although they haue still a certaine print of the image of God do certayne works Why strangers from Christ are called wâ—lde oliue trees What the grafting into the good oliue tâ—e is which are goodly to the shew yet notwithstanding they are not acceptable before God and the things which they do are barren yea rather they are sinnes before God Farther the grafting into the good trée whereof is now made mencion semeth to be nothing els but the communion of the Saintes which in the article of our faith we confesse For this we ought to know that whatsoeuer grace and good gifts are geuen vnto vs are not geuen only for our owne sakes but to helpe to the saluation and edification of others Which thing if Christians would in these dayes diligently weigh with themselues there should be les selfe loue and misery in the Church Neither is this to be passed ouer that in this place is reproued the In this allegory are reproued the Iewes wickednes of the Iewes which were not by their holy first fruits chaunged as a whole lompe of dough is commonly chaunged by leuen though it be neuer so litle and they would not imitate their roote but miserably degenerated from it We may when we heare that the braunches are broken of thereby gather that the The promise is not bound vnto any kinred nor to the fleshe election and promise of God is not so bound to any stocke or to the flesh that none can be damned which come of godly parents which thing also was before declared in Esau Ismaell which were borne of Abraham of Isaack And when the Apostle saith that the Gentles were wild oliue trées he not only putteth down their pride and arrogancy but his words also are of great force to prouoke the Hebrues to emulation when they heare that the good fat and fertile iuyce of their oliue trée is participated vnto wild oliue trées that is vnto the Gentiles which had before bene filthy idolaters This I say mought haue stirred vp the Iewes to repentaÌ„ce if they had had any consideration And he thought it not inough to say Thou art grafted into the good oliue tree but he also addeth and art made pertaker of the fatnes of the oliue tree that the Gentles Gould vnderstand that they were not only in name made the people of God but were in very déede made partakers of grace and of the spirit and of heauenly gifts Let vs moreouer consider that this grafting in which the Apostle now entreateth of is contrary as Ambrose noteth to to the maner of naturall husbandry wherein a good science or graft is taken and grafted into a barren and wild tree namely that by the fatte and fruitfull sappe of the good graft might be ameÌ„ded the barenes and wildnes of that stocke whereinto it is grafted But here it is contrary The tree that is the body of the Church and the society of the godly is good but the graftes are vnfruitfull This grafting in is contrary to naturall grafting barren and wild oliue trees Neither could it be otherwise for whatsoeuer is found without Christ and his body how glorious so euer it be can not but be wicked and vncleane And to boast against the braunches is to reioyce in their fall If God thereby bring commodity then in that respect we may reioyce but to reioyce for the fall of any man we can not lawfully vnles rashly and per accidens as they speake that is by chaunce Thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee They which fight against their roote can not stand loÌ„g themselues This place of the Apostle also teacheth An argumeÌ„t against iustification by workes vs that vnto our iustification are not required merites of workes and naturall endeuors for the wild oliue tree can by no meanes graft it selfe in Wherefore as we are begotten of an other without any our help and as trees are grafted of others so we are through Christ iustified of God without any merites Moreouer by those words is declared as we also before sayde that we had not bene grafted in vnles the Iewes had first fallen as graftes are not grafted in vnles first be cut away somewhat from the tree Farther Origen noteth that by thys doctrine is confuted Valentinus and his disciples who thought that the soules An error or the Valentinian heretikes are in kind distinct and that some of them are so good and as they spake golden that they can by no meanes be damned howsoeuer they liue and whatsoeuer they do Other soules they thought to be by nature euill so that they could by no meanes attaine vnto felicity but yet by their labours and good workes they might at the length so profite that they might be brought to a midle estate where should be some refreshing but not the chiefe felicity Wherfore they sayd that they were spirituall perfect and mere gold so that although they committed many vncleane and absurd thinges yet they sayd they lost not their holines for gold though it be neuer so much couered with durt ceasseth A similitude not to be gold But they exhorted others to do good workes namely for that they should nede them if at yâ— least they would attayne vnto the middle estate And of this pestilente doctrine Iereneus maketh mencion in his first booke Paul now contrary to this pestiferous doctrine saith yâ— branches cut of froÌ„ a wild oliue tre may be grafted into a good oliue tre Origen after yâ— he had confuted these men doubteth that forasmuch as we affirme yâ— the nature of the soules is one the selfe same how we can as Paul now teacheth defend the double tree the good oliue tree I say the wild oliue tree He answereth vnto this question by a similitude A similitude All the bodyes saith he that are in the worlde as touching that they are a body communicate in nature neither differ they one from an other but out of euery nature of them arise and spring many properties and conditions whereby they beginne to differ from others and do indeede much differ from them And in this maner the celestiall bodyes are distinguished from the elementes and the elements from corruptible liuing creatures and agayne those liuing creatures from the plants so saith he happeneth it as touching the soules all are endued with one and the selfe same faculty of free will where out wheÌ„ some bring forth faith vertues good works they make a good tre when as coÌ„trariwise some out of the liberty of the will wherewith they are endued do bring forth impiety sins euill works therby they are made wild oliue trees and by this meanes he ascribeth the whole diuersity distinctioÌ„ of trees yâ— one froÌ„ the other vnto fre wil. And to confirme his senteÌ„ce he bringeth that saying of Christ out of the Gospel Eyther make the tree good and his fruites good or the tree euill
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
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
with the mother Yet let vs not perswade our selues that whilest we Perfect peace is not had whilest we lyue here lyue here we can haue absolute and perfect peace how beit it shal be encreased dayly and Paule wisheth that they might now haue it begon and when tyme shal come to haue it at full And yet neuertheles we obtaine it presetly by Christ if we haue God pacifyed towardes vs. For afterward it is written Now therfore Rom. 5. being iustified by fayth we haue peace towardes God out of whiche floweth tranquilltty of conscience and somuch of the spirite and deuine comfort that what soeuer happeneth we take it in good parte Wherefore in the middest of tribulations tormentes this fyrme peace was not taken away frō holy men For they gaue thankes vnto God and they iudged that all thinges in these their Peace which passeth all sence afflictions were done for the best And this is that peace which passeth all sense and humane reason When he sayth From God the father from our lord Iesus Christ He sheweth the fountaine and beginning from whence these good thinges should be hoped for For they An argument of desiring and hoping for the thinges which we pray for come not of our owne strengthe and workes but of the mercy of God And hereby we are encoraged to desire and to hope for these good thinges which Paule wisheth for For seing that God of whome these thinges are desired is both good and also our father he will without all doubt geue vs them And Christ for asmuch as he is our mediator and redemer will not vndoubtedly deny vs them He is called Lorde which name is very agreeable vnto him For Why Christ is called lord all thinges are geuen him of the father and he hath paid the price for our saluation therfore he is iustly called Lord which name we may suppose that he hereby obtayned because the Hebrues neuer pronounce the holy name Tetragrammaton whiche is Iehouah but pronounce it by other wordes that is by Elohim or Adonay which signify might and dominion Whereby it semeth it came to passe that the 70. interpreters whē they red this name Tetragrammaton turned it by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Lord as it appeareth in many places of the which we will bring one The Lord sayd vnto my Lord. Where in the fyrst place is written Iehouah which they turned Lord. Wherefore when Christ is called Lord it is as much as if he had bene called God Although Tertullian agaynst Praxea sayth that Christ is called Lord when he is ioyned with Tertullian the father For then the father is called God If the sonne being ioyned wyth him should also be called God the Ethnikes might thinke we put more Gods then one Wherfore to withstād their supersticiō we make this word Lord an Epitheton of the sonne But if we name Iesus Christ by himselfe and alone he is playnely called God as it appeareth in many places of the scriptures And he vseth a certayne similitude as a beame of the sunne when we make mencion A similitude of it by it selfe we cal it the sun and we say that the sun entreth in at our windowes But when it happneth that the sunne is also to be named together with the beame we do not call the beame by the name of the sun but we say it is the beame of the sun But the fyrst reason is more fyrme and by that that Paule declareth The equality of the father and of the sonne The salutacions of Paul are not vayne The office of saluting is to be retayned among Christians that peace is to be looked for of vs as wel frō the son as from the father is shewed the equality of eyther of them betweene themselues And the salutation which Paule euery where putteth before his epistles is of no small force For if the blessinges of the fathers were of much force that is the blessinges of Nohe Isaac Iacob Moses and of other vndoubtedly the prayers of Paule also are not to be counted vnprofitable And for as much as we sée that both nature and the holy ghost abhorred not from this kinde of office to salute one an other the same maner and vsage is still to be retayned But we must onely take hede that we salute not any man dissemblingly and thinking an other thing in the hart do it onely in outward voyce or writinge Otherwise saluting is an instrument not a little apte to admonish vs of loue towardes our neighbours and that our neighboure may vnderstande what loue we beare vnto him And thus much touchinge the salutation Now let vs come to the Exordium that is the beginning wherein Paule very much laboreth to winne vnto him the Romanes and chiefely for that that he exceedinglye reioyceth that they are come to Christ First verely I geue thankes vnto God through Iesus Christ for you al because your faith is published through out al the world For God is my witnesse whom I worship wyth my spirite in the Gospell of his sonne that without ceasing I make mencion of you alwayes in my prayers beseechynge that at one tyme or other a prosperous iorney might happen vnto me by the wyll of God that I may come vnto you For I am desyrous to see you that I might bestow among you some spirituall gift to strengthen you withall that is that I might haue consolation together with you through the mutuall fayth whiche both ye and I haue And I woulde not that ye should be ignorant brethren how that I haue oftentimes purposed to come vnto you but haue bene let hetherto to haue some frute among you as I haue among other of the nacions For I am debter both to the Greekes and also to the Barbarous vnto the learned and also vnto the vn learned so that as muche as in me is I am redy to preach the Gospell to you of Rome also All writtinges in the beginning are wont to tend to this ende to get the The ende whereunto the beginning of hys talke tendeth good will of the hearers as much as is possible which thinge Paule here doth and first in that he sheweth them how he geueth thankes vnto God for them He declareth the cause thereof namely for that their fayth was now published throughout the whole world And he affirmeth that he cōtinually maketh prayers for them that they might goe forward as they had begonne Farther he sheweth that he is exceding desirous to see them present And thereof he sheweth causes namely both to comfort them and also to confirme both himselfe and them And he addeth this also that he desireth to do these things euen of duety For by reason of his Apostleship which he executed he acknowledged himselfe debytour vnto all nacions And he thereunto addeth that for that cause he is not ashamed of the Gospell And so concludeth he his Exordium Here
