whiche sinnes were sayd to be purged but baptised them into repentaunce to the forgeuenes of sinnes adioyning therunto doctrine wherein he made mention of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Gost Which thing vndoubtedly the high Priestes and Scribes and Phariseys coulde in no case abyde that he reiecting the ceremonies which were receaued shoulde put in their place a new maner of purging Wherefore they sent a Messenger vnto him to aske of him whither he were the Messias or Elias or the Prophet as it were confessing that vnder the Messias it should come to passe that the ceremonies of the law should be abolished the the same was not lawfull for other mē to doo And if a man demaūd why God gaue ceremonies which should afterwarde be abolished Chrisostome hath thereof a very apt similitude If a man haue a wyfe very prone to lafciuiousnes he shutteth her vp in certayne places in chambers I say and parlers so that shee cannot wander abroade at her pleasure He appointeth vnto her moreouer Eunuches wayting maydes and handmaides most diligentlye to haue an eye vnto her So delte God with the Iewes He tooke them vnto him at the beginnyng as a spouse as it is said in the Prophet I haue wedded thee with mercy and with loue And by this natiō his wil was at cōueniēt tyme to enstruct the whole world Which thing he did by the Apostls when Christ was now departed frō the earth But that people was very weake and feble and aboue measure prone to adulteries of idolatry Wherfore God seperated them from other nations and would haue them to dwell in the land of Chanaan aparte by themselues and to be kept in on euery side with ceremonies and rites as it were by scholemaisters vntill this spouse was so strengthened and confirmed that her fayth was no more had in suspicion Which thing when husbandes perceiue in their wyues they suffer them to go at their pleasure whither they will and to be conuersant with menne neither do they any more set any kepers to watche them So God when he had nowe by Christ geuen vnto the church the holy ghost he remoued away from it the custodye of ceremonies and sent forth his faithfull to preach throughout the whole world The selfe same father proueth in an other place that the ceremonies and rites of the Iewes were not instituted of God of a principall entente and purpose For God woulde haue a people which should worship him in spirite and in truth But the Israelites which had bene conuersant in Egipt and had contaminated themselues with idolatry woulde needes in any wise haue both sacrifices and ceremonies so that if these sacrifices and rites had not bene permitted vnto them they would haue bene redy to turne to idolatry Wherefore God so A similitude delt with them as the maner of a wise phisition is to do who lighting vpon one sicke of a burnyng agew whiche by reason of his wonderfull great heate requireth in any wyse to haue some colde water geuen him and if he haue none geuen him he is redy to hang himselfe or by some other meanes to destroy himselfe in this case the phisition beyng by necessity cōpelled commaundeth to be brought a viole full of water which he himself hath prepared and geueth the sicke man leaue to drinke but yet with suche a charge that he drinke out of nothing els but out of that viall So God graunted vnto the Hebrewes sacrifices and ceremonies but yet so that they should not exercise them otherwise then he himselfe had commaunded them And that this is true he hereby proueth For that God gaue not ceremonies vntill alter they had made the golden caife God prescribed not ceremonies but when he had made open his wrath against the Israelites who hurling in theyr braselets earinges and ringes caused a calfe to be made for them which they worshipped And seyng it is so Paul saith rightly when he sayth that the law is not by faith abolished although those ceremonies be taken away Which sentence Christ also confirmeth when he saith that he came not to take away the law but to fulfill it The sence of which wordes may easely be gathered out of those thinges which we haue before spoken The reasons which afterward follow are brought to confirme this proposition now alledged namely That man is iustified by faith and that without the workes of the law Hetherto when as at the beginning Here is repeated the methode or order which the Apostle hath hether to kept the Apostles had set forth that by the Gospell and the faith of Christ commeth saluation and righteousnes he vsed this reason that whersoeuer the Gospel and faith want there is most great vnrighteousnes and vncleannes of life but on the contrary side where these haue place there is both righteousnes and true holines Therfore by them saith he come saluation and iustification The Minor or second proposition was proued chiefly as touching the first parte For first the Gentles liued most filthely although they knew God by the nature of things Farther the Iewes were not in their conuersation one whit better then the Gentles And this done he declareth wherehence the true righteousnes should be sought for t namely of faith without workes Which thing before he would proue he thought it good to confute an obiection namely that by faith he ouerthroweth not the law but rather by faith confirmeth it This selfe same thing is obiected vnto vs in our dayes that by faith which with the Apostle we affirme to iustifie we ouerthrowe all honest and holy workes Of this thing do they cry out which defend the worke wrought in the sacramentes which boast of workes of supererogation whiche defend purgatory inuocation of saintes and obtrude vowes and sole life What shall we answer to these things Paul sayth y◠he by faith abrogateth not the law but rather confirmed it In which wordes he geueth a reuerence to the ceremonies instituted of God which for their tyme were of necessity obeyed especially for the they were founded vpon the word of God But we can not so say as touching those things which we are accused to haue ouerthrowen Bicause they are abuses and mere superstitions In this disputacion the condition of Paul and ours is diuerse which are vtterly repugnaunt vnto the worde of God Wherfore we confesse that these thinges we ouerthrow by the fayth of Christ and doctrine of the Gospell Now haue we heard the purpose and state of the question which shall be entreated of which we ought continually to haue before our eyes so that vnto it must we referre whatsoeuer is sayd in this whole discourse And this shal be with fruite to heare those thinges which the Apostle writeth The fourth Chapter VVHat shal we say then that Abraham our Father hath found concerning the flesh For if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God
where heard as Chrisostome writeth But it was long first or euer the wise and learned Philosophers coulde spread abroade their doctrines farther then Grece And in such sorte were they at the length spred abrode in some places that yet very few either vnderstoode theÌ„ or gaue credite vnto them The doctrine of Mahumeth may peraduenture seme to haue bene wonderfull quickly published abroad but we must consider that yâ— doctrine which he preached as touching yâ— suÌ„me therof was not new For he denieth not the creator of heauen and of earth he beleueth that yâ— soules are immortall he coÌ„mendeth Christ as a prophet he affirmeth the resurrection of the dead he setteth forth also eternall paines and eternall felicity and a great many other things which are contayned in the old and new testament Wherefore it may iustly be called an heresy and indede they are remnantes of the Arrians For he commendeth Christ but yet as a creature Wherefore he builded vpon an other mans foundation But Christ the Apostles wheÌ„ they began to preach the Gospell found all thinges vtterly disagreing from that which they taught Therfore it was a wonderfull miracle that in so small a tyme the heauenly doctrine could be published abrode and that it partly long remayned almost in all places for in all cities and prouinces there came vnto Christ some families which beleued Seing therefore that the Gospell was so farre and wide spread abrod how could the Iewes cauel that they had not heard of it But I say did not Israell know First Moses sayth I wil prouoke you to enuy by a nation that is not a nation and by folish