moughte haue proued his argument by that which we haue a litle before made mencion of that none of vs is able to kepe the law But he omitteth that at this present And to conclude the more euidently he addeth that the lawe worketh anger As if he shoulde haue sayde So farre is it of that the lawe bringeth the inheritance that it rather maketh vs guilty and subiect vnto the wrath of God And if thou demaund why the law doth in such sort bring vnto vs anger we may answere because we are not able to kepe it For by anger Paule vnderstandeth nothing els but the vengeance of God and that by the figure Metonymia For men when they are angry are accustomed to auenge whiche thinge God also doth although he be not moued with humane affections This selfe same thinge hath Paule to the Galathyans in other words expressed saying Cursed be he that abideth not in all the thinges that are written in the boke of the law And a curse in the holy scriptures signifieth nothing els but calamity affliction and misery I meruayle that Origen vnderstandeth this saying of Paule of the lawe of the members for that vndoubtedly is to farre wide from the purpose For the Iewes gloried not of the concupiscence which was in them by nature which is called of Paul the lawe of the members but they boasted of the lawe of God which was geuen them of God by Moses Wherefore that the Apostle mought with some fruite deale agaynst them it behoued him to write of that lawe whereof they boasted Howbeit by Origenes wordes our aduersaryes may see what he thought of naturall concupisence Vndoubtedly seing he sayth it worketh anger it followeth that he iudged that the first motions which are deriued out of it are of necessity sinnes and transgressions I know there haue bene some which haue taken anger in this place not for the anger of God but for our owne anger For forasmuch as we are by nature prone vnto vices and the lawe when it commeth forbiddeth them we beginne to hate God the author of the lawe and so it worketh in vs anger But the first exposition is bothe plainer and also better agréeth with the sentence followyng For where no law is there is no transgression By these wordes it is manifest that the Apostlement to signifis this that the wrath of GOD is kindled against transgressions But how transgression is brought in by the law the nature How the law and transgression follow one the other of relatiues teacheth which is such that the one of them beyng taken away the other also is taken away On the one side is put the law on the other side is set eyther the obseruation or transgression therof And forasmuch as the obseruation of the law can not be perfect there remayneth onely transgressiō which Paul in this place inferreth But those thinges which are here spoken are to be vnderstande of the law written and whiche was geuen by Moses For otherwise there is none which wanteth a law at the least vndoubtedly the law of nature Wherfore there can none be found without sinne no not an infant of a day olde when as vnto him the image of God is in stede of a law vnto which image for that he answereth not The law of children is the image of God as Augustine declareth in his booke of confessions vndoubtedly he can not be with out sinne As touching the letter the Greke worde worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with aspiration so it is turned in Latine cuius that is of whome But the vulger interpreter séemeth to haue red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfore turned it vbi that is where But as touching the sence there is no difference whether it be this or that Howbeit let vs not thinke that these thinges are to be ascribed vnto the lawe as it is taken by it selfe alone The law of his owne nature worketh not these things A similitude but as it lighteth vppon our mynde being corrupt and vitiate We haue of thys thing an example although grosse in gonne pouder wherwith is mingled either salt nitre or salt peter which is by nature very cold And thereof it commeth that when the fire is receiued in the brimstone against which striueth the coldnes of the salt nitre or of the salt peter it conceiueth so great a violence that the pellet beyng driuen out with an incredible force shaketh and ouerthroweth whatsoeuer is in the way So the heate of our lust when it findeth the law repugnaunt agaynst it is with a greater violēce strēgthned so that it enforceth men to most haynous wycked actes For as the common saying is We endeuour our selues to that whiche is forbidden vs and we haue alwayes a desire to thinges denied vs. Howbeit to the godly and to the elect this force of the law is not vnprofitable For it leadeth them euen as a scholemaister vnto Christ And for that cause Christ is iustly and worthely called the ende of the law not for that the law is by him abrogated but bicause it directeth men vnto him Finally Christ hath performed and accomplished y◠law Christ the end of the law not onely in himselfe but also in them that beleue in hym for he hath geuen them strengthes to obey it Neyther is it any maruell that the law bryngeth men vnto Christ especially seyng he himself was the author therof For by the Sonne it was Christ the author of the law reuealed vnto Moses And for this ende he gaue it by it to drawe men vnto hym Here are we admonished of the peruersenes of our nature whiche is so greate that although we be taughte the wyll of GOD by the lawe yet we neuer cease to striue agaynste it Some goe aboute by this place to inferre that they do ill whiche set for the lawes especiallye seyng they serue verye muche to increase Whether it be lawfull to make lawes transgressions But if their argument were of any strengthe then shoulde they inferre that GOD also oughte not to haue made any lawe Wherefore we say that those lawes whiche are made are either iust or vniust If they be vniust then are they not to be counted for lawes For who will call the violent affectes of tyrantes lawes But if they be iust then are they interpretations of the lawes of God And by them we vnderstande the will of God that by that meanes we Good lawes are interpretacions of the lawes of God Names attributed vnto the law may be broughte to Christe that by him we may obteine strengthes to do them This selfe same sentence also is had in the epistle to the Galathians That the lawe was put because of transgressions namely to shew forth thē to accuse them to condemne them So in the latter epistle to the Corinthians the law is called the ministery of deathe and in the first to the Cor. it is called the power efficacy of sinne
aduersities they suspect that they are hated of God Here ought they to call to remembrance what ones they were before they came vnto Christ what God did for their sakes whē they were yet enemyes which for their saluation woulde haue his sonne crucified And that they haue to their head Iesus Christ in heauen whose members and partes they are And let it be demanunded of them whether Christ can hate himselfe and destroy hys owne members Wherfore they ought to thinke that their afflictions conduce to eternall saluation and are profitably inflicted of their louing father Wherefore euē as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so death went ouer all men for that all men haue sinned For euen vnto the law was sinne in the worlde But sinne is not imputed whilest there is no law But death raigneth from Adam to Moses ouer thē also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of that which was to come But yet the gift is not so as is the offence VVherefore euen as by one man c. Some thinke that Paul therefore writeth these thinges for that after he had by most firme reasons proued that we are not iustified by our owne workes or merites but only by faith in Christ and by grace now he mindeth more largely to set forth the principall pointes of which all these argumentes which he hath hetherto brought depend namely sinne the lawe and grace And therefore maketh this treatise aparte wherby to declare the strength and force of the former argumentes Which whether it be so or no let other men iudge In myne opinion vndoubtedly these thinges may very well be knitte together with the thinges that haue bene alredy spoken The Methode of Paules treatise For a man mought thinke that the passion of Christ and his death was profitable vnto Christ himselfe only and not also vnto vs for that it mought be thought that the righteousnes of one man can not redound vnto an other But Paul will declare that euen as the fall of the first man was spred abroade ouer all men so the righteousnes of Christ hath redounded vpon all the beleuers and that his benefite is of no lesse force then was the sinne of Adam And by thys meanes he declareth the way whereby by the death crosse of Christ we may be iustified and obtayne saluation nether is this a small helpe to confirme our hope when we perceaue that if we cleue vnto Christ we shall through hym be no les endewed with the chiefest good thing then we haue bene by Adam infected with the extreamest euill thing Many thinges are in this place not without greate consideration set forth touching sinne For the knowledge thereof worketh this in vs to cause vs not to be ingrate for the benefite which we haue receaued The knowlege of sinne how it is profitable For he which séeth out of what and howe great euils he hath bene deliuered séeth also how great is the liberality and goodnes of the deliuerer and of him that hath set him at liberty The knowledge of sinnes setteth forth also the worthynes of the iustification receaued by Christ Wherefore Paul enquireth What thinges are reasoned of touching sinne from whence sinne had his beginning what it brought how it was knowen and last of all by what meanes it was driuen away Wherefore he declareth that sinne entred in by Adam that it brought death that it was knowen by the lawe that it was driuen away and ouercome by the death of Christ and fayth in hym Euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death Here semeth to be vsed the figure * Anantapodoton is a figure in writing where some little clause is left out ether in the beginning middle or ende Anantapodotō so that on the other side there should haue bene added So by one Iesus Christ entred in righteousnes and by righteousnes lyfe And Origene affirmeth that Paul would not adde thys for feare of making men slouthfull and sluggishe as though they hauing now obteined righteousnes and eternall lyfe should thinke that they now nede no farther to consider vpon eternall lyfe And for that cause he sayth that the Apostle in an other place added this selfe same sentence in the Future tempse and not in the preterperfect tempse as when he writeth vnto the Corinthians Euen as in Adam all men die so in Christ all men shall be quickened But this reason is of no great force For the holy scripture is not wont to be moued with so light daungers to kepe in silence the benefites of God yea rather it euery where setteth them forth al whole and in ample maner as they are and doth not gelde them nor shorten them of as Origene thinketh But as for slouthfulnes and sluggishnes they are by infinite other places of the scipture sufficiently shaken of For there are in the holy Scriptures exhortations by promises and threatninges wherby to stir vs vp to holines of life and to the endeuour to do good workes And Origene also himselfe confesseth that that which the Apostle here omitteth he afterward faithfully addeth whē he thus writeth Wherfore euen as by the sinne of one man euill was spread abrode ouer all men to condemnation so by the righteousnes of one man was good sprede abrode ouer all men to iustification of lyfe And a little before For if by the offence of one man many haue died much more the grace of God and the gift by grace whiche came thorough one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Erasmus thinketh that this discommoditie may by an other way be holpen so that the parte aunswering be set after this coniunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is and. And the lyke kinde of speakyng he bryngeth out of Mathew in the Lordes prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In these words semeth to be wanting this coniunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is So. So that the sence is Euen as in heauen so also in earth And after this selfe same maner he thinketh is to be made perfect this sentence of the Apostle Wherfore euen as by one mā sinne entred into y◠world so also by sinne entred in death But I rather thinke that here is vsed y◠Figure Anantapodoton For I sée that Paul is after a sorte rapte by the force of the spirite to expresse y◠great destruction brought in by sinne Which being done he most manifestly as Origene confesseth in the second interpretation putteth that whiche wanted in the other But the better to vnderstand these wordes of the Apostle we haue thrée thinges by him set forth which are diligently to be peised first what the Apostle meaneth by sinne Secondly what that one man is by whom sinne entred This word sinne how ample it is into the world Thirdly by what meanes sinne is spred abrode As touching y◠first the Apostle amply
the knowledge of sinne And this knowledge he sayth is had by the lawe and that sinne was both before the lawe and after the law but it gréeued not all men after one and the selfe same maner for before the lawe was geuen sinne was not knowen but after it was geuen it began to be knowen By these wordes is most manifestly gathered that the lawe had not this force to take away sinne out of the world but was for this cause geuen to shew sinne The Apostle semeth to speake these thinges by preuention for a little before he had sayd for that all men haue sinned which mought haue bene iudged vntrue especially seing the same Paul sayd Where no lawe is there is no transgression For sinne is whatsoeuer disagréeth from the rule of the law Wherefore he answereth that sinne was indéede before the lawe but it was not then imputed And by the lawe he vnderstandeth the lawe of Moses For They which liued before Moses time were not vtterly without a law The institution of man was a certaine law The law geuen of God by Moses reproueth all kindes of sinnes nether were they which liued before Moses tyme vtterly without a lawe for they had the light of nature and reasons in their conscience accusing and defending one an other as we haue before red in the second chapter Also the very institution of man whereby he was bound to resemble the image of God was a certayne lawe For when he departed from that Image vndoubtedly he sinned and this lawe extended so farre that it also included the very infantes But when by reason that our corruption grew of more force these things were obfuscated God of his wonderfull great mercy gaue a lawe whereby mought be reproued all kinds of sinnes Wherefore we ought with all dilligence to looke vpon it vnles we will be ignorant of our selues Which euen the Philosophers abhorred as a thing most euill For otherwise we are of our owne nature so framed that when our sinnes are layd before vs we laboure not so much to amende them as to excuse to extenuate and to lenefie them and because we would sinne the more fréely we set before vs the examples of other men For we commonly regard not what we ought to do but what other men do But if we would looke vpon the lawe straight way would come before our eyes our condemnation For in it is written Cursed be euery one which abideth not in all the We must most diligētly looke vpon the lawe thinges that are writtēin the booke of the lawe And therefore God by a singular benefite gaue vnto the people prophetes which should not onely inculcate and beat into their heades the lawe but also expounde the same by most vehement and feruent preachinges Wherefore it is much to be lamented now a dayes that sermones are ether so rare or els that those fewe that are are so negligently hard Wherefore it is not to be meruayled at that euery where is founde so great blindnes and that pernicious errors do so farre range abroade VVhere no lawe is sinne is not imputed The lattine booke hath non imputabatur that is was not imputed Peraduenture they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Men knew not sinnes so far was it of that they coulde beware of them God in that blindnes imputed sinnes and that iustly And yet were they not before the law vtterly ignorant of time verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This imputacion or reputacion is to be referred vnto men which were so miserable and blinde that of themselues they could not so much as know sinnes so farre were they of that they could beware of sins so vtterly obscure was at that time the light of nature but God imputed those sinnes vnto them that not vnworthely for that blindnes happened through their owne default And that God imputed those sinnes vnto thē he himselfe many wayes declared For he both by the floud destroyed the whole world and complayned vnto Noe that all flesh had corrupted theyr way and that the hart of man was prone vnto sinne euen from hys childehode He reproued Cayn of murther and tooke vengeance vpon the Sodomites And Cayn himselfe answered that his sinne was greater then that it could be forgeuen By which wordes we se that Cayn was not vtterly ignorant of sinne yea nether were the Egiptiās vndoubtedly ignorant of sinne For they cast Ioseph into prison for that he was suspcted of adultery and so serued they the baker and the butler for that they had sinned Nether is it credible that godly men as Abraham Iob and Iacob vnderstood not sinne especially seing we rede that Iacob desired that he might be put to death with whome soeuer the theft which Laban sought shoulde be found But thys knoweldge which the godly had was not in them all It was geuen only vnto them by reason of theyr singular piety For the common sort of people counted nothing for sinne but only grosse sinnes and such sinnes as were most euidenly hurtefull vnto the societie of men neyther may we easely ascribe vnto Ambrose who vpon this place sayth that men after a sort knewe sinnes but The Ethnikes were not ignorāt that God would aming sinns yet they did not therefore thinke that God would auenge them for they supposed that God would not take vengeaunce of sinnes For Pharao Abimelech being kinges reproued Abraham for that he sayd that Sara was his sister so by that meanes had put them in greate danger that God should haue taken vengeance vpon thē for cōmitting adultery with an other mans wife There mought also be brought testimonies of the Ethnikes which fayned many thinges touching the greuous paynes of them that are in hell But as touching this sentence of Paul we must know that forasmuch as before the law was geuen by Moses there florished Before the law of Moses there were some laws Others lawes forbad all kindes of sins many cities and Publike welths it followeth of necessity that there were some publique lawes receaued amongst thē for otherwise men could not haue liued together and haue mainteined fellowship peace one with an other Howbeit such lawes were neuer of that nature that they forbad vnto men al kindes of sinne which thing yet the Law geuen by Moses hath done For amongst some nations theftes and amongst other nations adulteries were counted for no sinnes nether were there by any lawes punished Amongst the Grekes were permitted many vile filthy thinges Nether did the Romanes lawes which yet were much more seuere and purer punishe all maner of sinnes But that Law which Moses gaue was perfect and absolute especially if we doo consider it as Christ hath expounded it Wherefore the meaning of the Apostle in these words is that sinnes although they were in very dede sins yet were they not knowen amongst men but by the prescript of the Law By those thinges also we may sée that there is
something which is of his owne nature sinne which yet is not imputed of God as we sayd commeth to passe in the beleuers as touching the corruption of nature and pronesse vnto sinnes These thinges are of them selues sinnes although for Christes sake they are not imputed as the Apostle in this The imputation of sinnes of two sortes ether as touching God or as touching men The tyme of the lawe is not excluded from sinne place sayth that before the Law there were many sinnes which yet were not so imputed or counted of men Although herein is some difference for there the imputation is by the mercy of God remoued way but here it is remoued away thorough the ignorance of man Farther although it be said Euen vnto the law yet is not thereby the time of the law acquitted free from sinne For the Law is not of that strength to abolish sinnes And this was of no smal force to abate the hautines and pride of the Iewes For they counted themselues more holye all thē other nations for that they had receaued a law from God The like kinde of speach is vsed of the Ethnikes when they write that euen vnto the tenth yere did the Greacians fight agaynst Troy for in so saying they doubtles excluded not the tenth yeare So when Paul sayth Sinne was in the world Euen vnto the law he excludeth not that time which was vnder the law And this wōderfully Only grace ouercommeth sinne setteth forth the grace of Christ which alone was able to vāquishe and to driue away sinne when as sinne was of so greate force to destroye and had so farre and so long ranged abrode that it could not be restrayned no not by the Law Paul when he sayth That death raigned vseth the figure Prosopopaeia nether ought we therfore to thinke y◠by this word Kingdome is ment any healthfull gouermēt Howbeit Why the power of of death is called a kingdome therefore he calleth the power of death a kingdome to show that the power thereof was exceding great wherunto all thinges gaue place that it was of a wonderfull mighty force which had brought all tlhinges vnder his subiectiō The selfe same forme of speaking he vseth agayne in this epistle saying Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body as if he should haue sayd Although ye cannot prohibit sinne to be in you yet permite not vnto it the kingdome and chiefe dominion it all your endeuors and counselles should geue place and be obedient vnto that And he therefore added that death raygned from Adam euen to Moses to declare that there was sinne in the world For death and sinne follow one the other Agaynst them that deny originall sinne in children inseperably and Sinne and death inferre and bring in one the other Hereby are confuted those which contend that infantes are without sinne and say that for that cause they dye for that by reason of the sinne of Adam they are vnder the condition of mortality being otherwise themselues innocent and cleane from sinne For if this were true the Apostle should then in this place conclude nothing For it mought easely be answered that althoughe men died before the law yet sinne at that time had not his being Wherfore let vs say with Paul Sinne and death are so ioyned together that they cannot be parted a sonder Ambrose suspected the Greke bookes that these two things are so ioyned together that they cā not be parted asonder Ouer them also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam These wordes were in some copies set forth affirmatiuely by taking away this word not And of this reading doth Origen make mencion and so farre is Ambrose of from dissalowing it that he thinkethn one but it to be natiue And he hath a large discourse of the variety of the Greke bookes and semeth for that cause to haue them in suspicion as corrupted in many places after that the contencions of the heretikes grew strōg But in the expositiō of that reading which he followeth he semeth to speake but slenderly to the matter for he will haue death to haue rayned ouer those onely which in sinning were like vnto Adam and this he saith happened in idolatry For he affirmeth that the sinne wherein Adam fell was in a maner of this sorte that he beleued himselfe to be God and preferred Sathā before God more esteming his coūsell then the cōmaūdemēt of God But as for others which keping still their faith in the only Creator did notwithstāding sometimes fall he thinketh not that they fell after y◠like maner that Adam fell and therefore he writeth that they died the death of the bodye Ambrose held that some had in hell a free custody but not eternall death were kept in hell in a free custody euē to the cōming of Christ but in those which had imitated the sinne of Adam ternal death wholy raigned These things as euery mā may easely se are both farre fetched also do much weakē the argumēt of the Apostle wherefore if this text should be red affirmatiuely peraduēture we mought picke therout this sentēce to vnderstād y◠death raigned ouer al mē which sinned after the like māner of the transgressiō of Adam for that he hauing sinned it was all one as if all men had bene present and sinned together with him But let vs leaue this readinge and follow the common readinge and especially seinge Chrisostome Theophilactus and the Greeke Scholies pronounce these woordes negatiuely And so this is the sence that those menne which were before the lawe although they sinned not after that manner that Adam fell who besides the lawe of nature had also a certain commaundement prescribed him yet they also were obnoxious vnto death But Augustine applieth these wordes vnto infantes which die and haue sinne although they sinne not after the selfe same manner that Adam sinned And so Not to sinne after the like manner of the transgression of Adam is nothing els but not to haue sinne actuall and personall as they call it But I woulde thinke that in these woordes may be comprehended both infantes and others that are of age both those before the law and those after the law and those vnder grace Rude and blockish 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 sinne not after the same manner that Adam did as many as are so rude and blockishe that they are vtterlye ignorante of the commaundementes of God of whiche kinde of men it is not incredible but that there maye some be founde in the worlde And in this case vndoubtedlye all men dye although they know not the commaundement prescribed them of God as Adam did Which was the figure of that which was to come By y◠which was to come we may vnderstand all that which afterward happened in all men which procéeded from Adam which were aswel as he obnoxious vnto the curse and vnto death So the first father was a figure and
calleth sinne by which word he vnderstandeth the corruption of nature y◠remnants of original sin The law is as a scholemaster therfore it only teacheth instructeth But of it selfe it bringeth not forth these euils This place of Paul excellently setteth before our eyes what maner ones we are by the transgressiō of our first parentes When we are called vnto God we flye away from him when we are inuited to vprightnes and eternall life we runne away hedlonge vnto sinne and death So that thing which ought to be vnto vs a remedy increaseth aggrauateth the disease Desperate disseases as a canker and the leprosy are of so great Disseases past hope stubburnes that by laying remedies vnto them they ware worse and worse wherfore the phisitions geue them ouer Euen such is our lust Who will abide such an horse which how much the more he is pricked forward with spurres so much the more goeth backward Vndoubtedly that sonne is of a very wicked nature which as soone as he heareth the commaundemēt of his louing father straigthway with all his endeuor laboureth to the contrary But we are fallen so farre that certaine thinges therefore seme sweete for that they are forbidden vs. Therefore Salomon sayth waters stollen are the sweeter Augustine wisely waighyng wyth Certaine things seme sweete euen therfore for that they ar forbidden hymselfe thys prauity in his booke of confessions accuseth hymselfe for that when he was yet a childe he wyth others stole away other mennes peares not for that he was hungry or for that he would eate them himselfe or geue them vnto others for they were sower and he had much better at home but only to do ill and to committe those thinges which were forbidden him Paules whole The scope of Paul scope is this to transfer the fault which was layd vpon the Law vnto our prauity For the Law ought not to be accused that it was an occasion of sinnes For there is nothing so good but that it may be an occasion of greate euelles Our sauior saith of himself If I had not come spoken vnto thē they had had no sin And in the 10. chapiter to the Hebrues How much more greauouser punishment semeth he worthy of which hath troden vnder foote the sonne of God And Paul straight way in the beginning of this epistle reproueth the wise men of the Gentles for that when they knew God by the wonderfull order and beawty of thinges created they yet glorified him not as God Whereby it came to passe that the knowledge of God which they had gathered by nature was vnto them an occasion of A similitude greater damnation If a phisition should forbid vnto one sicke of an agew cold drinke and he should therefore begin more feruently to thirst that is not to be attributed vnto the phisition And euen as in this case the corrupt affection of the sicke party is the ground of this euill so the corruption of our nature is the true and proper cause of sinne Wherfore we must continually pray vnto God that it would please him to renew in vs our will Farther we must put awaye Infidelitie confirmeth strengthneth lust infidelity which excedingly strēgthneth the lust that is grafted in vs. For if we verily beleued that those thinges which are prohibited of God will certainlye bring vnto vs destruction we would not vndoubtedly commit them For when before our eies is set present death of the body we all flye from it But when we beleue that that which is set before vs is not present death or that we thinke we shall escape it by some meanes we contemne the admonition so if we beleued God when he threatneth death vnto sinners we woulde vndoubtedlye obey his commaundements But forasmuche as there still cleaueth vnto vs that poyson of infidelity which the deuill breathed into Adam when he perswaded him that The condition of our lustes that thinge should not come to passe whiche God had threatned our luste thus subtelly reasoneth with vs that those punishments which God hath threatned in the law shall not be inflicted vpō the transgressors so roughly as they are there set forth and that it is possible that we may by some meanes escape them More ouer by this place we see that they are in miserable and vnhappy case which ar straungers from Christ For al thinges though they seeme neuer so good turne All thinges turne to euill to them that are straungers frō Christ to them vnto euill which thing Paul durst affirme of the law that is of the word of God how then can it be doubted of other things And that which Paul sayth by the law is wrought in vs all maner of lust some so interpretate as though before y◠Law there was no lust in vs. But these mē ought to cōsider that Paul wrote that sinne by the law wrought in vs all maner of lust And if sinne wrought it then must it nedes be that it was in vs before And when as such sinne is called lust it is not simply sayd that it wroughte luste but there is added this woorde All which signifieth whole perfect and absolute lust Wherefore Augustine expounding this place sayth lust was before the law but not full and absolute Nether disagreth Chrisostome from this exposition Ambrose also sayth when the Apostle sayth All maner of lust he thereby signifieth all maner of sinnes Wherefore it is very manifest that Paul ment nothing ells but that out of our contaminate and corrupt nature when it was prouoked by the Law sprang all maner of sinnes or as they vse to say actuall sinnes Nether wanteth this an Emphasis in me For if these thinges happened in Paul who as he himselfe writeth vnto the Galathi had profited in the religion of the Iewes aboue all the men in his time and as he sayth vnto the Phillippians Had walked without blame in the righteousnes of the law and as he writeth in the first to Timothe Had from his elders serued God in a pure consience What is to be thoughte of vs whiche are neyther studious of the Lawe nor Whither the Apostle here tooke vpon him the person of an other man yet doo in any part performe the thinges which we doo know I know there are some with think that the Apostle here toke vpon him the person of an other mā so that these thinges are not pertayning vnto him but vnto men not yet regenerate or still wallowing in sinnes And Augustine semeth sometimes to haue bene of that minde But in his 2. booke of Retractations the. 1. chap. he sayth that he was moued vpon most iust consideration to reuoke that For it is very playne by those things which follow that Paul entreateth of such a man as in mind serueth the Law of God and delighteth himselfe therein which hateth euill and is drawen agaynst his will vnto the Law of sinne Wherefore he concludeth that these wordes
often repeted we ought to thinke to be very necessary and also not very well knowen vnto vs. Farther these things The things that are so often repeted ar both necessary also not very well knowne vnto vs. are not repeted without some addition whereby are not a little made plaine those thinges which were spoken Here the Apostle entended to declare two thinges first that he would that which is good and thereof he reasoneth that he felt in hys minde a delectation in the lawe But those thinges wherein we delight we desire to be brought to passe The second is that he declareth that he is plucked away and letted so that he can not fulfill his owne will And this he hereby proueth for that he doth those thinges from which he abhorred But these thinges are to be vnderstand in a diuers respect as they terme it For as he was regenerate he abhorred from thinges euill and desired better but as hee was not regenerate he was drawen vnto those thinges whiche hee woulde not and fell into worse and worse The effecte of his exclamation is therefore expressed in this strife to geue vs to vnderstand that these thinges are not entreated of lightlye or coldly but with great féeling and with certayne experience Now that I haue briefely declared the exposition of this place I will come to the knitting together of the wordes of the Apostle and examine euery perticuler part of them I find a law vnto me when I would do good for that euill is present with me This is doubtles an obscure sentence and may haue diuers senses For if we take the lawe which we sée is here put infinitly and without contraction for the vice and corruption of nature then may we thus interprete it that it is a let vnto vs when he would do good Of which saying is rendred a reason for that euill is present with me As if he should haue sayd this is the cause why I am letted from doing good But if this word lawe be taken in good part and do signifye the commaundementes of God then must we of necessity adde a verbe whych signifieth not a let but an exhortation and stirring vp And so may be gathered thys sense when I would do good I finde the lawe of God allowing approuing exhorting and instigating me But if thou demaunde why then do I not good I answere for that euill is present with me therefore am I letted and called backe from the good purpose of my minde Wherefore the obscurenes commeth two maner of wayes Firste the lawe is put infinitelye whiche maye be drawen ether vnto luste or vnto the commaundemente of God Secondly there is no word added whereby is signified ether let or contrariwise impulsion or exhortation Ambrose thinketh that here is signified the lawe of God which he sayth geueth a consent For that can not be vnderstand of our consent whereby we in minde serue the lawe of God For this we owe not vnto the benefite of the law but to the spirite of Christ only that the will of God shoulde be pleasant to our mynde But after that by his helpe we come once to this poynt to will thinges good and vprighte then if we looke vpon the lawe we shall finde that it as Ambrose sayth geueth a consent vnto vs. Chrisostome confesseth that it is a hard place howbeit he thinketh that by it is signified the lawe of God and sayth that it prayseth and approueth all the good and iust thinges which we would do but the euill which is present with vs is a let that we can not performe those things And hereby is manifest the infirmity of the lawe which can in déede approue thinges right commendeth the will of hauing them but can not remoue away the impedimentes and lettes neither can bring to passe that we should not sinne or not be condemned But I if I may herein declare my minde do by the lawe vnderstand that conditiō whereunto we ought to obey and this I iudge to be the minde of the Apostle I finde a condition and a decrée layd vpon me namely by originall sinne and naturall lust that when I would do good euil euer is present with me This is the punishement of the lawe whereinto we al incurre by the transgression of our first parentes Ambrose semeth to demaunde where sinne or euill is present with vs. And he aunswereth in the fleshe it lieth and watcheth as it were before the dores and at the gate so that the will after y◠it hath decréed any thing that is good if it will come forth and performe the same findeth a let euen at the very gate A pleasant inuentiō doubtles and such which semeth to expresse that which shall afterward be spoken of That we in mynde serue the lawe of God but in fleshe the lawe of sinne If thou agayne demaunde how it commeth to passe that the euill is present with vs in the flesh not also in the mynde he answereth that it thereof commeth for that y◠flesh only is by traduction deriued from Adam For therefore sinne passeth through the fleshe and after a sort dwelleth in it in maner as in his house Which otherwise should rather be placed in the soule as which should rather sinne then the flesh if it should be by traduction But seing it is not by traduction thereof it commeth that sinne dwelleth not in it but in the flesh That the soule is not by traduction let vs for this tyme graunte althoughe Augustine be somewhat in doubt touching that matter Yet do I not sée why we Sinne is presente not onely in the flesh but also in the soule should deny but that sinne is also in the minde I graunt indede that the first entrance of corruption is through the flesh and that originall sinne is traduced from the parentes through the sede and the body but it stayeth not there For from thence it strayeth throughout all the partes of the soule and of the body Howbeit this word Adiacere which is englished to be present I vnderstand no otherwise then I before interpretated it namely to be at hand to be redy to vrge and to pricke forward I delight in the lawe of God concerning the inward man Two things he put forth that his will was to do good but euill was present with him whereby his entent was made frustrate Now he diligently explicateth ech part If we should follow Chrisostomes mynde namely that when we appointe to do any thing rightly we finde the lawe allowing and approuing our purpose then should not this sentence be amisse that we on the other side delight in the vnderstanding of the lawe as it semeth to delight in our purpose and to consent vnto it But this is now to be of vs considered with how great warines Paul now encreaseth and amplifieth that which he before had simply spoken He before sayde that he willed that whiche is good that he consented vnto the lawe
sinnes And therefore for them for that they are sinnes they are not vniustly subiect vnto death Wherefore seing it is by most firme reasons proued that the wicked lusts which remayne in vs after baptisme are sinnes now remayneth to se to what kind or part of sinnes they belong Sinne may thus be Luste grafted in vs. the first mâ—tioÌ„s to what kind of sinne they belong Distinction of sinne deuided that there is some kind of sinne which may be forgeueÌ„ and other some whiche can not That transgression agaynst the Lawe of God which is neuer forgeuen is sinne against the holy ghost But if the sinne may be forgeuen that maye be two manner of wayes For eyther it is so forgeuen that we muste of necessity vtterly depart from it which we se to come to passe in fore and greauous sinnes which Paul sayth seperate vs from the kingdome of God and are commonly called deadly sinnes Or ells they are so forgeueÌ„ that we depart not from them partly by reason of the ignorance that is grafted in vs and partly by reason of the infirmity wherwith we are infected And these are called smal and veniall sinnes without whiche no man can here lede hys life Paul as we haue before declared hath betwene these sinnes put a notable difference when he exhorted vs not to suffer sinne to raigne in vs. And of this third kinde of sins the same Apostle complayned when he sayd Vnhappy man that I am who shall de liuer me from the body of this death And of these sinnes doo we meane when we teach that the workes of men thoughe they be neuer so holye are not without deadly sinne for that we doo nothing without this kinde of defects And those defects are called deadly for that of theyr owne nature they deserue death For Luste the first motions are of theyr owne nature dead lye the stipend of sinne is death Farther also for that so long as we cary aboute with vs these spottes of corruption we can not haue the fruition of eternall life For so longe are we excluded from it vntill by death wee haue putte of all corruption Moreouer it is written Cursed be euerye one whiche abideth not in all the thinges which are written in the wordes of this Law And he whiche complayneth with Paul that he doth not the good whiche he would performeth not all the things which the Law requireth nether is vtterly free from the curse although the same thorough the mercy of God be not imputed vnto him vnto eternal destruction And we doo so speake of the good works of the sayntes not that we ether Thorow the mercye of God they are not imputed to daÌ„nation deny good workes or that we thinke not that the good workes which are done of the regenerate are pleasing vnto God but to make vs to acknowledge our vncleanes and vnpurenes to the vnderstanding whereof we are blockishe and more then blinde Wherefore putting apart sinne agaynst the holy ghost other sins are deuided into three degrees First is yâ— lust which is grafted in vs secondly out of it spring continually the first motions and impulsions vnto sundry kinde of wicked actes Thirdly commeth the conseÌ„t of the will and brusteth forth into act Paul did before set forth these thre degrees wheÌ„ he sayd Let not sin raigne in your mortall body that we should obey the lusts thereof The sinne whereunto we ought not to permitte the rule or dominion is lust grafted in vs and prauity of nature The first motions are the lusts which it bringeth forth and we are admonished not to obey them Then addeth he thereunto obedience which consummateth and maketh the sinne perfect which is commonly called actuall sinne It is not to be doubted but that the prauity of nature pertayneth to originall sinne Agayne that sinne whereunto commeth the consent or the will they call actuall But there is a doubt touchinge those first motions by meanes of Prauity of nature pertaineth to Originall sinne Sin where it raigneth is called actuall which yet thorough Christ we are not obnoxious vnto a new giltines and bond of the iudgement of GOD whither they be to be referred vnto originall sinne or to actuall sinne Vndoubtedlye they are betwene both and of eche part take somewhat For so farre forth as we by them worke couet or desire anye thynge they haue some consideration of actuall sinne And Paul vseth these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which without al doubt signify some action On the other side for that we against our will suffer this kinde of motion therefore therein they communicate with originall sinne For that sinne is not taken by election and of our owne accord Ierome vpon the 7. chapter of Mathew maketh a distinction betwéene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith signifieth the first motioÌ„s after that the consent of the will is now come vnto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when they first moue and stirre vp at the beginning And he addeth that although they be in faults yet are they not counted for great faultes and yet is the passion to be counted for a sinne Here is to be noted that Ierome confesseth that the first motions haue the blame of sinne although they be not counted for crimes that is although by the benefite of Christ they are not imputed vnto the death or els although in mans iudgement they be not counted for a crime And sinne is againe deuided into that which is only sinne and also into that which is both sinne and also the paine of An other distinction of sinne sinne Of which distinction Augustine maketh mencion vpon the 5â— Psalme For he sayth that the first fallyng away from God is sinne only but those sinnes which follow All sinnes eâ—cept the first sinne are both sinne and also punishments of sinne are both sinnes and also punishementes of sinnes vntill they draw vs vnto hell fire Wherefore whatsoeuer euils are committed betwéene the first falling away hel fire the same are both sinnes and also punishementes taken for other sinnes Which thing Paul to the Romanes hath very well declared For first he saith that the Ethnikes in déede knew God but they glorified him not as God And therefore he addeth that they were deliuered vp into wicked desires being full of all malice couetousnes c. And at the last he maketh mencion of the condemnacion to hell fire saying but thou accordyng to thyne hardnes and vnrepentant harte heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath in the day of wrath and of the reuelatioÌ„ of the iust iudgment of God wherein he shall render vnto euery man accordyng to hys workes But there are many which thinke not that these sinnes are punishementes of sinnes for that men do of them take no small pleasure But they vnles they were blind mought easely vnderstand by the Apostle that they are punishementes and such in dede
which in the first state of nature liued godly Therfore the simboles The godly had holy rites also before the law or outwad signes of rites are in dede by reason of the diuersity of tymes oftentymes chaunged but the thinges remayne the selfe same Moreouer by the wordes of Paule is gathered that Circumcision profitâ—th so that the law be obserued For it is very profitable to obteyne regeneration to haue the signe of the couenaunt and a perpetuall admonition of the mortification of the flesh and an obsignation or seale of the promise of God and of the heauenly gifte bestowed vpon vs. If thou be a transgressor of the law Here he vnderstandeth none but those which of purpose transgresse and not those which fal of infirmitie and are draweÌ„ either vnawares or vnwillingly and do sighe and grone saying together wyth Paule who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Thy circumcision is made vncircumcision To be made vncircumcision in this place is to be counted vncircumcision as it shall afterward be declared wheÌ„ he sayth Shall not his circumcision be counted vncircumcision And to kepe the law is to be taken in the same sence that we before declared Ambrose vppon this place sayth He then kepeth the law which beleueth in Christ. But if he beleue not he is a transgressor of the law Which wordes although they serue not much to the expositioÌ„ of this place yet are they very profitable Bicause therby we perceiue that he which beleueth in Christ kepeth the lawe for that by fayth is geuen vnto vs the power and facultie of the spirite wherby to obey the law And if there want any thing to the obseruation therof as in very dede there alway wanteth the same is He that beleueth not is according to the sentence of Ambrose a transgressor of the law The Iewes gloried in circumcision holpen by the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ Moreouer in that he affirmeth that he which beleueth not in Christ is a transgressor of the law he manifestly sheweth that the workes of them which beleue not in Christ are sinnes and transgressions of the law The Iewes bosted excedyng much of circumcision as though it had bene geuen them for their merites and as though it had ben an assured testimony of a iust and holye lyfe whiche thyng is declared to be vntrue Chrisostome vpoÌ„ this place vseth a very trim order both as touching the law also as touchyng circumcision There is sayth he an outward law there is also a law in the hart and in the middle place are set good workes which procede from the law of the hart are agreable with the outward law Likewise there is circumcision in the flesh circumcision in the harte In the middest is placed a iust and holy life For it proceedeth from the circumcision of the harte and agreeth with the circumcision of the flesh Paule putteth A double comparison of circumcision a double comparison of circumcision The first is whereby it is contrarye vnto vncircumcision yâ— is vnto the condicioÌ„ of the Ethnickes And of this he speaketh now presently and sheweth that it was nothinge preiudiciall vnto men as touchign saluation The other is whereby circumcision is compared with faith and thereof shall afterward be entreated when the Apostle sheweth that AbrahaÌ„ first beleued and therefore obteyned righteousnes and afterwarde that righteousnes was sealed with circumcision Wherfore the circumcision of the flrsh is of lesse dignity then fayth and commeth after it Therefore if vncircumcision do kepe the iustifications of the law shal not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision In ciuile iudgementes when any is to be condemned which is in any dignity or Magistrateship he is The ciuile manner in condemning of noble men first depriued of his dignity or office and then afterward condemned So the Apostle first depriueth the Iewes of the true Iewishnes and of the true circumcision and then afterward condemneth them because they liued filthely This similitude in a manner vseth Chrisostome Wherunto we may moreouer adde that like as in a publike wealth they which shal be preferred to honour if they be of a base and obscure stocke are fyrste adorned with some noble Magistrateship or publike dignity so Paule minding to bring to honour the Gentles which seemed abiecte attributeth vnto them the true circumcision and true religion of the Iewes when he sayth that theyr vncircumcision is counted for circumcision which they haue in theyr hart And in these wordes circumcision I say and vncircuÌ„cisioÌ„ is vsed the figure called Metonymia which is a traÌ„spositioÌ„ of names The figure called Metonymia vsed in circumcision vncircumcision For by those signes is signifyed the state and condicion of the Iewes and Gentils The iustifications of the lavv In Greeke is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which many take to be ceremonies called of the Hebrues Chocoth But I do not easly se how the Ethnikes kept the ceremonies of the law vnles we wil say that the Hebrues in theyr captiuities taught the Gentils the ceremonies of Moses which is not casy to be beleued especially forasmuch as they were not to be obserued but in the land of promise PeradueÌ„ture they meane the these iustifications do signify those rites which the Ethnikes counted in the law of nature godlye and good For we speake not of idolatrous rites but of those whiche some obserued by the tradicions The holy Ethnikes had certain good and godly rites in the law of nature of theyr Fathers which hoped in the Mediator to come For by suche ceremonies they both professed God also accused theÌ„selues as sinners after which folowed the practise of vpright liuyng And we deny not but ther were many such meÌ„ Yet can we not therfore affirme that either Socrates or Phocion or Aristides were of the number of these men when as we haue nothyng that is certayne of theyr pietie and fayth but rather by historyes they appeare Idolatrers Neuerthelesse the Scriptures commend Iob vnto whom no doubt there were many like But by our iudgement as we haue sayd they can not be declared or defined But the Apostle speaketh not of those rites of the lawe of nature when as by the lawe he here vnderstandeth the lawe of Moses For he hath to do against the Iewes And that the Ethnickes obserued not the rites of Moses hereby it is By the iustifications of the lawe he vnderstandeth the morall partes of the lawe manifest because they were vncircumcised are called vncircumcision Wherfore it is more truely sayd that the iustifications of the law signifie here the morall part of the lawe of which the Gentiles by the light of nature were not ignoraunt The scope of the Apostle is to shewe that righteousnes is not of necessitie ioyned with the rites and ceremonies of the lawe and that it was no let vnto the Gentiles touching saluation that they wer not circumcised so that they had
conclusions Paule preached those thinges which we now read and had oftentimes incultated that grace is ther aboundant where sinne hath abounded and taught that the law therfore entred in that sinne shoulde be increased Of these thinges the vngodly sayd it followeth that men should sinne freely because to the attaynemente of grace and the promises of God we haue neede of synnes All menne All men are greeued when they heare that they are euill spoken of and especially ministers doubtles are sory when they heare theyr name or fame to be euell spoken of For they vnderstande that the prayse of a good name and of a good fame is an excellente good gifte of God But aboue other the pastors and ministers of the word of God are most greeuously troubled with this kind of discommodity Because they rightwell perceaue that theyr infamye and especially as touchinge doctrine redoundeth not onely against the truth of God but also bringeth no small hurt vnto the people committed vnto theyr charge Therfore the Apostles did euermore put away suche slaunders from themselues And that the fathers also did the like theyr writinges do testefye But Paule in thys place doth not playnely absolue that which he obiected vnto himselfe but afterward in the 6. chapter the matter shal be more at large discussed Onely at this presente he depelleth from his doctrine false slaunders And those things the vngodly are therfore wont to obiect because when they are accused they are alwayes ready to lay vpon God the cause and blame of theyr sinnes not in deede manifestly but by circumstances Some whē they are accused say that they are driuen by the starres to commit those things which they do But who made the stars God Why then God is accused So came it to passe in our fyrste parente when God reproued hym The woman sayde he whiche thou gauest me she hath deceaued me The wicked de lay vnto God the cause of theyr sins And by these woordes he wrested the cause of his sinne vnto God After the selfe same manner do these men deale whome Paule now speaketh of We sinne say they but the doctrine of the Apostle hath declared vnto vs that our sinnes are no let vnto the glory of God but rather pertayne vnto the settinge foorth of his truth fayth and constancy of promises And what other thinge els is this then to accuse the word of God As touching the first obiection Paule sayth Is God vnrighteous vvhich bringeth in anger As though he shoulde haue sayd that which ye fayne vnto your selues that synnes are vniustlye punished if by their occasion the goodnes of God be set foorth is absurde For then God should iudge vniustlye But no good vpryght reason can once imagine that he which is iudge of all men should be vniust Therfore he addeth I speake as a man That is these thinges I spake not that I thinke so in very déede but I speake those thinges which men both oftentymes thinke and do also not very seldome obiect vnto vs. But as touching the wordes it shal be good to note that whereas it is sayde If our vnrighteousnes commende the righteousnes of God by the righteousnes of God is vnderstanded his goodnes and mercy For that word which is in the Hebrue Tsedek our men haue turned iustice or righteousnes when as in very deede it signifieth mercy He also vseth thys word the truth of God which signifieth nothing els then his fayth or fidelity For before he sayde Shall our vnbeliefe make the fayth of God without effect Fayth in that place and truth in this place is nothing els then a constancy in promises and couenantes And when we reade I speake as a man we are taught what maner of thinges those are which we thinke vpon so long as we are not regenerate but are strangers from God Origen in this place followeth an other reading For he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this particle he ioyneth with those things which went before so that thereof this sentence he gathereth Is God vniust which bringeth in anger agaynst man God forbid But the common reading is both playne and also serueth well to the purpose The maner which the Apostle vseth in aunswering when he sayth God forbid teacheth vs how redy God forbid what it signifieth with the Apostle we ought to be to repell from our thoughtes and cogitations whatsoeuer absurd thing reasō inferreth out of the scriptures against God We ought straight way to answere These thinges are after the maner of men and therefore are they not to be harkened vnto It oftentymes happeneth that our sense thinketh that God is cruell and forgetfull of his an accepter of persons and such lyke But then must we call to memory that the doinges of God are not to be measured The doings of God are not to be measured by the law of man according to the law of man for he is aboue all lawes neyther ought to be iudged of any other This thinges haue the flatterers attributed vnto the bishop of Rome bearing him in hand that he hath the fulnes of power whereby he can dispence both with the lawes of man and also with the lawes of God so that he himselfe can be iudged of no man Which fulnes of power one Baldus a lawyer not the worst of his time writeth to be the fulnes of time as which inuerteth and turneth vpside downe all rightes and lawes These thinges are agréeable vnto God only Wherefore it is blasphemy to attribute them vnto any man Only touching thinges of God it is wickednes to search out the causes and reasons but whatsoeuer Philosophers or any other kinde of men do set forth vnto vs it must be exactly examined by the word of God And as we are blamed and as some affirme that we say why do we not euill thinges that good may ensue whose damnation is iust Now withstandeth he the other obiection wherein the aduersaryes sayde that we shoulde sinne that thereof myght follow some excellent good thing namely the iustification of God and commendation of his mercy Whereunto with one words he answereth this when he sayth that the damnation of these men is iust For by that meanes he confesseth that that so greuous an error is farre strange frō his doctrine when as he cōdemneth it together with thē although some expound it in the passiue signification as though the condemnation whereby they are condemned were for that they had so euill an opinion of the Gospell Their obiections are answered when they are brought to these absurdities which coulde Sinnes are not the true cause that God should be made iuste Against good ententes not be concluded of these thinges which are spoken of Paule but of the false surmising of these men whereby they thought that sinnes were the true cause that God should be made iust For the Apostle also sayth together with them that euil things are not to be committed that good should come
he wil geue any plasters to heale it withall And so commeth it to passe that the law openeth the way vnto the Gospel Neither is this to What is the property of the law be maruelled at that in this place by the law are vnderstanded the Prophets and Psalmes For what soeuer is found in the whole scrpture serueth to the institution of lyfe which is peculiar and proper vnto the law Because by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustefied in his sight For by the law coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But now is that righteousnes of God made manifest wtout the law hauing witnes of the law of the Prophets Namely the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that beleue For there is no difference for all haue sinned are depriued of the glory of God And are iustefied frely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough fayth in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse by the remission of the sinnes that are passed thorough the patience of God to shew at this present tyme his righteousnes that he mighte be iust and a iustefier of hym which is of the fayth of Iesus Christ Because by the vvorkes of the lavv sâ—all no flesh be iustefied in his sight Hitherto Paule hath by good argumentes proued that iustification is not to belooked for by those thinges which wheÌ„ we haue obtayned yet notwithstanding we lyue wickedly That philosophy and the law were such he hath manifestly declared forasmuch as by them were accused both the Gentles and the Iewes that they were excedingly contaminated with wicked actes Wherby is concluded that the mouthe as well of the Iewes as of the Gentiles is stopped so that the whole world is made culpable before God And in that he lastly chiefly inueighed by sundry testimonies of the holy Scripture it was because he should haue a sharpe conflict agaynst the A sharpet conflict against the Iewes theÌ„ against the Ethnikes Hebrues For the Ethnikes were easely ouercome For they openly liued filthily neither could they out of philosophy bring any thing but the inuentions and opinions of men But the Hebrewes pretended the law and the ceremonies which they had receiued at the handes of God and therfore it semed that they might lawfully put confidence in them And peraduenture they mought haue sayd yâ— those thinges which were brought against them out of the holy scriptures pertayned vnto theyr elders and vnto them which filthily liued in the tyme of the Prophetes and not to theyr whole kinred Therfore the Apostle bringeth in a generall sentence wherby vtterly to represse them and affirmeth that no man can be iustified before God by the workes of the law Where he taketh away the power of iustifieng not onely An vniuersall proposition that by the workes of the law no man can be iustified from men or persons but also from the workes of the law so that it followeth of necessity that we must not put any confidence in them For as they were coÌ„maunded by the law no man was able to performe them For forasmuch as two things were required by the law First that workes should procede from fayth grace and charity Secondly that throughout and exactly they should agrée with the law and sithen the law ministred not strengthes to do these thinges there remained onely outward obseruations and ceremonies of which the Apostle sayth that they had not the power to iustifie Afterward by a firme reason he concludeth that we must not thinke that iustification is receiued by the law bicause by it commeth the knowledge Forasmuch as the law coÌ„demneth accuseth it absolueth not Righteousnes happeneth without the law of sinne Seyng therfore the law condemneth accuseth it absolueth not nor iustifieth For these two offices are contrary and repugnaunt the one to the other And these thyngs beyng thus ordered he gathereth his chiefe proposition of which he will in this epistle dispute namely that righteousnes commeth wythout the law Wherby commeth to passe that it depeÌ„deth not of it Afterward he affirmeth that the righteousnes of God which hath his testimony out of the law and the prophetes commeth by the fayth of Iesus Christ And this is all one wyth that which he proposed at the beginnyng that the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to Righteousnes by the faith of Iesus Christ euery one that beleueth and that in it is reueled the righteousnes of God froÌ„ faith to faith and that the iust man as Abacuck saith liueth by faith Thus much as touching the disposition now let vs diligently examine euery thing by it selfe In that he saith That by the workes of the law no flesh shal be iustified in the fight of God It is necessary that we know of what workes of the lawe the Apostle here intreateth And here we affirme that he speaketh vniuersally of all workes so the those thinges which are here spoken ought not perticularly to be drawen vnto ceremonies wheÌ„ as they include the whole law We grauÌ„t in dede yâ— the controuersy sproÌ„g by reasoÌ„ of ceremonies For the false Apostles went about to obtrude theÌ„ as necessary vnto theÌ„ They which say that ceremonies are nedelul affirm Christ not to be Christ which beleued in Christ As though Christ could not wtout theÌ„ bring saluation to yâ— beleuers Which was blasphemous neither was it any lesse irreligious then to deny Christ to be Christ which thing they must néedes graunt that affirme that he cannot saue men without the workes of the law But as touching morall commaundementes they contended not For as well the Apostles as the deceiuers vrged them Neither was there any controuersie about ciuill or as they call them iudiciall lawes for they pertayned vnto the publike wealth Which forasmuch as it had maiestrates the church and the Apostles tooke no care of those thinges But although the contention sprong by reason of ceremonies yet by the benefite of the Workes ar to be taken vniuersally when they are affirmed not to iustify The question was moued because of ceremonies holy ghost it came to passe that Paule reuoked the question from the species or partes vnto the vniuersall genus or generall worde For if the generall worde be by negation ouerthrowen it followeth that the species also euery parte be clene destroyed For if generally the law iustify not neither vndoubtedly shall ceremonies iustify forasmuch as they are a certaine species and a part of the lawe And that the discention began by reason of ceremonies the Actes of the Apostles do testiffe in the xv chapter And not much afterwarde in this selfe same epistle the Apostle when he would proue that Abraham was not iustified by the lawe bryngeth a reason taken from Circumcision And also to the Galathians where he rehearseth hearseth this selfe same sentence and in a maner with
when we are demaunded whether the workes of the law iustify we aunswere if a man vnderstand thē as they are vnperfect and mayned they haue no strength to iustify But if a Workes iustify not because they procede of iustification man vnderstand the workes of the law as they are whole and perfect so are they not strange from iustification because they haue faith ioyned with them whereunto they cleaue as vnto the roote Yet will we not graunt that good workes being taken euen after this maner do iustify for that they proceede of iustification do of necessity require iustification to go before them and therefore Why Paule calleth those workes the workes of the lawe which are mained and vnperfect are they not strange from it because they depend of it Thou wilt say peraduenture why doth Paule by the workes of the law vnderstand those mayned and vnperfecte workes Because he taketh them as the aduersaries did which had a respect only vnto them and were strangers both from Christ and also from fayth in him And that Paule did not thinke those to be in very deede the workes of the lawe it manifestly appeareth by that which is before written He is not a Iew which is only a Iew outward neyther is that circumcision which is in the flesh only Where a man may manifestly see that he taketh away the nature of the Iewish religion and of circumcision from the obseruation which is only outward And vndoubtedly the Images of good thinges if they haue only a shewe be in themselues vayne and ought to be counted among thinges A similitude worthy of disprayse As the art of Sophistry forasmuch as it hath a shewe of knowledge and wanteth it in very deede is condemned Hipocrisy also is to be detested which although it set forth a shew of holynes yet is it most farre of from it Wherefore if a man should agaynst the proper and true workes of the lawe vse those testimonies which Paule now alleageth and which to the like purpose he writeth in an other place vndoubtedly he should abuse them As if Another similitude a man should impute vnto true nobility those reproches which are iustly imputed vnto them which hauing had excellent noble pregenitors haue degenerated from them into most filthy vices Or if a man shoulde reproue eloquence after the selfe same maner that we are wont iustly to reproue those which only with fine and eloquent wordes do poynt out foolishe matter when as they are vtterly ignorant of the sound truth But as touching this matter let thys suffice at this present Now is this to be expounded why he addeth this particle Before God Vndoubtedly therefore that by the contrary we myght know that certayne may sometymes be iustified before men by the workes of the law Because forasmuch as the sight of man can not perce into the inward partes of the hart men do geue sentence by the workes But God as Augustine Before men we may be iustified by workes of the law writeth in his booke De spiritu litera beholdeth the hart and sometymes beholdeth them which outwardly kepe the lawe and inwardly desire rather to do otherwise were not eyther that punishementes hang ouer theyr heds or that they thinke that they should thereby lose their estimation when as in very dede they want both fayth and charity Neyther is this to be passed ouer that by the What is to be vnderstand by the name of flesh name of fleshe is vnderstand the whole man Which phrase of speach is much vsed in the scriptures The word was made fleshe All fleshe had corrupted his way All fleshe shall see the saluation of God And a greate many other such lyke And therefore is man so called that he might be continually admonished of his miserable and weake estate and that he should vnderstand that vnles the spirite of God should resist it he should vtterly be caried away with the appetite of the fleshe To iustify as we haue before said is taken three maner of wayes Sometymes To iustify taken three maner of wayes it is to obtayne a righteousnes which sticketh and abideth in our minds But such righteousnes Paule meaneth not in this place Otherwise we deny not but that of true workes of the law by continuall exercise of them are ingenerated good and holy habites or qualities To be iustified also is to be pronounced or to be counted iust Which thinges also may be gotten by workes For so one is sayd to iustifye an other when he beholdeth his good dedes God also in the last iudgement shall geue sentence according to workes and shall pronounce good men iust by those thinges which they vprightly haue done Thirdly to iustifye is as much to say as to forgeue sinnes to absolue a man and to impute vnto him the righteousnes of Christ which thing works by their deserte can not obtayne And in this sense are those thinges to be taken which the Apostle here writeth It followeth For by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne This is the reason why we are not iustified by the workes of the lawe Because the office of the lawe is farre other then to iustifie There are some which thinke that these wordes are spoken by preuention as though the Iewes should obiect and say If the law iustifye not why then was it geuen Haue we in vayne receaued it We haue not Although the lawe iustifie not yet was it not geuen in vayne The propriety to declar sinnes is cōmon to all lawes in vayne receaued it sayth Paule the office thereof is to shew sinnes If a man demaund of what lawe these thinges are spoken we aunswere that Paule doth priuately entreate of the law of Moses but the propriety which he bringeth is common to all lawes to the law of nature the lawe of Moses to ciuill lawes which we vse in our publike wealthes As touching the law of Moses and ours there is no doubt to be put As concerning the lawe of nature the booke of Genesis doth most manifestly teach that by it was sinne knowen Which thing Ambrose vpon this place alleadgeth out of the history of Ioseph And Paule also wyll afterward declare the same when he sayth For euen vnto the law sinne was in the world but it was not so counted namely because the law of nature was dayly more and more obfuscated Wherefore it was necessary that by the law of Moses and other lawes it should be agayne illustrated And that syn was before Moses time he thereby declareth because death raigned all that time ouer all mankind And in this place in the Greke is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in latine a man may call Agnitio that is an acknowledging which is when a thinge being alreadye knowne is againe called to knowledge But after what sorte the lawe is sayd to woorke the acknowledginge of sinnes he hath before taughte whē as by many testemonies of the
scriptures he accused all mankind Wherefore seinge by those woordes and such like we are accused of the law the knowledge of sinne must needes follow Whiche thing also happeneth an other waye namely when we beholde the law of God For sythen it commaundeth thinges vpright and prohibiteth thinges vnhonest it sufficiently declareth vnto vs how and when we sinne in our doinges The scripturs also conteineth the threateninges forespoken by the Prophetes and the punishmentes whiche God hath euer more inflicted vpon transgressors All whiche thinges not a little conduce to the acknowledging of sinne But this is to be meruailed at that seing the lawe Why the law is not said to shew honeste and good thinges doth set before our eyes not onely our sinnes but also thinges honeste and iuste For those thinges also doth it commaunde and therefore they pertayne to one and the selfe same knowledge euen as it belongeth to one artificer as to a Geometrician to declare what is a right line and what is a crooked line it is to be meruailed at I say what moued the Apostle to make mencion onely of sinne Whereunto may be aunswered that Paule so wrote partly because the Iewes whiche had refused Christ and his fayth had no more any parte with the righteousnes and vprightnes of the law partly also which is most likely because that other parte pertayned not vnto the purpose of Paule For hys purpose was to proue that the woorkes of the law iustify not Because forasmuch as it both accuseth and condemneth it is not to be looked for that it should iustefy when as these thinges are both contrary and also muche repugnaunte one to the other Neither commeth it to the law by chaunce to declare sinne but it is such a propriety so annexed vnto it which cannot be plucked away frō it But here ariseth What law geuers haue a regard vnto in geuing of lawes a doubt for lawgeuers seme not when they geue lawes to haue a regard to thys thing onely to make vs to vnderstand offences or things well done but this rather entend they by theyr lawes to make theyr citezens good Which thing if it be ascribed vnto men much more oughte it to be attributed vnto God But we A difference betwene the lawes of mā and the lawes of God aunswere that there is a difference betwene the lawes of God and the lawes of man because mans lawes require nothinge of vs but that whiche lieth in our power to do For as touching the affections of the minde they are not carefull they correct onely outward thinges But the lawes of God do cōmaunde those thinges also which we being as we are weake are not able to performe Wherfore the similitude which they bring concludeth nothinge Farther this is to be considered that humane lawes also by declaring what thinges are to be done by promising and by threatninge may inuite and stirre vp men vnto righteousnes But to change the mind they cannot Wherfore we ought not to attribut◠more vnto them then vnto the lawes of God And that whiche is sayde of the entent and purpose of the humane lawgeuer we graunte of God also that his entente also in geuinge his law was to saue men by it namely as wherein he did not onely shew sinnes but also Christe whiche is the ende thereof And therefore The law is profitable vnto saluation we deny not but that the lawe is profitable to men vnto saluatiō And yet can it not iustefy because the office thereof is not to poure into our harts either faith or charitye Wherefore the wonderfull wilines of Sathan is to be taken heede oft whereby he goeth about to plucke away from men the fruites of the lawe And vndoubtedly besides the knowledge of sinne it brought two other excellent good Besides the knowledge of sinne two commodities of the lawe The deuill hath bene an enemy vnto the law of God The law aggrauateth sinne thinges First it shewed vnto vs our sauiour farther it prescribed vnto vs what was best to be done As touching the first the deuell hath obscured the hartes of men that they should not behold Christ whiche is the ende of the law puttinge a vayle before theyr hartes And as touchinge the execution of good woorkes he hath hindred them by trieflinge questions genealogies and vayne bablinges so that they beinge bent vnto them onely and vnto outwarde ceremonies had no farther regard In wordes forsooth they confessed that they knew God but in deedes they denied him Farther forasmuch as by the law sinne is known it followeth that by it sinnes are after a sorte aggrauated Whiche thing the Apostle declared when he wrote that the law is the power of synne And in this Epistle the vii chapter it is written That synne mighte be out of measure synfull throughe the commaundemente By the law sayth he is the knowledge of sinne This is to certaine that The groūd o◠all lawes is a deuine minde Vniust lawes are not lawes the deuine minde is the beginning and ground of all lawes For in any decree◠whatsoeuer is found either iust or honest that altogether there hence proceedeth So that we may rightly say that all lawes are nothing els but the ordinances of the deuine minde Whereby is concluded that such lawes which are not iust ought not to be counted for lawes The knowledge of sinne which is had by the law is of two sortes one whiche is vtterly of no efficacy and weake whereby The knowledge of sin two sortes mens mindes are not made afrayd nor the consciences deiected as sometimes we se dronkardes which euen in the middest of theyr cuppes condemne the vice of dronkennes The Poets also in theyr verses and meeters most openly reproued sinnes but yet they themselues refrayned not from them any more then others But that knowledge of sin which terrefieth doth not alwayes bringe saluation Because if it be frustrated of hope of remedye it is hurtefull as it happened in Iudas Esau and Caine who when they knewe theyr wickendes fell into dispayre But as touchinge the electe vnto the knowledge of sinnes is alwayes ioyned as a companion hope of obteyning saluation by Christ The sins whiche How manifold sinne is whiche is knowne by the law are knowne by the lawe if we rehearse them by theyr partes are these firste the sinne which from our birth cleaueth vnto vs which is called originall sinne and it is the vice and corruption of our whole nature of whiche we are toughte in the psalme In iniquity was I conceaued and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me secondly the motions and vehement impulsions which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do continuallye flowe out of that corruption and resiste the lawe of God Of which Paule writeth that he felt an other law in his members repugnaunte vnto the law of his minde and leading hym a way captyue into the law of sinne Then thirdelye commeth the consent of the
instrument is as touching God and the same is Christ whome the goodnes of God hath vsed for a sacrifice the other instrument as touching vs is faith whereby we take hold of the mercy of God and of his promises Now speaketh he of the ende The end of iustification God would to no other end in such sort iustifie vs but to declare his righteousnes which commeth not to passe but by communicating it with others For theÌ„ doth a man declare his riches when he enricheth others then declareth a man his knowledge when he enstructeth others then also sheweth he his strength when he streÌ„gthned others as Ambrose also saith That the righteousnes of God is made manifest in iustifieng of vs because he rendreth according to his promises which he hath made But there is no smal emphasis in this that vnto righteousnes he addeth this word His Iustification by faith hath tâ—o commodities to declare that there is vtterly no righteousnes of ours Chrisostom vpon this place saith Be not afearde for this righteousnes consisteth not of workes but of fayth and he addeth that in it are two excellent commodities First for that it is easy secondly because God by it declareth his owne proper righteousnes By the remission of the sinnes that are passed I knowe not what moued A strang reding and interpretation of Ambrose Ambrose not to read remission but purpose And in his interpretation he saith because God purposed to deliuer not onely those which dwell in heauen but also those which were in hell Whch thinges seme not to serue for this place Erasmus supposeth yâ— he red not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth remissioÌ„ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth purpose this reading also doth Augustine follow in his boke de spiritu litera the xiij cha But it is best we rede as the coÌ„moÌ„ readyng hath it For so is expressed vnto vs in what thyng chieflye consisteth iustification namely in the remission of sinnes Whiche thyng Dauid setteth forth expressedly when he saith Blessed are they whose iniquities In what thing chiefly consisteth iustificatioÌ„ are forgeuen It commeth in deede by the benefite of the holy ghost that besides the forgeuenes of sinnes followeth an instauration or renewing of the whole maÌ„ But in the first principall pointe consisteth the summe of iustification namelye the forgeuenes of sinnes This particle which is added Of the sinnes passed accordyng to the opinion of some is put to take away licentiousnes of sinnyng that men should not thinke that after they haue obteined righteousnes at Gods hand they should then liue losely But it is to be thought rather that the Apostle would hereby shew the infirmity of the lawe and of philosophy of humayne strengthes as thinges which were not able to put away sinne Sinne vndoubtedly continueth and abideth vntill righteousnes be by faith communicated vnto vs. And that it did still abide we shall afterwarde heare of Paule when a little after he sayth that sinne raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses and that he therby proueth for that death did spread abrode into all meÌ„ And yet caÌ„not by this place be proued that men after iustification can not fall which falles through After iustification we still fall An error of the Nouatians fayth must be forgeuen by iustification agayne obteined Wherfore the NouatiaÌ„s did hereof vnaptly gather that after baptisme forgeuenes of sinnes should not be geuen vnto them that fell Althoughe they beyng compelled by the force of arguments confessed that God in dede can geue remission of wicked actes after baptisme but to vs in the church it is not lawfull to exercise or to promise any suche forgeuenes But they very ill weighed what was said to Peter that he should forgeue his penitent brother not onely seuen tymes but also seuenty tymes seuen tymes Paules meanyng in this place is to declare the state of man before he attayneth vnto iustification namely that he is altogether in sinne Iustification embraceth What maner ones we be when the righteousnes of God first findeth vs. Against woorkes preparatorâ— Christ is perpetually one and the selfe same mediator vs when we are in that state that we bring nothyng vnto God from our owne selues but onely sins to be forgeueÌ„ Which vndoubtedly wheÌ„ they are forgeuen it followeth of necessity that they went before Wherfore by this place are rather coÌ„futed workes as they call theÌ„ of preparatioÌ„ theÌ„ that it maketh any thyng on Nouatus side And without doubt theyr opinion is vtterly to be reiected which thinke that the first iustification in dede commeth vnto vs fréely and the we should be by baptisme regenerated are not required good workes to go before But if we chaunce afterward say they to sin then is it necessary that we make satisfaction As though Christ were not the self same mediator at one tyme the he is at an other time Iohn most manifestly coÌ„futeth those meÌ„ saying Little children these thinges I write vnto you that ye sinne not but if we sinne we haue an aduocate wyth the father Iesus Christ whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our propitiation By which wordes we gather the after baptisme also if we chance to fal Christ is our iustification and not our workes Neither is it conuenient to thinke that the estate of them whiche by greuous falles haue turned away from Christ is better then theyrs which are not as yet coÌ„uerted vnto him so that though before they could not iustifie themselues they are afterward able to do it Wherfore we must nedes thinke that by repentaunce is againe obtained the selfe maner of iustificatioÌ„ the was before in baptism or to speake more vprightly wheÌ„ we were first regenerate by faith Wherfore I The same maner of iustification after baptisme which was before can not inough wonder what came in their heds of Cullen those moste great defenders of abuses in that their booke called Antididagma where they gooe about to put a difference betwene that repentaunce which we preach vnto infidels and yâ— repentaunce which is to be done of ChristiaÌ„s that haue falleÌ„ into greuous crimes They graunt the as touching infidels we should by the law of Moses vpbraide vnto theÌ„ those wicked factes which they haue committed and then set forth Christ vnto them as a remedy and medicine of so great euils But they affirme that vnto those which being Christians haue contaminated themselues with sinnes are to be inculcated the giftes and benefites from whiche they haue fallen and to be set forth vnto them the exercises of the spirite by which they may be agayne holpen And for this their sentence they cite certaine places of the Scripture First that which is written in the Apoc. Remember from whence thou hast falleÌ„ and do the first workes Otherwise I come vnto thee And vnto the Galathians Paule saith O ye foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey
and largely vseth this worde Sinne namely to signifie whatsoeuer is repugnaunt vnto the law of God and vnto his will For therby man departeth from the institution of nature from that image whereunto he was created For God so created him at the beginning that in him should shine forth his image whiche thing vndoubtedly cannot be when we resist the law of God And this is Why many pleasures are forbidden men the onely and true cause why man is not permitted to delight himselfe wyth all kind of plesures For if he should so he should make himself like vnto brute beasts and not lyke vnto God his creator For God would haue man to be in this worlde hys vickar and therfore to be most like vnto hym And sinne beyng so largely taken comprehendeth not onely Originall sinne that is our depraued nature corrupt strengthes both of the body and of the soule but also all those euils whiche follow of it namely the first motions of the mind to things forbidden also wicked deliberations noughty endeuors and vitious customes Wherefore the Apostle in this one name of sinne comprehendeth both the roote it selfe all the fruites therof Vnder the name of sin the Apostle comprehendeth the roote and frutes thereof The Etymology of this woord sinne What is the rule of our nature Neither must we geue eare vnto them which bable that these thinges are not sinnes For seyng the holy ghost calleth them by this name I sée no cause why but that we also ought so to speake and to cleaue vnto this doctrine Farther also that these first motions of the mynde and corruption of nature are sinnes the very etimology of the word plainly declareth For this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sinne commeth of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to erre from the marke set before vs by what means so euer it be And forasmuch as this is the rule of our nature and of all our actions to be in all thinges very like and conformable vnto God vndoutedly seing we are prone vnto those thinges which are forbidden vs by the lawe of God and are euen straight way at the first brunt caried hedlong vnto them we must nedes without all controuersie be sayd to sinne that is to erre from the scope and ende set before vs. Of the lyke signification is also the Hebrew worde for that whiche is in y◠tonge called Chataah that is Synne is deryued of this verbe Chata whiche thou shalte fynde in the booke of the Iudges the xx chapiter vsed in the selfe same sence in whiche I before sayde in the Gréeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken that is to erre from the marke For there it is written of the seuen hundred children of Beniamin that they were so accustomed to throwe stones out of a sling that they would hitte euen a heare and nothing erre from it Farther experience it selfe teacheth how greate these euills are euen in vs that are regenerate For we are by them so letted that we cā not fulfill the law of God How the law is performed of men regenerate and yet are we bound to obserue the same in all poyntes We are commanded also not to lust whiche precept howe muche it is broken of vs by reason of our pronesse to sinnes and fyrst motions to vices euery man hath experience thereof in himselfe and can be a witnes vnto himselfe And if the Fathers They are perfecte whiche vnderstande theyr owne wants seme sometimes to write that the law may be fulfilled of mē regenerate they thē spake of an obediēce begonne of such a fulfilling as hath ioyned with it much imperfection For euen they affirme that those are perfect and doo performe the law of God which vnderstand theyr owne wants so that they daily None no not the most holiest hath all the vertues absolutely say with others Forgeue vs our trespasses and acknowledge with Paul that they haue a greate way farther to go The selfe same fathers also confesse that none can be found no not the most holiest man that euer was that hath all vertues absolutly For as Ierome sayth He which excelleth others in one vertue oftentimes faileth in an other vertue And he citeth Cicero which sayd That there can not easely be found one which is most excellent either in the knowledge of the Law or in the arte of Rethorike but to finde one that hath excelled in both kindes together it was neuer hard of Wherfore the Apostle to the end he would make playne most notably set forth the perfect benefite of God geuen vs by Christ doth not onely touche Originall sinne but also in this one word sinne cōprehēdeth all kindes of vices which springe out of it Now let vs se by which one mā Paul saith that By Adam as by a common roote and Masse entred in sinne into the worlde sinne had suche entrance in the world That man was the first Adam who was as a certaine common masse or lompe wherein was conteyned all mankind which lompe beinge corrupted we can not be brought forth into this world but with corruption and vnclenes And although Eue trāsgressed before the man yet the beginning of sinning is ascribed vnto Adam for that succession is attributed vnto men and not vnto women Howbeit Ambrose by one man vnderstode Eue. The corruption is not ascribed vnto Eue but vnto Adam But forasmuche as this woord one is the masculine gender the signification thereof can not but hardly and with much wresting be applied vnto the womā Others thinke that both as well Adam as Eue are by this commō word Man vnderstand so that this phrase of speach differeth not much frō that which is in the 2. chapter of the booke of Genesis Male and female created be them Nether doo they much regard this adiectiue one for that the scripture testifieth that Adam and Eue were one and the selfe same fleshe The first interpretation is more simple and playner and therefore I the gladlier follow it And we ought to remember that Paul writeth vnto Timothe that although both these first parēts sinned yet was there not in ech one and the selfe same maner of transgression For he sayth that Adam was not deceaued Which selfe thinge also maye be gathered of that Adam was not deceaued which they answered vnto God when he reproued them For the woman whē she was asked why she did it accused the serpent The serpēt said she deceaued me But Adam when he was demaunded the same question sayd not that he was deceaued but answered The woman which thou gauest me deliuered me the aple and I did eate This is not so to be taken as though we should affirme that there was There was errour in Adam whē he transgressed no error in the man when he transgressed For as we are playnly tought in the Ethnikes in euery kinde of sinne alwayes happeneth some error This