he is God must be worshipped as he hath declared in the word of the scripture set forth vnto vs in the holy scriptures as a Lord and father they worship him obey him and study to aduaunce his honour as muche as they are able And agayne when they see hym declared as a iudge they set his iudgement seate before theyr eyes in all theyr actions lest they shoulde transgresse in any thinge and incurre the anger of theyr mighty iudge But they doe not so feare hym that they hate hym or that they woulde flye from hym yea and thoughe there were graunted them a place to flye vnto they woulde chose rather to embrace him punishing and chasteninge them And amonge these thinges whiche oughte to haue the principall place as touchinge this spirituall worshipping God is worshipped by obedience is obedience wherof we rede that it is better then sacrifices Neyther had God a regard in a manner to any other thinge in the whole lawe and rites of ceremonies than to haue men truly subiect and obedient vnto him But we forasmuche as we haue contracted a corrupte and viciate nature by the sinne of Adam are in nothyng more diligent and exquisite then to obtrude our own inneÌ„cions and fayned rytes for the worshipping of God and greater seueritye is vsed agaynst the transgressors of the Commaundements of men then there is agaynst those which publikely violate the Commaundementes of God A man shall euery where see blasphemers whoremongers adulterers and periured persons laughed at by the magistrates so farre are they of from punishynge them But agaynste hym whiche will vse the sacramentes of the Euchariste in both kinds they rage euen vnto the fyre And to be brief men are condemned to death for neglecting of humayne traditions but for violatinge of the lawe of God they are not so muche as once accused Wherefore God did not without a cause in Deut. commaund Moyses Onely the thynges whyche I haue commaunded shalte thou keepe neyther shalte thou adde nor diminyshe any thynge And we haue A remedye agaynst humane traditions no prâ—seÌ„ter remedy against this pestilence then dayly to be occupied in the holy scriptures and to gather out of them by what meanes God would declare him selfe vnto vs and to picke out such wayes whereby he hath chieflye commaunded vs to worship him in thus doyng we may wtout any great difficulty serue god in spirite And contrary to this spiritual worshiping is to serue god in flesh To serue God in flesh that is onely wyth fayned rytes and outward ceremonies laying away faith and inward piety This Antithesis or contrarye posicion Paul touched when he sayd vnto the Galathians Yee which began in the spirite beware ye end not in the flesh Those Galathians were rightly instructed but by the deceates of false Apostles they declined vnto the Iewishe ceremonies and outward rites which thyng was to fynish in the flesh that whych was with holynes and vpright 〈◊〉 begonne Vnto the Philippians also he sayth We are the circumcision whiche serue God in sprite hauing confidence in God and not in the flesh Then he manifestlye declareth What it is to trust in the flesh what it is to trust in the flesh saying Although I if any other may put confidence in flesh as whych am of the kindred of Israel of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew borne of the Hebrewes and of the secte of the Pharisies by feruentnes persecâ—tinge the church of Christe and as touchinge iustifications of the lawe I was conuersante without blame c. Thou seest nowe that carnall woorshippynge consisteth of all these thynges But spirituall worshippyng consisteth altogether of fayth and charity Paule addeth In the gospell of his sonne By which wordes he declareth that thys spirituall Nowe God is serued in the Gospell of hys son worshipping if it be expressed in outward workes consisteth principally in this the we should preach Christ that we should allure vnto him as much as lyeth in vs as many of our neyghbours as we can He hath alreadye declared what God he called to witnes now he goeth to the thyng which he woulde haue signifyed vnto the Romanes And that is that he contynually made mencion of them in his prayers Neyther can it hereby be gathered that Paule did alwayes so praye that he neglected other duetyes He preached he iorneyed be laboured with hys handes and fynallye he executed all such thinges as pertayned vnto hys office Wherefore we must not expound those thynges which are here spoken accordyng to the word but according to the sense and we must vnderstand them no otherwise theÌ„ that as often as the Apostle prayed he made mencion of them And the prayers of the Saincts are deuided into two kyndes Two kindes of prayer For there are certayn which are appoynted as wheÌ„ they are had in a publique congregation at appoynted and prescribed dayes the Lordes day I say and if there be any other oppoynted by the Church for publike prayers Farther it is the duety of a Christian man to haue euery day also appoynted haures wherin to pray vnto God and that three times in a day or fyue tymes or seuen times as hys busines wyll suffer him There is an other kynd of those prayers which are called vncertayne for we vse them so often as any present daunger vrgeth vs. But Paule sayth now that he alwayes maketh mencion of these men in his prayers and in some bookes is added this aduerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth euery where althoughe some exemplars haue put it out There were heretikes which were called Messaliani and of them Tripartita Historia maketh mention An heresye of the Messalianits or Euchites They attributed all things vnto prayers and that so much that they vtterly derogated both the word of God and also the sacraments affirming that al these things do nothing profyte but what commodity soeuer we haue the same coÌ„meth by prayers and they could not abyde to labour wyth theyr handes or to do any other thing If a man had vrged them to worke they would haue said that that nothing profyted for as much as we oughte to do nothinge but pray when as yet the Apostle expressedly admonisheth that he whiche laboureth not ought not also to eate He also wryteth that a man must not neglecte to haue a care ouer his owne especially his houshold which fault if any man commit he should be counted euen as an infidell But omitting this superstition we ought The children or God ought to pray often to attribute much vnto prayers forasmuohe as this is the nature of the children of God to geue themseltes oftentimes to prayers for that is to acknowledge the prouidence of God For whilest we beleue that a man can obtayne nothyng whych is not geuen him of God we are oftentimes prouoked to emplore hys ayde for such necessities as happen And whilest we pray we doo no lesse submitte
the wrath of God appeareth from heauen agaynst an vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men whiche withhold tâ—e truth in vnrighteousnes seing that it which maye be knowen of God is manifest among them because God hath shewed it vnto them For hys inuisible thinges that is to say his eternall power and godhed are seene forasmuch as they are vnderstand by the workes from the creation of the world For the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen To the ende he would coÌ„firme The first reason whereby is proued that we are iustified by the sayth of the Gospel Take away the Gospelâ— and then remayneth the wrath of God and most vnpure sinnes do raunge abroad the proposition nowe proposed namely that by the fayth of the Gospell we are iustefied he bringeth many reasons The firste is when the Gospell is receaued by fayth there springeth forth righteousnes But take away the Gospell and fayth and then the wrath of God waxeth hotte and men are defiled with most vnpure vices and sinnes Wherefore it is manifest that the cause of our righteousnes is the Gospel taken hold of by fayth The minor or second proposition that where the Gospell is away there are both wicked actes and the wrath of God he proueth by a diuision as well towardes the Iewes as towardes the Gentiles Of the Iewes he will speake in the next chapiter now he entreateth of the Gentiles And that the wrath of God is powred vpon them he proueth by the horrible and filthy vices which he numbreth and declareth that those men deserued so to be forsaken of God and hedlonge to be thrust into those sinnes because when they knew him they dishonoured hym and gaue his honour vnto creatures And that they knew God he proueth for that his creatures enstructed them thereof And he maketh mencion of so grosse and filthy vices that they were not able to deny theyr owne peruersenes For if he had spoken of those enormious sinnes whiche pertayne vnto the mynde for that in them there is not so much shame it would not so much haue moued the readers But after this maner may the reason of the Apostle be resolued A resolutioÌ„ of the Apostle his reason They were thus filthyly contamynated therefore were they not reformed within neyther renewed through the spirite and grace Wherefore they were neyther acceptable vnto god nor yet reconciled vnto him And we sée that Paule by this reason hath not only confirmed that which he entended but also by the selfe same laboreth instituteth a most holesome exhortation which This is a good exhortacioÌ„ where is preached repentance he began of repentance For he setteth before their eyes their most haynous wicked actes and sheweth them that eternall punishementes are at hand vnto them and that they suffer these thinges through the anger of god towardes them And to the ende he would make them the more afrayd he taketh away from them all maner of excuse affirming that they knew right well after A place of Iohn declared what sorte they should leade theyr life And the summe of this reason is red in the gospell of Iohn the 3. chapter He which beleueth in the sonne hath eternall life but he which beleueth not shall not see eternall life and the wrath of God abideth ouer him There it manifestly appeareth that by fayth which is geuen vs in Christ we do obtayne righteousnes and life and contrariwise it being taken away righteousnes is also taken away and the wrath of god remaynteh kindled Take away the gospell and fayth from philosophy and good artes and what Take awaye fayth and the gospell from Philosophy and then in it shal be left nothynge that is found Why god in such manner forsooke the Ethnikes sound thing shalt thou sée then in those meÌ„ which so chalenge them vnto themselues Vndoubtedly all things shal be contamynated as Paule paynteth them out in colours Here paraduenture a man will aske why god so forsooke men that they should be wrapped in so greate wicked actes Hereto may be answered he did it both for that they deserued this thing by reason of the idolatrye which they committed when as they had the knowledge of the true god and also chiefely to the ende we should vnderstand the necessary helpe had of the comming of Christ For if men had bene but in a tollerable case they woulde scarfely haue iudged that they had any neede of the Mediator Christ But where sinne aboue measure abounded there also was grace made more illustrous of so greate force I say that it was able to breake in sonder the most greuous yoke of sinne The wrath of God from heauen By wrath he fyguratiuely vnderstandeth vengeance Augustine writeth to Optatus in his 157. Epistle that wrath What is wrath in God is not in god a perturbation of the mynde as it is in men but only a iust and fyxed vengeance Which selfe same thing he writeth in his booke de Trinitate Wherefore it is a fygure much vsed in the holy scriptures that for the vengeance of God we rede anger or wrath And Aristotle in his Rethorikes defineth it to be an appetite of vengeaunce for negligence or contempt For when a The defynition of wrath according to Aristotle man seeth himselfe to be conteÌ„ned his desire is straight way inflamed to seeke to auenge Wherefore the Apostles meaning is that these most wicked vices were a reuenge proceding from god being angry From heauen These wordes haue a greate Emphasis or force For they signify that this vengeance is manifest largely spred abroad and most mighty as are showers of rayne and tempestes which fall from heauen vpon the earth And it is as much as if he should say that this wrath or vengeance of God was inflicted by his deuine might or power For we are sayd to receaue those thinges from heauen which seeme to be sent by the power of God as in Satyra the Poete sayd Tertius è coelo cecidit Cato et tanquam Sacculus è coelo discendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is in English The third Cato discended from heauen and as a sacke fell this sentence from heauen Knowe thy selfe And Cicero also sayth of Pompey that the prouince saw him not as one sent from a city but as one fallen from heauen So Paule fayth that this vengeance may in no case be counted as a thing naturall but as a plague inflicted of God For as it shall afterward be declared God deliuered them into a reprobate mynde And although the corporall calamityes wherewith God striketh vs are greuous yet far more greuous is this when we are deliuered into a reprobate mynde For in that case men seeke destrucion vnto themselues and are euen their owne slaughtermen Neyther contrarywise can we obtayne any good thyng more to be wished for then to attayn vnto an holy mynd and a right vnderstanding For euen as this is a singular gifte so is the other