nation wil I stirre you vp to anger And Esay is bold saith I was found of them that sought me not and haue bene made manifeste to them that asked not after me And vnto Israell he sayth All the day long haue I stretched forth mine handes vnto a disobedient and gainsaing people But I say did not Israell know First Moses sayth I vvill prouoke you to enuy by a nation that is not a nation by a foolish nation vvil I stirre you vp to anger Still he proueth that the Israelites were not ignoraunt of the Gospell but â—ad manifestly heard of it not only for that they were the first that had messengers of peace whose comming also was beawtifull and pleasant but also for that in as much as the Gospell was published abrode thoroughout the whole world euen vnto the endes of the earth it could not be hidden from them Now he addeth that they had to theyr greate griefe and vexation felt the Gospell Which thing Moses in the 32. chapiter of Deut. foretold should come to passe and that iustly For yâ— Iewes prouoked God to anger by Gods which in very dede were not Gods anâ— reiected him for theyr idolles sake So sayth the Lord I will cast you away and will take to be my nation and my people the Ethnickes whiche were not my nation and which were a folish people and them will I adorne with my benefites Thys Poena talionis was paena talionis that is like punishmeÌ„t The Sinagoge sought an other God God maried an other wife God was prouoked to zeale for yâ— his due worshipping was geueÌ„ vnto idoles these meÌ„ also were prouoked to zele for yâ— they saw theyr pruiledges and ornamentes transferred vnto the Gentiles The scripture by the figure Anthropopathia bringeth in God after a sort traueling with a zele And what zeale is we described at the beginning of this present chapiter namely to be a griefe which louers take when eyther they obteyne not the thinge which they loue or for that others are admitted to be pertakers in the possessioÌ„ thereof Thys interpretation as touching the summe Chrisostome followeth But in that Paul sayth First Moses sayth By this word first he vnderstandeth the first in order As though he should say the first witnes I alledge Moses for afterward Wherin God prouoked the Iewes he citeth Esay God prouoked the Iewes to anger enuy and zeale for that he began to fauor the Gentiles and to traÌ„sferre vnto them the knowledge of the scriptures the holy ghost miracles gracious giftes and the participation of all spirituall giftes this thing the Iewes sawe were therewithall much displeased Let vs here in the meane time note two thinges First that Moses What maner ones wâ— be before God adopteth vs. calleth the Ethnikes not nations and folish for in very dede this is the nature of men before they are receaued of God Wherefore of the â–ª Iewes also Ezechiell excellently wel writeth describing what maner ones they were before yâ— God adopted theÌ„ into his people The prophet counteth yâ— nation to a most filthie mayden abiect and forsaken of all men which lay ouerwhelmed in durt and in her bloud so that all mâ—n in a maner despised her and trode her vnder foote I passed by sayth the Lord â—nd â—ad compassion of thee The secoÌ„d thing which is to be noted is that the chiefest and excellentest gift which God beginneth to bestow vpon any nation which he fauoreth is sound doctrine and piety For thereby are men Sound doctrine is the fountain of the giftes of God The doctrine of pure religioÌ„ maketh the barbarous milde made gentle and of men barbarous are made meke mild and modest and all good thinges in a maner follow them For it is written First seke the kingdome of God and all these thinges shall be cast vnto you For Christ commeth not naked but adorned with all good thinges And it is not to be doubted but that if any common wealth abide in sound religion and continew in the confession of Christ it shall obteyne many and excellent good thinges Not that it shall awayes be prosperous in the good fortunes of this world and in ciuill felicicity for it oftentimes commeth to passe that men haue nede of fatherly chastisement and exercise of discipline but it shall not be destitute of good lawes holy maners and religious conuersation Neyther did the Iewes in Pauls time enuy the Church of Christ bicause of theyr ciuil good fortunes for at yâ— time the chistiaÌ„s had neither What thinges prouoked yâ— Iues to enuy magestrates nor kinges which publiquely professed Christ but theyr spirituall giftes stirred vp enuy in all which giftes the Gentiles most plentifully abounded when as contrariwise the Iewes euen as touching ciuill ornamentes were deiected for the Romanes bare dominion ouer them and as touching giftes of the spirit they were vtterly destitute for they waÌ„ted miracles and prophesieng and afterward vnder Titus and Vespasian were like most vile bondsclaues dispersed thoroughout the whole world This griefe zeale and enuy they began to haue experience of so sone as the Gospell of Christ was preached wherefore they could not say that they were ignorant and so much the more was theyr griefe how much they thought the Gentiles vnworthy such a benefite of God for they
be ignoraÌ„t of that the subtle Iewes to auoyd these testimonies commonly say that the Hebrewes are in the holy scriptures oftentimes called Gentiles And they cite that place out of the 1. chapiter of Esay Wo to that sinfull nation a people of iniquity in which place in the Hebreu is red Hoi goichata But this maketh nothing to their purpose For in Deut it is red ye Gentiles stirre vp his people to reioysing In which woordes we manifestly se that the Gentiles are distinguished from the people of God which are sayd should be adopted of him For they shall not only celebrate songes of thankes geuing for the victory obteyned by Christ but also shal prouoke the Hebrewes to doo the same which thing we se is at this day most perfectly accomplished For at this day the Christians cease not to call backe to saluation the obstinate and stiffe necked Iewes Neither can they deny but that that which followeth pertayneth to all nations vniuersally Prayse God all ye Gentiles and prayse him all people This is taken out of the 116. Psame For here the holy ghost vnder these wordes of vniuersality comprehendeth not only the Iewes but also the Gentiles There shal be a roote of Iesse and he shall rise to raigne ouer the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust This is written in the 11. chapiter of Esay and amongest other testimonies concerning the Messias this without doubt is most notable Vndoubtedly the stocke of Dauid both in the captiuities and especially when the Iewes were oppressed of the Romanes semed so barreÌ„ and in a maner dead that there could of it be hoped for no more fruite And therefore the Prophet comforteth this dispayre with this prophesie Out of this stocke sayth he shall bud forth a twigge which shall be a signe to all the Gentiles whereunto they may by heapes flye and in whome they may put all theyr hope Paul here semeth somewhat to decline from the Hebrew veritie For that which he hath turned shall rise following the Seuenty which haue in theyr translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Hebrew He standeth But Paul semeth to haue added an explication This rod shall stand when yet the plant semed before to haue bene vtterly destroyed and the stocke was iudged of al men barren and vnfruitefull Wherefore Paul rightly sayd he shall arise namely afterward to stand more firmly And that which the Hebrews say Leâ—ias that is for a signe Paul hath with the 70. turned to raigne ouer the Gentiles For that signe shal be to this end erected to be as a septer wherwith the nations of the world should be gouerned Finally Paul with the 70. sayth In him shall the GeÌ„tiles hope When as in the Hebrew it is Alau Goum iedarâ—cho that is the Gentiles shall seke after it But this difference is not great for no man will seke after yâ— thing which he is in dispayre to find Howbeit as touching this place hereby we vnderstand that the Gentiles should come vnto Christe For here is foretold that he should Hope springeth out oâ— faith as out of his fountaine raigne ouer them namely by hys spirite and woorde And the nations shall hope in him Which is not possible to be doone wythout fayth for out of it as out of a