhat tending to the glorye of God but although not alwayes to them which haue sinned yet oftentimes to others Wherfore it is our part that when we sée the fal of our neighbor we straight way consider how we may vse that fall either to our edification or to admonishe correct or to comfort him which hath sinned or at the least way to instruct helpe others And if peraduenture none of these thinges take place yet let vs not therefore put of all hope but cleauing faste to this doctrine let vs praye vnto God that he woulde vouchsafe to geue vnto sinnes and wicked actes that are committed some desired fruite If the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of thē the riches of the Gentils how much more shall theyr fulnes be Hereto Paul tendeth to teach that the conuersion of the Iewes shal be profitable euen as theyr blinding was he vseth an argumente taken a minori that is of the lesse For if their fal and diminishing gaue place vnto the Gentils that they also might Good is of more might then euil obteine saluation muche more shall theyr conuersion be profitable vnto the Gentils for that which is good is of his owne nature of greater might to produce forth good thinges then is that which is euill And Paul by an excellent Antithesis vnto fulnes setteth as contrary falling and diminishing And when he sayth that theyr fal and diminishing was the riches of the world he meaneth that by that meanes great plenty and a great multitude of the Gentils came vnto the Gospell and vnto He comforteth not only the Iues but also the Gentles the church These thinges serue not onely to comforte the Iewes but also to cōfirme the Gentils for they mought haue suspected that the conuersion of y◠Iewes should be vnto them noysome by an argument taken of contraries after this sort If the execation of them was a way and occasion of theyr saluation then contrariwise their conuersion shal be an occasion of theyr reiection But saith Paul it is not so for that this came to passe againste the order of nature that the fall of the Iewes should cause the calling of the Gentils But that the repentaunce and saluation of the Iewes shoulde aduaunce the fayth and pietye of the Gentils is farre more agréeable and if we shoulde weigh the matter well humane reason can not so well perceaue how the fall of the Iewes could cause the calling of the Gentils and therfore we before sayd that this is wholy to be ascribed vnto the ordinaunce What shall be the fulnes of the Iewes of God The fulnes of the Iewes shall then be when that nation shall publikelye confesse Christ for now only a few remnantes are adioyned vnto the church But at y◠time the number shal be great and they shal haue an ample church gathered of theyr own nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul in this place taketh for wante or diminishing of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to be vanquished and to be ouercome Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a conflict and hath a passiue signification namely when a man in fighting and striuing is ouercome Whē the Iewes withstood Christ and his doctrine and sought to driue him away cleane they were ouercome and were spoyled of al the good giftes wherwith they were before adorned This selfe same woord Paul vsed to the Corrinthians in his first epistle against them which in matters of contention drew theyr bretherne to the iudgement seates of infidels and there when they were ouercome with lust or desire and not able to bridle their affectes they suffred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they were vanquished Origen in this maner expoundeth the fulnes of the Iewes that in this time the churche shal be enlarged amongest many natiōs which church although by getting vnto it new members it be alwaies encreased yet then shall it haue his fulnes that is his vttermoste power and perfection when the people of the Iewes shall cleaue vnto Christ And yet let no man thinke that all shall at the length so come vnto the Gospell that in that people amongst the shéepe shall not be mingled many goates and with the wheate tares and with the wise virgins foolish virgins But the sence is that euen as nowe all of them are in a manner turned away from Christe so at that time the greatest parte of them shal be turned vnto Christe Chrisostome vpon this place hath in my iudgement a very bold interpretation For he sayth that Paul in wordes only fauoreth the Iewes after a sorte to comforte them and ascribeth vnto them those commendations which in very déede are not commendations for that howsoeuer it were that the Iewes were made blinde the Gentils should neuer haue had saluation vnles they had beleued Here doubtles I durst not geue such an interpration and although I confesse that by the vsuall and naturall order sinnes can in no wise bee the causes of any thing that is good especially if we consider them that We must not charge the Scriptures wyth any kind of lyeng God hath no nede of secōd causes