default when as otherwyse the prouidence of God vsed theyr wickednes to hys glorye and to set forth hys iustice God vsed theyr wickednes to hys glory We must not desist frō teching though men seeme not to profyte therby The true doctrine is herein profytable in the vngodly namely they should be condemned themselues Thus much they profited through their sinnes that the doctrine and knowledge which they obtayned furthered them to iudgement and condemnation Wherfore we ought not to be feared away from teaching though we sée that men become nothing the better forasmuch as the selfe same thyng happeneth vnto that doctrine which God hym selfe ministreth vnto vs. At the least way thys commoditie shall therby aryse if men bee not of God conuerted yet shall they by theyr owne iudgement and testimonie be condemned And thys thyng chieflye séemeth God to will namely then to appeare righteous when he punisheth or condemneth The profite that Iudas the betrayer receaued by the doctrine of Christ was at the length to condemne hym selfe saying I haue sinned in deliuering the iuste bloude For to that poynt are the vngodly driuen at the length by their own iudgement to be condemned And such which ought to haue taken profite by the doctrine are by the same greuously hurt which thyng we read in Esaie the Prophet when it is sayd Make blinde the harte of thys people Stoppe their eares and shutte their eyes Least peraduenture they shoulde see heare and vnderstand and bee conuerted and I shoulde heale them So also by the wordes of Moyses was the hart of Pharao alwayes more and more hardened Because when they knew God they glorisied him not as God neither were they thankefull Here is added a reason why they were without excuse And The Methode of Paule not to go confusedly to worke this is the methode which Paule vseth He made mencion of the naturall knowledge which ought to haue bene to the Ethnikes a most profitable lawe how to leade their life namely to expresse in maners that which by knowledge they vnderstoode Now he accuseth thē of the transgression of this lawe And his accusation contayneth two principall poyntes First he layeth to their charge the contempt of the worshipping of God and The principall poynts of the accusation ingratitude towardes hym which thynges pertayne vnto the mynde then he accuseth them for that they attributed vnto Images which they themselues had made and vnto creatures that honour whiche was due vnto God only And to the ende he would exaggerate or amplyfye these sinnes he sheweth how Sinnes are aggrauated by the greuousnes of punishments they escaped not vnreuenged For fyrst God tooke vengeance vpon their wickednes with thys punishment that he blynded theyr hart and theyr mynde waxed foolishe so that they which aboue other professed learning and wisdom appeared most fooles of all and theyr reasones whiche they counted wittye were made frustrate and became vtterly vayne The punishement of the other sinne namely of the inuention of Idoles was that they should contaminate themselues with most fylthy vices By this order of accusation is gathered Idolatry springeth not but frō a corrupted minde A place of Ieremy that idolatry taketh not place vnles error or to speake more playnly sinne first haue place in the mind And those things which are here spokē of these two principall vices are bewayled of Ieremy in the 2. chap. when he sayth Be astonished O ye heauens be afrayde and excedingly abashed For my people hath committed two greuous thinges They haue forsaken me the fountayne of the water of life and haue digged for themselues cesternes which are not able to hold water To forsake God is to take away the worshipping due vnto him and true geuing of thankes And to make and worship Images is to make cesternes out of whiche can not be The Methode of the two fyrst commaundements drawen the waters of helpe and grace The selfe same order we fynde in the first table of the tenne commaundementes For God first commaundeth that he be worshipped alone then in the second precept he commaundeth that we take not vnto our selues any other Gods And vndoubtedly if we depart from the true God it is not possible but that straight waye shoulde spring forth idolatrye Because will we or nyll we we can not be without a God Wherefore take away him which is the true God out of our hartes and of necessitye We cannot be without some God an other fayned God must be substituted in his place And Chrisostome hath profitably noted that euen as they which walke or sayle by night without light do oftentymes hit agaynst some rocke or stumblyng blocke and miserablye perishe fo farre is it of that that they come to the place they determined to come vnto so they which depart from the light of the doctrine set forth vnto vs by The naturall knowlege whych we haue of God is weake God must needes of necessitie fall into most greuous euils By these thinges which the Apostle now speaketh is easely perceaued that this was a weake knowledge which the Ethnikes had naturally touching God for asmuch as it altered thē not but rather was ouercome with lustes which darkened that minde They glorified him not as God neyther vvere they thankfull By these wordes he describeth the worshipping which they ought to haue performed in Foure principal points of the true worshipping of God mynde and in spirite whereof we haue before written at large and haue reduced the whole matter vnto fower principall poyntes namely vnto prayers hope thankes geuing and the feare or obeysance which good children haue towardes their parentes For then we worshippe God truly when we wholy submitte our selues vnto him so that we embrace him aboue all thinges and aboue our selues also And all this is expressed in that commaundement Thou shalte loue thy Lorde thy God wythall thy harte wyth all thy soule and wyth all What is to glorify God thy strengthes And this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paule here vseth which is translated to gloryfye signifyeth chiefely to iudge very well and honorably of a man But how sclenderly the Philosophers iudged of the prouidence of god of hys iudgements of his rewards I say punishements their opinions which are euery where abroade do sufficiently declare If a man should demaunde what it is that doth chiefely gloryfye god I would answere that it is fayth Which Fayth doth most of all glorify god thyng I affirme not of my selfe but the scripture teacheth it for afterward it is sayd of Abraham that when god had promised vnto him an heyre by Sara his wife he considered not hys body being in a maner dead nor the wombe of Sara now past childe bearing but gaue glory vnto God For he iudged so honorably of hym that although he saw that by mans power that could not be performed Who they be that do truly geue thankes
pietie And contrarywise that the Iewes being destitute of fayth and holy lyfe are not holpen by circumcision to bee therby preferred before the Gentiles And where as we haue in our reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shall be counted or imputed Chrysostome readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shall be turned Neither doth hée onely read it so but also interpreteth it so so that he sayth that the Apostle sayd not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he sayth plainly that Paule here so speaketh as before when he sayd Thy circumcision is made vncircuÌ„cision He would sayth he speake that which is of more waight and greater to the end to speake with more efficacie Thys diuersitie of readyng Erasmus weighed not neyther will we contende therefore for that the sense eyther way remayneth sounde And vncircumcision which is by nature if it kepe the lawe shall iudge thee which by the letter and circumcision art a transgressour of the lawe To iudge is taken iij. maner of wayes To iudge may be taken thrée maner of wayes eyther that the Ethnickes shall pronounce sentence agaynst the Iewes as Paule sayd to the Corinthians Knowe ye not that we shall iudge the Aungells also or by comparison as the Lorde sayd of the Sodomites and of the Niniuites and of the Quéene of Saba that they should iudge the Israelites or to iudge is to reproue to accuse and to beare witnes agaynst a man For euen as before were alleaged the cogitations which shall accuse one an other for the good shall accuse the euill for that they corrupted the man and agayne the euill shall accuse the good because they helped not so the holy and iuste Ethnickes shall accuse the wicked Iewes for that they being adorned with so many giftes and spirituall graces serued not God He calleth it vncircumcision by nature because we are naturally so borne And they whiche are Vncircumcision by nature Ethnickes purpose not in their minde to circumcise them selues Or to speake more rightly as I thinke vncircumcision by nature is an Ethnicke man which is led onely by the light of nature By the letter hee vnderstandeth what soeuer is What the letter signifiâ—th outward and is not grafted in the hart to moue hym to doe well Augustine in hys 3. booke and 5. chap. De Doctrina Christiana writeth that they sticke in the letter which take the signes for the thynges and that which is figuratiuelye spoken in the holye Scriptures they take it so as if it were spoken properly and so lowe créepe they on the grounde that when they heare the name of the Sabboth they remember nothyng but the seuenth day which was obserued of the Iewes Also when they heare of a Sacrifice they thinke vpon nothyng but vpon the sacrifices which were killed And though there be some seruitude tollerable yet he calleth that a miserable seruitude when we take the signes for the It is a seruitude most miserable to count the signes for the things An errour concernyng the Eucharist thinges Wherin there is great offence committed in these dayes in the Sacracrament of the Eucharist For how many shall a man finde which beholdyng the outward signes of thys Sacrament calleth to memorye the death and passion of Christ wherof it is most certayne that they are signes or which thincketh with him selfe that the body and bloud of Christ is a spirituall meate of the soule through faith euen as bread and wine are nourishmentes of the body Or which weigheth with hym self the coniunction of the members of Christ betwene themselues and with the head These thinges are not regarded and they cleane only to the sight of the signes And men thinke it is inough if they haue looked vpon bowed their knée and worshipped Thys is to embrace the letter and not to geue eare vnto the sayd Augustine who in the place which we haue now cited and a litle afterward most apertly affyrmeth that to eate the body of Christ to To eate the body of Christe and to drinke his blo ud are figuratiue speaches drinke hys bloud are figuratiue kinds of speaches So are the Iewes accused because they cleauing only to the letter circumcisioÌ„ wer traÌ„sgressours of the law For he is not a Iewe which is one outward neyther is that circumcision which is outward in the fleshe But he is a Iewe which is one within and the circumcision is of the hart in the spirite not in the letter whose prayse is not of men but of God For he is not a Iewe which is one outward Here he more apertly sheweth what is the true Iewishnes what the true circumcisioÌ„ And he vseth iiij antithesis or contrary positions Outward inward the fleshe the hart the spirite the letter the prayse of men and the prayse of God But thys is to be marked that where as he sayth That he is not a Iew which is a Iewe outwardly neyther is that circumcision whyche is in the fleshe these thynges oughte to be vnderstanded by exclusion as they call it so that this woorde onely or alone be added For that circumcision whyche is onelye in the fleshe is not circumsion And he whiche is a Iewe onelye outwardlye is not a Iewe. But Paule seemeth to deny that simply which should be denied but partly because to exaggâ—rate That sometimes is simply denied which is denied onely partly What the Fathers ment when they sayd that the Eucharist is not bread Against the Anabaptistes or amplify his matter he speaketh Hyperbolically Such as is that saying wheÌ„ he sayth that he was not sent to baptise Neyther ought we any otherwise to vnderstand the Fathers when they say that the Eucharist is not bread They speake hiperbolically and vnderstand that it is not breade onely or alone or coÌ„mon breade because vnto the bread is added the woorde of God whereby it receaueth the nature of a sacrament And this is a stronge reason againste the Anabaptistes which haue euer in theyr mouth that saying of Paule vnto the Corrinthians Circumcision and vncircumcision are nothing but the obseruation of the coÌ„maundements of God So they saye that Baptisme and the Eucharist and the Ecclesiasticall ministery are nothing but pretend onely the obseruing of the coÌ„maundementes of God But we aunswere them as we haue now sayde of Paule that other thinges are nothyng if they be alone without fayth and piety and a holy life But what it is to consist of the spirite and not of the letter is thus declared that by the spirite we vnderstand the renuing of the minde whereby it willingly What is ment by the spirite and the letter embraceth and desyreth that whiche is contained in the outward commaundement of the law For the spirite sometimes is taken for the excellenter part of the minde and sometimes for the power and faculty whereby God chaungeth and regenerateth a man But we here by the spirite