fountayne springeth hope The God of hope fill you with al ioy and peace in beleuing that ye may abound in hope thorough the power of the holy ghost And I my selfe also am perswaded of you bretherne that ye are also full of goodnes and filled with all knowledge and are able to admonish one an other Neuertheles brethern I haue somewhat boldly after a sorte written vnto you as one that admonisheth you thorough the grace that is geuen me of God That I should be the minister of Iesus Christ amongst the Gentiles coÌ„scecrating the Gospell of God that the offring vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the holy ghost The God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleuing that ye may abound in hope thorough the power of the holy ghost When Paul had set forth his reason wherby he exhorted both the Iewes the Gentiles to cease of froÌ„ theyr inward dissensions for yâ— God through Christ had no les receiued yâ— one theÌ„ he had the other neither had regard other to theyr kinred or merites as he which had vtterly made theÌ„ equall as touching one and the selfe same fauor and the selfe same benefites afterward he turneth him to prayers and desireth God that by the power of the holy ghost he would adorne them with most excellent giftes and celestiall Vnto exhortacions are for iust consideration added prayers vertues Neither thinke I that any man is ignorant of how great â—fficacy and how liuely an exhortacion is when praiers are adioyned vnto it For those things which we exhorte men vnto are by no small argument confirmed and proued to be iust and honest when we are not in doubt to aske them of the most high most louing God By this meanes also we declare how much we esteme and how earnestly we desire that which we pray for when as we are not aferd for it to weary eueÌ„ God himselfe with our prayers we thereby also admonish those with whome we haue to doo from whence are to be hoped for streÌ„gths to performe those things which we exhorte vnto not of the flesh nor of the power of man nor of the world but of the helpe and ayde of God only For forasmuch as we are now wounded and in a maner thrust through by original sinne there is now left no whole part by which we can eyther go aboute or thinke any thing that is sound And hereof came this healthfull custome receaued in the Church that with the recitall of the holy scriptures in which men are taught the commaundements of God should be An argument against the PelagiaÌ„s ioyned supplications and prayers By which act we are taught although with silence yet not obscurely that it lieth not in our power but in the mercy of God to execute his commaundements and will And therefore Augustine many times vsed this kind of argument agaynst the Pelagians For they falsly affirmed that mans will was frée as touching those thinges which are acceptable to God and profitable to saluation For this holy Father thought it a thing vayne and superfluous that we should with dayly prayers after a sort begge of God that thing which of our selues we are able to performe And he sayth the God of hope for that as sayth Origen he had made mencion of hope in that sentence of Esay which was the last testimony which he had alledged But I thinke that forasmuch as it is a matter of an incredible hardnes to stay vp and to establish the hart with a firme and assured confidence that we may Why God to called the god of hope without all maner of doubting be persuaded in our selues that we
sepulchre 55. a The poison of Aspes is vnder theyr lippes 55. b The folish mā hath said in his heart there is no God 22. a The Lorde hathe heard the desire of the poore 381. a Loke vpon my labor and my vtility and forgeue me al my sinnes 382. a Blessed are they whose synnes are couered 75. a And in his heart there is no guile 75. b Blessed are the immaculat which walk in the law of the Lord. 75. Hoping in his mercy 102. a. b Beholde I was conceiued in iniquitie 130. b The heauens declare the glory of God 327. b Let their table be turned into a snare 342. b Returne O my soule again into thy rest 386. a Deliuer me in thy righteousnes 385 The mercy of the Lord is from generation to generation on them that feare him 397. b I as a grene Oliue tree in the house of the Lorde haue put my trust in my God 353. b Prouerbes I Do loue them that loue me 297 I also wil laugh in your destruction It pertaineth to a man to prepare the heart but thanswer of y◠tonge is of the Lord. 381 Wisedome GOd reioyseth not in the destruction of the wicked 307. Ecclesiasticus THe fornace tryeth the vessels of the potter and so doth temptation the iust men 273. All mercye shall make place to euery one according to the merite of his worke 159. b God hath mercy vpon al men and winketh at the sinnes of al men because of repentance 307 Esay ANd if he geue his soul for sin he shal se his sede a far of 118 Why hast thou made vs to erre 27 Iudg thou house of Israel betwene me and my vineyard 47 And euery day my name is euil spoken of 46. b Thou arte oure father but we are clay 276. a Make grose the heart of this peple that they vnderstād not 270 Beholde I say in Syon a stone of triall 284. b All the day long I stretched abroade my hāds to a people that beleued not 307. a He hath borne our infirmities 323. a Behold I go to a nation which called not vpō my name 330 Howe long Lord euen to destruction 338. a In hearing heare ye and vnderstand not 338. a My seruaunt shall iustifye many and shall beare their iniquities 392. b Vnto wdome shall I loke but vnto the pore contrite c. 399. a Heauen is my seat and earth is my footestole 399. a Jeremy BE ye conuerted vnto me sayth the Lord and I wil be conuerted 388. a 381. b If I shall speake of a nation or kingdome c. 273. b They haue forsaken me the foūtain of the water of life 23. a The way of man is not in his owne power 177. a Thoughe a mother can forget hir childe yet will I not forget thee 307. a Not according to the couenaūt which I made with your fathers 362. b If a nation shall repent him of his wickednes I wil repent me of that which I spake against him 309. b Ezechiell THe sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the father 131 As truely as I liue sayth the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue 300. a Walke in my wayes and make you a new heart 381. b If the wicked men shall repent him of al his sinnes c. 402. a If a prophet be seduced I haue seduced him 27. a Noe Daniel and Iob shal deliuer their owne soules only 42. a Daniell REdeme thy sinnes with almes 382. a Osea TAke a wife to thee of fornication c. 290. b Ye are not my people that ther shal be called the children of the liuing God 290. b Thou shalt call me my man and not my husband 334. b Joel EVery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued 68. a. 321. b Amos OVer .iii. euils and ouer .iiii. I wil not conuert him 133 a Nahum VVHat doe ye think against the Lord he wil make an ende neither shall tribulation arise the secōd time 37. a. 118. 131 Abacucke THe iust manne shall liue by faith 17. b Zacharie BE ye conuerted vnto me I wil be cōuerted to you Malachie IAcob haue I loued but Esau haue I huted Mathew IVdge not and ye shall not be iudged 36. b When ye haue done all theese things say we are vnprofitable seruaunts 39. a An euil tree can not bring forth good fruit 185. a He which seketh finedeth and vnto him whych knocketh shall be opened 284. b Aske and ye shall receiue seeke and ye shall finde 383. b Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much 383. b Lord haue we not in thy name prophesied c. 394. a Saue me otherwise I pearish 11. b I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob 68. a Vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias 96. a Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee 126. Come ye blessed of my father receiue the kingdome 192. b Heauen and earth shal passe away but my words shal not passe away 218. a What so euer ye wold mē shold do vnto you do ye the same to them 240. a No man knoweth the father but the sonne and he to whō he wil reuele him 303. b He hath borne our infirmities 323. a Vnto him that hath it shall be geuen but he which hath not euen that which he hath shal be taken away 339. b Why speakest thou in parables to them ibidem Forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs. 