thing only we are tought that the man was not so grossely deceaued as was the woman And this not a little furthered the argument of Paul For in that place he commaunded that women should kepe silence in the Church for that she is an instrument apt to deceates And this he confirmed by an example of our first parentes For she which hath once moued the man to sinne is not likely to be able to enstruct him a right and it is not mete that she which could be seduced by the deuill be deceaued of the serpēt should beare degree of rule in the Church Howbeit the booke of Ecclesiasticus sayth that sinne had his beginning of the Sinne had his beginning of the woman woman which is not to be denied if we consider the history of the booke of Genesis But Paul as we haue sayd followeth the accustomed maner of the scripture which ascribeth succession and propagation vnto the men and not vnto the women For he ment not at this presēt to teache whither Adam or Eue sinned first But his minde is to declare the roote from whence sinne was spred abrode into the world And so also is that answered vnto which may be obiected out of the booke of wisedome That through the enuy of the Deuill sinne entred into the world Iohn also writeth that the Deuill sinned euen from the beginning For here is Sinne had his beginginning of the deuill not entreated of imitation of an other mans sinne or of the perswasion to sinning Otherwise it is true that the first example of sinne came from the diuell and that he was motioner and author of transgressions But this is nowe the Here is entreated of the beginning of sin by propagation scope of the Apostle to teach out of what thing as from the ground and beginning sinne was by propagation traduced into mankinde And that this was the entent of the Apostle may be proued by that Antithesis which he maketh betwéene Christ and the first Adam For the Lord hath not renued vs or made vs iust only by setting forth himselfe as an example to be imnitated or by shewing himselfe a faythfull instructer but by wholy changing vs renuing vs by We are by Adam infected with a certaine cōtagiousnes the holy ghost and grace Wherefore Augustine semeth to haue very well expressed the discommodity brought in by Adam when he sayth that he hath brought into a consumption all mankinde by which words he signifieth that Adam hath infected vs all with a certayne contagiousnes But the Pelagians agaynst this sentence were wont to vse this argument That which is not can not hurt but An argument of the Pelagians originall sinne if there be any is now by fayth in Christ and by baptisme blotted out and is no more and therefore in children that are baptised it can not hurt But that which these men take as graunted namely that in them that beleue and are baptised originall sinne is blotted out is not absolutely true For in euery sinne are two thinges to be considered The action or wicked affection Two thinges to be considered in sins Wherein other sins differ from original sin which is as it were the matter and the offence or obligation to punishement which they call reatus that is guiltynes And originall sinne herein differeth from those sinnes which they call actuall for that in them the matter abideth not still For so soone as a man hath ether committed adultery or spoken blasphemy those actions strayghtway as soone as the thing is done ceasse to be nether are any more extant Only there remayneth the offence agaynst God and guiltines Wherefore seing by fayth and repentance the obligation vnto punishement or offence agaynst God is remitted we will easely graunt that the whole sinne is abolished But in originall sinne the consideration is farre otherwise The matter of Original sinne passeth not away for the matter thereof passeth not away For euery one of vs hath experience in himselfe that corruption of nature remayneth in vs seing that yet also we continually fall into sinnes and are both in body and minde vntoward to things pertayning to God which sinne yet vnto the faythfull are not imputed The guiltinesse of originall sinne is remitted but the matter is not taken away For the guiltines and offence against God is in baptisme through fayth in Christ forgeuen although the matter of sinne do still remayne Which matter although in holy men it be broken and weakened yet we shall not be perfectly ridde thereof till we be deade And forasmuch as men regenerate beget children not by that they are regenerate but by nature and the fleshe thereof it commeth that the children also of the beleuers are borne obnoxious vnto originall Why the children of the regenerate are borne wyth originall sinne A similitude sinne For into them is powred the same vitiate and corrupt nature that is in the parēts when as yet on the other side forgeuenes or imputation which are apprehended by fayth can not be powred into them For the better explication hereof Augustine bringeth two similitudes One is of graynes of corne which although they are sowen into the ground being purged of theyr leaues stalkes chaffe and eares yet they spring vp agayne with all these thinges whiche hereof commeth to passe for that that cleansyng commeth not to those graines by nature but by the arte and industry of men And forasmuch as the corne springeth not of these principles of arte industry but of nature it must nedes be that when they are sprong vp they follow the order not of humane industry An other similitude but of their owne nature The second similitude is of a man y◠is circūcised who notwithstanding begetteth a sonne with his foreskin And thys hereof cōmeth for that circumcision was not in the father by nature but by a certain force added from without And seing that childrē are not procreated by that out ward force but by an inward strength of nature it is of necessity that whē they are begotten they follow the order of nature And therfore we bring forth no other children but such as we are our selues Wherefore seing we haue in vs the contagiousnes of originall sinne they vndoubtedly also can not be without it But we can not communicate vnto our children the remission and forgeuenes of that sinne For that is to be hoped for at Gods handes onely The selfe same The sciences of the parents are not traduced into theyr children thing we see to happen in sciences and vertues which although they be in parentes yet are they not traduced vnto their children By these thinges it plainly appeareth wherin the Pelagians were deceiued Neither can any man for these things worthely accuse vs as though we plucke away any thing from the dignitie either of faith or of Baptisme For vnto baptisme we largely graunt that it sealeth vnto vs the remission
And he thinketh A similitude that Paul as a wise Phisition hauing the disease set before him abideth not in those thinges which be circumstances about it or do follow it but cunneth to the principall ground and first cause therof Therefore do all men die bicause all men haue sinned Neither ought we to thinke that here is ment that all men do sinne by some certaine action for that can haue no place in children But it is all one as if he had said Now they are bondslaues vnto sinne and are counted guilty therof And when we read these thinges we ought alwayes with the eye of our minde to consider wherunto they tend namely that we should receiue consolation and be made assured of our saluation knowing that the death of Christ hath preuayled against all these thinges By those things also which are written vnto the Hebrues may be declared how we haue sinned in the fall of Adam For there we read that Leui paid tenthes in the loynes of Abraham After the selfe same maner also may here be vnderstand that we were polluted in the loynes and in the masse of Adā The Scholies which are ascribed vnto Ierome interpretate that sinne is committed by the imitation of Adam which is commonly called actuall sinne And they say moreouer that this sinne of Adam went not ouer Abraham Isaac and Jacob which liued a holy life But bicause they sée that this is against them y◠Paul saith That all haue sinned this vniuersalitie say they is to be vnderstand with an exception Which thing they also affirme of other such kinde of sentences as Euery man is a lier Also There is none which doth good no not one when as yet there were in the world many true and holy men when those thinges were written But whosoeuer was the writer of that boke his authority ought not to cause vs to departe frō y◠truth For that which Paul spake vniuersally that all haue sinned hereby is proued Paul with our exception affirmeth that all haue sinned Here is not spoken of sinne spred abrode by imitation for that all men without exception dye For experience teacheth that to be vniuersally most true Wherfore here is to be set no exceptiō Neither ought those such like kinde of speaches which they bring to moue vs for that those sentences also are true if we speake of men not regenerate they are true also euen in the regenerate if we will speake according to their corrupt and vitiate nature Farther that here is not ment only imitation it is manifest by the Antithesis for Christe hath not only set forth vnto vs his righteousnes to imitate but also by the power of the holy ghost spredeth it abrode poureth it into the hartes of the beleuers Origene semeth to expound this place very warely For he at y◠beginning setteth forth certain things which euen Erasmus confesseth to signifie Originall sinne For he affirmeth that in Adam we were all corrupted as it were in a common ground and that we were all in his loynes as in the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Leui is sayd to haue bene in the loynes of Abraham Then addeth he certayne thinges which pertayne vnto the sinnes of perticular men which are called personall and exhorteth vs to cary about with vs the image of the celestiall man These thinges are so taken of Erasmus as though they were an interpretacion of that which went before when as in very deede they wholy confirme our sentence wherein we say Paul here taketh the name of sin in most ample sort Difinition of actuall sinne An vniuersall difinition of sinne that Paule in this place taketh sinne most amply so that it comprehendeth both the roote and all the fruites thereof But I meruayle how these men go aboute to plucke away originall vice from the nature of sinne For sinne according to the common definition they say is whatsoeuer is spoken done or thought agaynst the lawe of God and this can haue no place in children But they consider not that in this definition is not all sinne vniuersally contayned And therfore we before signified that sinne is otherwise to be defined so that that is sayd to be sinne which any maner of way is agaynst the law and will of God These men go farther and say if this were the definition of originall sinne namely the withdrawing of grace or pronesse to sinne these thinges ought rather to be counted paynes of sinnes then simles But they should haue remembred that God doth not alwayes punishe sinnes by outward scourges and aduersities God sometimes punisheth sins by sinnes but sometymes also by other sinnes Wherefore although the corruption of nature and that lust and pronesse to sinne grafted in vs all may after a sort be called paynes of sinnes yet do we affirme that they are also in very dede sinnes But they say that these thinges remayne in vs after baptisme and therefore can not be sinnes vnles we will say that sinnes are not remitted through baptisme and fayth in Christ But to this we answered before that the guiltynes The guiltines is forgeuen through fayth but the corrupt substance abideth Agaynst Erasmus indede is forgeuen vnto the beleuers howbeit the corrupt substance remaineth which if Christ were not a helper vnto vs should of his owne nature condemne vs. For seing it turneth vs away from the rule of the law of God it ought to be taken to be in very dede sinne Nether is it true which Erasmus sayth that the discourse of Paul will not suffer these thinges to be expounded of originall sinne for the thing it selfe teacheth otherwise For the entent of the Apostle is to shew from what euils the death of Christ hath deliuered vs. But that can he not do vnles he take sinne so largely that it also comprehend originall sinne But whereas Paul addeth that euen vnto the law sinne was in the world it maketh nothing agaynst this sentence For we say with Erasmus that sinne is in this place taken in the selfe same sense that it was in the sentences going before by reason of this coniunction causall For. Howbeit it is playne that those thinges which are spoken pertayne as well to originall sinne as to actuall sinnes For Nothing is counted to be sinne but in consideration of the lawe nether of both these kindes if the law were away is ether imputed or acknowledged although otherwise they both are sinnes in very dede and also wrappe vs in death wherfore let vs not suffer this place to be wrested out of our hands as well for that it is a good sure defence for vs as also for that it very well agréeth with Pauls purpose and notably setteth forth the benefite of Christ For euen vnto the law was sinne in the world But sinne is not imputed when there is no lawe Now declareth he that which was set forth in the third place Wherdof commeth knowledge of sinne namely wherehence commeth
ioyned with hym as the body with the head no otherwise then if vnto a man hauing a sore wound should be geueÌ„ such a plaister A similitude or medicine as should not onely heale the wounde but also make the whole body An other simiâ—itude more stronger and much fayrer then it was before Chrisostome addeth an other similitude of a man far indebted which hauing not wherwithal to pay is cast into prison with his wife children all his familie vnto whom commeth some mighty monarch or emperour and dispatcheth not onely the money which he aught to other men but also taketh him out of prison leadeth him vnto his courte exalteth him to dignitie placeth him in a kingdom and heapeth him vp with all maner of riches so hath Christ dealt with vs miserable mortall men Farther he compareth these two thinges together to merite vnto others condemnation and to merite vnto others saluation And he saith that it semeth far more strange from reason It is mere strange sâ—oÌ„ reason to merite vnto an other coÌ„demnation â–ª then saluation to merite vnto an other condemnation then to merite saluation Wherefore the conning handling of Paul is much to be commended which declareth that that is done which semed to be more absurde that we mighte the easelier vnderstande that Christ hath merited vnto vs remission of sinnes For we sée this oftentymes to happen that a man is deliuered out of misery at the request or for fauor of some excellent and noble man Neither is the gift so as is that which entred by one that sinned For the iudgement came of one offence vnto condemnatioÌ„ but the gift is of many offences to iustification Neither is the gift so c. Here teacheth he that whiche was the seconde parte of our deuision namely that herein consisteth that excelleÌ„cy of Christ wherby he farre passed Adam for that he hath not onely abolished one sinne which was brought in by Adam but also hath taken away infinite other sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is iudgement signifieth in this place giltines But that which is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of one it is doubtfull whither it ought to be referred vnto the sinne or vnto man But bicause to which of either it be referred it commeth all to one effect it skilleth not much whether way it be expounded Paul vnto iudgement semeth to oppose yâ— gift and vnto condemnation iustification Neither let vs meruail that he so long tarieth in this place and doth with so great diligence handle and as it were polish Why Paul tarieth so long in this place one and the selfe same thing For it is an excellent foundatioÌ„ of our saluation And therfore to the end it should not slippe from vs it was requisite that it shoulde be plainly and exactly set forth Howbeit here ariseth vnto vs a doubt not to be neglected For seing that the sinne of Adam hath so corrupted man yâ— our whole kind of his owne nature can now do nothyng els but sinne and whatsoeuer sinnes haue afterward followed are the fruites of that transgression the sinne of Adam may seme to haue bene of no lesse force to destroy then the grace of Christe to restore To dissolue this doubt we confesse that of the offence of the first parent and of originall sinne dispersed abrode into euery one of vs do spring other sinnes Howbeit All other sinnes are not of necessitie knit with originall sinne this is to be noted that all wicked actes are not so of necessitie knit with originall sinne that they streightway procede therof For otherwise we should all commit so many and the selfe same sinnes And that this is not true both the thing it selfe also experience teacheth Wherfore Paul considered that thorough our counsels deliberations are after a sort infinite sinnes added vnto that first fault but yâ— grace of God through Iesus Christ hath not onely remoued away that one sinne which is in vs by nature but also hath from in a maner infinite other sinnes brought vs vnto righteousnes hath after a sorte for one ill turne rendred vnto vs thrée good For he hath both abolished that one sinne which is in vs by nature and hath remoued The sinne of Adam recheth to more then the righteousnes of Christ This coÌ„parison is not as touching the nuÌ„ber but as touching the effectes away infinite other sinnes which we haue committed since and hath restored vs to a righteous life Howbeit there is again obiected that the sinne of Adam is deriued into more then the righteousnes of Christ For we are all infected in Adam but we are not all deliuered in Christ For many shall be condemned vnto euerlasting destruction Here is to be aunswered that Paul referred not his power to the number of them which shal either be damned or be saued but only vnto the effects which haue come both from Adam and from Christ Vnles we will say that there are more saued by the grace of Christ then haue perished by originall sinne drawn from Adam For only certaine infants perish by meanes of it but they which are of ful age and condeÌ„ned perish not by meanes of it only but also by reason of actuall sinnes which they haue moreouer committed neither haue they much wherof The grace of Christ of his own nature is suffecient for all men to complaine of Adam but they which are saued are saued only by the benefit and grace of Christ Wherfore Christ saueth more then Adam destroyeth Farther though all men are not brought to saluation yet the merite and grace of Christe was of it selfe sufficient for all men But why all men are not predestinate vnto saluation can not be rendred a reason perticularly But we ought to iudge of that power which Christ hath to saue not by the hidden counsell of God which we can not vnderstand but by the forme of the promise whiche is had in the Scriptures And that promise is generall neither is it by yâ— kinde of speache drawen vnto one man more then vnto an other Moreouer the Apostle for this cause with so many The benefit of Christ is of more might to saue theÌ„ the sinne of AdaÌ„ to destroy wordes teacheth that the benefite of Christ was of more might to saue then the sinne of Adam was to destroy for that this doctrine is exceding necessary And therfore let vs beware that we neuer suffer it to slip away from vs for this is continually to be opposed vnto the greuousnes of our sinnes and vnto the infirmitie wherby as experience teacheth vs we continually fall For there is none whiche if he cast his eyes vpon his sinnes and vpon the infirmitie wherewith he is infected is not straight way discouraged and vtterly in dispaire vnles he looke vppon the might and victory of Christ for therein only he comforteth himselfe and conceiueth an assured hope of his saluation And by two things chiefly is
not therof follow that he hath not hurt vs or that we being by him made sinners haue not felt great losse Now forasmuch as those things which follow pertayne vnto the law before we come vnto them it shall not be amisse frō our purpose to declare what is to be thought touching originall sinne First we will consider whether there be any originall sinne or no for there are What are the chiefe matters that shal be intreated of some which vtterly deny that there is any such thinge Then wil we declare what it is Lastly what proprieties it hath and howe it is by succession traduced to our posterity and also by what meanes it is forgeuen As touching the firste we muste remember that both in the holy scriptures and also among the fathers it is called by sondry names For in this epistle the 7. chap. it is called sinne and the law of the Names of originall sinne mēbers and lust Of others it is called The want of originall righteousnes a corruption of nature an euell inclination a nourisher of euell a weaknes of nature the lawe of the fleshe and other suche like The Pelagians long since denied this sinne and so do the Anabaptistes euen nowe in our dayes These in a manner are the argumentes which they alleadge against it First they say that the fall of Adam The Pelagians and Anabaptistes denye originall sinne Argumēts against original sinne was sufficientlye punished in himselfe and that there is no cause why God shoulde reuenge it in his posterity specially seing it is written in Naum the Prophet That God doth not punish one and the selfe same thing twise For it suffiseth him that he hath once punished Againe it is also written That the sonne shall not beare the iniquitye of the father but the soule which sinneth the same shall dye Moreouer the bodye when it is formed in the wombe is the woorkemanshippe of God and hath nothing which ought to be reproued yea rather which is not woorthy of high admiracion and the soule also is either created or powred in of God And the manner of propagation cannot be counted euell because matrimony is commended in the holy scriptures and from the beginninge God cōmaunded mā to procreat children Wherefore among so many aides of innocency they demaund thorow what chinckes or hoales sinne could creepe in They alleadge moreouer that Paul in his firste epistle to the Cor when he exhorteth the faithfull wife to abide with the vnfaithfull husband if he will abide with her among other thinges saith your childrē are holy But they could not be holy if they wer born in sinne Wherfore say they they which are borne of faithfull parentes cannot contract vnto themselues originall sinne Farther they affirme that it is a common sayinge that sinne is a thinge spoken done or lusted contrarye to the lawe of God and that there is no sinne except it be voluntary And as Iohn saith in his 1. epistle the 4. chapt Sinne is iniquity vnto which is opposite equity or right and there can be no other equity or right assigned then that which is contained in the law and so is finne a trāsgression of the law all which thinges cannot happen in infantes when they are borne And they say moreouer that it semeth not agreable whiche some say namely that this sinne is powred in through the flesh or body For the flesh and the body are of theyr owne nature thinges insensible nether can they be counted a subiect mete for sinne And to establish theyr fained inuencion they adde that those thinges whiche Paul speaketh in this place are to be drawen to those sinnes whiche are called actuall And where it is said that by one man sinne entred into the world it is to be vnderstand say they because of imitacion and example whiche the posterity followed With these and like argumentes were they led to deny that there is any originall sinne But as for death and afflictions of this life whiche are commonly alleadged for tokens to confirme originall sinne they say that they consist of natural causes as are the temperatures of the elementes and humors And that therfore it is a vaine inuention to draw them to the fall of Adam And they thinke it to be a thinge moste absurde to counte that for sinne whiche can by no meanes be auoyded Lastly they say if by that meanes it should be saide that we haue sinned in Adam because we were in his loynes euen as in the Epistle to the Hebrues it is sayde of Leui that he paide tenthes in the loynes of Abraham after the like and selfe same mannec we may say that we were in the loynes of other our elders from whome we haue by procreation discended wherefore there is no cause why the sinne of Adam shoulde more flow abroade into vs then the sinne of our graundfathers greate graundfathers and of all our elders And by that meanes theyr estate should séeme most vnhappy which should be borne in the latter times For they should beare the iniquities of all their elders These thinges alleadge they to proue that there is no originall It is proued by testimontes of the scripture that there is original sinne sinne But we on the contrarye parte will by manye testimonies of the scriptures proue that there is such a sinne In the boke of Gen the vi chap God speaketh thus My spirite shall not alwaies striue in mā because he is but flesh Againe The imagination of the thoughtes of theyr hartes is onely euell alwayes And in the viii chapter The imagination of theyr hart is euell euen frō their childhode These words declare that there sticketh some vice in our nature whē we are brought forth Dauid also saith Beholde in iniquities was I conceaued and in sins hath my mother conceaued me then which testemony there can be nothing more euident Ieremy also in his 17. chap saith that the hart of man is wicked peruerse and stubburne And the same Ieremy and also Iob doo curse that day wherein they were borne into the world bycause they saw that together with them was brought forth the originall and fountaine of all vices And Iob hath a most manifest testimony of the vncleanes of our natiuity For this he sayth Who can make that clene which is cōceaued of vncleane seede And our sauiour sayth Except a man be borne againe of water and the holyghost he shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen And euen as a potter doth not make new agayne any vessel vnles he se that the same was ill made before So Christ would not haue vs generated agayne except he saw that we were before vnhappely generated Which thing he testifieth also in an other place saying That which is borne of flesh is fleshe and that which is borne of spirite is spirite By which words he would haue vs to vnderstand that therefore the regeneration of the spirite was necessary bycause we had before but only a
corrupted it Thirdly this also maketh agaynst the Pelagians namely that euen the very infantes do dye For as Paule sayth vnto the Romanes in the 6. chapter The reward of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And in the 15. chapter of the first epistle to the Corrinthyans The weapon saith he of death is sinne Lastly the baptisme which is geuen to little ones can not blot The sinne of imitatiō can not be blotted out of young children out of them the sinne of imitation Wherefore of necessity we ought to affirme that there is some other kinde of sinne in them except we will haue them to be baptised in vayne There is also an other opinion which the Master of the Sentences reciteth in the 2. dist the 30. which was of such which thought that originall sinne is only a guiltines or blame for an offence or obligation whereunto we are bound by reason of the sinne of Adam So these men do not acknowledge that there is truly and in very dede any fault or sinne in those which are borne but only a certayne guiltines and obligation that they should dye and be condemned for the sinne of Adam This opinion semeth Pigghius in a maner to haue reniued Pigghius maketh originall sin rather an obligation then a fault He maketh death to come of the principles of nature For he denieth that originall sinne is in very dede sinne because it is nether transgression of the law nor yet voluntary Wherefore he affirmeth it to be nothing els then the sinne of Adam for which we that are his posterity are made guilty of damnation and death and are become exiles from the kingdome of heauē But as for death and affictions of this life and lustes of the flesh and other such like affections he saith that they come of the principles of nature so that he is so farre of from saying that all these thinges are sinnes that he doth affirme them to be the workes of God For he sayth that God is the author of nature and that these thinges follow the humors temperature of y◠body and that thing which we sée happeneth in brute beastes happeneth also in men as touching the fleshe and grosser powers of the mynde as to desire those thinges which are preseruatiue pleasant and profitable whether they be agréeable to reason or agaynst it and to auoyde thinges contrary Wherefore He maketh originall sinne to be only the trsāgressiō of Adam He beleueth that this sinne is punished without sensible payne he maketh original sinne to be only the trāsgressiō of Adam Vnto which one trāsgression he will haue all vs to be borne obnoxious not for any sinne or fault or corruptiō which we haue in our selues And he saith moreouer that those which dye being obnoxious only to this sinne of Adam shall not be afflicted in an other life with sensible payne For he imagineth although he dare not openly affirme it that they shall ether in this world or els in some other very delicious place be happy through a certayne naturall blessednes wherein they shall lyue praysing God and geuing thankes although they be banished from the kingdome of heauen of whiche discommodity neuertheles as he dreameth they shal nothing complaine or be sad therefore For this were to striue against the will of God which a man can not doo without sinne But forasmuch as whilest they liued here they had no wicked will it is not to be thought that they Note two reasons of Pigghius He will haue sinne to be taken but after one onely maner shall haue such a wicked will in the lyfe to come And that they shall not suffer any sensible paine he thinketh he proueth very well and that by two reasons First because they haue committed no euill neither haue they cōtaminated themselues with any frowardnes Secondly bicause in this life is required no repentance or contritiō for originall sinne And of this fained deuise this pretence hath he bicause sinne ought not to be taken but after the true and proper maner that is that it be a thing spoken done or lusted against the law of GOD and that it be voluntary and not obtruded to any against their will but suche whiche may be eschued But forasmuch as these thinges haue not place in little infantes there can therfore be no sinne in them Howbeit he saith that he denieth not but that there is original sinne for he saith that it is the sinne of Adam for which all we are condemned must die But therfore I said y◠he sought pretēses bicause in very dede I sée that he Pigghius thinketh thus wherby to defend free will was moued to speake these thinges for an other cause For he attributing so much vnto frée will and hauing of that matter written so many things against vs and considering also that the same could not consist if he should apertly graunt Originall sinne as it is set forth of all the godly hath for that cause founde out this new deuised sentence which yet as I haue said is not vtterly so new for it is both touched and also reiected by the maister of the sentences But to colour his fond deuise A similitude of Pigghius more beautifully he bringeth a similitude of a noble and liberal prince which doth not onely set at liberty some one of his seruantes but also geueth vnto him great authority and enricheth him with possessions which also shall come vnto his posteritie and the Prince geueth him in charge this thyng onely that he faithfully obserue some certaine commaundementes which if he transgresse then he to be assured that all his riches and possessions shall be taken from him and himselfe to returne to his olde bondage This seruant being vnwise and vngrate violateth y◠commaundements of his prince and by that meanes is not onely himselfe made a seruant as he was before but also bringeth forth children to bondage But those children haue nothing wherof to complain of the seuerity of the prince but rather to geue thankes bicause he delt so liberally with their father But for their father they may be excedingly sory bicause he lost those ornamentes both from himselfe and also from his posteritie Yea what if this also be added that the liberalitie of y◠prince was so great that he also allured the posteritie of the vngrate seruaunt to those selfe same benefites and also to farre greater and so allured them that of his owne accorde he sent his sonne to prouoke them So saith he is it with vs. Adam was so created of GOD that he shoulde be pertaker of that supernaturall felicitie Who yet when he contemned the commaundementes of GOD was spoiled of all those supernaturall giftes and left to the olde estate of his nature And in that estate also are we procreated and so bicause of his sinne we are condemned and do die and are made exiles from the
kingdome of heauen suffring many discommodities which are deriued from the groundes of our nature Wherefore we may coÌ„plaine of our first parent but not of God For he was most liberal towards him especially seyng he called vs againe vnto himselfe which is the chiefe felicitie by hys onely sonne and would haue hym to suffer death for our saluation But against this opinion maketh that chiefly which we haue already twise before Death hâ—th no right where no sinne is rehersed namely that infantes do die For death hath no right where as is no sinne vnles we will say that God punisheth the innocent And this reason is confirmed by that argument of Paul wherby he proued that sinne was before the law Because death saith he raigned from Adam euen to Moses But by Pigghius opinion this might be counted a very weke reason For a maÌ„ might say although they died yet therby it followeth not that they had sinne For death happened vnto The Apostle confesseth that sin dwelleth in himselfe We haue not the principles of natuâ—e perfect but vitiated The consideration of man and of brute bests is not alike them thorough Adam for whose sinne they became mortall Farther doth not Paul confesse that there is sinne in nature when he affirmeth that sinne dwelleth in himself and confesseth that the law of the members draweth him captiue and such other like And that is nothing which Pigghius obiecteth namely that those thinges come of the principles of nature for these principles are not of nature being perfect but of nature corrupte and vitiated Neither ought he in this thyng to bring a similitude from brute beastes For man is created to be farre excellenter then brute beastes to beare rule ouer theÌ„ Man had in dede in himselfe principles to desire things pleasaÌ„t profitable but not against reason the worde of God For to haue those affections outragious and violent belongeth not to men but to brute beasts Farther our soule being immortal geuen by the inspiratioÌ„ of God required a body méete for it namely such which mighte be preserued for euer that the soule should not any time be compelled to be without it Wherfore we ought not to flye The bodye ought to be agreable vnto the soule It is blasphemy to make God the author of wicked affections vnto the principles of nature for it was not framed such as now we haue it Now if Pigghius do fayne that God created in vs these lustes and wicked affections theÌ„ is he blasphemous and contumelious againste him whiche faultes he vnworthely goeth about to lay to our charge For forasmuche as God is good and moste wise and moste iuste and hath also created man vnto the highest felicity he woulde not haue geuen him those thinges whereby he should be withdrawen from that felicitie which should entise him to do against his commaundementes whiche of theyr owne accord are filthy and should lead vs captiues into the law of sinne of death For these thinges if they ought to be mortified and crucified as vndoubtedly they ought we must néedes graunt that they are vices and hatefull vnto God Neither E 〈…〉 l affections forasmuch as they ought to be mortified at sins is that of so great force that he fayth that they are not properly sinnes vnles euen as colde is called slouthfull because it maketh menne slouthfull so these thinges because they allure men to sinne may therefore after a sort be called sinnes Or euen as the scripture calleth that a hand which is made with the hand or speach is called the tonge because it is pronounced by the ministery of the tounge so these thinges may be called sinnes because they proceede from sinne These similitudes do nothinge helpe Pigghius cause for althoughe Augustine vsed sometimes so to speake yet he would haue it to be vnderstand of those defaultes and vices which are in maÌ„ after Baptisme In which thing how farre we agrée with him we haue els where declared and peraduenture afterward will farther declare But Augustine plainely affirmeth that before baptisme they are sinnes Yea the holy Ghoste also in Paul calleth theÌ„ sinnes and the nature of sinne agreeth wyth The nature of sinne is extended to al things that are against the law of God â–ª Wherein iniquity coÌ„â—sisteth them For so we haue defined sinne that it pertayneth to all those things whatsoeuer they be that are againste the lawe of God For as Iohn sayth sinne is iniquitie And who seeth not that it is a thing vniuste that the fleshe should haue the spirite subiect vnto it and that our soule should not be obediente vnto the woorde of God Wherefore forasmuch as all these thinges do stirre vs vp to transgresse and to rebell against the woord of God they are both vniust also ought to be called sinnes Farther the wordes of Dauid are most plainely against Pigghius when he sayth Beholde I was conceaued in iniquityes and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me If wicked lust and these vices were the woorkes of nature vndoubtedly that holy maÌ„ woulde not haue complained of them And what other thinge mente the Apostle Paul when he wrote vnto the Ephesians That we are by nature the childreÌ„ of wrath but that there is sinne in euery one of vs Howbeit Pigghius doth by a peruerse interpretacion go about to wrest this testimonye from vs. For he saith that to be by nature the children of wrath is nothinge els but to be the children of wrath by a certayne course of birth because we are so borne into the worlde And he bringeth this similitude that some are called bondmen by nature which is nothing els then that they were borne in that state to be bond But we neither can nor oughte to be contente with this fained deuise for the anger of God is not prouoked but iustly For it is not such that it can be incensed either rashely or by chaunce Wherefore The anger of God is not prouoked but iustly there must nedes be some wicked thinge in our nature to the auengement wherof the anger of God is stirred vp And that similitude of his serueth not to hys purpose for they which are sayd to be borne bondmen by nature haue also by nature some thing in them which is apt for bondage For if we geue credite vnto Aristotle Seruantes by nature haue something in theÌ„ that is apte for seruitude writing in his politiques bondmen by nature are they which excell in strength of body but are dull and slow in reason and thereof it commeth that they are more meete to serue then to beare rule ouer others or to liue at liberty The Apostle also sufficiently declareth why he calleth vs by nature the children of wrath namely because by nature we séeme prone and readye to stirre vp the anger of God and walke according to the prince of this world and because the Deuell is of efficacy in our hartes by reason of
the merites of the parentes For they can not by procreation of the body poure grace into the children forasmuch as it is a thing altogether spirituall nether hath it any naturall fellowship with the fleshe Wherefore forasmuch as goodnes holynes are the mere and pure giftes of God God doth in dede promise that he will doo good vnto the posterity of godly men euen to a thousand generations But that is not to be vnderstand as though there were put any merit in the parentes God was of his mercy moued to make this promise and not by the merites of men And to declare his libertye herein he suffereth it sometimes to happen otherwise and by that meanes teacheth that holy parentes are not so holy but that they haue still much wickednes and corruption in them which they may se to be naturally grafted in theyr children Whereby we may manifestly se the corruption of our nature which also followeth the sayntes euen to the death And for the more establishing also of thys sentence some bring out of the Psalme a curse of the Churche agaynst the children of the vngodlye That they shoulde be orphanes that no man shoulde haue compassion on them that they shoulde begge theyr liuinge If the children of the vngodly be innocents then is this no iust prayer Wherfore it semeth by these words of necessity to follow that they are partakers of the wyckednes of their parentes And bicause they are infantes it can by no other meanes be done but by propagation I know there are some which will haue these wordes of Dauid to be prophesies of thinges to come wherin the holy ghost hath foretold that these misfortunes shall come vnto them But graunt that they be prophesies Yet can it not be denied but that there is in them both the forme the affect of a prayer But a prayer Whether the latter mē be more miserable then the first ought to be iust for otherwise it should be no prayer But where as they say that that is most absurd which followeth of this doctrine namely that the last men also should be more miserable then all others bicause they should beare the synnes both of Adam also of all their elders it may be answered two maner of wayes For first not all thinges which seme absurd vnto vs are also absurd before God The things that are absurde vnto vs are not absurd before God For not to depart from this selfe same matter Christ threatneth the Iewes that all the murther of the godly from Abell euen to Zacharias the sonne of Barachias should come vpon them And who séeth not that the estate of the children of Israel which were led away into captiuity was much more miserable then very many generations of their elders which had defiled themselues with the selfe same sins Farther we aunswer that that should in dede be absurd if the sinnes of the elders should continually passe into the children But seyng we haue declared that that is not alwayes so but that the prouidence of God hath appointed an end and measure To the reasons of the scholemen Affections of the mind◠are communicated frō the parents vnto the children vnto this euil and hath therfore determinately pronounced onely of the third and fourth generation there is no cause why it should seme absurd vnto any man But the reasons of the scholemen wherwith they withstand this propagation are very weake First they alledge that the qualities of the minde are not communicated from the parentes vnto the children which thing euen experience teacheth to be false For we sée oftentymes that of angry persons are borne angry children and of sad parentes sad children Neither doth this similitude serue thē to any purpose when they say that of a Grammarian is not borne a Grammarian nor of a Musician a Musician For these are artes which are gotten by precepts and exercise not affections which are naturally grafted in men And yet by experiēce we sée that it somtymes commeth to passe y◠in what arte the father chiefly excelleth he hath children very prone vnto the same whither if be husbandry or the arte of war fare or els some liberall science Farther we in this place principally speake of those affections which are the groundes and beginninges of actions In the other Sinne defileth both soule and body argument they say that sinne in the parentes doth vitiate only the soule which is not true For as we haue before taught their body is also defiled And therfore it is no meruaile if fathers do communicate such a body vnto their children Wherfore as touching this matter I gladly agrée with Augustine that it is probable and agreable with the scriptures and this sentence Martin Bucer a man no lesse lerned then holy hath allowed that priuate sinnes are deriued from the parents vnto the children But we must note that that commeth by chaunce and is not of necessitie For God sometimes stayeth the sinnes of the parentes and of his goodnes suffreth not the nature of men vtterly to be destroyed But when he will either represse this traductiō of sins or els suffer it to take place he himself only knoweth Howbeit vnto vs it is sufficient to consider these two things First the sinne is poured from the parentes into the children Secondly that the same is by the benefite of God sometimes prohibited which yet can by no meanes be spoken of Originall sin For we al are borne infected with it Now let vs returne vnto the words of the Apostle which we haue so long tyme intermitted Moreouer the lawe entred in by the way that sinne shoulde abounde But where sinne abounded there grace abounded muche more That euen as sinne hath raigned in death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ Moreouer the law entred in by the way that sinne should abounde But The Methode of Paule where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more We muste call to memory that the Apostle began to reherse the effectes of iustification namely that by it we haue peace with God and that we do reioyce not onely bicause of the hope of that glorye but also we reioyce in tribulations bicause we are assured of oure saluation For the confirmation of whiche hope he hathe declared that GOD hathe geuen his sonne vnto the deathe and that when we were yet sinners enemies vngodly And that it should not be obscure by what meanes the righteousnes of Christ could saue vs he sheweth by a comparison that euen as by the sinne of Adam all men haue perished so by Christ all men haue reuiued And in this comparison he teacheth that the effect of sinne is death And that men are deliuered from it only by Christ Now bycause a man might aske whether the law hath any thing profited to the attayntment of that saluation he answereth by preuention that it rather augmented the disease so farre was it of
lawe increaseth sinne because he which sinneth knowing and wittingly is more greuously to be accused then he which sinneth He that sinneth knowing and wittingly is more greuously to be accused vnawares The lawe of nature was nowe so decaied that it wincked at many thinges For many counted lust for no sinne yea rather they semed happy which could obtaine that which they lusted for But when this voyce sounded from heauen thou shalt not lust man began to consider that lust was vnhonest and filthy Wherefore when he endeuoured to striue against it being destitute of strength as Agustine saith he found not a victory but captiuitye For he saw now that he was a bondsclaue vnto it Farther sinne is therefore increased by the lawe because in it we see paynes and punishementes set forth In the lawe we see the paines and punishmeÌ„ts of sinners vnto sinners Whereby it commeth to passe that men hauing their conscience accusing them leape backe from God as froÌ„ a seuere iudge and cruell reuenger And when they haue begon once to hate him they rather throwe theÌ„selues hedlong into any euil then that they will light vpon him Fourthly Chrisostome saith that the lawe of nature containeth a few and certayne briefe preceptes By the law of Moses the law of nature is deuided and distinct into many parts Before the law sinne was on slepe and halfe deade That grace should abound sins being incresed is not true in all men The law and aboundaunce of sinne are not the perfect causes of saluatioÌ„ which are amplified by the lawe of God For that it hath deuided those fewe into many partes whereby is augmented a heape of preceptes And because vnto euery commaundement his proper transgression is repugnant therefore sinnes may seeme also to be increased Neither doth the lawe by these meanes which we haue alledged onely increase sinne but also accuse and condemne it Wherefore in the first to the Corrinthians he saith that the lawe is the power of sin because they which sinne are by it proued guilty But these thinges are not so to be vnderstand as though there had bene no sinne before the lawe For there was sinne in dede but it was on sleepe and halfe deade Wherefore Paul in the 7. chapter of this epistle saith when the commaundement came sinne reuiued Which words declare that sinne was also before although it were not felt Farther we must note that the connexion betwene the law and the increase of sinne is vniuersall and pertaineth vnto all men but the connexioÌ„ which is betweene sinne increased grace abounding hath not place but only in the elect and predestinate For in the reprobate after sinne was by the law increased sorrow and griefe which come thereby engendreth desperation For these are not the full causes of saluation but instruments by which God vseth to deliuer his And the nature of instrumentes is that if a man remoue from them the power of the principal agent of themselues they bring to passe nothing God doth in dede What is the nature oâ— instruments God by certain meanes prepareth or bringeth vs to regeneration An â—â—ror of the Sophisters God vseth euell things to our saluation vse the law the feeling of sinne and terrors of paynes wherby to prepare away to iustification And although before our conuersion the same be sinnes yet by them he prepareth our minds but yet not with that kinde of preparatioÌ„ which the Sophisters haue fayned For they affirme that a man by these meanes deserueth grace as they are accustomed to say of congruency which thinge we haue in an other place declared to be repugnant vnto the holy scriptures But we graunt that as touchinge Gods behalfe there is a preparation for he vseth these meanes whereof some are of theyr owne nature euill and directeth them to a good end which ought to be ascribed only to his most wise prouidence But that grace hath abounded euen this thing may teache vs for that the Elect doo not only obteyne remission of sinnes by Christe but also are adopted to be the How grace is sayd to abound children of God made brethren of Christ heyres of God and fellow heires of Christ and they reioyce also in tribulations and in the hope of the glory of God God dealeth as good phisitions vse to doo which doo not only heale the disease but also doo adde strength and forme which the sicke man had not before But it semeth more agreable that Paul should haue sayd that sinne beinge augmented paynes and punishementes should haue more abounded for that doo sins deserue But he inuerteth his oration and in stede of paynes and punishements Paule inuerteth hys oration sayth that grace abounded Which thing we first fele by our owne experience to be true For we which were before oppressed with griefe and in a maner consumed with sinnes when we se our selues to be reconciled vnto God can not but count it for a most singular benefite For he which hath the more forgeuen him forasmuch as he feleth the greater gift loueth the more Farther the common people commonly weigh and esteme giftes by the consideration of the necessity that went before Wherfore forasmuch as sin being increased was after a sort vnmeasurable the grace also which should blot out the same ought likewise to What it is to haue the gospell preached vnto them that are in misery Of the nature of the law The Manichies and Pelagians vnderstood it nor be in amaner vnmeasurable By this place we may vnderstand what it is to haue the Gosple preached to meÌ„ broken in misery as it is written in Esay and what that is that Christ called vnto him those which were in trauaile and were laden For they which fele not themselues to be such come not vnto him when he calleth them Here I thinke it good somewhat briefly to speake of the nature of the Law and therewithall to declare how the Maneches and Pelagians vnderstood it not and what it worketh in vs ether before regeneration or after we be iustified First as touching the forme therof we may affirme the self same thing that Paul sayth in this epistle when he writeth that it is spirituall But the vniuersall end therof which pertayneth vnto all men is to bring men to the knowledge of sinne Which thing Paul hath both here signified and also before manifestly tought saying that by the law is the knowledge of sinne Here if a man aske why the Apostle sayd not rather by the law is the knowledg of righteousnes I answere bycause a man that is not yet regenerate so long as he is without Christ can not haue within himselfe the fealing of good workes or of true righteousnes which satisfieth the law of God Wherefore when he compareth his doings with the law he findeth them to be nothing but onely falles and transgressions But if we speake of the end of the law as touching the elect the same is
Christ which thing Paul also teacheth saying The end of the law is Christ to saluation The law doth not by it selfe bring men to Christe and to saluatiō The Ethnikes opinion concerning the end of the law What is the law which yet he speaketh not vniuersally But to euery one that beleueth For the law doth not of it selfe bring a man to thys end The Ethnikes sayd that the end of the law is knowledge which it engēdreth of thinges that are to be done Wherfore Christippus as he is cyted in the digestes fayth that the law is the knowledg of thinges diuine and humane But thys end and thys definition extend to largelye For all wisdome and all good artes doo geue some knowledg of diuine and humane thinges Now resteth diligently to se what is the matter and efficient cause of the law And briefely to speake of these thinges I say that the Law is a commaundement of God wherein both hys will and also disposition or nature is expressed When I say a commaundement I note the generall woorde For there are commaūdemēts of people Senators kings of Emperors But whē I say of God I adde the difference which noteth the efficient cause But in that I The law expresseth vnto vs the disposition nature of God say that in the law is expressed the will of God that is so manifest that it nedeth not to be expounded But this may peraduēture seme more obscure in that I said that in the law the disposition of God is taught vs and we are stirred vp to the knowledge of his nature we wil therfore by examples make it more playn Whē God commaundeth vs to loue him he therebye teacheth that he is of nature amiable For those things cannot iustly be beloued which are not worthy to be beloued And vnles he bare great good will toward vs he would not set forth vnto vs the chiefe good which we should loue Wherfore he for this cause exhorteth vs therunto bicause he desireth to haue vs pertakers of himselfe We sée therfore that he is such towardes vs as he desireth vs to be also And when he prohibiteth vs to kill First therin he declareth his will farther he sheweth himselfe to be such a God which abhorreth from violence and from iniuries had rather do good vnto men then hurt them After the same maner these two thinges may also be declared in the other preceptes and out of this definition may those thinges also be gathered which we haue before spoken concerning the forme and ende of the law bicause of necessity such doctrine ought to be both spirituall and also to engender a wonderfull excellent knowledge and we are taught that God by it hath geuen no small Benefites of the lawe benefite vnto men for it causeth vs both to know our selues and also to vnderstand the proprieties of God Plato in his bookes of lawes of a publike wealth and Platoes definition in Minoe seemeth thus to define the lawe namely that it is an vprighte manner of gouerning which by conuenient meanes directeth vnto the best ende in setting forth paynes vnto the transgressors and rewardes vnto the obedient This definition may be most aptly applied vnto the law of God yea there can be no such law Lawgeuers made God the author of theyr lawes vnles it be of God It is no meruaile therefore if the olde lawgeuers when they would haue their lawes commended fayned some God to be the author of them For Minos ascribed his lawes to Iupiter Licurgus his to Apollo Solon and Draco theirs to Minerua and Numa Pompilius referred his vnto Aegiria But we are assured and that by the holy scriptures that our law was geuen of God by Moses The Manichies do wickedly condemne the law There is no good or euill whych is not by the law of God either commaunded or forbiddē The law requireth not onely deades but also the wil The law bringeth vs to the knowledge of God and of our selues in mount Syna And these thinges beyng thus sene concerning the nature and definition of y◠law we mayeasly vnderstand how fowly the Manichies erred which blasphemed it and cursed it as euil For seyng that the law commaundeth nothing but things worthy to be commaunded and prohibiteth nothing but thinges mete to be prohibited how can it iustly be accused For there can be no iust or honest duety found which is not commended in the law of God nor nothyng filthy or vnhonest which in it is not forbidden neither are wicked actes onely prohibited in y◠law but also wicked lustes are there condemned Wherfore it sheweth that not onely outward workes are to be corrected but also the mynd and will And forasmuch as a great part of felicitie consisteth in the knowledge of God and Philosophers do so much extoll the knowledge of our selues and the law of GOD as we haue taught performeth either it can not but with great wickednes be reproued as euill and hurtful Howbeit this place wherein it is sayd That the law entred in that sinne should abound may seme to make somwhat with the Manichies as doth that also vnto the Galathians That the law was put for transgressions and that also in the 7. chap. of this epistle That sinne through the commaundement killeth and that likewise which is sayd in the second epist ▪ to the Corint That the law is the ministery of death All these thinges may seme to confirme the error of the Manichies But The things which are ioyned vnto the law of themselues and the thinges that come by chaunce must be seperated A similitude we must diligently put a differēce betwene those things which of themselues pertaine vnto the law and those things which follow it by reason of an other thing per accidens that is by chaunce For as we haue before taught sinne death damnation and other such like do spring of the law by reason of the corruption of our nature But if a man compare not the law with our nature but consider it by it selfe or if he referre it to a sound vncorrupt nature then can he affirme nothing els of it then that which Paul sayth Namelye that it is spirituall holye good and instituted vnto lyfe and it is said rather to shewe synne then to worke synne Wherefore if men deformed lying hidde in the darke shoulde saye vnto a man whiche by chaunce bryngeth a lyghte vnto them gette the hence least by this thy light thou make vs deformed vndoubtedly we could not gather by their wordes that the power and nature of light is such that it doth make men deformed but this we might rather gather that those things which of themselues are deformed are by the light vttered and shewed what they be And so is it of the lawe for it after a maner bringeth light and openeth to our knowledge the sinnes which before lay hidden But a man will say if the law be good and holy why
men execute theyr office not beinge compelled of feare but of theyr owne accord and willingly Whiche his sayinges are not so to be vnder stande as thoughe the Fathers whiche liued in the olde tyme vnder the lawe were vtterlye voyde of grace For they also beleued in Christe But here Paul so speaketh of the lawe to put a difference betwéene it and the Gospell and Christ as did the Hebrues at that tyme. Wherefore if the fathers The fathers which attained vnto grace had it not by the law were confirmed by the helpe of grace and of the holy ghost that came not then vnto them by the lawe Wherefore Paul sayth so farre is it of that ye ought to be subiect vnto sinne that ye also are frée euen from the lawe And he semeth to drawe his argument from the effectes For forasmuch as the lawe was therefore only geuen that sinne shoulde be felt and perceaued then the law being taken away it plainly appeareth that as touching the beleuers the strengthes of sinne are now broken so that it can no more beare dominion ouer vs. For that children ought by reason of age to be bridled from errors they haue appointed vnto them schoolemasters to chastise them and to keepe them vnder But afterward when through age and discretion ignorance and error are gone the schoolemasters are taken away from them So here Paul speaketh vnto the faythful Ye are no more in age like children that ye haue nede of the bridle of the lawe Wherefore sinne shall not get the mastery ouer you so that ye fight Those commentaries whiche Commentaries ascribed vnto Ierome are ascribed vnto Ierome haue vpon this place a very trim similitude When a yonge man is brought from Grammer vnto Rhetorike he is warned no more to vse incongrue lattine forasmuch as he is no more vnder a GrammariaÌ„ but vnder a Rhetorician And eueÌ„ by the same selfe reasoÌ„ yâ— Apostle saith Sin shall no more haue dominion ouer you because ye are not now vnder the law but vnder Grace Ambrose sayth when we walke not as the lawe commaundeth then are we vnder the lawe Sinne by the authority of the lawe maketh the sinner guilty And whome the lawe maketh guilty those are deliuered vnto it of sinne Wherefore he can not be vnder the law which hath renounced sinne Contrariwise he which fighteth against sinne is not vnder the law Paul in these wordes séemeth by preuention to comfort the Romanes For they mought haue sayd Although we geue ouer our selues vnto God as they that of dead are on liue and though we applye our members as weapons of righteousnes vnto God yet can we not bring to passe whilest we continue in this life but that we shall now and then sinne Paul answereth although there be grafted in you a naturall lust yet it shall not raigne in you For forasmuch as ye are not vnder the law sinne shall not beare dominion ouer you For sinne through the Grace vnder which through Christ ye liue shall not be imputed vnto you And your obedience although it be but begonne and vnperfect yet shall it be acceptable vnto God notwithstanding it satisfieth not the lawe For ye are not vnder the lawe And according to this meaning Paul afterward sayth There is now no condeÌ„nation The law nothing profyteth against the beleuers vnto those which are in Christ Iesus For the lawe in accusing and condemning preuayleth nothing agaynst them that beleue For Christ hath deliuered them from the curse of the lawe But they do not a litle erre which thinke that these things are written â—nely of the ceremonyes of the law and of the iudiciall lawes as though we are still bounde vnto the ten Commaundementes For forasmuch as Paul entreateth in this place of sinne whose kingdome we ought to beware of that we be not obedient vnto it through lustes and straight way maketh mencion These thinges are to be vnderstand of morall precepts also of the lawe which was made agaynst it it most manifestly appeareth that in these wordes are also comprehended the ten Commaundementes For in the commaundementes are our lustes most of all prohibited and restrayned And forasmuch as to the Galathyans it is written That by Christ we are deliuered from the curse of the law and in Leuiticus the 27. chapter and also in Deut. are mencioned those which are execrated and cursed namely they which make a molten image or an idol which geue not due honour vnto father mother which make the blind to erre which strike their neighbour all which thinges pertayne vnto the tenne Commaundementes it is manifest that by Christ we are deliuered chiefely from How we ar bound vnto the law and how we are deliuered from it them Wherfore let vs vse this distinction that as touching iustification we are sayd to be exempted from the lawe because by it we séeke not our righteousnes before God for alredy are we iustified through faith in Christ But on the other side we are not loosed from the obedience which we owe vnto God but that we ought of necessity to do those things which are prescribed vnto vs in yâ— x. commauÌ„demeÌ„ts Wherefore yâ— lawe also as touching yâ— part which is morall forasmuch as it nether condeÌ„neth nor accuseth nor coÌ„pelleth yâ— elect is said to be abrogated for these are yâ— chiefest proprieties of yâ— law As touching the ciuile precepts of Moses no maÌ„ doubteth but yâ— they are now no more in force For the Gospel as it taketh not away any helpes pertayning vnto mans life so doth it in no case take away ciuile administration but leaueth vnto all nations theyr forme of rule and gouernement so that it be not repugnaunt vnto the word of God and vnto pietye God in dede gaue vnto the Israelites those lawes that by them theyr publike welth should be gouerned but afterward when his will was that it should so be cleane dissipated that it should neuer hereafter be restored agayne he would that those lawes whiche pertayned vnto ceremonies shoulde quite be cutte of and abolished For they were only a certayne doctrine to leade vs vnto Christ Why the ceremonies of the Iewes wer abolished who when he was once come it was conuenient that they should vtterly be taken away Nether should it haue auayled vs any longer to haue retayned the ceremonies of the Iewes For forasmuch as men would haue perswaded themselues yâ— by them they should haue God pacified and mercifull of necessity some part of yâ— glory of Christ would therby haue bene diminished for it is he only by whome God is pacefied towardes men Wherfore by Christ we are deliuered as well from the ceremonies as also from the ciuile lawes of the Iewes But Why we are bound vnto the ten commaundementes not to the other parts of the law some are in doubte how it commeth to passe that sithen al thâ—se partes ar abrogated so that of ceremonies and ciuile lawes there remayneth nothing
seruitude had his first beginning of sinne for it is not lawfull to make warre but against those which haue sinned With these wordes of Augustine agreeth Florentinus the Lawyer as it is red in the InstitutioÌ„s and this etimologye right well agreeth with this place which we are now in hand with The deuill assaulting by battayle our first parentes ouercame theÌ„ and tooke them and by that transgressioÌ„ hath made all our nature captiue and hath still in subiection and to be his seruauntes as many as thorough Christ are not set at liberty For so sayth Paule in his latter epistle to Timoth That they may come to amendement out of the snare of the deuill which are takeÌ„ of him at his will But Christ came and hath fought with that strong armed man the gouernor of the world and prince of darkenes and hauing gotten the victory hath redemed vs all Nether vndoubtedly did he it for any other cause but that we should be obedient to his will and vnto righteousnes Wherefore these wordes of Paul signifie as muche as if he shoulde haue sayd Christ hath not therefore deliuered vs from sinne and addicted vnto himselfe to the 〈…〉 e that henceforth we should bee seruauntes vnto sinne but onely Christ hath redeemed vs not vnto sinne but vnto righteousnesse Two contrarye Lordes set before vs. that we should be obedient vnto righteousnes Nowe let vs diligently weighe the wor 〈…〉 Knovve ye 〈…〉 t that to vvhomesoeuer ye geue your selues as seruauntes to obey his ser 〈…〉 s ye are to vvhome ye obey vvhether it be of sinne vnto death or obedience vnto righteousnes Here let vs first note that the Apostle setteth before vs two Lordes the 〈◊〉 is sinne the other is that obedience which we render vnto God By which diuision forasmuch as the partes thereof be contrary it appeareth that I nothing erred from the sentence of the Apostle when before I defined sinne in generall to be whatsoeuer is repugnant vnto the law of God The definition of sinne before alleaged is confirmed For forasmuch as sinne is a priuation it can not be known but by his opposite or contrary forme or quality which it remoueth away and what the forme is Paul here expresseth by the name of Obedience Wherfore that is sinne ought so to be called which is repugnant vnto such an obedience By which it is most manifest that that corruption which is still remaining in vs and the motions which are by it stirred vp are sinnes forasmuch as they are apertly repugnaÌ„t vnto obedience which is opposite and contrary vnto sinne Moreouer this diuision This particion comprehendeth all men of the Apostle if it be sufficient comprehendeth all men so that euery man is of necessitie either the seruant of sinne or els of righteousnes The seruauntes of righteousnes are these which are now deliuered to be obedient vnto the forme of the doctrine of the gospel Wherfore in this place are ouerthrown those workes An argumeÌ„t against workes preparatory which they call preparatorye for they can not be placed in any members of this deuision For if thou wilt say that they pertaine vnto them which are seruantes of righteousnes they are now alredy regenerate and do beleue the Gospel wherfore those workes can not now be preparations but fruites of the Gospell But if thou wilt stand in contencion and say that they pertain vnto them which are seruantes of sinne they haue no fruite of their workes but only death wherfore their workes turne vnto them vnto destruction so farre is it of that they can be preparations vnto grace We say in dede that God oftentimes vseth our sinnes and by them appointeth as it were certain degrées by which we may come vnto Christ But this thing our workes haue not of themselues neither in respect that they are done of vs for in that respect spring forth damnable and odious fruites as it The two Lords do destribute contrary rewardes were out of a corrupt trée Vnto these two Lordes are appointed two maner of rewardes namely vnto sinne is appointed death and vnto obedience righteousnes But it semeth that Paul ought otherwise to haue disposed these things and especially as touching the second member for righteousnes is opposite or contrary vnto sinne Wherfore euen as vnto sinne answereth death as a rewarde so vnto righteousnes also ought eternall life to haue aunswered as a reward But this ought we assuredly to thinke that Paul erred not but by this disposition would teach vs wherein the righteousnes of woorkes consisteth namely in this that we shoulde be obedient vnto GOD for there is nothynge either holye or iust There is nothing holy or iust but that which God hath commaunded The beginnâ—ng of eternall life is to liue iustlye They whiche liue iustly are not miserable although they are greuously vexed but that which he hathe commaunded for the inuentions of men pertayne not to righteousnes but rather vnto lust Wherefore the Apostle to the end he would the more manifestly instruct vs of this thing hath set the definition in place of the thing defined And it is not to be meruailed that he putteth righteousnes in the place of reward for the beginning of blessednes and of eternal lyfe is to liue iustly and hereof it coÌ„meth yâ— in the holy scriptures eternall life is a coÌ„tinuall coÌ„panion of righteousnes And Chrisostome vpon this place sayth that by righteousnes ought to be vnderstand whatsoeuer followeth righteousnes And yet oughte no man therefore to perswade himselfe that they which liue iustly are miserable although sometymes they are greuously vexed with aduersityes For with Paul righteteousnes and innocency of life do signifie the self same thing that eternall felicity signifieth Death also which is ascribed vnto sinne as a reward is not only the dissolution of the outward body but therewithall comprehendeth also eternall infelicity wherewith both body and soule shal be punished And â—y this worde Synne which thing also I haue before admonished Paul vnder 〈…〉 the luste which remayneth in the beleuers and also the corruption of nature 〈◊〉 therefore They which are sory for sins are chiefly sorye for the roote of theÌ„ An example of Dauid the godly when they are sory for any faulte that they haue committed do chiefely complayne of this corrupt nature and of the rotten roote thereof Dauid when he lamented the murther and adultery which he had com 〈…〉 ed ranne chiefely vnto this as vnto the fountayne of all euils sayinge Beâ—old in iniquities was I conceaued and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me And when we pray vnto God to deliuer vs from sinnes for this thinge we chiefelye praye that by his spirite he would breake and weaken this domesticall and familiar enemy Thys thing the Apostle ment when he cryed out Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Paul after he had thus deuided seruitude that of necessity we must be seruauntes
Paul it sufficient in such sort to set forth hys chaunge but he would also declare the maner of the chaunge For when he sayth that we obey from the hart he sufficiently teacheth that The motioÌ„ of the drawing of God is not by compulsion this motion is not by compulsion or violent but willyng and of our owne accord Here let vs marke how farre the doctrine of the Apostle is from that error wherof he was accused namely that we should sinne bicause we are exempted deliuered from the law Lastly he thus concludeth his reason But beyng made free from sinne ye are made the seruantes of righteousnes Here we ought to know that this word seruants is improperly taken For Seruitude properly obeyeth not his owne will but the will of an other man he is called a seruaunt which obeyeth not hys owne will but the will of an other man Now if there be any thing which we earnestly desire if that we obey him which sheweth himself vnto vs as a guide vnto the thyng that we desire and wil also helpe vs vnto the same then are we sayd not so much to serue him as to serue our own desire So they which are truly coÌ„uerted vnto Christ do aboue al things couet to satisfy the wil of God Wherfore if by the word of God by grace by righteousnes they be stirred vp vnto that scope or marke they are not then sayd properly to serue But he continueth in his metaphore which he began to declare the Antithesis or contrarietie betwene the state of men regenerate and the tiranny of sinne By this conclusion is this gatherod that we now being deliuered froÌ„ sinne ought so to serue righteousnes that heÌ„ceforth willingly we haue no more fellowship with sinne And that sayth Chrisostome is all one as if one shoulde say vnto a man that is escaped the handes of a tyranne Now thou hast escaped take hede therfore They most of all abhor from tiranny which haue sometimes liued vnder it An example of the people of Rome that thou come not agayne into hys power None vse more to abhorre from tyrannicall seruitude then they whiche sometymes lyued oppressed vnder it The Romanes when they had driuen out Tarquinius dyd afterwarde so excéedynglye hate hym that they banyshed Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus beynge a good man and an innocente for that he was of the same name We also beynge now made the members of Christ and grafted into the liberty of righteousnes ought not only to expell and banish all maner of sinne but also ought to tâ—mper our selues from all maner of shewe thereof thoughe it be neuer so small The A similitude same Chrisostome rehersing the goodnes of God towards mankinde sayth that he is like a riche and liberall prince which first with a greate somme money redemeth a child being an orphan and forsaken and brought not only into bondage but also compelled to do all maner of vile sclauery and drudgery and w 〈…〉 n hâ— hath so redemed hym being not content with that he adopteth him also to be his son and maketh him an heyre of exceding greate possessions All these thinges ought to prouoke vs to be seruauntes vnto righteousnes Nether let any man flatter him selfe that he is able at one time to serue both these Lords righteousnes I say and sinne For Christ affirmeth that thing to be impossible No man sayth he can serue two masters especially when they commaund thinges contrary as do righteousnes and sinne God and Mammon Yea and Augustine addeth that it is not possible to be obedient vnto one and the selfe same Lord which commaundeth contrary thinges Wherefore forasmuch as in Baptisme we haue professed obedience vnto righteousnes we ought wholy to stand vnto our promises vnles we will be those hipocrites of whome Esay sayth This people honoureth me with theyr lippes but theyr hartes farre from me If we be Christians and do professe the seruitude of righteousnes we oughte not to go on warfare in the campes of sinne I speake after the maner of man bycause of the infirmity of your flesh For as ye haue geuen your members seruauntes to vnclenes and to iniquity for iniquity so now geue your members seruaunts vnto righteousnes in holines For when ye were the seruauntes of sinne ye were free vnto righteousnes I speake after the maner of man bycause of the infirmity of your fleshe He now amplisteth the reason alredye set forth and vnto it addeth an exhortation For he desireth them that they should with no les endeuor doo seruice vnto righteousnes then before they serued sinne and he sayth that he requireth nothing of them but that which is iust so that he should be an vniust man which would not graunt vnto so iust a request And he extenuateth his peticion lest they that here it should steppe backe as it were from hard and vniust conditions Hereby An instruction for prechers let preachers learne that whatsoeuer doctrine they set forth vnto yâ— people they so set it forth that it may seme iust so that euery man may vnderstand that he ought to follow and to accomplish it and that for most iust causes This thinge only Paul requireth that we should now with the same obedience serue righteousnes wherewith before we serued sinne although in so greate a diuersity of Lordes it semeth most iust that we more promptly and diligently serue the excellenter and gentler Lord. And Paul to the end he would the more manifestly lay before theyr eyes the equity of his peticion on the one syde setteth forth the filthinâ—s and hurte which we haue by sinne and one the other side the honesty commodyty of Righteousnes for these are the places which we chiefely vse to The places of perswading and disswading perswad and disswad by But by the comparison of these contraries it semeth that he mought haue inferred that we ought more gladly willingly to serue Righteousnes then before we serued sinne But sayth Paul I speake after the maner of meÌ„ yâ— is I dele geÌ„tly I require not so much as I might iustly require Forasmuch as man is of nature gentle it seemeth a thinge strange to require It is not humanity to require hard thinges of hym thinges hard sharpe I speake after the maner of men signifieth as much as if he had sayd I speake geÌ„tly Although many expound it thus as if it should haue bene sayd I require nothing which they that haue the vse of humane reason ought not to graunt The Greke Scholies referre this vnto the thinges that go beforâ— as though Paul should there render a reason why he sayd that we Graeca Scholia are m 〈…〉 the seruauntes of righteousnes for that is not properlye seruitude W 〈…〉 he sayth that he speaketh after the manner of men for men vse to can tha◠〈…〉 h is greuousome and full of trouble by the name of seruitude and tiranny And 〈…〉 is â—ery
manifest that righteousnes is vnpleasant vnto our flesh and is 〈…〉 whatsoâ—ueâ— the sayd righteousnes appointeth our flesh to do But that wh 〈…〉 〈…〉 ghâ—â—ay â—olloweth semeth not to agree with this exposition Fo◠〈…〉 members seruauntes to vnclenes c. In these wor 〈…〉 is pa 〈…〉 〈…〉 eth to geue a reason why he sayd before that he desired a 〈…〉 tay 〈…〉 the maner of men by reason of the infirmitye of theyr flesh Ierom 〈…〉 in the 2. question being required to expound this place vnto the Colloss Take hede lest aeny maÌ„ preueÌ„t you of the price or reward sayth that Paul in his writinges desired not to follow the phrases of speach vsed of most eloqueÌ„t writers as of Plato of Demostenes and of such like but vsed words senteÌ„ces that were coÌ„mon and such as were in a maner knowen to all men And for example sake he gathereth Paul vsed phrases of speech of the Cilicians together many of his phrases which were obserued of the Cilicians euen vnto his tyme. For of that countrey was Paul born in yâ— city of Tharsis amongst which phrases he rehearseth yâ— which he was theÌ„ in hand with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth should preuent yâ— reward Also that which is written in the first vnto the Corrinthyans As touching me I passe very little to be iudged of you or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of mans day which signifieth in that place mans iudgement And in the latter epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that ye should not be greued and the place which now we reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I speake after the maner of men Because of the infirmity of your fleshe This therefore he sayth because so long as we lyue here in this world we are not fully regenerate For there remayneth in vs much fleshe and much of olde Adam Yet by these wordes as Chrisostome Paul will haue nothing released of the endeuor of the will We must not adde a moderation vnto the law of God noteth Paul setteth not at liberty the endeuour of the will For although by reason of the burthen of our fleshe we can not performe so much as is required of vs yet our will ought alwayes to contend to farther thinges Neither oughte we to thinke that the Apostle would here teach that we shoulde adde an equity or moderation vnto the law of God as though there were not required at our haÌ„ds that we should performe so much as it commaundeth but so much as we can For in this place he releaseth nothing of the lawe of God For to moderate or lenefie it neither lieth it in the Apostle nor in any other mortall man And this semeth to be the meaning of these wordes Reason in dede would require that ye shoulde exhibite a greater seruitude vnto righteousnes then vnto sinne But I speake onely after the maner of men and require that ye should do only the like things And that is to require all whatsoeuer the Lawe commaundeth For they which Paule in so speaking requireth al our strengthes are not yet regenerate but lyue strangers from Christ do wholy serue sin and do applye all their strengthes and powers to sinne But the lawe requireth nothing els but that we should with the whole hart with the whole soule and with all our strengthes loue God We haue so vtterly serued sinne that although it may seme that somewhat more should be attributed vnto innocency then before was geuen vnto sinne yet that can now by no meanes be brought to passe For we haue with all our strengthes serued sinne Therefore the faulte is in vs that We haue with al our strengthes serued sinne probability of reason can not take place And yet Paul in the meane tyme in writing these thinges diminisheth nothing from the law of God Yea rather by these wordes he highly commendeth it as a thing which requireth nothing of vs but that which is agréeable with the nature of man It is a common saying a man must aske more then right to the ende he may attayne to his right But Paul sayth that he asketh but gently not so much as he mought of dutye require As touching the wordes he sayth that we haue hetherto geuen ouer our members How vncleanes and iniquity coÌ„prehend all kind of sin as seruauntes to vncleanes and iniquity where vnder the name of vncleanes and iniquity are comprehended all kyndes of sinnes For whatsoeuer sinne we commit the same tendeth ether to enioy our owne commodityes and pleasures and this is called vncleanes because of the more grosse workes wherew 〈…〉 fleshe is contaminated or els to be iniurious towardes God or towardes 〈…〉 rne which kynde of sinne he calleth iniquity And he addeth For iniquity to teach vs to vnderstand that 〈…〉 no sinne There is no sinne in a manner that is alone that is alone but one sinne alwayes driueth and impellâ—th 〈…〉 he addeth not for vncleanes because yâ— mought easely be vn 〈…〉 〈…〉 se he taketh the name of iniquity more generally in the la 〈…〉 st So now geue your members seruaunts vnto 〈…〉 s. Euen as vnrighteousnes leadeth vs vnto filthy 〈…〉 rig 〈…〉 usnes leadeth vs to holynes The Apostle setteth forth theâ—e 〈…〉 an Antithesis to the ende we should the better marke and consider And sanctification or holynes is nothing els then a purification from all vncleanes Wherefore the Greke What sanctification or holines is word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is holy as Plato affirmeth in Cratylo is so called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a particle priuatiue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the earth because they are called holy which are purged from earthly spottes and filthines And the Apostle speaketh very aptly that we should serue righteousnes or God for sanctification They which sanctifye themselues do the will of God for when we sanctify our selues we do his will For vnto the Thessalonians Paul writeth This is the wyll of God your sanctification that euery man may know how to possesse his vessell not in vncleanes and in lust of desire c. Also God hath called vs not to vncleanes but to sanctification And in the latter to the Corrinth Let vs make cleane our selues from all vncleanes of the flesh and spirit performing holynes in the feare of God For when ye were the seruauntes of sinne ye were free vnto righteousnesse He bringeth a cause why he admonished them that they shoulde in such maner geue their members seruauntes vnto righteousnes because sayth he when ye were before seruauntes of sinne ye were vtterly frée vnto The liberty vnto righteousnes is pernicious Against works preparatory righteousnes that is ye were vtterly straungers from it And in this place vnto righteousnes is the Datiue case And such a liberty is pernicious and far worse then all scruitude most like vnto that liberty which the prodigall sonne so much desired Againe by
had chance to haue died in yâ— meane tyme therfore I thinke with Chrisostome that the Apostle speaketh not of yâ— Gospell but of yâ— law of Moses Wherunto also I am so much the rather moued for the Paul afterward expressedly maketh mencion of the commaundement of not lustyng which without all doubt is contained in the decaloge or tenne commaundementes But in these wordes The law beareth dominion ouer a man so long as he lyueth there is some ambiguitie whether this word liueth ought to be referred vnto the maÌ„ or vnto yâ— law Which thing I thinke yâ— apostle did of purpose A profitable aÌ„biguitye of speach wheÌ„ it may in euery sence be true For at th 〈…〉 st he con 〈…〉 th that not only we are dead vnto the law but also yâ— the law it selfe is dead a 〈…〉 〈…〉 olished And therfore to whether part so euer that word liueth be referred i◠〈…〉 éeâ—h very well with his purpose Chrisostome thynketh yâ— this reason is concluded of an argument taken à minori that is of the lesse For if the death of the husband deliuer the wyfe from the yoke of matrimony then shall there happen much greater liberty if the wyfe her selfe also die Wheras there were two wayes of liberty yet Paul it should seme persecuteth onely one of them For he addeth VVherfore my brethern ye also are dead vnto the Lavv by the body of Christ But he inferreth not wherrefore the Law is dead The Apostle did that for the infirmity of the Iewes howbeit in the meane time he sayth that which is al one as if he had sayd the Law is dead But it is necessarye to consider what Paul What to be vnder the law is What it is to be dead vnto the law meaneth by to be vnder the Law And that is nothing ells but to be obnoxious vnto sinne For the Law thorough sinne coÌ„demneth vs as guilty but to be dead vnto the lawe is nothing ells but to haue that extinguished in vs by which the law accuseth and condemneth vs. And that is the olde man the flesh naturall lust and corruption of nature When these thinges be once deade in vs and that Christ liueth and raigneth in vs we can by no meanes be coÌ„demned of the law But forasmuche as so long as we liue here sinne can not be plucked vp by the rootes out of our flesh therfore it is most likely that the Apostle had a respect vnto that which we hope shall one day come to passe althoughe he so write as though we had alredy obteyned it howbeit in the meane time he setteth before The scope of our 〈◊〉 How much euery men is free from the law our eyes a marke whereunto we ought to leuell in all our actions namely perpetually to represse this lust grafted in vs. Wherefore euery one ought so farforth to iudge himself deliuered froÌ„ the law how farforth he caÌ„ mortefy his lusts and alwayes more and more contend to go forward that at the length he may attayne to that end whervnto we are predestinate namely to be made like vnto the image of the sonne of God being made pertakers of his death and of his resurrection And wheras there is set forth a double death namely of the law and of vs Paul expressedly prosecuteth our death only whereof also followeth the death of the law For the law prouoketh not compelleth not accuseth not nor condemneth them that are dead nether can by any meanes be troublesome or odious vnto them And they which are dead and ioined together with Christ do in no case wayte to be iustified by it partly for that the law can not performe that and partly for that they haue alredy by the grace of Christe obteyned true righteousnes And we are sayd to be mortified by the body of Christe ether for that being now made the members of the Lord we followe our hed that as he was crucefied and died as touching this mortall and corruptible life so we also must dye vnto sinne or ells for that the body of Christ was an oblation and sacrifice wherby God being now pacefied and merciful geueth vnto vs hys spirite The deliueÌ„ry from the law is to be preached vnto those onely that are dead vnto sinne The commaundements oâ— the law pretaine not vnto the dead The law was notable to do the office of a husbande by whome the power of sinne is weakened And sithen Paul preacheth not this liberty but vnto them that are dead vnto sin thereby we vnderstand that there is no danger least men should by reasoÌ„ of this liberty geue themselues to vices For they that are dead caÌ„ not be stirred vp to sinne Farther we should be vnder the law if we should liue vnto sinne and vnto the flesh But being dead we are not holden vnder it vnles we will say that the commaundementes of the Law pertayn also vnto the dead Forasmuch as Paul in this place vseth a metaphore taken of matrimony we ought to marke that it is the office of the husband to gouern his wife But when as the lawe had long time possessed the rome of the husband nether could execute his office namely to gouern men and to call theÌ„ backe from sinne for so is it afterward written That it was vnpossible vnto the law in as much as it was weakened thorough the flesh therefore the Apostle when he teacheth that we are deliuered from the lawe as from an infirme and weake master teacheth also that we are led vnto the spirite as vnto a better mightier master who alone hath that force to change a man â–ª and that that whiche letted the law from doing of this came not thorough t 〈…〉 〈…〉 efault of 〈◊〉 law but thoroughe our defaulte Here is to be noted howe gr 〈…〉 confor 〈…〉 ye there In matrimony there is a great conformation betwenâ— the man and the wife ought to be betwene the man and the wife in matrimony rightlye instituted For the proprieties of the husbaÌ„d ought to be coÌ„municated wâ—th the wife Wherfore euen as Christ died so also ought we to dye vnto sinne And as Christ rose againe to an incorruptible and immortall life so also ought we to rise agayne The end of our new coÌ„iunction with Christ The law made not men fruitefull to beginne workes of eternall life Wherefore Paul when he had made mencioÌ„ of death added That ye should be vnto an other namely vnto him vvhich rose agayne from the dead He setteth forth an example also of the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ in which wordes as sayth Chrisostome he ment to stirre vs vp to the desire of a new matrimonye by reason of that excellent estate of Christe vnto whome we shall be ioined And the end of this new coniunction is expressedly put in those wordes which follow That vve should bring forth fruite vnto God In the first matrimony we were baren for the law of good workes can not make men fruitfull But men