vnderstand the mynd of mā compacte of them both being renued by the holy Ghost But the letter signifyeth whatsoeuer is outwardlye set before vs be it neuer so spirituall when it cleaueth not to our minde or vrgeth not Wherefore the circumcision of the flesh is the signe of the circumcision of The circūcision of the flesh is the signe of the circumcisiō of the harte The circūcision of the hart in the bookes of the law Both God woorketh in vs good things and we also woorke The spirite and the letter are discerned by the affect of the mind the harte and of the mind Therfore great care was to be had that it should not be vayn or superfluous This phrase touching the circumcision of the hart Paul borowed out of the olde Testamente In the. 10. chap of Deut commaundement was geuen that they should circumcise the foreskins of theyr hartes and in the selfe same booke the. 30. chapter Moses promiseth that God will one day circumcise the foreskin of theyr hartes to declare that either is true namely that God woorketh in vs the things that are good and that we also worke the selfe same forasmuch as God vseth our ministery to bring forth good woorkes Wherfore so longe as our minde resisteth the woorde of God whiche is set foorth vnto vs althoughe outwardlye it make a shewe of somewhat yet is it occupied in the letter But when it is made prone vnto the commaundementes of God then is it gouerned by the spirite Wherefore as touching the thinge whiche is set foorth and red there is no difference betwene the spirite and the letter but as touching the affect of the minde Which thinge Paule hath declared in his latter Epistle to the Corinthians the 3. cap whē he saith Ye are the Epistle of Christ wrought by our ministery and written not wyth inke but with the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in tables of flesh Where he manifestlye teacheth that this is the ministery of the spirite whē in the tables of our hart are imprinted those things which God commaundeth and will haue to be of vs beleued and done Neyther let vs meruaile that Paule sayth that such an Epistle was written by him whē as it is the worke of God for he meaneth that he wrote it onely as an instrumēt ioyned with the woorking of God Wherefore they are to be counted ministers of the spirite which do not onely expounde the woordes of God but also do imprinte Who are ministers of the spirite thē into the hartes of the hearers Which thing such as do not althoughe they speake good and healthfull thinges yet are they but ministers of the letter neither of theyr woorke followeth any thinge els then the death of the hearers For they which vnderstand the will of the Lord and do it not shal be punished with many stripes And therefore Paule sayde that the letter killeth but the spirite quickeneth Wherefore it is the duety of pastors and of them that teache to pray vnto God For what thing pastors ought to pray What is the true circumcision moste ernestly to make them ministers not of the letter but of the spirite Paule also vnto the Philippians declared what is the true circumcision when he sayth We are the circumcision which serue God in the spirite we glory in Christ and haue not confidence in flesh By these thre notes he expressed the spirituall circumcision And vnto the Colossians after he had said that we are circumcised in Christ but yet with a circumcision not made by handes he declareth by very many circumstances what that circumcision is namely that we haue put of the body of the sins of the fleshe that through Baptism we are buried together with Christ that we haue forgeuenes of synnes that the hand writing is put out which was agaynst vs by reason of ordinances and the principalityes powers which were agaynst vs are by Christ vanquished ouercome In which place this is not to be passed ouer that baptisme is called the true circumcision so that it be in the spirite and the hart and not in the letter and the Baptisme when it is in the spirite is the true circumcisiō fleshe Wherefore these sentences a Iewe inward and outward the circumcision in the flesh and in the hart are to be taken in respect as they are opposite one to the other that is a part and disseuered one from the other For ioyne them together and then the sentence of Paule pertayneth not vnto them For it is not to be doubted but that there were very many Iewes in the olde tyme which were Iewes both outward and inward and were circumcised not only in the fleshe but also in the harte These thinges may be taken three maner of wayes so that there is one circumcision of the fleshe an other of the spirite and the thyrd ioyned together of them both For it is not to be thought that the olde Testament Many liued vnder the law which therewithall liued also vnder th◠Gospell An 〈…〉 or of the Maniches was so seperated from the Gospell that they which liued in it could not also therewithall haue the Gospell These two thinges are indeede seperated the one from the other but yet in such sorte that they may be ioyned together in one and the selfe same man Manicheus so reiected the olde Testament as though it were vtterly vnprofytable vnto vs. And vsed this kynde of reason Forasmuch as that inheritance of the land of Chanaan pertayneth not vnto me I do reiect also both the Testament and the writinge whereby the bequest was made Yea also though it should bring vnto me the possession of that land yet Christ hath so exalted vs to better thinges that I regard not these thinges These wordes obiected Faustus and they are red in the 4. booke of that worke whiche Augustine wrote against him In which place he thus answereth him Those thinges which are written The olde Testaraent pertayneth vnto vs also in the olde Testament are types of our thinges Forasmuch as Paule in his latter Epistle to the Corrinthians sayth These thinges happened vnto them in a figure but they are written for our correction vpon whome are come the endes of the world And vnto the Romanes we reade whatsoeuer thinges are written are written for our erudition and learning And in the oracles of the olde Testament is promise made of Christ Wherfore he being raysed from the dead and disputing with his two disciples of himselfe cited testimonyes out of Moses and out of the whole scripture And the same Christ sayd that the good father of the houshold brought forth of his treasure both new thinges and olde Wherefore the olde Testament is not so contrary vnto the new as the Manichies fayned it was And therefore Paule when he semeth to speake any thinge Paule whē he semeth to diminish any thing frō the law condēneth not the olde
the law is two maner of wayes cōfirmed by fayth First because by it we obtaine the holy ghost whereby are ministred vnto vs strengthes to obey the lawe But a man may paraduenture doubt how this can be that by fayth we haue the holy ghost when as of necessity he alwayes goeth before fayth For fayth The holy ghost goeth before fayth in vs. Betwene causes and effects are certayne circuites The holy ghost both goeth before and also followeth fayth The Law maketh vs vncertaineof the good will of God The Law with out fayth is weake and can not consiste is both his gift and also commeth from him to vs. But we answere that betwene the causes and the effectes seme to be certayne circuites as it is manifest by cloudes and showers From cloudes discend raynes out of waters which are in the inferior places are taken vp vapors by the heate of the heauēs which are thickened into cloudes out of which againe discend showers vpon the earth But in this circute we must alwayes haue a recourse to the first according to the order of nature which is whē there is supposed an humor of which cloudes may encrease So also must we do here We will graūt that fayth by the benefite of the holy ghost springeth in vs. By which fayth is increased the aboundance of the selfe same spirite whose encrease the former fayth hath preuented and of a greater fayth is still made a greater encrease of the spirite But yet notwithstanding we constantly affirme that there is but one thing chiefely from whence all these good things flow namely the holy ghost Secondly saith Augustine the lawe is by the helpe of fayth otherwise confirmed Because by fayth we pray and calling vpon God with prayers we do not only obtayne remission of sinnes but also so greate a portion of the spirite and of grace that we haue strengthes to obey the lawe Vndoubtedly the lawe if it be taken by it selfe maketh vs both vncertayne of the good will of God and after a sort bringeth desperation vnles fayth come and helpe which both maketh vs assured that God is pacefied and mercifull towards vs and also by grace obtayneth the renuing of strengthes And the Apostles phrase whereby he sayth that by fayth he establisheth the lawe is to be noted For thereby he signifieth that the lawe if it be left vnto it selfe and without fayth is weake so that it can not consiste And therefore vnles it be vpholden by fayth it shall easely fall And The woonderful sharpnes of wit in Paule The Law and sayth helpe one an other this is the poynte of a singular artificer not only to depel from him that which is obiected but also to declare that the selfe same maketh most of all for hys purpose The lawe and fayth helpe one an other and as the common saying is geue handeseche to other For the lawe doth as a scholemaster bring men vnto the fayth of Christ and on the other side fayth bringeth this to passe that it maketh them after a sort able to accomplishe the lawe For strayght waye so soone as a man beleueth in Christ he obtayneth iustification and is liberally endued with aboundance of the spirite and with grace The entent and purpose of the lawe was that a man should both be made good and also be saued But this thing it was not able to performe Then succeded fayth and did helpe it for through it is a man renued so that he is able to obey God and his commaundementes Chrisostome sayth that Paule here proueth three thinges First that a man may be iustified without the lawe Secondly that the lawe can not iustify Thirdly that fayth and the lawe are not repugnant one to the other Ambrose teacheth that therefore by fayth is the lawe established because that those thinges which by the lawe are commaunded to be done are by fayth declared to be done And we haue alredy before heard that this righteousnes which Paule here commendeth hath testemony both of the lawe and of the Prophetes And if any man obiect that therefore the lawe is made voyde by fayth because by it ceremonies are abolished he answereth that this thing therefore so happeneth because the lawe it selfe would haue it so and foretold that it should so come to passe In Daniell we reade that after the comming of Christ and after that he was slayne the dayly sacrifice should be taken away and the The Law Would and fortold that ceremonis should be made voide Testimonis witnessing that the ceremonis of the Hebrues should cease holy anoynting and such like kinde of ceremonies Wherefore Christ did not without cause saye The lawe and the Prophetes endured vnto Iohn baptistes tyme. Ieremy also most manifestly sayd that an other leage should be made farre diuers from that which was made in the olde tyme. The epistle vnto the Hebrues thereby concludeth that that which was the olde leage and was so called should one day be abolished Zachary the Prophet in his 2 chapter sayth that the city of Ierusalem should be inhabited without walles Which signified that the Church of the beleuers should so be spred abroade and dispersed through out the whole world that it should not be enclosed in by any borders or limites Which selfe same thing Esay semeth to testefy when he sayth That mount Sion and the house of the Lord should be on the toppe of the hilles so that the Gentiles should come vnto it out of al places And Malachy the Prophet pronounced that the name of God should be called vpon frō the rising of the sunne to the going downe of the same so that vnto God should euery where be offred Minchah which many haue transferred vnto y◠Eucharist as though it were a sacrifice when as yet the prophet thereby vnderstādeth prayers and the offring vp euen of our selues as Tertullian testefieth in his booke agaynst the Iewes and also Ierome when he interpreteth that place Wherefore when the Prophets seme to affirme that ceremonyes should be transferred vnto the Ethnikes they are so to be vnderstād as though by the signes they ment the thinges themselues The Ethnikes being conuerted vnto Christ receaued that which was represented by the ceremonies of the elders But they reiected the How the Ethnikes receued the ceremonis of the Hebrues outward signes and thys was by fayth to confirme the lawe And forasmuch as the Prophetes foretold that ceremonyes should be abolished the same is to be taken as if it had bene spoken of the lawe for that the Prophetes were interpreters of the lawe And that Christ when he should come should chaunge the ceremonies euen the Iewes them selues doubted not whych thing is manifest by Iohn Baptist shewed that ceremonis should bee abrogated the historie of Iohn Baptist which we reade in the Gospell For when he would purge menne conuerted vnto God he sente them not vnto sacrifices and vnto the ceremonies of Moses by