382. a How often would I haue gathered thy children as the hen hir chickens 306. b What so euer ye shal aske beleuing it shal be geuen you 383 Come vnto me all ye that laboure 398. b Marke HE which beleueth and is baptised shal be saued 68. a Goe ye and preache the gospel 383. b Luke THat you may eat and drinke vpon my table c. 88. b For he hath loked vpō the humility of his handmaidē 298 Geue almes all things shall be cleane vnto you 383. b Lead vs not into temptatiō 27 When you haue done all these things say we are vnprofitable seruaunts 39. a Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much 339. b Goe out into the hie ways and stretes and compell them to enter 361. a Blessed is that seruaunt which when his Lord cometh shall finde him thus doing 348. b Ihon. NOwe I will not call you seruaunts but frends 1 The true worshyppers shall worship in spirit truth 8. a He which amōgst you is without sinne let him cast the first stone at hir 36. a Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents 133. a He which is borne of God sinneth not 149. a If any man loue me he wyll kepe my commaundements 397. a If ye had God to your father doubtles you shold loue me 397. a True worshippers worship in spirite and truth 8. a He which beleueth
my kinsmen according to the flesh Affinity of the flesh is oftentimes an occasion that maketh vs to loue our neighbour and that of charity Paul Affinitie of the flesh is an honest occasioÌ„ to make vs to loue our neighbor saith to Tim. He which hath not a care of his own and especially of his housholde hath denied the fayth and is worse then an infidel for the vnder the pretence of religion he leadeth a worse life theÌ„ infidels who being led only by the instinct of nature are louing towards their kinsfolks prouide thinges necessary for theÌ„ Wherfore we ought to thinke yâ— the coÌ„iunctioÌ„ of the flesh of kinred is geuen vnto vs of God as a pricke to charity not yâ— we ought to haue a regard to such thinges as be our owne but as adioyned vnto vs of God For otherwise there is none which doth chose vnto himselfe parentes brethren or countrey Wherfore we ought to haue a care of those which are geuen to vs of God and not to bestow our endeuor as we list our selues without choyse not that we ought not to loue and to do good to all meÌ„ whatsoeuer they be Now onely he entreateth of degrées and sheweth an ordinary and an accustomed way wherehence we must begin vnles peraduenture some occasion more necessary draw vs an other way How then doth the Apostle say in the latter to the Cor. that he knew none as touching the flesh yea neither Christ him selfe There to know is to put confidence for he saith that he did no more put coÌ„fidence in any outward thing but in Christ onely For the false Apostles continually boasted of their Iewishe religion of the stocke of Christ according to the flesh of the law of ceremonies and other such like as though of these thinges should depend the saluation of men These thinges in déede are benefites of God and those not to be contemned but yet without Christ no man ought to put confidence in them This meaneth Paul in that place by these wordes to know accordyng to the The flesh of Christ without faith profiteth not flesh yea eueÌ„ the flesh of Christ without a true and sound faith nothing profiteth For so Christ himselfe saith in Iohn The fleshe profiteth not any thyng it is the spirite which quickeneth Wherfore we haue not now knowen Christ by the iudgement of the flesh neither do we consider him according to the base conditions which he had whilest he was here on earth Paul before when he was of the Iewish religion attributed much vnto these thinges namely that he was a Iewe of the tribe of Beniamin a Pharisey and that of his people should Christ be borne Yea he then in these thinges did put the whole ground and stay of his saluation But beyng afterward conuerted vnto Christ he placed al his confidence in faith in him Wherfore he sayth that he now knewe nothing according to the flesh namely in that manner that he had before knowen Which are Israelites From a priuate condition wherby they according to the flesh were knit vnto him he ascendeth to a publike condition namely yâ— they were Israelites that is the people of God Teuolah the chosen people of God dere Places made noble by the Gods vnto whome they were consecrated vnto them the flocke the shéepe the lot and the inheritaunce of the Lord. Many nations and cities had a wonderful great delight in themselues for that they were consecrated vnto certaine Gods Athenes was commended of Minerua Dolos the â—land of Apollo and Diana Cicero against Verres praiseth al Sicilia but especially the mountaine Etna for that it was consecrated vnto Ceres as though it were wholy nothing els but an house and temple of Ceres How much more honorable The Israelites were coÌ„secrated vnto God was it to yâ— Israelits for yâ— their whole natioÌ„ was consecrated vnto yâ— true God the creator of heauen and of earth Hereby ought we to learne that the giftes of God can not be so contaminated of men but that they are perpetuallye to be commended And that we should not here erre Paul maketh an excellent distinction We must make a distinction betwene the giftes of God and betwene the mâ— that are adorned with theÌ„ betwene the giftes of God and betwene the men that are adorned with theÌ„ The giftes of God are alwaies to be highly commended but the men as they behaue themselues are either to be dispraysed or to be commended Before in the 3. chap. Paule spake of the selfe same matter when he said What is then the preferment of the Iewe. He answereth hauing a respect vnto the giftes of God Much euery maner of way First because vnto them are committed the wordes of God For what if some of them haue not beleued Hath their incredulity made voyd the faith of God God forbid Howbeit afterward when he entreateth of saluation where he hath a respect vnto the common vices of nature vnto infidelity and other sinnes he speaketh otherwise Wherin then do we excell them No maner of way And to declare how much he estemed those giftes be they neuer so excellent if we want faith and be agaynst Christ in his epistle to the Phil. when he had reckened vp all the things which he had when he was of the Iewish religion he saith That he counted all these things as losses and donge For that being seioyned from faith they do nothing but puffe vs vp and more and more lead vs from Christ Israelites This is a name deriued of their father Iacobâ— it is a much more To be called Israelites is more excellenter then to beÌ„ called Iacobites excellenter name theÌ„ if they had ben called Iacobites for they receaued that name not of yâ— name which was geueÌ„ vnto yâ— Patriarch at his birth but whiche he got by a victory by such a victory wherin he ouercame God himself Ther is set forth vn to vs no smal nobility of that man of whom they tooke their name when as he is Why Iacob was called Israell said in wrastling to haue ouercome eueÌ„ God himselfe For therfore was he by God called Israell as it were a prince with God and who had preuailed against God And together with the name he receiued a signe or a token or marke in his body For after that time he began to halt The godly ouercome God when they ouercome the temptations sent of him Abraham was tempted of God to stay his own How the godly 〈◊〉 to ouercome God sonne that temptation he ouercame and was made therby most famous They also ouercome God when they ouercome all aduersities which vndoubtedly happen not vnto them without the prouidence and gouernement of God So reade we in the holy scriptures that Iob and many other holy men did And they so ouercome that vnto them all thinges worke to good Finally they ouercome when wyth a liuely and perfect faith they embrace the