writtē in the selfe same chapter to refell the blasphemies of these mē Which sentence of that holy man confirmeth that which we haue oftentimts sayd namely that the holy scriptures touching these thinges which pertayne to saluation is The holy scripture is sufficient touchinge those thinges whiche are necessary to saluation Vnles we had bene in the flesh the law had not hindered vs What is to be in the flesh sufficient and may be of the faithfull vnderstand so that they be not sluggishe and slouthfull and neglect the reading of the holy scripture Hereafter when we come vnto it we shall declare in what maner and with what moderation and wisedome the Apostle defendeth the lawe And as touching this sentence we ought to note that Paul therefore sayth that the wicked affectes of sinnes by the lawe were of efficacy in our members because we were in the fleshe Vpon this is the blame to be layd and not vpon the lawe For vnles we had bene in the fleshe the lawe had nothing hindred vs. And to be in the fleshe is nothing els but to be stirred vp by our owne strengthes and to be moued and impelled of our vitiate and corrupt nature for whatsoeuer is in vs besides the spirite and grace is called fleshe Wherfore in that in vs are encreased sinnes and lustes that commeth hereof for that we are in the fleshe Men vse as much as lieth in them to eschew a pestilent and hurtfull ayre So we also if we will be saued must abhorre and flye this contagiousnes of the fleshe and flye vp into heauen vnto Christ And we can not depart from the fleshe but by death And for that cause Paul exhorteth vs that by the body The flesh a slippery place of Christ we should dye vnto sinne For the fleshe is a slippery place Wherefore so long as we abide in it we must néedes oftentymes slide Wherefore we must cleue fast vnto Christ which may so gouerne and vphold vs that in this slippernes of the fleshe we fall not into eternall destruction But now ye are deliuered from the lawe being dead vnto it wherein ye were holden c. Now he returneth vnto that estate wherein we are now placed by Christ Now sayth he are we deliuered from the lawe he sayth not from the fleshe or from sinne for these two thinges he counteth for one and the same Being dead vnto it wherein we were holden He sayth not that either sinne is dead or that the lawe is dead He sayth only that we are dead By that wherein we were holden he vnderstandeth the lawe and not sinne For in the Greke is redde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the neuter gender But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sinne is the feminin gender Howbeit it appeareth that there were sundry readinges amongst the Grecians For whereas we haue now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being dead some redde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of death so that the sence should be But now ye are deliuered from the lawe of death that is from the lawe that bringeth death Others rede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the genetiue case as thought Paul would say that we are now deliuered from the lawe that is dead Although that reading which we first followed and interpretated is both more common and also more receaued And the Apostle in such sort sayth that we are deade vnto the lawe as before he sayd that we are mortefied by the body of Christ And as Chrisostome sayth we are therefore sayd to be deliuered How we were holdē vnder the law The law is abrogated not by it selfe but by an other thing from the law for that that bond is now broken whereby the lawe held vs obnoxious And that bonde was sinne And we were holden in the law not as obseruers thereof but as men condemned and guilty Now are we which are made pertakers of the death of Christ deliuered from it By these things we vnderstand that the lawe is sayd to be dead and to be abrogated not through it selfe but by reason of an other thing For therefore it ceaseth now to accuse to prouoke to compell to condemne and to be gréeuousome because sinne is dead Wherefore the ende thereof was not to iustifie vs for that thing could it not performe in as much as it was weakened through the fleshe The ceremonies also of the lawe were taken away by reason of an other thing namely because Christ is now come And ciuile commundementes are now abrogated because the common wealth of the Israelites is destroyed And therefore Paul escheweth plainly to say that the lawe is dead for that this thinge is not agréeable with it according to his owne nature But he alwayes runneth vnto our fleshe and vnto sinne and fréely pronounceth that they are dead For by reason of their death the lawe it selfe also ceaseth and dieth But this is to be marked that we in the meane while so long as we liue So long as we liue here we are not perfectly dead here are not perfectly dead And therefore the lawe so long is not vnprofitable For we are not endued with so plentifull a spirite that we do all thinges by the impulsion thereof Wherefore there are many thinges in vs which the lawe may accuse and reproue Wherefore holy men so long as they liue here cease not to looke vpon the lawe that flieng the comdemnation thereof they may be more and more conuerted vnto Christ For although we be by fayth grafted into Christ Our coniunction with Christ may euerye day be made greater and greater yet may that coniunction euery day encrease For the life of the godly is sayd to be a perpetuall mortification and repentance Neither is this any let vnto our regeneration that we say that much of the olde Adam is still remayning in vs. And therefore when we consider the lawe and sée what is still to be mortefied in vs we are more and more driuen vnto Christ And this is it which Paul writeth vnto the Galathyans that he by the lawe is dead vnto the lawe Wherefore euery Christian ought thus to count with himselfe that so long as he séeth any thing in What are the tokens of sinne yet liuing his conscience worthy to be reproued or any prouokemente to sinne or any hatred or lothsomnes against the lawe of God or that he is drawen against his will to do good so long I say sinne is not in him dead and there is much remayning in him which may be reproued of the lawe That we should serue in newnes of spirite and not in the oldnes of the letter If thou demaunde whome we must serue answere is to be made we must serue God to worship him as it is mete The Apostle in this place vseth this The difference betwene Du 〈…〉 and Latria is not perpetuall Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to serue Wherby it is manifest that that
I knew not sinne but by the law for I had not knowen lust except the law had saide Thou shalt not lust But sin toke an occasion by the commaundement and wrought in me all manner of lust For without the law sinne was dead For I once was aliue wythout the law but when the commaundement came sinne reuiued but I was dead and the same commaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me vnto death For sinne tooke an occasion by the commaundement and deceaued me and thereby slew me Wherefore the lawe is holy and the commaundement is holy and iust and good What shall we then say Is the law sinne God forbid Here Paul beginneth after a sort to defend the law For before he sayd that we are deliuered from it And he mought haue semed not very godly to haue estemed of the law especially when he sayd That the affectes of sinnes which are by the law were of efficacy in our members that we should bryng forth fruite vnto death For these and such other lyke things which semed to be contumeliously spoken agaynst the law he was cōmonly ill thought of of the apostles Wherfore by preuention he obiecteth vnto himself that which he knew was by them layd to his charge Is the law sayth he sinne By the figure Metonymia he putteth sinne for the cause of sinne or for that doctrine whiche persuadeth to sinne He speaketh it by way of interrogation as though he would put forth a question to be debated And to cleare himselfe of all manner of suspicion and to declare how farre he was from this impietie straight way without The law is not properly the efficient cause of sinne In our selues is the true cause of sinne any taryeng he aunswereth God forbid But to make that which followeth y◠eastlier and plainlier to be vnderstand this is to be noted that Paul attributeth not vnto the law the workyng of sinne For sinne commeth of it only per accidēs that is by chaunce For the true and proper cause of sinne is in our selues For y◠lust which is grafted infixed in vs when the law of God setteth it self against it waxeth more 〈…〉 ce and is more vehemently kindled not that the law bringeth occasions to this infection For it only sheweth things which are euill setting forth what things are to be done what to be eschued But when the corruption of nature perceyueth that those thyngs which are set forth of the law are agaynst it it gathereth together his strengths and strengthneth it selfe to resist as much as lyeth in it and therfore it poureth out greater forces As we sée in the sommer whē A similitude cold cloudes hange ouer vs then in these lower regions are much greater heates And when as of the sonne al things are inflamed and made whote yet by Antiperistasin welles and places vnder the earth are more cold For such is the nature of The nature of thinges contrary things contrary that to repell the presence of their contrary they more vehemētly bend themselues and gather greater strengthes But I knevv not sinne but by the Lavv For I had not knovven lust except the Lavv had sayd Thou shalt not lust By these wordes the Apostle teacheth that How the law encreaseth sinne the Law encreaseth not sinne but so farre forth as it setteth before our eyes the knowledge thereof And he speaketh of himselfe to geue vs to vnderstand that he speaketh or declareth nothing but that which he had learned by feling and experience And by y◠same example he secretly exhorteth vs wholy to discēd down into our selues if we will together with him know the groūde of our saluation If thou demaund it what time Paul sayth that he knew not sinne and was ignorant At what time Paul◠knew not sinne of lust many thinke y◠he meaneth this of his childhode in which time by reason of age he could not vnderstand the commaundementes of the law This answere although I meane not to disproue yet do I not thinke it to be sufficiēt For after that we are come to discretion nether age nor naturall knowledge can of themselues shew sinne vnles we most attentiuely consider the Law of God For if it be but lightly and sclonderly looked vpon it engēdreth not a true knowledge of sinnes Wherefore we may say that sinne is not knowen of men both when they are letted by age and when being come to age they neglect the Law of God and also when they doo not attētiuely enough ether heare or rede it This place manifestly teacheth that Paul entreateth not only of ceremonies Both age and sinne let vs from the knowledge of the law Here is proued that Paul entreateth also of morall preceptes The law of nature also shewed sin The law of nature was in a manner cleane blotted out The presumption of hipocrites went about to depraue many thinges in the law of God An euident difference betwene the letter the spirite but also comprehendeth the ten commaundementes For out of thē he bringeth a confirmatiō of his sentence when he citeth this precept Thou shalt not lust And euen this Law whereof he speaketh is it from which he pronounceth that we are deliuered Which thing were not possible if as our aduersaries affirm we should be iustified by the workes thereof But thou wilt say did not the Law of nature shew sinne why then doth Paul say that he knew not sinne but by the law geuen of God by Moses Indede the law of nature shewed sinne but yet so long as it was soūd and whole But it being in a maner clene blotted out partly by the fall of the first parentes and partly by many other corruptions which it had now by long vse and continuance contracted could not performe his office so much as should be sufficient vnto the saluation of men Wherfore God gaue a law which should restore all thinges which our prauity had corrupted in the Law of nature And yet could not the presumption of men be so repressed but it went aboute in the Law also geuen of God to depraue many things For the Scribes and Pharisies with theyr interpretaciōs had corrupted the natiue and proper sence of the Law Wherefore Christ was compelled to bring it to perfection from theyr deprauation and to shew that it is farre otherwise to be vnderstand then they in the olde time had interpretated it And hereby we vnderstand that there is no small difference betwene the Law and the Spirite The Law may be blotted and corrupted by euill interpretations Farther also although it be perfect yet hath it not suche strengths that it can ether extinguishe sinne or alienate the minde from sinne But the spirite can not be vitiated nor corrupted and it breaketh sinne and chāgeth the minde But we ought to know that the Law geuen by Moses could not so much be corrupted as the Law of nature For although it were by interpretations
not distinguished from the Gospell by bookes The knowledge of sin two fold Paul now declareth namely to shewe sinne And that alwayes it doth wheresoeuer any commaundement of the lawe is whether it be in the fiue bookes of Moses or in the prophetes or in the bookes of the new testament For the lawe is not distinguished from the Gospell by bookes but in forme and maner of teaching But this property of the law when it is lightly weighed appeareth not For the knowledge of sinne is two maner of wayes the one is whereby we only beholde the nature thereof the other is whereby by experience or some certayne byting we haue a féeling thereof in our selues And this latter way is the fruite that commeth of the reading of the lawe namely not only to know sinne but also to be daunted at the féeling thereof when we vnderstand that we are in a maner consumed of the wrath of God The Apostle warely sayth that he knew not sinne and was ignorant of lust vnles the lawe had sayd thou shalt not lust But he sayth not that he had not sinne before the lawe For there was euen then also sin in him but it was not acknowledged And a litle afterward how sinne was in him then he declareth saying Sinne before the lawe was dead but so soone as it came it reuiued agayne Sinne in dede was before but yet not so vehement wherefore also it semed the les to be accused And for that cause Christ said If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should haue had no sinne By which wordes he signifieth not that they should vtterly haue bene without all sinne if he had not come but that they should not haue sinned so greuously But thou wilt say seing the lawe Why the law is sayd to shew sins and not vertues sheweth not only sinnes but also good déedes why doth the Apostle only say that it sheweth sinne I answere as before I answered For that the lawe was not able to shew vertues which are known by experience and féeling neither in men strange from Christ nor in the regenerate For in men strange from Christ the lawe found nothing but sinne And in the regenerate it found rather certayne inchoations or beginnings then perfect vertues Farther by this place we vnderstand The law is diligently to be learned that the lawe is with great diligence to be learned and to be peysed in the minde as without which both the force of sinne is not knowen and the grace and mercy of him that forgeueth is contemned And because this is very hurtful therfore the holy scriptures alwayes inculcate into vs the knowledge of the lawe and pronounce them blessed which are occupied in it day and night Which is true if therewith all be ioyned Christ the only ende of the lawe And that the law might the easelyer be vnderstand God alwayes raysed vp and inspired holy prophetes to expound it vnto the people when they sharpely cried out agaynst the sinnes of their times Christ also our Sauiour hath deliuered vnto vs a most exquisite interpretacion of the lawe Now they at the last are to be counted to rede the lawe of Who are with fruite occupied in the contemplacion of the law the Lord with fruite which so often as they lay away the booke acknowledge in themselues somewhat which must be by the mercy of God forgeuen and by his grace be amended Agayne by these wordes of the Apostle is the law◠defended from their sclander which crye out that it is euill and proceded from an euill God For they say that the lawe is euill and sinne which thing Paul expressedly denieth For he answereth God forbid Farther how can it be ill which condemneth and forbiddeth lust which they are compelled to confesse to be ill But wheras he saith by the law sin entred in that is spokē by a metaphore For that blame which thesemē ascribe vnto y◠law ought to be trāsferred vnto corruptiō y◠naturally grafted in vs. And although the lawe in many seme to worke nothing els but more and more to heape vp sinnes yet that commeth not therefore for that it selfe is euill but for that it can of a corrupte nature bring foorth no other thing But why the lawe is vnpleasant and hatefull vnto vs that hereof commeth saith Why the law is odious vnto vs. Ambrose for that it alwayes sheweth thinges euill namely sinnes and condemnation But there is none which will gladly heare of those thinges Yet they that be godly indede although they are by it bitten for it doo geue thankes vnto God For they féele that by the preaching thereof they get incredible fruites But before we passe ouer this place there are a fewe thinges to be spoken of whiche in my iudgement seme very necessary to the full vnderstanding thereof There What is prohibited in this commaundemēt Thou shalt not luste are some which thinke that this commaundement Thou shalt not lust forbiddeth not the prauity and corruption of nature or the first motions whereby we are affcted towardes those things which God hath forbidden But by that commaundement say they is only prohibited the consent of the will and of the minde And then at the length they confesse that we sinne whē we geue place vnto those first motions and suffer sinne to raigne in vs. But those thinges whiche followe in this selfe same chapiter do most manifestly reproue them For Paul sheweth that he entreateth of that lust which is irkesome vnto a minde that serueth the lawe of God And he addeth that by it he doth that euill which he hateth But these thinges haue no place where the consent of the minde is ioyned with all And of this kinde of lust he cryeth out Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me frō the body of this death And he addeth that he is of it drawen captiue agaynst his will and resisting it Wherefore seing this lust is of this nature there is no cause why it should be wrested vnto the consent of the minde But herein our aduersaries That commaundemēt which can not be fulfilled is not in vaine geuen are excedingly deceaued for that they thinke that this precept is in vayne geuen if it prohibite that which can not be auoyded in this life And it is a thing ridiculous say they to commaunde any thing vnto the brute and foolishe fleshe and to the irrationall partes of the minde whiche vnderstand no such thing and are of necessity moued to do that whereunto they were instituted But these men ought to haue remembred that this precept was geuen vnto man endued with reason and that not in vayne nor without purpose For God had created man to hys owne image and likenes Wherefore it was requisite that he should haue nothing in him which should not agrée with the will of God Neither are the commaundementes which can not be performed in this life geuen in vayne to men as these men
fayne For the lawe of God hath a farre other ende then that it should be absolutely performed of vs or that we should by the obseruation of it obtayne righteousnes Wherefore lust is of two sortes the one is a manifest consent of Lust of two sortes the minde which pertayneth to euery one of the commaundementes of God For anger and hatred pertayne vnto this commaundemente thou shalte not kill Lust and filthy desire pertayne vnto this commaundement thou shalt not committe adultery the other is a generall lust which is a pronesse against the will of God and is with all the motions thereof expressed in the last precept thou shalt not lust but there is yet remayning a doubt for Moses setteth not foorth that precept so simply and playnely as doth Paul but sayth he Thou shalt not lust after thy Paul conciliated with Moses neighbours house hys field hys seruaunt hys mayde hys oxe or hys wyfe The cause of this diuersity is for that wheÌ„ as Moses should geue the lawe to men being rude he would more openly and more plainely describe lust by the obiectes whereunto it is caried that they mought the easilier vnderstande it But Paul which sawe that he had to do with them that knew the law thought it inough precisely to say thou shalt not lust supposing yâ— it should néede no farther declaration Yea nether did Moses reâ—oâ—ed not all thinges w 〈…〉 unto our lust is caâ—ed Moses recken vp all things whereunto we are by lust led He thought it sufficient to recken a certaine fewe thinges which straight way were perceaued of euery man as grosse and manifest And so we sée that God in like maner vsed the figure Synecdoche in a maner in all the rest of the commaundementes Which thing Christ in Mathew hath plainly tought vs when against the traditions of the God in the commaundementes vsed the figure synecdoche Scribes and of the Phariseyes he defended the true meaning of the law For he tought that in that commaundement thou shalt not kill is not only prohibited the hand but also contumely hatred and wrath And that in this commaundemeÌ„t Thou shalte not commit adultery is not only forbidden the vncleane action but also the lustfull looking and all maner of inflamatioÌ„ of the minde towards a woman not being thy wife After the same maner we could easily declare that in all the rest of the commaundemeÌ„ts is vsed the figure Synecdoche Farther in euery one In all the commaundementes are commended the vertues coÌ„trary vnto that vice whiche is prohibited The ten commaundementes like the ten predicamentes of Aristotle of the commaundementes are commended the vertues which are contrary to that vice which is there prohibited For when we are forbidden to beare false witnes against our neighbour therewithall also we are commaunded to defend the truth and ernestly to succour the good fame of our neighboure when we are forbiddeÌ„ to steale we are also coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be liberal towards our neighbours to communicate such things as we haue to them yâ— want And to declare yâ— which oftentimes commeth into my minde the ten commaundementes of the lawe seme in my iudgement in all partes as touching honesty filthynes vertue and vice to extend as farre as the ten predicamentes of Aristotle For as there can nothing be found in the nature of thinges which pertayneth not to those predicamentes so is there no vertue no vice nothing honest nothing filthy which can not be referred to some of the ten commaundementes And as all the generall wordes and perticular kindes of the other predicamentes are resolued into the predicamente of substance so may all outward sinnes be resolued into lust And as the predicament of substance hath matter and forme as the first and chiefe ground so the whole consent of our minde to sinne is resolued into the prauity of our nature Wherefore although in the lawe are set forth thinges knowen and grosse yet in them God requireth that which is commaunded in the first and last commaundement namely that we should haue the motions both of the body and of the The commaundemeÌ„t against iâ—st is not well deuided into two minde honest and clene and that we should abhorre from all those thinges which God hath forbiddeÌ„ vs. Farther this to be noted that Paul bringeth this as one only precept Thou shalt not lust Wherefore I meruail at certayne amongst whom also is Augustine which of one commaundement do make two as though in the one is prohibited adultery when it is sayd thou shalt not lust after the wife of thy neighbour and in the other is forbidden that we couet not an other mans land house oxe seruaunt and maide But if the preceptes shoulde increase in number according to the number of the thinges that we lust after we should of one commaundement make in a maner infinite commaundementes For it is possible that we may couet our neighbours honors dignityes vessels money garmentes and infinite other such like thinges But there are others which to kepe the ful number of ten in the commaundements haue left this commaundement Thou shalt not lust vndeuided and haue deuided the first precept into two parts so that in the first part they put this thou shalt haue none other Goddes and in the second thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. But I thinke that either Whych is the first precepte of these partes pertayne to one and the same precept And I suppose the first commaundement to be that which is set before the rest in stede of a proheme I am the Lord thy God which hath brought thee out of the land of Egipt For in those wordes are we commaunded to count him for the true God And that we should not thinke that he is to be worshipped together with other Goddes straight way is added the second precept wherein we are prohibited to worship strange Gods In the fyrst commaundement is offred vnto vs the Gospell and grauen thinges and images And if a man will more narrowlye consider the thing he shall sée that together with as it is his first commaundement is offred vnto vs the Gospell For God in it promiseth that he will be our God And in that which is mencioned of the deliuery out of Egipt is contayned a promise touching Christ But to returne from whence we are digressed we ought certaynly to hold that in this precept Thou shalt not lust are prohibited our corrupt inclination and euill motions of the minde which we should not acknowledge to be sinnes vnles the lawe had shewed them vnto vs. Aristotle Pigghius and such other like for that they were ignorante of the lawe of God contende that these are not preceptes But sinne tooke an occasion by the commaundement and wrought in me all maner of lust Hetherto Paul hath declared that the lawe only sheweth sinne Now he toucheth the true cause of all transgressions Which cause he plainly
ought to be vnderstand both of Paul and of all the godly And yet followeth it not of necessity that we should say yâ— Paul by reason of natural lust fell into al kindes of sins For here is not entreated of the outward actions but of the affectes of the mind and the first motions Nether is here coÌ„sidered what is done but what may be done by our naturall prones vnto euill For vvithout the lavv sinne vvas dead Then men are sayd to be without the Law when ether by reasoÌ„ of age they can not attayne to the vnderstanding therof or ells wheÌ„ now being come to full age they ether nothing at al peise it or very sclenderly He sayth that sinne was dead bycause as it is written to the How sinne was deade CorrinthiaÌ„s The force of sinne is the Law And eueÌ„ as that body is said to be dead which vtterly wanteth all maner of strengths so sinne also was said to be dead for that wheÌ„ the Law was not it was not of efficacy waÌ„ted his power That which is dead moueth not it selfe So sin wheÌ„ it was not impelled by any law nothing at all moued vs but was sluggish after a sort dead so yâ— it was ether litle or in a maner nothing at al felt But as sone as yâ— Lawe came it receaued strengths Chrisostome interpretateth That sinne was dead for that it was not knowen Vnto which opinion Augustine leneth when he fayth that it was hidden But al these things tend to one end For the Law stirreth not vp sin but by knowledge Ambrose sayth that sinne was dead bycause men before the Law thought they mought sinne freely without punishment But this sentence we haue before confuted For we haue shewed that men also by the Law of nature felt that God was angry against sinne and greuously punished it Vnles paradueneure Ambrose ment this yâ— that thing was theÌ„ more obscurely knowne then it was afterward when the Law was geuen But he sayth moreouer that by sinne may be vnderstand the deuill For he toke an occasion by the Law to worke in vs all maner of lust The law sheweth sin and sheweth not the deuill and he is sayd of Paul to haue bene dead before the Law for that he not so carefully tempted men as being sure of them as of his owne possession But as sone as the Law was geueÌ„ he ceassed of from that quietnes But this interpretation is farre from the skope of the Apostle For he entreateth of sinne which is shewed by the Lawe And the Law sheweth vices and wicked actes and not the deuill Which thing is proued by that which streight way followeth For I knew not lust except the Lavv had sayd Thou shalt not lust But it is wonderfull how Ambrose entreating of this argument should say that the deuill when the Law was geuen lost his dominion ouer men For by the Law and sinne meÌ„ were made more obnoxions vnto the deuill This benefite we owâ— vnto Christ and not vnto the Law Howbeit the Greke Scholies I knowe not by what meanes bend vnto this sentence touchyng the Deuill For they say that it is possible that as our sauiour is sayd to be the way the truth and righteousnes So the deuill may be called sinne a lye and death The commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome fauouring this senteÌ„ce bring a similitude of an enuious maÌ„ which is commonly so much the more moued against him whom he enuieth how much the greatrâ— the benefite is which he séeth is bestowed vpoÌ„ him So the deuil when he saw the singuler gift of the law of God geuen by God vnto man began so much the more to rage against him and by the commaundement of God tooke an occasion of raging But whatsoeuer these fathers say it is very plaine by the wordes of Paul that he in this place speaketh of that sinne which is by the lawe brought to light such as is lust But they when they heard that sinne tooke an occasion by the law and seduced and killed thought that these things ought to be referred vnto some certaine person which might be distinct from vs which are seduced and killed But they saw not yâ— Paul by the figure Profopopoeia speaketh eueÌ„ Paul vseth the figure Prosopopeâ—â— The commentaries ascribed vn to Ierome make wyth the Pelagians of our sinne and lust And they followed Origene as their author But most of all do those commentaries erre which beare the name of Ierome For they in thys place vtterly make with the Pelagians touching originall sinne For thus in theÌ„ is it written If when the law was not sinne was dead they are out of their wits whiche auouch that sinne by traduction commeth from Adam vnto vs. Therfore here he sayth sinne was dead for that it liueth not in infantes which are without the law that is it is in them committed without punishment For when the infante speaketh ill vnto the parentes it semeth to be sinne but yet sinne not liuing but dead Although the child sinne yet sinne is dead in hym for he is not subiect vnto the law Thus much in that place But touching the sinnes of infantes and especially of them that are not regenerate Augustine was of a farre other opinion and especially in his bookes of confessions Neither do the Catholikes doubt but yâ— Original sinne is traduced from Adam into his posteritie and that by it are condemned those infantes which are How sinne in infantes is sayd to â—e dead straungers from Christ Howbeit sinne may be said to be dead in them for that it is not knowen of them and for that they féele not themselues moued therwith But when the commaundement came sinne reuiued but I was dead and the commaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me vnto death When sinne was dead he saith that he liued for yâ— he was not troubled neither was his conscience made afeard Yet did he not liue in dede but as Augustine saith he semed vnto himselfe to liue As when a man thinketh that A similitude his enemy now ceaseth and is quiet he beginneth to be secure So Paul saith that when he was without the law he semed vnto himselfe to liue but when the commaundement came things began a new course Sinne saith he reuiued and I was dead So vndoubtedly scandeth the case When sinne is dead then do we seme vnto our selues to liue But wheÌ„ it once reuiueth we straight way are dead For we féele in our selues the wrath of God and condemnation And when the elect are so dead Christ rayseth them vp agayne and killeth sinne in them For he pardoneth whatsoeuer is done amisse and breaketh and diminisheth whatsoeuer of the corrupt lust is remayning Wherfore the death of sinne is two maner of wayes the one is not a very death but a counterfait death for that yâ— law is absent For sinne The death of sinne two maner of wayes All are not
after one the same manner killed of sinne Why sinne is said to reuiue without the law is neither knowen nor any thing moueth vs. But the other deth of sinne is the true death when as it is slayne of Christ and crucified together with him But this is to be noted that wheras sinne reuiueth and killeth meÌ„ some are killed to saluation as are those which flye vnto Christ and are by him reuiued but others are killed to destruction as Iudas Cain and such other lyke which when they knew their sinne dispaired of saluatioÌ„ Sinne is sayd to haue reuiued bicause it was in vs before and as sayth Augustine and other interpreters bicause it had from the beginning sone after the fall of Adam liued in the nature of man but by little and little all the féelyng therof was cleane blotted out But bicause these meÌ„ seme by the law to vnderstand the commaundement geuen vnto the first parents in Paradise which as I before declared is strange from the purpose of Paul therfore we must simply say that sinne reuiued for that it now began to poure forth his strengths which before it did not when it semed to be dead And the commaundement which was ordeyned to lyfe c. He sayth yâ— Howe the commaundement is sayd to be instituted vnto life the commaundement was instituted to lyfe not that it gaue lyfe but for that it teacheth those thinges which serue vnto lyfe and seuerely requireth them and vnles they be done threatneth destruction He sayth not that the commaundement is death but only turned to death for otherwise the scope of the law is to shew and aduance lyfe as much as lieth in it But that it cannot performe it it commeth through our default For sinne toke an occasion by the commaundement and deceiued me by it slew me He repeteth that which he before sayd that sinne tooke an occasion by the commaundement to encrease in vs transgressions This repeticion as the The repeticion declareth the necessitye of the doctrinâ— Gréeke Scholies note declareth that this doctrine is very necessary For so great was the authority of the law amongst the Iewes that they could not be persuaded that they were through Christ deliuered from it But in this repeticion Paul addeth certayne thyngs which before he spake not of For before he wrote that sinne takyng an occasion by the commaundement wrought in him all maner of lust Now he declareth also how it wrought it namely by deceauyng Farther also he addeth what followed after al this lust beyng thus wrought By it sayth he it slew me In summe he sheweth thrée things which sinne being stirred vp by yâ— law worketh in vs. First it deceaueth Secondly in them that are deceaued it engendreth The effects of sinne irritated by the lawe What is the deceate of sinne manifold kindes of sinnes which is to worke all manner of lust last of all it slayeth But what this deceauyng is all men are not of one opinion Some which by sinne will haue to be vnderstand the deuill referre these things to hys temptyng wherby they say that he deceaueth vs takyng an occasion by the law But séeyng this exposition is not as we haue sayd to be allowed therfore we must of necessity séeke for an other Augustine thinketh that here is vnderstand a double deceauyng for first by the prohibition of the law is stirred vp our lust so that sinnes forbidden vs are more pleasant vnto vs we take greater delight in them Farther if there be any thyng done of vs rightly the same we wholy attribute vnto our own strengths and thynke that we haue fully satisfied the law Others say that our corrupt and vitiate nature herein deceaueth vs for that it fayneth it selfe gladly to admitte and wyth great reioycing to allow the law For we wyll all seme to be We will alâ— seme to be louers of vertue louers of the vertue And hereof it commeth that so many so soone as they heare the Gospell preached wyth great reioycing receiue it but when a life correspondeÌ„t to the Gospell is required at their handes straight way they step backe froÌ„ it So sinne grafted in vs although it fayn it self to fauour the law of God yet it continually draweth vs from it so far is it of that it truly consenteth vnto it Although all these things be true worthy of noting yet vnto me this semeth a more playner What is the true deceate of sin exposition to say that sinne therfore deceaueth vs for that it persuadeth vs that those things which are against the law are profitable and for that it turneth away our thought from the punishments which the law threatneth vnto vs and biddeth vs to trust that those punishments may either be auoyded or els shall not be so greuous as they are there set forth And so in all sinnes which we committe is mingled some ignoraunce which is poured into vs by the deceate of our naturall lust VVheâ—fore the Lavv is holy the commaundement is holy iust good The conclusion of thys part Paul followeth Dauid Here haue we the conclusion of this part The Lawe is acqnited from all that suspicion whereby it was sayd to be the cause of sin For it sayth he is holy The Apostle semeth to haue taken these properties of the Law out of the 19. Psalm where the Law in the Hebrew is sayd to be Torah Iehouab Temimah meschiuah nephesch that is perfect vpright and pure And when he had pronounced that the Law is holy he addeth touching the commaundement that it also is holy iust and good He so sayth as I thinke for no other cause but for yâ— he would commend the Law and whatsoeuer is coÌ„tayned in it Chrisostome vpoÌ„ this place proueth that the Apostle speaketh these thinges of no other Law but of the law of Moses which thing seing we also before proued there is no nede here to rehearse again his reasons And although the Law by very good right be setforth with these prayses yet ought we not therefore to thinke that we are by it iustified For Paul most manifestly sayth that it was ordeyned to life but it turned vnto vs to death Was that then which is good made death vnto me God forbid but sinne that it might aypeare sinne wrought death in me by that which is good that sinne might be out of measure sinnefull by the commaundement For we know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall being sold vnder sinne VVas that then vvhich is good made death vnto me God forbid but sin that it might appeare sinne vvrought death in me by that vvhich is good Hither to he hath cleared himselfe of the sclaunder which was raysed vp agaynst hym by his aduersaries as though he should teach that the Lawe is the cause of sinne Now he dischargeth himselfe of an other crime wherof he was publiquely accused as though he should say that the Law is the cause
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
them spirite and in nature whatsoeuer Why the law is sayd to be spirituall is moued of it selfe and hath in it by any meanes life it hath it by the benefite of the spirite Wherefore if the lawe should of it selfe bring death doubtles it should do it against the nature of the spirite And the lawe is called spirituall for two causes First because it was not deuised of mans vnderstanding as ciuil laws are but was written by the ministery of Moses in mount Sina God himselfe by his spirite being the inditer thereof Wherefore comming of the spirite being the author thereof it is call spirituall It is called also spirituall for that not being content with outward actions it perseth euen to the will and to the minde and to the inward motions senses and spirites of a man and commaundeth vs to obey it with all the soule and with all the spirite Wherefore they are fowly deceaued An error in distinguishinge the law from the Gospel which so distinguishe the olde lawe from the new that they thinke that the olde lawe only restrayneth the hand but the new pertayneth also to the affectes of the minde For they are not to be counted to satisfy the olde lawe which obserue only an outward righteousnes And if they do not that which the lawe commaundeth that which they do doubtles pleaseth not God yet rather it is to be counted sinne The lawe of God forasmuch as it dealeth not with vs after a ciuill maner is not The law of God dealeth not with vs after a ciuill manner content only with an outward honesty of maners Wherefore nether Socrates nor Aristides by their righteousnes satisfied the lawe though they be neuer so much commended of writers And when the Pharisey had geuen thankes vnto God for that he was not as other men but fasted twise in the weke and did many other thinges which mought please men Christ pronounced that he went not to his house iustified But without al doubt he should haue obtayned righteousnes if by those his workes which he made mencion of he had satisfied the meaning of the lawe This excellency and perfection of the commaundementes of God carnall men vnderstand not so that the Israelites when Moses came downe from the mountayne could not looke vpon the brightnes of the countenance of Moses neither could they abide it And we also so long as we vse this vayle of humane reason The law of God is not vnderstand by the force of humane reason shall not be able to behold the spirituall light of the lawe Origene thinketh that the lawe is therefore called spirituall for that it is not to be expounded according to the letter as commoÌ„ly it is sayd but by allegoricall senses But seing Paul here entreateth of the ten commaundementes as that precept which is of him rited Thou shalt not lust plainly declareth this interpretation ought vtterly to bee counted from the purpose For in this part of the law we may not deale with allegories Neither doth Paul therfore say that he is carnal for that he vnderstood not In the Decaloge allegories haue no place allegories but for that he felt in himself affections striuing against the law of God Now then forasmuch as the law is spirituall in that manner that we haue now declared it followeth of necessitie that it of his owne nature bringeth not death but rather lyfe For so Moses in Deut. the 30. chap. sayth that he had set forth vnto The law of it selfe bringeth life the Israelites life and death good and euill blessing and cursing For the perfect obseruation of the law draweth with it blessing life and good and yâ— violating therof bringeth cursing euil and death And the law commaundeth not transgression It lieth not in our will and choise in as much as we are corrupt to chose life but obseruation But yet it lieth not in our choyce or will of our own accorde to chuse good life and blessing For the commaundemeÌ„ts of the law are displeasaÌ„t vnto vs vntill the spirite of Christ come And Christ sayth If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commaundements And Dauid in the 19. Psalme saith That the law restoreth the mynde Which testimonies if they be rightly vnderstanded teach this selfe same thing But if a man demaund whether these proprieties of the law at any time attaine to their effect We aunswer that they do but yet euen then wheÌ„ The law sheweth forth his effects in the regenerate the law is written not only in tables but also in our hartes and bowels For theÌ„ although the law be imperfectly expressed in our workes yet are not the promises therof made frustrate which in the elect of God are performed not thorough merites but thorough grace and mercy After yâ— the Apostle had in such sort coÌ„mended the law he rendreth a reason why of it he drew not life but death Bicause saith he I am carnall sold vnder sinne Here the crime of slaying the increase of sinne is transferred from the law to the corruption of our nature And there is nothing more gratefull vnto God then for vs to accuse our selues with due prayses to set forth his worde It was not possible to deuise a more apte commendation of the law For Paul doth not only set forth the singuler dignitye therof but also speaketh that which he saith is well knowen and vnderstande of all the godly We know sayth he that the law is spirituall And to make this the more playne he setteth against it our vncleannes I sayth he am carnal and sold vnder sinne The law is the maistresse of vertue and enemy of all vices I abhorre vertue and folow vices euen against my will When he sayth that he is carnall he meaneth that he was infected with Why Paul saith that he is carnal originall sinne and corruption For that euill is deriued from Adam by the flesh whiche yet containeth not it selfe in the fleshe but possesseth the whole man and all his strengthes And the better to declare what this worde carnall signifieth he Why we are said to be solde vnder sinne addeth sold vnder sinne For euen as bondmen are oftentimes drawen and impelled of their masters to that which they would not so are we by originall sinne drawen to many things which we allow not Neither are we only vnder the bonds of Originall sinne but also through our owne will we adde therunto a great hepe of sinnes Wherfore we are bouÌ„d with many kindes of snares By this metaphore Paul notably setteth forth our captiuity The Iewes were oppressed with greuous seruitude when they were captiues in Egipt neither were they any gentler delt with in Babilon but most cruelly of all were they handled vnder Antiochus But there can no seruitude be compared with this wherof Paul now speaketh for in No captiuiâ—ye can be compared with seruitude of sin those seruitudes was only an outward enemy and the
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
that it is good nowe he after a sort goeth vp one steppe higher which pertayneth only vnto the Godly For theyr will towardes the lawe is not a colde will but pleasant feruent and The will of the godly towardes the law is not cold The vngodly are not kindled with a true loue to that whiche to good The saints tooke great pleasure of the law of God vehement With great endeuor they contende that they may indéede performe that which in minde they desire But the vngodly although by a naturall light which is not vtterly extinguished in them they haue some knowledge of iustice and vertue yet are they not kindled with a true loue of things good Wherefore yâ— Apostle writeth not these things vnto theÌ„ but vnto the godly which euery moment striue against yâ— lust which is grafted in theÌ„ by nature But how great a plesure yâ— good meÌ„ take of yâ— law of God many places of yâ— scripture testefie Dauid in his 1â—9 psalme sayth Blessed are they which walk in the Law of the Lord and which seke the testemonies thereof And in his 1. psalme Blessed are they which meditate in his Law day and night And in an other place The Law of God sayth he is more precious then gold and precious stones and more swete then hony and the hony combe And other infinite such like testemonies But there is very much difference betwene the godlâ— and men straungers from Christ For the wise men amongst the Ethnikes did Difference betwene the Ethnikes and godly men put the greatest part of theyr felicity herein that they might alwayes remember the notable actes by them done But they greatly reioysed not of the knowledge of the true and perfect righteousnes bycause they perfectlye knew it not But the sayntes contrarywise alwayes cast theyr eyes vpon the Law of God and when in it they se before theyr eies drawen out the portrature of a iust man and the perfect image of God whereunto we are created they can not but wonderfully reioyce But afterward wheÌ„ they turne aside theyr eyes to their works they are excedingly sory for that they se them so much to fayle of the example set before them So paynters when they se an image excellently set forth they A similitude take therein great pleasure But when as hauing enterprised to make such an other they se that they can not attayne to that liuelines and excellency they begin to be sory and to be angry There is noted also in Pecockes the selfe same An other similitude kinde of affection for when they haue erected vp theyr fethers they delighting in the pleasant variety of the colours seme much to reioyce But agayne when they behold theyr deformed and blacke fete streight way theyr courage is deiected and they let downe theyr fethers So the godly delight in the Lawe of God and are inflamed with great loue to his commaundementes but contrariwise they lament and are sory for the filthines which they find to be in al their works Concerning the inward man Sithen Paul calleth the regenerate part of man by this name it can not be doubted but that he speaketh of the whole man For man consisteth not only of the body and of flesh but also of the soule and of that part whiche they commonlye call rationall And this whole man is called both inward outward He is called the Inward man in that he is moued by The whole man is called both inward and outward in diuerse respectes the spirite which worketh in our inwarde partes and of stony hartes maketh fleshy hartes But he is called outward in that he is taken with the delights of this world with riches honors goodly shewes and such like thinges For all these are outward thinges So the Apostle hath now proued the first part which he put forth namely That he would doo good and that he delighted in the law of God concerning the inward man Now he goeth to the other part to declare that he is agaynst his will drawen to other thinges I fele an other Lavv in my members resisting the Lavv of my mind and leding me captiue into the Lavv of sinne vvhtch is in my members This Law which he describeth is the force of sinne and of our naturall corruption He calleth it the Law of members for that before he called this whole euil the body of sinne but a body hath members Farther members in this place signifieth as I haue before admonished all the powers of the minde and all the partes of the body now contaminate with sinne The Apostles minde was to declare that this disease drawen from our birth stayeth not only in some one part of vs but persâ—th thorough out the whole man and thoroughout-all his partes Here we haue sondry Sondrye names of lawes What the law being aâ— large taken signifieth names of Lawes for hece is mencioned The Lawe of God The Lawe of the minde The Law of sinne The Law of the members And this hereof commeth for that the Law is largely taken for all that whiche gouerneth moderateth our actions And bycause our actions procede not all from one greuÌ„d thereof it commeth that there are diuers names of Lawes Although the Law of the mind and the Law of God is one and the same It is called the Law of God bicause by it is expressed the will of God And it is called the Law of the mind for that it raigneth chiefely inwardly and is most knowen in the minde The Law of sinne also and the Law of the members is one and the same It is called the Law of sinne bycause such lust is of it selfe sinne and of it selfe bringeth forth other sinnes and it is called the Lawe of the members for that it vseth all our Why sinne to adorned with the name of law partes strenths and faculties for instrumeÌ„ts Chrisostome warely admonisheth that sinne is not for any his owne dignity adorned with the name of Lawe for that commeth thorough our default for that we obey sinne as a Lawe For so Christ called Mammon Lord and Paul called the bely God Rebeâ—ling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a greate conflict betwene these two Lawes for the Law which is in my members laboureth to lede me away captiue and to make me a bondsclaue vnto the Law of sinne But if the Law of sin and the Law of the memvers be one and the same how is the one sayd to lede away a man captiue vnto the other This is not without greate consideration Lust grafted in vs impelleth vs to actual sinnes sayd For so long as lust grafted in vs which is sinne resisteth the Law of God by which Law the knowledge of the minde is enstructed it impelleth vs to many kindes of sinnes Those are commonly called actuall sinnes whereunto our lust and corrupt oâ—sposition incline vs. But this maketh vs subiect vnto the law of sinne that is vnto death for death as
incline our hartes that we may walke in hys wayes and wyth Paul to the Thessalonians The Lord direct your hartes in patience and in the wayting for of Christ. And Solomon in his prouerbes sayth The hart of the kinge is in the hand of God and to what end he wyll he enclineth it These testemonyes sufficiently declare that it is the worke of God and not our worke to be conuerted vnto hym and to liue vprightly Here some obiect vnto vs the commaundementes which are set forth vnto vs in the holy scriptures for they séeme to signifie that it lieth in our selues to performe the thinges which are commaunded For Esay sayth If ye will and wyll harken vnto me ye shall eate the good thynges of the earth And the Lord oftentimes commaundeth vs to conuert our selues vnto him Be ye conuerted sayth he vnto me I wyll not the death of a sinner I had rather he should be conuerted and lyue And when he had published abroade the lawe he sayd that the had set before them life and death blessing and cursing And infinite such other like testemonies mought be brought But here we ought to consider that these thinges in Commaundements in deede are geuen but we are not taught that is lieth in humane strengthes to performe them By the law of God we must measure our infirmity and not our strengthes dede are commaunded vnto men but we are no where tought that a man is able to performe them by his owne proper strengthes Neither is it mete that by the preceptes of the lawe of God we should gather the power of our strengthes as though we of our owne accord are able to performe so much as the lawe of God commaundeth Yea rather hereby is to be measured our infirmity that when we sée that the excellency and dignity of the commaundementes of God infinitly passeth our strenthes we should remember that the law hath a certayne other end then to be performed of vs. That ende Paul declareth to be sondry and diuers By the lawe sayth he commeth the knowledge of sinne which lawe he sayth was therfore geuen that the number of transgressions mought be increased For by this meanes the lawe is made a scholemaster to leade men vnto Christ that when they sée themselues oppressed with the waight of the commaundementes and with the greatnes of sinnes they should vnderstand that their saluation lieth only in the mercy of God in the redemption of Christ For when we perceaue our owne imbecillity and vnworthynes straight way we beginne to pray vnto God that he would both forgeue our sinnes through Christ and also minister vnto vs the helpe of his spirite that we may endeuor our selues vnto his will Geue what thou commaundest sayth Augustine and commaund what thou wylt Farther an other end of the law is that we should sée whereunto we must apply our selues It is possible also that if by the grace of God there be geuen an obedience begon men may frame thēselues vnto y◠law Lastly though in this life be not geuen vnto vs to be able exactly to satisfye the lawe yet in an other life when we haue caste of all this corruption we shall fully obtayne it And yet ought not God therefore to be accused of iniustice for it commeth not throughe his fault that his commaundements can not be obserued Neither can any of vs be excused for y◠we willingly Why God is not to be accused of iniustice desirously violate y◠law geuē vnto vs. The law was geuē as a thing most agréeable vnto our nature as it was first instituted For y◠image of God could not otherwise more liuely plainly be expressed And although by reason of sin we are not able to accōplish the law yet this at y◠least way we sée what maner ones we ought to be And that sentence which is commonly obiected that nothing is to be counted for sinne which dependeth not of election ought to be vnderstand as Augustine interpreteth it of that kind of sinne which is not a punishement of sinne For otherwise originall sinne is neither voluntary nor receaued by election But thou wilt say Seing the matter goeth so we shall séeme of necessity to sticke fast in sinne Which thing doubles I will not deny Although such is this necessity that it hath not compulsion ioyned with it God is of necessity good neither can he by any meanes sinne and yet is he not violently compelled to be good which thyng The necessity of sinning is without compulsion Augustine in his 22. booke De ciuitate dei and 30. chapter excellently well declareth Shall we sayth he for that God hymselfe can not sinne therefore deny that he hath free will Ambrose in his 2. booke and third chapiter de Fide to Gratian the emperor testefieth that God is free when as sayth he one and the selfe same spirite worketh all thinges diuiding vnto all as pleaseth him according to the choyse of hys free will and not for the dewty of necessity In these sentences of these fathers free wil is so taken that it is contrary vnto violence and compulsion not that it is equally prone to ether part Wherefore Ierome in his homely of the prodigall sonne which he wrote vnto damasus for that he tooke free will in an other sence therefore wrote otherwise For it is God only sayth he on whome sinne falleth not nether can fall But others forasmuch as they haue free will may be bowed to ether part Vnto blessed spirites also and angells forasmuch as theyr felicity is nowe confirmed this belongeth that they can not sinne Wherefore Augustine in his 22. booke de Ciuitate Dei the. 30. chapiter Euen as sayth he the first immortalitye whiche Adam thorough sin lost was that he mought not die so the first free wil was that he mought not sin but the last free wil shall be that he can not sin And yet notwithstanding there is graunted a certayne kinde of libertye not whereby they can be bowed to ether part but whereby although that which they do is of necessity yet are they not compelled or violentlye driuen For euen as there are certayne true thinges so manifest that the minde can not but assent vnto them so the presence of God A similitude Why the blessed can not sinne now reuealed and made manifest is so greate a good thing that the saintes can not fall away from it So also although we of necessity sinne before we be regenerate in Christe yet are not therefore the powers of the will violated for whatsoeuer we do we do it both willingly and also being induced by some certayne hope And yet are we not therefore to be counted nothinge to differ from brute beastes For they although they be moued by some certayne iudgmēt yet They that are not regenerate differ from brute beastes is it not by a free iudgement But in men although not yet regenerate there is still as we
miseries of thys lyfe Now should I also speake of the fourth state of man But touching it Of the liberty whiche we shal haue in our country we may in one word aunswer That forasmuch as in heauen we shall haue most chiefe felicity no kinde of liberty can there be wantyng vnles a man will cal that a liberty to be able to sinne and to fall away from God that is from the chief good thyng but because that that liberty which there we shall haue is a most singuler liberty therfore our hope is that in our countrey we shall be most frée But now Lust and corrupt motions which râ—maine in the regenerate whether they be sins resteth an other question to be entreated of namely whether this lust those corrupt motions which remaine in the regenerate are sins ought so to be called These things are called of Paul the law of sinne the law of the members And that these remayne in holy men after regeneratioÌ„ he teacheth vs by the exaÌ„ple of himself But whither they be sinnes or no caÌ„not rightly be defined vnles we first vnderstand what sinne is Augustine saith that sinne is whatsoeuer is spoken done or lusted against the law of God But whither this definitioÌ„ belong vnto al sins or vnto those only which are coÌ„monly called actual it is vncerten by reasoÌ„ of yâ— ambiguity This word lusted in the definition how it may be taken of this word lusted For if it be referred vnto yâ— ful assent of the will wherby we assent vnto corrupt desires theÌ„ is the definitioÌ„ contracted to actual sins But if this word Lusted be so largely amply takeÌ„ as is that last precept Thou shalt not lust then may the definition be vniuersall and comprehend all maner of sinnes The master of the Sentences in his .2 booke and 35. distinction cited that definition when he had now largely entreated of originall sinne and had begonne to serch out the nature of other sinnes Wherefore it semeth that he thought that that definition pertayneth only to actuall sinnes But howsoeuer it be touching thys matter we will not muche contend Ambrose in his booke de Paradiso in the .8 chapiter setteth forth doubtles a most large definition of sinne Sinne sayth hâ— is nothing ells but the transgression of the Law of God and disobedience of the heauenly commaundementes But leauing the sentences of the fathers the matter is to be called to the triall of the scripture that out of them we maye certaynly knowe what sinne is Iohn in his first epistle and 3. chapiter Sinne saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Definition of siâ—ne out of the word of God is iniquity That Greke word is coÌ„posed of the particle priuatiue that is with out and of this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Law Here the nature of sinne is excellently well declared For it is sayd to be a priuation wherby is taken away from it the good thing which it ought to haue If thou enquire what that good thinge is which by sinne is taken away this Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresseth it For that He calleth sin the priuation of that good thing whiche the law of God prescribeth good thing is taken away which is prescribed in the Law of God Wherefore we may say that sinne is whatsoeuer is repugnauÌ„t vnto the Law of God Now let vs se whither this definition taken out of the holy scriptures be agreable vnto that prauity which remaineth in the saintes after regeneratioÌ„ Which thinge we affirm but our aduersaries deny but the holy scripture is without al doubt one our side For Paul expressedly sayth that the Law of the members warreth agaynst the law of God and of the minde and that the wisdoÌ„e of the flesh is enmity against God so that it is not subiect vnto the law of God yea nether can be subiect And it vtterly strâ—ueth agaynst the fiâ—st and the gretest commaundement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thine hart with all thy strength For if all our streÌ„gths and powers should as it is mete geue place vnto God this lust theÌ„ should neuer haue any abiding in vs. Farther the selfe same lust partly also striueth agaynst the last precept Thou shalt not lust And Augustine as we haue before in mo places then one cited him affirmeth that these two commaundements can not so long as we liue here be fully obserued of vs. But why they were geuen when as they can not be kept he bringeth very firme reasons which here to repete is not nedefull We haue declared by the definition of sinne that this lust whereof we speake is sinne Nowe let vs consider other argumentes One is taken of the institucion of man For man was made vnto the image and similitude of God And we are predestinate to be made like vnto the image of the sonne of God And we are commaunded to put one a new man Which as Paul sayth to the Colossians in the .3 chapiter is renewed to the knowledge and image of hym which created him which new maÌ„ as it is written in the epistle vnto the Ephesians consisteth in righteousnes and in holines of truth And the image of God Wherein consisteth the image of God which we are commaunded to put one herein consisteth as Tertullian sayth that we haue one and the selfe same motions and fealings with God And Paul to the Phillippians exhorteth vs to be of one and the same minde with Christ But these motions and lusts doo moste filthilye corrupt and blot the image of God in vs. Farther that which we ought to crucefye to mortefy and to put of must of necessity be sin For if they were good the holygost would rather haue admonished vs to norishe and to maintayne them And Paul to the Colossians sayth Mortefye your members which are vpon the earth And to the Galathians They which are of Christ haue crucefied theyr flesh with the lusts thereof And in an other place Put of sayth he the old man And if these motions do so displease God it caÌ„ not be for any other cause but for that they are sinnes For God is so good that nothing displeaseth him but only sinne Last of al vnto sinne is death dew as a reward Wherefore death can haue no place where no sinne is For thys preheminence had the Sonne of God only to dye an innocent For he died for our sinnes But we therefore dye bycause we are not without sinne And if it be so then let vs se what our aduersaries can alledge why infantes now regenerate in Christ doo dye For they haue no actual sinnes and the guiltines of originall sinne is taken away Only there remayneth lust and corruption of nature not wholy amended and corrupt motions which Augustine in his 11. booke of Confessions sayth are found in infantes and he both confesseth and accuseth them as
pertakers not only of the death of the Lord but of his resurrectioÌ„ also for forasmuch as Christ was by it raysed vp from the dead as many as are endewed with the same spirite shall likewise be raysed vp from the dead For that cause he exhorteth vs by the spirite to mortefye the deades of the flesh that we may be made pertakers of euerlasting life Thirdly he amplifieth and adorneth this state and condition which by the spirite of Christ we haue obteyned namely that now we are by adoption made the children of God that we are moued by this spirit and made strong against aduersities to suffer all afflictions Which prayses serue not a little to quicken our desire that we should desire to be dayly more aboundantly enriched with this spirite Fourthly he confuteth those which obiected that state to seme miserable and vnhappy in which the faythfull of Christ liue For they are continually excercised with aduersities so that euen they also which haue the first fruites of the spirite are compelled to mourne And he writeth that by this meanes these thinges come to passe for that as yet we haue not obteyned an absolute regeneration nor perfect saluatioÌ„ for we haue it now but only in hope which when time shall serue that is in the end of the worlde shall be made perfect Fiftly he teacheth that notwithstaÌ„ding those euills which doo enclose vs in on euerye side yet our saluation is neuertheles sure for the prouidence â–ª of God whereby we are predestinâ—te to eternall felicity can nether be chaunged nor yet in any poynte fayle And by this prouidence sayth he it commeth to passe that vnto vs which loue God all thinges turne to good and nothing can hurt vs forasmuch as God hath geuen vnto vs his sonne and together with hym all thinges wherefore seing the father iustifieth vs and the sonne maketh intercession for vs there is nothing which can make vs afrayd Lastly he sayth that yâ— loue of God towards vs is so greate that by no creature it can be plucked from vs. Hereby it is manifest of how greate force the spirite of adoption is wherewith we are sealed so long as we wayte for the perfection of our felicity And these thinges serue wonderfully to proue that our iustification consisteth not of workes but of fayth and of the meare and free mercy of God This is the summe of al that which is coÌ„tained in the doctrine of this chap. As touching the first part the Apostle alledgeth that condemnation is now takeÌ„ away which he proueth bycause we are endewed with the spirite of Christe But this deliuery he promiseth vnto those only which are in Christ Wherfore seing it is manifest what his proposition or entent is now let vs se howe these thinges hange together with those which are alredy spoken Toward the end of the former chap Paul cried out twise first when he sayd Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And by the figure Aposiopesis he expressed not the deliuerer but here he sayth that that deliuerer is the Lawe The law of the spirit and life deliuereth of the spirite and of life Farther in that place with greate affection he sayd I geue thankes vnto God through Iesus Christe our lorde nether declared he wherfore he gaue thankes But nowe he playnly expresseth the cause For he sayth that now there remayneth no condemnation and that we are deliuered from the Thankes are to be geuen for that there remayneth in vs no coÌ„mendation Law of sinne and of death This is it for which he gaue thaÌ„ks Lastly he added how that in minde he serued the law of God but in flesh the law of sinne Now he more playnly expresseth what that is namely to be in Christ and not to walke according to the flesh but according to the spirite Hereby it manifestly appeareth how aptly these thinges are knit together with those which are alredy spoken The Apostle seemeth thus to speake Althoughe sinne and the corruption of nature where wyth the godlye are vexed be as it is alredye sayde styll remayninge in them yet is there no daunger that it shoulde brynge condemnation vnto men regenerate for they are holpen by the spirite of Christe wherewith they are now endewed And euen as before he aboundantly entreated of the violence and tiranny of sinne which it vseth against vs being vnwittinge What thinges auayle to know our selues and vnwilling thereunto so now on the other side he teacheth what the spirite of Christ worketh in the Saintes Wherefore seing not only the holy scriptures but also the Ethnike writers do expressedly commaund that euery man shoulde knowe himselfe peraduenture there is scarse any other place out of whiche the A godly maÌ„ consisteth of two principles same may better be gathered then out of these two chapiters For a godly man consisteth of his owne corrupt and vitiate nature and also of the spirit of Christ because we haue before learned what yâ— corruptioÌ„ of nature that is sinne woorketh in vs and now is declared what benefites of Christ we obtayne by his spirite by this may euery man as touching ether part know himselfe Vndoubtedly wonderfull great is the wisdome of the Apostle who when he wrote of the force of sin expressed it chiefely in his owne person to geue vs to vnderstand that there is no Why Paul chaungeth the persons in these two descriptioÌ„s man so holy which so long eas he liueth here is cleane ridde from sinne But afterward when he entreateth of the helpe of the spirite of Christ he bringeth in the person of other men least any man should thinke with himselfe that not all manner of Christians enioye this excellente helpe of God but onelye certaine principall and excellent men such as were the Apostles After these things which we haue before heard out of the seuenth chapter a man mought haue sayd forasmuch as we are so led away captiue of sinne and that by force and against our willes what hope can there be of our saluation Much saith Paul Forasmuch as now there is no condeÌ„nation to theÌ„ which are in Christ For by the spirite of Christ we are deliuered from the lawe of sinne and of death This reason is taken of the cause efficient whereby is not only proued that which was proposed but also euen the very carnell and inward pithe of our iustification is touched For although men being now iustified are so restored vnto the giftes of God that they begin to liue holily and do accomplishe some certayne obedience begonne of the lawe yet because in the iudgement of God they can not stay vpon them forasmuch as they are vnperfect and are not without fault of necessity it followeth that our iustification should herein consist Wherein consisteth iustificatioÌ„ â–ª namely to haue our sinnes forgeuen vs that is to be deliuered from the guiltines of them And this is it which
Paul here writeth He hath deliuered me from the right of sinne and of death That is from the guiltines or bond whereby we were bound vnto sinne and vnto eternall death And when this bond is taken away there then remaineth nothing why we should feare condemnation But forasmuch as that is said to happē through the spirite of Christ it manifestly appeareth that men are not iustefied by workes For workes follow the spirite and are saide to be the fruites thereof And this deliuery pertayneth only vnto them which are in Christ that we may vnderstand that all they are excluded which boast of faith and of the Gospell yet in the meane tyme do wallow in most grosse sinnes and are straungers from Christ and whereas they committe many thinges against their conscience yet are they not touched with any repentaunce This which is added which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirit expoundeth y◠which was before saide To be in Christ And that we may the better vnderstād that it is all one we must repeate that whiche the Apostle a litle before wrote Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body that this although ye be stirred vp by these lustes yet ye ought not to permitte vnto thē the dominion of your minde And that which the Apostle in this place declareth bringeth with it a great consolation They which are shut vp fast in prison and do know themselues to be A similitude guilty do looke for nothing els but sentence of death now if to them pardon and forgeuenes should be offred they not looking for it they can not but excedingly be glade and reioyce So we when we see that damnation is dewe vnto vs for our sinnes can not but excedingly reioyce at these tidinges when we heare out of the holy scriptures that all thinges are freely forgeuen vs for Christes sake Wherefore if we desire to haue the fruition of this so great a benefite it is necessary that we beleue the pardon which is offred vnto vs. For thys liberalitye of God wyll nothynge profite vs without faythe Althoughe by that whiche we haue nowe spoken I doubte not but that men maye vnderstande what the meaninge of Paul is yet are there sower thynges Foure thinges put forth to be examined whiche shall not be vnprofytable more dilygentlye to examyne Fyrste what that is wherby we are deliuered Secondly from what kind of euill we are deliuered Thirdly what maner of thing this deliuery is Lastly vnto whome it pertaineth As touching the first the Apostle saith that condemnation is taken away by the law of the spirit of lyfe wherby we vnderstand the holy ghost which gouerneth our mindes and ruleth them by his inward motions With which exposition agréeth Chrisostome For euen as saith he the law of sinne is sinne so the lawe of the spirite is the spirite But in that this worde of lyfe is added some do thus vnderstand it as though that worde should be ioyned with the worde law so that the law should be called the law of the spirite and the law of life But the nature of y◠Greke tong semeth to vrge that that worde should be an epitheton or proprietie of the spirite For thus it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is of the spirit of lyfe Here the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coupleth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of lyfe with the spirit and not with the law Wherfore the sence is that we are deliuered by the spirite the author of life and not by euery spirite which is cold and wanteth lyfe Ambrose by the law of y◠spirite vnderstoode faith which law he putteth as a meane betwene y◠two other lawes betwene the law of Moses I say and the law of the flesh Faith driueth not nor forceth vnto vices as before Paul taught that the law of the members and of the flesh doth Neither is faith as the law of Moses which only admonisheth what ought to be done but geueth not strengths to do it neither forgeueth whē any thing is committed against it For faith both teacheth what is to be don and also bringeth strengths to do the same and when any fault is committed it obteyneth pardon for the same Hereby we sée what is to be vnderstand by the law of the spirite of life namely the holy ghost or els fayth For either is true for in very deede y◠author of our deliuery is y◠spirit of Christ And y◠instrument which he vseth The efficicient cause and 〈◊〉 of our saluation to saue vs by is faith For it is the first gift wherwith God adorneth and decketh men that are to be iustified by it to embrace the promises set forth vnto thē Now to vnderstand the second part namely fro what we are deliuered We are deliuered from the law of sinne and death By these wordes is not signified the law of Moses although by faith in Christ we ar deliuered from it also ▪ But the Apostle entreateth not therof at this present neither is the law of Moses called in y◠The law of Moses is no◠called the law of sinne holy scriptures the law of sinne For although thorough it sinne be encreased yet doth it not commaund sinne neither was sinne the author of it yea rather the law of Moses is called spiritual partly because the holy ghost was the author of it who gaue it in Mount Sina and partly because all those things which it commaundeth are spirituall neither are they agreable vnto lust nor vnto our flesh It may It is called the law of death but yet per accidens that is by chaunce in dede after a sort be called the law of death for in the latter epistle to the Corrinthians it is called the ministery of death but these thinges are not to be applyed vnto it but thorough our default For otherwise of it selfe it setteth forth those things which should be profitable vnto lyfe But it lighteth vpon the peruersenes of our nature and therof it commeth that death followeth it Which reason if we should follow the Gospell also might be called the instrument of death For Paul The Gopell is per accidens the instrument of death in his latter epistle to the Cor. thus writeth Vnto some we are the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe but vnto other some the sauor of death vnto death Wherfore there is great cōsideration to be had with what maner of sauor we sauor the Gospell For it is not to be meruailed at that of one and the selfe same thing do follow contrary effectes For we sée daily that one and the self same sonne both drieth vp clay and also melteth waxe But seing it is so a man may meruaile why the Gospell is not in the holy scriptures called the ministery of death as the law of Moses is Ambrose answereth Because the Gospell of hys owne nature condemneth not but those which beleue not it leaueth
faith and of hope the holy ghost is present with vs when the godly grone and crye and that they are in daunger that nature should ouercome hope and faith he is redy at hand and refresheth their mindes and bringeth so much consolation as the waight of the affliction was as Paul in his first chapter of the latter epistle vnto the Corrinthians saith Euen as the afflictions of Christ abound in vs so also through Christ aboundeth our consolation By these our infirmities which the holy ghost helpeth Paul vnderstandeth the weakenes of our naturall strengthes which of themselues are not equall vnto the grieues and aduersities wherewith the faithfull are continually What the helpe of the spirite is vexed But the helpe of the spirite is nothinge els but a certayne inwarde and hidden strength whereby our mindes are confirmed not to geue ouer in temptacions Augustine in his 19. booke De Ciuitate Dei the 4. chapter excellently The end of good â—ueâ— after the Christans declareth how Christian hope is caried vnto those good thinges which can not be séene For if thou demaund saith he of a man endued wyth fayth what ende he appoynteth of hys good or euyll deedes he wyll answere eternall lyfe and eternall death These things can not be sene neither be vnderstand of humaine reason and therfore the wise men of the Ethnikes being puffed vp with pride would not put their hope in them Wherefore some held that the endes of good thinges are the The endes which the Ethnikes appoynted good thinges of the minde some the good thinges of the body some vertue some pleasure some both ioyned together But God derided them and saw how vaine their thoughtes were For they chose rather to counte those thinges for the chiefe good thinges which are enterlaced with many miseries and calamityes then to receaue those sincere found and most firme thinges which are by the word of God set forth For who can exactly declare vnto how miserable and horrible calamities The â—â—els whereunto we are in this life obnoxious can not be tolde our body is obnoxious It is sicke it is wounded it is dissolued it is made crooked it is torne it is maymed men oftentimes become blind oftentimes deaffe and as touching the minde men are oftentimes madde and in a phrensy neither attaine they to the truth without mixture of many errors which are euen most diligent searchers out thereof How could the Ethnikes boast of vertues as the The morall verâ—ues are witnesses of our calamities chiefe good thinges when as they are vnto vs witnesses of our calamities To what thing serueth temperance which is therefore geuen that dronkennes glotony lustes and filthy and corrupt motions of the minde should be bridled For these thinges declare that it hath no place but in mindes still obnoxious vnto such corruption which corruption how much the more it is inward so much the more miserable maketh it vs and as a domesticall enemy rangeth abroade in the entrailes of our hartes These affectes saith Augustine are vices for as Paul sayth they hynder vs from doyng those thynges which we would Farther what is the office of prudence but to prouide that we should not through error be deceaued in chusing of good thinges and auoyding of euill thinges Vndoubtedly if we were not wrapped with errors and darkenes this remedy should not haue neded but forasmuch as we nede it it declareth that men are not yet in happy estate but are wrapped with great and gréeuous errors vnles prudence some way helpe Iustice also whereby is rendred vnto euery man that which is his is for no other cause necessary but to restraine thefts extorcions and violences Neither can it so thoroughly exercise his office amongst men but that good and godly men oftentimes suffer many thinges filthyly and vniustly Now what shall we say of fortitude It armeth men patiently to suffer sorrowes dangers torments and finally death it selfe if nede require Amongst these so great euils those wise appointed the chief goodnes which euils yet they sayd mought somtymes be in such sort encreased Some thought that a man mought kill himselfe by reason of the too great burthen of calamities that a man mought therefore kill himselfe O blessed lyfe crieth Augustine which to come to an ende seketh the helpe of death For if it be blessed why do they breake it in sonder and flye it But if it be miserable why do they put in it the chiefe goodnes So were they derided of God for that they contemned hope which is neither sene nor by humane reason vnderstand And because when they heard it preached out of the word of God they derided it therefore God by his heaueÌ„ly doctrine condemned them as fooles and men worthy to be made a laughing stocke The reason of Paul to returne to it againe is this hope is of thinges absent and of those things which are not sene but by hope we are made safe Wherefore our saluation is not yet sene nor by humane reason vnderstanded yea rather vnto vs are offred The things which are offred in this life seeme to bâ— contrary vnto our saluation The precept touchinge hope is not a thing indifferent all thinges contrary vnto our saluation and plainely repugnant vnto it For we are infected with corrupt affectes we are assaulted with temptacions we are exercised with sorrowes and vexations so that if we should leane vnto natural reason we should be much rather counted vnhappy then blessed And yet notwithstanding if we will geue credite vnto the commaundementes of God we must valiaÌ„tly hope in the middest of these euils For it is not frée for a man to hope or not to hope for the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of hope bindeth all men vniuersally For euen as we are commaunded to worshippe God as true and constant in his promises so also are we commaunded to hope in him For Dauid sayth Sacrifice the sacrifice of righteousnes and hope in the Lord. And Ose saith Hope in God at all tymes And Peter Hope in that grace which is offred And let no man make an excuse that hys ill lyfe Sinnes ought not to be a let vnto hope past and sinnes committed let hym that he can not hope for the precept of God hath not thys conditioÌ„ annexed vnto it And although it had yet should it be taken as a condition pertaynynge vnto the law whiche byndeth not vs that are vnder the Gospell we must rather haue a respect vnto the promise of the Gospell which sheweth that we shall haue felicity geuen vs for Christes sake and that fréely For the Apostle when he had said The stipend of sinne is death straight way added But grace is eternall life Such a promise doth faith appreheÌ„d so deliuereth it ouer vnto hope to waite for it Wherfore hope ought not to adde any coÌ„ditioÌ„s vnto it wheÌ„ as it receiued none of faith whatsoeuer yâ— master of yâ— senteÌ„ces writeth touching The master
of the Sentences confuted this matter For I know yâ— he in his 3. booke teacheth yâ— our hope leneth not only vnto yâ— mercy of God but also vnto our merites And therefore saith he to hope without merites is no hope but a presumption Thys sentence is not to be receaued For it addeth vnto hope a condition when as fayth without any condition apprehendeth that which is to be hoped for out of the word of God Farther when a these or any other wicked man is sodenly conuerted vnto God hath he not hope Vndoubtedly he hath for if he dispaired of saluation he would not fly vnto Christ And how can any man say that such a hope leneth to any merites when as he hath alwayes before liued wickedly But as we haue before sayd these men thinke they haue here a trimme place of refuge if they answere that thys hope of a man namely conuerted vnto Christ dependeth of merites not in dede past but to come newely that he hopeth he shal obteyne the rewardes of felicity when he hath done workes which he trusteth to doo But here they committe a double fault first bycause if he which is conuerted vnto Christ doo hope that by merites he shall haue eternal life he hath no true hope for he resisteth the true fayth For it apprehendeth the chiefe felicity offred frely Secondly vnawares they auouch that yâ— which hath not as yet his being is the cause of yâ— vertue which in acte and very dede they confesse to be in the minde of the repentaÌ„t And if they meane that he hopeth for felicitie when he hath liued well but yet in such sort that he hath no confidence that he caÌ„ by committing of sinne attaine Workes ar not the cause of hope vnto it then speake they no other thing then we do But so are not workes the cause of hope but light betwene it and the laste end as certayne meanes and first beginnings of felicity that men forasmuch as they hope that eternall blessednes shal be geuen vnto them freelye shoulde also hope that God if they liue wyll freely also geue vnto them good workes For the holy scripture teacheth â—arre otherwise then do these men For Dauid when he sayd If thou Lord shalt loke streightly vnto iniquities who shall be able to abide it And when he saw that the sinnes wherewith our workes are contaminated auocate vs from hope added The cause of our hope My soul hath hoped in his word And by the word he vnderstandeth the promise of which promise he rendreth a cause Bycause with the Lorde is mercye and with hym is plentifull redemption These are the true and proper causes of our hope The promise of God and his aboundant mercy The same Dauid in an other place sayth Why art thou sad o my soule and why dost thou trouble me Hope in God for I will still confesse vnto hym Here some obiect that we ar not iustified by fayth only for Paul sayth that we are saued by hope But these men ought to haue considered that the Apostle in this place entreateth not of Iustification For touching We are saued by hope but we are not iustified by it it he before wrote that by fayth the spirite we are deliuered from the lawe of sinne and of death and adopted into sonnes and heyres and made the fellow heyres of Christ But here he speaketh of the perfect redemption which is still to be wayted for This we also confesse to be holdeÌ„ by hope when yet notwithstanding we haue alredy by fayth obteyned iustification and remission of sinnes Farther I haue oftentimes admonished that when the scripture semeth to attribute iustification ether vnto hope or vnto charity or vnto our woorkes those places are so to be vnderstanded that iustification is there taught not by the causes but by the effectes And we ought to vnderstand that whatsoeuer is The consideration of iustification is sometymes declared by the causes and sometimes by the effectes attributed vnto works the same is wholy done by reason of fayth which is annexed vnto them Wherefore as in a wall we haue a consideration vnto the fouÌ„dation and in the fruites of trées to the roote so whatsoeuer semeth at the first sight to be ascribed vnto works is to be assigned vnto faith as vnto the mother of all good workes Which thinge Augustine hath in many places excellentlye taught Others to proue that hope depeÌ„deth of our workes cite that which Paul before sayd Tribulation worketh patience patience worketh experience and experience hope Here say they it is playne that of patience springeth hope I heare in dede the wordes of Paul but I doo not by them acknowledge that patience is the cause of hope For first it is playne inough to him that will consider it that Paul in thys connexion compareth not causes with effectes For who will say that tribulation is the cause of patience For it bringeth many to desperation and to horrible blasphemies But those thinges which Paul knitteth together in this chayne are instruments by which the holy ghost vseth to stir vp in vs these vertues But graunt that there be some consideratioÌ„ of cause betwene these things yet should it not thereof follow that patience is the cause of hope but contrariwise Patience springeth of hope that hope is the cause of patience For no man with a quiet mind patiently suffereth any thing vnles by that patience he hope to attayne vnto some thing Vndoubtedly Martirs are by hope confirmed in theyr tormentes patiently to beare them And the marchant if he had not a hope to gayn would kepe himselfe at home nether would he wander about the world And the shipmaster vnles he hoped that he could ariue at the porte would not lose out into the depe nether striue agaynst the windes and waues I confesse in dede that here is somewhat encreased by patience For when we se that vnto vs is geuen of Christ for hys Hope is somewhat encreased by patience sake with a quiet minde to suffer many thinges we more and more haue confidence that those thinges also which are remayning and which we wayte for shall one day be geuen vs. But to beleue that hope wholy dependeth of patience I can not be perswaded For as we haue before sayd by hope rather we come vnto patience And in very dede the holy ghost is the author and cause of these vertues And he goeth orderly to worke of one to produce an other Agaynst this certainty which we sayd dependeth of yâ— promise of God Pighius vseth trifling reasons that the promises are generall nether is in them mencion made either of me or of thee and therefore there is still remayning a doubt when we must discend to the application of these promises Thys man semeth to me to make the promises of God to hange in the ayre when as he will haue them to be so Euery faithfull man knoweth that the promises ar properly
would declare that this his assent to the truth resembled some We are also sorye by reason of the morall workes of the Ethnikes certaine shew of piety and of duty Wherefore in such workes which are morally called good the minde of the godly delighteth although therewithall also it sorroweth that those workes are not done as they ought to be done And as touching this present sentence of the Apostle we must not gather that he of sinne that is of zeale without true knowledge conceaued a loue and good will towardes the Iewes for he reasoneth not from the cause yea rather by the effect he declareth his loue towardes them namely in that he not onely prayeth for saluation for them but also agrauateth not the crime which they were guilty of but rather Paul loued not the Iews for their euill zeale as much as the thing suffreth excuseth it It should be a false kind of reasoning a non causa vt causa that is taking that for the cause which is not the cause if a man would hereby proue that Paul had a delight in the sinnes of the Iewes But if a man will nedes contend that this argument is taken from the cause we say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is englished harts desire is in this place an affect What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place signifieth The zele of the Iewes was sinne which pertaineth to mercy and so Paul had compassion vpon the Iewes for that he saw the Iewes so miserably erred And this sentence is of no small force to proue that that zeale of the Iewes though it were goodly to the shew was sinne for nothing stirreth vp mercy but only misery and calamity neither are we moued to pray for any that they might be conuerted from euil workes vnles the same workes were sinnes and that very hurtfull Wherefore I wonder at the Nicodemites of our tyme which obiect the history of Elizeus and of Naaman The Nicodemites of our time The fact of Naamā the Siriā very ill cited the Sirian to proue that it is lawful for them so that they thinke wel in in their hart to be present at vngodly supersticions For Naaman the Sirian although he were newly conuerted yet he vnderstoode that that was sinne and for that he had not as yet so farre gone forwarde to departe from his commodities he required of the Prophet to pray for him which declareth that he iudged that such a sinne neded pardon Wherefore we conclude that this zeale of the Iewes whereunto the Apostle now beareth record was in very deede sinne and although it haue some shew of vertue yet is it very farre of from it For as it is plaine by moral philosophy that vertues and vices are as touching Vices and vertues are occupied about one the same matter where about they are occupied one and the same but in forme much differ as fortitude and feare temperaunce and intemperance iustice and iniustice For one and the selfe same affectes when they are by right reason bridled to a mediocrity and when thorough vice they either want or exceede differ not in matter although the habites or qualities which are occupied about them are much differing And that which the Philosophers speake of vertues and of vpright reason we ought to transferre also vnto the holighost and vnto faith geuen vnto the scriptures And although in a good and euil zeale the affect be one and the same yet is the difference most great when it is gouerned by true knowledge and faith and when it is gouerned of it selfe and wanteth true knowledge As A similitude the water of the sea and rayne water although they agree together in matter of moisture yet are they sundred by very many proprieties differences These A good intent is not sufficient to make the worke good thinges haue I therefore alleadged to confute those which oftentimes defend wicked actes for that they are done of a good minde purpose or as they say entent as though euery zeale were sufficient to make the worke good Whose sentence if it were true mought easely excuse the Iewes in that they killed Christ and afflicted his Apostles for they beleued that by these meanes they defended the lawe of God and ceremonies of their fathers But the Apostle Errors in matters of faith is hurtfull Against workes of preparation saith otherwise when he attributeth vnto them zeale but yet a zeale ioyned with error but when error lighteth in matters of faith it is a deadly sinne Wherfore let them well aduise themselues what to say which so stoutly defend workes preparatory doubtles their meaning is nothing els but that men although before iustification they absolutely worke not good workes yet by reason of a certaine vpright purpose and zeale of congruity they deserue grace Such workes for as muche as they want true knowledge whiche is fayth it followeth that they are such a zeale as the Apostle nowe speaketh of We deny not but that God sometimes vseth suche our wycked workes by thē at length to bring vs vnto iustification but that we our selues do thorow them deserue iustification it is farre from the truth yea rather oftentimes Goodly workes are sometyme a let vnto saluation it commeth to passe that such workes are a great let vnto saluation For the Philosophers and Pharesies being dronken glutted with those goodly workes were ouermuch puffed vp and for that they delighted in thē selues they contented them selues with those workes neither endeuoured they to ascend vnto the true degree of righteousnes We are by this doctrine also of Paul We must not streight way geue place to zele admonished not straight way to geue place vnto zeale we must first trye and diligently examine it for oftentimes vnder the goodly shew thereof lyeth hidden most great impietie as it is manifest in the Iewes which slew Christ and persecuted the Apostles and as this place euidently declareth It is a greuous sinne to refuse to be subiet vnto God A rule to try zeale For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to stablish their own righteousnes are not subiect vnto the rightousnes of God What more wickednes could haue bene deuised then to refuse to be subiect vnto God and to seeke to prefer their own righteousnes before the righteousnes of God The Apostle in these wordes geueth vs a rule whereby we may be able to trye and examine our zeale And that rule is this to see whether we will be subiect vnto God whether we can abide that all thinges shoulde bee attributed vnto God and claime nothing vnto our selues as the true knowledge of God requireth There are a great many in our daies which as it were by a certain zeale labour to defend worshipping of Images pilgrimages and other suche supersticious actes vnto whom if a man manifestly declare that those thinges are repugnant vnto the word of God they