sort hope But we deny that it is such a hope as is ours which we haue in this life Bicause as we haue before declared out of the woordes of the Apostle our hope hath ioyned with it as companions sighing and sorrowe which thinges vndoubtedly in the eternall felicity which the blessed haue fruition of in heauen can haue no place Farther our hope cleaueth fast vnto fayth which engendereth an vnperfect and an obscure knowledge For as Paul sayth vnto the Corrint We se now by a glasse in a ridle we know but by a part But the saints in heauē know most perfectly most clearly Moreouer forasmuch as fayth hath chiefely a respect vnto the last chiefe good thing there ought not to be ascribed vnto the blessed which now hold possesse that good thing such a hope as is ours For the true proper hope cā haue Hope is in life as an anker no place in eternall felicity It is only so longe as we liue here geuen vnto vs as an anker for so the epistle which is written vnto the Hebrues calleth it For so long as we are tossed with the waues and tempests of this world vnles our minde be confirmed and stablished by the anker of hope our shippe will easely dashe agaynst the sandes and rockes Chrisostome calleth it a golden chayne let downe from heauen which chayne if we take holde of we shal be drawen vp Hope is in a chaine into heauen Wherefore we must diligently prouide that this hope be dayly more and more confirmed in vs which thinge shal then chiefely come to passe if as Paul straight way declareth we diligently wayght the singular benefites of God Which benefites forasmuch as they are most playnly contayned in the Hope is confirmed by the consideration of Gods benefites holy scriptues by reading of them our hope shal be very much cōfirmed Which thing Paul most clearely taught in this epistle when he sayd Whatsoeuer thinges are written are written for our learning that through patience and consolation of the scriptures we should haue hope Which selfe same thing Dauid also sayth They hope in thee which haue knowen thy name Wherefore seing the nature and nam◠of God is no where better vnderstand then in the holy scriptures it followeth that by thē we ought to confirm our hope which thing if we diligently obserue our mynde shall not be discouraged when God as oftentymes his maner is permitteth our doinges to come euen to shame which thing we sée happened in God semeth sometimes to forsake his Christ our sauior For he was so vtterly forsaken of God that he was put vpon the crosse and died a most ignominious death betwéene two thieues Dauid also was brought to that poynt that not only being expelled out of the kingdome of Israell he was fayne to wander in desert places but also was in a maner fast holden and closed in the handes of Saule The selfe same thing we sée very oftentymes to haue happened in other of the Saints that they were iudged in a maner to haue bene deceaued and to haue fallen from their hope But the spirite of Christ geueth strength that men are able in the middest of their calamityes to reioyce and to say These thinges shoulde haue no power in vs if it were not geuen thē frō aboue Which sētence Christ layd agaynst Pilate when he boasted of his power The 42. Psalme also hath excellently wel tought vs how we ought to comfort our selues and with a good hope to erect our mynde For thus it is written Why art thou deiected oh my soule Why art thou Why God spoyleth his of outward helpes so discouraged Hope in God for I will yet make my confession vnto him My health is in his countenance Nether doth God for any other cause commonly depriue his of outward helpes and aydes of this world but to gather together their dispersed hope not to suffer it to leane vnto too many aydes And these sondry and manifolde aydes he changeth for one principall ayde and the same most firme to the ende we should wholy depend of him By this difference of a firme hope Christians much differ from Epicures and Ethnikes For if there come any great calamity vnto them straight way they exclame and cry out If there The Ethnikes howe they are destitute of hope be a God that hath a care ouer these thinges If there be a God that séeth these thinges So they call not vpon God but being in dispayre vtterly discourage themselues But contrariwise godly men most constantly crye vnto God nether doubt they but that their prayers reach vp euen vnto heauē and that God hath a care both ouer them and all theirs But because humane wisedome continually wrastleth and faineth that it doubteth not indede of the power of God but only doubteth of hys will therefore let vs sée how of this thinge Paul hath made vs certayne Because the loue of God is shed abroade into our hartes by the holy ghost which is geuen vnto vs. These wordes signify all one as if he had sayd hereby thou mayst gather that thy hope shall not be made frustrate for that God loueth thee Which loue the holy ghost hereby perswadeth thée of for that the only sonne of God was for thy sake deliuered vnto the death Wherefore now oughest thou not any more to be in doubt of the will of God It is geuen vnto the fréely and that as it is afterward sayd when thou wast an enemy weake wicked and a sinner All which things declare that God loued thee not meanely but most aboundantly Nether hath he only geuen thee these thinges but also hath geuen thee the holy ghost that thou mightest throughly féele them And this is done in regeneration for there whilest by fayth thou takest holde that Christ died for thee thou art borne agayne and made partaker of the nature of God For euen as the spirite of man maketh a man so the spirit of God By the holy Ghost we are adopted by adoption maketh vs the children of God whiche spirite if it were geuen vs as sayth Chrisostome euen now from the beginning before we lauboured vndoubtedly many more thinges shall be geuen vnto vs seing that we go aboute continually to frame our selues to the will of God Now we take holde of the roote and fountayne of all good thinges From this spirite commeth that glorious resurrection as we are taught by this epistle For he which raysed vp Christ Of the holy Ghost is the resurrection from the dead sayth Paul shall rayse vp also your mortall bodies because of his spirite which dwelleth in you Nether is this life which we liue in Christ coūted to come from any els where then from the holy ghost For the wisedome of the flesh saith Paul is enmity agaynst God But the wisedome of the spirite is life and peace God would that we should in this life haue a pledge and
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
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
of death For forasmuch as death and sinne are so ioyned together that the one is alwayes engendred of the other therefore Paul when he had confuted the first obiection touching sin goeth to the other obiection concerning death For before he denied that the law was of it selfe the cause of sinne now he also denieth it to be the cause of death And euen as before he defended the Law by translation when as he sayd that As the law by it selfe is not the the cause of sinne so also is it not the cause of death the lust naturally grafted in vs is the true and proper cause of sinne So now also he vseth the selfe same translation and ascribeth death not vnto the Law but vnto the vice grafted into vs by nature If a man demaund what commodity hereof followeth that our lust beinge irritated by the Lawe committeth more haynouser wicked facts and bringeth death he answereth that we are thereby brought opēly to the knowledge of the malice of our naturall prauitye which prauity herein chiefely consisteth that it perniciously abuseth the most excellent Law of God so that y◠which was ordeyned to good doth now bring vnto vs destructiō And yet must we not sticke stay in this knowledge of our misery For the more we know that we are in perdition with so muche the greater endeuor We must not stay in the knowledge of our misery The scope of the whole scripture Why the law is not the cause of death ought we to flye vnto Christ at whose hands alone we must looke for saluation and who is the only remedy of our so greate misery And this is the skope of the whole scripture For euery where in it is ether declared our prauity or ells set forth the mercy of God thorough Christ The reason whereby Paul proueth that the Lawe is not the cause of death is this That whiche is spirituall and ordeyned vnto life can not bring death But the Law of God is spirituall and or deyned to life wherefore it can not properlye be the cause of death The Maior or first propositiō hath two parts the first is that the Law can not bring death for that it was ordeined vnto life This sentēce is proued by the nature of things contrarye For death and life forasmuche as they are thinges contrarye can not at one time be found in one and the selfe same subiect For it is not possible that of one and the same Law should in the selfe same men together at one and the same time be engendred both life and death The second part is that the law is spirituall and therefore can not bring death And that is hereby proued for that the nature of the spirite is to quicken and not to destroy VVas that then which vvas good made death vnto me Thys he therefore What is the nature of the spirite obiecteth vnto himself for y◠before he semed to speak things repugnant namely y◠the commaundemente was ordeyned vnto life but yet turned to him to death These thinges seme at the first sight not well to agree It semeth that he should rather thus haue sayd What then Is the Law which bringeth life made vnto me death But Paul to set forth the obiection more vehemently comprehendeth the Law vnder this word Good or this pronowne which is referred to y◠which was before spoken namely ordeyned to life For before he had affirmed both namely that the Law is both good and also ordeyned to life Wherefore he now not without cause obiecteth vnto himselfe Was that then which was good made vn to me death God forbid But Sinne here vnderstād vvas made vnto me death For so is the sentence to be made perfect Now he declareth what vtility the Lawe which was geuen broughte For he sayth that sinne abused it and by it slewe vs that sayth he it mought be knowen and appeare that sinne by that which was good wrought vnto me death God would haue vs to vnderstand that our corruption is greate that by the Law that is by a thing most good it bringeth death Paul speaketh not here chiefely of the death of the body althoughe it also What death Paul here meaneth doo follow but rather of that death whereinto we incurre when we ernestlye fele our sinne by the knowledge of the Law For hereby we see that we are obnoxious vnto the wrath of God adiudged to hell fire Which thinge when we A taste of ēternall condemnation A similitude with efficacy seriously consider we fele in our selues some tast of eternall condēnation By which meanes it commeth to passe that although in body we liue yer we are sayde to be slaine of sinne by the Lawe And as they which are kept in prison after that they know that sentence of death is geuē vpon thē although they are permitted to liue two or three dayes to take their leue of theyr frends yet are they filled with incredible heauines and horror and euery houre haue a tast of theyr death so that al that time they may seme rather to dye then to liue An other similitude And euē as they which are sure to be very shortly rewarded with a greate and looked for reward although in the meane time they take greate paynes yet do they nothing weighe that trouble for that euen in theyr labors they seme to thē selues to haue after a sort the fruition of theyr hoped for reward and to haue it in a maner in theyr hands So they which by the Lawe see fele that they are now condemned to eternall death take no pleasure at all in the delights of thys life For euen now they fele in themselues that those paynes are begon But many maruell that Paul should say that this came to passe in himselfe and especially when as he writeth vnto the Galathians that he had profited in the religion of the Iewes aboue all the men in his time And vnto the Phillippians That he had How Paul was decraned and slaine of sin bene conuersant in the righteousnes of the Law without blame And vnto Timothe That he had from his elders serued God with a pure conscience But Augustine in hys first booke agaynst the two epistles of the Pelagians in the 8. and 9. chapiters diligently dissolueth this doubt He mought sayth he be honestly conuersant in outward workes so that before men he mought without blame performe the righteousnes of the Lawe But before God and as touchinge the affectes of the minde he wa◠not free frō sinne For it mought be that he thorough feare of men or through feare of punishmentes which God threatneth vnto transgressors was moued to liue vprightly but as touching Paul acknowledged himself◠obnoxious vnto the lust grafted into him by nature lustes and inward motions agaynst which men would not that God had made any Law he also was obnoxious vnto vice sinne Nether was h◠by faith and charity as he