some are of thinges temporall and some of Messias and of eternall saluation Here let The Idols foreâ—olde thinges to come but promised not that they would do any thing Two kindes of promises The promise touching Christ was comprehended in the other promises It is no small matter to be borne of holy fathers vs note that the promise made touching Christe was comprehended in all the other promises in those teÌ„poral good things this one good thing was alwayes promised There is yet also an other distinctioÌ„ of promises for some are pertayning to the lawe and some are pertayning to the Gospell Touching which forasmuch as we haue before aboundantly spoken now to repete the same agayne it is not nedefull Of whome are the fathers This prerogatiue is of no small waight for it is a great matter to be borne of godly and holy parentes For God promiseth in the lawe that he would do good vnto godly and iust men euen vnto a thousand generations But this is not to be attributed to the dignity of the carnall séede or naturall generation For by it men are borne the children of wrath and obnoxious vnto originall sinne But whatsoeuer good thing happeneth vnto thâ— children of the saints the same is wholy to be ascribed vnto the mercy of God The sanctification of the children is not â—raduced of the sâ—â—de of the patentâ—s Whatsoeuer good thing happeneth vnto the children of the Saintes it commeth of the mercy of God The grace of God is not bound to the geneâ—ation of the flesh Euell childreÌ„ borne of holy patenâ—s obtainy many good thinges And that we mought vnderstand that these thinges come not of nature we see that it oftentimes happeneth otherwise that the children of vertuous men arâ— wicked and that of good parentes are borne moste wicked children And sometimes also it happeneth that of most wicked and most vngracious meÌ„ are borne notable and excelleÌ„t children For God hath not bound his grace to the elemeÌ„ts of the world howbeit he hath geuen a promise which can not faile For the children of the Saintes are either saued at the length or doubtles by the society of their parents and by their education they obtayne many excellent giftes of God and occasions and prickes to leade a good and holy lyfe euen as they which commonly are borne of other men For Ismaell and Esau although at the last they became ill and wicked yet had they of their godly parents much commodity touching yâ— immitacion of piety They had at home examples of holynes they continually heard the word of God they were initiated with circumcision they were vnder the tuitioÌ„ of their parentes occupied in sacrifices geuing of thankes and infinite such godly exercises Wherefore we can not deny but that God after Christ came offred himselfe vnto them as well as to the Gentles For the Lord himselfe vouchsafed to be the minister of their Church and the Apostles began first to preach the Gospel vnto them For as we reade in the Actes of the Apostles they turned not to the Gentles before they were repulsed of the Iewes Wherefore to be borne of holy parentes and godly predecessors is a gift of God not to be contemned And the same so that faith and piety be adioyned excedingly conduceth to saluation but without them it heapeth vp To be borâ— of godly pareÌ„ts without faith and pietie â—ncreaseth damnation â–ª greeuouser iudgement and greater condemnation so far is it of that it bringeth any holynes or eternall life Of whome is Christ as touching the fleshe When he had mencioned that dignity which came vnto them of the fathers now he addeth that also which came of yâ— posterity The elders begat many children which were most dere vnto God at yâ— last Christ himself vouchsafed to take flesh of yâ— natioÌ„ that this was no smal gifte may hereby be vnderstanded for that this our Sunne which shineth in the world neuer coÌ„meth to any place but it maketh the same place lightsome warmeth A similitude it bringeth some fruite vnto men How much more shall we thinke was this brought to passe amongst the Iewes by the comming of Christ For he in the Scriptures is set forth to be the sonne of righteousnes Farther euen as Christ by his natiuity in the flesh adorned with most high honour humane nature so must it nedes be yâ— vnto the natioÌ„ of the Iewes of whome he vouchsafed to be borne redounded by that meanes most high glory and most ample dignity All these things which Paul hitherto hath reckoned are of so great waight that no Oratour coulde No nation can more aboundauntly be praysed then the Iewes are now praysed Wherein consisteth nobilitie more truly or more briefly haue praysed any nation For he hath omitted nothyng which might seeme to nobility or ciuill felicity but hath wonderfully and in an excellent order placed euery thing Aristotle in his 2. boke of Rhetorikes writeth of nobilitie that it herein consisteth that a man haue excellent and notable elders For although oftentimes are found men euen in our tymes also whiche atchieue notable enterprises of no lesse excellency then are these which are mencioned of the elders yet are these auncient actes of greater admiration by reason of their antiquitie For there is a difference betwene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For those are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are borne of noble parents but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are those which retaine still the vertue of their elders and degenerate not froÌ„ theÌ„ We sée that in the families A similitude of noble men happeneth in a maner the selfe same thing that happeneth in corne which is accustomed to bring forth fruite some yeares more plentifully some yeares more barrenly And sometymes it chaunceth that after a few barren yeares follow other very fertile yeares so the families of noble men sometymes bring forth many excellent men as it were a plentifull haruest sometimes as it were an vnfruitfull soile they lie barren and idle and againe afterward they after a sort reuiue to the vertue of their elders And how this degenerating coÌ„meth the same Aristotle after this maner declareth It coÌ„meth to passe oftentimes saith he that the children or posterity of wise and witty men become fierce and cruell as it is written of the posteritie of Alcibiades contrariwise of meke louing and gentle parentes are borne children cowardish sluggish and blockish which thing happened in the families of Cymon and Socrates These selfe thinges may we behold in the children of Israell They had Patriarkes as groundes of their stocke being men indued with great vertues and notable excellency Of their posteritie sprang forth oftentimes excellent men which posteritie although sometymes it semed to lye stil without any notable issue yet God now theÌ„ alwaies raised vp in theÌ„ some either iudges or kings or Prophets or priests which excelled in life wisdome and
geueth occasions wherby are stirred vp the mindes of the wicked He sendeth also inwardly vehement thoughts which although of a good minde they may be drawen to good yet of a corrupte minde they are corrupted and drawen to euill neyther is it hidden from God who sendeth those thoughts either by him selfe or by the Angells or by the deuill that it shall so come to passe God mought paraduenture rayse vp a vehement cogitation in A note touching the raysing vp of Pharao Pharao touching the defending of his kingdome which cogitation if his minde had bene good mought haue bene turned to good but bycause his mynde was euil neither was it changed of God therfore that cogitation stirred him vp vniustly to rage agaynst the Hebrewes Wherfore he being afeard lest they should to much encrease and in strengths and nomber passe the Egiptians first commaunded the infantes of the Hebrewes cruelly to be slayne after that beinge aferd lest his dominion which he vsurped ouer the Hebrewes should be taken away froÌ„ him and lest they should be by Moses set at liberty he apertly resisted the word of God And the more and more the commaundementes of God were set before him the more was bent that cogitation for the keping still of hys dominioÌ„ and so he was after a sort by Antiperistasin that is by contrary circumstances hardned So is it vnderstaÌ„ded that Pharao was raised vp to persist God That my name might be declared thoroughout the vvhole earth When he sayth the whole earth he comprehendeth together with the Iewes strange nations Of the Iewes it is sayd in the 14 chapiter of Exodus The children of Israell had sene the greate hand which the Lord hath exercised agaynst the Egiptians Moreouer that victory was celebrated of Moses and Maria with a notable song As touching strange nations it is written in the booke of Iosua the second chapiter that Rahab the harlot being an ethnike sayd vnto the espies of the Hebrues We haue harde here of the mightye