muste not be turned into a father In euery commaundement of the law two thinges to be considered and commaunded These wordes of the Apostle teach that this is the principal office of the lawe to direct vs vnto Christ wherefore vnto the Galathians it is called a scholemaster Wherefore they are worthely to be reproued which of a scholemaster make it a father seking rightousnes at the lawes hād which ought to be looked for at Christes hand onely Let vs therefore hereby learne in euery precept of the lawe to consider two things namely our sinnes and Christ our deliuerer whome al the commaundementes shewe forth for otherwise we shal vnprofitably consider of the lawe And the Iewes for that they excluded Christ in vayne boasted of the lawe as they which had not the lawe but only a shadow thereof And when that is added Vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Paul putteth vs in mynde of the calling of the Gentiles affirming that al kinde of men so that they beleue shal be pertakers of this ende of the lawe Farther let vs for a certainty know that of this proposition dependeth the summe of Christian religion For The sūme of Christian religion the Iewes in vrging the lawe of Moses and the Ethnikes in following the law of nature mought paraduenture boast of some righteousnes but that righteousnes is straight way reproued when as we heare that Christ is the ende of euery If frō actions be takē away theyr iust ende they are not vpright iust lawe And I thinke no man is ignoraunt that if from vertues and humane actions be taken away their due ende all the vprightnes of them fayleth Wherefore this place moreouer proueth y◠all the workes of infidels are sinnes for that they want their end They which are endued with the righteousnes of fayth attaine also vnto the righteousnes of the lawe For being The works of infidels are sinnes They whiche are endued wyth the righteousnes of faith attaine also vnto the righteousnes of the law but not contrariwise The righteousnes of faith and of the law in what sort they are opposite The righteousnesse of faith may be ioyned together with that righteousnes of the lawe whiche followeth iustification A similitude taken out of Logike They whiche are not regenerate cā not haue good motions of the minde Hereout is gathered a consolation of the Iues iustified they labour with all industry and diligence to obey the will of God And contrariwise they which haue not the righteousnes of faith vtterly want the righteousnes of the lawe For the thinges which they do they can not make to frame whē as they want their end But if these ▪ two rightousnesses be so ioyned together how are they by an antithesis opposite the one to the other We aunswere that the righteousnes of faith and that righteousnes which followeth iustification are not opposite as contraries for although the one be not the other yet are they both one But the antithesis is contrary betwene the righteousnes of faith and that which goeth before iustification And the endeuor to obtayne iustification by this or by that hath such a contrary oppositiō that the one can not stand with the other And Chrisostome is in this place warely to be read when he saith that the righteousnes of faith and the righteousnes of the law differ not in very dede but are one the selfe same for he is deceaued for it is not possible y◠it should be so for y◠the righteousnes of God as we haue said is the absolution from sinnes but the righteousnes of the lawe or oures consisteth of good workes done after regeneration or before regeneration But peraduēture he mēt y◠which we now teach namely that y◠righteousnes of faith is ioyned together with y◠righteousnes which followeth iustificatiō We may by a similitude not vnaptly sée in what sort this twofold righteousnes is vnto iustification namely as differentia that is difference and proprium that propre is in Logike For as differentia maketh the nature or kinde so the righteousnes of God maketh our iustification for that when we are by him absolued from sinne wee are iustified And as proprium followeth the nature already made so the righteousnes of good works followeth iustification now obteyned and receaueth his force of it and not of the lawe For although the Lawe of God doo labour to make vs iust yet by reason of the prones to euill which is grafted in vs by nature euen from our infancy it looseth his labour for that the lawe amongest other thinges requireth good and spirituall motions which they that are not yet regenerate can in no wise haue And the Apostle by this his doctrine semeth not a little to comfort the weaker sort of the Iewes They were somewhat afeard lest by comming vnto Christ imbrasing the righteousnes of fayth they should be excluded from the true righteousnes of the law but he saith be not aferd y◠by comming vnto Christ ye shall transgresse the lawe for through Christ ye shall both fulfyll it and also be made partakers of the righteousnes of God And that he might not séeme to bring in a new or fayned distinction of righteousnes he alledgeth Moses who maketh mention of either righteousnes Fyrst of the righteousnes of the law he entreateth in Leuiticus in the. 18. chap. the woordes are these Keepe my commaundements and do myne ordinaunces which if a man doo bee shall lyue in them The selfe same sentence also we reade in the .xx. chapiter They The law requireth a moste pertect obedience haue cast away my commaundements which commaundemants who so kepeth shal liue in them But we must remember that when lyfe is promised to them that doo or kéepe the commaundementes that is not to be vnderstanded of a certaine lyght and sclender obedience but of a most perfect for suche an obedience the law requireth But this obedience can no man performe And where as vnto the obseruers of the law is promised life some haue vnderstand thereby thys corporall and temporall life For the transgressers of the law of Moses were put to death What maner of life the law promiseth For it is commaunded He which curseth father or mother let him be slayne Blasphemers also adulterers and breakers of the Sabaoth daye were put to death but they which obeyed remayned on lyue And hereunto it séemeth that the epistle to the Hebrues had a respect in the. 10. chapter where we reade He whych The lyfe whiche is promised is not only tēporall but also eternal maketh frustrate the law of Moses perisheth without any mercy This sentence although it be Augustines and certayne others yet I can not easely admit for that I sée that the life which God promised was not onely temporall but also eternal For there is no doubt but that they pertaine vnto God which doo his will Neither is it conuenient that God should geue vnto them
man should say y◠we take our argumēt only of the which happeneth thorough the slouthfulnes of men when as the disputacion is of that which may be done if mē would put to theyr good will for many are not iustified by theyr good workes when as yet they might be iustified by them if they The 〈◊〉 would hereunto we answere with the Apostle in the 8. chapiter who sayth For that which the law could not performe in as much as it was weake bycause of the fleshe that performed God by his owne sonne being sent vnder the similitude of flesh subiect vnto sinne and by sinne condemned sinne through flesh This place admonisheth vs that the iustice of God which is commaunded in the commaundementes could not be performed by the helpe of the law by reason of the vice and infirmity of the flesh and for that cause was Christ sent of the father to performe that whiche The 20. could not be accomplished of vs. The same thing also teacheth he a litle after for when he had sayd that the lust of the flesh is death he addeth moreouer That it is enmity agaynst God for it is not subiect vnto the law of God neither indede can be Wherefore whatsoeuer we do by our naturall strengths which is called flesh the same resisteth God for our corrupted nature can not be subdued vnder the law of God And forasmuch as it is so thē can we not be iustified by y◠dedes therof In the same chapiter also we read Vnto those that loue God all thinges worke to The 21. good vnto those I say which are called of purpose In which wordes the Apostle touched the beginning and chiefe poynte of all our goodnesse namely the purpose of God whiche is so the cause of our saluation that all our other goodnes dependeth thereof but it is not moued by any of our goodnesse But the very causes of mans felicity are afterward orderly and distinctly described amonge which there is no mencion at all of our good workes Those which he knew before he also predestinated and whome he hath predestinated those hath he also called And whome he hath called them also hath he iustified and whome he hath iustified them also will he glorify This chayne is lincked together with all the meanes and helpes by which God bringeth vs to saluation But seing there is no mencion made of the workes of the law and of merites it sufficiently appeareth that by them we are not iustified Farther when it is sayd Who shall accuse against the elect of God The 22. It is God which iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which dyed yea which also is risen agayn which also sitteth at the right hand of God which also maketh intercessiō for vs If by the iudgment of God we should be iustified by workes it had bene sufficient to haue sayd the elect shal be accused in dayne forasmuch as they haue good merites and seing by theyr vertuous and holy workes they shall obtayne absolution He sayth not so But saith he it is God which iustifieth And it mought haue bene answered No man shall condemne the elect when as theyr workes ar such that they deserue both absolutiō and a reward But he maketh no such answere but sayth It is Christ which dyed c. Why then should we take vpon vs to mingle our woorkes therewithall when as the scripture willeth vs in no case so to doo Now come we to the ninth chapiter wherein is entreated of the prouidence of God which directeth and ordreth all thinges not for any other cause vndoubtedly but that we should thinke that the nature of it and of iustification is all one for either of them is geuē fréely and not of works For the Apostle writeth that of two brethern which were not yet borne and when they had done neither good nor The 23. euill to the end the election of God shoulde abide according to purpose not of workes but of the caller it was sayd The elder shall serue the yonger as it is written Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Here as we se are workes most manifestly excluded Also vnto Moses it was answered I will shew mercy to whomsoeuer I shew mercy The 24. and will haue compassion on whomesoeuer I haue compassion These wordes also declare y◠the forgeuenes of sinnes the meanes whereby men are receaued into fauor depend not of theyr workes but of y◠mere merciful beneuolēce of God And y◠same thing also do the wordes following declare It is not of him that willeth The 25. nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy Againe He hath mercy on whō he will and whome he will he hardeneth But if iustification might be gotten by our will or by workes then should it be both of him that willeth and of him that runneth neither should they be conuerted on whome God hath compassion but they which should chiefely haue compassion vpon themselues neither also should God harden any man when as all men might promptly easely and at their pleasure by good workes be reconciled vnto God and also be iustified But it is farre otherwise for they which put their confidence in workes do to farre erre from the true righteousnes whereof we now speake Toward the end of the 9. chapiter the Apostle sayth Israell which followed the lawe of righteousnes attayned not to the law of The 26. righteousnes And why euen because they sought it not by fayth but as it were by the workes of the lawe And if the works of the lawe were a let vnto the Iewes for the obtainment of iustification what should we then hope for thereby This selfe The 27. same thing the Apostle although in other wordes declareth in the 10. chapiter They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and goyng about to establishe their own righteousnes are not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God These wordes signify nothing els but that they fal from the righteousnes of God which attribute to much to their owne righteousnes namely to workes And so great is the contrariety betwene grace and workes that the effect which procedeth from the one can not The 28. procéede from the other For Paul sayth There is a remnaunt left according to the election of grace If it be of grace then is it not now of workes for then grace is no more grace and if it be of workes then is it not of grace For this is the property of grace to be geuen fréely and of a mere liberality but the property of a worke is that the reward should be geuen of duty and euen by very right Lastly what shal we say The 29. when the Apostle crieth out Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God Vndoubtedly Paul by this affection declareth that it is a thing most hard to be knowen whether God deale iustly which predestinateth whome he will and
speaketh he any thing of the ceremonies of Moses Wherefore forasmuch as those thinges which he there rehearseth are repugnaunt vnto the ten commaundementes and to the morall lawe we can not but thinke that of it also he vnderstandeth those thinges which he writeth And in the second chapiter he reproueth the Iewes for the like kinde of sinnes For he saith Thou which teachest an other dost thou not teach thy self Thou whiche teachest that a man shoulde not steale dost thou steale that a man shoulde not commit adultery doost thou commit adultery and thou which detestest idols dost thou robbe God of his honour Who séeth not that these thinges are contayned in the lawe of the ten commaundementes And in the third chapiter he yet more manifestly entreateth of the same when he writeth There is none iust there is none that vnderstandeth or requireth after God all haue declined and are together made vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one These thinges we sée are of the same kinde pertayne vnto maners If the apostle would haue spoken only of ceremoniall lawes he woulde neuer haue made mencion of these thinges And this is also more euidently gathered that when he had sayd no fleshe is iustified by the works of the lawe he addeth For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Wherefore that lawe iustifieth not by which we know sinne According to which meaning he said also in the 4. chapiter The lawe worketh anger so farre is it of that it should iustify but it is very manifest vnto al men that sinnes are knowen and the wrath of God prouoked against transgressors more by the ten commaundementes then by the precepts of ceremonies I will not speake also of that generall sentence wherein it is sayd in the 4. chapiter That vnto him which worketh a reward is not imputed according vnto grace but according to debt◠And also that God would haue the inheritaunce to consist of grace that the promise should abide firme and not be changed that our gloriyng might be excluded which glorying commeth no les of good workes morall then of ceremonies It is written also in the 5. chapiter that the lawe entred in that sinne should abound and where sinne hath abounded there also hath grace more abounded These thinges also can not be drawen vnto ceremonies only Moreouer in the 6. chapiter when it was obiected vnto him that by so depressing workes and the lawe he did séeme to open a gate vnto loose life and vnto slouthfulnes and vnto sinnes as now dayly they obiect vnto vs he aunswered That we ought not to abide in sinne forasmuch as we are now dead vnto it By baptisme saith he we are buried with Christ that euen as he dyed and rose agayne so also should we walke in newnes of life And he admonisheth vs that euen as Christ dyed once and dyeth no more so also should we thinke our selues dead vnto sinne but liuing vnto God And he addeth that we must haue a diligent care that sinne raigne not in our mortall body and that we geue not our members the weapon◠of iniquity vnto sinne but geue ouer our selues vnto God as men of dead folke◠now lyuing and our members the weapons of righteousnes to sanctification These thinges which we haue rehearsed and the rest whiche followe euen in a manner to the ende of the chapiter séeme they to pertayne vnto the ceremonies of Moses or rather vnto a iust sincere and morall life The thing is so playne that there nedeth no question therein yet those thinges which are written in the 7. chapiter are yet much more manifest The affection saith he which are in the members were by the lawe made stronge and of efficacy to bring forth fruit vnto death But what other thing are these affections then 〈…〉 es filthy desires anger hatred and enuy which affections are rehearsed to◠the Galathians in that Cataloge where the workes of the fleshe are seperated from the workes of the spirite And there is no doubt but that all these thinges pertayne vnto the ten commaundementes Which thing the better to vnderstand Paul addeth What shall we say then Is the lawe sinne God forbid but I had not knowen sinne but by the law For I knew not what lust ment vnles the law had said thou shalt not lust Also the lawe in deede is holy the commaundemente is holy and iust and good Agayne The lawe in deede is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne For that which I do I allow not For the good which I would I do not but the euill which I would not that I do◠wherefore it is not I now which worketh it but sinne which dwelleth in me For there dwelleth no good in me that is in my flesh I haue a delight in the lawe of God as touching the inwarde man but I feele an other lawe in my member resisting the lawe of the mynde Oh vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the law of sinne and of death Wherefore in mynde I serue the lawe of God but in fleshe the lawe of sinne Whosoeuer shall diligently weigh all these testimonies shall easely sée that the Apostle wholy speaketh of the ten commaundementes whereof also he plainly maketh mencion in those foresayd words But these words which afterward follow in the 8. chapiter That which was impossible vnto the lawe in as much as it was weake by meanes of the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of the fleshe of sinne by sinne condemned sinne in the fleshe these wordes I say can not be expounded of the lawe of ceremonies and much les that which followeth in the same chapter We are debt ours not vnto the fleshe that we shoulde liue according vnto the fleshe for if ye liue according to the fleshe ye shall dye But if by the spirite ye shall mortifye the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Neither can this be referred vnto ceremonies euē as neither can that also which is written vnto the Galathithians The lawe was put because of transgressions for where there is no lawe there is also no transgression And it is certayne that neither boasting can be excluded neither can the promise be firme if our iustification should depend of the obseruation of the ten commaundementes and of the morall preceptes howsoeuer thou take away the rites and ceremonies of Moses But much more firme is this place out of the 11. chapiter of this epistle vnto the Romanes And if it be of workes then is it not of grace if of grace then not of workes This Antithesis is vniuersall neither can it by any meanes be contracted vnto ceremonies I will not speake of that also which Paul writeth vnto the Phillippians how that he besides those precepts of Moses was conuersant without blame also as touching the righteousnes which is of the law For y◠which he writeth vnto the Ephe. the second chapter Not of workes least any man should boast
Paul in this obsecration entermedleth a thing of most excellency namely the mercy of God and that the greatnes and power thereof might the more manifest appeare he vseth the plurall number Many effects of the mercy of God I besech you saith he by the mercyes of God And what these mercyes were and of what sort he hath before declared in his discourse and therefore there is no néede in this place of any new explication touching this matter But let them which are studious in the holy scriptures note that there are many effects of the mercy of God And therfore Paul besecheth by the mercies of God as mothers are wont when their children are stubborne and will not be ruled to besech them by their breastes that gaue them sucke and by their wombe which bare them for they set forth vnto them their chiefest benefites towardes them that they bare them in their wombe and after when they were borne nourished them with their brests which offices although they were very paynfull yet by reason of the singular loue they séemed to the mother thinges sweete So here the Apostle besides infinite other benefites of God towardes men maketh mencion of the mercyes of God by which first we are regenerated in spirite and after that by them we are both fed and sustayned in this way wherein we stand In this heate of prayer the talke of Paul is inflamed set on fire For it manifestly appeareth that these words came not from the lippes onely or were but spoken with the tonge but they came wholy euen from the bottom of the hart And which ought more vehemently to moue vs he requireth nothing against our owne commodities and profite for he Demades against Philip. requireth nothyng els but that we should leade a life worthy our calling Demades when he saw king Phillip very merry and daunsing amongst the captiues and vpbraiding vnto them their calamitye sayde vnto hym Seing that fottune hath put on thee the person of Agamemnon art thou not ashamed to behaue thy selfe like Thersites Wherfore Paul requireth this that forasmuch as not Fortune but God himself hath put on vs not a persoÌ„ but the most true dignitie to be the members of Christ and his children we should not shew our selues to be lost children and strangers from God Now wil we declare what he perticularly desireth He desireth vs to offer our selues vnto God And this oblation he saith shal haue the nature of a sacrifice And that we may the redilier vnderstand what Paul meaneth it shall not be from the What a sacrifice is purpose to consider what a sacrifice is A sacrifice is a voluntary action wherein we worship God and offer vnto him somewhat wherby we testifie his chiefe dignity and dominion and our seruitude and submission towardes him In this definition are expressed all the causes The matter is the oblation the forme is the action not a naturall action but yâ— which is done with election and inspired by the holy ghost neither is it a politicall or economical action but a religious action for that pertayneth to the worshipping of God The end is to testifie our seruitude and submission towardes the so great highnes and dominion of God Wherefore we by good right belong to his proper possession which hath at the beginning created vs and afterward when we were lost redemed vs. And sacrifice is deuided according Diuision of sacrifices to his proprieties so that one kind of sacrifice is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a sacrifice of thankes geuing and an other is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a sacrifice of expiation or purging That sacrifice which we ought to offer is not a sacrifice of expiation It is lawful for vs to offer a sacrifice of thankes geuing but not a sacrifice of expiation For that preheminence was geuen to Christ only by the one only sacrifice of himselfe which he offred vpon the crosse to consummate accomplish all things But the geuing of thankes which we offer vnto God in this sacrifice is very excellent And this sacrifice of thankes geuing is deuided by the matters about which it is occupied For vnto God were offred either prayers or first fruites or some kind of life as of the Nazarites or finally some certayne oblations and offrings And to this last part pertayneth that which Paul in this place exhorteth vs vnto for he willeth vs to make our selues oblations vnto God Ambrose in this place demaundeth why oblatioÌ„s were in yâ— old sacrifices killed And he putteth two causes first Why oblations were slayne that they which sacrificed should vnderstand what they had deserued secondly that by that slaughter should be shadowed the death of Christ Which two causes may serue vs also as touching this our kind of sacrifice For it is necessary that the deth In this sacrifice are sinnes to be killed which sinnes haue brought vnto vs we agayne rebound vnto sinnes and that in our selues we kil wicked affects And to doo this the death of Christ doth not a litle pricke vs forward For if he would for our sakes in this sort die how much more ought we for his sake with a redy mind to offer this sacrifice And doubtles there is no other sacrifice more noble For here we offer not outward thinges but our selues And Augustine in his booke de Ciuitate Deâ— sayth that that outward sacrifice The outward sacrifices were simboles of the inward sacrifice in the old time was a signe whereby was signified this inward sacrifice wherein we offer vnto God both our selues and all that we haue Seing therefore we now se that that whereunto Paul exhorteth vs is a sacrifice and that a sacrifice of thankes geuing wherein we offer vnto GOD all that we haue and also our selues now let vs se how Paul describeth thys sacrifice Your bodies When he nameth a Body by the figure Sinecdoche he vnderstandeth the whole man which also is sometimes vnderstanded by this worde soule For so is it written that Iacob entred into Egipt with 70. soules And the Why man â—â— ofteÌ„times in the scriptures called body flesh scriptures therefore oftentimes call man by the name of flesh and of the body to put vs in mind of our infirmity and chiefely of sinne which we draw first of propagation by the body Wherefore this word body in this place is not the name of nature but of corruptioÌ„ For corrupt affects ought to be mortified and good affects Body is not here the name of nature but of corruption substituted in theyr place that our offring may be acceptable vnto God This selfe thing ment the Apostle when he wrote to the Colossians Mortifie your members which are vpon the earth in which place by members he vnderstandeth that tirannicall law of sinne which chiefely beareth dominion in the members and in the whole man And Paul before in the sixt chapter knowing saith he that
our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sinne should be abolished In which place is vsed The body of sinne the Hebrew phrase For it is sayd The body of sinne in stede of the body obnoxious to sinne But he more manifestly by the name of body vnderstandeth the whole man when he thus writeth Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body For he ment yâ— sinne ought to be prohibited not only from the body but also from the mind and from the whole man And the same thing he ment when he wrote in the seuenth chapiter Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death For he desired not so greately to be deliuered from the nature of the body For in an other place he sayth We desire not to be spoyled of that we haue but to be adorned a new Wherfore he desired that he might at the length be deliuered from corrupt affects and motions both of the soule and of the body Hereto also tendeth that which is written in the first to the Corinthians I chastice my body and doo bring it into bondage For there is chiefely entreated of the mortification of affects and not only of the outward tormenting of the body If we so vnderstand the matter the sacrifice shal be ful and perfect For by this meanes as we haue receaued all whole of God As we receiue all whole of god to haue our being â–ª so agaâ—ne let vs render al whole vnto him An error of Plato so in the other side we shall render all whole vnto God Which thing as it semeth they of Platoes sect rightly vnderstoode not For they as farre as may be gathered out of â—imeus were of this opinion that the minde onely and reason are immediatly geuen of God For they held that the substance of the body is drawen of the elementes but the temperature which they call the complexion they sayd is draweÌ„ of the celestiall spheares and the affectes and grosser partes of the soule is drawen of Deuils And therfore they taught that the mind and reason ought to be rendred vnto God But we know that the whole maÌ„ is formed of God and therfore ought he all whole to be rendred vnto him And if we be now grafted into Christ haue geuen our selues all whole into the possession of God we ought perpetually to offer vp our selues all whole vnto him This selfe thing Paul before touched in the sixt chapter when he thus wrote Geue not your members as weapons of iniquitie vnto sinne but geue your selues vnto God as they that are on liue from the dead and geue your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto God Which thing vnles we do we incurre A man to withdraw himselfe froÌ„ God is sacriledge into the most greuous crime of sacriledge For when we withdraw our selues froÌ„ God we take away from him a thing most excellent that thing I say which of all sacrifices is vnto him most acceptable A liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God If Christ would for our sakes be made an oblatioÌ„ it ought not to seme greuous to any of vs if we on the other side be made oblations be sacrificed vnto God For hereto are we predestinated He is not a good christian which refuseth to take vpon him the condition of his head to be made like vnto the image of the Sonne of God And euen as he is not a good citezin which cannot be content with the common condition of other citezens so or rather much les is he to be counted for a good Christian which refuseth to take vpon him the condition of his head or first borne brother As touching the name of a sacrifice or oblatioÌ„ in latten called hostia or victima we ought to know that either of these woordes is deriued of the victory gotten of enemies For those verses of Ouid are commonly knowne of all men Wherof these words hostia and victima ar deriued Victima quae dextra cecidit victrice vocatur Hostibus a domitis hostia nomen habet That is Victima of hym that ouercommeth takth his name And Hostia of enmies ouercome doth take the same Wherfore seyng that by Christ is now gotten the victory whereby he hath set vs being now redéemed by his bloud at libertie we ought by good right to offer vp our selues as sacrifices vnto him to yâ— end to geue thanks vnto him for so great a benefite And that we should not erre in this sacrifices Paul here diligentlye describeth the proprieties of a Christian sacrifice For so it was in the olde lawe expressedlye commaunded what faultes shoulde be taken héede of in chusinge of Sacrifices And doubtles godlye men had at that tyme a greate care not to offend that way And in Malachy the Prophet God gréeuously complayneth of the couetous and vngodly which wheÌ„ as they had in their heards and flockes whole faâ— and strong cattaile would notwithstanding sacrifice weake leane and disseased cattayle wherfore the Apostle willeth vs that it be a liuely sacrifice For dead sacrifices please not God And in the old lawe if a man had touched a dead carkayse he was made vncleane wherfore we ought to take hede that our bodies be not subiect vnto sinnes For they which are so as sayth Ambrose are vtterlye addicted vnto death Those are called liuing things which are moued of theÌ„ selues namely of a beginning within them and are not driuen of any outwarde force which they called violent force by which motion wood stones and yron are moued hither and hither Wherfore we ought to be the sacrifices of GOD not by force but from the hart and willingly A consideration also is to be had to that wherby we are stirred vp to worke And we must in any wise beware that that ground be not euill suche as is theyrs whiche are moued only by the lustes of the fleshe or by humane reason or by the impulsion of the deuill to doo those thinges which they do Those bodys which are in very déede liuing before God are moued by the spirite of God and therefore they can not lye weltring in idlenes Then vndoubtedly do Christians liue when they alwayes diligentlye do those things which may both please God and aduaunce eyther our saluation or the saluation of others For they which liue idly are not worthy to be sacrificed vnto God For idlenes séemeth to be a certayne participation of death Therfore Seneca when he passed thorough a village longing to one called Vatia a man full of idlenes Idlenes is an image of death and geuen to pleasures Here sayde he lyeth Vacia signifying therby that such may séeme not only to be dead but also to be buried Wherfore let the sacrifice be liuing and chearefully moue it self to those things which please God And where hense this life hath his beginning Paul teacheth to the Galathians In that sayth he I liue in the fleshe I liue in
thinges which in the time of the fathers before Christ came were good and we beleue that they were instituted by the selfe same God which is the father of our lord Iesus Christ But to make the discourse of the first part more Abrief content of the whole Epistle playne and vniuersally the vtility of the whole epistle we will briefely touch the summe thereof that it being in that maner layd before our eyes the whole epistle may haue the more light In the first chapiter is set forth vnto vs how that neyther naturall knowledge The first chapiter nor ciuill offices could by any meanes iustifie men for that it is euidently shewed that men endewed with them liued drowned in most horrible sinnes whiche thing shoulde not haue happened if by these thinges they had bene iustyfied In the second chapiter the Iewes are made equall with the Gentiles whose The second chapiter life accused as most corrupt for that they preached that a man should not steale and yet stole that a man should not commit adultery and yet committed adultery that a man should not committe sacriledge and yet committed it thēselues By which it is manifest that the law which they had receaued brought them not to iustification In the third chapiter lest he might seme to deface the law he confesseth that that The third chapiter it was an excellent gift of God but yet not of that kind that it could iustifye He attributeth vnto it other offices namely to bring forth the knowledge of sinne And so he reduceth both the Iewes and the Gentiles to one Christ as to the fountayne and author of all righteousnes And yet notwithstanding he doth not by thys meanes he sayth violate or ouerthrowe the law but most of all establishe it In the fourth chapiter he proueth the selfe same thing which he had before The fourth chapiter put forth by the example of Abraham who before workes and before he had receaued circumcision was for this cause pronounced iust for that he beleued the promise of God This doubtles was imputed to him to righteousnes And to confirm that same he bringeth a testimony of Dauid who saith Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whome the Lord hath not imputed sinne Which chapiter if be diligently peysed we shall find that in it the Apostle in a maner tē times vseth this word of Imputacion Wherfore it ought not to seme so strange if we also vse it when we affirme that concupiscence lest in vs after baptisme is sinne although it be not imputed vnto sinne and although we are not able to get vnto our selues that righteousnes which is the true righteousnes before God yet if we beleue in him the righteousnes of Christ is imputed vnto vs. In the fift chapiter after that this righteousnes of Christ is apprehended by The fifth chapiter fayth many thinges are declared touching it that is that it is firme and embraseth Christ who died for the weake for enemies wicked men and sinners And in it is set forth a comparison of Christ with Adam For euen as by him all our kind was vitiated and corrupted so by Christ are all the elect renewed yea rather Christ is sayd to ouer passe Adam For he by one sinne infected al men but infinite sins were not able to resist Christ but that he performed that redemption which his will was to performe Yea he so vsed this euill that he gaue the plentifuller grace where the greater plenty of sinnes raigned In the sixt chapiter he ouerthroweth the importunate obiection of diuers The sixth chapiter which hereof inferred that we should sinne freely and liue loosely if as the Apostle had sayd greater grace should there be rendred where were found more sinnes The Apostle answereth that theyr collection was not good forasmuche as we are dead vnto sinne and grafted into Christ we ought vndoubtedly to liue vnto him and not to iniquity In the seuenth chapiter he declareth the maner how we are exempted from The seuēth chapiter the law And that is that forasmuch as in vs whilest we liue here is not a full perfect regeneration and corrupt affections do continually resist the lawes of God by the grace of Christ is brought to passe that we are deliuered from sin although it perpetually inhabite in our members and in our flesh Whereof he concludeth in the eight chapiter that there is no condemnation The eight chapiter to those whih are in Christ Iesus neyther walke they according to the flesh For they haue the spirite of Christ whereby they both liue and also are made pertakers of the resurrection to come they mortifye the deedes of the flesh and in themselues they haue witnes of the selfe same spirite that they are the children of God and by the selfe same spirite they are confirmed in aduersities to suffer them with a constāt and valiant mind and they haue this spirite making intercession for them which draweth them to expresse the similitude of the image of the sonne of God and at the last bringeth to passe that they can neyther be accused nor condemned before God In the ninth chapiter he answereth vnto the Iewes which contēded that these The ninth chapiter promises were bestowed vpon theyr nation only and were not powred vpon the Gentiles Vnto whome he sayth that touching this matter all thinges are done by the election of God whereby he hath mercy on whome he will and whome he will he hardneth And he compareth God to a potter who of one and the selfe same clay maketh some vessells to honour and some to contumely In the tenth chapiter he entreateth of the effectes of thys election namely that The tenth chapiter some embrace fayth and other some reiect it And he also declareth that Christ is the end of the law and that the law requireth this that we should beleue in Christ And hereby he proueth that the Iewes attayned not to righteousnes for that they went about to obtayne it by their owne merites and by their owne workes but the Gentles attayned vnto it for that they claue vnto fayth And all those thinges he confirmeth by the oracles of God that the Iewes I say were made blynde and that the Gentiles were receaued In the eleuēth chapiter he mitigateth that hard reprobation of the Iewes which The eleuenth chapiter he had set forth and declareth that not all vtterly were reiected but putteth them in good hope that for asmuch as their roote is holy many also of that nation shal be holy howbeit they are in the meane tyme excluded as touching vs which were wilde Oliue trees that we might be grafted into the good Oliue tree And after that this is accomplished they shall agayne be receaued And so he knitteth vp this discourse that God hath shut vp all vnder sinne and he is compelled at the lengh to cry out O the
in deede not vsed among the sophisters but it is read in the scriptures For to to the Galathians it is wrytten That we myghte receaue the promyse of the spyrite through fayth And he vseth the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche signifyeth nothynge els then to apprehend take hold and to receaue Also in the Actes of the Apostles Paul speeketh vnto Agrippa the kynge that he was sente for thys cause that menne shoulde receaue remission of sinnes and lotte amonge the Sayntes throughe fayth Where he also vseth the same verbe And vnto the Romaynes the 9. chap. The Gentyles whyche followed not righteousnesse tooke holde of ryghteousnesse euen that righteousnesse whiche is of fayth The greeke woord in this place is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore it followeth that we speake after the maner of the Scriptures Neyther is thys to be left vnspoken of that there are some whiche thinke that this definition of the Gospell is takē of the matter as though it should be thus expounded that the Gospell is the power of God to saluacion for that in it is set forth and intreated of the power of God wherby he saueth mankind And that power is Christ the sonne of God which was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh euen as it is before sayd So the first definiciō and this latter differ nothing as touching the kynd of the cause And in deede I dislyke not thys interpretacion for Paul in the fyrst to the Corinth calleth Christ the power of God and the wysedome of God howbeyt I do more willyngly allow the fyrst interpretacion Paraduenture some will say for asmuch as the Gospell is preached vnto many vnto iudgement and condemnacion and we are as Paul sayde vnto manye the sauor of death vnto death howe then is it called saluacion or power vnto saluacion And to the Corint it is writen We preache Christe crucyfyed Why the gospel is sometymes vnto condemnation vnto the Iewes in deede an offence and to the Greekes foolishnes Hereto we aunswere that the Gospell is hurtfull vnto them which trust in theyr owne strengthes theyr proper workes and theyr owne reason But in the same place to the Cor. Paul wryteth Vnto the called of God is Christe preached the power of God and the wysedome of God Whiche place serueth verye muche vnto the interpretation of this sentence For things ought to haue their name geuen them Thinges must be named bi their wne nature and not by that which chanseth by hap vnto them Christ is rightly called a sauior althoughe to many he turne to offence and ruine of that thynge whyche they haue obteyned of theyr owne disposicion and nature and not of that which is otherwyse annected vnto them by happe and as they speake per accidens that is by chaunce The Gospell hath of hys owne institucion and by the counsell of God the propriety to saue But in that it hurteth the same happeneth from without that is of the infidelity of the receauers otherwyse Christ hymself could not be called a Sauiour because he was put for the fall and offence of many Wherefore when he spake of the Scribes Phariseis he sayde If I had not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde haue had no sinne But for that he was not to this ende sent but these euils happened of an other cause therfore he is called a Sauiour Notwithstanding many by occasion of hys comming perished For as touchyng hymselfe he had the wordes of eternall lyfe And he hymself sayth The wordes which I speake vnto you are spiryte and lyfe But manye of them whyche stande here beleue not Wherefore those thinges disagree not but aptly agree which these whiche Paul nowe wryteth What kind of saluatiō we haue by the gospell Further we must diligently examine what maner of saluation this is whiche is brought vnto vs by the Gospell For politicall or ciuill men do also promise health or sauety by good lawes and seuerity of discipline But that is singular and very contract for it is only that safety wherby we are made safe from the iniuryes of men Phisicions also promise health but that pertaineth only to the body that it may be in good case Souldiers boast also that they are appointed to the sauetye of men but that safety belongeth only agaynst the inuasions of enemyes Yea and handycraftes men say that theyr workmanships are healthfull vnto men but these men also bryng only porcions of sauety They whiche build houses do defend vs from the iuiuries of the aire and wether they which make clothes and garments do after a sort defend our bodys from colde but this sauety which is of the gospell comprehendeth all and contayneth in it the vniuersal summe and head of our conuersation that is felicity it selfe and blessednes Felicitye blessednes come vnto vs of the gospell By Christe and the gospell we are deliuered from sinne from whēce come all euils What is the vulgare definition of felicity This is that saluacion whiche was shadowed in the old Testament as often as the publike wealth of the Israelites was defended from oppressers by Iephthe Samson Gedeon and Debora And that this saluacion which is now intreted of oughte to be taken generally is proued by a sure reason for that all these defectes vnto which the porcions of sauety which we haue now rehersed were a helpe happened vnto vs by reason of synne But by Christ and hys gospell we ar deliuered from synne which thyng the Aungell testifyeth when he sayd vnto Ioseph For he shall saue hys people from theyr synnes and thys is to restore vs to true felicity For felicity as it is commonly sayd is to lyue agreably vnto nature And oure nature is instituted of God that we shoulde be according to hys Image And thys particle to saluation is necessarily added because otherwise the power of God is also to take vengeance to reuenge and to condemne The power of God is both to saluation and to vengeaunce A similitude But the Gospell is not properly instituted to that ende but to saluacion Now if we were once fully perswaded of thys that in Christ and in the gospell we should haue perfect saluation we would not so much fixe our mynde on temporall thynges but would alwayes contende thither where we hope we should haue felicity and blessednes Euen as princes and noble men do seldome go abrode into the market place streates or lanes neyther do they much passe for the spectacles of the common sort of men for that they haue at home theyr delightes pleasures paradises and passing good thinges therefore they willingly tary at home and if they be abrode they quickely get them home So ought we also to vse the good thinges of this world only for the necessities of the body but we ought contynually to be conuersant in Christ and in hys gospell as in our saluation and felicity To the Iewe first and to the Greeke
vnderstand that forasmuch as they do often fall we should not atttribute so much credite vnto their writinges but that we may examine them by the rule of the scriptures But as touching this place of Abacuk we must vnderstand that this prophet in the first chapter of his boke with ouer much boldnes prouoked God to reason of thinges which are done in this world so that in a maner he reproued him as though he had little prouidence ouer them For he complayneth that iust men are miserably oppressed of the vngodly and that wicked men haue wonderfull and happy successes in all thinges But after many complayntes at the length in the 2. chapter he commeth to hymselfe and sayth I will stand vpon my watch that is I will pronounce nothing rashely concerning thys matter But will wayte to see what God speaketh in me Thys do the Sainctes sometymes to put forth in theyr writyng humayne tentacions and affections and diligently to expresse those thynges wherewith we are sometymes tossed For they were menne and The Prophets do sometymes expresse the cogitations wherewith they are tossed were oftentymes subiect vnto these troublesome cogitations At the length the Lord aunswereth hym and in soÌ„me thus he sayth That men ought not streightway to geue senteÌ„ce of hys iudgemeÌ„ts but to wait farther By which words humane rashnes is reproued whyche wil streight way geue sentence as sone as it seeth that God hath done any thyng when yet notwithstandyng we are admonished not to iudge of Comedies vntyl we haue sene the last Acte If we could wayt longer we should see that the iudgemeÌ„ts of God haue good successe that al those thyngs which he doth are most wysely ordred In the meane tyme whylest the ende is in comming we must patiently wayte And it behoueth that in waiting we vphold our selues by faith by which fayth the iust shal lyue and the vngodly forasmuch as he is destitute of it wanteth all righteousnes and vprighmes The wordes of the Prophet as they are in the Hebrew are these Lohinah cegpeluh iesohah nibbaschoh boh vetsaddim beemunatho ijmiah The latine translation hath it thus He that beleeueth not hys soule shall not be vprighte in hymselfe The seuenty thus turne it If he wythdrawe hymselfe my soule shall not delyghte in hym But as touchyng the propriety of the Hebrewe Thys woord Apelah is deryued of Aophel which signifyeth defense Whereof is afterward deryued a derbe which signifyeth to defend himself Hereof is gathered a double exposition The first is that by defence we vnderstand those which defend theyr mynde and harden theyr hart not to beleue These haue neyther vpryghtnes nor righteousnes Or agayne it signifyeth those whiche beynge puffed vp with pryde thinke themselues to haue abundante strength and power and as though they neded not the helpe and ayde of God beleue not Wherfore theyr soule also waÌ„teth vprightenes righteousnes This exposition of the proud and hygh mynd is gathered out of Rabbi Dauid Chimhi And this defeÌ„ce in either of these two interpretations is taken metaphorically But if we take that worde properly Rabbi Moses teacheth that they whiche are not of an vpright mynde and doo want fayth flye vnto defences and there they defend them selues and thinks that they are very safe But he which is iust and endewed with a sincere fayth and of a modeste and lowly mynde the same man shall lyue by fayth neither will he depend either vpon armor or vpon mans power or vpon fenced castles And it had ben sufficient for the Prophet to haue rehearsed this first part of the oracle For when he had affirmed that a man wantyng fayth hath not righteousnes and vprightnes it foloweth of contraryes that a faythfull man by fayth obteyneth both righteousnes and lyfe But bycause we should not labour or stagger in gatheryng of it the Prophet hym selfe concludeth But the iust man shall lyue by fayth Neither is this to be left vnspoken of that Paul in this place hath omitted the pronowne possessiue For in the Hebrue it is written He shall lyue by hys fayth And the Seuenty haue By my fayth And Symmachus manifestly agreeth with the Hebrue veritie for he writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by hys owne fayth But the variety of these translations commeth of a certayne similitude which these two letters Vau and Iod haue one with the other For they differ but in length and shortnes Some reade Emunatho and other some Emunathi But eyther reading agreeth with the truth For fayth may as well be Fayth is ours and also Gods The Apostle vseth oftentymes this testimony of Abacuck Paule abuseth not this testimony called our fayth as the fayth of God It hath indeede his ofspring of God but it sticketh in our myndes otherwise we could not vse it to receaue the Gospell I thought it good the larglier thus to entreate of the testemony of thys Prophete for that the Apostle vseth it oftentymes namely to the Hebrues the 10. chapter and to the Galathyans and also in this place Wherfore it is very necessary and profitable to vnderstand these wordes a right But in this place we haue to aunswere vnto a cauillation wherewyth the vngodly vse to accuse the Apostle as though he peruersly abused the testemonyes of the olde scripture And they accuse him especially in thys place for that Paule dareth drawe this Prophet which promiseth the returne from the captiuity of Babylon to thys purpose as though his sentence should pertayne vnto iustification and absolution from sinnes Vnto them we aunswere that in all the promises of the olde VnderstaÌ„â—e also by promises yea of temporall things to be of Christ lawe were namely for the most part expressed temporall good thinges which yet were the wrappers and foundacions and heade of this promise chiefely whereof we now intreat of the deliuery I say through Christ To the vnwrapping of which promise out of these olde promises this reason is of no smale force to search out how God would graunt vnto the fathers those temporall good thinges which at that tyme he promised whether being wel pleased and mercifull or being yet angry and displeased with them Vndoubtedly we can not say that he would geue these thinges being angry and displeased For they would not in such maner haue accepted them For those things which are geuen to that purpose do at the length dryue to damnation and destruction But if he promised that he would geue these thinges because he was pacefyed and reconciled towardes them then let vs search out by what thynges he was pacefyed towards them Which thyng without doubt could not be brought to Christ is the heade foundatioÌ„ of the promises of God in the olde Testament The finall cause of Gods benefites towards the people of God was Christe passe but by Iesus Christ only who is the only mediator of mankind wherefore whatsoeuer thing was promised though it were neuer so much abiect and of
forth out of the lustes of our mynde And of thys kinde of temptation say they the Apostle Iames admonisheth vs that we should not make God the author of them Which must so be vnderstanded that we ought not in such maner to appoynt God the author of them therby to excuse our selues And that thys is the Apostles meaning those thynges which go before do well declare Let no man sayth he when he is tempted say that he is tempted of God as though he woulde excuse hys sinne For euery man is tempted of his owne lustes Wherfore he willeth vs to acknowledge in our selues the originall beginning of euill and not to lay the fault vpon God But yet he nothing prohibiteth but that God may be sayd by hys iust iudgement sometimes to minister vnto these lustes which are grafted in our corrupt nature occasions and prouokementes as well inwardly in our myndes as outwardlye But we oughte to accuse the grounde whiche wee haue in our selues and not to laye that for an excuse whyche is ministred by God Further this is to be added that we can not deny but that the of originall sinne are inflicted vpon vs to auenge the fall of the first parentes Two kinds of lustes with which lustes euery one of vs is tempted These lustes vnto which those that are idolaters are deliuered vp to be punished maye be deuided into two kindes so that some lustes couet that which semeth good and other some driue away that which is thought to be euill And although it may séeme that these affections were grafted in man by nature yet were they not such at the beginning when man was created as now they are But as I haue alredy sayd they were grafted moderate and suâ—h as shoulde obey reason but now What manner of affections were grafted in man when he was created Stoikes without affections A mediocrity of the Peripatetikes they are vnbrideled and they resist reason and the worde of God Wherefore when the Stoikes saw this corruption of them they gaue iudgement that their wise man should be vtterly free from all affections and passions because as the matter goeth now they thought that wisedome could neuer agree with affections For affections alwayes appeared vnto them to be subiect vnto vice and sinne But the Peripatecians iudgement was that the wise man ought not to be vtterly without affections but they allowed those that were moderate And being demaunded how these lustes should be kept in a meane they sayd that there is a mediocrity prescribed of reason And they added moreouer that this right reason which should be iudge of this mediocrity longeth to a wise man But they were not able to shew who this wyse man was which should perfectly defyne of thys meane Wherefore the Christians which deferre thys iudgement vnto the word of God do nothyng at all erre sithen they haue most sure rules taken out of the holy scriptures by which are most manifestly defined what thinges are to be desired and what to be refused There are two thinges vndoubtedly Two rules to amend lustes with all which amend vitiate and corrupt lustes One is that whether we eate or drinke or do any thinge els we do all thinges vnto the glory of God Which thing neither Aristotle nor Plato nor any of the wise men of this world had taught as Paule hath done Further forasmuch as it is agreed of the end we must beware that our woorke be not defiled other with defect or wante of affections or els with excesse of them And in summe these appetites so farforth as God hath grafted them in our nature oughte not to be accused but as we now haue them they are not without fault To vnclennes with ignominye to defyle their owne bodies amonge themselues The commentaries whiche are ascribed vnto Hierome affirme that this ignominy or dishonor is to be referred vnto the filthines and vnpurenes whiche the Ethnikes committed in their sacrifices And they expound the ignominye or dishonour of the bodyes to be burninges and markes with which the bodies of those whiche were initiated and dedicated to Images were defyled But these thinges are farre wide from the truth and the Apostle by those thinges which follow doth manifestly declare what his meaning is For he referreth all thinges to vnnaturall carnall pleasure Those thinges are called What thinges are vncleane vncleane whose sight we can not abide as in naturall thinges is matter or corruption that commeth out of a sore and dongue and such like and as is as touching humane workes glotony dronkennes especially when vomiting followeth also lechery especially that which is agaynst nature Hereof he writeth vnto the Romanes that that nacion and all other nations when they were without Christ were wonderfull enfected wyth this pestilent vice Neyther is this obscure that he addeth To defile their owne bodies with ignominy For if he which committeth fornication sinneth agaynst hys owne body much more he which is defiled with this kynde of wickednes Our bodies are the temple of the holy ghost organes of God and instrumentes sanctified Wherfore they which contaminate or defile them do excedingly stray from the That they sin which defile their bodies with luste institution of God And this happeneth vnto them which departe from the true worshippyng of God Vnto the Ephesians it is written of the Gentiles that be straungers from Christ Howe that they walke in the vanitye of the mynde hauyng their mynde darkened and that they are alienated from the lyfe of God by reason of the ignoraunce which is in theÌ„ blyndenes of hart Who after that they came once to this pointe that they ceased to be sory gaue themselues to wantonnes with a greedy desire to commit all maner of vncleannes It might at the first sighte seme that Paule speaketh vnreuerent and filthy thinges But we must remember Paule ought not to be accused of filthines that Vnto the cleane all thinges are cleane the holy Ghost vseth when he speaketh of the elect very freely to reproue wicked and most filthy actes In the Prophetes and especially in Ezechiell is mencion made of the Synagog as of an harlot which openeth her knees to all that come and whose filthye lust was so great that with reward she hired louers which had the fleshe of asses and the fluxe of horses The holy ghost abhorred not from these kindes of speach And yet thys letteth not but that the wordes of God are wordes most chaste For wordes otherwyse of theyr owne nature are indifferente it is our luste that maketh them vyle and filthy Howbeit Paule semeth somtymes somwhat to fauour the eares of the hearers when vnto the Ephesians by one world only he noteth these filthines of the Ethnikes saying It is filthy to declare the things which are committed of them in secrete But Chrisostome sayth the the Apostle in thys place teÌ„pereth hys speache betwene two great daungers For on the one syde
ascribe vnto God but to be counted or pronounced iuste For euery man doth not when he is afflicted acknowledge God to be good Of that minde was Daniell when he sayd Vnto thee belongeth righteousnes but vnto vs confusion of face God suffred Peter the Apostle Dauid the kyng and Moses to sinne that calling them backe agayne vnto hym and geuing vnto them the thynges which hee had promised them he might the more declare hys goodnes But because some men myght thinke that by those wordes may be gathered that men which professe pietie although they liue wickedly yet shall notwithstanding obtayne the promises of God if thys be generally true that our incredulitie or noughtines are no hinderaunce vnto the promises of God we must therfore make a distinction A distinction of the promise of God betwene the promises of God For there are some onely touching outward thynges and tend onely to temporall good thinges as that their publicke wealth should be preserued that the kingdome shoulde continue in the stocke of Dauid and that Christ should take fleshe of hys séede The sinnes and vnbeliefe of meÌ„ could nothyng hinder the bringing to passe of these thynges In déede in yâ— meane tyme came captiuities and afflictions howbeit at the length the promise of God as touchyng all these thynges tooke place There is an other kinde of promises touching those thinges which pertayne vnto our saluation And vnto these in déede the vngodly do not attayne And yet can we not therefore inferre that by our wicked doinges the promises of God are frustrated For they pertayne not generally vnto all men but onely vnto those which be called by the predestination Vnto whome pertaine the promises of God of God according to election as it is writteÌ„ in this Epistle the 9. chap. where it is sayd Not as though the worde of God hath fallen awaye And straight way is added Are the children of the fleshe the children of God And aunswere is made They which are the children of promise are counted for the seede Wherfore they vnto whome the promises pertayne if they haue fallen shal be called backe agayne to repentance And so theyr synnes which they haue before committed shall not make voyd the promises of God Indede as touching theÌ„ they deserued to haue them made frustrate For they hauing once broken couenaunt it wer conuenient that God toward them should not stande to his promises accordinge to this common sentence Qui fraugit fidem fides fraugitur eidem That is He whiche breaketh promise let promise againe be broken vnto hym But God so dealeth not to the end his goodnes might be the better declared And those things which Vnto vs also pertayne those thinges which Paule now teacheth Paule now speaketh of the Iewes pertaine vnto vs also For most excellent are these benefites of God towardes vs namely that the Gospell is committed vnto vs that we haue baptisme the holy Eucharist and such other like which thinges vndoubtedly the Turkes and infidels haue not But a man might obiect what do these thinges profite when as in the meane tyme very many are a great deale the worse and the most part abuse them We aunswer with Paule that by this is the goodnes of God to be gathered that he will suffer many noughty men and hipocrites for a few good mens sakes whiche vse these giftes well and will rather very long beare with many wicked men then that his church should come to rume Thou wilt say peraduenture then he willeth their sinnes if he suffer them We ought not after the example of God to suffer sins when we may amend them What els after a certaine maner he willeth them Otherwise he would not suffer them vnles he willed them for God suffereth nothyng against his will But hereby canst thou not gather any excuse for meÌ„ or yâ— we also must alwayes beare with sinnes For God hath no law prescribed vnto him Therfore when he of hys goodnes doth whatsoeuer thinges he will he is not to be accused But vnto vs is a law geuen wherin we are commaunded to admonish our neighbor whom we sée to offend and that not once or alone but twise and the third tyme to take witnesses with vs so that if at the length he will not heare vs let him be brought before the congregation which if he also neglect let him be counted for a Publicane and an Ethenike These thinges are prescribed vnto vs and therfore ought to be done of vs so that the sinnes be manifest and that it may be done without a schisme Otherwyse if by plucking vp the tares shoulde also be rooted vp the wheat it must be differred vntill the end as Augustines iudgement is But in the meane time some wicked men vse to say I woulde to God we had neuer had either the woord of God or Baptisme or the Eucharist For forasmuche as these thinges profite vs not they are to our greater and more bitter iudgemente But these mâ—nne ought to consider that this euell commeth not of God but of themselues Those thinges whiche are geuen by God are good let them ascribe vnto themselues whatsoeuer euell commeth of them and let them knowe that those thinges are alwayes profitable vnto some although very oftentimes to the greater parte they serue vnto condemnation Wherefore a good pastor ought not to Pastors although theâ—se that they profite not much yet ought they not to forsake theyr ministery An example of the Prophets forsake his ministery to cease of either from preachyng or from ministryng the sacraments vnder this pretence because he séeth his labour to profite but a litle yea rather that men become a great deale worse Forasmuch as the truth of thys place abideth vnshaken namely that these thinges haue great profite Neither is there any cause why he should feare that he is not sent of God so that his calling be as touchyng other circumstances iust and lawfull For the Prophets without doubt were sent by the Lord when the captiuity of Babilon was at hand And when of theyr sermons they had none or at the leâ—t very litle fruit their words as touchyng the greater parte were both to iudgement condemnation yet ceased they not from the charge committed vnto them The Lord hath assigned one When it is lauful to depart from the ministery cause onely for which it is lawfull for the ministers of the worde to holde theyr peace namely when men wil no more geue eare and openly deride and mocke at those thynges which are spoken Then vndoubtedly must they shake of the dust of theyr féete and go theyr wayes But so long as they wyl abyde to heare al though they striue agaynst it yet are they to be borne wyth all Neyther doth the worde of God by and by bryng forth hys fruites as the féede cast into yâ— grounde doth not streight way spring vp And there are many tymes some which wheÌ„ they The
sede of the word of God doth not streight way bryng forth his fruite haue heard the word of the Lord do not at that tyme bryng forth fruit But after ward beyng both chastised by God and more â—ehemently stirred vp with fruite they repete with themselues those things which otherwise they hard without profite Which selfe thyng happeneth in the sacrament of Baptisme For a man shall fynde an infinite number which haue had it by them a long tyme wyth out any fruite But afterward beyng conuerted vnto God they do not onely much esteeme it Baptisme sometymes is had a long tyme without fruite Whether the papistes haue the promise of the holy ghost but also therby they profite much Here also the Papistes obiect an other doubt vnto vs. The promises of God say they are not made voyde as Paule sayeth thorough our sinnes and vnbeliefe Therfore seing we haue the promise of God that by the holy ghost he wil alwayes be present with vs to gouerne his church he fully performeth the same Wherfore ye do ill in departing froÌ„ our rules and our communion But these men are excedingly deceiued when as the promise of the holy ghost was made vnto the disciples of the Lord and not vnto them First let them proue that they are the disciples of Christ and then will we beleue theÌ„ They which are the disciples of Christ adde nothing vnto his wordes neither appoint any thing contrary to the holy scriptures which thing these meÌ„ vndoubtedly do They cry out that the holy ghost is geuen vnto the church We The church hath the holy gost but not the congregation of the aduersaries of the Gospell graunt that But what maner of church is that church A counsell of bishops or a sinode of mitred prelates The holy ghost hath alwayes bene in the church and hath inspired some good men to cry out against these men when as they or deined their decrees contrary to the worde of God In summe the Apostles meaning is that the performing of the promises of God dependeth not of our merites but of the goodnes of God And as it is manifest by the wordes of Dauid when he sayth Agaynst thee onely haue I sinned We when we praye vnto God We bryng nothing of our owne vnto God but sinnes doe bryng nothyng vnto hym but sinnes Therefore we desire hym to heare vs that he might be iustefied in his sayings Hypocrites wyll be heard for theyr merites good workes sake for they acknowledge not their sinnes But they which vnderstaÌ„d them do therby take great consolation because their trust is that they shal be heard eueÌ„ through the goodnes of God For forasmuch as they see that in themselues all thinges are full of vncleanes they woulde neuer presume to lifte vp eyther theyr eyes or prayers vnto God Farther let vs marke We must speake well of the giftes of God and inueigh against the abuses that the Apostle reuerenceth the gifts of God and onely inueigheth against theÌ„ which abuse them For he saw that it followeth not that if men beinge by God aduaunced vnto great honors and they in the meane time are ingrate towards him that therefore those honors should not be had in estimation The husbande men of the Lords vyneyard were vndoubtedly noughty men But theyr noughtines caused not that the ornamentes of the vineyarde whyche Christ and Esay make mencion of were not wonderfull excellent and profytable Now if our vnrighteousnes commendeth the righteousnes of God what shall we saye Is God vnrighteous whiche bringeth in wrath I speake as a man God forbid Els howe shall God iudge the world For if the verity of God hath more abounded throughe my lie vnto his glorye why am I yet condemned as a sinner And as we are blamed and as some affirme that we saye why do we not euell that good may come thereof whose damnation is iust Novv if our vnrighteousnes commendeth the rightousnes of God what shal vve say Here Paule turneth somewhat from his purpose but it is not a digression strange from the cause which is entreated of He before very much extolled the mercy of God and declared that the promises of God were not made of none effect through the vnbeliefe of menne yea rather that by our sinnes the goodnes of God is more illustrated Hereby he saw there mighte be obiected vnto him as the wisdome of the flesh is alwaies redy to speake ill of the words of God and to wrest them to a corrupt sence both that God is vniust which punisheth our sinnes when as by them he is made more illustrious and also that we without hauing any regarde oughte to committe synne seing God by our wicked actes is more iustefyed and so hath alway the victory and his cause is thereby made the better Commendeth sayth he which in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth also to confyrme and to establish Which thinge very well agree with commendatioÌ„ Which forme of speaking the Apostle afterward vseth Paralâ—gismus accidentis when he fayth that God hath commended vnto vs his loue for that when we were yet sinners he gaue his owne sonne for vs. But in this kinde of obiection is committed a false argument taken of the accident For that it is not the office of sinnes properly and of themselues to illustrate the glory of God Which selfe thinge may also be sayd of that which is writteÌ„ in this selfe same epistle That of the fall of the Iewes followed the saluation of the Gentiles For we must not thinke that theyr fall was the true and proper cause of the saluation of the Gentiles For it came of the determination of God For God had appoynted that the preachinge of the Gospell beinge reiected of the Iewes shoulde be transferred vnto the Ethnickes And they whiche let loose the bridle vnto sinne vnder this pretence for that they would thereby make God to haue the victory iustefy him are muche like vnto them which hauing bene payned with a most greuous sicknes and then being restored to health by the Phisition haue made his arte more famous will agayne endeuour them selues to fall againe into the selfe same kinde of disease that thereby the Phisition maye be the more renowmed or if poore men beggers should determine that therfore they would eyther wante or begge thereby more and more to shew foorth the liberality of riche men That which of it selfe conduceth to the setting forth of the glory of God oughte not to be blame woorthy or filthy Vertues whiche are ioyned with true prayse do of themselues aduaunce the glory of God We ought not to meruayle that our doctrine is sometimes The doctrine of the Apostles was subiect vnto sclaunders oppressed with sclaunders when as we see that this selfe same thing happened vnto the Apostles They preached true things yet the vngodly through theyr sophisticall subtelties inferred of theyr woordes most pernicious
worde Open an emphasis Because sepulchres being shut receaue not those things which are brought in but being open they refuse nothing To vse their tongues to disceate is amōg the Hebrues Ieholl kō which word is deriued of this verbe Halak which is to part to destribute And that vice is here described whereby a man speaketh not as the thing is in dede but frameth his speach to get fauor and for his commodities sake For with one man they talke farre otherwise then they did with an other man A man may call them double tonged folkes Iames reproueth them for that out of one and the selfe same mouth they bring forth both sweete and bitter thinges The poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes This is written in the 140 Psal These mens wordes he compareth with the most present poyson of serpents Whose mouth is ful of cursing bitternes This word bitternes is in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This may be applied vnto those which by reason of anger are so impotēt y◠they are not able to speke a word but they must curse banne fare like mad men Their wordes are as sharpe as speares and they seme to speake swordes Their feete are svvift to shed bloud This is writtē in Esay the 59. chap. After cruel wordes folow murthers And these wordes seme chiefly to be spoken because of the death of the Prophets who were miserably slayne of the vngodly Contrition and calamity are in their vvayes Some by contrition and calamity vnderstand sinnes But it semeth rather to be a phrase wherby by their wayes may be vnderstanded whatsoeuer they go about take in hand and attempt And that is nothing els but the affliction and oppression of other men The vvay of peace haue they not knovven For they take nothing in hand to do which may serue for the commodity and health of their neighbours The feare of the Lord is not before their eyes This is read in the 36. Psal In these woordes is touched the summe and head of all euils which is not to feare God Paule mought haue brought other most euident testemonyes also The hed of all euels agaynst the Iewes As are those which are written in the fyrst chapiter of Esay where the prophet calleth them a wicked seede noughty children their Princes Princes of Sodom and their people the people of Gomorrha And there are infinite sentences whiche serue for this purpose But the Apostle thoughte these sentences onely sufficiente Whereby we learne what is the state and condition of a man which liueth without Christ First he wanteth God yea rather the wrath of God abideth vpon him farther he is a bondslaue of Sathan and an instrument framed to all maner of wicked workes But we know that whatsoeuer things the law speaketh it speaketh vnto those which are vnder y◠lawe That euery mouth might be stopped and the whole world might be made guilty before God But vve knovv c. The Apostle writeth this to the ende the Hebrues should not cauell that these scriptures pertayned not vnto them Neither could the Iewes deny but that they were vnder the law when as vnto them chiefly was it geuen and they in the couenaunt promised that they would do all thinges which God had commaunded Farther in their circumsicion they declared a profession to obserue the law Yea and we also are after a sorte vnder the law For the morall precepts forasmuch as they are knowen by the light We are after a sorte vnder the law The law vnde◠which we liue how farre it extendeth it selfe of nature do continually hold their strength In ceremonyes also something is alwayes to be considered as chiefe which a man may call the kernell sappe sinnow that cōtinually abideth only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they cal circumstāces are oftētimes altered Also the iudiciall lawes cōtain things honest lust which are also obserued of vs although y◠maner of punishemēts certaine other singular things ar with liberty chaunged And how far y◠law vnder which we are subiect extendeth it self the epistle vnto the Phil. declareth wherin it is writen That vvhich remaineth brethern vvhatsoeuer thinges are true vvhatsoeuer profitable vvhatsoeuer of good name if there be any vertue and if there be any praise vpon these things thinke ye the things We must not of preceptes make counsels Workes of supererogation are excluded vvhich ye haue learned receiued hard and sene in me these things I say do ye Hereby is it manifest how they are deceiued which of preceptes make counsels by that meanes do sinne more greuouosly in that they put works as they call them of supererogation Therfore those things which are here spoken do touch vs also if we fall away from Christ These notes of vniuersality are diligently to be weighed which Paule vseth when he saith Euery mouth and the whole world For they are of no small force to attayne to the right definiciō of iustificatiō He would not without a cause y◠our mouth should The scriptures necesary for all men be stopped forasmuch as we are all to much prone to excuses there is none which thinketh not to much of himselfe Sithē the Apostle hath proued his matter by testimonies of the scriptures they are much to be reproued which wil haue the holy scriptures banished out of the hands of the faithfull Hereby easely appeareth the vtility of thē when as they both pertaine vnto all mē and also set before our eyes our sinnes Chrisostome in his homely of Lazarus the riche man exhorteth all mē in general to reade thē and those men by name which are geuē to the lawe which occupie merchaundise kepe families And he affirmeth that it is impossible that they should attayne to saluatiō vnles they occupy thēselues day night in readyng of the holy scriptures Yea he addeth also that they haue greater nede of readyng the holy scriptures then haue holier men for that they are continually in greater daunger This worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is guilty the same Chrisostome expoundeth of him which of himselfe hath nothing to bring for his owne defēce but hath neede of an other They are guilty before God which haue nothyng whereof to glory And the cōfession of our sinnes doth chiefly make vs such The Apostle hath hitherto to this place laboured much in accusing of sinnes to the ende he might impell driue mē vnto Christ Whom we also to our power ought to imitate when we haue to Pastors oght aboue all thinges to reproue sinnes A similitude do with our neighbours There are some which wil not heare of their pastors and preachers but only treatises of things deuine and debatemēts of subtle questions But they are farre deceiued For first it is expedient that they haue a thorow consideration vnto theyr owne sinnes As a Phisition vseth in a rottē sore first to cut of the corrupt flesh before
oppressed Otherwise it shall bee all one to bee occupied in them as to marke what Liui Aristotle Salust Plutarche and other writers haue left in writing But now without the law is the righteousnes of God made manifest beyng confirmed by the testimony of the law and of the prophetes Here is expressedly put forth the question wherof he will afterward entreat And thereof he putteth two partes Of which the one is that the righteousnes of God is without the law made manifest The other is that it is obtained by the faith of Iesus Christ And Paule affirmeth that this righteousnes of God hath the testimonye both of the law and of the prophets This is it which he proposed at the beginning that by the Gospell is reueled the righteousnes of God from saith to faith And in that he writeth that this manifestation is done without the law he vnderstādeth without helpe of the law being obserued but onely by the hearing of faith Which The righteousnes of God threefold selfe thing he affirmed vnto the Galathians when he said Haue ye receiued the holy ghost by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith The righteousnes of God as I haue in an other place declared is thréefold The first is wherby we are through Christ receiued into fauour and our sinnes are forgeuen vs and the righteousnes of Christ is imputed vnto vs. And the second kind of righteousnes followeth this namely that thorough helpe of the holy ghost our minde is reformed and we all whole are inwardly renewed by grace Thirdly follow holy and godly workes for they which are once come thus far are most zelous and desirous of working well Now then Paule entreateth of the first righteousnes whiche he saith is declared in vs without the law And he calleth it the righteousnes of God because it is gotten thorough his power and goodnes and not thorough our owne workes And if a man do more narowly consider it it is the mercy of God which he bestoweth vpon vs thorough Christ And I haue in an other place admonished that that which the Hebrues call Tsedech and our men haue turned righteousnes signifieth rather goodnes and mercy And therefore to this day the Iewes call almes by that name And Ambrose vpon this place is of the selfe same mynd For he sayth Therefore is Ambrose Why the mercy of God is called righteousnes that called the righteousnes of God which semeth to be the mercy of God because it hath his originall beginning of Gods promise and when that promise is performed it is called the righteousnes of God For therfore is it the righteousnes of God because that is rendered which was promised Also whē he receiueth those which fly vnto him it is called rightousnes For one not to receiue him that flieth vnto him it is iniquity Thus much Ambrose But we must not harken vnto them which in this place do interprete these wordes Without the law for without the ceremonies of the lawe For we haue before shewed that althoughe the question was moued by reason of them yet hath Paule entreated of the lawe generally so that it comprehendeth all the partes of the law They seme not much to ouershoote themselues which by the righteousnes Christ the righteousnes of God of God vnderstande Christ for whatsoeuer pertayneth to iustification that same commeth from him vnto vs when we beleue in hym Betwene the righteousnes of God and ours Paule plainly putteth a difference when he saith in this self same The manifestation of the righteousnes of God happened chiefly in the tyme of the Apostles The order and maner of the preaching of the Apostles Epistle Being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and seeking to establishe theyr owne they are not subiecte vnto the righteousnes of God But that we may the better vnderstand what this manifestation of the rightousnes of God is which then happened chieflye when Paule wrote these thinges it must thus be vnderstanded that we must haue a regarde what manner of preaching the Apostles vsed As farre as we can gather out of the sermons of the Apostles as they are set forth in the Actes of the Apostles First they preached repentaunce setting before mens eyes their sinnes and condemnation wherin men were wrapped then they gathered together the proprieties and conditions of Christ which should heale these euils and that out of the holy scriptures Thirdly they applied the same proprieties and conditions vnto Iesus of Nazareth to allure men vnto his fayth And suche as hearyng these things beleued the same obteyned of God remission of their sinnes Inwardly they were made new and outwardly they liued moste holily resembling the image of God to which mankynde was made With perseuerance they called vppon God communicating together in prayers breakyng of bread all holye workes They stedfastly did put their trust in God as they which were vtterly destitute of all other helpe They nothing regarded worldly riches laying the price of their things and money at the féete of the Apostles They stoutely bare a good testimonye vnto Why the righteousnes of God is said to be made manifest without the law Christ reioycing that they suffred greuous thinges for hys names sake Lastly in this quarell they cherefully shed theyr bloud bestowed theyr life And the world seyng those thinges could not but be moued and acknowledge that a new kynde of righteousnes appeared on the earth And because amongest them were Ethenikes which had no knowledge at all of the law therfore the Apostle sayth Without the law Also many of the Hebrewes were called who although they knew the law yet they nothyng at all regarded it And it was all one as if they had not had the law There came some also which liued very vprightly and were moste zelous in the study of the law as Nathaniell whome Christ pronounced to be a true Israelite in whom there was no guile And these were iustified without the law for that obseruation of the law which they performed was not the cause why they were iustified The lawe in déede may be a helpe vnto iustification because it admonisheth vs and accuseth vs by whiche meanes we are dryuen vnto Christe But for as muche as it hathe not the strengthe to forgeue synnes to geue the The law helpeth vnto iustification but it is not the cause thereof A conciliation holye Ghoste to suggest faythe into the hartes of the hearers therefore Paule saythe righte well That we are iustified wythout the lawe Augustine in hys booke de spiritu litera saith that the Apostle seemeth to speake thynges repugnaunt For he affyrmeth that the righteousnes of God whereof he nowe speaketh had his testimonye of the lawe and the Prophetes and yet be saythe that it was made manifeste without the lawe But he aunswereth that there is here in verye deede no contradiction if a man rightly distinct those thinges which are here spoken For
neither make those thinges doubtfull which are hoped for In which wordes he sheweth that two principall thinges are to be auoyded The one is that we be not with to much curiositie Two principal things to be taken hede of stirred vp to seeke out the proofe of thinges which we ought to beleue which proofe so long as we lyue here cannot be had the other is that though they be obscure we shoulde not yet doubte of the truth of them And the same writer entreating of the confessiō of fayth thus writeth It is manifest a falling away Basilius sayth that they erre from the faith which adde any thing to the scriptures from the fayth and a poynt of pride either to refuse anye of those thinges which are written or to bring in anye thing that is not written forasmuche as our Lorde Iesus Christ sayd My sheepe heare my voyce and before that he sayde but a straunger they will not follow but wyll flee from him because they haue not knowen his voyce The Apostle also hath by an humaine example straightly forbidden either to adde or to diminishe any thing in the holy scriptures when he sayth And yet no man disanulleth the Testament of a man when it is confirmed neither addeth any thing thereunto In which place a man may perceiue how warely this man affirmeth that as touching fayth nothing ought either to be added or diminished in the holy scriptures Which maketh chiefely against those which obtrude inuencions and traditions of men as necessary to be beleued Farther the same writer plainlye setteth forth the certaintie of fayth when he declareth the propertie thereof in Moralibus the. 80. Summe and 22. chapiter Where he writeth What is the propertie of fayth He aunswereth An vnseperable certaintie of the truth of the wordes of God which is not attayned to by any kinde of reasoning nor any naturall necessitye neyther being framed to pietie can euer be shaken And he addeth That it is the duty of one that beleueth to be in such a certaintie affected according to the power of the woord Basilius sayth that whatsoeuer is with out fayth and the holy scriptures is sinne spoken and not to presume either to dissanull or to adde any thing For if whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne as sayth the Apostle and fayth commeth of hearing and hearing by the word of God then whatsoeuer is not of fayth being not contayned in the scripture inspired by the spirite of God the same is sinne This Father confirmeth together with vs the certaintie of fayth and sheweth wherehence it dependeth when he calleth it inseuerable for that when we beleue we doo not examine by our own reasons what is possible or what is not possible to be done And he semeth to allude to those wordes which Paul speaketh of the fayth of Abraham that he doubted not through incredulitie where he vsed this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore certaintie is contrarie to doubting which commeth of the examination of humane reason Moreouer that which in an other sentence he had spoken he agayne playnly repeateth namely that those things which are out of the scriptures are not to be beleued And this place of Paul Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is Note how Basilius vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Fayth differeth from opinion and suspicion sinne he vseth in his natiue and proper sense as we also vse it which thing our aduersaries can not abide Faith differeth from opiniō for opinion although it make vs leane vnto one part yet it doth that both wyth reason and also not without feare of the truth of the other partie And suspicion doth engender yet a weaker assent then opinion doth for that it both wanteth reason and also leaueth men doubtfull of the truth of the other part It is true in deede that science engendreth a firme assent but that is brought to passe by adding of demonstrations Seing now we sée playnly both what fayth is and also howe it differeth from opinion science and suspicion let vs sée howe manye wayes fayth is taken For there is one kinde of fayth which is mightie perfect and of efficacie whereby we are iustified there is an other which is voyde without fruite during but for a time vayne which bringeth not iustification Which thing is manifest by the parable of the Gospell where the séede the woorde of God I say is written to fall sometymes vpon good ground and sometimes vpon stony ground vpon thornes and by the high way side where it is lost and Fayth which iustefieth is not in all men equal bringeth forth no fruite Agayne that fayth which is good and profitable is not in all men a lyke for according to the greater or lesser infirmitie of the fleshe it hath degrées Wherfore Paul saith Euen as God hath deuided vnto euery man the measure of fayth And in the selfe same parable the seede falling on the good ground bringeth not forth fruite alyke in all partes For in some place it bringeth forth thirty fold in other some place lx folde and in other some an hundreth folde In sūme the entent of Paule in this place is to make the righteousnes of God whereof he entreateth in this place proper vnto fayth to the ende he myght vtterly take it away as well from our merites as from our workes But I meruayle that forasmuch as this is his scope how the Greke Scholies affirme that we are not so iustified that vnto the obtaynment of righteousnes The Greke Scholies and Chrysostome are noted we bring nothing our selues Fayth say they is brought of vs for that to beleue it behooueth vs to haue a valiant mynde And this selfe thinge signifieth Chrisostome These thinges must be vnderstanded warely neyther can they be admitted in that sense as though fayth proceded from vs when as vnto the Ephesians it is playnly declared that it is the gift of God neyther if it were of our selues could all boasting be excluded For we should bring much if out of our selues should come the power to beleue And this place playnely teacheth that it is not so to be vnderstanded for the Apostle addeth Being iustified freely But it should not be fréely if fayth as it is our worke should bring righteousnes I graunt indede that our vnderstanding and will do assent vnto the promises of God But that it doth or maye do the same it muste of necessity come of God Vnto all and vpon all that beleue There are three thinges now put in this proposition which the Apostle entendeth playnly to declare The first is this That the righteousnes of God is made manifest the second that it is without the law the third that it is by fayth As touching the first he sayth that thys righteousnes of God is declared vnto all and vpon all Which is not so to be Righteousnes is not in all men but only in the elect and in the beleuers ▪ vnderstanded