is no more I that do it I delight in the Law of God Vnhapyy man that I am who shall deliuer me frō the body of this death There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus Agayne We also grone which haue receaued the first fruites of the spirite Ambrose in his booke de Paradiso is of the same iudgemēt And to the same purpose is he cited of Augustine in his 6. booke agaynst Iulianus in his booke de philosophia or de Sacramento which booke is not at this day extant But sinne that dvvelleth in me This metaphore of dwelling is very much The Metaphore of dwelling vsed in y◠holy scriptures nether signifieth it vnto vs any thing els but a true mighty presēce In this sēce it is said The word was made flesh dwelt amongst vs. And in the old testament is oftentimes red that God dwelt amōgst the children of Israell And Paul to the Corrinthians sayth That we are the temple of God that the holy ghost dwelleth in vs. But here we must beware of the error of y◠Maniches which hold that man consisteth of two natures the one good and the other euill and y◠they are both mingled together but thorough Christ it is come An error of the Manichies to passe that the euill is seperated from the good and thrust out to the people of darkenes For they saw not that y◠euil was the corruptiō of nature which nature otherwise was good but they sayd that it doth by it selfe exist hath a certayne substaunce and that it is seperated from the good by thrustinge forth and by flyinge away and not that it ceasseth to be But the truth teacheth that Christe healeth sinne and the effect or want and so healeth thē y◠they haue no more any being The Apostle in thys place entreateth not of our cōmon euils but of our chiefest euils whiche pertayne to the strife betwene the spirite and the flesh and doo trouble and confound both whatsoeuer we haue inwardly or outwardlye For whē we do any thing we not only not do so much as both we our selues desire also is required of y◠law but we haue also y◠flesh by all maner of meanes raging fighting and striuing against the will of God Neither do we y◠good which What is the good which we would do do not What is the euell which we would not do and yet do All our woorkes haue nede of forgeuenes The flesh the members the mind and the inwards man how they are to be taken we would but that euill which we hate If thou demaūd what that good is which we would we can aunswer nothyng els but y◠it is y◠which the law cōmaundeth vs. For it is the onely maistres of all that which is good Hereby it is plaine that we do not that which is commaunded in the law Againe the euill which we hate is nothing els but that which by the law is prohibited Wherfore we cannot deny but that by our euill motions and wicked desires the law of God is violated Neither ought we to denye but that they are sinnes which yet our aduersaries will not graunt Moreouer hereby we gather that in all the things which we do we haue nede of forgeuenes and that our workes are not of so great waight that for them we should be made acceptable vnto God and merite the eternall kyngdome In this place are vsed the names of the flesh and of the members and on the the other side of the minde and of the inward man Which are not to be distinguished touching the partes of the body and of the mynde But on the one side is signified the whole man as he is not regenerate neither hath yet perfectly and vniuersally put of the prauity of nature On the other side also is vnderstande the whole man as he is now regenerate and hath receiued at the least some parte of spirituall regeneration They are farre deceiued which thinke that although we beleue not in Christ yet the minde and will in vs is wholy perfect in nature For they remember not what Paul writeth to the Corinthians The naturall man vnderstandeth not the thynges which are of the spirite of God For these wordes plainly declare that our vnderstanding hath in it much darkenes corruption whē as we are so vnapt to the vnderstanding of thinges spiritual And that thou shouldst not thinke that these thinges pertaine vnto them only that are not regenerate which are yet straungers from Christ Augustine declareth that they belong also vnto the beleuers both by those thinges which go before and by those also which follow For that Paul there entreateth of them that are baptised is by that proued which he before wrote Are ye baptised in the name of Paul It is proued also by that which followeth after Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that his spirite dwelleth in you And if they are pronounced to be such which are of the vnperfecter sort amongst the beleuers what is to affirmed of those which are vtterly straungers from Christ Doubtles seyng they haue receiued no part of iustification there can dwell in them no good Let them go now which bable that before regeneration Against workes preparatory may be done of vs some good workes which may please God wherby we may as they speake merite of congruity Let them also consider how wisely they are wont to say that if men do that which lieth in them God will graunt vnto them his grace For if they do that which lieth in them they shal do nothing He which doth that which lieth in hym doth but euill but that which is euill For as Paul sayth there dwelleth in them no good Wherfore seyng they are moued only by the ground of their corrupt nature doubtles they commit sinne And that the Apostle speaketh not of the nature of y◠outward flesh and of the visible body it is hereby proued for that when as in the epistle to the Corinthians he admonisheth them to eschew fornications he sayth that our bodies are the temples of the holy ghost Wherfore it should be false that in our flesh dwelleth no good if flesh should be taken in that signification Wherfore in thys place as we haue sayd flesh is taken for the whole nature infected wyth sinne Of this Paul pronounceth that he knoweth that in it dwelleth no good Neither wanteth this an emphasis that he sayth that he assuredly knoweth For he saw that others and in a maner the most part of mē felt not this And I would to God y◠we once thorough felt it For to will is present with me but I finde no abilitie to do that whiche is good Neither doubtles had he this power to wil but so farre forth as he had it of the spirite which renueth vs. This he proueth in the epistle to the Philippians We haue not of our selues to
will any thing vprightly For when he had sayd Wyth feare and tremblyng worke your saluation lest any man should thynke that he can performe thys by his owne strengthes straight way he addeth For it is God which worketh in you both to wyll and to performe And that no man should thinke that he may through his holines deserue this he addeth accordyng to hys good wyll To will is present with me Some thynke that by the nature of this worde Adiacere which is englished to be present is signified the weakenes of our wyll But I do not thynke that Paul had hereunto a regard For that euill also of lust which is mighty of force in vs is a little afterward sayd to be preseÌ„t with vs by the same word It is true in déede that these men say that the vpright purpose in vs beyng neuer so much regenerate is yet weake Which thyng although it can not sufficiently be proued by thys worde Adiacet yet is it proued by that which followeth But to do good I finde no ability For that must nedes be a weake wyll which can not burst forth into acte For this verbe Adiacere signifieth to be We are in the middest and are pricked forward both of the spirite and of the lust A sentence of the Pelagians on euery side at hande to be readye and to pricke forwarde We are in the myddest and eche part is at hand On the one side we are vrged wyth the pricke of the spirite to wyll good thinges on the other side euill is at hand wherby the good wyll is letted Augustine in hys booke de natura gratia agaynst the PelagiaÌ„s confuteth theyr error by thys place For they sayd as it is there had in the 50. and 51. chapiters If to sinne be in vs there must nedes be in our nature a possibility not to sinne And if it be in vs to sée or to hear there must néedes be in our nature a possibilitie of not seyng or not hearyng And this possibility they will haue to be so fixed vnto nature that it can not be separated from it Thys sayth Augustine mought haue after a sort some lykelihoode of truth if our nature were perfect as it was instituted of God But forasmuch as it is now maymed and weake in vs we can not be said In our corrupt nature we haue not the power not to sinne to haue naturally any possibility not to sinne For he which is whole in hys legs and feete as in hym it lyeth to walke vpryghte so in hym is a possibilitye not to halte But if thou suppose one that is now lame in hys nature is no possibility of walking vpryght Farther Augustine reproueth this sentence although it be vnderstand of nature being perfect For neyther was the possibility not to sinne geuen vnto vs at the beginnyng The power not to sinne was seperable from maÌ„ inseparable from nature For although it were in the first man yet was it separable both from hym and from hys posterity through hys fall euen as both we therof haue in very déede experience and Paul also here bewayleth the losse therof For he sayth That to wyll in dede was present wyth hym but how to do good he found no ability Where then is that possibility not to sinne Why doth not the Apostle vse it Verely of it was entreated in thys place But Paul right well saith yâ— he found no ability how to do good Augustine de nuptiis concupiscentia in his 1. boke Good is not perfectly done vnles wicked â—â—sues â—e absent the 29. and 30. chap. excellently well declareth thys place That which is good saith he is not performed vnlesse wycked desires be absent which thyng is not had in this lyfe neyther is thys fulfilled which is written Thou shalt not lust And yet is not thys precept vnprofitably set forth vnto vs to be beleued For by it we vnderstand that we ought to seeke a medicine when as we see that we are daungerously sicke of thys disease It is coÌ„maunded also that we mought know wherunto we ought in thys mortall lyfe by profiting to endeuour our selues and wherunto we shall attayne in that most blessed immortalitye For vnles it should one day be performed it shoulde not haue benâ— commaunded at all Wherfore godly men as they performe not that which is good forasmuch as they wante not euill desires so also performe they not that which is euill for that although they oftentymes We should not be commaunded not to iuste vnles it might at the â—easte way be performed in an other life fall yet the good and holy desires cease not in them wherby they resist sinne are called agayne into the ryght way For I do not the good thing which I would but the euil which I would not that do I. Now if I do that which I would not it is no more I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me I finde then a lawe vnto me when I woulde do good for that euill is present with me For I delight in the lawe of God concerning the inner man But I fele an other lawe in my members rebelling agaynst the lawe of my mynde and leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Then I my selfe in my mynde serue the lawe of God but in my fleshe the lawe of sinne For I do not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that do I. He before spake the selfe same sentence nowe only he addeth these two wordes good and euill which before he added not although the lattin interpreter hath added them of his owne hed Now if I do that which I woulde not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Here endeth he the reason whereby he proued that he was sold vnder sinne for that he did not his owne will but the will of it And here in dede he mought haue made an end Howbeit it semed good vnto the holy ghost to vrge the thing more vehemently And therefore Paul tarieth the longer in this matter and more plainly openeth what he had had experience of in this strife He speaketh with great affection so that he contayneth not himselfe from cryint out wherby to bewaile yâ— misery of our conditioÌ„ And he sheweth the there is but one only There is but one way to liberty that is by Christ way of liberty and the same is through Christ Wherfore for it he geueth thanks This is the skope of the Apostle in this whole disputation to leade vs from the lawe by which we coulde not be set at liberty vnto Christ and by that meanes to proue that which he at the beginning entended namely that we can not by the lawe be iustified The thinges which are so
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
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
implore some tast of the mercy of God and of the righteousnes which is bestowed vpon them And this is the very naturall meaninge of such godly prayers Nether must we thinke that yâ— publicane prayed any otherwise He did not in that sense calâ— himselfe a sinner for that he was minded to abide still in sinnes for he was not so minded that he would still retaine his old purpose to sinne but he was truly and from the hart coÌ„uerted vnto God But our aduersaries faine that they whiche still perseuer in theyr sinnes nether haue in minde to change theyr life do yet notwithstanding some good which pleaseth God But we are taught by the holy scriptures that he which beleueth in God hath eternal life and therefore is iustified but other things are nether good nor yet please God Wherefore seinge that the publicane prayed and with fayth prayed it is moste certayne that he had eternall life nether wanted he iustification But to make What thinges are required to workes which are acceptable vnto God al these things the more planly to be vnderstaÌ„d it shal not be froÌ„ yâ— purpose to declare what things are required vnto a good worke to make it acceptable vnto God First he which doth a good dede must nedes be moued by yâ— spirit of God for otherwise in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth nothing that is good and they which are led by the spirite of God are doubtles the sonnes of God Secondlye it behoueth that fayth be present whereby we may certaynly vnderstand that that worke which we take in hand is of those kindes of things which God willeth and by his law commaundeth to be done For whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sin Nether ought we so to handle the matter that our hart should accuse vs in that thing which we doo Thirdly whatsoeuer we doo must wholy be directed vnto the glory of God that hereunto we chiefly and aboue all things haue a regard that the prayse and glory of God be illustrated by our workes Whither ye eate or whither ye drinke or what soeuer other thing ells ye do doo all things to the glory of God saith Paul Fourthly forasmuch as by reason of the infirmity which is grafted in vs there alwayes wanteth somewhat in our workes yea euen in those