actes and plagues whiche haue bene done in Egypt of your God and we haue bene wonderfully afrayd Ambrose writeth in thys place that the name of Pharao was not a proper name but rather a surname of all The name of Pharao the kinges of Egipt for at that tyme they were all called Pharaos as afterward they were called Ptolomei when the Macedonians were the chiefe Lordes ouer all as the Romane Emperors were called Cesares or Augusti And in very déede this is certayne that that Pharao which was king of Egipt when Ioseph went downe thether was not this Pharao of whome we now entreate whose hatred and cruelty towardes the Hebrewes is described in Exodus But wherehence that worde was deriued at the beginning thus we may by coniecture gather This Hebrew word Pharaa amongst other thinges signifieth to auenge and especially in the coniugation Hiphil Wherefore I thinke that the wise men of the Egiptians in those auncient tymes ment by that surname to signify what maner a thing the function and power of a king is namely that the Prince is the minister of God who as Paul saith to the Romanes beareth the sword and is an auenger against those which do euill Wherefore the king of Egipt so often as he hard that his name mought call to memory that the auenging of sinnes and of wicked factes pertayned vnto his office and the subiectes being terrefied by that name mought be kepte in dew obedience if yet it may be admitted out of the Hebrew tong to deriue the etimology of an Egiptian word And when the Apostle addeth For the scripture sayth He semeth to admonishe vs that these thinges ought not to be kept secret in Churches For seing that God would haue these Against those which will not haue any thing tought touching predestination thinges so diligently put in writing he would also doubtles haue them tought in Churches which maketh very much against those which thinke that nothing ought to be tought touching predestination Augustine was of this minde that predestination ought to be preached but yet in such sort that the myndes of the hearers should not be alienated from piety And verely if we speake of it so much as is written in the holy scriptures men shall thereby be stirred vp to haue a moderate opinion of themselues and a noble opinion of God and perpetually to geue him thankes for the singular benefite of his election and in others which are reiected and perishe to vnderstand what they had deserued if God would haue delt with them according to his iustice Neither had Paul to any thing els a regard when he vsed this example of Pharao but to teach that God hath the same right ouer all men which he here testifieth that he had ouer Pharao And hereby ought we to gather that although predestination and reprobation do compell no man Predestination and reprobation are certain although they compel none yet can no man decline from the endes which God hath appoynted For touching Pharao it is manifest that he could not be plucked away from his stiffe and hardened opinion neither by plages nor by wonders We may hereby also sée that it is not of him that willeth For so long as men are hardened and do abhorre from piety vnles they be changed by God doubtles they of themselues and by their owne strengthes are neuer able to rise agayne The Hebrew word which is here put is Aamad heiech commeth of the verbe Amad and signifieth to stand but in the coniugation Hiphil it signifieth to make to stand or to erect or to appoynt although many intepretate it to saue as though whereas others fell and died Pharao was preserued and abode And this interpretacion the Chaldey paraphrast foloweth and likewise the seuenty interpreters For thus they haue translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that which we follow serueth better to the purpose of Paul namely that God to this purpose made Pharao to stand against hymselfe But which way so euer it be taken it must be referred vnto the predestination God doth all thing by his appointed counsel and doth nothing rashly and purpose of God For God doth nothing rashly or by chance but doth all thinges by his certayne and appointed counsell And euen as it is written that he hathe predestinated some certaine singular men before they were borne for so Esay saith in his 49. chapiter The Lord hath called me from the wombe and from the bealy of my mother hath he bene myndfull of my name And the lord in Iere. the first chapiter saith Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee and before thou camest out of her bealy I sanctified thee And Paul to the Galath which hath put me As God hath froÌ„ the bâ—ginnyng predestinated some so also hath he reiected some a part from my mothers wombe So also must we thinke of the wicked namely that God appointeth them also vnto their end
desired easely hereof gather if we loke vpon the contrary Doubtles it is a miserable and horrible thing to sée in one and the selfe same body the members at discorde one with an other yea rather fighting one against an other And when he saith brethern and saith that he setteth forth a mistery he moueth them to geue diligent attentiuenes Mistery Chrisostome sayth in this place signifieth a thing vnknowen vnspeakeable which is full of admiration and is contrary to the opinion of men Augustine in his booke de predestinatione sanctorum when he interpreteth this place turneth mistery by this word Sacrament And touching the signification of this word mistery I finde that it is diuers in the scripture Sometymes What mystery signifieth ▪ how many significations it hath it is a secret thing and which happeneth contrary to hope and to the iudgement of our reason as Paul saith in the first to the Corrinthyans Behold I tell vnto you a mistery we shal not all slepe but we shal all be changed And vnto the Colos vnto y◠Ephe. he calleth the vocation of the Gentiles a mistery Sometimes mistery signifieth that which is indéede partly knowen vnto vs but yet not perfectly but the perfect knowledge thereof is reserued till we come to our contrey where we shall be in full possession thereof and this is it which Paul sayd I speake wisdome in a mistery Of this kind are the articles of the faith which we beleue but not fully vnderstand Now we partly know but then we shall know as we are knowen Lastly that is called a mistery which setteth forth one thing vnto our sēce and ministreth vnto our minde and spirite an other thing as Paul sayth of the coopling together of the man and the wife in matrimony for it signifieth vnto vs the coniunction of Christ with the Church Neither for any other consideration are our sacraments How our sacraments are called misteries Baptisme I say and y◠Eucharist called misteries in which bread wine and water are shewed vnto the senses but farre other thinges are signified But why they ar called Sacraments it is more hard to gather Howbeit this must we know y◠amongst y◠Lattins this word Sacramētum that is a sacramēt is takē for an oth so that we reade oftentimes euen in good writers those wordes Sacramenta Sacramentum militare militaria that which signify othes pertaining to warre for they which were admitted into warre fare sware that they would manfully do whatsoeuer theyr Generall captayne commaunded them to doo for the pub welth of Rome So long as they were bound with this sacramēt or othe they could not depart from warfare and it was neuer lawfull for them to fight agaynst theyr enemies vnles they were bound by Sacramentum militare that is by the othe of warre Wherefore forasmuch as in these misteries and sacramentes and manifest simboles we are adioyned vnto the host of Christe and vnto the Church whereinto we were before thorough the spirit and fayth hiddenly grafted therfore were they called sacramentes And besides this as Varro telleth in his booke de Lingua Latina when any matter of contencion was both the playntife and A maner vsed of them which had any matter of contenciō also the defendant layd downe with the priestes a certayne summe of money and of other thinges which was layd vp in some holy place and he which had the vpper hand receaued agayne out of the holy place that which he had layd downe so that he was sayd to receaue agayne his sacrament but he which had y◠foyle was punished and the things which he had layd downe were forfeated and put into the common threasory