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
thinges both that euill lusts should be cut of out of the minde and also that the children of Israell should be seperated from other nations Farther it was the seale of the will and promise of God which was offred vnto Abraham concerning righteousnes the remissiō of sinnes thorough Christ and the league with God and a greate many mo such like good things This promise I say was sealed with the signe of circumcision And besides these significations of the sacraments ar two other cōmodityes not to be cōtemned For the things which ar so marked Sacramentes also are notes whereby we are knowen to pertaine vnto God as vnto our owner and Lord. By these notes also is shewed how muche God maketh of vs. are therby appoynted to be theyrs who are their owners as in horses oxen other suche like thinges the markes and notes which ar burnte in them declare vnto whome they pertayne So the Sacraments when they are receaued do beare witnes that we belong vnto God Farther such outward notes declare of what value and estimation the thinge that is sealed ought to be counted as it is manifest in coynes of gold and also in horses For the best and excellent horses are marked with one marke and dull Iades with an other marke Farthermore the sacramentes which God hath commended vnto vs declare how much God setteth by vs For the notes and markes of circumcision and of other sacramentes are as it were admonishers of the will and promises of God For forasmuch as we are weake neyther do we easely beleue the promises of God it was nedefull that his good will towardes vs shoulde not only be signified by wordes but also shoulde be sealed by thinges which might be offred to our senses Wherefore Augustine very aptly sayth that the Sacramentes are visible wordes And Chrisostome vpon this place writeth that circumcision preached righteousnes Wherefore God would that we should both haue his wordes in the holy scriptures which should be set forth vnto vs whilest the misteryes were in doing and also that vnto them should outwardly be added visible notes that we might the more firmely resist if at any tyme the minde should beginne to doubt By these thinges it is manifest how they are deceaued which thinke that by the power of the action or as they vse to speake by the worke wrought The worke wrought is excluded the sacramentes bring saluation Vndoubtedly euen as the wordes of the scripture nothing profit without fayth so also nothing profit the sacramentes vnles fayth be present Nether is that opinion to be allowed whereof Augustine in his booke De ciuitate dei maketh mēcion namely that they can not be damned They are deceaued which thinke that no man after he hath once receaued the sacraments can be damned In this place abone all other is is expressed the nature of Sacramentes Sacraments are not onely markes notes which haue once receaued the sacramēts of Christ I thinke there is scarse any place in the holy scriptures wherein is so briefely and so expressedly set forth the nature of the sacramentes as in these wordes of Paule wherein circumcision is called a seale And to the ende we should vnderstand that it is not the seale of euery thinge there is added of righteousnes that is of the forgeuenes of sinnes which pertayneth vnto the will of God Lastly he addeth of fayth to geue vs to vnderstand what maner of thinge that is whereby we may take hold of that righteousnes And that is fayth Wherefore euery man may see how much they are deceaued whiche thinke the sacramentes to be but onlye markes and notes of religion whereby men may knowe one an other For so should they attribute no more vnto sacramentes then vnto garments or coulors whereby familyes and sectes are descerned one from an other Nether is this sufficiente whiche others say which thinke that in sacramentes are shewed forth the signes only and professions of those thinges and actions which are required of vs which are initiated into Christ so that circumcision they make to signifye the mortifying of wicked affection and baptisme to signifie that we must stoutely and with a valiant courage suffer losses iniuries aduersities What is the chiefest and principallest thing in the Sacramentes Graeca Scolia Three significations of circumcision because in it is signified that we are crucified and buried together with Christ And that the supper of the Lord is only a signe of Christian beneuolēce of duties of mutuall charity We deny not but that all these thinges are in the sacramentes But the hed and summe of theyr signification we say consisteth herein that they seale vnto vs the giftes and promises of God which he offreth vnto vs to be taken holde of by fayth The Greeke Scholies haue in this place most expressedly put that Circumcision was for three causes geuen that it should be a signe of fayth and of righteousnes that it should seperate the kyndred of Abraham from other nations and that it should be a note and manifest token of a pure and vndefiled conuersacion This place most manifestly declareth y◠which Augustine writeth to Bonifacius namely that Sacramēts haue the names of those thinges which they signifie And that thing he proueth by many stmilitudes amongest which he maketh mencion also of the Eucharist bicause Circumcision because it was the signe of the couenant therefore it had the name of the thinge It is Paul which teacheth that sacraments do signify seale things promised That we call sacramentes are signes we say it out of the holy scriptures Sacramentes not after iustification vnprofitably receaued Sacramentes stirre not vp faith but the holy ghost stirreth it vp A similitude Our righteousnes hath much vncleanes mingled with it The resurrection shal be a perfect regeneration we call it the body of Christ when as it is only the sacrament thereof And wee also teache that the bread in the holy misteryes is therfore the body of Christ bycause it is the signe thereof These things some cānot abide But they ought to remember that in the boke of Genesis Circumcision is called the couenaunt of the Lord which is nothing ells then the promise of righteousnes and of the forgeuenes of sinnes throughe Christ And this couenaunt the Lord commaunded that the Iewes shoulde carye aboute with them in theyr fleshe That thing Paule now expoundeth namely that it was the signe of that righteousnes and couenaunt Wherefore it manifestly appeareth that this kind of interpretatiōs which we vse was brought in by the Apostle and that to follow those interpretations is nothing els then to follow the steps of the Apostles If thou demaūd that for as much as we haue remissiō of sinnes haue by fayth obteined righteousnes what commodity then bringe the sacramentes vnto vs we answere very much for that they offer themselues before our eyes and so doo admonish vs. For our fayth is stirred vp not
of the thing it selfe and of the thing signified Neither let any man here lay to our charge that we affirme that sacraments depend of our faith For neither teach we any such thing yea rather we affirme that the sacraments are sacramentes although thy faith be either weake or els none at all And Augustines iudgement is very good concerning him which onely carnally receiueth the sacrament when he sayth It doth not therefore cease to be spirituall but vnto them it is not spirituall And now at length to make an ende we must neuer come to this point to thinke that grace and our saluation is conteined in the sacramentes as in certaine sackes or bagges which may be poured out vpon the communicantes and receiuers For the sacramentes are as certaine tidyng bringers of our saluation whom he that beleueth shall obtaine saluation And thus much hitherto haue I sufficiently spoken of sacraments generally Now resteth for vs somwhat to speake of circumcision for the better vnderstanding wherof we haue spoken these things the more largely and with more words But here we shall not nede so long a treatise For if we remēber all those things which haue bene generally spoken of sacraments it shall be no hard matter to vnstand all that which may be spoken of circumcision And circumcision not to go from the wordes of the Apostle was the seale of y◠What circumcision is How circumcisyon is sayd to haue brought remission of synnes Whether remission be had of sinnes to come righteousnes of faith bicause it preached and confirmed the promise concernyng righteousnes which the elders receiued by faith And hereof it followeth that the elders by it had remission of sinnes For forasmuch as righteousnes as we haue be fore more at large debated consisteth chiefly in the remission of sinnes whosoeuer beleued the promise set forth and by circumcision sealed it followeth of necessitie that he was pertaker of the remission of sinnes Some demaund whether circumcision and baptisme which succeded it bring remissiō onely of those sins which are alredy past or also of those which are afterward cōmitted Let these mē cōsider y◠the vse of Circumcision and of Baptisme is not for a tyme but perpetuall For as the faithfull oftentimes fal so when they forthwith come againe vnto themselues they thinke vpon the promise of the Gospell which is of the remission of sinnes Wherin also euen for this cause they are confirmed for that they remember them In erroure of those which would not be baptised but in the last houre selues to be either baptised or circumcised and so by putting to of faith they are deliuered from sinnes and are reconciled vnto God Hereby it is manifest how they wer in the old time deceiued which would not be baptised but euē now whē death approched that they were in a maner geuing vp y◠ghoste Neither let any man thinke y◠this is repugnant vnto the kayes of the Church by which are receiued the penitent For that they may the better vnderstande the matter this they must nedes graunt that those kayes of the church are nothing els but the preachyng of the Gospell wherby the ministers do perswade the beleuers that their sinnes are forgeuen them But they which are to be perswaded are by the benefite of the holy ghost persuaded their faith concerninge the promise is also hereby confirmed for that they call to memory the signe of Baptisme or of Circumcision whiche in times past they receiued And Paule when he said For the remission of the sinnes going before ment y◠iustification when it is applied vnto vs alwayes putteth away those sinnes which we haue before committed But that nothing letteth but that the promise of the remission of sinnes and the sealing therof may oftentimes with profite be called to our memory But so oftentimes as sinne is so forgeuen it followeth of necessitie that the same sinne went before but that which we speake of tendeth to this to declare that the vtilitie of the sacraments is not for a tyme but pertaineth to the whole course of our life Circumcision differed from other sacramentes for that it was the beginning and first steppe and visible entrance to the couenaunt of God But what maner ones the vncircumcised were counted the Apostle declareth in the epistle to the Ephesians Remember saith he that ye wer somtymes Gentiles in the flesh which were called vncircumcision of circumcision in the flesh made wyth hāds ye were sometimes without Christ aliants frō the cōmon wealth of the Israelites straungers from the couenantes of the promises without hope in the world and without God And in the epistle vnto the Phil. he teacheth which is the true spirituall What i◠the spirituall circumcision circumcision For we saith he are circumcision which serue the Lord in spirite and glory in Christ and haue no confidence in the flesh And vnto the Coloss he writeth In whom saith he ye are circumcised with circumcision not made with handes by the puttyng of the sinfull body of the flesh By whiche place we sée as we haue before also noted that forgeuenes of sinnes is to be put as well in Circumcision as in Baptisme Wherfore Augustine in his booke against Iulianus the Pelagian in that part wherin he heapeth vp a great many authorities of the fathers reproueth the Pelagians by these wordes of the Apostle for that notwithstanding they denied original sinne yet they baptised their infāts for forasmuch as they affirmed y◠in them is no sinne how could that Baptisme as Paule saith be circumcision not made with handes by the putting of of the sinful flesh These places of the Apostle serue very much to the explication of the proprietie and nature of circumcision And in Deut. the x. chap. the Lord saith Thou shalt circumcise the vncircumcision of thyne hart neither shalt thou harden thy necke In stede of vncircumcision the Chaldey interpreter hath Tephaschoth that is foolishnes therby signifieng y◠the first ground of sinne herein consisteth that we are blinde to all thinges pertaining to God and that we The first ground of sinne The promyse which circumcisiō sealed are wonderfully infected with the ignoraunce of God The 70. interpreters haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hardnes of hart The promises which are offred vnto them y◠are circumcised are these that God is made our God and the God of our séede in which onely thing we haue the horne of plenty that is the sūme of all good things Hereof also springeth our felicitie consolatiō in all afflictiō They were therbye also put in mind of y◠mortifiēg of y◠flesh y◠is of y◠cutting away of superfluous plesures moreouer by it they professed pure religiō And in sum therby was signified y◠couenāt made with god These wer y◠things signified the matter of this sacramēt and pertayne truly vnto the nature and substance therof In baptisme also all those selfe same thinges are
time The sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him For neither the prophets in the old time nether we ourselues could by any other meanes then by Christ haue knowen that this is the will of God that by him he is made mercifull and fauorable vnto vs. Farther there is no mā ignorāt but that there was nede of a sacrifice and price to purge vs from our sinnes Wherfore seing both the death of Christ and the sheding of his bloud hath performed these thinges vndoubtedly they ought not to be kept in silence But here ariseth a doubt by what meanes the Apostle may seme to seioine and to put a sonder these things one from the other namely the forgeuenes of sinnes and iustificatiō and one the other side the faith of the death from the fayth of the resurrection when as it semeth that by the fayth of ech part of his death I say and of his Resurrection is geuen not only remission of sins but also iustification Augustine against Faustus in his 16. boke semeth to geue his interpretacion That our fayth is chiefly directed vnto the resurrection of Christ That Fayth is directed chiefly vnto the resurrection of the Lord. he died euen the Ethnikes also confesse but that he rose againe they vtterly deny And therfore forasmuch as fayth is sayd to be that whereby we are iustified Paul would make menciō of that thing wheron it chiefly cōsisteth And to cōfirme his sentēce he citeth a place out of the 10. chapter to the Romanes If with the mouth thou confesse the lord Iesus Christ and with thy hart beleuest that he was raysed from the dead thou shalt be saued By which wordes it appeareth that saluation and iustificatiō are attributed vnto the fayth of the resurrection of Christ But these things are not so to be taken as Our fayth is directed also vnto the death of the Lord. though our fayth should not also be directed vnto y◠death of y◠Lord. It is true in dede that the Ethnikes confesse that Christ was slayn but they do not beleue that this was done for the sinnes of men but for some offence he had committed or ells wrongfully but we beleue that he was crucified for the saluatiō and redemptiō of mankind wherfore our fayth is exercised as wel in y◠death of Christ In the fayth of the resurrectiō is comprehended the faith of the death Besides the payinge of the price ▪ it was nedefull that the redempcion should be applied vnto vs. as in his Resurrection And that which he bringeth out of the 10. Chapter vnto the Romanies maketh nothing agaynst our sentence For who vnderstandeth not that in the fayth of the Resurrection of Christ is also included that fayth which we haue of his death and crosse wherfore there are yet behynd two other very likely interpretations of which the first is that in very dede by the death of Christ was payd the price of our redemption But that it might be applied vnto vs there nedeth the holy ghost to moue vs to beleue and Christ to geue vnto vs this holy ghost rose againe from death sent abrode his Apostles to preach into all partes of the world now also before the father executeth the office of an intercessor and high priest therefore is he sayd to haue risen agayne to helpe vs that we might obteyne iustification Chrisostome semeth to lene vnto this sentence The second exposition is that the fayth of the death and of the resurrection bringeth iustification but Paule seioyned them aptly to declare the analogy and proportiō betwene them Vnto the death of Christ answereth very wel the forgeuenes of sinnes for by reason of them death was dewe vnto vs. And as Christ as touching this corruptible life died so also ought we when we are iustified to dye vnto sinne Agayne bycause iustification semeth herein to be declared in that we beginne a new life therfore is it referred vnto the resurrection of Christ for that he then semed to haue begonne a celestiall and happy life Paul vsed in a maner the selfe same form of words in this same epistle when he saith wyth the harte we beleeue vnto ryghteousnesse and wyth the mouth is confession made to saluation For the faith of the harte both worketh righteousnes and also bringeth saluation but bycause saluation and instauration are chiefly declared in action therfore he ascribed it to confession But whither of these expositions is the truer nether will I contend nor also now declare Of those things which haue now bene spoken we gather a most swete consolation for therby we doo not only know the waight of sinne but also we vnderstand that God bare a singular good loue towards vs as one which gaue his only begotten son and y◠vnto the death to deliuer vs from sinnes Farther seing Christ is sayd to haue risen from the dead for our iustification we easely se that we are by him called backe to a new life vnto which yet we cā not aspire except we be of him elected The fift Chapter VVHerefore being iustified by fayth we haue peace towardes God through our Lorde Iesus Christ By whome also we haue accesse through fayth vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Nether do we this only but also we reioyce in afflictions knowing that affliction bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope And hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroade into our hartes by the holy ghost which is geuen vnto vs. Wherefore being iustified by faith we haue peace towardes God Here the Apostle beginneth by way of rehersall to conclude that whiche he had before The effectes of fayth and of iustification proued and together therewithall set forth the effectes of faith and of iustification For that vndoubtedly is an absolute or perfect doctrine which sheweth not only the nature of thinges but also declareth the effectes Now then the chiefest effect of iustification is to deliuer vs from the terrors of death and of eternall damnation And this is it which Paul calleth To haue peace towardes God Farther he sheweth that of this peace springeth a certayne reioysing not only for the felicity which we shall obtayne but also euen for afflictions that therefore we are sure of the good will and loue of God towardes vs because we see Christ died for our saluatiō but much more are we confirmed as touching the same by reasō of his life which he now liueth with the father Moreouer he compareth Christ with Adam and sheweth that he hath brought farre greater benefites vnto mankinde then did Adam bring losses Seing we are now iustified by fayth sayth he we haue peace towardes God Sinne had seperated vs from him and God to auenge sinne draue man out of Paradise by meanes wherof we are become miserable and full of calamitye And agayne seing our owne conscience accuseth vs
church can not releâ—se the afflictions of the godly these punishementes which God inflicteth vpon vs whilest we liue here are not in the power of the Church that it can at pleasure and as it listeth it selfe alter or lenifye or mitigate them as our aduersaryes haue fayned of the paynes of purgatory Which their fayned deuise they can not confirme by any reason taken out of the holy scriptures We must diligently also weigh the wordes of the Apostle For as when he fayth That we stand in grace by fayth he declareth that the property of fayth is to erect and to confirme our mindes Which property vndoubtedly it hath not but by that it cleaueth vnto the woord of God For so by it are broken the rages and tempests that rushe agaynst vs so are we established not to wauer with euery wynde of doctrine nor to change our opinion for euery chance of fortune The philosophers when they woulde amply set foorth the constancye of a iust man compared it with a fower square stone which howsoeuer it falleth falleth right But A comparison of fayth with philosophy fayth much more truely accoÌ„plisheth this theÌ„ doth philosophy Chrisostome addeth That the good thinges of this world whatsoeuer they be are nether firme nor constant For they are oftentymes assayled with many dangers and not seldome ouercome And although whilest we liue here we lose them not yet when we dye will we or nill we we must nedes forsake them But these spirituall things whereof we now intreate are both firme and shall after death be made more ample But the same Chrisostome vpon this place is of vs warely to be red For he sayth that Paul in making mencion of those thinges which we receaue of Christ rehearseth many thinges But when he commeth to those thinges which we haue of our selues he setteth forth only one thing namely fayth â–ª which sayth he we our selues bring of our owne But we must surely sticke fast to thys ground that fayth also is the gift of God and is deriued from him into vs. Out of this place also may be gathered a most firme argument that we are iustified by fayth only Which shall be made playne by the effect after this maner That by An argument wherby is proued that we are iustified by faith one lye which we are iustified ought to make vs quiet before God This thing can not workes bring to passe but fayth only Ergo we are iustified by fayth and not by workes The maior is very playne that we are not iustified vnles we haue such a quiet mynde that we abhorre not nor flye from the fight of God And that our workes are not able to performe this theyr vncleanes and vnpurenes declareth Wherefore Dauid hath not without cause written Enter not into iudgement with thy seruauntes Lord. We reioyce in the hope and glory of God Here is declared the nature of this peace and tranquilitie of the minde namely that it maketh vs most assured and sure of perpetuall felicity for we reioyce not but for that which we now possesse And that we euen now also possesse eternall lyfe Christ manifestly declareth We posses eternall life euen now also when he saith He that beleueth in me hath eternall lyfe But bicause it is not yet ful neither as yet appeareth therfore Paul addeth In the hope of the glory of God This glorye whiche we hope for is a coniunction with God that he maye wholye dwell and worke in vs which thing when we shall haue attayned we shall be adorned with the last and highest point of felicitye neither shall there be left any place vnto misery But when he sayth In the hope of the glory of God He séemeth to speake that by preuention For that as touching those which beleue the common opinion of men is excedingly deceiued For the Ethenikes commonly deride Christians for that they count themselues to be happye when yet in the meane tyme they want not wicked affections and are vexed with tribulations and aduersities They thinke yâ— we should weigh our felicity by those things which we haue Our felicity is not to be weighed by those thinges which are in vs. of our owne But we are of a farre other opinion for we so far forth counte our selues happy as we are so counted of God and that he imputeth vnto vs righteousnes not that we are not in the meane tyme renewed both in minde and in bodye although we are yet vnperfect And euen this selfe same righteousnes whiche we haue now obteyned and the renouation which is in vs we in no case thynke to be of that force that by it we can attayne vnto the rewardes of eternall lyfe Thys peace and felicitie and reioycing of which the Apostle now intreateth is yâ— which confirmed the Martirs when in Christes quarell they did shed both their lyfe and What is this peace which is had by faith bloud This is that hundreth folde which is rendered also in this lyfe is of more value then all the riches and pleasures of this world Wherefore when the Ethnikes deriding vs do boast of their riches and pleasures and power we ought not to be moued For we easely perceaue that they with al these their goods are miserable and wretched but on the other side we féele our selues happy when we haue possession of this one good thyng although we want all those thinges whiche they so highly estéeme And here is to be marked the order that the Apostle vseth in rehersing the effectes of iustification First he setteth forth peace wherby is declared The methode or order of the effectes of iustification that the battaile that sin had stirred vp against vs is now at an end For sin beyng by the death of Christ blotted out and the righteousnes of christ beingimputed vnto vs of God through faith of enemies we are made frendes whereby is made opeÌ„ vnto vs an entrance vnto his manifold grace and to the obteinement of innumerable benefites For so long as yâ— warre endured we were a great way of froÌ„ God and strangers from the promises but now that the peace is made by the mediator we are brought nearer there is geuen vs frée accesse vnto God which accesse yâ— Apostle worthely putteth in the second place as which could not haue come vnto vs vnles we had first obteyned peace Farther thirdly followeth reioycing in the hope of the glory of God For who will not now hope that he shal be adorned with the glory of God Whome will not so assured an expectation of so great a thyng of the glory I say of God make ioyfull and glad And of how great force and power this reioycing in the hope of the glory of God is that which followeth declareth And not that onely but also we reioyce in afflictions Of so greate force is this reioycing that those thinges which men especially wicked men count for a dishonor and from which they abhorre
offred And God hath symplye and without condition promysed vnto vs remission of sinnes and eternall lyfe and The promes of the forgeuenes of sinnes and of eternall life is simple and without coÌ„dition We haue no absolute promise touching the perils of this life hath commaunded that we shoulde wythout all doubting both beleue and hope for them Wherfore in these thinges nether fayth nor hope can deceaue vs But touching the perilles and aduersity of this life we haue no plaine and absolute promise but as they vse to speake vnder distunction For God hath promised that he will ether deliuer vs or ells comfort vs in the dangers that we shall not fall away but constantly confesse his name or if we chaunce to fall he hath promised to restore vs againe yâ— we may attaine vnto eternall life Wherfore it is not mete that the certainty of hope should be fixed in one of these parts only Which thing if sometimes good men do yâ— springeth of humane affection and not of Christian hope and therfore it is no meruayle if they sometimes be deceaued But nowe to returne vnto Paul he of a certaine greate loue hoped to abide longer with the Phillippians to edefie them And for that he had not Why Paul was sometimes deceaued in his hope this oute of the woorde of God it easely came to passe that he was deceaued But the summe of the piety belonging to the Gospel is that we assuredly settle our selues that God loueth vs and will at the length make vs blessed And if somtimes the mindes of the saintes are disturbed as though they doubted of the promises of God or of theyr saluation this happneth not through the default ether of fayth or of hope but bycause so long as we liue here we are not perfectly In the saints arise certaine doubtes of saluation furnished wherfore this doubting springeth of the flesh of humane wisdoÌ„e we agree indede with our aduersaries in this that certaine doubts aryse somtimes of saluation euen in the godly But herein we disagree from theÌ„ for that they attribute this vnto hope but we say that it commeth of humane infirmity only and that it is daily to be corrected so that let a man thinke that he hath so much profited in fayth and hope how much he feleth himselfe the more constant and firme But how these euills spring not of fayth or of hope but of our owne corruption we haue before declared by an apte similitude and will now repete the same againe No man can deny but that the mathematicall scieÌ„ces ar most certaine Wherfore he which hath learned them exactly boldly pronounceth nothing doubteth of theyr conclusions But he which is but meanely instructed in this faculty oftentimes doubteth and standeth in a perplexity for that he hath not yet perfectly attained vnto those sciences So also are we tossed with doubts not through faith or hope but by reasoÌ„ we hope not nor beleue so much as is nedfull But some man will say that we are paraduenture hereby deceaued for that in the steade of the true faith or hope we haue only their shadowes For we can not easely discern the true hope and faith from the counterfeat and fained hope and faith I answere that by this instance can not be taken away the properties of fayth or of hope for although one or two can not discerne theÌ„ Howe the true fayth and hope are discerned from the counter fayt The holy ghost is not knowen by â—ay other thinge then by it selfe yet they remaine stil firme in their owne nature As we se it is in liberality and prodigality For there are many which can not distinguishe one from the other and yet are not therefore theyr proprieties and conditions taken away Paul in this place entreateth of the nature propriety of hope If thou wilt afterward demaund how these faculties or powers are discerned froÌ„ the counterfeate we answere that they are declared by the force and power of the holy ghost which holy ghost hath in all spirituall things no other light more clere theÌ„ it selfe wherby to be illustrated which thing we se also true in the Sonne For it is not declared to be the Sonne but by his owne light Wherefore Paul vnto yâ— Romanes very aptly sayd It is the spirite which heareth witnes vnto our spirite that we are the children of God But besides this light of the holy ghost is required also the examination of our selues whereof Paul thus speaketh in the latter epistle to the Our examination also is required to yâ— trial of our fayth and hope Corrinthians Try your selues whither ye be in fayth In which triall we must make a distinctioÌ„ of hope For there is one hope which hath alwaies ioyned with it repentance and a desire of amendment of life of which kinde of hope the Apostle speaketh when he sayth that it confoundeth not For it hath alwayes these companions ioyned with it namely fayth and charity Wherfore when we teach the certainty therof we open not a window vnto vices as our aduersaris slaunder Our certainety openeth not a way to sins Our certainety is not security of the the flesh vs nether doo we stirre vp men to lose life For this true hope stirreth not vs vp to these things but rather impelleth vs to liue accordingly to that hope There is an other hope which may rather be called security of the flesh wherof Augustine thus rightly speaketh Suche as cleaue vnto it by hopinge perishe And those are they which say God is good loueth vs Christ died for our saluatioÌ„ howsoeuer we lead our life we shall obteyne saluation Of this hope we must diligently beware for it is far distant from repentance a desire to liue wel being of yâ— nature it vterly driueth away from it faith and charity This hope miserably deceaueth men Wherefore of it Paul here speaketh not Now remayneth to se whither the blessed spirites or soules may in heauen haue this true hope wherwith the godly are now adorned For on the one side we knowe that they wayte for the resurrection of the bodies and the last iudgment which shall be vnto them very wel come wherefore in that behalfe they seeme not to be vtterly voyde of hope Agayne one the other side the Apostle vnto the Corrin describeth fayth hope and charitye but of these three he sayth that only charity falleth not away By which woordes he manifestly teacheth that true hope can haue no place when Whether Christ and the saynteâ— haue still hope we be in heauen And yâ— whiche we haue sayd of the godly may also be called in question touching Christ for he also semeth to haue hoped that he should rise agayne and that he should cary vp his humane nature into heauen To these things we answere that it ought not to be denied but that both Christ hoped and also the soules of the blessed doo yet after a
of the giltines and of the offence and also grace What is to be attributed vnto baptisme and the holy ghost and our graftyng into Christ and also our right to eternall lyfe And yet doth it not therof follow that by it is abolished the corruption of nature or continuall nourishment of sinne Wherfore Paul rightly fayth That we are by hope saued But it is much to be meruailed at how yâ— Pelagians can deny that there is originall sin in infantes seyng they see that they daily dye For Sinne and death are knit together the scripture manifestly teacheth that the stipend of sinne is death and the stinge of death is sinne Wherfore from whomsoeuer we seclude sinne from him also must we nedes seclude death For by the testimony of the scripture these are compared In Christâ— onely was death with our sinne together as the cause and the effect But here we ought to except Christ onely who although he knew not sinne yet died he for our fakes But death had not dominion ouer him for he of his owne accord suffred it for our sakes But to say that there are some without sinne although all men dye were to ioyne Testimonies that proue that infantes want not sinne together thinges repugnant and contrary one to an other But besides thys place there are a great many other places also which proue that infantes are not without sinne for Dauid sayth Beholde in iniquities was I conceaued and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me And Paul to the Ephesians calleth vs the children of wrath by nature And in Genesis it is written the hart of man is euen from his infancy prone to euill There are also to coÌ„firme this sentence a great many other places besides which we will alleadge wheÌ„ we entreate of originall sin apart by it selfe Now seing I haue declared what the Apostle meaneth by sinne by which one maÌ„ it entred into the world there remaineth to coÌ„sider by what means it was spred abroade This is a matter obscure very hard therefore I do not The manner of the propagatioÌ„ of originall sinne is obscure thinke to stand long about it But forasmuch as the word of God most plainely techeth that such a sin there is that it desceÌ„deth into our posterity although we vnderstand not the maner way how it is powred into theÌ„ yet we ought to geue place vnto the truth not to be to much careful or to trouble our selues more theÌ„ nedes touching the way and maner which is hard to be knoweÌ„ and may with out daunger be vnknowen Howbeit I thinke it not amisse to declare those waies and meanes which I haue obserued amoÌ„gst yâ— ecclesticall writers whose opinions touching this matter are fower in number The first is of those which thought that we receaue of our parents the souls together with the bodies that euen as God by humane sede createth the body so also of the same createth he the soule This sentence doth Augustine make mencion of in his tenth booke vpon Genesis ad literam and in many other places nether hath he at any time that I can remember of disalowed the same yea rather he saith that by this senteÌ„ce may be dissolued this knotte touching originall sinne Tertullian and many others Tertullian leaneth to traduction What is brought out of the scriptures for the traduction of the soule of the old writers fauored this sentence Whose argumentes when I diligently peyse I iudge in dede probable but yet not of necessitie For the whiche they bring out of the 46. chapter of Genesis of the 66. soules which came out of the thigh of Iacob may nor vnaptly be expounded by the figure Synecdoche so that by the soule which is the principallest part of the man is vnderstand the body which is without all controuersie procreated of the seede of the parents We may also by the soule vnderstand the grosser partes of the soule as the vegetatiue part and the sensitiue part which no man doubteth but that they are procreated of the sede And that the holy scriptures sometimes vse this word soule in that sence Christe testifieth in the Gosple where he sayth He which loseth his soule for my sake shall finde it An other of theyr reasons as Augustine writeth in his 10. booke vpon Genesis is this In the creation of the woman it is not written that God breathed into her a liuing soule whereby they gather that she had of Adam not only her body but also her soule But this reason Augustine iudgeth Whether God breathed a soule into Euâ— to be weake For a man mought reply vpon it and say that it had bene once alredy said that God breathed a soule into Adam and therefore there was no nede to repete the same agayne For if God had brought in a new manner of procreation of soules the scripture would not haue passed it ouer in silence But seing the scripture maketh no mencion at all of any new maner we ought to vse that which it had before expressed especially seing that we se that Adam sayd of hys wife This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my fleshe but added not and soule of my soule which vndoubtedly had bene more sweter and had more serued to expresse the 〈…〉 tion of 〈…〉 But Augustine confesseth that the doubt is not thereby diss 〈…〉 For if 〈◊〉 affâ—rmâ— that soules are euery day created and so created that in the bodies theâ—â— goeth before no 〈◊〉 alis ratio as he Whither God ceassed from all woorkes the seuenth day speaketh that is no substance of sede then God shall not seme to haue perfectly seased froÌ„ all workes the seuenth day when as he still euery day createth soules of nothing But vnto this argument may 〈…〉 aduenture be answered that in the body traduced of the parentes it is sufficient if there be found such qualities and conditioÌ„s whereby it is able to receaue a reasonable soule and that this is that seminalis ratio before spoken of But whatsoeuer is to be sayd of these arguments and theyr answeres once Augustine wholy enclineth this way that at the least he thinketh that the soule of Christ came not from the blessed virgine The soule of Christ semeth not to be traduced from the blessed virgin by propagation of which iudgement he sayth that others as well as he were and that they auouched that it moughte be proued by the epistle vnto the Hebrues For there it is sayd that the priesthode of Christ excelled the priesthede of Aaron for that Christ was a priest according to the order of Melchifedech And the priesthode of Melchisedech was more excellenter then the priesthode of Aaron for that Leuy gaue tenthes vnto Melchisedech for he was in the loynes of Abraham who payd tithes vnto Melchisedech But Christ also should haue bene no lesse in the loynes of Abraham then was Leui if he had had both his bodye and
corruption and prauity of whole nature dependeth I haue now declared so much as I thought should be sufficient for this present purpose how the Apostle taketh this word sinne by whome he sayth it hath sprede ouer all mankinde and what the ecclesiasticall writers haue left in writing touching the maner how it passeth from one to an other Now is this thing only to be added that by the world is to be vnderstand all mankinde For I like not to playe the Philosopher as doth By the world is vnderstand all mankinde Origene by the world to vnderstand only those men which liue according to the affections of the fleshe For so should we séeme to exclude from the meaning of the Apostle originall sin which thing the very nature of the woords will not suffer And by sinne death and so death hath gone ouer all men Here he declareth what sinne hath brought which was the fourth part of our deuision Sinne brought death but what maner of death he meaneth can not better be vnderstaÌ„d then by the contrary therof namely by life And this life is of two sortes the one Life of two sortes is wherby we are moued to spirituall deuine and celestiall good things and this taketh place so long as we are ioyned together with God for vnlesse we be led by the spirit of God we can not frame our selues to those thinges which passe our nature The other life is wherby we are moued to follow those good things which Sinne toke away â—ther life serue to preserue nature to defend the state of the body And both these kindes of liues hath death which is inflicted for sin takeÌ„ away For death is nothing els but priuation of lyfe For so soone as euer man sinned he was turned away froÌ„ God so left destitute of his grace and fauor yâ— he could not afterward aspire againe vnto eternall felicity This corporall life also may be said to be taken away by sinne for straight way so soone as sinne was committed the force of death and his souldiors Our first parentes died euen straightway so sone as they had sinned did set vpon man Such as are hunger thirst diseases wasting away of moystures and heate a daily quenching of the lyfe For all those thinges lead men vnto death â–ª And Chrisostome vpon Genesis at large entreatyng of this matter sayth That the first parentes so soone as euer they had sinned streight way died For the Lord streight way gaue sentence of death vpoÌ„ theÌ„ And eueÌ„ as they which are coÌ„deÌ„ned vnto death although they are kept for a tyme on lyue in prison yet are they counted for dead so our first A similitude parentes although thorough the goodnes of God they liued longer yet they were in verye dede straight way dead after that God began accordyng to his sentence to punish them Ambrose saith that they were sodenlye oppressed with death for that they had afterward no day or houre or moment wherin they were not obnoxious vnto death Neither We haue not one houre wherin we are not subiecte vnto death is there any man in the worlde which can assuredly promise himselfe that he shall liue one houre Wherfore by these thinges it is manifest that both kindes of death were brought in by sinne Wherefore we must beware that we assent not vnto them which vse to say that death is vnto a man naturall and as a certayne rest whereby the motion of the life is interrupted Such opinions are to be left vnto the Ethnikes For all the godly affirme that in death is a féeling of the wrath of God Death is not natural vnto a man In death is a feeling of the wrath of God and therefore of his owne nature it driueth into men a certaine paine and horror Which thing both Christ himselfe when he prayed in the garden and many other holy men haue declared And if there chaunce to be any vnto whom it is pleasaunt and delectable to dye and to be rid of their life that they haue from els where and not from the nature of death And Paul to the Corinthians sayth That death is the sting of sinne For death otherwise could be able to do nothing against vs but that by sinne it destroyeth vs. Wherfore they which affirme that originall sinne is only a certaine weakenes which can not condemne a man do neither vnderstande the nature of sinne nor this sentence of the Apostle which we are now in hande with Farther if of sinne commeth death all sinnes are of their owne nature to be All sinnes are of theyr own nature to be called deadly called deadly For in that God imputeth not some sinnes vnto vs that commeth not of the lightnes of the sinnes but of his mercy For there can be no sinne so light which bringeth not destruction vnles the mercy of God helpe And yet doo we not say with the Stoikes that all sinnes are alike For we know that Paul describeth vnto vs certaine sinnes which are so greuous that they exclude men froÌ„ the kingdome Sinnes are not a like of heauen For that all men haue sinned This mought haue seemed very sharpe and harde that for the sinne only of the first man all men should dye But Paul sheweth that this is iustly done bicause all men haue sinned About this particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth in quo that is in which and is englished For that is no small controuersie how it ought to be takeÌ„ Some will haue it to be referred vnto sin But the Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which weÌ„t before it semeth to be against that For it is the Feminine gender Howbeit it may be that Paul had a respect vnto yâ— other worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the newter geÌ„der which word he afterward ofteÌ„times vseth although it be counted a fault in speache to referre the relatiue to things coÌ„ming after Others thinke that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be referred vnto Adam But against these men is the signification of this preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which when it is ioyned with a datiue case as Erasmus sayth is not amongst any good authors founde to signifie all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in Wherfore it semeth that the Latine interpreter was deceiued which turned this sence thus In whome all men haue sinned Howbeit the A similitude Gréeke scholies vnder the person of Phocius vary not from the Latine interpretation For they expounde thys sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in whiche Adam by by which Adam But touching this matter I wil not much coÌ„tend For I thinke that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a particle causall so that the sence is Therefore hathe death gone ouer all men because all men haue sinned For Chrisostome sayth That when Adam fell all other men also which did not eate of the fruite were touched
forme of all his posteritye Howbeit we maye more simply and more aptly referre this vnto Christ For in that comparison Paul Adam a figure of Christ wonderfully much delighted Chrisostome also leaneth thys way and sayth that the Apostle with great conninge and manifold and sondry wayes handleth these woordes Of one and one to make vs to vnderstande that those thinges are to be compared together which haue come vnto vs by one Adam and by one Christ And this is very worthy An analogy betwene Adam and Christ An excelleÌ„t coâ—parison of Chrisostome A strong argumente against the Iewes of nothing in Chrisostome that he sayth Euen as Adam was the cause of death vnto al men although they did not eate of the tree so Christ was made vnto his a conciliator of righteousnes although they themselues had wrought no righteousnes In which place he moste manifestly declareth that we are not iustified by our woorkes He sayth moreouer That by this discourse of the Apostle we are throughlye fensed againste the Iewes if they chaunce to deride vs for that we beleue that by one Christe was redeemed the whole world For we wyll obiect agayne vnto them that they also confesse that by one Adam was all thinges corrupted which semeth to be a great deale more absurde if we looke vpon humane reason then to say that by one Christ all men haue bene holpen In this place the Apostle beginneth to entreate of that whiche was the fourth parte of this diuision namely by whome sinne was excluded And this he declareth was brought to passe by Christ whome he maketh like vnto Adam This similitude is The similitude betwene AdaÌ„ and Christe is to be taken generally to be taken generally that euen as all men depend of Adam so all also in theyr order depende of Christe and as the one merited for all his so also did the other But perticulerly and speciallye there is greate difference For Adam broughte in sinne death and damnation but Christe broughte in righteousnes life and grace There is difference also in yâ— propagation For Adam by the generation of the flesh powreth his euels into men but Christ by fayth And therefore Paul when he had sayd that Adam was a tipe of that whiche was to come as it were by way of correction added But yet the gifte is not so as is the sinne Wherefore betweene Adam Betwene Christ and Adam is not a true similitude but an analogy or proportion and Christe is to be put rather a certaine analogye and proportion then a true similitude But to make those thinges which follow more playne we will deuide in to thrée partes al this whole comparison which consisteth of similitudes of contraries and of thinges compared together Firste the Apostle plainelye teacheth that the sinne of Adam is not so as is the gifte for the gifte many wayes excelleth and passeth the sinne Secondly he expresseth wherin consisteth this victory namely in this that whereas Adam had by one sinne corrupted all mankinde Christe hath not onely abolished that one sinne but also a greate many other sinnes whiche we haue since committed Last of all he declareth what that aboundaÌ„ce of good things is which Christ hath brought vnto his elect As touching the firste this we muste know that Christ is so compared with Adam that he is alwayes made the superiour Neither is this to be passed ouer that Paul expresseth sinne by two names Christ is so compared with AdaÌ„ that he is alwayes made the superior They which sinne do first â—â—re and afterward fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which names this we learne that they which sinne doo first erre and afterward fall For these two are thorowly knitte together Wherefore the coÌ„mon saying is he that followeth a blind man must néedes fall This also let vs obserue that Paul in this comparison continually in a maner vseth these woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is gift to declare that our saluation commeth not vnto vs of any of our owne dignity or of works but onely of the meere mercy of God The wordes are thus For if thorow the offence of one many be dead muche more the grace of God and the gifte by Grace whiche is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many For if through the offence of one When he sayth that thorow the sinne of one man many haue died he taketh not away or altereth that whiche he before wrote namely that death had gone ouer all For this worde Many oughte in thys place to be of asmuch force as if he had sayd All euen by the testimony of Origene also Wherfore that abideth firme which was before auouched That all men haue sinned that all are therefore subiecte vnto death By Grace he vnderstandeth the fauour of God whereby sinnes are forgeuen This woord Gift peraduenture What grace is with the scholemen signifieth the holy Ghost and other good thinges which men by the holy Ghost obteyne But the schoole men say that Grace is a quality powred into our hartes by God whereby we lead an holy godly life and by this grace saye they is a man iustified But that kind of iustification shoulde pertaine vnto the law For it shoulde consist of those thinges which are in vs. Wherefore the true iustification whereof is now intreated commeth from Christe of whome thorough fayth and the grace or fauour of God we take holde not that we deny the other kinde of grace For we put both kinds namely both the instauration of the beleuers to liue vprightly and also the imputation of righteousnes by Christ whereunto whole and perfect iustification cleaueth that that might be true which we reade in Iohn that we haue receaued grace for grace and by that grace wherby Christ was of valew before the father we are receaued into his grace The nature of yâ— Antithesis required yâ— euen as he had sayd that thorow the offence of one maÌ„ many haue died so he should on the other side haue sayd that through the righteousnes of one the fauor of God hath abounded vpon many But he would rather put Grace and gifte for that these two thinges are the fountaines and rootes of righteousnes and of euery good thinge whiche we by righteousnes obteyne And he therefore saith that it abounded whiche in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to geue vs to vnderstand that there We haue more grace then is sufficient to extinguishe sinne was more grace bestowed vpon men then should be sufficient to extinguish sinne For for that we haue obteyned forgeuenes of sinnes wee are also borne againe and we rise againe wyth Christe and are sanctified and adopted into the children of God and are made the bretherne of Christe and fellow heyres wyth hym are grafted into his members are
Adam so also maketh he sinne common vnto them Nether doth Paul to proue the might or power of Christ lene vnto the number of those men which shal be saued but to the weight of the effect For he sayth that it is a greater matter to blot out infinite sinnes then it is to bring in one sinne Oftentymes also he expressedly vseth that particle of vniuersality And as touching that which moued them we answere with Augustine that the meaning of the Apostle is that all that are borne of Adam do perishe and contrariwise that all that are regenerate by Christ are saued And euē as no man is brought forth as touching the fleshe but by Adam so is no man borne agayne but by Christ If after this maner these wordes of vniuersality be applied the analogy How this analogy may be made plaine betwene Christ and Adam shal be clere and playne Euen as by the disobedience of one man Here the Apostle expressedly declareth what that one sin was which he said entred into the world by one man and by meanes whereof death went ouer all men and this sayth he was the The disobedience of Adam is communicated vnto all his posterity ▪ The obedience of Christ is communicated vnto the elect A comparison betwene the obedience of Adam the obedience of Christ disobedience of the first man which he signifieth to haue bene communicated vnto all in whē he sayth that by it many are made sinners And contrariwyse he teacheth what that good thing was which through one Iesus Christ recouered health vnto men And this he sayth was the obedience of Christ Of which writing vnto the Phillippians he sayth that Christ humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the father to the death euen to the death of the crosse How obedient also he was vnto the eternall father those thinges likewise declare which he spake when he finished vp his prayers in the garden being now at the very poynt to be taken of the Iewes saying Not my will be done but thine But Adam did far otherwise for he would not geue credite vnto the words of God nether cōtēted he himselfe with his prouidence as his duty was for he desired to know good and euill as though he ment to prescribe those thinges vnto himselfe and to follow those thinges which he knew to be ether good or euill But he ought to haue done farre otherwise to haue counted those thinges only for good or euill which God by his word had prescribed vnto him Of which thing Christ hath left vnto vs an example to looke vpon when as he wholy submitted hymselfe vnto the will and prouidence of God For when he should suffer death and that a most greeuous and most cruell and most shamefull death he had fixed before his hys eyes only the worde of God which pronounced that that death should be gratefull and acceptable vnto God and also healthfull vnto mankynde Obedience is as we now speake of a faculty or power whereby godly What obedience is men doo wyth a wylling mynde execute the commaundements of God although as touching the cōsideratiō of this world they iudge that the same will not be profitable vnto thē nether do they throughly vnderstād the reason of thē But contrariwise disobedience is a vice which causeth vs not to execute the commaundementes of God either because they are troublesome or els because we can not attaine vnto the reason of them And that which is in this place said What disobedience is That by the obediēce of one man many are made iust very wel agréeth with y◠which is had vnto the Ephe. That we are acceptable vnto God in the beloued And y◠beloued is Christ After the selfe same maner Esay saith in his 53. chapiter when he prophecieth of Christ And if he geue his soule for sinne he shall see his seede a farre of that is his posteritie for a long tyme. Which wordes teach euen the self same thing that the Apostle here saith that through the obedience of Christ whereby he hath The faithfull are called the posteritie of Christ for our sakes suffred death is spred abrode the multitude of the faithful which are called Christes séede and posteritie long to continue And the Prophete addeth My righteous seruaunt shall instifie many for he shall beare their iniquitie Wherfore this obedience of Christ hath merited vnto him to be made the captayne of the elect of God vnto eternall life As on the contrary side Adam by reason of his disobedience leadeth to destruction all those that are borne of him according to the flesh Here let vs note that forasmuch as the Apostle saith that by the disobedience of one Originall sinne proper vnto euery man man many are made sinners by these wordes is gathered an argument agaynste those which thinke that originall sinne is not proper vnto euery man but that it was but one onely sinne and that the same was in Adam wherby we are obnoxious and bound vnto death and damnation For seyng it is said that they are made sinners it must nedes be that they themselues either haue sinne or els at the lest wayes had sinne For no man is called a sinner for an other mans fault Although Chrisostome vpon this place interpretateth these wordes more hardly thē can wel and aptly be vnderstanded For thus he writeth But that by his disobedience an other man should be made a sinner what consequence can it haue For there canne be no paynes due vnto him as one which is not guiltye vnles he become a sinner of himselfe What meaneth it then that he sayth in this place many are made sinners I thinke it signifieth that they are obnoxious to punishment and condemned to death In this sentēce this I lyke not that he interpreteth this worde sinners for obnoxious to punishment and condemned to death as though he should by the way signifie that they haue in themselues nothing that is vile or vncleane which can either offend God or be called sinne And a litle afterward We will not thinke it muche saith he to declare that of this death and condemnation we haue not onely not receiued any losse if we liue soberly and chastly but also we haue therby gotten much gayne That also is harde to say that we haue gotten no hurt of originall death and condemnation For lust It is an excellent gift to liue chastly and holily in this mortall body and the great corruption of nature hath thorow the transgression of Adam brokē into all mankinde I graunt in dede that which he addeth namely that it is an excellent gift in this mortall body to liue holily and chastly and farther also that by the discommodities of our mortalitie we haue occasions of martirdome and of other vertues But this I consider that these thinges are the benefites of the goodnes of God Of which benefites although Adam thorow his fall sometymes gaue occasion yet it doth
carnall generation Paul in the 6. chap to the Rom. sayth That therefore we must not abide in sinne bicause we are now dead vnto it And that thing he proueth by Baptisme For whatsoeuer we be sayth he that are baptised in Christ Iesu we are baptised in his death to this end that we should dye vnto sinne and that our old man should be crucified and the body of sinne abolished And for as much as children are baptised euen thereby we haue a testemony that there is sinne in them For otherwise the nature of Baptisme as it is there described of Paul should not consist The same reason hath he also in his epistle to the Colossians where he sayth that we are Circumcised with circumcision not made with handes in making cleane the sinfull body of the flesh beinge buried together with Christ in Baptisme He compareth Baptisme with CircumcisioÌ„ saith that they which are baptised are made cleane froÌ„ the body of sinne Nether is it to be doubted but yâ— they which are baptised are baptised into the remission of sinnes And assuredly the circumcision which in the old law was geuen vnto Children was correspondent vnto our Baptisme And as touching circuÌ„cision it is written The soule whose flesh of the foreskinne is not circumcised the eight day let it dye the death Wherefore seing children haue nede of the sacrament of regeneration it followeth of necessitye that they are borne subiect vnto sinne Paul to the Ephesians sayth That we are by nature the children of wrath But our nature could not be odious vnto God vnles it were contaminated with sinne And in the same place Paul doth with most greuous wordes describe the sharpnes of this wrath how that we walke after the prince of this world who is of efficacy in our harts bycause of stubbernes and for that cause we do the will of the flesh and of our mynde Augustine also citeth a place out of the first epistle to the Corrinthi that Christ died for all men Wherefore it followeth that all men were dead and had nede of his death But it is a wicked thing to exclude childreÌ„ out of the nomber of them for whome Christ dyed If thou demaund what maner ones they were for whome Christ died the Apostle hath sufficiently declared that in this epistle when he sayd that they were weake enemies of god vngodly and sinners Amongest whome also we ought to reken young children if we will say that Christ died for them Farther it semeth that Originall sinne is most manifestly taught by the 7. chap. of this epistle For there it is thus written The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne And it is added The good thing which I would I doo not but the euill which I would not that I doo Neither doo I worke that but sinne which dwelleth in me He maketh mencion also of the law of members wherewith he complayneth that he was drawen captiue and agaynst his will And in the 8. chap. he sayth that the wisdome of the fleshe is enmity against God neither is it subiect vnto the law of God yea neither can it be The death also which young children dye doth sufficientlye testefye that there sticketh sinne in them except we will say that God punisheth them without desert Farther this selfe place which we are now in hand with conteyneth a most manifest testemony of Originall sin For thus it is written that by one man sinne entred into the world that all meÌ„ haue sinned none excepted and that the sinne of one man is spred abrode amongst all men and that for the disobedience of one man many are made sinners Farther they which are grafted in Christ are toward the latter end of this epistle called wild oliue trees by which metaphore is signified that man had degenerated from yâ— good institution of nature And if so be that we haue departed from our nature vndoubtedly we are spotted with originall sinne And before Paul so accused all mankind that he sayd There is none iust there is none that vnderstandeth or seketh after God All haue declined and ther with all are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one c. All which thinges sufficiently declare the corruptioÌ„ of mans nature By these testimonies of scriptures it is manifest inough as I thinke that there is Originall sinne Now in order I should confute the argumentes of the aduersaries But first I thought it good to declare the definition of originall sinne For it being diligently marked and knowen many thinges shall by the way be vnderstanded which serue much to confute their reasons First we will recite the opinions of other men then will we declare what we thinke thereof The Pelagians The Pelagians say that the sâ—n of Adam was spred abroade only by imitation Adam brought not forth the first example of sinning but the deuill affirmed that the sinne of Adam hath not spred abroade into his posterity but only by imitation Augustine striued vehemently agaynst these men and proueth by many argumentes that originall sinne is not only the imitation of the sinne of Adam For if Paul would haue sayd that the first sinne was after that maner spred abroade he would not haue sayde that it came froÌ„ Adam but rather from the deuill For he was the first that gaue a forme and example to sinne Wherefore Christ in Iohn sayth that the Iewes which boasted that they came of their father Abraham were rather the children of the deuill because they did his workes For the deuill was a manqueller euen froÌ„ the beginning and they sought to kill hym which had not euill deserued at their handes And to this Augustine citeth that which is written in the 2. chapter of the booke of wisedome that through enuy of the deuill death entred into the world and that they do imitate him which are on his side Vnto which sentence neuertheles I do not much attribute partly because that booke is not Canonicall and partly because in the Greke text there is some ambiguity For this verbe do imitate is not there written but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is haue experience of that death Howbeit the reason is firme that of the deuill came the fyrst example of sinning Farther this opinion is hereby coÌ„futed because Paul maketh an Antithesis betwene Christ and Adam But the righteousnes of Christ is not only set forth vnto be to be imitated but The righousâ—es of Christ is not only set forth to be imitated also that they which beleue in hym should be changed in mynde corrected in spirite and amended in all their strengthes Wherefore it is agayne required on the other side by the nature of the Antithesis that besides the euill example which Adam gaue vnto his posterity he hath also corrupted their nature and as Augustine writeth in his booke of the merites and remission of sinnes tabe quadam tabificauerit that is hath with a certayne corruption
that the lust or concupiscence whiche is spreade abroade Augustines opinion in the flesh and members is originall sinne Of which opinion was Augustine as appeareth by his booke of the merites and remission of sinnes and by many other places whome the Schoolemen haue interpreted to haue ment not onely of the concupiscence of the grosser partes of the mind but also of the frowardnes of the will But Pigghius repugneth and saith that Augustine appointed only the concupiscence of the flesh and of the members to be originall sinne as though Augustine ment not that by the wickednes of the affections both the minde is blinded and the will corrupted For forasmuch as all these vices are ioyned together Augustine comprehended all sins by this word iust one with an other he would by one word comprehend them all And he vsed the name of concupiscence bycause in it doth more plainelye appeare and shine forth the power of this disease Wherefore Hugo de sacramentis writeth that originall sinne is that which we drawe from our natiuity thorough ignorance into our minde and thorough concupiscence into our flesh Lastly Christ when he sayth that none can be saued except he be regenerated ment not only of the flesh or lusting part of the minde For our reason and will ought chiefely to be borne a new Then followeth regeneration of the affects and of the body wherby all thinges are made subiect vnto the spirite and word of God as it is mete What Augustine vnderstod by lust A similitude Nether did Augustine by lust vnderstād the acte of lusting but the ability prones and redy disposition to doo euill Which vices are not alwayes knowen in children but so farre forth as theyr age doth vtter it For so is there no difference betweene one that can se being in a deepe darke place and betweene one that is starke blind But as sone as euer ether light cometh or that it is day the blinde mans fault is easely sene The woolfe before he come to age declareth not hys nature and capacity The scorpion stingeth not alwayes howbeit he alwayes beareth the stinge wherewith to sting The serpent so long as he is frosen with colde in the winter is handled without danger not bycause he then hath no venome but bycause he is not then able to powre it out And he saith that this concupisence All mankind in Adam as in a lompe is drawen by generation bycause we haue all sinned in Adam For he thinketh that all mankinde was in Adam as in one lompe And bycause in him nature is corrupt by reason of sinne we can not drawe thereof but onely a corrupt nature For of thorns are not gathered grapes nor of brambles figges But he chiefely thinketh that this concupiscence is traduced into Adams posterity by the feruentnes of the pleasure which happeneth in procreation Howbeit The opinion of certain Scholmen some of the Schoolemen of the wiser sorte iudged that although there should happen no wickednes of lust in the accompanieng of the parentes yet the child should not want originall sinne bycause it was in the first man as it were in se minali ratione as they speake that is in the nature of the sede If thou demaund Whither this lust be volumtary of Augustine whither he thinketh that this concupiscence which he saith is original sinne be voluntary he answereth that it may be caled voluntary bicause the sinne which our first parentes committed was voluntary but in vs it can not be called voluntary bycause we haue not taken it vpon vs by our owne election excepte paraduenture it may so be called bycause it is not put into vs violently Pigghius inueigheth against this opiniō for thus he saith If the sinne of Pigghius against Augustine the first man hath corrupted mans nature such an effect ought to be naturall vnto sin For there was nothing in that first transgressiō which had the meane to corrupte nature more then other sinnes Wherefore wee shall of necessitye graunt that our nature is corrupted not only by the faulte of the the first parentes but also by the sinnes of all our progenitors which thing semeth verye absurd vnto Pigghius that we should be so much the more corrupt how much we are after them But this chiefe point whether the sinnes of all parentes be traduced into their posterity I omitte at this present and will speake thereof toward the ende so much as shal be thought méete In the meane tyme I deny Corruption is not the naturall effect of sin that which this man taketh for a grounde namely that corruption is the naturall effect of sin For the reason thereof is rather taken of the iustice of GOD whereby the grace of the spirite and heauenly giftes wherewith man was endewed before hys fall were remoued from hym when he had sinned And thys wyth drawing of grace came of the iustice of GOD althoughe the blame bee to bee ascribed to the transgression of the fyrst Grace being taken a way corruption followed of his own accord man least a man shoulde straight way say that God is the cause of sinne For when he had once withdrawen his giftes wherewith he had adorned man straight way vices and corruptions followed of their owne accord which were before farre from the condicion of man Pigghius also demaundeth howe sinne hath the power to corrupt nature whither it be for that that it is a priuation or els by reason of the matter or subiecte of priuation But it séemeth that it can not be for that it is priuation for forasmuch as it is nothing it can worke nothing nether can it be by reason of that action which is subiecte vnto priuation as was the wicked election thoroughe will of the firste man for Adam when he did eate the forbidden fruite desired not this neither was this his will to corrupt his owne nature and the nature of his posterity This is a very weake argument For we sée that oftentimes Many thinges follow men against their will A similitude many thinges follow men against their will and vnwares which thinges though they would not are yet ioyned together with theyr actions They which immoderately gorge themselues with meate and drinke do it not with this mind and purpose to bring vnto themselues the goute But it followeth of his owne accorde So although Adam woulde not haue these thinges to happen yet when he had sinned they happened of theyr owne accord But saith he seing that this luste hapeneth by a certaine necessity of birth and not by choice or election it cannot haue the nature of a fault or sinne But this therfore he saith for that he taketh sinne more narroly and straightly then he ought to do for he will haue sin to be a thing voluntary and a thinge spoken done or lusted against the law of God But if he take sinne for iniquity as Iohn hath described it he shall sée that in
we are so prouoked to sinne that none can flatter hymselfe of hys owne innocencye For who can boaste that he hath a chaste harte For as Iohn sayth If we saye we haue no sinne wee deceyue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Agayne Cyprianus in hys Epistle to Fidus teacheth that infants oughte to be baptised that they peâ—rishe not for euer Augustine also citeth the Bishop Reticius whose wordes we haue before rehearsed He citeth also Olympius a bishoppe of Spayne who saith That the sinne of the first man was so dispersed in the budde that sinne is borne together wyth man He also citeth Hilarius who writeth thus of the fleshe of Christ Therfore seyng he was sent in the similitude of sinnefull fleshe so had he also sin But because all flesh is of sinne namely of the sinne deryued froÌ„ the first parent Adam he was sent in the similitude of sinnefull flesh so that there was not in hym sinne but the similitude of sinnefull flesh The same father in an other place expounding the xviij Psalme vrgeth this sentence of Dauid Behold in iniquities was I conceiued and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me Also in his Homilie vppon the booke of Iob he saith That the body is a matter of malice whiche can not be sayd to haue bene so from the first constitution And Ambrose vpon Luke saith that the body is a stinking puddle and an harbor of sinnes but by the benefite of Christ it is chaunged into the temple of God and made a holy place of vertues The same father against the Nouatians saith that our byrth is in sinne and in his apologie of Dauid he saith that before we are borne we are blotted wyth contagiousnes and before we haue the vse of lyght we receaue originall iniustice are conceaued in iniquity And of the Lord he saith It was mete that he which should not haue in his body the sinne of falling should fele no naturall contagiousnes of generation Wherefore worthely did Dauid be wayle in him selfe the corruptions of nature forth at that filthines begaÌ„ in maÌ„ first before life The same Ambrose of the Arke of Noah Whome then hath he now pronounced a iust man but hym which is free from these bondes whome doth the bondes of common nature not hold Also vpon the Gospel of Luke he sayth That the infants which are baptised are by the washinges of the healthfull ministery reformed from maliciousnes Ierome vpon Ionas the prophete sayth that litle infantes are subiect vnto the sinne of Adam And yâ— it should not be thought that he speaketh it only of guiltines vpon the 18. and 41. chap of Ezechiell he vrgethe that not euen a child which is but a day old is without sinne He vrgeth this also Who can make that cleane which is conceaued of vncleane sede Gregorius Nazianzenus saith The image of God shall pourge the spot of bodely inundacion afterward Haue in reuerence the natiuity whereby thou art deliuered froÌ„ the boÌ„des of thyne earthly natiuity And intreating of baptisme by thys sayth he the spotes of the first natiuity are purged by which we are conceaued in iniquities and our mothers hath in sinnes begotten vs. Augustine defeÌ„deth Basilius Magnus For the Pelagians Augustine defendeth Basile would haue him to seme to be one theyr side For he writeth against the Manichies that euill is not a substance but a conuersation which coÌ„meth only of the will which saying he vnderstode of those which haue gotten the infection of conuersation by their owne will which conuersation he sayth may easely be seperated from the will of them that be sicke For if it could not be seperated from it euil should be a substantiall part thereof All these thinges Augustine affirmeth to be vprightly spoken For the Manechies affirmed that euil is a certaine substance In opinion of the Manechies Euell may be seperated from vs thorougâ— the mercy of God The perfect seperation from euell is hoped for in the life to come and that that euill was the beginning of all thinges in the world But Basilius one the contrary side sayth that that euill is in a good thing and that it happened to be euill thorough the will of the man and woman which sinned But in that he sayth that it may easely be seperated from the will he ascribeth it not to our streÌ„gths but to the mercy of God And wheras he sayth that there shal be left no tokens therof that also doo we hope for but not in this life but in the life to come But that he acknowledged originall sinne his sermon concerning fast sufficiently testifieth For thus he sayth If Eue had fasted from the tree we should not now haue neded this fast For they that are whole haue no nede of a phisitioÌ„ but they that are sicke We haue bene sicke thorough that sinne let vs be healed by repentance But repentance without fasting is vaine By these wordes Basilius affirmeth that by reason of the sin of Adam we are not whole Moreouer he citeth the 12. Bishoppes of the East which condeÌ„ned Pelagius Vnto which ought Origen also to be added who wheÌ„ he interpreceth yâ— senteÌ„ce of Paul which we haue rehearsed namely Death hath gone ouer all men saith that Abel Enoch MathusaleÌ„ and Noah sinned But as for other fathers he sayth he will not recken bycause they haue euery one sinned For there is not one cleane from filthynes although he haue liued but one day only But he speaketh more manifestly vpon the 6. chap. of this epistle wheÌ„ he sayth that Baptisme ought to be geuen vnto infantes by the Apostolicall tradition bycause the Apostles knew that there were in all men naturall corruptions of sinne which ought to be washed away by water and the spirite And Chrisostome vpon Genesis entreating this question why men are now afrayd of beastes and are hurte of them when as they were created to be lordes ouer them thys thinge he sayth happeneth by reason of sinne and by cause saith he we haue fallen from confidence and honour And therby Augustine proueth that the nature of infantes is fallen bycause beastes doo not spare them The same Chrisostome expounding yâ— place which we are now in haÌ„d with sayth That that sinne whiche came thorough the disobedience of Adam hath coÌ„taminated all He hath also many other places which serue for the confirmation of thys sentence And yet the Pelagians were not ashamed and especially Iulianus to cite The Pelagians went about to draw Chrisostome vnto them thys father for a witnes as thoughe he made with them bycause in his sermon of those that are baptised rehearsing many giftes of Baptisme namely that they which are Baptised doo not onely receaue remission of sinnes but also are made childreÌ„ and heires of God brethern of Christ and his fellow heires members and temples of God and instrumentes of the holy ghost addeth at the last Seest thou howe manye are the giftes of Baptisme And
some thinke that the heauenlye grace consisteth in the remission of sinnes But we haue reckened verye manye highe commendacions and for that cause we baptise children beinge infantes when as yet they are not defiled wyth sinne that to them myghte be geuen or added ryghteousnesse holynes adoption inheritaunce and brother hoode of Chryste to bee hys menbers By these wordes Iulianus thoughte that Chrisostome ment that there was no originall sinne But Augustine sayth that these his words are to be vnderstand of sinne which they haue committed by their owne proper deliberation from which sinne childreÌ„ Infantes may be called innocentes as touchinge sins whiche they haue committed of theyr own propre deliberatioÌ„ We must vse great warines in reading of the fathers To haue proper sins may be vnderstande two maner of wayes are without doubt free and after this maner they may be called innocentes According to which sentence Paul writeth of those two brethern before they had done any euill or good when as yet none at all is accepted from that which the Apostle sayd By the sinne of one man sinne came on all men to condemnation and also By the disobedieÌ„ce of one maÌ„ many are made sinners By this it appeareth how ware we ought to be in reading of the fathers For sometymes we reade in them that infantes haue not proper sinnes of their owne when as yet they do in especiall acknowledge in them the vices of nature that is originall sinne But to haue proper sinnes may be vnderstand two maner of wayes Ether it may be vnderstand of those sinnes which they haue committed of their owne proper will and frée choise and after this maner that sentence of Chrisostome concerning infantes is counted true Or els proper sinnes are called proper vices of nature wherewith we are both defiled and condemned which sinnes can not be seioyned from infantes forasmuch as they are borne in them as Dauid manifestly proueth Farther Augustine hath noted in the wordes of Chrisostome which are in the Greke tonge that there it is written sinnes in the plurall number and not sinne in the singular number as Iulianus had cited that place For thus it is written Greeke wordes of Chrisostom in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for this cause we baptise infantes when as yet they haue no sinnes Whiche woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sinnes being in the plural number is as Augustine thinketh most aptly applied vnto those sinnes which are called actuall And he addeth Why the auncient fathers spake little of Originall sin A similitude that the auncient fathers disputed not so largely of originall sinne because the Pelagians were not yet sprong vp which impugne it These so many sentences of the fathers ought Pigghius diligently to haue weighed especially seing he counteth them for Egles which sée most sharpely and do alwayes flye vnto the body But me thinketh he reckeneth them as counters wherewith men cast accompt which being put in sondry places do sometymes signify a pounde and sometymes a peny as it pleaseth him that casteth the accompt So Pigghius wyll sometymes haue the authority of the fathers most ample and sometymes if they please him not very well he will haue it to be none at all And so sometymes he reuerenseth them as egles and sometimes he dispiseth them as Iays Pigghius dispiseth his Romish church But in this thing he semeth to contemne the iudgement of his owne Romishe Church which otherwise he euery where maketh equall euen with God him selfe For that Church doth in such maner acknowledge or originall sinne that it suffereth not infantes dying without baptisin e to be buried no not euen in the churchyard of Christians and commaundeth that the deuill be by exercismes expelled out of infantes when they are broughte to baptisme because it iudgeth them to be the bondsclaues of the deuill Which thing I do not therfore speake thereby either to allow those exorcismes or that I would haue them still retayned For that ought to be obtayned of God by prayeâ—s and we ought not to do it thereby to go about by a miracle to heale a 〈◊〉 possessed with a deuill For forasmuch as at this day there is no such gift in the Church there is Innocent liued in Augustines time They which diminish originall sinne diminish the benefite of Christ no cause why we should desire to retayne it Neither do we graunt that infaÌ„ts whiche are not yet baptised are possessed of the deuill Innocent also bishoppe of Rome which liued in Augustines tyme condemning Pelagius concerning originall sinne was of the same mynde that we are of We oughte not to extenuate this euill otherwise we shall extenuate the benefite of Christ And they which acknowledge not this spot are neither sory for it neither yet do they séeke remedy of Christ Vndoubtedly in this thinge Pigghius hath proceded farther theÌ„ eueÌ„ the Pelagians For they denied only the propagatioÌ„ of sinne through Adam Pigghius erreth more greuously in this thing then the Pelagions But Pigghius crieth out that that sentence is wicked and blasphemous and contumelious agaynst God Agayne it suffised them to say that infantes dying without Baptisme are both shut out of the kingdome of heauen and also placed in the paynes of hell but this man dreameth that they shal be happy through a certayne naturall blessednes yea and so happy that they shal blesse prayse and loue God with all their mynde with all their hart and wyth all their strengthes But now let vs see how he goeth aboute to darken and to obscure this definitioÌ„ which we haue before put First he saith that by these darknes and corruptions of nature ye vnderstand either mere priuations of the giftes of God or certayne thinges positiue If ye vnderstand them to be priuations then know I what ye meane But your debatinges are nothing els but tragicall names and vayne wordes But if ye will haue them to be thinges positiue then forasmuch as in an infant that is newly borne there is nothing but the soule and the body which are cleane and haue nature and God for their author from whence or by what haue these pestilences burst forth which ye make mencion of We answere first that the priuations which we here put What maner of priuations are vnderstand in originall sinne are not like negations which take away the whole as when we say that Centaurus or Scilla are not but we saye that they are such that they leaue the subiect mayned vnprofitable and deformed as it appeareth in an eye which wanteth sight and in the hand of one which hath the palsey which is euer shaking In such maner is originall sinne in vs. The powers indede and actions of the minde remayne but they want their vprightnes and therefore are wicked and corrupt But Pigghius still erreth because he fayneth that the nature of man A false imagination of Pigghius concerninge the nature of the first man
children are holy Wherefore it is not probable that they haue contracted originall A place of the first Epistle to the Corrinthians sinne for holines agreeth not with sinne Some expounde that sentence thus namely that the children of Christians are holy as touching a ciuill consideration namely for that they are to be counted for legitimates and not for bastardes But that is not sufficiente For by that meanes the matrimonye of Christians shoulde in nothinge excell the matrimonye of Infydelles for theyr chyldren also borne in lawefull matrymonye are legitimate and are The children also of infidels begotten in lawfull matrimony are legitimate A godlye education ma◠also happen vnto bastards Adeodatus the sonne of Augustine Some holines redoundeth from the parents into childrē by the power of the couenāt of God What is the promes that we leane vnto when we deliuer our infants to be baptised made heyres Other expound holynes for a godly education For if the godly yoke fellow should depart from the vngodly paraduenture the children should be left with the vngodly and so be led away from Christ but if they dwell together the godly parent will euer instill some piety into the children But this exposition also semeth not to make much to the purpose of Paul for a godly education may happen also vnto thē which are born in adultery or fornication Which thing we see came to passe in Adeodatus the son of Augustine Wherefore the Apostle semeth rather to signifie that some holynes redoundeth from godly parentes into their children which yet dependeth not of the fleshe but of the promise geuen in the couenant For God promised Abraham that he would not only be his God but also the God of his sede Wherefore God in the prophetes calleth the infantes of the Iewes his and complayneth that his sonnes and daughters were sacrificed vnto Moloch And we in the hope of this promise do offer our infantes vnto the Church to be baptised because they pertaine vnto God and vnto Christ that the promise which we haue now spoken of might be confirmed with some outward seale But thou wilt say thou mayst be deceaued for that paraduenture thy sonne doth not pertaine to the number of the elect Hereunto I answere that the like difficulty is there in those that be of full age for it may be that a man professeth faith with a fayned hart or may be led only by humane perswasion or may haue but a faith for a time so that in very dede he pertayneth not vnto the elect But these thinges the minister regardeth not but only considereth the confession which he that is to be baptised professeth and will say that the election of God is hidden vnto him therefore is he not carefull thereof he can appoynt nothing of perticular thinges but only considereth the generall promesse from which although many are excluded A place to the Rom. yet longeth it not to him to define who they are So Paul speaketh of the Iewes If the roote be holy the branches also shal be holy if the first fruites be holy the conspersion or masse also shal be holy By which wordes he declareth that the loue of God was bent vnto the Iewes because of the promise and for their fathers sake and for that cause saluation was due vnto them Although therefore this promise The promes of God is indeterminate and true be indefinite and many are excluded from it yet neuertheles it remayneth vnshakē and firme For alwayes some of them are conuerted vnto Christ and shal be conuerted euen vnto the ende of the world Which thing is manifest in Isaake vnto whose seede although God promised he woulde be mercifull yet An example of Isaak that promise tooke place only in Iacob not in Esau And yet was that no cause why Esau should not be circumcised So we graunt that the children of Christians which pertayne vnto the election of God are holy but yet they are spotted with originall sinne because by nature they are the children of wrath as others are And if God do put away the guiltines and impute it not vnto them to the ende they may be saued that commeth vnto them of the grace of God of his mere mercy not of the purenes of their nature Seing therefore they Infants elect when they are borne are both holy the children of wrath in diuers respectes are borne of a corrupt masse and also they pertaine vnto the number of the elect we affirme ether both that they are holy and that also by nature they are the children of wrath Wherefore it plainely appeareth how this argumente may be dissolued But they adde moreouer that in infantes is found nothing spoken done or thought against the lawe of God and therefore they haue no sinne at all How fowly they are herein deceaued plainely appeareth by those thinges whiche we haue alredy sayd For this is as much as if they should thus reason say They haue no actuall sin Ergo they haue no sin For to reason frō the species to the A false argument generall word by a negatiō is an ill kinde of reasoning But they are deceaued for that they follow not the vniuersall nature or definition of sinne whiche we haue so before described that it cōprehendeth all things that are by any meanes repugnant vnto the lawe of God They obiect also that it is not wel sayd that originall sinne is spred abrode by the sede and fleshe because they haue an insensible and brutishe nature and therefore can not receaue sinne But we haue alredy taught that sinne is not in them but by inchoation as in the roote But then the nature of sinne is finished when the soule is now ioyned to it We haue declared also what is to be aunswered vnto the Pelagians when they contend that these thinges which Paul speaketh in this place ought to be Against the Pelagians vnderstand as touching imitation For first that can not stand with all the sayinges of the Apostle For he sayth that all men haue sinned and that by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners and which is more firme he hath proued that therefore sinne was in the world before the lawe because death raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses There are also other reasons which Augustine vseth against the Pelagians which are not nedefull now to be repeted Farther they adde that humane afflictions and death it selfe are naturall for they haue in vs principles of nature from whence they do flowe But hereunto we answere that these principles were not so framed when the nature of man was first instituted but they were afterward vitiated and corrupted as we now see they are The philosophers resolue the effectes which they see into these principles which are now extant but Christians do rather resolue them into the word of God Seing therefore that the scripture teacheth that death entred through sin and that man as