these men Your obedience This he therfore addeth least by reason of this adnioâ—ition he might séeme to haue no good opinion of them And this in déede is the common interpretation But I like very wel that which Origen sayth that here is couertly reproued the ouermuch easenes and redines of the Romaines to beleue For yâ— redynes putteth liers and false Prophets in hope to deceiue them Wherefore he exhorteth them not so easely to suffer them selues to be deceiued Which exposition yet if any man shall thinke not to agrée with this that foloweth I am glad therfore of you we ought to vnderstand that it is better to offend on that behalf For if they should haue true doctrine taught them and sound teachers there shold follow very great fruit Wherfore hâ— exhorteth them and stirreth them vp to prudence namely to heare with iudgement and to try examine those things which are spoken before that they beleue them I would haue you sayth he wise to that which is good and simple concerning euill as if he should say Be ye without guil and fraud and be not crafty and subtil to deceiue and to doe iniuryes Paule requyreth at theyr hands simplicity but yet ioyned with prudence he requireth also prudeÌ„ce but yet a simple prudence So Christ sayde Be ye prudent as serpentes and simple as doues Wherfore let no man boast of the ignorance of the scriptures or of the want of knowledge in doctrine or of vnskilfulnes in doing of thinges as thoughe this should be counted vnto him a praise For God will haue vs vnskilful to committe things vniust but prudent wary circumspect industrious to finde out to iudge and to performe those things which are good And the God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder your fete shortly Out of this notable promise the Romanes in times past mought and we at this day may receiue We are made sure of the victory most swéete consolation and confirme our selues valiantly to fighte séeing that we are assured of the victory He promiseth that the troubles dissentions and offences wherewith the Church of Rome was troubled should be diminished and broken and therewithall also sheweth that all our temptatioÌ„s are to be ouercome by the strength and helpe of God There is no small emphasis in this word Conterere that is to treade vnder For it is vsed in those things which are so broken that they can by no meanes be restored againe But this perfect full and absolute victory we haue not in this life For here the deuil still renueth warre against the seruaunts of God Therefore some thought that this saying of Paul is to be referred to the comming of Christ which for that Paul beleued to be euen at the dores therfore he addeth shortly But Ambrose thinketh that this is to be vnderstanded of Paules comming to Rome For by it they should so be confirmed that all impediments of saluation should vtterly be expelled But I thinke neyther of those expositions to be of necessity For we may simply vnderstand that Sathan shall be ouercome and so ouercome that he shal no more be able to do any thing to hinder our saluation And Paule by this kinde of speche séemeth elegaÌ„tly to allâ—de to that which is written in Genesis that the serpent in déede should bruse the héele but his head should be broken in pieces by the séede of the woman Which thing for as much as Christ hath performed he hath also geuen power to his members to be able to doe the same In Luke the 10. chapiter the disciples sayd vnto Christ Euen Lord the deuils also are through thy name subiecte vnto vs. Vnto whome Christe answered I saw Sathan like lightning fal downe from heauen Behold I geue vnto you power to treade vpon Serpents and Scorpious and ouer all the power of the enemy And yet is not this victory to be taken in this sense as though henceforth we shal no more be assaulted with temptations for oftentimes temptations are profitable for vs. And Temptations are profitable for vâ— lest we shald geue ouâ— selues to idleâ—es euen when we are in to much security and haue all things quiet and in tranquillity God himself stirreth vp vnto vs an aduersary that our strength being at conflict with him should not waxe heauy in slouthfulnes but should with a godly exercise be stirred vp The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you Vnder the name of grace he comprehendeth both the fauor of God towards his and also the effectes thereof that is sundry giftes and faculty and endowmentes All which vnder one word he wisheth vnto the Romanes Towardes the end of the chapiter going before he wished vnto them peace saying The God of peace be with you all Here he wisheth vnto them grace that forasmuch as he had begonne thys epistle with these words Grace vnto you and peace so also he mought wyth the selfe same wordes end it Timotheus my fellow worker and Lucius and Iason and Sosipater my kinsemen salute you I Tertius which wrote thys epistle salute you in the Lord. Gaius myne host and the host of the whole Church saluteth you Erastus the receauer of the City saluteth you and so doth Quartus a brother The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Timotheus my fellovv worker saluteth you Before with great diligence he reckoned vp those whome he would haue at Rome to be saluted in his name now also he reckeneth vp those which send salutacions vnto them And before that we come to the rehersall of theÌ„ this is not to be passed ouer that amongst those which No mencioÌ„ is made of Peter dwelled at Rome and were saluted of Paul no mencion at all is made of Peter who if he had then ben at Rome it is not likely that Paul would haue ouerhipped him For these so diligently whome he sendeth salutacions were much inferior to him Of Timothe I will speake nothing For his name is famous both in the Epistes of Paul and in the Actes of the Apostles And this semeth to be sufficient to the commendacion of him that Paul oftentimes calleth him his sonne and his naturall Lucius peraduenture is Luke sonne And in this place he calleth him fellow worker Lucius This man Origen supposeth to be Luke whose name is drawen of Paul to the forme of the names of the Romanes Iason Of this man is large and manifest mention made in the Actes of the Apostles the 17. chapiter The Iewes that were at Thessalonia were troublesom vnto him and accused him vnto the Magestrate for that he had geueÌ„ lodging and harbrough to Paul and Silas Sosipater This man paraduenture as Origen thinketh is that Sosipater the son of Pirrhus of Berea of whome also Luke maketh mencion in the Actes I tertius which wrote this epistle salute you in the Lord. Tertius sayth Ambrose not in nomber but in name No man is ignoraÌ„t but that the Romanes were called