which seme to be most vprightly done it is necessary that the grace and mercy of God thorough Christe be wyth vs whereby that defect or want maye be compensed Wherefore Dauid sayth Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen Blessed is the man vnto whoÌ„ the Lord imputeth not his sin And Paul sayth There is now coÌ„demnatioÌ„ to those which are in Christ Iesus Again That which was impossible vnto the Law in asmuch as it was made weake thorough the flesh God sending his sonne c. These testimonies playnly declare that both our workes want of perfection and of theyr dew end and that also it commeth thorough Christ and the mercy of God that that blame mingled with our workes is not imputed vnto vs. Lastly thys also is required that no man glory of that which he vprightly doth but in God only and that he acknowlege that that which he doth he hath of his goodnes and WhereheÌ„ce the definition of a good worke is gathered The vngodlye are farre distant from the conditioÌ„ of good workes not of hys owne strengths For who hath seperated thee sayth Paule to the Cor. What hast thou that thou hast not receaued But if thou haste receaued it why boastest thou as though than haddest not receaued it When all these thinges whiche I haue reckoned are obteyned then the workes without all doubt shall be good and acceptable vnto God The diligent reder may here out of these câ—ditions of a good worke gather the definition thereof Contrariwise if we consider the nature of a man not yet regenerate we shal easely perceaue that those conditions which we haue sayd to be necessary vnto a good work can not be found in theÌ„ For he is vtterly voyde of the spirite of God and of fayth and is so infected with selfe loue so yâ— whatsoeuer he doth he referreth it not vnto God but vnto hys owne commodity Farther forasmuch as he is a stranger from Christ it must nedes be that he is left vnder the Law Wherfore whatsoeuer defect or fault is in his workes which must nedes be much the same can not by any meanes be compensed Finally if he haue done peraduenture any notable or goodly worke he glorieth not in God but in himselfe for he is ignoraunt both of Christe and of the grace of God By these two descriptions of a good worke and acceptable vnto God and of a man that liueth without Christ I thinke it is now manifest that those workes can not be good and acceptable vnto God which procede from an infidel But our aduersaries contend to wrest from vs two most strong places which we vse for the confirmation of this matter The first is that we say that A Metaphore of the good â—â—ell tree an euil trée can not bring forth good fruite The second is That whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Of whiche sentences we will in this place somewhat speake That metaphore of the euill trée which can not bring forth good fruite Christ vsed not only in the. 7. chapiter of Mathevv but also in the selfe same Mathevv the 12. chapiter And thereof he inferred Ye generation of vipers howe can ye speake good things when as ye are euill But before I make open this cauillation I thinke it good to declare how Augustine agaynst Iulianus the Pelagian in his 4. booke and 3. chapiter contended for this selfe same place He setteth forth a godly worke of a man being an infidle namely to cloth a naked man and demaundeth whether this worke may be called sinne Verely vnles this worke be Without fayth to cloth a naked man is sinne of that kinde that pleaseth God I se not what other workes infidells can doo which can be acceptable vnto him And Augustine contendeth and playnly proueth that it is sinne And that lest he should seeme to speake this without reason he sayth that it is therefore sinne for that he which doth that so godly a worke glorieth of hys worke for he doth not by fayth acknowledge ether God or Christ nor thinketh that he hath receaued the same at his handes Farther he sayth that to auoyd the nature of sinne it is not inoughe that a good thinge be done but also that it be well and vprightlye done Shall we then say that an infidell hath done a good worke and wrought vprightly If we graunt not this then must we confesse that he sinned but if we graunt it then must we confesse the fruit to be good notwithstanding an infidell without Christ is an euill tre So shall we graunt that an euill tree can bring forth good fruite which thing yet Christe expressedly denieth Now
men not yet regenerate First they are free froÌ„ the seruitude of coÌ„pulsion Farther in morall and ciuill workes they are able to do many thinge by their free wil Finally euen amongst sinnes they haue some choyce and somtymes imbrace this sinne and somtymes that sinne as their will serueth them But yet are they not so frée that they do those things which please God They are also will they or nill they obnoxious vnto the miseries and calamities of this life Now resteth to Of the liberty of men regenerate speake of the libertie of men regenerate Which besides that it is not lesse then that which we haue sayd is in wicked men yet in this pointe it goeth beyond it that it can attaine to good works which are acceptable vnto God For who knoweth The godlye may reach vnto those workes which plese God not but that that worke of Abraham wherin he was redy to sacrifice his sonne was most acceptable vnto God For therfore was he highly commended euen by God himselfe Paul to the Phil. calleth their almes sacrifices hauyng a good sauor And vnto the Hebrues we are taught that God wonderfully delighteth in such sacrifices And hereof it commeth that Paul admonisheth the Phil. with feare and with tremblyng to worke their owne saluation But what nede we any other testimonies when as the iudge himself in the last day shall reckeÌ„ vp the good works The regenerate haue liberty by the benefite of God and not by theyr owne merites We are in the first impulsioÌ„ of the holy Ghost onely suffrers After regeneration we worke together with the holy ghost Definition of sinne which godly men haue bestowed vppon the members of Christ Wherfore seing men regenerate are good trées it is agreable that they both can and do bring forth good fruites Although they which are so regenerate ought neuer to forget yâ— they haue not obteined this libertie by their owne merites but by the benefite of God For he hath made them a new and in stede of a stony hart hath geuen vnto them a fleshy hart Finally it came not of themselues but of the heauenly father that they should be drawen vnto Christ For vnles they had bene by God the heauenly father with great efficacy persuaded inwardly in the minde they would no lesse haue fled from Christ then other men Wherfore in that first change or impression of the holy ghost our minde only suffreth as they vâ—e to speake B 〈…〉 after yâ— we are once persuaded changed we are so restored the we are able to worke together with the holy ghost grace And in what sorte this restoring of frée will is is â—o be coÌ„sidered by two principall pointes out of which we at the beginning when we described the nature of will declared commeth whatsoeuer error and whatsoeuer sinne is in election or choice namely for that when we deliberate touchyng any matter either we are vtterly ignoraunt what is iust and what is vniust or els for that though we sée what is iust or vniust yet lust and perturbation entermingleth it selfe which by their great force cause vs to preferre the weaker reasons before sure and firme reasons Wherfore the knowledge of that which is vpright cannot take place For the violence of the affections and the whole bent of yâ— minde is fixed vpon those reasons which serue for pleasures and lust And the stroÌ„ger and honester arguments are not considered and therfore they burst not forth By the benefite of regeneration both the vnderstanding and also the appetite is hâ—lpâ—n into effect But by the benefite of regeneration both these discommodities are holpen For as touching the first the light of fayth is present which by adding yâ— rule of the law of God manifestly in yâ— practising of things vnderstandeth what things are iust and vniust Farther although all prauity or corruption of the affections be not vtterly taken away yet by the power of the holy ghost is it so broken weakned that it is not able to hinder the vpright election or choise as it was before able Howbeit for that this lust so long as we liue here can not vtterly be coÌ„sumed The libertye also of the godly is vnperfecte therof it coÌ„meth yâ— this libertie to do such things which please God which is geueÌ„ vnto the godly is not perfect or absolute but weake mayned is in that sort set forth in the holy scriptures For holy men are by many wayes excedingly letted yâ— they can not as they would and as the law requireth exercise these works which are acceptable vnto God For alwayes they fele a law in their members which resisteth the law of the minde and will they or nill they they are led away captiues into the law of sin For as vnto the Galathians it is written The flesh so lusteth agaynst the spirite that they do not the thinges which they would And we haue heard We are not by the imperâ—ection of our liberty leteâ— but that we worke together with God The regenerate are called the meÌ„ of God and not simple or â—aremen Paul complain that he did not that good which he earnestly desired but rather that euill which he hated Godly men in mind in dede serue the law of God but in flesh the law of sinne In whom yet this is a notable gift of God that they excedingly bewaile and lament these impediments so that although they doubt not but that they haue the first fruites of the spirit yet they grone and feruently desire a perfect restoring There happen moreouer vnto them daily falles which admonish vs how weake this our liberty is Wherfore Iohn saith If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Iames also saith We all offende in manye thinges And the Lord bath taught vs in our daily prayer to cry vnto the Father Forgeue vnto vs our trespasses Howbeit we are not by this imperfection of liberty letted but that we woorke together with God and frame our selues as apte instruments vnto the holy ghost Wherfore Paul admonished Timothie to stirre vp the grace which he had in hym And in the first epistle to the Corrinthians he admonisheth them to apply theÌ„selues to the frée gifts of God and that to the more excellenter as though their diligence were required to be able to vse rather this gyft of the spirite then that But those which are sayd to haue these things are not simple and bare men but forasmuch as they haue the grace and spirite of God they are now called the men of God And bicause they are the men of God they are also called perfect and instructed vnto euery good worke Wherfore we confesse that men regenerate in Christ haue all that liberty which we graunt vnto the vngodly and moreouer they are also able to do workes which are acceptable vnto God although they be not frée neither from sinne nor froÌ„ the calamities and
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
the kingdome of God But the fruites of the spirite sayth he are charity ioye peace lenity goodnes gentilenes fayth mekeâ—et and temperance And Paul more playnely to declare the fight betwene these two affections hath signified it not only by the name of flesh and spirite but also hath added other epithetes or proprieties namely that the affection of the flesh is death and enmity against God but the sence of the spirite is life and peace Now there is none which knoweth What life is not but that death is contrarye vnto life and enmitie vnto peace By life he vnderstandeth the motion of the wil of man and of the whole man towards God What peace is But peace is the tranquillitye of conscience and reconciliation wyth God Paul in that he so amplifieth these thinges playnly declareth how necessary a thing regeneration is for vs. And thereby also he exhorteth vs to follow the better affection namely the affection of the spirite and of grace for that the affectioÌ„ of the flesh is called death Which thing Ambrose sayth commeth to passe by reason of sinne for where sinne is there death of necessity followeth But he meruayleth Why the affection of the flesh is called wisedome why this affection is after the 〈…〉 in translation called wisedome And he answereth that it is so called bycause vnto such men it semeth wisedom for here vnto they apply all theyr industry craft and subtility namely to sinne and they are wise to doo euill Many also herein thinke themselues learned and wise bycause they will not beleue those thinges which passe the capacity of reason as for example the creation of the world the resurrection of the flesh the coÌ„ception of the virgeÌ„ and such like These words declare that Ambrose â–ª vnderstode the affection of the flesh as it extendeth it selfe vnto infidelity or vnto the minde And vndoubtedly Paul in this place vnder affection coÌ„prehendeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yâ— is the power of vnderstaÌ„ding the power of desiring With which sentence Augustine agréeth when he saith that wisedome chiefly consisteth in chusing and refusing But it is manifest that vnto election are adioyned two powers the power of knowledge yâ— power of will He addeth moreouer yâ— this affection is enmity against God for they which are so affected do fight against him An horrible sentence vndoubtedly But it is most truly said that the fight of the fleshe against the spirite is a fight against God Enmity saith he but The flesh fightings against the spirite fighteth against