First that it is not vtterly vnprofitable no not euen without regeneration for it may serue to some ciuile discipline The office of the law For if mē do the outward workes of the law in such sort as they may although vnto them which doo them they are sinnes yet by thē may be obserued a ciuile order For where there is no obseruation of these thinges all thinges are confoūded iniuries are committed filthy lust rāgeth abrode the wrath of God is kindled so that he suffreth not publike welthes being in such maner corrupt verye long to continew There is also an other worke of the lawe which is inwarde which pertayneth vnto the conscience that it should perpetually accuse vrge scourge and condemne it And by this meanes God as we haue sayd bringeth a man at the length to iustification Which iustification being obteyned nether then doth the law lye idle but is like a glasse wherein the regenerate do behold After regeneration the law is not idle what fruites they ought to bring forth how much they ought dayly to profite what they haue to geue thankes for and how muche they want of the iust instauration to y◠end to obtaine it they may the more ernestly call vpon God The law also putteth before theyr eyes y◠marke wherevnto they ought to leuel in al theyr actions Vnto which although they can not attayne in this life yet they must doo theyr diligence not to depart far from it By these thinges it manifestly appeareth how much the law helpeth in outward workes what it worketh in the conscience and how much it helpeth them that are regenerate Now resteth this to marke that this sentence of the Apostle pertayneth not only to ceremonies Vnder this sentēce are comprehended not onely ceremonies but also the morall precept but also to the morall preceptes For sinne is by them most chiefely increased and it is of more greater wayght to stray from them then from outward ceremonies But now let vs returne vnto the Apostle That euen as sinne hath raigned in death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ Here he sheweth a reason why grace in the elect after the increases of sinne abounded namely that by it we should obteyne righteousnes and so at the length come to eternall life For euen as sinne brought death so grace also and righteousnes which must be ioyned together haue brought eternall life The argument is taken of contraries An argument taken of contraries For seing that sinne which is opposite vnto righteousnes brought death it is meete that of grace and righteousnesse shoulde followe life Neyther is it in vayne that righteousnesse is ioyned wyth grace For thereby we are taughts that our righteousnesse consisteth not of woorkes but of grace The wonderfull order also of thynges is here to be noted In the firste place is put the A very godly gradation law then the increase of sinne and then the aboundance of grace afterward righteousnes last of all eternall life and all these things by Iesus Christ As touching the wordes sinne is sayd to haue raigned in death bycause sinne could not be taken away by the law and death was for his cause inflicted as a punishmēt In the 1. to y◠Corrinth Paul hath in a maner the selfe same sentence saying that the dart of death is sinne For nether could death otherwise wound mankind but by sinne Ether of them are sayd to raigne both grace and sinne when we are moued and stirred vp by them for in Publike welthes kinges raigne and gouerne How grace and sinne a◠sayd to raigne as it pleaseth them In godlye men righteousnes raigneth for they after they haue receaued remission of sinnes study to geue theyr members weapons vnto righteousnes and holines as before they had permitted them to sinne And this is called the kingdome of Christ which is therefore ascribed vnto grace by Why this kingdome is called the kingdome of Christ The rootes of death and life A similitude Grace and life cleaue together of necessity cause it consisteth freely and without workes In this place as Chrisostome noteth are set forth vnto vs the rootes of death and life The fountaine of life is grace and righteousnes the foūtayne of death is sinne And he addeth that death is like a souldier whiche is aypointed armed of sin as of his king wherfore take away the king then death being vnarmed can not destroy mē for euer Farther he admonisheth that forasmuch as haue alredy obteyned grace we should not doubt of the obteynement of life For these things cleaue of necessity the one to the other But why the Apostle bringeth this similitude we may easely shew Bicause grace was of more force to make new agayne then sinne was of force to kill And in that it is added by Iesus Christ we must call to rememberance the Analogy or proposition set at the beginning betwene Adam and Christe For euen as from Adam came sinne and death so from one Iesus Christ came grace and life This place admonisheth vs somwhat to speake of grace Nounes which as the Logicians say are put abstractly are vsually declared by their cōcrets whose significations Of Grace Abstractes are knowne by theyr concretes What is to be gracious are more present vnto the sence Wherefore let vs first sée what this worde Gratiosus that is gratious signifieth with the Latines And he amongest men is called Gratiosus whome all men fauour and whome the common people do loue So in the holy scriptures men are called gratious which haue found grace with God For so the scripture vseth to speake of those whom God fauoureth and We are one way gracibefore God and an other way before men whom he loueth But yet as touching this there is great differēce betwene God men For men fauour none but them in whome they finde those things whereby they may be allured and drawen to loue them It behoueth therfore that he which will be beloued of men haue in himselfe the causes of loue and beneuolence But God contrariwise found in men nothing worthy to be beloued wherby he mought be led to loue them For he hath loued vs first and out of that loue he bestoweth vpon vs whatsoeuer we haue that is acceptable vnto him Wherfore the name of The grace of God is taken too o◠manner of wayes grace is in holy scriptures taken two manner of wayes first and principally it signifieth the beneuolence of God towardes men and the frée fauour which he heareth towards the elect Secondly bicause God endueth his elect with excellēt gifts Grace sometymes signifieth also those giftes which are fréely bestowed vppon vs by God This two fold signification of grace beyng well noted declareth with how great diuersitie our aduersaries and we affirme one and the selfe same sentence for either of vs say that a man is iustified by grace But in this is
sinne And it is not hard to sée how fowly they are deceaued which do of Pauls wordes gather these so greate absurdities For in their reasons they take that A false argument of those which gather absurd things out of Paules sayinges which is not the cause for the cause and so fall into a manifest false argument For not to put confidence in the workes of the law or to teach that by the lawe sinne abounded is not a sufficient cause why the lawe of God should either be reiected or els counted vnprofitable And to teach that workes iustifye not is not a cause why we should ceasse of from doing works And to say that more grace abounded when sinne abounded is not to say that our sinnes are the causes of the grace of God For that is agaynst nature that that which is in very déede euill shoulde That which is in very deede euell of it selfe bringeth not foorth good things bring forth good And seing sinnes do alienate vs from God how should they purchase vnto vs grace The disease maketh not the Phisition notable but by occasion It is the art which coÌ„mendeth him and not the disease So sinnes of their own nature do not illustrate the grace of God but his goodnes and mercy wherby he forgeueth sinnes If we wil conclude rightly and without a fals argument let vs thus reason forasmuch as we can not fulfill the law and therfore it can not iustifie vs let vs not cleaue vnto it only Wherfore let vs annexe Christ and his grace How we ought in this place to conclude which if we do we shall receiue much fruit therby Againe seing that workes can not be the cause of iustification let vs not attribute so much vnto wicked men to such as are not yet regenerate to say that they by their own merites can get vnto themselues grace But being regenerate let vs aply our selues to good works as to the fruites of righteousnes And althoughe sinnes are not the causes of the grace of God yet let vs acknowledge that there neded a mighty and an aboundaÌ„t grace to take those sinnes away when as they had so infinitely increased There Paralogismus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is committed also in these arguments a false reason of equiuocation For when Paul sayth where sinne hath abounded there more abounded grace he saith not whersoeuer sinnes haue increased there streight way grace hath more abounded For there are found many most wicked men ouer whelmed with infinite synnes in whom shineth no grace of God at all But this Paul sayth where sinnes haue increased by the law and are now in very dede known and inwardly felte in the mynd there men being made afeard of their misery are after a sort prepared and driuen vnto Christ to implore his ayde â–ª And therby it commeth to passe that grace aboundeth in them which are so touched by the law There is an other fallace or An other fallace as touching the diuersity of time deceipt in this reasoning which coÌ„meth of yâ— diuersitie of tymes For we graunt that God through Christ geueth aboundant grace wherby the sinnes which went before regeneration are blotted out Yet therof ought not to be gathered that sins are againe to be heaped vp to the end grace also should be augmented Wherfore it plainly appeareth that in these false accusations is more then one kynde of false argument Neither was Paul onely accused of this crime that he opened a wyndow to sin but also al those whosoeuer they were that taught Christ ernestly For those false witnesses in yâ— Actes testefied against StepheÌ„ yâ— he ceassed not to speake An example concerninge Stephan We are not onely iustified by faith but we receaue the spirite of Christ wherby we are restored to newnes of life many things against God against yâ— law But Paul to acquite the doctrine of the Gospel froÌ„ such false accusatioÌ„s saith that we are not only iustified by faith but also haue the spirit of Christ whereby we are both stirred vp to a new life and sinne also is weakened in vs. Wherfore wheÌ„ we reade the holy scriptures we ought to ponder them with greate diligence and attentiuenes before by way of reasoning we gather any thing out of them For he which neglecteth the principles or first groundes is easely led into dangerous errors So greate difference is there betwéene those things which Paul concludeth of the things before spoken and those thinges which the vnlerned do gather of them that they are manifestly contrary one to the other They by this doctrine do gather that we must sinne to the ende grace may abound But Paul of the selfe same doctrine gathereth that we must not sinne that grace should abound Which thing he proueth in this chapter principally The aduersaries gathered that we must sinne and Paule that we oughtâ— not to sinne The Apostle proueth bâ—â—wo reasons that we muste sinne no more Why he vseth interrogations They which are dead vnto sinne ought not to liue in it Similitudes by two reasons the first is because we are now deade vnto sinne and are come vnto Christ And this reasoÌ„ he at large handleth in the first part of this chap. The other reason is that we ought to obey him vnto whose seruice we haue addicted our selues Wherefore seing by our conuersion vnto Christ we are made the seruantes of righteousnes we must now serue it and not sinne And this reason contayneth that which remayneth of this chapter Neither is it in vayne that Paul putteth forth his sentence by interrogations For by them he partly expresseth the affection of his indignation how that he toke it very greuously that the doctrine of the Gospell should be diffamed with so absurd suspicions Farther by his interrogations he declareth the security of his conscience For he sheweth that he thought nothing lesse then that which was obiected against him The first reason is this They which are dead vnto sin ought not to perseuer therin But Christians are dead vnto sinne Wherfore they ought not to perseuer in it These things are euidently proued by the contrariety of death and life because no man can at one and the selfe same tyme be both deade and also on lyue For euen as he is a foole which would desire health in such sorte that he would together with it be sick also or which would abyde still in the fire that he might be deliuered from burning so also is he a foole which being deade vnto sinne thinketh that he may neuertheles liue vnto it The selfe same thing teacheth Christ when he sayth that no man can serue two masters And in naturall knowledge it is a common sentence that the generation of one thing is the corruption of an other Wherefore if we be borne agayne to Christ then is it necessary that we should dye vnto sinne Although What it is to dye vnto sinne whilest we liue here this death is
of theyr captayne and are so bound vnto him that afterward it is not lawfull for them to be conuersant in the campes of theyr enemies which thing if they doo should be death vnto them so we in baptisme are bound vnto Christe and do sweare that we will neuer afterward fall away vnto the deuill And forasmuch as that honour is dew vnto Christ to be sayd to be baptised in him we ought not be offended when we reade in the epistle to the Corrinth that the fathers wer baptised in Moses Why the fathers were baptised in Moses It is not lawfull to baptise in the name of any man For this is the sence of that place that y◠Israelites passed ouer the sea trusting to those promises which were set forthe of God by Moses Nether ought we thereby to conclude that it is lawfull to baptise in the name of any man as of a mediator and author of our saluation Paul therefore when hee reproued the Corrinth bycause they filthily addicted themselues vnto men so that some of them sayd I hold of Paul others of Cephas others of Apollo said was Paul crucified for you or were ye baptised in the name of Paul which thing he therfore wrote bicause he saw that the Corrinthians transferred the honour of Christ vnto ministers Are baptised into hys death As hee hath nowe made mencion of hys Two principall things which Christ hath done for our sakes death so a little afterwarde hee wyll make mencion of hys resurrection For these are the two principall thynges whyche Chryste hath wroughte for our sakes And vndoubtedlye because in Baptisme we receiue the fruyte of the death of Christ forasmuch as by that sacrifice God is pacefied towardes vs we are iustly saide to be baptised into his death and chiefely because through the death of Christ our sinnes ceasse now to be imputed vnto vs but before God we are counted for dead And the lust which remaineth in vs because by the benefite of Christ it is broken and diminished therefore also we are said to be baptised into the death of Christ And for that Paul would agrauate the death wherby we die vnto sinne and would shewe that it is not a thing slight but waighty he addeth VVe are buried therefore together with Christ by baptisme Now in our dayes also they which are baptised to the ende they may by profession expresse the same thing do by expresse wordes answere that they renounce the deuill An argument wherby to proued that infantes are borne with sinne Sacraments haue the names of the things by them signified The mutacion of the Eucharisticall bread is compared with that mutacion of our selues which is made in baptisme and his pompes Out of this place Augustine gathereth two thinges whereof the one is in the 6. booke against Iulianus the 1. chap wher he proueth the infantes are borne in original sinne For saith he it is a generall sentence of the Apostle that as many as are baptised are baptised into the death of the Lord that is to dye to sinne and as it shall straight way be shewed that the body of sinne should he abolished which sayings can not be true vnies we graunt that infants are borne in sin The other thing is in his epistle to Bonefacius where he sheweth that the Sacramentes obtayne the names of the thinges which by them are signified For Paul sayd not that our sepulture is signified in baptisme but simply sayde that we are buried with Christ into death And after this maner he saith that the Eucharist is called the body and bloud of Christ Thirdly let vs note that the fathers when they will confirme y◠change which is done in the Eucharist for example sake bring the change of our selues which is made in baptisme which change also the Apostle semeth to declare to be very greate For he vseth there the names of life and death Betweene which two thinges of necessity there must néedes be a verye greate chaunge Wherefore seing that the nature and substance of those which are baptised is not changed it is nothing needefull that in the bread and wine should be pure transubstanciatiō The Apostle in a maner speaketh after the same sort of baptisme in the 2. chapter to the Collossians saying In whome ye are also circumcised with circumcision which is done without handes forasmuch as ye haue put of the sinfull body of the fleshe thorough the circumcision of Christ being buried together with hym through baptisme in whome together with hym ye are also risen agayne through fayth that is wrought by the operation of God which raysed hym from the deade And when ye were deade in sinnes and vncircumcision of your fleshe he quickened you together with hym These wordes in all points are agreeable with those things that we are now in hand with whiche still he more plainely expoundeth for he addeth That euen as Iesus Christ was raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the father The power of God was declared in the resurrection of Christ Paule doth oftentymes vse this word newnes so we also should walke in newnes of life The glory of the father in this place signifieth the power of God which was then chiefely declared when Christ rose agayne from the deade and in vs it is manifestly shewed when we casting away sinnes do liue vncorruptly And Paul by this worde newnes doth oftentimes signifie the blameles life of Christians For he saith that we ought to put on the new man And he saith that before God circumcision or vncircumcision is nothing but only a new creature And he admonisheth that as touching the inward man we should be dayly more and more renewed But by A new life hath his degrees this word walking he teacheth that that purenes of life that is to say this newnes hath certayne degrees and we must haue a care continually to profite more and more For if we be grafted into him by the similitude of his death euē so shal we also be pertakers of hys resurrection knowing this that our olde mā is crucified with him also that the body of sinne should be abolished that henceforth we should not be seruants vnto sinne For if we be grafted into him by the similitude of his death euen so shall vve That which was done in Christe by nature ought to be resembled of vs by an analogy be of his resurrection Chrisostome noteth that y◠similitude of death in this place admonisheth vs that that which was done in Christ by nature is in vs done by an analogy proportion For it is not nedefull that we through baptisme shoulde dye by naturall death but that in our maners and life we shoulde resemble the similitude of the death of Christ In the booke of Ecclesiasticus it is written Thou hast set downe at a great table marke what thinges are sit before thee because thou also must performe the like Wherfore when we with the
declare that he neyther beleued nor is iustified nor hath receaued remission of sinnes Farthermore although they beleue yet when these promises are agayne offred and that by the institution of the Lord and they thorough fayth and the impulsion of the holy ghost doo with efficacy take hold of them the benefites of God can not but be augmented in them But why the holy ghost is powred into the hartes of them that are regenerate thys is the reason Bycause they must be made new agayne and theyr stony hart as the prophete sayth must be turned into a fleshy hart whiâ—â— is not possible to be done by humane reason And that we are by the visible saâ—â—ament grafted into Christ into the Church is first declared by this place which we are now in hand with For Paul sayth that they which are baptised are grafted into Christ And in the first to the Corrinthians the 12. chap. he sayth that by one spirite we are all baptised into one body And that this body is the Church he plainly teacheth in the selfe same chap. We added in the definition By a visible sacrament bicause in very dede we are grafted both into Christ and into the Church as touching Why this visible grafting is geuen the minde and spirite so soone as euer we are iustified But bycause that is vnknowen vnto men it is afterward knowen when we are initiated by the outward sacrament also the right vnto eternall life is sealed vnto vs by baptisme It is in dede geuen vs so soone as euer we are iustified and it pertayneth vnto The righte vnto eternall life is sealed by baptisme A similitude Not all that are not baptised pearish vs by right not of merite but of the liberall gift of God and by baptisme it is sealed As the giftes of kinges so soone as euer they are graunted vnto vs doo without doubt pertayne vnto vs but afterward are added seales that the will of the king may if it be nedefull be testefied vnto others Nether is this part of the definition right vnto eternall life so to be vnderstand as though they ought to be excluded from the kingdome of heauen which are not baptised For if they beleue and there be no let in them that are not baptised we ought not to doubt of theyr saluation For Christ sayth He which beleueth in me hath eternall life And in an other place althoughe he saye that he which beleueth and is baptised shall be saued yet he streight way addeth He which beleueth not shall be coÌ„deÌ„ned By which worde he signifieth that baptisme is not so of necessity but that a faythfull maÌ„ may with out it be saued so that there be annexed no coÌ„tempt nor disobedience The scholemen also confesse that besides the baptisme of water the godly are sometimes baptised with Martirdom and with the inspiratioÌ„ of the holy ghost so much as sufficeth vnto saluation Christ also called his death baptisme when Christ called his death baptisme The effusion of the holy Ghost was baptisme Baptisme hath repentaunce ioyned with it he sayd that he should be baptised with an other baptisme and foretold that the Apostles shoulde be baptised with the holye ghost soone after hys ascension into heauen Lastly we agayne in baptisme professe death as touching sinne and a new life which profession sheweth nothing ells then that vnto this sacrament is adioyned repeÌ„tance which thing both Iohn and also Christ tought when they spake of Baptisme And the fathers when they passed ouer the sea escaped into liberty but Pharao with his host was drowned in the waters whereby was signified that by baptisme we ought so to be renewed that there we should forsake our sinnes and be lifted out of the waters with a new purpose to an holy life All these thinges oughte we when we are baptised by testemonyes of the scriptures often to consider and of them all continually to admonish our selues For although this sacrament be but once onely geueÌ„ yet ought it neuer in our We oughte moste often to call to memorye baptisme whole life time to be forgotten For euen as it behoued the Iewes euermore to remember that they were circumcised so also ought we continually to call to memorye our baptisme And this is not to be passed ouer that the Anabaptistes labor by this chap. to confirme theyr error which thinke that baptisme ought Of baptising of Children against the Anabaptistes not to be geuen vnto infantes bycause they are not able by fayth to receaue the promises offred vnto them or to professe mortification and a new life But how weake this argument is partly reason it selfe sheweth partly the scriptures teach For this is not the propriety of signes that they should then onely profite when they are present Otherwise we ought continually to be baptised They Signs are profitable yea euen when they are not present are in dede deliuered but only once but being ofteÌ„times called to memory they alwayes profite For the vtilitye of them is not a thinge that dureth but for a tyme although infantes can not take holde of the promises offred vnto them yet afterwarde when they come to riper age they shall take holde of them But forasmuche as they are able to receaue the couenaunt and the thinges promised pertayne vnto them why shoulde we take awaye from them the signes of those thinges These men forsooth woulde seeme to be wiser then God for GOD knewe vndoubtedlye as well as they that Circumcision conteyned a promise of Christe and a profession of mortifycation and of a newe lyfe For by the prophets he continually vrgeth the Circumcision of the hart which was signified by that Sacrament and yet he commaunded that infantes should be initiated vnto him by CircumcisioÌ„ Why theÌ„ do these meÌ„ obiect vnto vs yâ— thing Circumcision geuen vnto infantes which God himselfe would not haue kept from infants They vse also to vrge the commaundement of the Lord wherin he commaunded the Apostles that they should teache and baptise And they thinke that infantes ought therfore not to be baptised bicause they can not receiue the preaching and doctrine of the Gospel Nether The maner whiche is to be kept in increasing the church The beleuers were baptised with theyr whole famâ—ly Our infantes are not of worser condition or estate then were the children of the Hebrues Circumcision sealed not onely temporall promises A proofe of the resurrection consider they that Christ by that commaundement taught the manner how religion should be spred abroade the church instructed For it was not for the Apostles to beginne their office and function with the Sacraments First it behoued them to preach the Gospell afterward to baptise them that beleued And so yâ— Apostles baptised not only theÌ„ that beleued but also their whole families As we rede also that Abraham when he beleued circumcised not only himselfe but also all his And we know vndoubtedly by the
holy scriptures that Baptisme succeded in the place of Circumcision Wherfore they cannot say that the baptisme of infantes is against the worde of God bicause vnles they will graunt that our infantes are in worser estate then were the infantes of the Hebrewes they must of necessity confesse that our infantes also ought to be initiated vnto God and vnto Christ They also are not to be harkened vnto which say that circumcision was only a sealyng of promises touching temporall things For Paul doth manifestly teach that it ought to be compared with baptisme And in the 17. chap. of the booke of Genesis Circumcision is instituted to confirme this promise I wyll be thy God and the God of thy seede And vndoubtedly God kepeth those whose God he is and y◠not only as touching y◠mind or as touching y◠body only but as touching y◠who le ful nature And of so great force waight is this promise y◠by it Christ proued the resurrection of the dead For forasmuch as God affirmeth himselfe to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob he therby firmly concludeth that they liue and that their bodies shall be restored vnto them in the resurrection And it is wonderfull how they dare affirme that the baptisme of infantes is a new institution in the church For Cyprian a most auntient writer maketh menciō of it sayth that it is Baptisme of children is no new thing in the church not of necessitie that we should tary till the eight day for the baptising of thē For the truth of the Gospel hath deliuered vs frō the obseruing of the number of daies Wherfore they may well be baptised what day soeuer the Church shall be assembled together Origene also writing vpon this epistle and vpon Leuiticus sufficiētly declareth that infants were in his tyme accustomed to be baptised And sithen these men were not long after the Apostles tyme neither make they mencion of it as a thyng inuented by them or in their tyme it sufficiently appeareth that that maner came from the Apostles They say that Higinus bishop of Rome was y◠first author therof which vndoubtedly can not be proued by his decrées We read in Higinus made a decre for Godfathers and godmothers but not for the baptisme of infants dede that he made a law for Susceptores whom they call Godfathers and Godmothers which without doubt was a profitable order For his meanyng was y◠whē infantes should by baptisme be receiued into the church they should be commēded vnto the faith of some men of whom to be instructed And for the performaunce of this the Godfathers and Godmothers do bynde their faith although now a dayes they regard nothyng lesse But it is a very weake argumēt therby to gather that Higinus was the first author that infantes should be baptised bicause he instituted Susceptores Yea rather sithen he made a decrée as touching that thyng it is probable that the baptisme of infantes was before that tyme in vse They cite more ouer Tertullian in his little booke of baptisme which is very elegantly writtē But The opiniō of Tertullian as touching this thing is not to be receaued forasmuch as that man in his latter age fell from the true fayth vnto the heresy of Montanus hys authority in this thyng can not be of so greate force for he also condemned second mariages disalowed the baptisme of infants against the receyued vse of the Church And if we should follow his opinion neither young men that lead a sole lyfe nor wydowes that are yong women ought to be baptised For he affirmed that this sacrament ought not to be administred b 〈…〉 thē only very late and that are of a very rype age But it may be sufficiently declared by the selfe same Tertullian that euen in his time the maner was that children should be It was the manner in his time that infants should be baptised baptised For he would neuer haue reproued it vnles it had then bene in vse and practise But now I will returne to the Apostle Knowing this that our olde man is crucified with him that the body of sinne should be abolished that henceforth vve should not be seruauntes vnto sinne This is the entent of the Apostle to teach that they which are of Christ ought to dye vnto sinne And he setteth forth the communion which we haue with the death and resurrection of Christ which communion he proueth by baptisme For by baptisme we are proued to be grafted into Christ to this ende that the olde man should be crucefied in vs and that we should no more be addicted vnto sinne Chrisostome vpon this place sayth that regeneration is two maner of wayes one which cōsisteth of the forgeuenes of sinnes an other which we obtaine after iustification in leading our life holily and innocently the first he confesseth to come vnto vs by the gift of God but in the other he sayth is required our diligence Hetherto this his sentence is true For vnto the first regeneration are not required any of our workes but for the performance of the other it behoueth them that are iustified to worke together with grace and with the holy ghost But I can not tell how he a little afterward forgetting himselfe sayth that we vnto that first regeneration do bring fayth of our selues Which is most repugnant vnto the truth For Paul to the Ephesians teacheth that fayth is the gifte of God and is not of How Chrisostome vnderstandeth fayth to be the gift of God our selues In expounding which place he thus vnderstandeth it That fayth is the gifte of God because we shoulde not beleue vnles God called vs and shoulde set forth vnto vs those thinges which ought to be beleued Wherefore his meaning is that it lieth in our power to assent vnto the calling and promises of God which are offred vnto vs. But that is most many manifestly repugnant against very many testimonies of the scriptures For in the Actes of the Apostles we reade of the To attayne to faith it is not sufficiēt that God doth sette forth vnto vs thinges we shoulde beleue woman that solde silkes how that God opened her harte to vnderstand those thinges which Paul preached And Ezechiell teacheth that God chaungeth the hartes of the godly and of stony hartes maketh them fleshy hartes Christ also saith that no man can come vnto him vnles he be drawen of the father And Dauid desireth of God to incline the hartes of his to keepe his testimonies We reade also in many places that God boweth and hardeneth hartes Lastly Paul in this selfe same epistle sayth that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God which hath compassion But as touching this question we will speaks more at large afterward Now let vs see what Paul in this place vnderstandeth The Olde man by the Olde man which he sayth ought to be crucified with Christ and
what also he meaneth by the Body of sinne which he affirmeth ought to be abolished When he speaketh of the Olde man he alludeth vnto Adam and vnderstandeth the corrupt nature which we all haue contracted of him Neither signifieth Not onely the body and grosser partes of the minde pertaine vnto the old man he thereby as some thinke the body only and grosser partes of the minde but comprehendeth therewithall vnderstanding reason and will For of all these partes consisteth man and this maliciousnes and oldenes so cleaueth vnto vs as the Greke Scholies note yâ— the Apostle calleth it by the name of man And men yâ— are without Christ are so much addicted vnto their lustes pleasures and errors that without theÌ„ they count not themselues to be men Farther by this Antithesis or coÌ„parison vnto the new man we may vnderstand what the olde man is In the epistle to the Ephesians we are commaunded to put on the newe man which is creatâ—d according vnto God in all righteousnes and holynes of truth And coÌ„trarâ—wise To put of the old maÌ„ which is corrupted according to the lusts of error Wherefore Ambrose expounding this place saith That the Apostle therefore calleth the deedes past the olde man Because euen as the newe man is so called by reason of fayth and a pure life so is he called the old man bycause of his infidelity and euill dedes The body of sinne also signifieth nothing els then the deprauation and corruptioÌ„ What the body of sinne is of our whole nature For the Apostle would not that by this word we should vnderstand the composition of our body And naturall lust although it be but one thinge yet bycause vnto it are associated and annexed all maner of sinnes which as occasioÌ„s are offred doo burst forth therfore it is expressed by the name of the bodye And Paul vnto the Colossians after thys selfe same maner calleth sondry sinnes our members Mortifie sayth he your members which are vpon the earth namely fornication vncleanes euill lust auarice and other whiche there followe Our members are the instrumeÌ„ts of sinnes if God prohibite them not And vndoubtedly vnles the spirit of Christ doo prohibite our members they are altogether organes and instrumeÌ„ts of sinnes Chrisostome vpon this place faith That the Apostle calleth not this our body only so but also all our maliciousnes for so calleth he all our maliceousnes the old man The Greke Scholies vnderstand by the body of sinne our condemned nature Although if we would referre that sentence vnto this our outward body it may seme that Paul so spake for that all wicked lust and all corruption of nature is drawen from nature by the body Thys is Humane corruption is drawen by the body The corruption of nature hath sundry names also to be marked that the Apostle setteth our corrupt nature as contrary vnto the spirite but yet by sondry names sometimes by the name of flesh sometimes by the name of the body of sinne sometimes by the name of the old man and sometimes of the outward man and sometimes by the name of naturall man all which things signifie whatsoeuer is in man besides Christ and regeneratioÌ„ and also whatsoeuer withdraweth vs from the law of God CoÌ„trariwise by the name of the spirite he vnderstandeth all those thinges which are done in vs by the inspiration instinction and motion of the holy ghost wherfore Ambrose by the body of sinne vnderstandeth also the soule that is the whole man As contrariwise the soule also in the holy scriptures signifieth sometimes the body and The soule The fleshe the whole man This word flesh also sometimes comprehendeth all the partes of a man that is not yet regenerate For Christ when he reasoned with Nicodemus of regeneratioÌ„ whatsoeuer saith he is born of the flesh is flesh by which words he sheweth that the flesh ought to be regenerated into the spirite And forasmuch as regeneration pertayneth not only vnto the body nor only vnto the grosser Reason and will are coÌ„prehended in the name of fleshe partes of the minde but chiefely vnto vnderstanding reason and will it sufficiently appeareareth that these thinges also are vnderstand by the name of flesh And Ambrose sayth that the flesh is sometimes called the soule which followeth the vices of the body Christ also answered vnto Peter when he had made yâ— notable confession Flesh and blood hath not reueled these thinges vnto thee Whereby fleshe and blood he vnderstandeth whatsoeuer humane reason can by nature come to the knowledge of Wherefore to retayne still the body of sinne and the old maÌ„ is nothing els then to liue according to that estate wherein we are borne And Naturall knowledges grafted in vs are of themselues good but in vs they may be sins The affections of them that are not regenerate are sinnes though they be honest if a man demaund whither these naturall knowledges grafted in vs touching God and outward dedes are to be counted good or no I answer yâ— of theÌ„selues they are good but as they are in vs not yet regenerate but vitiate corrupt vndoubtedly they are sinnes bycause they fayle and stray from the coÌ„stitution of theyr nature For they ought to be of such force that they should impell and driue all our strengths and faculties to obey him But they are so weake that they can not moue vs to an vprighte life and to the true worshipping of God which selfe thing we iudge also of the naturall affections towards our parents frendes countrey and other such like For although these thinges of their owne nature are good and honest yet in vs that are not yet grafted into Christ they are sinnes For we referre them not according as we ought vnto the glory of only true God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ nether doo we them of faith without which whatsoeuer is done is sin And Paul sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is knowing this and a litle afterward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wordeâ—â—each that those thinges which are here sayd ought to be most assured and certayne vnto vs and perfectly knowen of vs so that euery godly man should fele this in hymselfe This kinde of speach hath an Antithesis vnto that which was sayd at the beginninge Know ye not that as many as are baptised â—nto Christ Iesus are baptised into his death as though he should haue said Of this thingye ought not to be ignoraÌ„t And if ye once perfectly know this principle theÌ„ those thinges which thereof follow caÌ„ not but be knoweÌ„ of you Let it not seme straÌ„g that Paul doth Why Paul vseth so many tropes figures by so many so suÌ„dry figure hiperboles I say metaphors exaggerat aggrauateth is matter namely That we are dead vnto sin are buried with Christ and the old man is crucified that the body of sinne should be abolished and suche other like For we neuer sufficiently
knowe our selues neither doo we abhorre so much as it behoueth vs from our naturall corruption and from the sins which do spring therof Yea rather there are very many which vnder the pretēce of the prayse of nature and of the workes of God do highly commend many things which by very good right ought to be condemned especially when they are sinnes The meaning therfore of this place is that now by the grace of Christ and profession of baptisme the old man is crucified and that it ought continually so to be kept vnder that the body that is the multitude of sins which spring out of it should be abolished And although in this lyfe we can not obteine to be vtterly frée from fallyng An excellēt comparisō sometimes yet ought all our endeuor to tende to this ende that euen as Christe gaue not himselfe partly but wholy vnto the crosse for our sakes so also ought we to die not onely to one or two kindes of sinnes but vtterly to all kindes of sinnes And this crucifieng if we haue a respect vnto the first communion which we haue with the death and resurrection of Christ commeth first of the holy ghost and frée mercy of God But when we are once through faith regenerate and are translated from Adam vnto Christ it behoueth vs to put to our labour endeuour and diligence And therefore Paule vnto the Galathians writeth that they whiche are of Christe haue crucified theyr fleshe wyth the lustes therof And that worthely For sithen they are y◠members of Christ it is mete that they be conformable vnto their The Deuil is crucefied with the flesh hed And Ambrose noteth that we together wyth the fleshe do crucifie the Deuill because he by the meanes of it is of efficacy in vs. That henceforth we should not be seruants vnto sinne He stil more plainly declareth what this meaneth the body of sinne to be abolished And this is the meanyng that we should not obey our naturall lust thorough committing of diuers wicked vices And by the worde of bondage or seruitude he sheweth that he layeth before vs not thinges vnprofitable but things that aboue all other are to be desired namely that we might be set at liberty Neither spake he that to this end The end is that we should not be seruants vnto sinne that sinne should by no maner of waye remayne in vs for that is vnpossible so long as we liue in this world But therfore he so admonisheth vs that we shoulde not be seruantes vnto sinne For he that is dead is iustified from sinne Wherfore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we shal also liue with him Knowing that Christ beyng raysed from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more dominion ouer hym For as touchyng that he died he died concernyng sinne once and as touchyng that he lyueth he liueth vnto God Lykewyse consider ye also that ye are dead as touching sinne but are aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our lord For he that is dead is iustified from sinne The reason why we should not be seruantes vnto lust is this namely because we are by death deliuered from it For to be iustified from sinne is as much as to be deliuered from it so that henceforth it hath no more power ouer vs. And Paul seemeth here to speake not of the death of nature but of mortification wherof I haue so oftentimes spoken And iustification may be here taken properly for that mortificatiō may be the effect therof For we cannot attain vnto it vnles we be first iustified Although some not vnaptly vnderstand this place of the vsual and natural death For they that are dead do cease of from the wicked workes in which they before liued And we vse to say of a thefe 〈◊〉 is now hanged that he will steale no more and the prouerbe is a deade man 〈…〉 teth not Wherefore if we followe this sence then shall it be a metaphore that euen as they whiche are naturallye deade do forsake and finishe the sinnes which whilest they liued they committed so we forasmuch as we are dead vnto Christ and haue professed that we will dye vnto sinne oughte vtterlye to A place of Iohn cease from synne These woordes of Paul are no otherwyse to bee vnderstande then are these wordes of Iohn He whiche is borne of GOD synneth not That is in that euerye one lyueth and woorketh oute of the principle and grounde of the heauenlye natiuitye And this principle or grounde is the holye Ghoste The principles of the heauenly regeneratiō and the worde of GOD. So he is saide to be loosed from sinne and not to doe any thing by the impulsion thereof which is dead vnto sinne and is crucified together with Christ in that he is dead and fastened vnto the crosse And euen so teacheth Peter in his first epistle the 4. chapter Forasmuch as Christ hath suffred for vs in the fleshe be ye armed with the selfe same cogitation For he which is deade ceaseth to sinne neyther liueth he in the desires of men but in the will of the Lord God Wherefore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we shall also liue with him To the ende we should not be afrayd at the name of death which he hath before so often made mencion of he presently addeth a consolation declaring that vnto this death which he hath spoken of is annexed the life of Christ so that After regeneration we leade the life of God if we dye together with Christ we shall also liue together with him And this life is not only that which we looke for in the world to come but also it is euen that life which we now leade which in very dede is one and the selfe same with the life to come but that this is only a life begonne and vnperfect but the other is perfect and absolute For we which beleue in Christ and are iustified do also euen now presently leade the life of God For we are driuen and moued not of our selues but of the spirit of God But what maner of life this life of Christ is which is in the meane tyme communicated vnto vs whilest we liue in this world the Apostle straight way declareth Knowing that Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him As the life of Christ is neuer extinguished by any death so the life of the children of God and brethren of Christ oughte not to be quenched by sinnes But why Christ dyeth no more this is the cause for Why Christe dieth no more that he hath ouercome death and taken away sinne by whose meanes only death was vpholden and bare dominion For vnto the Corrinthyans it is written The sting of death is sinne and in this epistle death raigned by sinne Wherefore they which are pertakers of the death of Christ neither ought nor can any longer be subiect ether vnto sinne
nature of euill Whatsoeuer euill and infelicity there is in vs the same is wholy deryued from synne Farther he commaundeth vs to deryue our actions from the groundes and principles taught of God The philosophers affirme That actiō is most perfect which springeth of the most◠noblest vertue that action to be most perfect which springeth of the most noblest vertue Wherefore forasmuch as we doo confesse that al our strengths and faculties are moued and impelled by God that is by the most chiefe goodnes of necessity it followeth that the workes which springe thereof are of most perfection For God is farre much more perfect then all humane vertue Wherefore if whatsoeuer we doo we do it by his impulsion thē shal we attain vnto a good end vnto most high felicity Paul speaketh of sinne by the figure * Prosopopaeia and exhorteth Proposopeia that is by fayninge of personages vs not to suffer it to raigne in vs. Which selfe forme of speaking he before when he sayd that death raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses By the mortall body sayth Ambrose is vnderstand the whole mā euen as sometimes the whole man is signified by the soule For confirmatiō whereof he citeth these words of Ezechiell The soule which sinneth it shall dye And he affirmeth that that is to be vnderstand of ether part of man Chrisostome thinketh that therfore the body is called mortall to teach vs y◠this battayle which the Apostle exhorteth vs vnto against sin shall not dure any long time but a shorte time Which battayle he supposeth is therefore commended bycause that sithen Adam although he had abody not subiect vnto death yet refrained not from sinne It shoulde be much more laudable and excellēter for vs if we in this mortal body should eschew sins But I thinke y◠this particle In your mortall body signifieth nothing els then if it should haue bene sayd after the maner of the Hebrues Through your mortall body Forasmuch as that naturall cōcupiscence or lust which the Apostle would not haue to raigne in vs is through the body deriued from Adam into vs receaueth in vs nourishements and entisements For by generation and sede as we haue before at large proued originall sinne is traduced And he addeth this word mortall to encrease a contempte and to lay before our eyes that such a frowardnes is condemned vnto the punishement of death whereby to feare vs away the more from the obedience thereof For it were very wicked to preferre a thing condemned vnto death before the word of God and his spirite He straight way declareth what this meaneth namely sinne to raigne in vs. Which is nothing ells then to be obedient vnto sinne Wherefore he addeth That ye should therunto obey by the lustes of it He saith in the plural number Lustes bicause out of the corruption of nature which he a little before called sinne in the singular nomber doo continually spring forth an infinite nomber of lustes Paul admonisheth vs that we should not obey them He can not prohibite but that lust whilst we liue here will exercise some cirāny ouer vs euē although it be against our willes Wherfore this thing only he requireth that we should not of our owne accord and willingly obey it For thys is to permitte vnto him the kingdome Members in this place signifye not onely the parts of the bodye but also the parts of the minde Why members are called weapons Nether apply your members as weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne He still more plainly declareth what it is to obey sinne And that is to geue our mēbers as weapons vnto it By members he vnderstandeth not only the parts of the body but also all the faculties or powers of the soule All these forbiddeth he to be applied of vs vnto sinne He could haue vsed an other word namely that we should not geue our members organes and instrumentes to lustes But by the name of weapons he would the more aggrauate the thing For that signifieth the they which apply theyr members vnto sinne do fight make war against God do with all the strengths both of their body of their soule withstād his will law Out of this place is gathered the differēce betwene mortall sins veniall The difference betwene veniall mortal sinnes sinnes For when we withstand and resiste the lustes those troublesome motions and entisementes bursting forth of our naturall corruption forasmuch as they are repugnaunt vnto the lawe of God are vndoubtedly sinnes but yet bycause they are displeasaunte vnto vs and we resiste them and doo leaue some place vnto fayth and vnto the spirite of God therfore they ar forgeuē vs neither are they imputed vnto death but contrariwise when we obey thē and do repell the mocion of the spirit of God and worke against our conscience or at the leaste waye with a conscience corrupted so that those thinges which are euil we count good or iudge good things euil thē vndoubtedly we sinne deadly for therby we make sinne to raigne in vs. Paul whilest he vrgeth these things semeth to admonish vs that we should not receiue grace in vayne or without fruite as he also admonished the Corinthians in his latter epistle Hereby we gather that the mēbers and powers of them that are regenerate ought to be so prompt and redy vnto the obeysaunce of God as are the powers and members of the vngodly prone redy to commit sinne And we are plainly taught that we ought to fight And in the Epistle vnto the Ephesians we are commaunded to fight not only agaynst flesh and bloud but also against naughtines and wycked celestiall spirites For they are mighty and of efficacy against vs thorough the body flesh and bloud For euen as weapons may serue both to a good and also to an euill vse for sometyme a théefe occupieth them against his countrey and sometimes a good citizen vseth thē Weapons may serue both to a good and also to an euill vse to defend his countrey so the members of our body powers of our mynde may fight on righteousnes side and also against sinne We sée moreouer what differēce there is betwene a kingdome and a tyrannous gouernment We obey tyrannes against our willes but vnto kings we obey willingly for by their good and iust lawes the publike wealth is established Wherfore there are two things which folow in a iust and lawfull kingdome For first all men of their own voluntary wil accord obey the king vnles peraduēture there be some wicked or seditious persons Moreouer they are redy to fight for his sake But it is farre otherwise where tyranny raigneth for none will gladly and willingly obey tyrants neither wyll they fight in their quarels Wherfore Paul although he cannot prohibite in vs the Two proprieties o◠a iust kingedome tiranny of sinne but that of it we suffer many things against our willes yet he for biddeth that it should
raigne in vs. And he by name excludeth those two thinges which we haue now rehersed that is to say that we should not obey it nor beare weapons with it against righteousnes And very warely ioyneth he vnrighteousnes with sinne For all they which sinne do worke vnrighteousnes either agaynst themselues or against their neighbours or els against God for against some one Lust after regeneratioÌ„ to called sin of these sinne euer worketh iniury This is also to be marked that Paul in thys place expressedly calleth that lust sin which remayneth in vs after regeneratioÌ„ which is not only in such maner so called as a writing is called a hand or cold is called slouthfull For a writing is called a hand bicause it is written with the haÌ„d and cold is called slouthful bicause it maketh vs slouthfull So nourishment lust which after regeneration is still in vs is both a remnaunt of Originall sin and also stirreth vs vp to sinne and therfore is called sinne But besides these two reasoÌ„s which are metaphoricall it is also of his owne nature sinne For sinne accordyng Concupiscence or lust is sinne not onely by a metaphore but also properly to the true definicion therof is that which in vs is by any meanes repugnant vnto the law of God Wherfore seing that lust which remayneth after Baptisme is repugnant vnto the law of God and stirreth vs vp against it it cannot but be sin Neither is this to be admitted which some commonly bost of namely that there is no sinne vnies it be voluntary and committed by frée election For this definition agréeth not with sinne vniuersally but only with that sinne which is called actuall For otherwyse originall sinne should not be called sinne For no man contracteth it willingly or of his own election Wherfore let vs agrée with Paul yâ— whatsoeuer wicked lust remayneth in vs after regeneration the same is sinne Yea rather if we would rightly weigh the matter within our selues actuall sinnes shall appeare to be partes of our naturall lust or to speake more vprightly euil fruites Actuall sinnes are the fruites of originall sinne comming of that euill roote The Apostle concludeth that we ought not to fight in the quarell of sinne or vnrighteousnes but rather we must apply our selues vnto God which hath both created vs and also perpetually gouerneth and renueth vs through Christ But applye your selues vnto God as they that of deade are on lyue and geue ouer your members as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God In that he sayth that we shoulde applye our selues vnto GOD he excludeth not thys whiche in an other place he sayth namely that God woorketh in vs. The Apostle speaketh here of men regenerate whiche for that they are in some parte made newe may bee fellowe woorkers of God And therefore Men regenerate are the fellow workers of God they ought continually to be admonished to obey the institutioÌ„ of the holy ghost Farther by these kindes of speaches is shewed the difference betwene those actions which God stirreth vp in meÌ„ and those actioÌ„s which he worketh in stocks and stones and also in brute beastes For in stockes and stones he so worketh that they nether fele nor desire any thing In brute beastes he so worketh that he vseth theyr sence and appetite for they haue nether will nor reason But in How God worketh in men meÌ„ and especially in them that are regenerate and are his he so worketh that he vseth the strengthes of theyr reasonable soule wherewith they are endewed And forasmuch as we are sayd to moue our selues according to these powers it ought not to seme straung if Paul write that we should geue ouer our selues vnto God for he speaketh of our nature as is mete for it to worke And yet neuerthelesse this abideth firme and vnchangeable that whatsoeuer good thing is wrought of vs the same is wholy wrought in vs by God and his spirite Farther he addeth Your selues bycause he requireth the strengths not only of the body and of the minde but also the whole and perfect man As they that of deade are on liue We ought to exhibite our selues aliue namely with the life of God whiche herein consisteth that we should be moued by the spirite of Christ and whatsoeuer we do we should doo it by his impulsioÌ„ For they liue vnto God and vnto Christ which are moued vnto the best things and which vtterly passe the nature of man Wherefore this life of God whereof The life of God in what thinges it differeth froÌ„ the corrupts life of men we now intreate differeth two maner of waies from the common life of meÌ„ first for that it floweth from an other ground or principle namely â—rom the spirite of Christ secoÌ„dly bycause it tendeth to an other end then doth theyr life which are moued by Sathan for they alwayes runne hedlong into most greuous euills and at the length fall into eternall distructioÌ„ and therefore as touching God they ought to be sayd and also to be counted dead But such were we sometimes also for which cause Paul sayth As they that of deade are on liue Although this be the playner and simpler sence to referre this sentence vnto that death whereof was before made mencion namely whereby we being coÌ„uerted vnto Christ do dye vnto sinne For they that are such can not but exhibite themselues bening vnto God which thing being brought to passe straight waye followeth that which Paul addeth That your members also may be geuen ouer as weapons of righteousnes vnto God Here is agayne signified vnto vs that when we come once to God we ought to fight in his cause And forasmuch as God is ioyned with our righteousnes it sufficiently appeareth that we haue not our righteousnes of our selues but of him For sinne shall not haue power ouer you For ye are not vnder thâ— law but vnder Grace These thinges are added as thoughe he should haue sayd Fight stoutely and with a valiaunt courage for it shall neuer come to passe that sin shal be are dominion ouer you which thing yet should happen if ye should not fight And hereby he assureth them that they shal haue the victory bycause they The grace of God is mightieâ— then ouâ— luste â–ª haue the grace of God to helpe them whose might and strength is farre greater then the power of our lust For the spirite of Christe and his grace can easelye tame and ouercome sinne ye are not sayth he vnder the law which only sheweth what is to be done and bringeth no helpe at all thereuÌ„to Chrisostome in this place admonisheth that the law sheweth only what is to be done or what is to be auoyded but nothing helpeth or aydeth them that wrastle but only setteth forth a bare exhortation of wordes But the Gosple setteth forth Christe of whome are ministred the holye ghost and strength to accomplishe good thing which through faith we haue knowen And thereby commeth to passe that
calleth grace eternall life But the propriety of grace is to he reÌ„dred freely Paul also sayth vnto hym which worketh not the reward is not imputed according to debt but accordyng to grace And saith moreouer that grace if it be of workes is not grace Also that the renantes shall through the electioÌ„ of grace be saued Agayne vnto the Ephesians Grace hath made vs safe throughe fayth and that not of our selues Agayne Not of workes least peraduenture any man shoulde glory This doubt Augustine sayth can not otherwise be dissolued vnles we grâ—unt A that an vpright and holy life is grace For so ether sentence may take place For eternall life is rendred vnto workes But because workes are freely geuen vs of God therâ—fâ—re also is eternall lyfe called gracee And in his booke De correctione Gratia the 13. chapter he sayth that Iames writeth that iudgemente shal be wythout mercy vnto hym which sheweth not mercy By which wordes saith he appeareth that they which lyue well shall in the last iudgement be iudged wyth mercy and they which haue 〈◊〉 wickedly shal be iudged wythout mercy And if that in iudgement we haue nede of mercy theÌ„ is it not now done for merites And in the same sence he alleageth the mother of the Machabees who as it is written in the 2. booke and 7. chapter thus speak 〈…〉 vnto her son That in that mercy I may receaue the wyth thy brethâ—rn In which place she calleth the day of iudgement mercy And vndoubtedly when we shall come before the iudgement seate of God who shall boast that he hath a chast hart Or who shall boast that he is cleane from sinne Wherefore there also mercy is nedefull whereby he may be made blessed vnto whome the Lord hath not imputed sinne The same father in hys 105. epistle to Sistus When the Apostle had sayd The stipend of sinne is death who Paul mightâ— haue 〈◊〉 righteousnes would not iudge that he should most aptly and consequently haue added but the stipend of righteousnes is eternall lyfe And it is true Because euen as vnto the merite of sinne is death rendred as a stipend so also vnto the merite of righteousnes is eternall lyfe rendred as a stipend But the blessed Apostle most vigylantly warryng agaynst pride when hee â—ad sayde that the stipend of sinne is death least humane ryghteousnes should extoll it sâ—lfe sayd not contrariwyse that the stipend of ryghteousnes is eternall lyfe but the grace of God sayth he is eternall lyfe But it is not sufficient to thynke that thesâ— things are spo 〈…〉 for humility moderation sake For the matter is so in very dede For our workâ— receaue not eternall life for a iust and deserued stipend And therefore he sayth that humane righteousnes is pride and which in name only is called righteousnes But that ought Eternall 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 vnto 〈…〉 ousneâ— but vnto 〈…〉 it is gracâ— If righteousnes were of our selues 〈…〉 should haue eternall life as a 〈…〉 When God shall reward 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 it selfe to be a true righteousnes vnto which eternall life is due which righteousnes if it be not of thy felfe then is it from aboue discending from the father of lightes Wherefore O man if thou shalt receaue eternall life it is â—n dede the stipend of righteousnes but vnto thee it is grace vnto whome also euen righteousnes is grace For it should be rendred vnto thee as a debt if the righteousnes vnto whome it is due were of thy selfe By all these thinges is gathered that with Augustine eternall life is therefore called grace because the workes which go before it are geuen fréely Farther he confesseth that in the last iudgement when God shall reward them we shall haue nede of mercy and compassion And that also we haue alwayes néede of mercy that our sinnes should not be imputed vnto vs. Lastly that eternall life although it may be the stipend of righteousnes being taken by it selfe yet vnto vs it is grace partly because it is not of our selues and partly also because it is vnperfite Hilâ—â—ius also writeth vpon the 50. Psalme My hope is in the mercy of God for euer and euer world without ende For the workes of ryghteousnes are not sufficient vnto the merite of perfect blessednes Vnto vs it is gâ—ace because good workes are not of our selues and because they are vnperfect That good workes are geuen by grace both we and our aduersaries graunt but with a difference vnles in thys wyll of ryghteousnes the mercy of God impute not the faultes of humane changynges and motions Also Ierome vpon Esay the 46. chapter If we should consider our owne merites we shoulde dispayre Our aduersaries and we contende not whether by the grace of God good workes are geuen vnto the regenerate Although neither herein also do we vtterly agrée with them For they thinke that it lieth in our power to receaue good workes when they are offred But we say that it is néedefull that our will bée changed by the grace and spirit of God otherwise as touching in this point also we abhorre from the giftes of God But of this matter we haue before sufficiently spoken when we entreated of grace Wherfore I will now stand no longer about it But there is an other thing about which there is at this day a more waighty controuersye They which defend merites do thinke that the good workes which are geuen of God vnto men are sufficient They whiche defend merites do say that good workes are sufficient to attaine vnto eternall lifâ— which thinge we deny vnto eternall life Which thinge we do vtterly deny And this maketh very much on our side which a litell before we alleged out of August That in the last iudgemeÌ„t we shall nede the mercy of God not only because good works were geuen of hym freely but also because when the iust iudge shall sit in hys throne no man can boast that he hath a chast hart or that he is cleane from sinne Wherefore it is nedefull that sinnes as sayth Dauid be not imputed vnto hym which shall come vnto felicity Wherefore seyng we haue nede of mercy it is manifest that our good workes are not sufficient The same Augustine writeth in an other place that the perfection of the sayntes herein consisteth to acknowledge how much they want still of perfection And that sentence of Paul I haue fought a good battayle I haue finished my course I haue kepte fayth he so expoundeth that he thinketh that the Apostle sayth not that he is vtterly Augustine saith not that Paul was without sinne but affirmeth the contrary Note what Augustine thinketh of this place vnto the PhillipiaÌ„s wythout sinne but that he leaning vnto fayth and vnto hope did wholy appoynte wyth hymselfe that it shoulde come to passe in the laste houre of hys death whiche was euen then at hand that whatsoeuer sinne or wickednes had crept into hym the same should
being filled with the spirite of Christ streight way aboundaÌ„tly bring forth fruit And this is it whiche God promised by Esay shoulde come to passe in hys 53. chapter If he shall geue his life for sinne he shall se his sede for a long time And the lord sayth in Iohn when I shall be lifted vp from the earth I will draw all thinges vnto my selfe This is it which Paul sayth to bringe forth fruite vnto God And this at the length is brought to passe when not only we our selues doo good works but also we bringe others vnto Christ These two ends are not seperated a sonder For nether caÌ„ we winne others vnto Christ if we consider the matter as it most commonly hapeneth vnles an example of an vpright life be correspondent vnto our sound doctrine Nether is it rashely done that the Apostle chaungeth the person For before he vsed the second person when he thus wrote ye are mortefied vnto the law by the body of Christ that ye should be vnto an other And straight way he addeth That we should bring forth fruite vnto God When rather according to nature of the consequente he should haue sayd that ye should fructifie vnto God There is none so holy but he hath nede of these fruites But he changed the person to declare that this is a generall sentence least any maÌ„ should thinke himselfe to be so holy that he now hath no nede of these fruites For that cause the Apostle putteth himselfe also among theÌ„ Chrisostome exellently well noteth that it happeneth not in these thinges as it commonly happeneth in ciuill matters For there the husband being dead the widow if she wil may absteine from the second matrimony But we when sinne is dead thorough the holy ghost must of necessity be brought vnto Christ as vnto a new bridgrome When we are dead vnto sinne we cannot be without a new husband For we are not now in our own power For he hath redemed vs with a price as Paul sayth vnto the Corrinthians and for that cause we are not our own Wherefore we ought to glorifye and to beare Christ in our bodies And in the latter to the Corr One died for all that they which liue should now not liue vnto theÌ„selues but vnto him which died which rose agayn Wherfore seing we ar now maried vnto Christ we ought to imitate vertuous wifes which whatsoeuer they do haue not a regard what may please theÌ„selues but what may be acceptable The office of an honest wife Against workes preparatory vnto theyr husbands Agayne by these words is ouerthroweÌ„ that middle estate wherein some are dreminglye imagined to be Whiche are nether deade vnto sinne nor borne agayne in Christ and yet worke certayne good workes which are acceptable vnto God and prepare them vnto iustification Paul here manifestly teacheth that they which are not grafted into Christ are bound vnto the law and doo liue vnder sinne and bringe forth fruites vnto death only so that whatsoeuer they doo the same is wholy vnto them deadly But they which are maried vnto Christ they I say bring forth fruite vnto God For God by them as by his members and instrumentes sheweth forth his fruites and good works For when vve vvere in the flesh the affects of sinnes vvhich vvere by the Law had force in our members to bring forth fruite vnto death In these wordes is The diffeâ—â—nce â—◠〈…〉 wene the old matrimonâ— and the new What is to be obserued oâ— preachers set forth the Antithesis betwene thys newe matrimony and that olde And the sence is Now we ought to bring forth fruite vnto God For hitherto we haue brought forth fruite vnto death Our olde estate also is here described namely that we were in the flesh He doth not say wheÌ„ we were in the law For he would eschew offence not necessary which thing teachers and preachers ought also to imitate yâ— nether they kepe in sileÌ„ce the things yâ— are necessary to be hard nor also by speaking out of ceason alienate the myndes of the hearers When we were sayth Paul in the fleshe the affectes of sinnes which were by the law c. In these wordes he semeth so to speake of sinnes and of wicked affectes as though before the lawe they were not in vs. But that we shoulde not erre from the meaning of Paul we ought to know that we all haue from our birth a corruption and lust naturally grafted and planted in vs which continually stirreth vp in vs wicked motions and rages and sundry kindes of vices And these motions and violences Paul calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there is a difference betwene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are called moderate and laudable affections But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are more vehementer affectes which are caried with a greater force These strong affections are sayd of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by an inward force mightely to worke And therefore there is sayd to be in the sede and likewise in the minde of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a certayne power which although it be hidden yet is it of most great efficacy Now these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vehement affectes are sayd to be by the lawe not that they were not before but partlye because by the lawe they are made open and partlye for that when as the lawe withstandeth them as a let in their waye they are made much more vehement And therefore Augustine in his questions vnto Simplicianus Vehementâ— affects why they are sayd to be by the law the first question Sinne sayth he is increased by the lawe fyrst because by it it is knowen secondly because by it it is the more prouoked For we contend to that that we are forbidden And he addeth that sinne by the lawe is made more greeuous for the lawe being once put we are made transgressors When he sayth that these vehement motions are of efficacy in our members by members he vnderstandeth all the powers and faculty both of the soule and of the body Neither yet ought we to thinke Paul accuseth not the nat 〈…〉 coÌ„stitution of the body that Paul accuseth the naturall constitution of the body and of the members Only he condemneth the wicked affectes which range abroade through these partes Chrisostome applieth this repreheÌ„sioÌ„ to the thoughts But this vice is spred abroad through out all the powers both of the soule and of the body The Marcionites Valentinians and Manichies which condemned the lawe as proceding from an euill God tooke occasion out of this sentence of Paul and certaine other like places Vnto whome Augustine maketh answere in his 4. Sermon De verbis Apostoli For he sayth That they beguile Christians not such as are simple but such are negligent For it is no hard matter sayth he euen of these selfe same thynges which the Apostle hath
difference which Augustin assigneth betwene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not alwaies obserued For yâ— Scriptures vse either word indifferently to signifie yâ— worshippyng of God Vnto the spirite is attributed newnes For the spirite by regeneration reneweth vs both in body and in soule and moreouer in the beleuers it sheweth forth new and Why newnes is attributed vnto the spirite What is to be vnderstand by the name of letter vnaccustomed workes The antithesis also is to the oldnes of our old estate which yâ— Apostle expresseth by the name of letter in which word he comprehendeth whatsoeuer doctrine may be outwardly set forth vnto vs. For whatsoeuer is such procedeth from the strengths of nature And it is called old bicause it commeth not froÌ„ a hart regenerate and a will chaunged In this also is a certaine kind of obedieÌ„ce but yet not such an obedience as God requireth And therfore it is called yâ— oldnes of the letter for that it is a certaine slender imitation of that doctrine which is set foorth vnto vs. Woorkes of this kinde come not of the impression of the lawe in the harts of men For God in Ezechiell promiseth to geue vnto his people a fleshy hart Those thinges also may after a sort pertaine to outward discipline But they neither please God and moreouer to them that do them they are sinnes and therfore Paul sayth that they pertaine to oldnes Certaine of the fathers imagine many thinges touching the spirite and the letter but by the letter they vnderstaÌ„d The difference receaued touching the spirite and the letter is refelled an historicall sence by the spirit they thinke are signified allegories But the Apostle ment farre otherwyse But of this matter we haue spoken somwhat vpon the second chap. of this epistle vpon these wordes of Paul the circumcision of the hart is which consisteth of the spirite and not of the letter Neither ment Paul any thing els in the latter to the CorrinthiaÌ„s when he sayth That the law killeth but the spirit quickeneth For he calleth the law grauen in stones the ministery of death sayth that he is not appointed the minister of the letter but of the spirite Chrisostome thinketh that this sentence that we should serue in newnes of spirite is therfore added of the Apostle that we hearing mention made of liberty should not liue losely through licentiousnes of the flesh but should vnderstand that we are bound to a certaine other kynd of seruitude and that is to serue God Although as we before To obey God is not a seruitude Not all the fathers of the olde testamente liued in sinne admonished it can not properly be called seruitude for in it we follow not an other mans will but our owne Neither are these wordes of Paul so to be taken as though all the fathers of the old Testament liued in sinne and in the oldnes of the letter They pertaine vnto them only which either in this tyme want Christ or in the old tyme liued without him such as were many of the Israelites which waited for Christ according to the flesh as though Messias should be onely a pure man which should come and bring nothyng vnto the Iewes but a carnall kingdome pompe riches glory and a large dominion But the godly fathers as Abraham Iacob Dauid Esay and many others of that race wanted not the benefite of Christ but beyng endewed with the spirite of God had the fruicion of the liberty of the Gospell so much as the nature of the tyme then suffred They in dede obserued the ceremonies of their times such other like precepts but this they dyd of their owne accord not being compelled neither bare they any hatred against the law of God And although at this day after yâ— Christ hath appeared yâ— spirit of God be more largely poured abrode and the mysteries of our saluation are more plainlier manifested then they were in times past yet dare I not affirme that those holy patriarches had lesse of the spirite of Christ then haue many cold Christians in our tyme. And I wonder at Chrisostome beyng so great a man yâ— when he wrote vpon this place he would say That the elders had a body heauy and sluggish and vnapt vnto vertues but our bodies after the commyng of Christ are made lighter reddier The interpretacion of the law deliuered of Christ pertained also vnto the elders Somwhat was graunted in the law whiche is denied vnto vs. and cherefuller and for that cause the preceptes of the Gospell are more hard higher then were the commaundementes of the law For vnto them it was sufficient not to kill but vnto vs it is not lawfull so much as to be angry Vnto theÌ„ iâ—â—as sufficient not to coÌ„mit adultery but vnto vs is also prohibited the lustful loking vpoÌ„ an other maÌ„s wife And such other things of yâ— same sort I graunt in dede yâ— certaine things wer permitted in yâ— old law which were reuoked by Christ For it is not lawful for christians as it was for yâ— Iewes for euery light cause to geue a boke of diuorcemet But those thinges which Christ admonished of lust of anger pertained no lesse vnto yâ— Iewes in the old time theÌ„ they do to vs in this time And wheras Christ saith It was said to theÌ„ in olde tyme that is not to be referred vnto the sentence of the law but vnto yâ— wicked Christ retected the corrupte interpretations of the scribes and of the Phariseis An error of many of the fathers Sondry affectes stirred vp by the law interpretations of the Scribes and Phariseys For otherwise when as in the ten commaundements it is sayd Thou shalt not lust all maner of wicked lust both of the flesh and of vengeaunce and of other mens goods is vtterly forbidden But not only Chrisostom but also many other of the fathers erred in this matter But to returne to our purpose we ought to know that certaine men are by the lawe stirred vp only to certaine outward ceremonies and certaine cold workes which pertaine only a certaine discipline but those selfe same can in no wyse attaine to the iust and perfect obseruance of the will of God but there are others which wheÌ„ they very diligently consider the law and behold the horror of sin and the vncleanes and weakenes of their strengths at the last vtterly dispaire and begin to hate and abhorre God and to blaspheme him and his law and to fall hedlong into all mischiefe and wickednes vntill they drowne themselues in eternall destruction But vnto godly men the consideration of the lawe is profitable and healthfull for when as in it as in a glasse they consider their owne infirmity they are compelled to get them vnto Christ as vnto an hauen of whome they may both obteyne forgeuenes of sinnes and also day by day greater instauration of strengthes What shall we say then is the law sinne God forbidde But
case was only touching the life and goodes of the body But here we haue an enemy in the inward partes and in the very bowels and our minde is subiect vnto sinne euen against our willes and we resisting it We were sold so soone as Adam had sinned For by one man sin entred into the world and in hym all men haue sinned We were solde gratis that is for nothyng for there was no iust cause which draue our first parentes to sinne why we are sayd to be sold gratis Farther also forasmuch as when we are borne we draw sinne with vs neither take we it vpon vs of our owne will therfore are we sayd to be sold gratis Augustine vpon the booke of Iudges the 17. questiō wondreth at this phrase of speach in the Scriptures wherby men are said to be sold gratis when as no price at al was What to be solde gratis signifieth payd for them And he saith that by this phrase is signified nothing els but that y◠Israelites were deliuered of God into the power of their enemies of whom they should be afflicted no otherwise then if they had bene bought bondmen And he sayth that this word gratis which is red in the Psalmes and in Esay is very aptly put For that God when he in such sort deliuered the Iewes into the power of straungers got therby no honour or worshipping at all as a reward or price For they were idolatrers So we are sayd to be deliuered gratis both vnto the deuill to y◠corruptiō naturally grafted in vs for y◠by thē redoundeth vnto God neither honour nor thanks For they are enemies vnto God do cōtinually beare hatred against him But as we are sold gratis so also are we redeemed gratis not but y◠We are redeemed gratis Achab sold him selfe to do euill Christ hath paid for vs both his lyfe bloud but for y◠we haue therunto geuē nothing of our own neither ar we iustified by any our merite The self same phrase of speach is red in y◠1. boke of Kings the 21. cha of Achab y◠wicked kyng He was solde to do euill in the sight of the Lord. But in the Hebrew phrase this word Hithmabo signifieth that he sold himself both for that he willingly and of his owne accorde dyd those things wherunto by the lust grafted in hym he was moued and also for that thorough his owne will he had therunto added many kindes of sinnes Augustine in hys 41. treatise vpon Iohn compareth this seruitude wherby we liue in vnder sinne with the ciuill and outward seruitude and in that comparison setteth before our eyes in how vnhappy estate they are which are in such sort solde vnder sinne and made seruantes vnto the tiranny therof A bondeman sayth he is in A comparison betwen◠the seruitude of sin and ciuile seruitude some hope to chaunge hys lord or maister if he chaunce to be ouer cruell and froward towardes hym For by one meanes or other he practiseth wyth some to buye hym of hys Lorde and counteth it a great benefite if he may leaue his cruell Lorde and obteyne a gentler But sinne so cleaneth in vs that there is no man whiche can hope for any suche change They which are seruants as touchyng ciuile seruitude are in good hope that they shall at one tyme or other find the meanes to runne away from theyr Lords But as for vs whether shall we go whersoeuer we shall be we shall draw wyth vs the tyran sin Suppose that there were one which would redeme vs. Is it not of necessity that he be free from the common Lord whose seruantes we are that is from sinne I thynke verily it is For other wyse whatsoeuer he should buye should be bounde vnto sinne vnto whome he though he were now a redemer is also a seruaunt But there can none be found free from sinne except only our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherfore vnto hym let hym go whosoeuer wyll be deliuered from sinne But a man will obiect But the Apostle sayth that we are now deliuered from sinne for thus he writeth But now we beyng deliuered from sinne are made the seruantes of righteousnes Why then doth he nowe complayne that he is sold vnder sinne Here must we call to mynd that which we haue oftentimes said that we are in déede deliuered by Christ but yet not with a full deliuery but only Our deliuery is not yet full and perfect with a deliuery begonne which then at the last shall be perfect when our last enemy death shall be destroyed and when as Paul sayth this mortall body shall haue put on immortality and this corruptible body shall be made incorruptible But in the meane tyme we possesse not a full liberty but a liberty hoped for Now then seyng that we are still carnall and sold vnder sinne it is our partes continually with faithfull prayers to cry vnto the lord not without good aduisement to approue those things which are pleasant vnto vs but rather let vs haue in suspiciō all things y◠are ours for that frō the bondslaues of sin can nothing lightly be looked for which is in very dede good And whē we are oppressed with any calamity let vs in no wise complain of God as though he afflicteth vs without any our defect For it is not possible but that of them whiche liue vnder sinne should be many It is not possible but that we must nedes commit many thynges amisse thinges amisse committed The thinges which Paul before spake in this chap. that he knew not sinne and was ignorant of lust when he wanted the lawe and as soone as it came sinne excedingly encreased in him and so increased that of it through the commaundement he was slayne and such other like thinges all these I say the Pelagians easely graunted mought be vnderstand of Paul both when he was yet an infant and also whē he was of full age so long as he endeuoured not himselfe to an vpright life But here they somewhat staggered when they saw that he sayd of himselfe and that in the present tempse The lawe is spirituall Here falleth away much from free will but I am carnall being sold vnder sinne For here they felt that somewhat but what do I say somewhat yea rather that very much falleth away from frée will They saw moreouer that he can not be iustified at his owne pleasure which is driuen to be the seruaunt of sinne and which after he is come vnto Christ is sayd yet notwithstanding to be sold vnder sinne so that he can not in all poyntes fulfill the lawe of God which is spirituall Wherefore they went about to wrest these wordes of the Apostle to an other sense For they sayd that he called himselfe carnall for that whilest he here liued he had not yet put on the spirituall fleshe which we shall haue in the resurrection but still caried it about with him which in the meanetyme was
we haue before hard followeth sinne as the fruite and stipend thereof And although that Law be placed in the members yet ought no man therefore to surmise y◠the nature of the body or of the flesh is euill Sinne passeth in dede through the fleshe but thereof it followeth The constitution of the fleshe is not euill not that the constitucion of the flesh is euill and condemned If a man shoulde mingle poyson in a cuppe of gold that drinke should indede be venemous and euill howbeit the gold notwithstanding should be gold and rētayne still his dignity An argumēt against the Maniches In this place Chrisostome reasoneth agaynst the Maniches For they sayd that both the Law of God our flesh are euill for that other of them proceded from a certayne euill God Here sayth Chrisostome If the flesh be euill as ye say then must ye nedes confesse that the Law is good as that which resisteth the flesh Wherefore which way so euerye turne your selfes sayth he ye are confuted which thing commeth not to passe in doctrines of the Church For it houldeth that both the Law of God and also the nature of our flesh are good but sinne only is euill O vvretch that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Whē he felt himselfe in a maner oppressed in the conflict of these two Lawes he crieth out and confesseth himselfe to be miserable which he would not haue bone That whiche maketh miserable is sin vnles he had felt himselfe oppressed with some great greuous euill But there can nothing be more greuous then misery and death These two Paul ioyneth together and complayneth that he is agaynst hys will drawen vnto them By the body of death he vnderstandeth our vitiate and corrupt nature the whole man I say as it is brought forth of the parentes From thys body he desireth to be deliuered Vnto the Phillippians he sayth That death if it should happen vnto him should be vnto him greate gayne not that he desired to put of his life but for that he wished to put one a better life And this exposition is more agreable with the wordes of the Apostle then that which Ambrose hath that by the body of sin This exclamation pertaineth to a godly man An example of true repentance He wisheth not for death but deliuerye from sinne are to be vnderstand all maner of sinnes And thys exclamatiō commeth nether from an vngodly man nor from one liuing in security but from one conuerted vnto Christ and striuing agaynst sinne and detesting it which he feleth to be stil strong in him Here is set forth vnto vs an example of true repentance which y◠life of a Christian ought neuer to wāt Paul in this place wisheth not for death but to be deliuered from prauity and corruption And he vseth an interrogatiō to signifie that he can not be deliuered ether by the Law or by a good consciēce or by the shewe of good workes but deliuerye is to be hoped for at Christes handes onely I geue thankes vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. He vseth also an other exclamatiō for that he felt that thing to be by faith grace graunted vnto him which by any other meanes he could not attaine vnto These affectes are Contrarye affectes of the godly succeedinge the one the other contrary and succeding the one the other in the mindes of the Saintes that first they are excedingly sorye for their misery and after that they excedingly reioyce for the redemption which they haue obteyned through Christ And so vehement are these motions that Paul by the figure Aposiopesis leaueth the sentence cut of and vnperfect For that is left vnspoken which should finish vp the sentence For neither doth Paul aunswer to the first interrogation neither also doth he here expresse wherfore he geueth thankes And if a man rightly weigh these two affectes A due order of these affectes he shall finde that they are in most due order placed the one to the other For in the first exclamation being oppressed of sinne he imploreth aide But in the second when as he felt that he was now heard holpen and deliuered he geueth thankes and that through Iesus Christ our Lord not through Mary or through Iohn Baptist or through his owne workes or through any such like kinde of thing but thorow him only which is alone and the only mediatour betwene God and man There is but one onely redemer and mediator Paul confesseth himselfe to be deuided Wherefore I my selfe in minde serue the law of God but in my fleshe the law of sinne Paul in these wordes cōcludeth that which he from the beginning entended namely that he was deuided and that in as much as he was regenerate in Christ he willed and desired good thinges but in as much as he was still carnall he was obnoxious vnto sinne He sayth that he is a bond seruaunt which is to be vnder Tirans and sayth not that he fréely assenteth thereunto But straight way in the next chapter he will declare how it was no hurt vnto hym through Christ that in flesh he serued the lawe of sinne for that there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus But here we must beware of the pestilences of the libertines and furies of our tymes which by these words of the Apostle go about to excuse their most haynous wicked factes For they say that they in fleshe In this place we must be ware of the Libertines only committe fornication and dronkennes and lyue vncleanely but in mynde and in spirite are pure and do serue the lawe of God Of which matter Augustine excellently well entreateth in his 45. Sermō De tempore The lyfe of man saith he is a warfare but one day it shall come to passe that we shall attayne vnto a triumph Wherefore the holy scripture vseth the termes both of fighting of triumphing Here is set forth the description of the battaile when as mention is made of the lawe that rebelleth and leadeth away captiue and he which is against his will led away captiue imploreth ayde The ioy of the triumph is set forth vnto vs in the epistle vnto y◠Corrinthyans where it is sayd death is swallowed vp in victory death where is thy victory death where is thy sting These doubtles are the words of them that deride their enemyes and which when they haue gotten the victory triumph Wherfore there is no cause why they should ascribe vnto themselues these words which fight not which resist not which striue not but fall now hedlōg into all maner These are the wordes of them that striue and not of them that 〈…〉 dly in sins In this battaile we haue alwaies some hurt of sinnes boasting y◠they haue in the meane tyme a cleane harte Vnto this battayle cōmeth also lust laboureth to wrest somewhat from thée But it is thy part not