Whereby it is manifest that a sacrament signifieth not only the inuocation of the name of God which is vsed in an othe but also a certayne bond And for that in those ceremonies which the Churche now calleth sacramentes men binde themselues vnto the ecclesiasticall society and do also addict themselues vnto God and God by them sealeth his promises therefore it semeth that they are not without good consideration called sacramentes And this is to be noted that such ceremonies are called misteries when they are taken in that third signification which we haue now mencioned But here mistery pertaineth vnto the first for the Apostle now openeth that whiche was hidden vnto humane reason and should come to passe contrary to the opinion of the Gentiles For when they saw the Iewes such enemies vnto God they thought that they should neuer agayne be receaued Be not high minded In Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which word semeth to be referred vnto prudence and wisedome so that the Latine interpreter turneth it Ne sitis sapientes apud vosmetip sos y◠is be not wise in your owne conceate Which sence Origen also followeth when he sayth that this is the wisedome which properly commeth of God whereby we are impelled not to be puffed vp agaynst our neighboures Wisdome of two sortes And he maketh mencion of an other wisedome of the fleshe whiche the Apostle now reproueth But I thinke rather that that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be trāsferred vnto the affect namely that we should not be high minded And this affect commenly hereof springeth for that men thinke y◠they haue by theyr owne strēgths gotten the giftes which they haue and thereby are stirred vp in respect of themselues to disdaine others By these wordes we may easely perceaue what the scope of the Apostle is namely to reconcile vnto the Iewes those whome he admonished Wherof springeth hautines of the minde and to take away the discord which y◠Church was infected thē with Blindnes is partly come vnto Israell Origen in expounding of these wordes somewhat digresseth whose digression I thinke it good here to touch At the beginning sayth he the most highest deuided the earth vnto the children of men according to the nomber of the Angelles so that euery nation was vnder the gouernmēt of some one Angell but the people of Israell he reserued vnto himselfe as peculiar and proper whome he would by himselfe gouern These thinges it semeth he tooke out of the booke of deut the 32. chapiter according to the translation of the 70. interpreters for there they haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is according to the nomber of the angelles of God But in the Hebrew it is not so for in the Hebrew it is written Lemitpar bene Ischraell that is according to the nomber of the children of Israell That the Angelles as ministers gouerne diuerse regions I deny not but that can not Angels are ouer diuers regions by that place be proued but rather it may be proued by Daniell Further we may not thinke that God without the ministery of Angelles gouerned the Israelites for we know that he many times sent angelles vnto the Fathers and vnto God gouerned also the Israelites by aungels God excluded
the will of God but only apply themselues to ambition and to theyr owne lust they greauously sinne agaynst God Howbeit God by them though they be neuer so vniust and wicked executeth his most iust iudgement and therin committeth no offence The powers that be ar ordeyned of God If they be apoynted of God then also are they constant and stable and although by suÌ„dry successions things humane are disturbed yet this power is perpetually preserued as in the world although there oftentimes happen most great and innumerable changes yet the heauen the ayre the earth and the sea alwayes kepe still theyr place neither at any time leue they theyr limites I would to God they which beare dominion would alwayes haue this in theyr mind that that office which they execute is the ordinance of God doubtles they would not theÌ„ in such sort abuse it Now yâ— matter requireth that we should not kepe in silence how Bonifacius in his â—xtrauaganti which beginneth Boniâ—â—cius the eight abused this place Vnam sanctam abused these woordes of the apostle to confirme his pride For he goeth about hereby to proue that those thinges which are of God haue betwene themselues a certayne order so that theyr dignity is by certayne degrées distinctly known that one froÌ„ the other And thereof it foloweth that the powers which are of God are not a like And that power is the higher which is occupied aboute the woorthier matter And forasmuch as yâ— ecclesiasticall power consisteth in things spirituall and the ciuill power in thinges corporall therefore the ecclesiasticall power is the higest and ought not to be subiect vnto the ciuill magestrate And the Pope he sayth hath iurisdiction ouer all princes for that Christ sayd Whatsoeuer thou bindest vpon earth shall also be bound in heauen whatsoeuer thou losest shalt be losed And to declare this also more manifestly he bringeth that which we read was sayd to Ieremy Behold I haue appointed thee ouer kingdomes and nations that thou The ecclesiasticall power consisteth in spirituall thinges shouldest ouerthrow and destroy and also build vp and plante But these argumentes as they are full of pride and arrogancy so also are they most vayne For first Paul here speaketh not of the degres of powers distinct betwen themselues This thing only he sayth that all powers whatsoeuer they be are ordeyned of God And that the ecclesiasticall power consisteth in thinges spirituall I deny not for it is occupied in the ministery of the woord of God And that power we therfore confesse to be the greatest for that the woord of God ought to beare dominion ouer all men But this power serueth to bring vnder all vnderstanding and to ouerthrow the highnes of humane reasoÌ„s Let these proud glorious lords doo this let them preach the woord of God and leue the fond inuentions of men and then if there be any which will not harken vnto them we will not sticke to condemne them whither they be princes or kinges or monarches or emperors Howbeit hereof it followeth not that they as touching corporall life and possessions lands houses and maners Whether the ecclesiasticall function be subiect to the politicall power are not subiect to the politicall or ciuill power Yea also euen as touching the function they ought to be subiect to agodly religious magistrate not that we thinke that the woord or the sacraments ought to be subiect to humane lawes but for that the office of the magestrate is either to punish or to remoue ministers if they behaue themselues ill in theyr function if they depraue the truth or minister the sacraments corruptly Let them bind and lose that is let them by the woord and by preaching shew who are loosed and who are bound And yet let them not therforâ— exempt themselues from the ciuill magestrate For euen as a king though he be of neuer so great authority and dignity ought yet notwithstanding to obey the woord of God pronounced by the ministers of the Church so an ecclesiasticall maÌ„ although he be placed in an excellent and high function yet is he not exempted from the obedience and subiection of the magestrate But that which they bring out of Ieremy is very friuolous and vayne For that prophet neither ouerthrew nor erected kingdomes howbeit hereunto he was called of God to pronounce in How the prophets ouerthrew and erected kingdoms the name of God what kingdoms should be ouerthrowen and what erected Others labour very foolishly to auoyd this place For they say that the Apostle commaundeth nothing ells but that euery man ought to be subiect to the power appointed ouer him For otherwise should folow a great confusion yâ— the Spaniards should of necessity be compelled to serue the king of England and the Englishe men the French men Wherfore the Apostles intent is this only that euery one be obedient to his owne power But the clergy say they haue theyr Bishoppes and Popes whome they obey and haue nothing to doo with the ciuill magestrate One the self same nation ought not to be deuided into two bodies These men sée not or rather dissemble and will not sée how absurde it is to deuide and to cut in sonder any