to geue place but to resist to fight and to continue still in the battayle wise yet in the meane tyme with Paul to want this enemy Because in thys battaile although thou wholy yeld not thy selfe yet alwayes will thou or nill thou thou shalt be somewhat hurt It were a greate deale better for thée to performe that which the lawe commaundeth thou shalt not lust so that there mought be in vs no euill desire But this is a full righteousnes which forasmuch as it can not here be had perfect this only remayneth that we follow not after lustes They will not follow thee if thou desire thinges iust and sound why then shouldest thou consent to follow after them This is doubtles a thing vnsemely seing they are thyne enemyes For no man that is wise will follow his enemy When Paul saith In mynde I serue the lawe of God but in fleshe the lawe of sinne shall we thinke that he or such like as he was would for euery light prouokement to wrath haue hurt or killed his neighbour or for euery impulsion of the flesh haue committed adultery or fornication No doubtles But he fought he stroue he suffred not sinne to beare rule and to raigne in his mortal body And Paul thus wrote of himselfe that Why Paul wrote these thinges of himselfe the godly mought by this place receaue some consolation For otherwise when they should sometymes feele themselues moued and tikled with such desires they mought thinke that they are vnacceptable vnto God and hated of hym and that they pertayne not vnto Christ But when they see that Paul writeth these things both of himself and of other godly men and of the regenerate they beginne to plucke vp their spirites and to haue a good hope of their saluation Wherefore they which thinke that Paul in this place transferred vpon himselfe the person of an other man let them consider of how great a consolatioÌ„ they depriue the church of Christ Wherefore let these wordes so be taken that they both bring consolation vnto them that striue and also nothing helpe the outragious opinions of the libertines Forasmuch as the Apostle hath in this chapter spoken many thinges of the Offre wil. infirmity of our strengthes and of that seruitude whereby we are obnoxious vnto sinne it shal be good somewhat in this place to entreat of the liberty of our wil that we may afterward teach how the prouidence and predestination of God taketh not away will from men which neither also is taken away by his power whereby he doth whatsoeuer thinges he will nor by the appoynted order or connexion of causes of thinges Of which matters as I hope we shall more largely entreate in the 9. and 11. chapters Wherefore at this present we will only enquire The question to contracted to the 〈◊〉 coâ—e bâ— originall 〈…〉 e. how much our naturall prauity whiche came by originall sinne hath lefte vnto vs of fre wil especially seing that whatsoeuer we do rightly the same is said to be attributed wholy vnto the grace of God And although this word frée wil be not red in the holy scriptures yet ought it not to seeme a thing ether fayned or inuented The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is of his owne power or of his This word free will is not red in the hoâ—y scriptures What is free What choyse is When the will is free Free choyse consisting in the will hath his rootes in reason In reason error two manner of wayes Luste foloweth the weaker argumentes We deliberate not but touching things that are to be done We deliberate not touching all things that are to be done owne right Which self thing the Lattines signify when they say Arbitrij libertatem that is the liberty of the choyce or will For that is frée which followeth not the will of an other but his owne will But the choice séemeth herein to consist that we as it séemeth good vnto vs follow those thinges which are decréed by reason But then is the will frée when according to his lust it imbraceth these thinges which are approued of the vnderstanding part of the minde Wherefore the nature of frée choise although it most of all consisteth in the will yet hath it his groundes in reason But they which wil rightly vse this faculty or power must chiefyly sée vnto that there be in reason no error And that commonly commeth two maner of wayes For other it is hidden from vs what is iust and vniust in the doyng of thinges or if we sée that yet in iudgyng of the reasons whiche are accustomed to be alledged on other side we faile For alwayes in a maner our lust adioineth it selfe vnto the weaker argument By whiche meanes it oftentimes commeth to passe that the stronger and better reason is neglected and forsaken which thing in disputations we see oftentimes happeneth For they whiche will defend the weaker part are accustomed with all maner of ornamentes colours to poolishe it and to set it forth that the hearers beyng allured by cloquence and counter feate shewe should not pease the streÌ„gth and waighte of the reason Farther this is to be knowen that men coÌ„monly deliberate not touching all maner of thinges but onely touching those whiche are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which are to bee done of vs. Nether do all yâ— thinges which we either folow or refuse nede deliberatioÌ„ For there are certayne good things so manifest sure that it is inoughe yâ— they be once named For streight way they are ether chosen or refused Such as are felicity infelicity life death and such other like But there are other thinges more obscure or meane about which men are wont to deliberate That God is to be worshiped all men without any doubting coÌ„fesse But in what maner and with what rites or ceremonies he is to be worshiped there is greate doubt put That it is profitable for men to inhabite in cities and to maynteyne felowship together all men knowe But with what Lawes they are to be gouerned or what kinde of common welth is best to be vsed therof ofteÌ„times great doubtes In what things free will consisteth Definition of free will Fower differences of states arise In these and suche like thinges is free will occupied and thus we may define it Free will is a faculty or power whereby we ether take or reiect as it semeth good vnto vs thinges iudged by reason But whither there be any such power or no in man or how it is in him can not with one answere be declared First it is necessary that we distinguish the state and condition of man Now in man there are found at the least fower differences of states For the state of Adam when he was at the beginning created was far diuers from that state after his fal such as is also now yâ— state of all his posterity Farther they which are regenerate in
kingdome of heauen he streight way declareth that thing by the effectes I was hungry sayth he and ye fed me I was thursty and ye gaue me drinke I was in prison and ye visited me c So Paul in this place expresseth the true cause of our deliuery namely the spirite of Christ Now to know who they are that be partakers therof he setteth forth yâ— effectes of this deliuery sayingâ— Vnto those vvhich are in Christ Iesus vvhich walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirite That which is added namely to walke according to the spirite and not according to the fleshe bycause it is afterward repeated shall in that place be expounded Let vs se therefore what it is to be in Christe First commeth that which is common vnto all men For the sonne of God bycause What is the coniunction which we haue with Christ he tooke vpon him the nature of man is ioyned and made one with al meÌ„ For sithen they haue fellowship with flesh and bloud as witnesseth the epistle vnto the Hebrues he also was made pertaker of flesh and bloud But this coniunction is generall and weake and onely if I may so call it according to the matter For the nature of men is farre diuers from that nature which Christe tooke vpon him For the nature of man in Christ is both immortall and also exempted from sinne and adorned with all purenes but our nature is vnpure corruptible and miserablye contaminated with sinne But if it be endewed with the spirite of Christ it is so repayred that it differeth not much from the nature of Christ Yea so greate is that affinity that Paul in his epistle to the EphesiaÌ„s sayth That we are flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones Which forme of speaking An Ebrue phrase our bone and our flesh semeth to be taken out of the writinges of yâ— old TestameÌ„t For there bretherne and kinsefolkes doo thus speake of themselues one to an other He is my bone and my flesh For they seme to acknowledge vnto them one common matter by reason of one and the selfe same séede of the father and one the selfe same wombe of the mother Whereunto this also is a helpe for that children doo draw of theyr parentes not only a carnall and corpulent substance but also witte affections and disposition This selfe same thing commeth to passe in vs when we are endewed with the spirite of Christ For besides our nature which we haue commoÌ„ with him we haue also his mind as Paul admonisheth in the first to the Cor. and the selfe same sence as he requireth vnto the Phillippians saying Let the selfe same sence be in you which was also in Christ Iesus Thys our coniunction with Christ Paul expressed in this selfe same epistle by graftinge wherein are verye well perceaued or sene those two things which we haue now made mencion of For the grafte whiche is grafted and the stocke whereinto it is grafted are A similitude made one thing nether only are yâ— matters which were diuerse ioyned together but also they are nourished together with one and the selfe same iuyce spirite and life This selfe same thing the Apostle testefieth is done in vs when he sayth that we are grafted into Christ The same thing also Christ teacheth in the Gospel of Iohn wheÌ„ he calleth himself yâ— vine vs yâ— braunches for yâ— braunches haue yâ— selfe same life common with the vine trée they burgen forth by yâ— same spirite and bring forth one and the selfe same fruite Paul also in his epistle to the Ephesians Our coniunction with Christ is compared with matrimony â–ª compareth our coniunction with Christ with matrimony For he saith that it is a greate sacrament betwene Christ and the Churche For euen as in matrimony not only bodyes are made common but also affections and wills are ioyned together so commeth it to passe by a sure and firme grouÌ„d betwene Christe and the Churche Wherefore the Apostle pronounceth them frée from sinne which abyde in Christe and be in hym after that maner which we haue now expressed to the end they should liue his life and haue one and the self same sence with him and bring forth fruites of workes not disagreing froÌ„ his frutes and they whiche are suche can not feare condemnation or iudgement For the Lorde Iesus is saluation it selfe as hys name suffycyentlye declareth Wherfore they which are in him are in no daunger to be condemned Hereunto Who are in Christ we adde that they also are in Christ which in all their things depend of hym and which whatsoeuer they take in hand or do are moued by his spirite For to depeÌ„d of him is nothing els then in all thinges that we go about to haue a regard vnto him and to séeke onely his glory but they which are moued by his spirit â–ª do not follow the affections and instigations of lustes Hereby it is manifest how faithfull and godly men are in Christ and that by all kindes of causes â—â—or we haue one the selfe same matter also the selfe same first groundes of forme for we are endued with the self same notes proprieties and conditions which he had The efficient It is proued that we are in Christ by all kindes of causes cause wherby we are moued to worke is the same spirit wherwith he was moued Lastly the ende is all one namely the the glory of God should be aduanced But that which was vnpossible vnto the law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sendyng his own sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne and by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh That the righteousnes of the Lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit For they which are accordyng to the fleshe sauour the thinges that are of the flesh but they that are accordyng to the spirite sauour the thinges that are of the spirite For the wisedome of the fleshe is death but the wisedome of the spirite is lyfe and peace Because the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subiect vnto the lawe of God neyther in deede can be So then they that are in the fleshe cannot please God But that which was impossible vnto the law in as much as it was weakened by the flesh God sending his sonne Here is brought a reason wherby is shewed that this spirite of God is geuen vnto vs for a deliuerer to the ende we might be made the more certaine therof For when we heare that of necessity we must haue the spirite of Christ streight way we thinke with our selues that by reason of our vncleane affections and corrupt maners we are vnworthy of the receauing of it This doubt Paul taketh away saith that yâ— benefite commeth vnto vs by the death of Christ For this was the ende for which Christ would dye namely
that by his spirite the iustification of the law might be fulfilled in the elect Neither did he for any other cause take flesh vpon him but to helpe and succor the infirmity of our flesh Of this purpose and councell of God the Apostle here entreateth By this place it manifestly appeareth how one and the selfe same worke One and the selfe same worke is both sin and vetue as it commeth either from vs or from God as it commeth from men is sinne and as it commeth froÌ„ God is good The Iewes sought nothing els in the death of Christ but to exatiate and fulfill their hatred to reiect the worde of God and to repell and put away the chastisements and corrections of the Lord and also to kepe still their dignities and honors These endes forasmuch as they are very wicked the action also could not but be very wycked But God forasmuch as he had a regard to the setting forth of his goodnes and procured the health of mankinde in that he deliuered his sonne vnto the death accomplished a worke of most singuler charity Wherfore if we will speake properly God if we speake properly ought not to be counted the cause of sin God can not be called the cause of sinne although it cannot be denied but that he is the cause of that thing which in vs is sinne for that which in him is praise worthy and procedeth of vertue is oftentimes by vs defiled for that we our selues ar vncleane In that he saith That which was impossible vnto the law he teacheth both that the law is weake and by the contrary that the spirite and faith are strong But that infirmity of the law appeareth not vnles the weakenes of our frée will be throughly known For therof commeth it that the law is weak because it lighteth vpon a corrupt nature For otherwise the law it selfe so far forth as it is written is nether weake nor strong But man is iudged weak so long as he is left vnder the Law and is not holpen by the spirite of grace This place most strongly An argument of iustification that it is not had by workes proueth that iustification is not of workes and that there are no workes preparatory for works which go before iustification either do agrée with the law of God or els they defect or want of it If they agrée with the law theÌ„ of necessity we must graunt that the law is not weak as that which without the spirit and grace may be performed Paul in this place affirmeth that thing to be vnpossible But if such workes faile of the rule of the law â–ª which can not be denied then must we nedes graunt that they are sinnes But by sinnes no man can be iustified Here also are reproued the Pelagians which tooke vpon them to say and teach that a man by The Pelagians are in this place ouâ—râ—hrown the strengthes of nature is able to fulfill the commaundements of the Law For Paul teacheth contrariwise that the law was so weakened by the flesh that it behoued vs to be deliuered by an other helpe But where as he sayth yâ— the law was weakened by yâ— flesh no man ought therfore falsely to suppose yâ— here is condeÌ„ned yâ— substance of the flesh or nature of yâ— body for these things God created good But by flesh he vnderstaÌ„deth yâ— naughtines corruption which by reason of the fall of AdaÌ„ passed through all mankind Which corruption forasmuch as it is still remayning euen in men regenerate they can not vndoubtedly perfectly and fully accomplish the lawe of God vntill they haue vtterly put of this fleshe And as Chrisostome noteth the lawe of God is not by these wordes condemned but rather commended because it commaundeth right and iust thinges but it can not bring them to the ende Wherefore the comming saith he of Christ was necessary which might minister helpe and succour vnto the lawe for the lawe in dede taught vprightly There are two things which the law cannot performe what ought to be done and what ought to be auoyded But besides this there were two other thinges necessary which the lawe could not geue first that those thinges might be forgeuen which are committed against the commaundements thereof an other is that the strengthes of man might be corroborated whereby to performe the commaundementes of the lawe Without these two thinges whatsoeuer the lawe teacheth touching the doing or eschewing of thinges it can not profite but rather serueth to condemnation For he which knoweth the will of his Lord and doth it not is gréeuouslyer punished then he which knoweth not the will of his Lord. Those commentaryes which are ascribed vnto Ierome do vpon this place expressedly affirme that the Apostle here speaketh not of the lawe of ceremonies for he speaketh here of that lawe whereof is written in the 7. chapter of Mathew The thinges which ye wyll that men should do vnto you the same do ye vnto them of which lawe it is straight way sayde Thys is the lawe and the prophetes Wherefore there is no cause why any man shoulde cauell that that whiche Paul saith It was possible vnto the lawe is not to be referred vnto the morall lawe Three thinges are here enquired for but vnto ceremonyes But there are in this place thrée thinges to be obserued first what moued God to geue his sonne secondly what Christ being geuen vnto vs did for vs. Lastly what fruite we obtayne by his worke As touching the first the Apostle saith that this was the purpose of God when he gaue his sonne that the infirmity of the lawe should not be a let to our saluation For he sawe that it was God gaue his sonne that the infirmity of the law should not be a let to our saluation so weake by reason of the infirmity of our fleshe that by the ministery thereof we could not attaine vnto saluation which he had appointed for vs. Which sentence if our aduersaries would consider they should sée that they can neither maynetaine workes of preparation nor yet iustification by workes vnles paraduenture they thinke that this counsell or purpose of God was not necessary And these men vndoubtedly do as much as lieth in theÌ„ to diminishe the benefite of Christ neither acknowledge they the perfect and full loue of the father towardes vs. Paul saith that the lawe without Christ is weake these men say that before we are made pertakers of Christ we be able to worke good workes and to obey the lawe of God And although Paul here teacheth the impossibility of the lawe yet the fathers haue sometimes accursed such as dare say that God hath commaunded Whether God haue commaunded thinges vnpossible thinges vnpossible Although if a man rightly vnderstand our doctrine he shall easely sée that we teach not that the commaundementes of God are vtterly vnpossible but only as touching those which are strangers from Christ For men now regenerate haue
it was lawful for him to do wherfore he thinketh he lost his power which before he had â—uer men But this interpretation although it conteine nothing that is vngodly yet in no wyse agréeth with the meaning of the Apostle For Paul geueth a reason how we are deliuered by Christ from the lustes and motions of which he complaineth towards the ende of the vij chapter And forasmuch as the death of Christ is put for the cause of this deliuery that exposition which we brought of the sacrifice for sin both is agreable with reason and also is proued by other testimonies of the Scriptures For Esay in his 53. chapter writynge of Christ sayth If he shall put his soule Ameth schaim asham nephesch sinne that is to say for sinne Paul also as we haue before cited him saith That he which knew no sinne was for vs made sinne And in the first epistle to the Corrinthians Christ our paschall is offered vp And in the epistle vnto the Hebreues Christ is set forth to be that sacrifice for sinne whiche was sene to be offered without the hostes Iohn also sayth Beholde the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde in which wordes he calleth him a lambe for yâ— What the killinge of sacrifices signified in the old time he should be a sacrifice for sinne And that slaughter of sacrifices shadowed nothing els vnto the elders but damnation and death For there they which offred them acknowledged that the sinnes for which they ought to haue bene punished should be transferred and layd vpon the Messias that euen as the sacrifice was killed so should Christ in tyme to come dye for the sinne of the people Which thing peraduenture they declared by an outward simbole or signe namely by laying on of Why the Gentils sometimes sacrificed men their handes And many thinke that this signification of the offring vp of the Messias for sinne was of so great force that for the figuracion therof men were among certaine nations offred vp For that which they had heard of the holy patriarches should one day come to passe the same they sought to expresse by a sacrifice most nyest as they thought vnto the truth Which yet forasmuch as it wanted yâ— word of God and was by them only inuented was nothing els then an vngodly cruelty Of this thing Origene against Celsus maketh mencion Neither can it be but Why the killinges of sacrifices aâ— at this day â— out of vse wonderful that at this day throughout the whole world there are no immolatioÌ„s of sacrifices which seme by the prouidence of god therfore to haue vanished away bicause that noble and so long looked for sacrifice of the deth of Christ which was by all those sacrifices after a sorte shadowed is now performed For God hath geuen one only oblacion wherby as we haue said sinne is condemned By which so great liberality of God towardes vs both feare and also faith ought to be stirred vp in vs. For if God to the ende he would abolishe sinne spared not his owne proper sonne what shall become of vs if we despise so great a sacrifice and tread vnder foote the bloud of the sonne of God On the other side who will not put his confidence in God whom he séeth for our sinnes to haue geuen his sonne vnto the deth Wherfore we ought with a most strong faith to embrace this sacrifice Neyther ought we here to regard the sacrificing priestes which boast that they can by their The sacrifyce of Christ is not applied vnto vs by Masses masses and superstitions and vngodly whisperinges apply this sacrifice vnto vs. In dede the holy scriptures teache that one ought to pray for an other But that yâ— communicating of one man is sufficient for an other or that it applieth the death of Christ vnto an other that thing the holy ghost neuer taught And sithen the sacramentes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is seales of promises they can profite them onely if we speake of theÌ„ which are of full age which embrace theÌ„ by fayth Wherfore eueÌ„ as it is not coÌ„uenient yâ— one should be baptised for an other so doth it nothing profite if one man receiue the Eucharist or supper of the Lord for an other For this were all one as if a man should take seales by which promises are confirmed and transferre theÌ„ vnto a blanke paper which hath neither promise nor any thing written in it we may in déede when we communicate geue thankes vnto God for that he hath holpen our neighbours and brethren and we may pray for them that they may be confirmed But to eate the sacrifice or Eucharist or to offer vp Christ for other men it is vtterly a fained inuention And although we shoulde graunte theÌ„ thys yet should they not haue yâ— which they so much séeke for For thys is not peculiar vnto priestes but is coÌ„moÌ„ vnto al theÌ„ which celebrate yâ— supper of yâ— lord Away therfore with these fained lies let euery maÌ„ labor by his own proper faith to take hold for himselfe of this benefite of Christ to apply it vnto himself Augustine in his exposition begon vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes saith that euery one of vs applieth vnto himselfe the sacrifice of the death of Christ For he saith Touching the sacrifice of which the Apostle then spake that is of the burnt offring of the Lordes passion that euery man offreth for hys owne sinnes then when he is dedicated vnto the passion of Christ through faith and when by baptisme be is noted by the name of faithfull Christians Now let vs speake of the third thing namely to sée what is the fruite of the death of Christ That the righteousnes of God might be fulfilled in vs which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirite That which we haue turned Righteousnes and others Iustification in Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth that honesty and vprightnes which is commaunded in the lawe which although it be so called yet are we not therby iustified for the fulfilling thereof can be in no man but only in him which is iustified It is true in dede that We shal be iudged according to our works we shall not be iustified by them we shal be iudged accordinge vnto those woorkes for God wyll render vnto euerye manne accordynge to hys woorkes For accordinge to the condition of the workes the forme of the sentence shal be pronouÌ„ced Yet are not good works the causes of that felicity which we looke for For if they were causes then shoulde they either be equall with the reward or els they should be greater then it For this is the nature of causes ether to excell the affectes or at the least wayes to be The dignity of causes either excelleth or els is equall with the effecâ—es How the preceptes of the law are fulfilled in vs by Christ equall
with them which thing that it can not be ascribed vnto workes Paul sufficiently declareth when he saith that the afflictions of thys lyfe are not woorthye the glorye to come whiche shal be reueled in vs But howe the preceptes of the lawe are fulfilled in vs by the communion which we haue with Christ which died for vs thus may be declared bicause vnto them which beleue in him is geuen the holy ghost whereby their strengthes are renued that they may be able to performe the obedience of the lawe not in deede a perfect and absolute obedience for that is not had so long as we liue here Wherefore the accomplishement of the lawe herein consisteth that the sinnes which we haue committed be forgeuen vs by Christ and the righteousnes which he hath performed be imputed vnto vs for that he is our head and we on the other side his members Lastly this is to be looked for that when we shall come vnto the long desired ende of chiefe felicity there How Christ is called the ende of the law shall then be nothing in vs which shall be repugnant vnto the lawe of God After this maner Christ is called the ende of the lawe as one that hath not broken it but fulfilled it not only in that by his doctrine he deliuered it from the corrupt interpretacions of the Scribes and Phariseis but also because he hath in such maner as we haue now declared accoÌ„plished both it in himselfe in vs. Wherefore as many as are without Christ and are not pertakers of his death and haue not forgeuenes of their sinnes and are voyde of the righteousnes of Christ and haue no desire to fulfill the lawe all these I says shall not attayne that felicity wherein they shall haue nothing which is repugnant vnto the law of God Wherfore the iustification of the lawe can in them by no meanes be fulfilled But who they be in whome the righteousnes of the lawe shall beginne to be accomplished for that it hath alredy by the cause thereof bene declared namely for that the faithfull are pertakers of the death and spirite of Christ now also the same declareth he by the fruite Which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirit The regenerate walke according to the spirite This is a notable marke and condition whiche followeth them They walke accordinge to the spirite in whome the spirite gouerneth raigneth and beareth dominion And contrarywyse they walke accordynge to the fleshe in whome the fleshe beareth dominion These thynges striue one againste the other But in this fighte the godlye onelye are excercised by striuinge For they which are straungers from Christ do without any resistance or fighting follow the flesh Faith which iustifieth doth after a sort put of our flesh but they that are spirituall do geue chefe place vnto the spirite And hereby we sée that this is the nature of that fayth which iustifieth to make a man in that plight that his fleshe being after a sort put of he liueth according vnto the spirite But those which liue not so the apostle proueth nether to be deliuered from sin nor to be pertakers of the death of Christ neither also to be obseruers of the lawes of God For he sayth For they vvhich are according to the flesh do minde those thinges vvhich are of the flesh but they vvhich are according to the spirite doo sauour those things vvhich are of the spirite They which liue according to the affection of the flesh doo follow thinges hurtefull and therefore they fall into death and practise enmities agaynst God Whereby followeth that they are nether pertakers of the spirite of Christ nor yet of his death But if a man shoulde saye that by the sence of the flesh men desire meate drinke apparell matrimony other things which pertayne vnto this life and these thinges are not damnable nor hurtful I would answeare that these thinges in dede of theyr own nature are not euil but the meanes whereby the vngodly desire them is both hurtfull and damnable Why naturall appetites are sinnes vnto the vngodly For they seke them for theyr owne sakes and direct them not vnto the glory of God neyther are they stirred vp vnto these desires by fayth or by the worde of God or by the spirite Wherefore vnto them they are sinnes And forasmuch as all men before they are iustifyed are indued by the affection of the flesh it followeth that whatsoeuer they doo is sinne and highly displeaseth God Wherefore by those deedes they can nether be iustified nor prepare themselues vnto What the affection of the flesh is iustification The woordes of the Apostle teach that two kindes of affections are contrary and opposite â–ª whiche that we may the better vnderstand let thys be for certayne â–ª that the affection of the flesh is nothing ells then the vse of humane strengths setting a part the grace and spirite of Christ And the nature of man is to be taken not as it was first created of God but as it is now vitiate The affection of the spirite and corrupt But the affection of the spirite is the impulsion of the inspiration of God and vse of the grace of Christ Nowe let vs se what those thynges are wherevnto the affectioÌ„ of the flesh carie vs. They must of necessity be good things For we desire nothing but that which is good and that good is ether honest profitable Three kindes of good things The affection of the fleshe is deceaued two maner of â—â—yes or pleasaunt In these thinges the affection of the flesh is two maner of wayes deceaued For sometimes it is caâ—led vnto these thinges which seme honest and are not and which seme profitable and pleasant but in very dede are vn profitable irksome An other error is when it desireth those thinges which in very dede should behonest profitable pleasant if they were desired with right reason as it was instituted of God such as are these good workes which commonly are called ciuill or morall Euermore the affection of the flesh erreth in one of these two wayes Wherfore all yâ— works therof seing they faâ—le froÌ„ right reason are sinnes Wherefore hereby is concluded that a Christian life herein A ChristiaÌ„ life wherin it consisteth consisteth to haue a care vnto those thinges which are of the spirite and to forsake those thinges which belong vnto the flesh that both we may seke for perfect good thinges and also yâ— we fayle not in the maner of desiring them But what are the effectes both of the flesh and also of the spirite Paul hath in manye places taught and especially in his epistle vnto yâ— GalathiaÌ„s wher he thus writeth The workes of the flesh are adulteries fornications vnclenes wantones idolatry witchcrafts enmities stryfes emulations brawlings contencions eâ—uies murthers dronkenes bancketting and such other like of which the Apostle saith They which do these things shall not possesse
debters dnto the fleshe he playnly declareth how necessary good workes are And he stoppeth their mouthes which spake ill of his doctrine as which opened a window vnto vices For he threateneth death and that eternall death vnto theÌ„ which liue according to the fleshe They which draw the wordes of the Apostle vnto the liberty of the fleshe vnderstand not that he teacheth that men iustified are absolued from the condemnation of the lawe and not from the obedience therof For that obedience lasteth in the Saintes for euer For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye but if by the spirite ye mortefie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue He here by an other reason proueth A reason from that which is profitable vnprofitable yâ— we ought to liue holily which reason is taken froÌ„ that which is profitable and vnprofitable Two thinges he setteth forth namely life and death neither entreateth he here of temporall thinges but of eternall It is true in déede that it is not comely that we should follow as captaines of our life the prauity and corruption of nature which is signified by the name of fleshe neither do the debts which we owe vnto God by reason of his benefites bestowed vpon vs suffer vs so to do But yet fewe are moued with this comlynes and the nature of man is by reason of sinne to much blockish to heauenly thinges Wherefore it must haue the stronger spurres to pricke it forwarde And therefore Paul added this reason of lyfe and death If by the spirite ye mortefy the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Hereof two thinges we gather First that there are still déedes of the fleshe in the godly And who doubteth but that they are sinnes especially seing they ought to be mortefied The second is that these déedes are mortefied by the spirite for mans inuentions will nothing helpe thereunto For whatsoeuer is done by vertues described of the philosophers is sinne which can not through Christ be forgeuen them Wherefore the true and perfect cause of mortification is to be sought for at the handes of the spirite And to mortefy is nothing els but for a man to be violent against himselfe and to withstand and resist wicked lustes Here agayne also the Apostle séemeth to touch the difference betwéene deadly sinne and veniall What is to mortâ—fy sinne not that all sinnes are not of their owne nature deadly but for that through the death and spirite of Christ they are forgeuen therefore they are called veniall Those are called deadly sinnes which are not mortified in vs when we geue our selues to lustes and liue without repentance and sinne against our conscience neither resiâ—â— lustes but follow on our trade of liuing wickedly neither in the meane tyme regard we the spirit or death of Christ These are those sinnes which Paul writeth They which do such thinges shall not obtayne the kingdome of God and for which as it is written vnto the Ephesians The wrath of God commeth vpon the children of distrust For as many as are led by the spirite of God are the sonnes of God By two reasons it hath bene proued that men godly regenerate ought not to liue after the fleshe either bicause they are now debters so to do or els bicause the same shall turne them to great commodity namely for that they shall liue for euer Here is added the third reason for that they are now adopted into the children of God In which place we are taught two things at once the one is that they ought We must liue vprightly for that we are adopted into children Three maner of wayes it is shewed that we are the sonnes of God fréely and of their owne accord to worke as which are endued with the spirit not of bondmen but of children the other is that they which so leade their life shall liue for euer namely for that they are the sonnes of God For he is eternall immortall And that they are the children of God he proueth thrée manner of wayes First for that they are led by the spirite of God Secondly for that they call vpon him by the name of father lastly for that the spirite so testifieth vnto theÌ„ Wherfore the reason may thus be knit together As many as are the sonnes of God liue not after the flesh for they are led by the spirite of God and they call God their father and they haue the holy ghost in their hartes a witnes of the adoption whiche they haue obteined Such ones are all we which beleue in Christ wherefore we ought not to liue after the flesh When they are said to be the sonnes of God which The beginning of our adoption is thâ— spirit of God are led by the spirite of God therby is signified that the beginning of our adoptioÌ„ coÌ„meth only through the sprite of God by which the faithfull are so drawen that they are sayd of Paul to be led that is without violence and any coaction bowed They which want the spirite are holden with ignorance and are tossed by the impulsion of lustes But the spirite of God so leadeth that it both teacheth what is to be done and also ministreth a will minde and strengthes to performe the same It is not inough to know what we ought to do vnles we haue also strengthes geuen vs to do it and strengthes should be in vaine geuen vs if there should want knowledge These two thinges bringeth the spirite of God with it and by that Two thinges the spirite of God bringeth with it meanes leadeth the elect with pleasure After we are once sealed with this spirite we haue obteyned the earnest peny of eternall life and the adoption of the sonnes of God And forasmuch as we are not compelled to do any thing against our wils we enioy most excellent fréedome For we are stirred vp vnto those thinges which we excedingly desire For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage vnto feare But ye haue What is the spirite of feare and what of adoption receiued the spirite of adoption wherby we cry Abba father The apostle by a certaine distinction expresseth what that spirite is wherby the sonnes of God are led For he maketh one the spirite of feare an other the spirite of adoption which is no otherwise to be vnderstand but that one and the selfe same spirite of God bringeth forth two effectes which are by a certaine order knit together For first by the law and by threatninges it maketh afeard those men that are to be iustified and breaketh and vexeth them with scourges and stripes of the conscience that vtterly dispairing of themselues they may flye vnto Christ vnto whom wheÌ„ they are come and that they embrace him by faith they are not onely iustified but also are fréely of their owne accorde stirred vp to iust vpright and holy workes Wherfore Paul admonisheth yâ— Romanes that they are now come vnto this latter
same againe This only now I lay that that proposition is not altogether so simplye to be vnderstanded Farther this also is not true which he taketh as a ground when he saith that Paul in this place dissolueth not the question which he did put forth â–ª For Paul most plainely sayth that the election of God is the cause of our saluation And of the election of God he putteth none other cause but the purpose of God and his mere loue and good will towards vs. Neither is he any thinge holpen by that similitude whiche he bringeth out of the fiueth chapter of this Epistle For there Paul sayth that it is not absurd to say that we in such sort haue the fruicion of the righteousnes of Christ that by it we are iustified forasmuch as by the offence and dissobedience of one man many are condemned This sayth he he ought to haue proued that we are infected by the sinne that we haue drawen from Adam which yet he did not but left it vndissolued Yea rather Paul proued that we are pertakers of that corruption euen by this that we die And they die also whiche haue not sinned after the likenes of the transgression of Adam Wherefore by death as by the effect he sufficiently proued original sinne For in yâ— Paul afterward sayth when he entreateth of the calling of That the Gentiles by fayth caâ—â— vnto Christ is not the cause of predestinatioÌ„ but the effect God gâ—ueâ—h not faith vnto his râ—shly but of puâ—pose the Gentils and of the reiecting of the Iewes that the Gentils came by faith but the Iewes sought saluation by the works of the law he putteth not that as a cause but onely as an effect of predestination For it may straightwaye be demaunded wherhence the Gentils had theyr fayth And if they had it of God as doubtles they had why did God geue it vnto them Surelye for no other cause but because he would Wherfore let vs leue those thinges as not agreable with the wordes of the Apostle and this rather let vs consider how the Apostle in this place confuteth iij. The Maniches confuted of Paul errors First he stoppeth the mouth of the Manichies which attributed much vnto the houre of the natiuitie as though we should by the power of the starres iudge of the life death and other chaunces that happen vnto men For Paul sayth that Iacob and Esau were borne both at one time in whome yet we see that in theyr The Pelagiâ—â—s confuted whole life was great diuersitie He confuteth also the Pelagians which taught that the will is so frée that euery one is according to his merites foresene of God which error is also in other places confuted of Paul by most strong reasons For to the Ephesians he saith Which hath elected vs in him before the constitucion of the world that we should be holy He saith not that he elected vs for that we were holy but that we should be holy And vnto Titus He hath saued vs not by the woorkes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy And to Timothe Which hath called vs by his holy calling not according to our woorkes but according to his purpose and grace which is geuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus before the times of the world By which wordes we see that the election of God consisteth of Grace whiche we haue had from eternally Farther by these woordes of Paul is also confuted Origen as we haue sayde Origene coÌ„futed For Paul saith that these two had done neither good nor euell The elder shall serue the younger This seemeth to be a temporall promise What is the groundâ—ele of earthly promises But we haue before oftentimes admonished that the foundation and groundsell of these earthly promises is the promise touching Christ and touching the obteynement of saluation through him And this maye hereby be gathered for if we haue a respecte vnto the principallitie of the first birth we shall not finde that Iacob atteined to it For he neuer bare dominion ouer his brother Esau so longe as he liued yea rather when he returned out of Mesopotamia he came humblye vnto him and desired that he mought obteyne mercy at his handes and it vndoubtedly Iacob had the possessioÌ„ of the first birth not in himself but in his posterity seemeth that Esau was farre mightier then he Althoughe touching the posteritie of eche it is not to be doubted but that the promise tooke place For in the time of Dauid and of Salomon the Iewes obteined the dominioÌ„ ouer the Edumites If these thinges be well applied to the purpose of the Apostle then muste it needes be that that they be vnderstanded of the promise of Christ and of eternall felicity For this is it that Paul endeuoreth that it shoulde not séeme to be againste the promise of God â–ª that few of the Iewes are receaued vnto the Gospell séeing that the greatest part of them were excluded And when he had brought this testimony of Iacob and Esau that the elder should serue the yonger of that oracle he bringeth this reason that the election mought abide according to purpose Which thinge for that it séemed hard vnto humane reason he confirmeth by an oracle of Malachy As it is written Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated This sentence of Scripture which is here cited is the reason and cause of the other sentence The latter oracle is cause of the first A place of Malachie declared which he before alleadged namely That the elder should serue the yonger Which is herebye confirmed for that it is written Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated These wordes are written in Malachy aboute the beginning of the first chapter in which place God thus vpbraydeth vnto the people their ingratitude I haue loued you And they are sayd thus to haue answered Wherein hast thou loued vs TheÌ„ sayth the Lord Iacob and Esau were they not brethern And yet haue I loued Iacob hated Esau And this he hereby proueth for that they beinge bretherne yet he preferred Iacob before Esau And vnto Esau he gaue a waste and solitary land suffered not the Edumites to be deliuered from theyr captiuitie yea rather he threateneth that if they should enterprise to reedifie theyr countrey being ouerthrowen he would then destroy it But vnto the Israelites he gaue a good fertile land who if peradueÌ„ture they should for theyr sins be led away into captiuitie yet he promised From the loue of God commeth eternall lyfe and froÌ„ hâ—s hatred eternal destruction yâ— he would bring theÌ„ home again fully restore again vnto theÌ„ theyr old kingdom But these things forasmuch as they are earthly we do not at this preseÌ„t meddle wt. This thing onely I thinke is diligently to be weighed yâ— of the loue of God coÌ„meth eternall life and from his hatred eternall destruction Some in this place with great curiosity enquire
oracle was geuen when they were yet in the wombe neither had yet done either any good or any euill And peysing these thinges he considered that that which the Prophet had spoken more briefely mought be of him not without great profit and edification dilated so also is it profitable for vs to do namely diligently to waigh the places of the scriptures which are sometimes cited of the Apostles The Prophetes were as we haue oftentimes said interpreters of the bokes of The Prophets interpreters of Moses Moses They preached repentance not only agrauating sinnes but also setting forth the promises of the Gospell concerning grace Which thinges Malachy in this place did excellently wel comprehend Farther Paul most thoroughly saw that of the loue of God and of that oracle which was geuen vnto the mother touching the infantes was assigned no cause thorough works or merits These thinges I say mought suffice as touching this place but that there is yet one doubt remayning to be dissolued For Erasmus in hys booke which he wrote de Libero Arbitrio for that he saw that these places which we haue now made mencion of make agaynst hym thus dissolueth them First he sayth yâ— answere was made vnto Rebecka touching thinges temporall that the elder shoulde serue the younger and God may at his free wil pleasure cause that a maÌ„ whether he will or no shall leade a pore life and be a bond maÌ„ whom yet he will not reiect from eternall saluatioÌ„ Farther he addeth that these testimonies as Paul bringeth theÌ„ are repugnaÌ„t the one to the other wheÌ„ yet in their places they are not so repugnant Here doubtles is to be required in this maÌ„ not onely prudeÌ„ce but Paul faithfully alleageth yâ— holy scriptures dalied noâ— in them also plety For it is not mete for a man to thinke that Paul wheÌ„ he layd the first foundations of Christian religioÌ„ did vnfaithfully cite the scriptures or brought those places for testimonies which serued litle to the purpose Paul dalied not in the holy scriptures to make in his writings those testimonies repugnaÌ„t which in theyr owne places are not repugnante for this were as the blasphemous cauiller and vngodly Prophirius did to abuse the simplicity of the vnlerned But if at any time we can not vnderstand how the testimonies which are cited of Paul and of other of the Apostles make to theyr purpose why doo we not rather confesse our owne infirmity of vnderstanding and negligence whereby it commeth to passe that we can not attayne to the exact contemplacion of thinges diuine But whereas he sayth that the oracle was geuen to Rebecka touching Whether the question be vnderstanded touching thinges spirituall or temporall it is all one as touching the scope of Paul thinges temporall it nothing helpeth him for yet still the reason of Paul remayneth strong For forasmuch as he concludeth that a man is made either a Lord or a bondman a rich man or a pore man by these testimonies he inuinciblye proueth that that commeth not thorough any merites or workes of men For thereto only had Paul a respect Put the case that the question were moued why by the election of God one is made a prince an other a subiect one is afflicted an other fortunate here doubtles this is the thinge that is in controuersy whether these thinges are so ordred thorough the vertues and merites of men or thorough the mere goodnes of God Paul leueth no place at al to merites yea rather he sayth that God had decreed that these thinges should come to passe before that they which should doo them were borne and had appoynted that the one should be a Lord and the other a seruaunt before that they coulde ether doo or thinke any thinge Wherefore the question is generally and vniuersally put forth and not only touching the maner of principality or seruitude Wherfore whether those be spirituall or temporall thinges the scope which the Apostle entendeth is vtterly one and the same namely that they come without any our workes or merites If a man should alledge sentences nothing pertayning to the purpose euen amongst the philosophers he should be laughed to skorne how much les then ought we to impute any such thing to Paul But to make thée to vnderstande that those testimonies are moste agreeyng to the matter proposed The oracle before cited applied to the spiritual promise I will declare that in them are contayned not only thinges temporall but also and that chiefely thinges spirituall For forasmuch as God promised that the greater people should serue the lesser the same vnles we will to farre stray out of the way we ought to thinke should therefore come to passe for that the lesser natioÌ„ should be receaued of God into fauor and should become his people For otherwise neither the lesse people could ouercome the greater nor the weaker the stronger It is God only which is the doer thereof and vpholdeth that people whome he hathe decreed to be his And where the people of God are there follow infinite spirituall benefites namely the word of God the heauenly blessing the breathing of the holy ghost remission of sinnes thorough Christ and last of all eternall life Let vs consider the historye it selfe as did Paul and we shall perceaue that in the blessing of Iacob the things which his father Isaake blesseth him withall are chiefely spirituall namely that vnto him should be subiect not only his brethern but also the Gentiles which there is no man but seeth that it was accomplished in his sede and yet not in all his sede but in it onely whiche The blessings of the fathers are to be referred to Christ and to his members was so long time and so carefully waited for which doubtles was Christ whoÌ„ at this day both the Iewes and yâ— Gentils worship Those that blesse thee saith he let them be blessed and those that curse thee let them be cursed And these thinges are agreing vnto Christ onely and vnto the elect For whosoeuer shall worship him shal be rewarded with eternall felicitie and whosoeuer is contumelious either against him or against his members shal be obnoxious vnto the eternall curse and destruction The selfe same thinges also are to be vnderstanded in the oracle of Malachy For if the posteritie of Iacob should be in good case and the posteritie of Esau in yll it is not enquired whether God promiseth thinges spirituall or temporall but whether he would geue those thinges vnto them in consideration of theyr workes and merites or no. But that I am sure thou shalt not finde in that whole prophet Which thinge Paul also dilligeÌ„tly peysed although these thinges are also to be referred vnto spiritual matters For how came it to passe that the pub wealth of the Israelites was preserued that they had a commodious land â—o dwell in and that they were restored from the captiuity of BabiloÌ„ Doubtles by no other meanes but for
yet complayne Who can resist his will is gathered a most firme argument that Pauls minde was that both election and also reiection depend of the mere will of God For otherwise there was no occasion to obiect these thinges For if only the worthy should be elected and the vnworthy reiected what cause should there be of murmuring For then should be confirmed that kinde of iustice which humane reason most of all alloweth neither shoulde there be any place left to these offences Wherfore I do not a litle meruayle that Pigghius and other such like shold vse these things which Paul in this place obiecteth vnto himself confuteth to confirme their opinion as most sure argumentes For Pigghius saith if God should harden men Pharao should not be the cause of his sinne when as he could not resist the will of God And if God saith he should not deale according to workes foresene he should in his election be vniust and sinne agaynst iustice distributiue But these selfe same things Paul obiecteth vnto himself not to the entēt to satisfie thē thought he it nedeful to fly vnto the fond deuises of these Mortificatiō of faith men Herein doubles is most of all declared the mortification of fayth to geue all the glory vnto God and to beleue that the thinges which otherwise shoulde seme vniust are of him most iustly done By that comparison of the clay and of the potter Paul declareth that it is lawfull for God by most good right to do vnto men whatsoeuer he will and that men ought patiently and humbly to obey his will And that God can according to his right and at his pleasure either make men to honour or els leue them in contumely hereby he proueth God hath more right ouer men then the potter hath ouer the clay for that a potter hath the selfe same power ouer the vessels which he maketh Yea rather God hath much more right ouer mē thē hath the potter ouer y◠clay For man is infinitly more distant from God then is the vessell from the potter For the potter forasmuch as he is a man is taken out of the earth and the clay whether the potter will or no must nedes be clay But God if he wil can turne man into any thing yea if it please him he can also reduce him to nothing Wherefore that which is graunted vnto the potter by what right can it be denied vnto GOD And if men bee clay being compared vnto the will of God why are they not content therewith why do they so importunately murmure agaynst it And forasmuch as Paul sayth that the potter hath power to make By this cōparison is proued that God hath not a regard to workes vessels as he wil thereby he sufficiently declareth that God hath not a regard to workes For if it were so that power shoulde be no power and the potter should be able to do more then God For the potter may at his pleasure make what vessels he wil but God must follow the merites of men and our deedes shoulde be vnto him a rule of his election But we manifestly sée that the Apostle laboureth chiefely to proue that it lieth not in our power in what sort God ought to make vs. But against these things writeth Erasmus in his booke called Hyperaspistes that it is not to be merueled that y◠power is takē away frō God which he hath takē away frō himself For he would not y◠it shoulde be lawfull for him to do y◠which should be repugnāt to his iustice To this obiectiō we answer that Paul plainly saith that y◠potter hath this power which power doubtles we se is not takē away frō him Wherfore it is mete y◠the selfe same power be geuē also vnto God But wheras he saith y◠God hath takē away frō himself this power y◠is not true I grant in dede y◠God wil not haue y◠thing to be lawful vnto him which is repugnant vnto his iustice But here is nothing which is repugnāt vnto iustice Yea rather this we adde that here is not spokē of iustice but of mercy freely to be bestowed or not to be bestowed For God oweth vnto no man his first mercy therfore it foloweth y◠he may haue mercy on whō he wil not haue mercy on whō he wil not Erasmus also thinketh it absurd y◠we affirme that the respect of merites is repugnāt vnto the liberty power of God as touching electiō or reprobatiō For it were wicked saith he if a mā should be condēned with out euil deserts of sin That indede do we cōfesse but we adde that in this place is not entreated of damnation but only of reprobation as it is opposite to election or to predestination And with the Apostle we say that God Here is not entreated of damnation but of reprobation hath mercy on whome he will and hath not mercy on whome he will not And although God condemne not or deliuer not to eternall destruction but only those which haue bene contaminated with sinne yet he doth not by reason of any euill desert ouerhippe those one whome he hath decreed not to haue mercy Note the difference betwene damnation and reprobation And yet doth he not therefore deale vniustly for he oweth nothing to any man But when we say that if God should haue mercy or not haue mercy according to the merites of mē his power should be nothing at all which Paul here in this place so much commendeth Erasmus maketh answer that if he haue not a respect vnto workes his constāt and vnmoueable iustice should be nothing at all But we haue oftentimes declared that here is not entreated of iustice distributiue whereby God in predestination and reprobation is bound to render like vnto like For forasmuch as all are borne being drowned in the corruption of sinne he may as pleaseth him haue mercye on some and others agayne he may by the selfe same pleasure ouerhippe and leue them as he found them which is not to haue mercy vpon thē Erasmus also laboureth moreouer to proue y◠the power of God is after a sort contracted and made definite by his promises For when God had sworne eyther vnto Abraham or vnto Dauid vnles he would breake his fayth he was bound vtterly to performe his promises Wherefore sayth he it is not altogether so absurd if the power of God whereof is now entreated be not put vtterly fre from the respect of workes But Erasmus shold haue considered that this similitude touching the promises is not hereunto rightly applied For we neuer rede that there was any promise made to any man touching predestination Yea rather the promises alwayes follow predestination For it is the Predestination is the original of all promises originall of all promises Further Paul playnly maketh this power free from all respect of workes when he compareth it with the power of the potter For he in making of
then shal not that complaint be remedied which was obiected vnto him For he which made the obiections erred two maner of wayes first for that he repined agaynst God secondly for that he semed to go aboute falsely to accuse God of iniustice Eche part Paul answereth vnto in this similitude for as touching the repining he thus sayth Shall the thing formed say vnto him that formed it why hast thou made me after this sort But as touching iniustice he sufficiently dischargeth God of that crime when he sayth that God doth nothyng agaynst hys owne ryght for the potter hath power to make vessels as pleaseth him And if this similitude touch not ech part then is not their mouth stopped which thus contende with God For if they once heare that God is not in very déede like the potter and that he can not by right do what he will they will cry out that that similitude nothing pertayneth vnto them for we must thinke otherwise touching God then we do touching the potter But Chrisostome not a whit dessembled what it was that he so much feared in this matter namely this least frée will should perish Do not thinke saith he that here is any thing spoken agaynst free will For the Apostle rather ment in thys similitude to commend obedience towardes God that we shoulde wyth the selfe same facility obey him as the clay followeth the hand of the potter But Paul in this place Paul in this place spake not one word of obedience Free wil perisheth not by reason of the free election of God It is not in our power to be borne without original sinne spake not so much as one word touching this obedience Farther it followeth not that frée will should perishe although God in election haue not a respect vnto the workes and merites of men For althoughe it be not in our power to be either elected or reiected yet maye there bee many other thinges frée vnto vs. Wherefore it is a false kinde of reasoning called a secundum quid ad simpliciter to say thus Men in this thing are not frée Ergo in other thinges they haue no liberty It must nedes be without all controuersy that both Chrisostome and all the godly do confesse that it lieth not in any mans power to be conceaued without originall sinne but shall we take vpon vs thereof to conclude that there is no other liberty besides left in vs Farther who hath this in his owne power to be regenerated and grafted into Christ For we must count to haue receaued that of the grace and fauor of God And yet notwithstanding after that we haue once obtayned regeneration there follow infinite thinges which are left frée vnto vs. Wherefore thys sence of Paul whiche we followe taketh not away frée will vnlesse peraduenture we will imagine such a liberty of the will that it can clayme all thinges vnto it We must not graunt such a free wil as may clayme vnto it selfe all thing selfe yea euen those thinges also which are geuen of God freely But that is farre wide from the true sence of fayth For no man commeth vnto Christ vnles he be drawen of the father And Christ sayth vnto the Apostles Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Chrisostome addeth moreouer that the Apostle in this place entreateth not of the maner whereby God gouerneth creatures but of that submission which we ought to exhibite him I graunt in déede y◠here is not entreated of y◠administration either of al creatures or of all humane euents but yet I doubt not but that Paul speaketh of that kind of administration whereby before the foundations of the world were layd vnto some he gaue mercy and vnto other some he gaue it not I confesse moreouer that a man ought to thinke lowly and humbly of himselfe but yet not in such sort that he ought to adde thereunto a lie Vnder the pretence of submission we must no◠adde a lye Wherefore if we thinke that we are not in very déede as clay in the hand of the potter that God may at his pleasure either make vs or remake vs but is compelled to follow and to haue a regard vnto our works it is no iust dealing that we should otherwise either teach others or perswade our selues For we must not by reason of humility or deiection of mynde thinke otherwise of our selues thē we are Hereunto addeth Chrisostome that these thinges pertayne neither to the condition of man nor to the necessity of the mynde but only to the dispensation of varietie Neither doubtles do we here speake of the necessity of the minde or of the condition of man but of the election or reprobation of God which I sée not why it can not be called a dispensation when as God bestoweth and dispenseth Election may be called a dispensation o◠mercy his mercy vnto whome he wil. But Chrisostome vnderstandeth that dispensation whereby God recompenseth the workes of men according to their nature Of which thing it is certayne that Paul in this place entreateth not Moreouer he saith that he affirmeth these thinges least man should séeme to be without blame and yet be without desertes condemned and least Paul should séeme to be against himselfe for he euery where crowneth the will but these absurdities follow not of Man cānot be free from sinne when as he is borne in it What will of ours is crowned of of God our sentence For how can man be frée from blame when as he is both borne in sinne and also conceeaued in iniquity Neither doth Paul crowne that will which is grafted in vs and which we haue of our owne nature but that will which is made changed of God not by chance or at all auētures but by his appointed coūsell purpose Farther to the end he mought after a sort extenuate weakē y◠force of the comparison wherwith he is vehemenly vrged he saith that the nature of similituds is hiperbolical which ought far to excede those things which are entreated of for otherwise they can not thoroughly moue the mindes of men Neither do we In similitudes metaphores the scope is continually to be kept whole doubtles deny this howbeit this we adde that in metaphors figures though they be neuer so notable and vehement we must alwayes as we haue before admonished kepe stil the skope whole Lastly he thinketh that we are deceaued for that being led by the similitude of the clay we thinke that in all men forasmuch as they haue one and the selfe same nature of substance are one the selfe same willes which opinion he supposeth to be conceaued of a blockish and dull vnderstanding But we are not so blockish to thinke that the willes of mē are in all poyntes the selfe same But we consider the disposition or nature of man as it was euen from the beginning at what time there could be in it no vse of will
few were fruitfull in Babilon So also happened it in Christes time for very few were saued which few yet brought forth greate and most plentifull fruites for as we redâ— in this prophecy they made righteousnes to ouerflow For the Apostles although they were few yet they preached Christ thoroughout the whole world and that with such celerity that Paul toward the end of this epistle and vnto the Colossians sayth that in his time the Gospel was in a maner euery where preached Therfore the Prophet saith that God had consummated that is had excedingly diminished the nomber and out of that multitude which was like the sand of the sea had elected only a few And this is to be noted yâ— in this place Paul reasoneth of election by the effects and by that yâ— few of the Iewes were saued proueth that predestination pertayneth only to a few of them These wordes are taken out of the 10. chapter of Esay Ci im ijhich ammecha israel cechol haiom schear iâ—schus bo Cillaion sharuts schoteph tsedaka Ci calah venechratsa adonai iehouah tsebaoth oseh bekereb col haarets Whereas Esay sayth in the middest of the whole earth it is not to be vnderstanded generally but only of the land of the Iewes For the prophet speaketh of that land only and Paul writeth of Israel And this phrase is very much vsed amongst the prophetes Which I therefore put you in minde of for that I know there are some which sometimes referre these wordes to the whole nomber of the faythfull being indede moued thereto by that sentence of Christ Many are called but few are elected Which sentence as it is most true so is it not of necessity yâ— it should pertayn to this place Paul saw that these wordes of Esay are of great force to plucke away the mindes of men from the confidence in yâ— flesh and in humane procreatioÌ„ For by theÌ„ is taught that of so greate a multitude of the children of Israell which were like the sand of the sea very few attayned vnto saluation And thinges which were theÌ„ done were not only shadowes and tipes of the Church of Christ but also a certayne beginning and progresse therof And as those thinges at that time were not obscure so in the comming of Christe were they most euident Paul followed the translation of the seuenty interpreters that the Church of the Romanes vnto whome he wrote might vnderstand those things which he cited out of the Prophetes but that the Seuenty added this greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is worde and yet obserue the Hebrue phrase For with the Hebrues Dabar which they turne vvord signifieth also a thing or a matter So we rede of the adultery of Dauid that the worde of Vrias displeased God And Moses sayth Man liueth not by bread only but also by euery word which commeth out of the mouth of God in which wordes he signifieth that the power of God is not bound to things but yâ— he can fede his if he will with any other thing as well as with bread and therefore it was not wonderfull though the Israelites were fed in the desert with Manna which fel from heauen Wherefore the sence is that God would make his word that is the matter of that people cut of shorte and extenuated so that that so greate multitude should be brought vnto a small nomber And this is it which Ieremy complayneth of in his 8. chapter and also Ezechiell in his 11. chapter And Amos the prophet compareth the remnantes of the people of the Iewes with a young shepe deuoured of a lion which when the shepeherd seketh to deliuer can recouer nothing but only a legge or an eare of it so sayth he when the Iewes shall be led away into captiuity a very small part of them shal returne home again In Hebrew it is writteÌ„ A consumption made Venehadtsah which signifieth not only a thing lessned and cut of but also a thing definitely appointed and determined as though the sentence were alredy geueÌ„ which signification serueth very well to the purpose of the Apostle For his meaning is to declare that thys diminishing and reiection of the people which God would bring to passe depended of the appoynted purpose and of predestination not that the Iewes had not thorough theyr sinnes deserued to be reiected but bycause all these thinges were appoynted by the sentence of election and reprobatioÌ„ For by these things Paul here reasoneth of the effects as it were by the effectes Paul declareth that few of the Iewes are elected but many are reiected Vnto this lessening cutting of of the Israelites Iohn Baptist semeth to haue had a respect when he sayd That the axe is put vnto the roote and that Christ hath his fanne in his hand to purge his wheat And to this purpose Paul afterward sayth That the remnantes shall be saued according to election thorough grace Micheas also the prophet faineth God to be like one that gathereth grapes who when he hath gathered his grapes leueth oftentimes certaine few clusters in the vineard And Esay sayth that the daughter of Ierusalem should be lefte as a cottage in a vineard And in the time of the sloud only eight soules were left on liue howbeit those few which were lefte brought forth incredible fruite For euen as sedes when they are few do yet notwithstanding draw vnto A similitude them greate quantity of ioyce and moystnes of the earth and conuert it into theyr owne nature and for euery grayne render somtimes thirty sometimes threescore and sometimes an hundreth so that little flocke of Christ by theyr preaching conuerted vnto the Gospel great Churches of the Gentiles And this is it which Osea the Prophet when he had entreated of the reiection of the people sayd yet notwithstanding that the nomber of it should be like the sand of the sea Which selfe thing Ieremy prophesied in his 33. chapter when he spake of The Gentles conuerted vnto Christ are Israelites the couenaunt which should be renewed thorough Christ For they which of Ethnikes were conuerted by the disciples of Christ were made Israelites for that they hâ—d Christ for theyr hed and became his members and liued by hys spirite and were made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones And of this thing Christ admonished vs when he sayd yâ— God could euen of stones rayse vp sons vnto Abraham Neither ment Esay any thing els when in this place he added that righteousnes should ouerflow Origen sayth that the Prophet prophesied these thinges for that he foresaw the infidelity of the Iewes for which they should be reiected therfore he thinketh that the prophet said If thy people were aâ— the sand of the sea for that they by theyr sinnes had made themselues barren and were vnfruitful as the sand is out of which can nothing spring But the multitude he sayth of the godly which should come out of the sâ—de of Abraham is compared
worthely condeÌ„ned And this may strongly be sayd to repell those which paraduenture presume to lay the cause of theyr damnation not vpon theyr owne sinne but vpon God Wherefore originall sinne goeth before the birth of all men so that thou haue Originall sinne goeth before euery mans damnation a respect vnto euery perticular man it also goeth before the damnation of all the wicked although it could not be before the eternal purpose of God but only as touching foreknowledge These thinges being as we haue declared them as they are in no case absurd so also may they well be perceaued if we depart not from the sence of the scriptures which sence how much in this place Pighius ouerpasseth by meanes of his owne fond inuencion I will in few words touch He maketh many degrees or actes in the minde of God which he setteth in order A fond imagination of Pighius betwixt them selues not in dede by distinction of time but by distinction of nature and therefore such actes he calleth signes and yet had he not that out of the holy scriptures but borowed it out of Scotus In the first signe sayth he God appoynted to bring forth all men to eternall saluation which they might haue fruition of together with him and that without any difference and ouer them he would haue Christ to be the hed whome he thinketh also should haue come in the flesh although the first man had not sinned In the second signe he sayth that God foresaw the fall of man by reason whereof it was not now possible that men should come vnto saluation that is vnto the end which God had purposed in him selfe when he decreed in the beginning to create man Howbeit that the matter mought go forward he sayth that God did put in the thirde signe remedies in Christ namely of grace and of the spirit and such like wherby mought be holpen those which would receaue them and those forsakeÌ„ which should refuse them Lastly in the fourth signe for that he foresaw that manye would embrace these aydes and would vse them well and actiuely he therefore predestinated them to saluation but others whome he saw would reiect these benefites of God he adiudged to vtter destruction this he speaketh touchinge them that be of ful age But forasmuch as by this fond imagination he could not satisfy as touching infantes which perish before they caÌ„ haue the vse of free wil he patcheth thereunto an other fable namely that they after the iudgmeÌ„t shal be in this world happy with a certayne naturall blessednes wherein they shall continually prayse God and geue thankes vnto him for that theyr estate so tollerable So this man fayneth a doctrine which he can not proue by any one word of the scripture For how attributeth he vnto God that he in the first God appointeth not those thinges which shall haue no successe Christ had not come vnlesse sinne had ben coÌ„mitted signe decreed those things which should not haue successe Namely that al meÌ„ should enioy felicity Is it the poynt of a wise man I will not say of God to decree or will those thinges which shall take no effect Let him also bring forth some oracles of God to declare vnto vs that the sonne of God should haue taken vpon him humane flesh although man had not sinned But he is not able in any place to shew any such thing when as the holy scriptures euery where testify vnto vs that he was geueÌ„ for our redemption and for the remission of sinnes which thing also mought haue taught him if he had considered that originall sinne went before all the effectes of predestinatioÌ„ only creation excepted when as Christ was to this end predestinated and geuen vnto vs that we might haue a remedy of our falles of all which falles originall sinne is the hed and principall And he had not taken vpon him humane flesh if there had bene no sinne committed He without the scriptures also imagineth that it lieth in Infants perish vnlesse they be renued by the mediator the power of our free will to receaue the remedies being generallye set forth when as this is the most absolute gifte of God And that whiche he last of all bringeth namely of the naturall felicity of children is not only auouched besides the scripture but also is playnly agaynst it which teacheth that all perish in Adam vnles they be renued by the mediator But to perish or to dy how repugnant it is with felicity al men easely vnderstand And besides that he hath not on his side one of all yâ— fathers whiche durst imagine any such fond deuises Neyther can I be perswaded that Pelagius him selfe if he were a liue agayne would more diligently colour his opinion then this man hath paynted it and set it forth That which we haue hitherto proued touching predestinatioÌ„ namely that iâ— dependeth not of workes foresene the selfe same thing also affirme we of reprobation for neither it also dependeth of sinnes foresene so that by reprobatioÌ„ yâ— vnderstand not extreme damnatioÌ„ but that most depe eternal purpose of God of not hauing mercy For Paul writeth alike of Esau and Iacob Before they had done any good or euill it was sayd The elder shall serue the younger Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated that it should not be of workes but of him that calleth And Pighius laboureth in vayne to haue this sentence of Paul vnderstanded of one of them only that is of Iacob when as the Apostle ioyned them both together vnder one and the selfe same conditioÌ„ Which thing he more manifestly afterward If sin were the cause of reprobatioÌ„ no man should be elected What are the effectes of predestination Christ is the first effect of predestination declareth saying He hath mercy on whome be will and whome he will he hardeneth Further if sinne were the true cause of reprobation theÌ„ should none be elected WheÌ„ as God foreknoweth that all men are contaminated with it Which selfe thing Augustine proueth vnto Simplicianus But now we will entreate of the third article to see what are the effectes of predestination and of reprobacion And we will be the briefer for that those thinges which shal be spoken haue much light by those thinges whiche haue alredy bene spoken The first effect therefore of predestination is Christ him selfe for the elect can haue none of the giftes of God vnles by our sauiour it be geuen vnto them Then also let there be put those effectes which Paul describeth in the 8. chapiter when he sayth Whome he foreknew those also hath â—e predestinated whoÌ„ he hath predestinated those also hath he called and whome he hath called those hath he iustified and whome he hath iustified those hath he glorified Whereby it is euident that vocation also and iustification and glorification are the effectes of predestination whereunto also may be added conformity of the image of the sonne of God when
liuing creatures are said to haue bene saued in the Arke with Noe for that only some of euery kinde were gathered together in it Or we may vnderstand it thus that God will haue all men to be saued for that as many as are saued are saued by his will As if a man should say of one that teacheth Rhetorike in a city that he teacheth all men By which kind of speach is not signified that all the citizens are learners of Rhetorike but that as many as learne are tought of him And this â–ª also is like If a man pointing to the gate of a house should say that all men enter in this way we must not thereby vnderstand that all men enter into that house but that as many as do enter do enter in by yâ— gate only Farther there are some which interpretate these wordes of the Apostle of the will of the signe or of the antecedent will that all men are inuited for that preaching is indifferently set forth vnto all men neither is there any in a maner which inwardly féeleth not some pricke whereby he is continually stirred vp to liue well So that if we haue a consideration vnto this will of God we will easely grant that he will haue all men to be saued But they will not haue it to be vnderstanded of the hidden and effectuall will which they call the consequent will and after this maner may those kindes of speach be vnderstanded God illuminateth euery man which commeth into this world Come vnto me all ye which labour and are laden For all men are prouoked by the oracles of God and all men are inwardly moued by some pricke All these interpretacions are doubtles very likely and also apt And yet is there an other besides thâ—se both Two societies of meÌ„ wherof eche haue their vniuersality redy and playne The holy scriptures set forth two societies of men the one of the godly and the other of the vngodly and do of eche society pronounce vniuersall propositions which ought of the wary reader to be contracted ech to their kinde The Prophetes say and Christ citeth the same All men shal be taught of God And all men shall know me from the least to the greatest Agayne When I shal be lifted vp from the earth I will draw all thinges vnto my selfe These vniuersall propositions vnles they be vnderstanded of the godly which are elected are not true As are these also I will poure of my spirite vpon all fleshe And all flesh shall come in my sight and shall worship in Ierusalem Agayne All fleshe shall see the saluation of God Againe also God lifteth vp all them that fall Now who séeth not that these things are to be vnderstanded only of the Saints Contrariwise to the fellowship of the vngodly pertaine these sentences No man receaueth his testimony and yet many beleued Ye shal be hated of all men Agayne All men seeke the thinges that are their owne Agayne also All men haue declined and are all together made vnprofitable there is none which doth good no not one When yet notwithstanding holy men and they that are now regenerate are acceptable vnto God and do endeuor themselues to exhibite vnto him some obedience of the law But these vniuersall sayings ought not to be extended beyond their society This distinction had Augustine a regard vnto in his booke de Ciuitate Dei where he declareth and proueth that there Two cities haue euer ben two cities namely one the city of God and an other the city of the deuill Wherfore in these generall propositions we muste alwayes haue a consideration vnto what order or fellowship of men they pertayne Whiche thing if we in this present place do then shall we apply vnto the Saints and vnto the elect this sentence which we are now in hand with namely that God will haue all men to be saued and by that meanes all maner of doubt is taken away Otherwise that God with efficacy willeth not the saluation of all men very many infantes declare which perish without Christ and many also which are borne fooles and deafe and had neuer in their life time the right and iust vse of reason And it Sondry obiections against the aduersaries oftentymes happeneth that some haue liued long time indifferent honestly and faithfully and yet in the meane time do at the last fall and being taken out of the world do eternally perish And contrariwise others which haue perpetually led their life wickedly being at the end of their life endued with sodaine faith and repentance are saued WheÌ„ yet notwithstanding those first mought haue ben takeÌ„ away that maliciousnes mought not haue chaunged their mindes Who will in these examples say that God with efficacy a like willeth the saluation of all meÌ„ They obiect also a sentence of Christ How often would I haue gathered together thy children as a hen gathereth together her chickens and thou wouldest not But here also is ment of the antecedent will of the signe whereby God by his Prophetes Whether Christ wer â—etted that he could not gather together his preachers Apostles and scriptures continually inuited the Iewes to flye vnto him by repentance which thing yet they refused to do But yet God by his will of efficacy which they call the consequent will perpetually drew vnto him those that were his neither was there euer any age wherein he gathered not together as many of the Hebrewes as he had predestinated Therefore Augustine sayde Those which I would I haue gathered together though thou wouldest not They thinke also yâ— this maketh on theyr side which is writteÌ„ in the beginning How the Gentles ar said to be in excusable in his epistle coÌ„cerning the GeÌ„tils namely yâ— they were inexcusable which they say could not haue bene saide vnles vnto euery maÌ„ were geueÌ„ so much grace helpe as might suffice vnto saluatioÌ„ But this is to be known yâ— the Apostle in yâ— place entreated only of knowledge namely that the Gentils could not excuse theyr sinnes for that they had not a law geuen vnto them of God as had the Iewes neither for yâ— God had not in such sort opened himself vnto them as he had opened himself vnto the people of the Iewes Ye knew God saith he by his creatures by the lighte of nature ye wanted not the knowledge of right of wronge Therefore ye are inexcusable Wherfore we must not thinke that this sentence extendeth farther theÌ„ wherfore Paul spake it And if also thou weigh the matter better thou shalt se that the Ethnikes and vngodly men against whome the Apostle writeth thought not that they wanted strengthes to performe those thinges which they knew to be vpright forasmuch as they ascribed all thinges vnto frée wil. Wherefore the Apostle very well concludeth against them As if he should haue saide do ye thinke that ye haue strength inough so that ye iudge that ye haue no néede of
predestination For although therby as it is proued be not letted free wil yet doth not it otherwise want impedimeÌ„ts or lettes For we are borne in sins wil we or nil we we are wrapped in original sin neither can we by any meanes wynd our selues out of sinne And before regeneratioÌ„ what maner of power so euer we geue vnto the will of man in thinges indifferent ciuil this first we ought to thinke yâ— which way soeuer it do turne it selfe it of necessity sinneth neither caÌ„ it do any thing which is in very dede acceptable vnto God neither also can it geue vnto ciuill works yâ— successe which it purposeth Wherfore Augustine worthely wrote in his Enchiâ—idion that the first man in sinning lost the liberty of choyse or will This moreouer is to be considered that the wils motions of the mind actions euen of men not yet regenerated are directed of God and so directed that by his prouidence they are brought vnto the ende by him prefixed and determined Yea also when we are regenerated althoughe after a sort we obteyne liberty thorough Christ yet is not it full but only begonne For the first motions whiche stirre vp vnto sinne crepe vpon vs agaynst our willes whiche motions to be sinnes we haue in the seuenth chapter proued And Ambrose plainly confesseth that our hartes are not in our owne power neyther is there any of the beleuers which continually falleth not when yet he would stand Wherefore we ought all to pray Forgeue vs our trespasses And vnto the Galathians Paul sayd The spirite fighteth against the fleshe and the fleshe agaynst the spirite so that ye do not those thinges which ye would And in his epistle as we haue heard it is written The euill that I hate that I do agayne I feele an other law in my members striuing with the law of my mind leading me away captiue into the law of sinne Which wordes can not be vnderstanded but only of a man regenerated For he had sayd In minde I serue the lawe of God but in flesh the lawe of sinne which in no wise can be referred to a man not yet iustified We graunt in deede that God coulde if he God coulde kepe vs froÌ„ all maner of sinne but he doth not would geue vnto men so much ayde that they should not sinne at all but that hetherto hath he not done neyther hath he promised that euer he will do it Wherfore our will is subiect yet vnto some seruitude which as we desire to remayne certayne and vndoubted so on the other syde we affirme that by the foreknowledge and predestination of God the will is not letted We haue hetherto in this third article sene what necessity commeth of the foreknowledge and predestination of God namely such a necessity which is not absolute but by supposition which we call necessity of consequence of infalliblenes and of certainty but not of coactioÌ„ And seing that it is so it is now euident that no iniustice is committed of God when he condemneth sinners and glorifieth the iust For vnto euery man is rendred according to his works so that no man can say that his sinnes are not his owne workes when as he is not compelled to committe them but excedingly alloweth them and willeth them Neither are lawes admonitions promises and punishements in vaine MonitioÌ„s lawes and punishmeÌ„ts are not in vayne as it was obiected for they are so much of force as God hath decreed they shall be of force as Augustine writeth in his fifth booke de Ciuitate Dei in the chapter before cited For Gods will is to vse them to the saluatioÌ„ of many and though they profite not some yet they want not theyr end for they conduce to the condemnation of the wicked Prayers also are not made vnprofitable for by them Prayers aâ— not vayne Sinnes are not excused by the predestination and counsel of God An example we obteyne those thinges which God hath decreed to geue vnto vs by them Wherfore this is an excellent saying of Gregory in his dialogues That by prayers can not be obteyned but those thinges onely which God hath predestinated to geue And howe by predestination or foreknowledge or predictions sinnes are not excused we are taughte by very many testimonies of the holye scriptures Christ foretold that Iudas should betray him verilye that foretelling neyther tooke away from Iudas his wickednes nor also powred it into him He followed the entisementes of couetousnes he betrayed not the Lord to the end to fullfill his prophesy Christ also was by the will of God slayne For he sayd in the garden Let this cup passe away from me if it be possible but not my will be done but thine And touching himself he foretold I will geue my life for my shepe Yea Herode and Pilate are in the Actes of the Apostles sayd to haue ioyned together to doo those thinges which the counsell of God had decreed Are by reason of thys eyther the Iewes or those princes to be acquited from sinne when as they condemned and slew an innocent man Who will say so Can any man also discharge of villany the brethern of Ioseph wheÌ„ they sold theyr brother although God would that by that meanes Ioseph should come into Egipt Neyther shall the cruelty of the king of Babilon be excused although the iustice of God decreed to haue the Iewes in such sorte punished He which is killed is sayd to be of him deliuered into the hande of his enemy And God is also sayd to deliuer a city when it is wonne by assault And Iob said that those thinges which were by violence and theft taken away from him by the Caldeans and Sabeans were taken away by God The Lord sayth he gaue the Lord hath taken away Wherefore of that counsell of God whereby he vseth sinnes to theyr appointed endes can not be inferred any iust excuses of sinnes For wicked workes are iudged and coÌ„demned bycause of the vitiate and corrupt harte from whence they are deriued Wherefore let no man be offended with the doctrine of predestination when as rather by it we are led to acknowledge the benefites of God and to geue thankes vnto him only Let vs also learne not to attribute more vnto our owne strengths then we ought let vs haue also an assured persuasion of the good will of God towardes vs whereby he would elect his before the foundacions of the world were layd let vs moreouer be confirmed in aduersities knowing assuredly that whatsoeuer calamity happeneth it is done by the counsell and will of God and that it shall at the length by the gouernment of predestination turne vs to good and to eternall saluation The tenth Chapter BRethren myne hartes desire and prayer to God for Israell is that they might be saued For I beare them record that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and
oftentimes we are ignorant what it is that we aske and then God which knoweth what thinges are profitable for vs although perticularly he seeme not to graunt vnto our requestes yet most of all he heareth our prayers when he geueth saluation and therefore is he neuer in vaine called vpon of his faithfull These things being thus set forth and confirmed Paul setteth the Churches in quiet dâ—claring that neither the Gentiles ought to despise the Iewes nor the Iewes also ought not to enuy the Gentiles when as faith and inuocation may be common to ech people For the Prophetes also testifie that wheresoeuer shal be sounde faith and inuocation there also shal be saluation and an assured obtainment of righteousnes For as touching the lacke thereof the Iewes and the Gentiles were both equall as it is said in the 3. chapiter of this epistle For all haue sinned and haue nede of the glory of God Neither herein is there any difference betwene Iewe or Grecian Moreouer neither people hath of himselfe faith whereby to be iustified Wherefore as touching these things the lot both of the Iewes of the Gentiles is a like And therfore it was mete yâ— as the Gospel was preached vnto the Iewes so also it should be preached vnto other people the Iewes wer vnwisemen for this thing to be angry with the Apostles We are also taught forasmuch as faith may be geuen of God vnto whomsoeuer he will neither is We must despaire of no man Note his predestinatioÌ„ knoweÌ„ to despayre of no maÌ„ but by teaching admonishing preaching to endeuor our selues to draw all men vnto Christ The Lord commauÌ„ded the Apostles to go into the whole world to preach to al nations neither excepted he any Therefore Paul earnestly laboured to be made all to all yâ— he might winne all or at the least some vnto Christ None when he falleth into any sinne or in any thing disagreeth from vs is straighway to be reiected he may yet beleue and call vpon God and thereby obtaine righteousnes and saluation Neither ought we hereof to be ignorant that the wordes of the Apostle which we haue hitherto entreated of in this 10. chapiter so proue certainty of saluation that vndoubtedly they can not be denied nor auoyded First he sayd Hereby is certayntye of saluation proued Say not in thine hart who shall ascend into heauen By which wordes he suffreth vs not to doubt that Christ being in heauen pacifieth the father and maketh him meroifull towardes vs and that by his death he hath ouercome eternall destruction sinne the deuill and hell fire so that they can not preuaile against vs if we hope in him Moreouer that we should not doubt he added He which beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed Agayne Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued This suffreth vs not to doubt of saluation whatsoeuer our aduersaries obiect vnto vs. But how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleued and how shall they beleue in him of whome they haue not heard and howe shall they heare without a preacher And howe shall they preach except they be sent as it is written How bentifull are the feate of them which bring glad tidinges of peace and which bring glad tidinges of good thinges But how shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleued That thou shouldest not thinke that by the worke of inuocation thou shalt haue saluation the Apostle straight waye declareth vnto thee the roote whereby thou art made safe namely faith None inuocateth but he which beleueth wherefore the fruit of inuocation commeth vnto vs through faith Paul in this place The fruite of inuocation coÌ„meth vnto vs by faith maketh a certaine kinde of gradation wherein he knitteth the causes together with their effectes We must beginne at saluation which is put for the last effect saluation commeth of inuocation inuocation is by faith faith commeth of hearing and hearing is by preachers and they come by the sending of God Wherefore it followeth that if the Gentiles ought to haue saluation as well as the Iewes then God should send preachers vnto them also Wherefore the Apostles are not to be blamed in that they preached vnto the Gentiles seing that God sent them This kind of argument is called Sorites of heaping vp together for the causes are gathered of the effectes and of the first is inferred the â—â—st or of the last is concluded the first How shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleued No man imploreth the helpe of God vnles he be perswaded with himselfe that God is at hand and redy to helpe him And here againe thou hast an argumeÌ„t to confirme The certainty of saluation confirmeâ— â–ª the certainty of saluation How shall they beleue in him of whome they haue not heard We must first heare the thinges that are to be beleued for that whiche is beleued is the word of God which is receaued by hearing It is not lawfull that we should of our owne hed deuise things to be beleued of vs we muste beleue God in suche force as he hath reuealed hym selfe vnto vs. The ministers of the church are adorned with an excellent title But how shall they heare without a preacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold with how excellent a title the ministers of the Church are adorned they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the ambassadors of God This is theyr chiefest worke to publishe abrode the wordes of God But they haue vtterly lost this dignity which are of this minde that the highest and singulariest honor is to consecrate as they vse Vnles they preach the Gospel they are not the Ambassadours of God to speake the sacrament or to transubstantiate bread and wyne They are not so described in the holye scriptures but that they shoulde preache and doo the office of ambassadors How shall they preach vnles they be sent For an ambassader can signifie nothing of the will of his prince but so much as his prince shall before shew vnto him Paul was not ignoraunt but that it is possible that God can by him selfe worke without an outward minister he knew very well that he which planteth and which watreth is nothing but it is god only which geueth the encrease God can without outward preaching bring to saluation But he here speketh of the ordinary way which God vseth in the Church For he ordeyneth the ministery and vseth the voyce and words of the preachers to kindle fayth by the holy ghost in the hartes of the hearers Wherefore we ought to geue thankes vnto God for so singular a gift But manye contemne and loth the ministers of the Church and would as I suppose be instructed by Angells are ignoraunt that Christ would by his humanity minister vnto vs saluation God delighteth in the loue and knitting together of the members in the Church that we should hang