nation into two bodyes as though the clergy of the Spanyardes are not Spanyardes or the clergy of the Frenche men are not Frenche men Doubtles if all the Spanyards be subiect to theyr king the clergy also for as much as they are Spanyardes ought of necessity to be subiect vnto him Further by this goodly sense they abuse the wordes of Paule For he putteth subiecte euery soule vnto such powers which haue the right of the sword and to whome tributes Christ hath not geuen vnto the Pâ—pe nor to Bishops the sword ought to be payd But Popes and Bishops haue not the sword wherfore in this argument there is nothing but mere fraud and deceit But they fay that the ministers of the church as the Pope certaine other bishops may haue and vse the right of the sword And if thou obiecte that Christ gaue not vnto them the sworde yea rather sayd that his kingdome is not of this world and that he had not where to lay his head they will answere that ministers in déede haue not the sword in as muche as they are ministers but haue receiued it from els where and that by a iust title and by iust possession But Christ executed his vocation for he came in humilitie by his passion and death to redeme mankinde but his example is not to be followed in all things Otherwise no Christian ought to beare the office of a Magestrate For Christ bare it not Wherefore they affirme that he left an example only to men tending to perfection suche as are monkes and begging friers which as they say haue renounced the world Neither can they abide that Peter should prescribe vnto his successor when he sayd that he had neither golde nor
ceassed whose shadowes are now at the light of the truthe taken away And there withall also the ciuil commaundements are abrogated wheÌ„ as that publike wealth is now no more of necessity vpon the earth The righteousnes also of those lawes which they call Morall although it can not perfectly be fulfilled of vs yet partly through the holines of Christ which he communicateth vnto vs it is performed and accomplished and partly through the power of the holy Ghost which he distributeth to the beleuers it is with great endeuor according to that which is geuen vnto euery man expressed and that which wanteth is through the grace of Christ not imputed Finally he gaue his life for his which was the last worke of his ministery But whereas Origen noteth that the Apostle ment here to gather an argument against the Ethnikes yâ— they should not despise the Iewes although they abode still in the obseruations of the law when as Christ himself was bothe the minister of the law and obserued all these things diligently this in my iudgement semeth wide from the purpose For here rather we learne that the strength and foundation of the promises made vnto the fathers was that saluation should be attained vnto for mankinde through Christ although otherwise there were extant many other promises of the possession of the land of Canaan and of the kingdome of the worlde Which things forasmuche as Christ performed not as which What is the streÌ„gth summe of all the promises made vnto the fathers pertained not to his ministery we ought to vnderstande that they were rather things annexed then the sinewes and summe and strengthe and iuyce of the promises of God And hereunto not a little serueth that which Paule wryteth in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the. 1. chapter All the promises of God are through him yea and through him Amen And let the Gentiles praise God for his mercy Vnto the Gentiles he attributeth Mercy and truth are ioyned together mercy and to the Iewes truthe not that these two can be seperated the one from the other for there is no worke of God which hath either mercye without truth or truth without mercy but Paul ment to distinguish these things euen as they were in more force and as they were more declared in the saluation either of the Iewes or of the Gentiles Christ as touching that coÌ„uersation which he had The promâ—sâ—s of God leane onely to mercy In the graftyng in of the Gentles truth had place vpon the earth was geuen to the Iewes that the truthe of the promises shold not be made frustrate But if thou wilt descend to the very roote and foundation euen those promises leane only to the mercy of God For what thing els but euen his mere goodnes and mercy could haue moued him to promise vnto the fathers that Christ should come of theyr stocke And although the Gentiles are sayd to be grafted in by mercy yet here also truth hath place For God knew euen from eternally that the Gentiles shold be called to saluation Wherfore it was true for things false can not be knowne And therefore it was necessary that that truth should attaine to his effecte Moreouer the scriptures kept not in silence that the Gentiles should at the length be called as those Prophesies testifye which are a little afterward alleaged But the Prophesies of the holy scriptures ought without all manner of doubt to be true Wherefore the grafting in of the Gentiles pertayneth to truthe But this ought not to be ouerhipped that Paul when he entreated of the Iewes spake not only of the truth but also straight way after it made mention Whether the calling in of the Gentiles was peculiarly promised to any man of the promisses as if he should haue sayd that Christ was geuen vnto the Iewes a minister of saluation to confirme the truthe of the promises But the calling of the Gentiles was in déede foretold but as it shold séeme it was promised to none vnles peraduenture any man will contende that vnto Abraham were promised the Gentiles when it was sayd vnto him In thy sede shall all nations be blessed but as we haue already sayd this may séeme to be spoken rather in the way of foretelling then in the way of promise And if a man think this reason somwhat weak he may follow that which we before sayd that the Apostle had a regarde to that which is most frequent in the holy scriptures For in them is euery where promised that the Messias should come of the séede of the Iewes but not in so many places nor so often is mention made in them of the callynge of the Gentiles And to speake briefly these distributions of Paul are not so to be vnderstanded as though one part can by no meanes be ioyned with an other And this may plainely be proued by these two places with the harte we beleue to righteousnesse and with the mouth is confession made to saluation Againe Christ died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification As it is written For this cause will I confesse thee amongst the gentiles and wil sing to thy name This propheste is written in the 18. Psalme wherein is affirmed yâ— the prayses of God should be celebrated amongst the Gentiles which also is shewed by these other testimonies which are here added And this can not be vnderstanded but of the redeÌ„ption purchased vnto vs through Christ The last testimony maketh mencion only of the hope and fayth of the Gentiles that the kingdoÌ„ What to confesse signifieth of Christ should be spred abrode euen amongst them also In the 18. Psalme Dauid speaketh vnder the persoÌ„ of the body of Christ that is of the Church I will confesse thee amongst the Gentitles Here to confesse signifieth nothing ells but with feruâ—t prayers â—o set forth the prayses of God And by those thinges which went a litle be fore in that Psalme is gathered that that should be verified of the victory gotten and of the ouerthrow of the enemies And agayne Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people This is written in the 32. chapiter of Deut Ye Gentiles stirre vp his people to reioysing And the cause of this common ioye is before recited namely for that God had set at liberty his froÌ„ their enemies and from those that hated them Howbeit there are some which thinkâ— rather that this testimony is taken out of the 67. Psalme where we thus rede A câ—uillation of the Hebrues Let the Gentiles be glad and reioyce bicause thou iudgest the people in equity and directest the Gentiles vpon the earth Howbeit from whence so euer this place be taken it maketh no great skill for in ech place the sence is in a maner one and the same I thinke rather that it is taken out of Deutro â–ª for that in the Psalme this particle vvith my people â–ª or my people wanteth Howbeit this we ought not to