he willeth not And without doubt God is most gentle and most plentifull of mercy but he is also most iust and therfore it is not to be meruayled at if somtimes he punish with this kind of punishment Pigghius that most trifling Sophister laboureth to inuert this place cited of all the Euangelistes to the end to proue that God is by no maner of meanes the cause of sinne But how farre wide he is from the doctrine of Paul hereby it may plainly be proued in that he maketh election common vnto all men and affirmeth that God hath a like appointed all men vnto eternall life when as Paul not only in very many other places but also here chiefly deuideth the Israelites into chosen and into not chosen and saith that others were made blind and that only election obtained saluation The first place he bringeth out of the 4. chapiter of Marke when Christ was asked why he spake in parables he answered Vnto you it is geuen to know the mistery of the kingdome of God but vnto them which are without all thinges are shewed by parables Here by an vntimely allegory he reproueth vs as though we are without and the flocke of the Papists are within And therefore he saith that we vnderstand not the scriptures But I would gladly know of this man whether they are to be counted out of the church which embrace the holy scriptures which obserue the sacraments and rightly Who are to be counted to be in the Church administer them which deny not the holy ghost wherby the life of the body of the Church is nourished and which confesse the selfe same articles of faith which all Christians confesse What I pray you claymeth he vnto himselfe that we haue not but only mere supersticions and bondage wherin he flattereth the Antechrist of Rome Verely that we are without these things and haue escaped them we are exceding ioyfull and he if he had any witte would much lament that he is within and abiding in them Marke sayth That seing they should see and not perceaue These words are most playne and vnles he had thornes in his eyes without any doubt God because of the wicked deserts of the Iewes would make them By what meanes Christ 〈…〉 seth to make blind blind thereto he vsed these meanes namely the foretellinges of the Prophetes the preachinges of Christ and of the Apostles which when they heard they were more irritated and skipt backe from the truth And therfore Christ sayth Vnto theÌ„ I speake in parables that thereby they may receaue for their sinnes the iust reward of obstinacy and pricking But saith he the obscurenes which is in the words of Mark touching this may be explaned by the brightnes and light which shineth in the words of Mathew For he in the 13. chapiter saith Therefore do I speake vnto them in parables for that seing they see not and hearing they heare not But he willingly ouerhippeth that which was before said Vnto you it is geuen to knowe the mistery of the kingdome of heauen but vnto them it is not geuen for in these words is manifest yâ— inequality of the grace gifts of God Vnto him that hath saith he it shal be geueÌ„ but he which hath not euen that which he hath shal be taken away froÌ„ him They are Hou 〈…〉 them that haue â—â— geuen and froÌ„ them that haue not is takeÌ„ away sayd to haue vnto whom is graunted election vnto saluation and of election commeth faith vnto those I say are continually many heauenly giftes aboundauntly geuen They are sayd not to haue which are reprobate and which are destitute of faith and lose also euen yâ— which they haue for the natural gifts wherwith they were sometimes excellently adorned are made vnto them vnprofitable and the wordes of God and miracles which are offred vnto them bring forth no fruite in their minds Therefore vnto them I speake by parables for yâ— seing they sée not Now sayth Pigghius thou séest the cause why Christe spake in parables for that they were blinde and obstinate not that they were such because that Christe so spake but for that they were such therfore Christe spake vnto them in parables and so neyther in Christ nor in God is there any cause of excecation But this man is farre deceaued for that word quia that is for that or because alwayes signifieth not the cause of a thing to make it to be but rendreth a cause of the knowledge that it may be and that by the effect As in Luke it is written of the sinfull woman Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hath loued much This vehement aboundaunt loue was the effect and did set open the remission of sinnes which lay before hidden So also is it in the parable of the debters He loueth more vnto whom more is forgeueÌ„ So here also when the Apostles demaund Why speakest thou in parables The reason is geuen by the effect because that they seing see not Hereof commeth the excecation of these men Do ye not sée what here followeth I shewe the effect I declare the euent which is that these men in seing sée not in hearing heare not and are made blind And that Pigghius expositioÌ„ aptly agréeth not I will proue by two reasons First for that this sentence of Esay where as in the Hebrue is written God coÌ„maunding In Paul is not expressed the name God as the efficieÌ„t cause of this madnes and obstinacy but in other places of the scripture it is put and especially as we shall sée it is most plainly set forth in Iohn Secondly for that it agréeth not with the question of the Disciples They asked Why speakest thou in parables If Christ had aunswered that their blindnes was the cause therof it mought be thought that therfore he ought not to haue spoken vnto them in parables but ought rather to haue spoken vnto them more manifestly and more plainly to ouercome their blindnes with the brightnes of his doctrine But for that he would punishe them for their rebellion against God to the ende they should be made blind such a doctrine was sette forth vnto them whiche for that they vnderstood not they hated and fled away from it If one man to an other would speake obscurely that they which stand by should not vnderstand hym should afterward be asked why speakest thou so obscurely would he say thinke you for yâ— they which stand by are blockes vnderstaÌ„d not Doubtles this should be a ridiculous aunswere But he would aunswere if he would aunswere with reason Therfore spake I obscurely that they which stoode by should not vnderstand The Apostles asked not why those men beleued not whiche if they had then mought this cause haue bene geuen because that they are blind and heare not the thinges which are spoken But they asked why dost thou speake vnto them in parables and then caÌ„ not their blockishnes and blindnes be rendred as a
not the Gentles froÌ„ his prouidence the Prophets howbeit we are assured that by reason of the singular giftes and wonderfull fauour of God the Israelites were vnto him a peculiar people That he had vtterly no care ouer the Gentiles it is not to be thought For he had a singular care ouer Iob ouer the Niniuites ouer Naaman the Sirian ouer all those which in Chaldea and Persia beleued by the meanes of Daniell and hys fellowes Origen addeth So long as that the Israelites claue first vnto God as his singular inheritaunce the Gentiles could not come vnto him for the possession was enioyed of others but it happened that the Angelles which gouerned ouer the Gentiles and held theÌ„ after a sort captiues enuied this so blessed estate of the Israelites and therefore entisemeÌ„tes drew them away from God namely vnto idolatry and to other wicked factes And God seing this suffred it and resisted not but the Iewes being withdrawen from him he called the Gentiles and toke them out of the handes of the Angelles and made them his people So that God here vsed the lawe of the like for in that thing wherein the ill Aungelles Lex talionis soughte after a sorte to haue taken him they were taken themselues and whilest they went about to take away an other mans seruauntes they lost those whome they alredy possessed Hereby I se that this man was of this mind that the Angelles whome God hath set ouer diuers regions are euill which thing is not mencioned in the The scriptures testify not that the angels whiche are gouernours ouer regioÌ„s are 〈◊〉 scriptures Paul indede sayth that the deuill and euill sprites are the rulers of darknes he calleth them gouerners of the world for they are Gods ministers in the world to aueÌ„ge sinnes neither should they be able to tempt the iust vnles God permitted them yea they were not able to enter inter into the swine before that Christ had geuen them leue These thinges I say we know right well but that those Angelles which are called the princes of the Grecians or of the Persians are euill I thinke not yea rather they are good whome God will haue to defend kingdomes and prouinces that they should not be destroyed thorough the malice violence of Sathan But that which he afterward addeth is true both that by the plucking away of the Iewes from God is place made vnto the Gentiles and also that God by his prouidence hath appoynted those courses and alteracions that so long as the Iewes beleued the Gentiles should be excluded and yâ— Iewes being made blind the Gentiles should enter in but yet not in such sorte that the Iewes shoulde abide still in theyr blindenes for at the last when the Gentiles are illuminated they shall se in what good case we are and how vnhappely al things go with theÌ„ so that being by emulation pricked forward they shal say as it is writteÌ„ in Ose the prophet I will return vnto my first husband for then was it better with me then it is nowe And God wil neuer forget his leage couenant as he hath many times testified by Ieremy by other prophetes And forasmuch as the Iewes were made blind that the Gentiles should enter in it followeth that the Gentils being entred in the blindnes of the Iewes shal cease Wherfore it is sayd WheÌ„ the fulnes of the Gentils shall be entred in all Israel shall be made safe But who they be yâ— pertaine vnto this whole Israel who they be yâ— are that fulnes of the Gentils none knoweth but god only the sonne of God thâ—y if there be any such which are his déere frends to whom he hath reuealed it These thinges I doubt not but are true for that the secretes of the predestination and eternall election of God can by no manner of meanes be knowne of vs but yet he sayth yâ— hereby this we may vnderstand that none of the Israelites if they be Israelites onely as touchinge the fleshe shall haue saluation and also that none of the Origens rule in 〈…〉 dyng the prophetes Gentils shal be saued vnles they pertaine to this fulnes wherof is mencion nowe made And he addeth a rule which we ought to obserue in reding of the Prophets that so often as we read any dolefull and horrible things spoken against the Gentils we should apply theÌ„ to those which wer none of that fulnes but wheÌ„ we here ny pleasant ioyful and happy things spoken then let vs know that they pertaine vnto this fulnes And so as touching the Iewes where the Prophets speak things prosperous of them let them bee vnderstanded of election and of the holye remnants but when they speake of thinges sharpe and troublesome we must applye them to the blinded and to the reiected But in the meane time let vs not cease to With how great wisedome God vseth the destruction of the wicked Men are purged by the word of God and by preaching wonder how God being most wise turneth to the saluation of others that destruction whiche men thorough their owne defaulte bring vnto themselues But the better to vnderstand touching the Israelites that shal be saued and touching thys fulnes he saith They which are by the word of God and preachinge of the Gospell purged shall obteine saluation but they which are not by these purged shall be deliuered vnto fires to be purged We graunt indéede that men are purged by the woord and by preaching for it is written by faith purifieng their harts We graunt also that they which are not purged ar deliuered vnto fires but not to be purged as though the punishmentes of the damned that is of infidels which haue neither receiued the word of God nor preaching of the Gospell shall euer haue end And that he so beleued The wicked shall by fires be tormented and not purged it is manifest both by other bookes of his and also by those thinges which he here addeth For he saith This purgation by fire how long time or how many hundreth yeres it shall last only the sonne is able to know vnto whoÌ„ the father hath geuen all iudgement What other thing els is this but of the paynes of hell to make suche a purgatory Origene made of hell the papistes purgatory as the Papistes haue fayned Neither is he holpeÌ„ by that testimony which he bringeth namely that God will haue al men to be saued for as we haue before taught that sentence of the Apostle hath a farre other sence Now that we haue noted these things in Origen let vs somewhat more diligentlye peise that whyche Paul sayth Blindnes is partly come to Israel It was before declared who sent that blindenes and it was concluded that it was done of God whilest he punisheth sin by sinne without any his fault for sinne claue only in them which are made blind And when Paul here speaketh of Israell he taketh the woord properly
argument that he should be God when as it belongeth vnto him only to forgeue sinnes Men may indede remitte the punishmentes which they which haue sinned should suffer and not take vengeaunce of them but they are not able to blot out the sinne for the the giltines abideth still and he which hath sinned is obnoxious vnto the iustice of God Only God whome the sinner offendeth is able to blot out such guiltines Wherefore the Pharises when they saw that Christ toke away the disseases paynes of the body which are the effectes of sinnes and heard him say moreouer Thy sinnes are forgeuen thee cried out that the blasphemed for that he attributed vnto himselfe that which was proper vnto God But paraduenture Of the kayes some man will say doth God so forgeue sinnes that men may not remitte them Whereto then serue the kayes in the Church In this case by this The kayes of the churche are the worde and faith meanes is committed error for that the Papistes imagine farre other thinges of the kayes theÌ„ the word of God teacheth Christ hath left vnto the Church the kayes wherewith sinnes should be forgeuen which kayes are the word and fayth For in the word of God is set forth vnto men the promise of God whereby thorough fayth in Christ sinnes are forgeueÌ„ and he which beleueth not shall be condemned and his sinnes shall be imputed vnto him This is one kay which the Churche vseth whilest in it is both publiquely and priuately preached the word of God The other kay is fayth for if any heare and geue theyr asseÌ„t vnto these things which are set forth vnto theÌ„ they haue remission of sins And these two kayes the Euangelists haue excellently wel declared vnto vs. For in Iohn Christ breathed vpon the Apostles said Receiue ye the holy gost and whose sinnes ye forgeue c. And what he wrought by this brething spirit is declared in Luke where it is said that he had opened vnto theÌ„ the sence of the scriptures This kay also is set forth in Math. wheÌ„ Christ coÌ„maunded the apostles to go preach c. The other kay belongeth vnto the heares namely the they beleue He which beleueth shal Although the kayes be in the church yet do not men geue remission of sins Whether the old Testament and the new be vtterly diuers be saued Wherefore although the kayes be in the Church yet do not men geue remission of sinnes for the kayes are the instrumentes wherâ—by God offreth it But bycause Paul sayth out of the testimony of Esay that this is a Testament and we read the same in the 31. chapiter of Ieremy that the new couenaunt herein consisteth that the deliuerer should come and be mercifull vnto inquities there ariseth a doubt whether the new Testament and the old be diuers or no. Of which matter I haue before spoken somewhat but nowe I entend more at large to entreate thereof At the first sight they seme vtterly distinct so that the one is altogether diuers from the other for in Ieremy it is sayd that there should be a new Testament and not according to that which he made with the fathers And the epistle to the Hebrewes addeth When he sayth a new then is that abolished which was old but who seeth not but that when one thing abolisheth and maketh voyde an other thing it vtterly differeth from the same There is also an other argument for that as they say in the old testament was not forgeuenes of sinnes For the epistle vnto the Hebrewes in the 10. chap. sayth That the bloud of Goates and of oxen and of calues could not take away sinnes But in the new testament no man doubteth but that there is remission of sinnes wherefore no man will say but that the thinges which in so greate a matter differ are diuers But on the other side One the selfe same maner of iustification in eche One and the same mediator The promise of the forgeuenâ—s of sinnes of eternall lyfe is in eche The selfe same morall commaundements the selfe same signication of the sacrameÌ„ts The selfe same roote and tree The substance of either Testament is one the same the accidences differ In the olde Testament was iustification that is remissioÌ„ of sinnes this is to be considered that that fayth whereof iustification consisteth is in eyther Testament one and the same moreouer that the mediator is one and the same namely Christ Iesus one and the same promise of the remission of sinnes and of eternall life thorough him the selfe same commauÌ„dementes as touching morall commaundementes one and the same signification of the sacramentes one and the selfe same roote and plant from which some of the Iewes are cut of and we grafted in theyr place All which thinges playnly declare that eyther Testament as touching the substance or essence if I may so call it is one and the same thing although there must be granted some differences by reason of the accidences which are that Christ was there knoweÌ„ as which should come but with vs he is knowen as which is alredy come And also theyr simboles or figures were diuers from ours in forme but of like strength in signification as Augustine sayth Moreouer they had a certayne and assured pub welth for the preseruation whereof they had ciuill precepts deliuered vnto them which we haue not And finally vnto the promise of the remission of sinnes by the Messias were in the old time added a greate many other promises as of the encrease and preseruation of theyr posterity and of the possession of the land of Chanaan which promises we haue not And besides all this our sacramentes are more easy and fewer in nomber and also more manifest and extend much farther wheÌ„ as they are not shut vp in a corner as theirs were in Iewry but are spread abrode thoroughout the whole world Wherfore we may affirme that the new testament and the old are in very dede one as touching the substance and differ only in certayne accedences which we haue now mencioned But now resteth to answere vnto the two argumentes which were before brought Touching remission of sinnes we deny that it was not in the old Testament for if we consider the promise which there also was of force by it the elders were iustified For it was sayd of Abraham He beleued God and it was imputed vnto him to righteousnes as the Apostle hath declared And Dauid sayth Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered But if we looke vpon the sacramentes or ceremonies they did not remitte sinnes as touching the worke yea neyther haue out sacramentes strength so to doo But whereas Paul sayth vnto the Hebrewes that the bloud of goates oxen and calues could not take away sinnes We deny not this to be true but yet in the meane time neyther doth Paul deny but that The bloud of Christ and not the bloud
the end the promise should be firme as if he should haue sayd our mynde should continually wauer if the promise should depend vpon workes none could appoynt any certainty of his owne saluation for his conscience would euermore accuse him that he had not performed those workes vnto which the promise should be made to the end therefore we should not in such sort wauer God would that our iustification should consist of faith and grace that the promise might be firme The same thing also is gathered out of that which is declared of Abraham how that contrary The thirtenth to hope he beleued in hope He is sayd to beleue in hope contrary to hope which either in himselfe or in nature séeth or féeleth no maner of thing which might perswade him to hope As Abraham was an hundreth yeares of age his body was in a maner dead his wife an old woman and barren all which thinges naturally feared him away from hoping and yet preuailing against them all he hoped But we if we should haue merites or good workes by which we might obtaine righteousnes then should we not hope contrary to hope but in hope and accordyng to hope Wherefore our iustification is to be appointed no otherwise thē we read that it was in Abraham For he is the father of vs all as it was imputed vnto him so shall it also be imputed vnto vs. But now let vs come to the 5. chapter There The fourtenth agayne Paul plainly expresseth in what case men are before they be regenerate for he sayth For Christ when we were yet weake according to the consideration of the tyme dyed for vngodly ones And straight way But God setteth out his loue towardes ve in that that when we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs And he addeth For if when we were ennemies we were reconciled to God by the deathe of his sonne muche more being now reconciled shall we be saued by his life Hereby we gather that before regeneration men are weake sinners vngodly and the enemies of God Who then can ascribe vnto such men power to attayne vnto iustice when they will by bringing forth good workes Others may beleue it but the godly will neuer be so perswaded This is moreouer an other profe in that he setteth forth the cause of so greate The fiuetene an euill when he sayd Therfore euen as by one man synne entred into the world and by sinne death and so doath went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned as if he should haue sayd we were euen thē from the first beginning by the first man lost and condemned And lest thou shouldest thinke that infantes are to be excepted he sayth Yea death hath raigned from Adam euen to Moses ouer them also which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam The Masse or lompe of perdition comprehendeth all those that are borne from whiche corruption the holy scriptures teach that it is not possible for men to escape by their workes to claime vnto themselues iustification Afterwarde in the 6. chapter thus speaketh The sixtene our Apostle What fruite had ye then in those thinges whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of them is death But now being deliuered from sinne and made the seruantes of God ye haue your fruit to sanctification and the end euerlasting life What other thing meane these woordes then that all thinges whiche men do before they beleue in Christ deserue nothing els but ignominy and shame And there is no fruit of sanctification but that which followeth regeneration And who will say that we are The seuentene iustified of those thinges whiche are full of ignominy and shame But now let vs heare what is said in the beginning of the seuenth chapter Knowe ye not bretherne for I speake to them that know the lawe how that the lawe hath power ouer a man as long as it endureth For the woman which is in subiection to a man is bound by the law to the man as long as he liueth but if the man be deade she is loosed from the lawe of the man Wherfore if whilest the man liueth she coople herselfe with an other man she shal be counted a wedlocke breaker but if the man dead ▪ she is free from the lawe of the husband so that she is no wedlocke breaker though she coople her selfe with an other man Euen so ye also my bretherne are dead vnto the law by the body of Christ that ye should be coopled to an other namely to him which is risen againe from the deade that we shoulde bring foorth fruite vnto God Paul would by this reason declare that we before our faith in Christ were as it were to husbande 's coopled to the law and to the flesh of which copulation could come no fruites but those that are pernicious and deadly But now being deliuered by the grace of God we are coopled vnto Christ by the spirit vnto Christ I say being raysed from the dead by which copulation we shal now bring forth fruite vnto God and not any more to death and damnation And the selfe same thing he affirmeth or rather expoundeth when he addeth For when we were in the fleshe the lustes of sinnes which are by the law were of force in our members to bring forth fruite vnto death Here let vs note that so long as we were in the flesh we were subiect vnto wicked affections whiche by the lawe were of force in our members how then could we be iustified by our workes Further in the same chapter is written For that which I do I allow not For what I woulde that do I not The eightene but what I hate that do I. If now I do that which I would not then is it not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Here as it manifestlye appéereth is entreated of the bodies of men and although in interpreting these wordes I am assured that they are to be vnderstande of those workes which are done of the godly which haue already obteined iustification yet now I leaue it fre vnto the aduersaries to take whether part they wil and if they graunt that these things ought to be vnderstand of works done before iustification then forasmuch as they are neither allowed nor good how shall they deserue righteousnes for they are called euil no man is iustified by an euil actiō But if we vnderstād works which are here described to be the works of those that are iustified then wil I make mine argument a maiori that is frō the greater If those workes which rather séeme to be acceptable vnto God iust holy are called euil by the iudgement of reason now renued are not allowed howe can we affirme thē that those works which are done of sinners are such that they are able to iustifye And lest any
he writeth vnto the Gentiles Wherefore those workes which he excludeth from iustification can not be vnderstand of ceremonies for the Gentiles obserued not them But what will they say of the epistle vnto Timothe where in the second chapiter we are simply absolutely sayd to be called not for our works but according to purpose and grace Also vnto Titus He hath saued vs saith he not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to hys mercy All these thinges are so playne and manifest that they nede no interpretacion For there is no man so dull but that as sone as he once heareth these thinges easely perceaueth that they can not without greate iniury be wrested vnto the ceremonies and rites of Moses But I would fayne know of these men why they take a way the power of instifieng from the workes of ceremonies and do so easely attribute it vnto morall workes Is it not a good and laudable maner to worshipe God which certayne appoynted rites which he himselfe hath commaunded Were not the rites and sacred seruites which were at that time prescribed vnto the people of the Iewes commaunded in the ten commaundementes Vndoubtedly where the Sabaoth is commaunded to be obserued there are all these thinâ—s conteyned And eueÌ„ these selfe same Sophisters doo they not at this day attribute the forgeuenes of sinnes and collation of grace vnto theyr sacramentes as in the old testament they were attributed vnto circumcision What man of constancy is this one while to say that the rites of Moses haue no power to iustify and an other while to graunt that the same were sacramentes of the old fathers and that in circumcision originall The inconstancy 〈…〉 e Sâ—pl if â—s sinne was forgeuen vnto infantes But this affirme not we yea we rather vtterly deny that any sacraments conferre grace They doo indede offer grace but SacrameÌ„ts conferre not grace yet by signification For in sacramentes and wordes and visible signes is lette forth vnto vs the promise of God made thorough Christ which promise if we take hold of by fayth we both obteyne a greater grace then that was which before we had and with the seale of the sacramentes we seale the gifte of God which by faith we embrased But I can not inough meruayle at these men which both affirme An other cauillation and also deny one and the selfe same thing They graunte but not with any great warines as theyr accustomed maner is that they vtterly take not away from the sacraments of the elders and chiefely from circumcision the strength of iustifying but onely since the time that the Gospell was published abrode of which time only say they the contencion of Paul sprange that the rites of Moses should no more be retayned But here also according to theyr accustomed maner they are both deceiue theÌ„selues also they deceiue others For when yâ— Apostle teacheth yâ— AbrahaÌ„ was not iustified by circumcisioÌ„ but receaued it afterward being now iustified by fayth vndoubtedly he taketh away the power of iustefying from that ceremony euen also in the time of Abraham wherein it was first instituted Dauid also wheÌ„ he affirmeth that blessednes herein consisteth that sinnes should not be imputed which thing as we now reason is nothinge ells then to be iustified speaketh he of his owne time or of any other time Abacuck also when he sayth that the iust maÌ„ liueth by his fayth and excludeth workes from iustifieng as Paul manifestly expoundeth him spake he only of his owne time thinke you Vndoubtedly he spake both of our time and also of his owne time Lastly when Paul expressedly writeth vnto the Galathians in the third chapiter As many as are of the law are vnder the curse and goeth on in prouyng that sentence wherehence I beseche you seeketh he a testemony Vndoubtedly out of the law Cursed sayth he be he which abideth not in all the thinges that are written in booke of the law Seing therefore the Law so speaketh and that as Paul sayth it wrappeth in a curse all those which traÌ„sgresse An other cauillation the commaundementes thereof then followeth it of necessity that by those works which pertayne vnto it no man can be iustified But these men go to an other shifte for they say that all those which are to be iustefied are not of one and the selfe same condition For such which come to christianity are eyther of yâ— Hebreues They put a differeÌ„ce betwene those which are first conuerted vnto Christ and those which hauing sallâ—n are restored or ells of the Gentiles certayne also after they haue once receaued Christ do fall into greauous wicked crimes and haue nede againe of instauration Nowe say they the state and consideration of both these partes is not a like For they whiche haue once professed the name of a Christian when they are fallen can not recouer righteousnes but by good workes as by almes geuing teares fasting confessions and such other which preparations and merites are not required of those which from infidelity are first conuerted vnto Christ But I would first heare of these good wise men out of what place of the holy scriptures they found this theyr distinction And seing the maner of iustification is vtterly one and the selfe same and portayneth as well to the one as to the other why ought the one to come vnto it one way the other an other way Farther why do they attribute this vnto those that are fallen in Christianity by theyr workes to merite vnto themselues iustification but vnto those which come from infidelity they attribute not the same Are they whiche haue not kept fayth when they were in the Church better then the They whiche fall froÌ„ christiaÌ„ religion are of worser estate then infidels Ethnikes I thinke not vndoubtedly for they which haue once tasted of the swete word of God and do afterward fall from it are in worse estate theÌ„ the other And the seruaunt which knoweth the will of his master and doth it not is greeuoslier punished Also He which hath not a care ouer his and especially ouer his house hold the same man hath denied the fayth is worse then an infidele But they say they deny not but yâ— they which are conuerted froÌ„ infidelity may do some good workes yea and yâ— they may if they do theÌ„ after some sort deserue iustification at the lest way of congruity but that these works are alike required as well of those as of the other they deny But forasmuch as al their works as I haue ells where taught are sins how caÌ„ they do good works before God Moreouer how are not good works required of theÌ„ before they come vnto Christ are baptised WheÌ„ as none which are regenerate by Christ caÌ„ beleue truly vnles he earnestly repent him of his former wicked life For he abouÌ„daÌ„tly bewaileth the sins of his former life confesseth yâ— he hath greauously erred
Which thing if he do not vndoubtedly he beleueth not faythfully and truly This doth Augustine write of him selfe in his booke of confessions And in the actes of the Apostles the Ephesiās when they had geuen themselues ouer vnto Christ did not only confesse theyr sinnes but also burnt those bookes which before they had vsed vnto supersticion But I will declare vnto you what hath deceaued these men They read paraduenture in the Fathers that they attributed much vnto teares fastinges almes and other godly workes of the penitent But these men vnderstand In what sence the fathers haue attributed so much vnto prayers fastinges teares not what the Fathers ment in those places For they intreated of ecclesiastical satisfactions and not of our workes by which God should be pacified or the forgeuenes of sinnes deserued For the Church forasmuch as it saw not the inward fayth of thē y◠fal and there were many which not abiding the shame of excōmunication sometimes dissembled some shew of conuersion and repentaunce thereby the rather to be reconciled and receiued vnto the cōmunion of the other brethern the Church I say to the end this should not happen would haue a proofe of theyr fayth and conuersion neyther would it admitte them that fell vnto the fellowship of the faythfull before they had declared teares fastinges confessions and almes as witnesses of a true and perfect chāging And bycause these men marke not this they confound all thinges and build thereupon most detestable hipocrisye But they haue yet an other shift for they say that the workes of infidels are not sinnes although they be done without the fayth of Christ For they imagine that there Whether the workes of infidels be sinnes or no. is a certayne generall and confused fayth towardes God which fayth they which haue althoughe they beleue not in Christ yet may they worke many excellent workes which euen for that selfe same fayth sake may please God and after a sort deserue iustification They geue say they large almes they honor theyr parents they excedingly loue their countrey if they haue cōmitted any thing y◠is euil they are sory for it they liue moderately and do a greate many other such like thinges and that not rashly but bycause they beleue there is a God which delighteth in such workes Therefore they apply them selues vnto them to make themselues acceptable vnto him Farther they paynt out and colour theyr fayned lye with a trime similitude A stake say or a post being put into the earth although oftētimes A similitude it take not roote or life yet draweth it some iuyce out of the erth so bringeth forth some leaues and buddeth as if it liued in very dede So mē say they that are strāge from Christ although they liue not by the celestiall spirite yet by some inspiratiō of the spirite they worke those excellent workes which we haue described But we We please God with no faith but with that which is in Christ that are instructed by the holy scriptures doo acknowledge no other fayth whereby we can please God but only that which is in Christ Iesus For there is no other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men whereby we cā be saued but only the name of Christe our sauiour And Paul as often as he maketh mencion of fayth whiche iustifyeth alwayes declareth it to be that faythe whereby we are godlye affected towardes Christe and hys Gospell But leaste Paul shoulde seme to teach this thing peculiarly and alone I will a little more déepely repeate the whole matter Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him vnto righteousnes Abraham was iustified b◠faith in Christ But what beleued he Forsooth this that he shoulde haue séede geuen him namely that onely séede as Paul interpreteth it wherein all nations shoulde be blessed which is Christ Iesus This testament was confirmed of God vnto him in Christ yea the Lord himselfe when he spake of him said He saw my day and reioysed Iob also in the xix chap. I saith he do know that my redemer liueth which shall also rise in the last day ouer them that lye in the dust And after the wormes shall destroy this body I shall see the Lord in my flesh Whome I my selfe shall see and mine owne eyes shall behold and none other for me This faith expressed in those words is in no wise generall or confused For in it are plainly described the principall pointes whiche pertain vnto Christ For first he is called a redéemer wherein is published the forgeuenes of sinnes Further his comming to iudgement is set forth and also the resurrection of the deade in whiche resurrection not other bodies but euen the selfe same which they had before shal be restored vnto men There also put the humane nature of Christ which may be seene with corporall eies Further what manner A true faith draweth with it all good motions of the mynde They whiche be strāgers from Christ may haue a credulity but not a true faith The Turkes haue not a true fayth although they beleue many true things that we beleue of faith I beséech you is that faith which these men affirme infidels to haue For a true and firme persuasion and a constant and an assured assent vnto the promises of God draweth with it as I said at the beginning all good motions of the minde How then can they say that these men haue faith which lie still weltering in idolatry and in most filthy and grosse sinnes They may indéede haue some certaine credulitye either by education or by humane persuasion or by an opinion after a sorte rooted in them but to haue a true faith so long as they lead such a kind of life it is by no meanes possible vnles they will graunte that the Turkes haue also faith for they assente vnto many thinges whiche we professe and beleue But this place of Paul out of the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing this place I saye they will haue to be vnderstande not onely of the true faith but they also saye that the same faith may be seperated from charitie howbeit they graunte that if it so come to passe the same fayth can profite nothing Seing therfore they after that sorte expound that place how agrée they with Paul when they say that a generall and cōfused faith which is in men that are yet straunge from Christe can bring foorth good workes which of congruity may merite iustification and please God when as Paul saith that euen the true faith also as they interprete it doth nothing profite without charitie But that similitude which they bring of a stake or post fastened into the earth vtterly ouerthroweth their opinion For although being deade it séemeth to liue yet in very déede it liueth not And a wise husbandman séeth that that budding forth is vnprofitable and
glory of God For when as nothing is attributed vnto our merites and workes it must néedes be that the whole glory redoundeth vnto God Therefore Paule saith of Abraham he gaue the glory vnto God knowing this most fully that what soeuer he had promised he was able also to performe And the more to expresse the certainty of faith he vsed this participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he signifieth that Abraham with a certaine most full assent embrased the promesse of God And least any man should thinke that this was a proper and peculâ—are prerogatiue geuen vnto Abraham the Apostle addeth an vniuersall rule and saith that it was not written for him only that it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but also for vs vnto whome it shall be imputed so that we beleue in him which raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Farther out of the .v. chapter we haue also an other testimony wherfore seing saith he we be iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through Iesus Christ by whome we haue accesse through faith into this grace wherein we stand Here are two things to be noted the one is that we are iustified by faith and that by grace the second that vnto this grace is not an entraunce made open by preparatioÌ„s or works which dispose vs but only by faith In the. vâ—ij chapter are set forth as it were certaine steppes and degrees by which we must come to eternal saluation WhoÌ„ he hath foreknown saith he those also hath he predestinate that they shold be like fashioned vnto the image of the sonne of God that he might be the first begotteÌ„ amongst many brethreÌ„ And whoÌ„ he hath predestinate those also hath he called And whoÌ„ he hath called those hath he iustified and whoÌ„ he hath iustified those also will he glorifie Here are reckened vp .v. degrees foreknowledge predestination vocation iustification and glorification in which as touching our purpose let vs consider what commeth betwene vocation and iustification And that is nothing else but faith For for as muche as vocation is done by the promise of iustification and of saluation the same is receiued by faith geuing assent thereunto Towardes the ende of the .ix. chapter is set forthe a difference betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles and a reason is geuen why the Gentiles obtained righteousnesse and not the Iewes For thus Paule saith What shall we say then That the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue taken holde of righteousnesse which is by faith But Israell which followed righteousnesse attained not vnto the lawe of righteousnesse bicause they sought it not by faith but as it were by workes What caÌ„ there be more manifest then these words for they declare that they which wil be iustified by faith doe obtaine righteousnesse but those which doe aspire vnto it by works doe labor but in vaine This self thing he proueth euen from the beginning of the .x. chapter where he describeth two kindes of righteousnesse the one which he calleth ours which consisteth of works the other which he calleth the righteousnesse of God which is taken holde of by faith And thus he writeth They being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to establishe their owne are not obedient vnto the righteousnesse of God Hereby it is manifest that they which wil establish their owne righteousnesse â–ª that is the righteousnesse of works do fall away from the righteousnesse of God Paule goeth on and more plainly openeth the nature of these two kinde of righteousnesses Moses sayth he thus wryteth of the righteousnesse which commeth of the lawe The man which dothe these things shall liue in them By these words he sheweth that the righteousnesse of the law consisteth in workes But of the righteousnesse which commeth of faithe he thus speaketh Say not thou in thine heart who shall ascend vp into heauen to fetch Christ from thence or who shall descend into the deepe to fetche vp Christ againe from the dead But what saith he The word is nigh thee euen in thy mouthe and in thine heart The same is the worde of faith which we preach which word he which beleueth in his heart and with his mouth confesseth the Lord Iesus Christ shal be saued Hereby we se that not the righteousnesse of the lawe which is had by workes but the righteousnesse of faithe is it which bringeth saluation And this is by the latter words more manifestly confirmed For in that there is added With the heart we beleue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth is confession made vnto saluation the later clause touching confession which semeth to be an outward worke is therfore added least we shold thinke that the faith wherby we are iustified should be idle for it is not a vaine barren faith such a one as our aduersaries dreame that we obtrude It hath most pleÌ„tifull and most aboundant fruits amongst which the confession of piety obtaineth the first place and is most necessaryest Hereunto Paule addeth a testimony out of the Prophet he which beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed They are commonly ashamed which coÌ„trary to their expectation are frustrated of that which they hoped to haue obtained Wherefore the meaning is He which beleueth in Christ and by this faith waiteth for saluatioÌ„ shal not be put to shame bicause he shall not be frustrated of his hope He addeth also an other testimony taken out of the Prophet Ioel Whosoeuer doth call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued in which words the promise of saluation seemeth to be ascribed vnto inuocation But Paule profitably teacheth as I haue before oftentimes said wheÌ„ Note thaâ— the scriptures teach a resolution froÌ„ workes â–ª vnto fayth And againe from fayth to his obiect promises seeme to be adioyned vnto workes we must alwayes run from them vnto the roote and foundation namely vnto faith So Paule in this place when he had sayd Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued straight way addeth how shall they cal vpon him in whom they haue not beleued So he resolueth the whole matter from inuocation into faith And that we shold not think that faith by his owne power hath any thing whereby it can iustifie he againe passeth from it vnto the obiect saying how shall they beleue without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Also faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Wherefore the vttermost point of the resolution is the worde of God and promesse touching Christ from whence as from the fountaine is deriued our saluation and iustification In the .xj. chapter is set forthe the Antithesis betweene incredulitie and faith which serueth very muche to confirme that which we now teache The braunches were broken of that I might be grafted in This was an obiection of the Gentiles against the Iewes Paule answereth thou sayest well
we beleue that god raised vp our Lord Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Is it not here most manifestly said that we ought to beleue that that Iesus Christ whome God raised vp was dead and rose againe that we should be iustified and haue all our sinnes forgiuen vs doubtlesse it is a thing most vncomely for a man that professeth diuinitie so willingly not to sée things that are most manifest Afterward he maketh a cauillation about the perticular fayth wherby we say that euery one that beleueth truly in Christ ought to be most assured with him selfe that his sinnes are forgeuen him He denieth that there is any such faith foūd in the holy scriptures And that therfore this is only our deuise and inuētion Here vndoubtedly I can not hold my selfe but that I must nedes say that Pighius loudely lieth For I would haue him to tell me what did Abraham beleue whē he was iustified but that vnto him should one day be rendred those promises of God For vnto whome is it most likely beleued he that they should be rendred but vnto him selfe The selfe same thing may be sayd of Moses of Dauid and of many other of whome it is most certayne that they beleued that the promises which God made vnto them should perticularly be rendred vnto them And what I besech you mēt Christ when he sayd vnto the man that was sicke of the palsey Sonne thy sins are forgeuen thee And when he sayd vnto the woman Thy fayth hath made thee safe And did not Paul vnto the Galathians thus speake of Christ Who hath loued me and deliuered vp him selfe for me What can be more manifest then these wordes Let Pighius go now make his vaūts that we were the first finders out of this proper and singular fayth and let him cry that euery Christian man ought to beleue that the promises are made only indefinitely that it is not mete that euery one of vs should apply them seuerally vnto him selfe For we ought to beleue of our selues and not of other For we may as touching others be deceaued whether they beleue or no. But touching our selues we may be assured and certayne of it Let euery mā beleue the promises of God indefinitly as touching others for we know not who is predestinate and who is reprobate but none which is faythfull ought in any wise to doubt of him selfe but to beleue that the promise is perticular as touching him selfe by that that he séeth that he truly beleueth Farther when promises are set forth in an vniuersal proposition we may most assuredly of them gather theyr singular propositions And Christ sayth in Iohn This is the will of my father that euery one that seeth the sonne and beleueth in him should haue eternall life Wherfore we thus inferre But I beleue in the sonne of God Ergo I haue now and shall haue that which he hath promised Pighius still goeth one and to the end he would proue that the fayth of euery article and not that fayth only which is referred vnto Christ for the remission of sins iustifieth vseth the example of Noe. For he sayth that he beleued only those thinges which pertayned to the safegard of his house and to the destruction of the world and by that fayth he sayth he was iustified Here sayth he is no mencion made of Christ or of the remission of sinnes But it semeth vnto me that this man hath not very diligently red that which Peter writeth in his 1. Epistle and 3. chapter For Peter sayth when once the long suffering of God abode in the dayes of Noe while the Arke wos preparing wherin few that is eight soules were saued thorough the water vnto the figure wherof Baptisme now agreeing maketh vs also safe whereby not the filth of the fleshe is put away but wherebye it commeth that a good conscience Noe was iustified by fayth in Christ well answereth vnto God That which Peter saw was signified by the Arke and by those thinges which Noe did can we thinke that the patriarch him selfe saw not This vndoubtedly were to much derogation vnto him And if he saw those things which Peter maketh mencion of He beleued not only those thinges which were then done but also those which were looked for to be accomplished by Christ And therfore it is very well written vnto the Hebrues the he was by such a faith made the heyre of righteousnes But Pighius nothing passeth vpon this who so that he may be agaynst vs is nothing at all aferd to fight euen against the Apostles themselues For he is not aferd to affirme that our first father Adam was iustified but yet not with that fayth which we speake of which concerneth the remission of sins thorough Christ For he had no promise as touching that as farre as may be gathered out of the scriptures But doubtles this man is both farre deceiued and also hath forgottē his Fathers whome he would be sene to make so much of Was not the selfe same thing Adam was iustified by faith wherby he beleued the remission of sinnes through Christ sayd vnto Adam which was by God promised vnto Eue his wife that his séede should bruse the hed of the Serpent Christ was that séede he hath so broken the hed and strengths of the deuill that now neither sinne nor death nor hel can any thing hurt his members This place all the fathers in a maner thus interpret But Pighius which yet is les to be borne withall is not afeard to say that iustification is not geuen vnto vs by the promise In which thing doubtles he is manifestly agaynst Paul For he vnto the Galathians thus writeth God gaue vnto Abraham by the promise and there is no doubt but that vnto vs it is geuen after the selfe same maner that it was vnto Abraham But this is to be knowen that Distinction of the promise this woorde promise is taken two manner of wayes eyther for the thing promised and so it is not to be doubted but that we are iustified by the promise that is by Christ and by the forgeuenes of sinnes which is promised vnto them that beleue or ells it is taken for the very words of God in which he thorough Christ promiseth vnto vs remission of sinnes And in this maner also we may be sayd to be iustified by the promise For although the cause of our iustificatiō be the mere will and mercy of God yet is not the same offred or signified vnto vs but by the wordes of the promises and by the sacramentes For these words haue we as sure testimonies of the will of God towards vs. And so fayth want not wherby we apprehend the thinges that are offred we are iustified by the promises Afterward Pighius to the end he would proue that God attributeth more vnto workes then vnto faith citeth a place out of the 22.
place 445 Greuous vnto God what it is 37 Grief â–ª what it is 237 Grounds of the church what they are 236 H HAting of God what it is 333 258 Happye is he that foloweth the calling of God 13 Heauen and earth shal passe and after what maner 217 Heretikes vpbrayd the gospel 14 Holines what it is 5 Holy dayes 436 Honor what it signifyeth 219 Hope maketh glad â–ª and maketh sory 420 Hope springeth out of faith 446 Hope and faith haue one property 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. Hospitality is a worke of noble men 422 How we ought to pray for others 452 How we are made sure of the victory 455 I IAcob why he was called Israel 242 Iacob wrestleth with God 92 Iewes are preferâ—ed before yâ— gentiles 16 Iewes were Idolaters 25. 44. 45. 50 Idols and Idolatry 24. 25. 29 Idlenes is an image of death 412 Image of God what it is 124. 188 Image of Christ made of copper 30. 31. 32 Images how they began 24. 25. 30 Images of God sprang of infidelity 30 Images out of Temples are not to be contempned so they be not worshipped 30. 32 Images taken two maner of wayes 82 Imaginations of men 23 Immortality is the mere gift of God 219 Incredulity bursteth out of originall sinne Infants receiue not the Eucharist 202 Inheritaunce what it is 209. 210 Instruction for preachers 155 Inuocation of Sayntes 98 Isaac borne of the promes 247 It is not counted a lye except it be don with a minde to deceiue 452 Iustification what it is 15. 58. 64. 65. 68. 71. 75. 96. 107. 181. 185. 191. 193. And it is spetially and at large intreated vpon from the. 367. leafe vnto the. 410. leafe Iustice is ioyned with the wil of God 274 Iudges maye iudge the crimes of other though they them selues be giltye in the same crimes 36 Iudgement at the last day 38 K KEyes of the church are the worde and fayth 361 Knowledge is of two kindes 36 Knowledge of our sinne is profitable 109 L LAw what it is 58. 66. 70. 90. 114. 191. 192. 135. 136. 137. 138. 151. 155. Lawes are of diuers sortes 175 Law through Christe is no burden vnto vs. 445 Law grace differ 152. 153. 163. 164. 165. 166 Law and gospell differ 15 Law of nature is the law of God 34. 35 Lent abused 143. Letter killeth is expounded 163 Liberty of speche is necessary 330. Liberty is obtained but one way 174 Liberty hath thre kindes 179 Libertines 176. 321. 443 Life what it is 196 Life is a thing excellent 39 Life is of two sortes 111 Loue what it is 106. 258 Loue is the cause of grief 237 Loue of God and loue of men differ 5 Loue election and predestination what they are 258. 259. 260. 261. 262. 263 Lusts are of two sorts 29. 165. 166. 201 M MAnnes nature chiefly resembleth the diuinity of God 21 Man endued with grace may sin 28 Maniches opinion in fre wil. 28 Maniches confuted 250 Marcion reiecteth the two last Chapiters of this Epistle 456 Magistrate what he is 227. 228. 426 Martirdome what is requisite therunto 233 Matrimony what it is 161 Meates of themselues are not vncleane 438. 441 Mercy of it selfe is not good 185 Mercy with iustice 38 Mercy and truthe are ioyned together 445 Mercy what it is 159 Members of our body what they are 150 Meat what it is 157. 158 Messias is come 82 Methodes vsed by S. Paule that we can not be without some God 23 Millenarij 88 Ministers ought not to forsake their vocation 334. 349. 350 Miracles 323 Miracles that cause 449 Mistery what it is 358 359 Miserable is the state of the godlye in this world 453 Mortifying what it is 203 Mortification is of two kindes 211 Mortification of faith 271 N NAturall copulation betwene man and wife is good 33 Nature teacheth vs not all those things that appertaine to God 20 Necessity is to three kindes 270 Nobility wherin it chiefly coÌ„sisteth 243. 244 Nobility what it is 351 Notes by the which wickednes is knowne 34 O OBedience of faith 5 Obedience what it is 1â—8 Obedience to Magistrates 427 ObiectioÌ„s made in the defence of images 20 Obiections made by Iulianus to proue free will 27 Obsecrations or prayers 410. 411 Occasion is to be obserued 420 Office of deacones 418 Office of the Apostles 449 Olde testament and the new is all one 353 Originall sinne in infants 229 Originall sinne passeth not away 110. but is proper to euery man 118. 119. 127. 129. 130. 131. Origene confuted 250 P PAcience what it is 40. 100 Patience in temptations 273 Papists vpbraid the gospel 14 Papists ascribe trouble to the gospell 15 Papists what they are 36 Parable of the seede 267 Paule and the Pope agre not 3 Paule the teacher of the Gentiles 366 Paule whether he coulde truely praise the Romaines 447 Paule wrote boldly 447 Paule in excusing him selfe altereth not his wryting 447 Paules priesthode was to preache the gospell 447 Paules ministery and the Iewes compared together 442 Paule why he made suche hast to goe about the countrey 449 Paule why he went not to Rome at the beginning 449 Paule Moses and Aarons compared together 449 Paules ministring vnto tables whether it neglected the gospell 451 Paule to the Romains his saluation 1.6 Paule accuseth the Ethnickes 23 Paule aboue all the other Apostles why he was odious to the Iewes 453 Peace what it signified with the Hebrues 6 Peace â–ª what it is 96. 97 Peace passeth all sence 6 Pelagians error 32. confuted 250 Paena tallionis 26 Persons flye from causes 42 Pigghius opinion of originall sinne 120 Pharao why God stirred him vp 263. 264. 265. 266. 279. Philosophers filthy life 21 Phinâ—â—s work how it was imputed 73 Phebe what manner of ministerye in the church she had 453 Pithagoras opinion touching God 31 Plinie wrote to Traiane the Emperoure of the innocent life of the Christians 16 Popes and bishops ought to haue no sword 429 Popish priests 96 Punishment of God what it is 36. 37. 38 Porer more willing to geue then the richer 451 Pore are to be holpen 421. 422 Prayers what it is 223 Prayers consist not of the worthines of theÌ„ that pray 452 Preaching and almes alwayes was coÌ„mitted in charge to Paule 450 Preachers how they ought to vse theÌ„selues 237. 313 Predestination what it is 3. 37. 42. But it is specially intreated of and defined from the 285. leafe vnto the. 366. leafe Promises are of diuers sortes 243 Promises of the law and promises of the gopel differ 210 Purpose of God what it is 253. 259 R REasons why god wil iudge men 36 Reasons to proue that we are loued of God 234 Regeneration is not to be attributed vnto the water 247 Regeneration what it is 149. 154 Reioysing what it is 108 Repentaunce preached 19 Repentaunce of God and repentaunce of men 363 Resurrection is the only signe of the diuine nature of Christ 4 Resurrection of
the dead 68 â–ª 78. 201. 202. 218 Riches how it is vsed 37 Righteousnes what it is 16. 117. 236 Righteousnes is of two sortes 316 317. 318. 440. Righteousnes is of God 60. 285 Righteousnes commeth without the law 56 Rites and ceremonies of the Gentiles were not constant 243 Romaines why they were called holye 5 Rocke which was Christ 199 Rules to amend iustes 29 S SAbaoth day 436 Sacraments what they are 47. 49. 77. 79 80. 81. 82. 83. 85. 86. 145. Sacrifice what it is 411. 412 Sacrifice of the Masse compared with the sacrifice of the gospell 448 Sacrifices 195 Sacrilege what it is 46 Saluation by the gospel 15 Sanctification what it is 156 Sanctification commeth not of the nature of the parents 14â— Sathan being bound what it meaneth 218 Saintes desires are not alwayes fulfilled 450 Sedicious persons are to be abhorred 43 Seruice of God what it is 1 Seruaunts and free men differ 1 Seruaunts why they are so called 153 Sending of the Apostles what it is 2 Scripture hath not his aucthoritye of the church 93 Scripture bringeth patience and consolation 443 Scripture may not be prohibited from lay men 199 Shame what it is 156 175 Signes what they are 79 Simmachus Oration 25 Sinne of the first parents 32 Sinne comprehendeth action and defect 27 Sinne and the effectes therof is at large described from the. 54. lefâ— vnto the. 194. lefâ— Sinnes are the tormenters of God 34 Sinne is punished by sinne 33 Sinnes ventall and mortall 150 Sinne and death knit together 111 Sinne in infantes 168. 169 170 Sleping what it is 433 Scholemasters â—re the instrumeÌ„ts of god â–ª 21 Soule of man what it is 41 Soules of saintes althoughe they be blessed desire many things 213 Spirite of Christ what it is 199 Spirite of feare and spirite of adoption 203. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 242. Stoikes without affections 29 Straunge tongues may not be vsed in the church 207 Stretching out of the hand what it is 331 Succession what it is 244 Supper of the Lord what is the righte vse therof 24 Sworde being borne before a Prince what it signifieth 431 T TAble of the Eucharist 343 Temptation is of two kindes 28 Testament new and old 43. 44. 50. and why it is so called 363 Things are not to be made common 451 The spirite of loue 452 Through Christ we geue god glory 456 To confesse what it is signifieth 445 Transubstantiation 198 Truthe coâ—uinceth errors 20 Tribute why it is payd 431 Truthe made captiue and by whome 20 Truthe commeth all of God 21 True doctrine must be ministred though the people allow it not 22 Truthe had place in the grafting in of the gentiles 445 Two marks to know false Apostles by 455 V VEssels of wrath 277 Vncleane things what they are 29 Vngodlines what it is 75 Vocation of efficacy is an effecte of predestination 290 VV WAking what it is 433 Wedding garment what it is 434 Words and dedes are the instruments of the Apostleship 448 Word of God edefyeth 338 World what it signifieth 413 Workes â–ª what they are 39. 40. 43 Workes of the law 57. 68. 73 Works of preparation 3. 1. 173 Works reiected 148. 185 Works or superegation 56 Works iustify not 57. 68. 69. 83. 103 Works and carnal propagation are not causes of saluation 246 Works of darknes â–ª what they are 434 Wrath of God what it is 19 38. 278 Worshipping of God what is the truthe thereof 23 Z ZAchary slaine betweene the temple and the altare 96 ⧠Faultes escaped desiring thee Reader to marke them in thy booke according to the Table here following Folio Page Line Faultes Corrected 20 1 21 vnto this senses vnto his senses 30 1 48 By loues and colours by lines and coloures 32 1 15 an Image of the another image of the 33 1 5 not to vnderstand not to be vnderstand 37 2 11 said wheÌ„ word was said when word was eod 2 21 or that he wold for that he wold 40 2 38 and lying waytes and lying wonders 42 1 39 out of other men for other men 59 2 37 false falles 61 1 9 his appointed his lawes appointed 68 2 17 pertained vnto him pertained not vnto 69 1 49 the accidences if the accidences 78 2 31 that so that it is so 89 2 16 riftingly triflingly 97 2 37 he leaueth vs he loueth vs 102 1 40 them selues set themselues 105 2 55 a much greater loue that he bare a muche 108 0 1 place placed iÌ„ so firm a place 112 1 31 created with some created with sinne 123 1 47 haue bene they bene saued if they 124 1 13 are called which are called 139 1 19 as haue as we haue eod  23 proposition proportion 140 2 28 were not true were true 142 2 55 the mansions the inuasions 150 1 16 before when he before vsed when he 157 2 7 soldiers soldiers weÌ„ton â—â—arfar 159 1 6 in a merite in it a merite eod 2 25 hostis promeretur hostiis promeretur 166 1 51 with as it is his first with this first 173 1 29 and the effect and the defect 183 1 41 rites cityes 184 2 18 the worse they the worse thyng 185 1 41 now condemnation now no condemnation 189 2 10 these forasmuch as these eod  14 should moue should meane 190 1 25 so that these so are these 195 2 38 affects effects 196 2 54 can not disagree can not agree 200 1 10 world tooke word tooke 211 1 51 eternall wright eternall weight 221 1 20 wise appointed wyse men appoynted eod 2 8 newly that he namely that he 123 2 18 so that he so that ye 233 2 5 we are notably we notably 238 1 31 dissention destruction 239 1 49 desired to be slain desired not to be slain 245 1 35 they wyll they wyll not 264 2 6 to persist God to resist God 272 1 50 thought he neither thought he 278 1 46 persecution perfection 299 1 37 secrecy of the secrecy 308 2 28 afflycted therfore affyxed vnto it 310 1 37 was he driueÌ„ vnto it therfore was he driueÌ„ eod 2 42 is that it is that which 317 1 4 tended to other tended to no other 319 2 5 as the simple as by the simple 326 2 21 a very similitude a very apt similitude 341 1 35 he vnderstand of he vnderstandeth 344 1 41 Iesus the priest of Iesus the priest eod  43 inotnto not into 355 1 37 member number eod 2 51 and abode the and abode 356 1 27 fallen into seueritye fallen seuerity 359 2 13 Israelites claue first Israelites claue fast eod  16 entisements by entisements 361 1 29 who not who differ not 363 1 52 that that maner that after that maner eod  53 for the amplifiing if for the amplifying 364 2 40 stayned from al discerned from all 365 1 51 Omnis Omnes 368 2 6 to be the put to be the 369 2 6 not in thy name we not in thy name 380 2 47 was by these fasts was not by these facts 381 2 46 he formaketh what the fire maketh hot 385 2 45 after such for after such sort 386 1 1 uen freely uen it is geuen frely 387 1 49 strengths strengths of nature 393 1 46 one calleth one he calleth eod 2 24 if I all fayth if I haue all fayth 405 2 10 of righteousnes is righteousnes is of 406 1 37 but not by but not by faith 407 2 11 thou hast receyued thou hast not receiued 418 2 43 trifling effectes trifling offices 428 1 17 Iohn Iehu 429 2 2 Onely if God Only of God 430 2 19 as out feare without feare 436 1 32 he which auengeth which he aeuengeth LIFE IS DEATH AND DEATH IS LIFE AETATIS SVAE XXXX 1562 I D ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye dvvelling ouer Aldersgate beneath S. Martins Anno Domini 1568. the 31. day of August ⧠Cum Gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per Decennium
thereof Wherfore let no man pretende for their sinne a good entent as they vse to say There is of God a law set forth vnto vs it is our part to be obedient vnto it Let vs not followe the reasoninges of man thinking with our selues if I shall obey the commaundements of the Lord this discomodity or that inconuenience will follow This were for a man to preferre himselfe before God as though he had not foreseene what might happen vnto vs by the obseruing of his commaundemeÌ„ts Augustine oftentimes citeth this place when he writeth to Consentius against lieng And assuredly we also at this time haue much contentioÌ„ with them which defend many euill things vnder the pretence of a good ende They haue presumed to maime and to dismember the Sacramente of the Eucharist because they suspected that the wine might he spilled out of the cuppe if it should be distributed vnto the laye men They will haue the people also to praye in an vnknowne tongue whiche is forbidden by the woorde of God and they say that a laudable entente and good ende is sufficient And so presume they vpon infinite moe other thinges not weighing what the holy Ghost sayth in this place Yea and they lay the selfe same thinges vnto our charge which are now obiected vnto Paule For when we preache iustification freely and without woorkes they saye that we open an entrance and way vnto losenes of life that we condemne good works Iustification freely geuen is not against good workes The famâ—lies of the Papists do debilitate good workes when as yet we teach not these thinges God indeede forgeueth sinnes freelye but he doth not therefore geue vnto his licence to sinne but together with iustification is geuen the holy Ghost and an innouation of life whereof springeth no small endeuour to good workes But if agaynst them we would vrge such kinde of cauillations peraduenture they shoulde be founde to geue farre more greater occasion to loosenes of life forasmuch as they teach that if a manne confesse his sinnes and receaue the Ecclesiasticall absolution althoughe he haue in his mind no good and holy motions yet is iustificatioÌ„ offred so that he lay not a let against it as they vse to speake But this is a very easy matter to do and openeth a way vnto sinnes which thing also no lesse doth theyr purgatory But we promise not iustification but where as is a true and perfect fayth after which continually do followe good woorkes Wherefore seinge vnto vs are obiected the selfe same thinges that were obiected vnto Paule it is manifest that both he and we haue one and the selfe same cause But we muste not geue place to these humane reasoninges The Originall cause of the fall of the Nonatians So fell the Nouatians who pretending that they would not minister any occasions to sinne at length denied repentance And other many suche examples might be brought foorth What theÌ„ are we more excellent then they No in no wise for we haue alredy proued that all both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne As it is written There is none righteous no not one There is none that vnderstaÌ„deth there is none that seeketh after God They haue al gone out of the way they haue ben made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throte is an open sepulchre they haue vsed theyr tongues to deceite the poyson of aspes is vnder theyr lippes Whose mouth is full of cursinge and bitternes Theyr feete are swifte to shead bloude Destruction and calamitie arc in theyr wayes And the way of peace haue they not knowne The feare of God is not before theyr eyes What then do we excell them No by no meanes Now returneth he to his purpose from whence he had before somewhat diuerted And although he seeme to ascribe many great thinges vnto the Iewes at this present yet meaneth he not that therby should be concluded that they excel the Ethnikes But this rather is his entente to make them equall with the Ethnikes Neyther doth that which he now writeth repugne with that which he before spake although at the first sight there seemeth to be in woords some contradiction For before he wrote that the state of the Iewes was very excellent and that circumcision brought vnto them great vtility But here he seemeth to deny those thinges whiche he then spake But the distinction which we before made mencion of doth easly conciliate these thinges For if we looke vpon God vndoubtedly he hath bestowed vpon the Iewes a greate many thinges which he hath not geuen vnto other natioÌ„s But if we haue a respect vnto the Iewes they so abused those good thinges that they had nothing wherein they excelled other nations Whereby commeth to passe that either sentence is true The Greeke Scholies do admonishe vs that this sentence may be red two manner of wayes For the Ethnikes hearinge those things which the Hebrewes had peculiarly obteined of God to be so much extolled demaund What then Are we ouercome or haue they the victory ouer vs So that this woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we haue englished do vve excell may be taken passiuely The other reading is to take this verbe in the actiue signification as though these thinges shoulde be spoken vnder the person of the Iewes For when as they had now hearde theyr giftes to be so extolled they inferre What then do we not in dignity excell the Gentils Vnto whome Paule by negation aunswereth No by no meanes And this aunswere hath a great Emphasis or force as though he should haue sayd The thinges which I haue before made mencion of pertayne vnto the person geuen you of God and they are none of yours And in that he putteth in himselfe amongst them in saying do vve excel he maketh his reprehension more gentle and more tollerable Neyther yet in the meane time maketh he a lye forasmuche as he himselfe also was a parte of the people of Israell as touchinge the fleshe There is in the Church so greate a connexion A connexioÌ„ betwene the good and the euill of those which are in it conuersant together that euen as the euill which are amongest the good are in certaine thinges pertakers of theyr prayses and benefites for for the good sake doth God the longer beare with them and they haue the vse of good thinges aswell spirituall as temporall So contrarilye for the euell sake no small discommodityes redounde vnto the sayntes forasmuche as they haue a feeling of theyr punishments and are oftentimes wrapped in the same miseryes that they are neyther haue they anye thinge whereof iustlye to The sinnes of the wicked pertain after a sorte vnto the good complaine when as vnto them pertaine after a sort the offences of others For they haue not eyther admonished or reproued or blamed them so much as they ought to haue done Neyther haue they alwayes shewed them selues an example of good life
ether of righteousnes or els of sinne doth now by the great worke of the holy ghost excellently declare what maner ones we be which beleue in Christ But God be thanked that ye were the seruauntes of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the hart vnto that forme of doctrine whereunto ye were deliuered He thought it not sufficient to put vs in remembrance that we are Before regeneration we were al the seruaÌ„ts of sinne brought to obedience but would also moreouer admonishe vs what maner ones we were before namely seruauntes of sinne This was the state of vs all before we were conuerted vnto Christ For the calling of God findeth none ether holy or iust Neither was it sufficient to say that we are now the seruauntes of righteousnes The calling of God findeth none holy They which are regenerate do of theyr owne free will liue holily We are deliuered of God because it lieth not in our power and therefore he geueth thankes vnto him Of the drawing wherby we are stirred vp of God It is not sayd vnles the father shall lead but vnlesse he shall draw God of vnwilling persoÌ„s maketh vs willing Vnlesse we be â—yrst made as sheepe we can not follow God when he calleth vs. The drawing of God is with pleasure What pleasure iâ— Hâ—auâ—nly thinges cannot delight vs vnles we be as touching nature chaunged but he addeth from the hart They which are truly regenerate in Christ and grafted in him do worke those thinges which they vnderstand to be acceptable vnto God not of compulsion or of hipocrisie but of their owne accord and frée will Wherefore Paul when he maketh mencion hereof geueth thankes vnto God for that he vnderstoode that that thing is the chiefest and singular benefite of God and lyeth not in our power as many men fayne that it doth And therefore he addeth in the passiue signification Ye were deliuered By which wordes he meaneth nothing els but that which Christ ment when he sayd No man commeth vnto me vnles my father draw hym But what maner of drawing is this and how hard it is to expressed he that diligently waigheth the wordes of Christ shall easely perceaue It is written sayth he in the prophetes they shal be all taught of God Which sentence Christ doth yet more playnly expound saying He which shall heare of my father and shall learne commeth vnto me By which wordes he sheweth that an outward calling is not sufficient vnles there be added of God a full perswasion inwardly and in the mynde For after that God hath once inclined and bowed our mynde then at the last we come vnto Christ And Augustine in his first booke vnto Bonefacius agaynst the two epistles of the Pelagians noteth that the Lord sayd Vnles my father shall drawe him and sayd not vnles my father shall leade him as though we our selues as of our selues coulde will any thynge or geue assente vnto hym that calleth vs. For he whiche is willinge is not drawen but led not that the father draweth anye but those that are willing For it is not possible that we should beleue vnles we be willing But God worketh wonderfully in our hartes so that of vnwilling persons he maketh vs willing And the same Augustine vpon Iohn expounding this place compareth the beleuer wyth a young sheepe whome the shepeherd wyth holding forth a grene bowe draweth after hym not indâ—de by violence but of hys owne accorde and wyth a desire For the sheepe hath inwardly an appetite which stirreth hym vp to followe the bowe In which comparison this we ought to note that it is the proprietye of a sheepe so to do For an other beaste will not follow gréene bowes though it be against their willes So ought we by regeneration to be renewed and to be made the shepe of Christ before we can follow him For otherwise we despise all gréene bowes and callinges Augustine addeth more ouer that this drawyng is with a certayne oblectation and pleasure so that that is true which the Poete sayth Trahit sua quenque voluptas That is Euery man is drawen by hys owne pleasure And we are led by the bondes not of the body but of the hart and we are stiâ—red vp by a holy pleasure But the very definition of pleasure sufficiently teacheth that first the chaunging of our corrupt nature is necessary For pleasure is nothing els but an affection and motion stirred vp in vs of thinges agreable vnto our 〈…〉 re as contrarywise griefe or sorrow commeth of thinges that are repugnant vnto our naturâ— And now to the end we may take some pleasure by the admonitions of God and heauenly wordes it is necessary that they be agreable with our nature But foras 〈…〉 â—s it is corrupt yâ— thing can by no meanes be brought to passe For Paul sayth o 〈…〉 â—he Cor. The carnall man vnderstaÌ„deth not those things which are of the spâ—rite of God for they seme foolishe vnto hym and therfore he refuseth them as thinges contrarye vnto himselfe What is then to be done that the same To make the law pleasaunte vnto vs the law must not be chaunged but our nature must be altered Paul right well vseth the passiue manner of speaking The forme of doctrine is the Gospell Although this drawing be the worke of God yet the ministers of the word ought to do theyr seruice therin thinges may be pleasaunt vnto vs Are the commaundements of God to be altered and bended to our lustes No vndoubtedly Our nature ought rather to be chaÌ„ged and regenerated by God And that thing doth God bryng to passe in vs when he through fayth endueth vs with his righteousnes and so draweth vs vnto Christ And therfore Paul when he had vsed these verbes of the actiue signification obey and exhibite or geue your members c. Afterward vseth the passiue significatioÌ„ when he sayth Ye are deliuered ye are made free from sinne ye are made the seruauntes of righteousnes By which wordes is signified that in that we lyue vprightly and follow God is from without vs and commeth not from our selues By the forme of doctrine he vnderstandeth the Gospell for it is not a simple doctrine as philosophy or the law but such a doctrine as offreth vnto vs Christ and his spirite and grace wherby are ministred vnto vs strengths to performe those things which are commaunded And although this draught be the worke of God yet ought preachers pastors to serue therin as ministers of God And forasmuch as we call that draught a motion the terme and ende both from whence it beginneth and wherunto it tendeth Paul declareth when he thus writeth Ye were the seruantes of sinne By which wordes he sheweth from whence we are drawen But when he addeth that we are deliuered that we should be obedient vnto the Gospell he sheweth the end of our mutation For therfore are we regenerate and brought to Christ that we should be obedient vnto his word Neither thought
Augustine expouÌ„ding this place out of yâ— first epistle of Iohn Perfect charity casteth out feare sayth that this seruile feare is not vnprofitable for euen as a bristle being put by the shoomaker A similitude draweth the threade after it so this feare draweth with it charity As touching yâ— first I answere yâ— their grouÌ„d is false namely that God hath euer in any place coÌ„maunded such a feare which wanteth charity faith Which thing I know right wel these meÌ„ are neuer able to find But as touching Augustine we answer yâ— in yâ— A place of Iohn place of Iohn Herein is charity perfect in vs that in the day of iugdemeÌ„t we haue coÌ„fideÌ„ce for as he is eueÌ„ so are we In this world there is no feare in charity but perfect charity casteth out feare by charity is not to be vnderstaÌ„ded our loue towardes God but yâ— loue of God towardes vs. For he speaketh of perfect charity such a one as we haue not in this life And yâ— meaning of Iohn is that after yâ— we are perswaded of the perfect loue of God wherewith he embraseth vs we haue confideÌ„ce that in yâ— day of iudgemeÌ„t we shal be in safety And this perfect charity of God after we once know it casteth out feare bicause it suffreth vs not to feare Wherefore that interpretacion of Augustine touching our loue towards God maketh nothing to the purpose But suppose that Iohn spake of our loue towardes God as that place is commonly taken In that sence also may the wordes of Augustine be true but yet not vniuersally Charity doth not alwayes follow a seruile feare that charity alwayes followeth such feare for we know yâ— it otherwise happened in Cayn and Iudas but only in men which are to be iustified For God vseth this meane first to perce them with greate feare of theyr sinnes and then by it to bring them vnto fayth and charity In the meane time yet we nothing doubt How a seruile feare is called profitable but that that feare is sinne Howbeit the sayd feare may be called profitable not worthely or of his owne nature but bicause of the order instituted by God whose will is so to vse it to our saluation And this thing also we adde that that charity the more it increaseth in vs so much the more and more doth it cast forth feare not only seruile feare but also the feare which men that are iustified haue For whosoeuer is thoroughly perswaded of the loue of God towardes him can neuer feare his owne damnation For that doubting whereby we feare eternall punishments is sinne And yet that doubt somewhat alwayes sticketh in our mindes for we neuer in this life beleue so much as we ought nor so much as we should And by reason of this weakenes of charity wherewith we should loue our neighbour and also by reason of the infirmity of the perswasion whereby we ought to beleue in God so long as we are in this life we neuer cleane put of all this vicious feare This also they take and obiect agaynst vs Aske and ye shall receaue Seke and ye shall finde How this is to be vnderstand Aske and â—e shall receaue knocke and it shal be opened vnto you But they oughte to remember that prayers procede from fayth and cleane vnto it only For otherwise they can not be heard But I meruayle why they lefte this vnspoken of Whatsoeuer ye shall aske beleuing it shal be geuen you For by these wordes it appeareth that whatsoeuer is geuen vnto them yâ— aske is geuen vnto fayth Hereunto also they adde a sentence out of Luke Geue almes and all thinges are cleane vnto you Geue almes and all thinges shal be cleane vnto you But these wordes may be expounded thrée maner of wayes of which yet neuer a one serueth for theyr purpose The first way is to say yâ— that kind of speach was any Irony as if Christe should haue sayd vnto the Pharisies ye geue almes and ye thinke straight way that all things are cleane vnto you Whiche is not so for we ought first to make cleane those thinges which are within An other way is which Augustine followeth in his Encheridion to Laurentius Certayne had perswaded themselues that if they gaue almes they should be saued though they ceassed not froÌ„ sinning And theyr chiefest anker hold was these wordes of Christ Augustine answereth that those wordes of Christ are to be vnderstand of the true and approued almes of which is written in Ecclesiasticus the 30. chapiter Haue compassion of thy soule and please God Wherfore thou oughtest to beginne true almes at thine owne selfe that hauing compassion of thy selfe thou mayest be conuerted vnto God and ceasse of from sinnes and afterward haue compassion of others And the third way is this which in my iudgement more agréeth vnto the purpose Christ being at dinner with the Pharisies began to eate with vnwashed handes for which thing when they were offended Christ began to reproue theyr ignoraunce which would haue theyr dishes hands and all outward thinges made cleane and beawtiful but as touching that which they had inwardly that is in theyr mind they were nothing careful Wherfore he first exhorteth them to purifye the hart which is inwardly whiche thing is done by fayth For in the Actes it is written By fayth purifieng theyr hartes Afterward as touching outward thinges he addeth Geue almes and so all thinges shal be cleane vnto you Farther as Theodorus Beza a man of greate learning and iudgemeÌ„t hath in his adnotations very well considered Christ spake not of all maner of cleanes but of that which pertayneth vnto meate whereunto Christe applieth a double commaundement one is that they should eate nothing gotten by rapine or stealth an other is that of those thinges which are within that is which are contayned in the dishes somewhat should be taken out for the almes of the poore whereby what soeuer is left might be clensed and sanctified But of all this there is nothing which furthereth our aduersaries opinion There are others which thinke to establishe this theyr error by the ministery of the kayes by which other thinke that men are absolued from sinnes But they are farre deceaued for they vnderstand not what What be the kayes that are deliuered vnto the Church those kayes are which Christ hath commended vnto the Church The preaching of the word of God touching the remission of sinnes to be obteined by Christ is the only kay to open the kingdom of heauen And if he which heareth this word do also adioyne a true fayth and geue ful assent vnto those wordes then commeth also yâ— other kay With these two kayes is the kingdome of heauen opened and the forgeuenes of sinnes obteyned Wherefore Christ sending forth his Apostles sayd Go ye and preach the Gospell Then he addeth He which beleueth shal be saued By these few wordes he expressed the kayes which he deliuered vnto the
Church In which Many sinnes are forgeuen her bicause she hath loued much wordes thou shalt find no worke wrought as they cal it For Christ spake only of the hearers of the word of God which is preached But how shal we at the lēgth confute this sentence which is neuer out of theyr mouth Many sinnes are forgeuen her bicause she hath loued much If the place be diligently cōsidered it wil be an easy matter to doo We ought to know that some reasons are taken of the causes and some of the effectes Christ a few wordes afterward sheweth the cause of saluation when he sayd vnto the wooman Thy fayth hath made thee safe But bycause that fayth was hidden in her minde neither could it be sene of those which were present therefore putting forth a parable he sheweth that they loue more which receaue greater gifts of any And that this wooman receaued a very greate gifte that is iustification he sheweth by the effectes namely bycause she washed his feete with her teares and wiped them wyth her heare because she kyssed them because she annoynted them Which thinges forasmuch as that Pharisey did not it may be a very greate token or signe that he had not receaued the like gifte Not the hearers of the law shal be iustified but the doers They cite also out of this epistle vnto the Romanes Not the hearers of the law shal be iustified but the doers But Paul in that place when he reproued the Iewes bycause when they had receaued the law and boasted therof yet they liued contrary to the law ment therby nothing ells but that if righteousnes were to be sought for by the law it is not sufficiēt either to haue it or to heare it but it behoueth also in actes and dedes to performe it Which thing we neuer denied that a man may be iustified by the law if he can perfectly and fully accomplishe it But forasmuch With feare and trembling work your saluation how it is to be vnderstand as the same is by no meanes possible we say that by it righteousnes can not be hoped for That also which they obiect out of the epistle vnto the Phillippians with feare and trembling worke your saluation nothing helpeth them Vndoubtedly they which know that they haue all that they haue from God are of a moderate and humble minde and are euer more afrayd of themselues For they se that in themselues there is nothing that is good but that helpe is to be looked for at the handes of God only And therfore Paul biddeth a godly man alwayes to feare and tremble But they which thinke that it lieth in theyr owne power to iustifie and saue themselues such as are those which in this matter contend agaynst vs they I say haue nothing that they nede to be aferd of or to tremble for For they boast that theyr saluation consisteth in themselues Which saluation though Paul doo in this place name yet he therby vnderstandeth not iustification For he writeth vnto those which were alredy before iustified Wherfore this place maketh nothing for them But Paul meaneth by saluation that renuyng by which we alwayes profit A place of the Apoc. Beholde I stand at the dore and knocke and go forward to things better and better Lastly as though now they had gotten the victory they obiect this out of the third chapiter of the Apocalips Behold I stand at the dore and knocke And if any man open vnto me I will enter in and suppe with him But we plainly affirme that by these wordes is signified That God at the beginning calleth and stirreth vp and instigateth vs to saluation vnto which no man can by hys owne strengths be led wyth out the impullsion of God But that we of our owne accord wythout the Grace of God penetrating and changing y◠mind can open our harte vnto God we vtterly deny neither can these men euer proue it by the holy scriptures But because we haue certain aduersaries which passe very little or els nothing at all vpon the holy scriptures but measure al their religiō by fathers and counselles so that they may rather be called Patrologi then Theologi and that which is more intollerable they gather certaine prety sentences out of y◠writings of the Fathers and obtrude thē vnto the people and the easlier to obscure the truth and to blinde poore simple men they adde taunting speaches especially forasmuch as certaine of thē thinke themselues cōning craftes men in rethoricall speach and haue in that kinde of study spent the greatest part of theyr time I shal desire the indifferent reader not to iudge any thinge rashly against the truth but rather attentiuely to consider those thinges which we also will alleadge out of the fathers for by that meanes he shall easly vnderstand that the fathers make not so much on our aduersaries side as they do on ours But least we should alleadge any A methode in cityng of the fathers sentence out of the Fathers confusedly and rashly we will vse a methode or compendious way which methode that it may the easlier be vnderstand it shal be good first to put forth a demonstration or a certain proofe out of those testimonies of the holy scriptures which we haue before cited Whiche shal be in this manner They which do worke according to the prescript of the law that is as the very law requireth are iustified by works But none especially before regeneration can do such workes as the law requireth Wherfore none are iustified by workes The maior or first proposition is so plaine that it néedeth no exposition For he whiche doth any thing contrary to that which the law prescribeth vndoubtedly committeth sin fo farre is it of that he can thereby be made iust But the minor or second proposition although it be proued by testimonies of the scriptures yet wil we also declare by the Fathers Farther seing the conclusion is that iustification is not of works it must then of necessity be of grace Wherefore secondly we will shew out of the Fathers that men are iustified fréely and without all consideration of merites And because we reiect not good woorkes but say that in their place they are to be had in estimation as which by a most straight bond follow iustification alreadye obteyned we will lastly teach this also out of the sayings of the fathers That good workes follow iustification but go not before And those places will we chieflye cite out of the fathers which are founded vpon the holy scriptures And first commeth in place Basilius who in his firste booke de Baptismo bringeth Basilius these wordes out of the Gospell Many shall say in that day Lord in thy name we haue prophesied we haue caste out deuilles we haue done many miracles But these men saith he God will not onely cast out of his kingdome but also call them woorkers of iniquitie Wherfore they which worke