God the latine text hath enemy But this semeth to be but a small fault forasmuch as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an acute accent in the first sillable signifieth enmity â–ª but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an accent in the last signifieth an enemy And howsoeuer it be it may be ascribed ether vnto the writers or to the variety of bookes for the accent is easely transfered from one place to an other But we ought to consider that if we rede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is enemy it is a noune adieâ—tiue whose substantiue can be none other but this woord◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is englishâ—â— wisdome whiche we sée is of the neâ—ter gender And thâ—â— should it not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ought therefore of This â—hrase of the Apostle maketh the thyng more vehement necessity to rede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª which signifieth enmity and that agréeth best with the scope of the Apostle For he exaggerateth how great a destruction or hurt the affection of the flesh is And this is a vehementer kind of spech to call a wicked man wickednes then to call him wicked But how the sence of the fleshe is enmity against God â–ª the Apostle thus proueth Because saith he it is not subiect vnto the lawe of God yea neither indede can it Whosoeuer resisteth the wil of an other man and so worketh continually yâ— he can not disagre in any wise with him is his enemy Such is the affection What an enemy is of our fleshe Wherefore it is an enemy vnto God or rather it is euen very enmity it selfe against God That booke vpon Mathew which is ascribed vnto Chrisostome and is called an vnperfect worke vpon these wordes of the Lord He which seeth a woman to lust after her hath alredy committed fornication in hys hart that booke I say saith That the Lord may seeme to some to haue taken occasion to condemne vs for such affections haue we by nature that euen at the first brunt we are in such maner moued to lust And forasmuch â—s we are not able to prohibite these affections from rising vp therefore streight way will we or nill we we are made guilty of thys An vnapt distinction of affectes precept But it maketh a distinction of lust For there is one lust saith it of the mind and an other of the fleshe and there is also one anger of the mynde and an other of the fleshe Farther it addeth that that sentence of Christ is to be vnderstand of the luste of the mynde and not of the luste of the fleshe and that thys place of Paul may haue the selfe same sence namely to vnderstand that the wisedome not of the mynde but of the fleshe can not be subiect vnto the lawe of God And so by this distinction taken out of the philosophers they thinke that they haue very well knit vp the matter But with Paul the affection of the fleshe is not the inferior part of the minde nether is the spirite the mynde which possesseth the more nobler part of the soule as we shall afterward more manifestly declare But of how great credite that booke is Erasmus hath most plainely declared who doubtles in iudging the writinges of the elders was a man of great diligence And that that booke is none of Chrysostomes he proueth by many argumentes And Chrisostome himselfe when he interpreteth this place saith that by the affection of the fleshe is vnderstand the interpretation of the mynde but yet the more grosser part so that it taketh hys name of the worser part For so sometymes the whole man is called fleshe although he want not a soule So he extendeth the name of the fleshe euen vnto the mynde But he obiecteth If a man neither is nor can be subiect vnto the lawe of God what hope then shall there be of saluation Much faith he for we see that the thiefe Paul the sinfull woman Although our mind can not be subiect vnto the law of God yet is there hope of saluation The chaunging of the minde is of the spirite and grace and not of our owne strengthes Paul speaketh not of action or doing but of the affectes Christ by the good or euell tree vnderstoode eyther good or euil men Chrisostom thinketh tares may be made wheate which is not red in
the Gosple Dauid Manasses and Peter repented So long saith he as thys affection shall so remayne it can not be subiect vnto the lawe of God but forasmuch as it may be changed all hope is not to be cast away In writing thus he teacheth nothing but that which is sound But this is to be noted that this chaunge consisteth not in our strengthes For it is altogether of the spirite of Christ and of grace For as longe as we be as we were before we our selues caÌ„ neuer change our selues But afterward Chrisostome addeth that peraduenture this affection of the fleshe signifieth a wicked action and that Paul ment nothyng els but that an euill worke can neuer be good And in the same sence thinketh he is to be taken this sentence of the Gospell where it is sayde That an euill tree can not brynge forth good fruytes This interpretation I can in no wise allow for that I sée that Paul here speaketh not of any action or worke but speaketh of the affect féeling and corruption of nature Neither can I be perswaded that the Romanes were so blockish that they neded to be taught that an euill action could not be good But that Christ by the euill trée vnderstoode not workes but man those thinges doo manifestly declare which are in that place by Mathew rehersed For he had warned them to beware of false prophets which come in shepes clothing but within are rauening wolues By their fruites saith he ye shall knowe them Doe men of thornes gather grapes or of briers figges Either make the tree good c. And farther that we may be chaunged which thing we deny not he goeth about to proue by the parable â—â— tares Tares saith he are made wheate and chaunged into it And therefore the goodman of the house would not haue them weeded out But we finde not in the Gospell that tares ar chaunged into wheat Only the lord would not haue the tares plucked vp lest perhaps yâ— wheat being mixed with theÌ„ bicause peradueÌ„ture yâ— rootes of yâ— wheat and of yâ— tares being intricated together should be together plucked vp But herein as we haue said coÌ„sisteth not the coÌ„trouersy For we know yâ— such affects may be changed and broken But he afterward sayth that that is done by the spirite and grace of God which thing is both most true we also haue oftentimes affirmed the same Howbeit as Chrisostome is alwaies to much prone to defend frée wil humane streÌ„gth he addeth That this lyeth in our power to receaue the spirite and grace so that euerye Chrisostom thinketh that euery one of vs can do what he will him selfe and that it lieth in our power to haue the spirite grace An other hard place of Chrisostome Motions contrary vnto the law are in the regenerate dayly made more remisse man may do what he will Which thing we vtterly deny For if a maÌ„ can of himself receiue the grace of God when it is offred vndoubtedly such a worke should bâ— both good and also could not but please God which yet should be done of a man not yet regenerate and so a trée being yet euill should bring forth good fruites which according to the sentence of the Lord is not possible For vnles our stony hart be taken from vs and in stede therof a fleshy hart be geuen vs we shall continually abide the selfe same that before we were Farther he addeth that the law of the members doth no more rebell against the law of the mynde neither doth it leade vs captiues vnto the law of sinne And that this is not so I doubt not but that euery man hathe experience in himselfe And we haue before by most manifest reasons declared yâ— those thinges which Paul writeth in the 7. chap. of this epistle doo pertaine vnto men regenerate Vnles peraduenture this be Chrisostomes meaning that these motions in the regenerate ar daily made more remisse But he vndoubtedly hereunto had not a regard as those thinges which follow do plainly declare And it séemeth that he spake generally of this our tyme which is since Christ offred himself vnto the father and suffred death Augustine hath of this place a sound interpretation One and the selfe same soule saith he may be subiecte both vnto the affecte of the fleshe and also vnto the affecte of the spirite as one and the selfe same water is bothe made warm â–ª and is also by cold congeled and made I se So that then if thou wilt say that I se is not whote thou saist truly and if thou wilt say moreouer that I se can not be whote this also is true for I se so long as it is I se can not be whote But it is possible that heat may be put to it the I se may be resolued made whote But that I se should both keepe still his own nature yet in the mean tyme be whote it is vtterly vnpossible After this maner the affect of the flesh may either be taken away or be broken and a spirituall affecte succede in his place But that a carnall affect should be made spirituall it is by no meanes possible If thou demaund whither spirituall obseruings of the commaundements of God ar vnpossible or no I aunswer that in the oldenes of the flesh they are vnpossible but if the spirite and regeneration be added they are not vtterly vnpossible although the law of God cannot in this life be performed no not eueÌ„ of the most holiest For it pertaineth to the spirite of Christ to tame the frowardnes of yâ— flesh and when we are once come to death vtterly to extinguish it Now yâ— these things are thus expounded there remaine two errors to confute wherof one is of the Maniches An error of the Manichies which therfore thought the flesh to be called enmity against God bicause it was created of an euill God which continually resisteth the true and good God But the matter is farre otherwise For here is not entreated of the hypostasis or substaÌ„ce of the flesh but of the fault or corruptioÌ„ which by reason of the fal of the first man is alwaies ioyned with it An other error is of yâ— PelagiaÌ„s which wer not ashamed An error of the Pelagians to say yâ— man by yâ— streÌ„gths of nature is able to kepe yâ— coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of God From whome the scholemen at this day differ not much For they affirme that a man without the grace of Christ is able to kepe the Law of God as touching the substance of workes although not according to the meaning of the Law for they which are of that sort whatsoeuer they worke it caÌ„ not be done of charity And so they are not afrayd to say that a man caÌ„ loue God aboue all things though he want the grace of God Nether in the meane time marke they that the Apostle here sayth that the wisedome of the flesh is enmity agaynst God If an Ethnike
are assured of iustification and deliuery from sinnes And as it is the part of a man to be gouerned by the mynde and humane reason and the part of a philosopher to be ordred by the preceptes of doctrine and discipline of wysedome and the part of a souldier to frame all hys doinges by the arte of warrefare so is it the part of a Christian to be moued by the spirite and sence of Christ And although euery man hath hys proper vocation and ought to follow such offices and duties as are méete and conuenient for hym yet as many of vs as are of Christ ought to measure our selues by this A propriety common to aâ—l Christians propriety and certayne rule continually to haue a regard how much we haue profited in the obedience of the spirite Forasmuch as the spirite of Christ dwelleth in you For he which hath not the spirite of God the same is none of his That which he before spake he now proueth by a stronge reason that they are not in the fleshe hereby he gathereth because the spirite of Christ dwelleth in them whereas he saith Forasmuch as the spirite of God dwelleth in you he maketh no doubt sayth Chrisostome that the spirite of God dwelled in them for this word forasmuch as in this place is all one as if he had sayde because so that the Greeke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a particle causall Ambrose thinketh that Paul in this place speaketh somewhat staggeringly for that the Romanes séemed somwhat to haue erred and to attribute more vnto the lawe then was méete Here are two thynges to be diligenly The spirite of God and the spirite of Christ is all one By the spirite is not here vnderstand any part of our soule A metaphor of dwelling An argument taken of coÌ„traries The flesh the spirite are not so repugnante the one against the other but that they may be both together in one and the selfe same man marked first that the spirite of God and the spirite of Christ is one and the selfe same spirite whereby appeareth that Christ is God Secondly that Paul by the spirite vnderstoode not the excellenter parte of our mynde as many dreame he doth For he sayth that that spirite whereof he speaketh is the spirite of God and of Christ which spirite he saith dwelleth in the faythfull Romanes and in those which are of Christ The metaphore of dwelling is hereof taken for that they which dwell in a house do not only possesse it but also do commaunde in it and at their pleasure gouern all thinges So the spirite filleth the harts of the saints beareth rule in them And the Apostle seemeth to take his argument of contraries Therefore ye are not in the fleshe neither walke ye according to it because the spirite of God dwelleth in you Not that these two thinges are so repugnant one against the other that they can not be both together in one and the selfe same man but these being compared together are as contrary qualities which when they are in the vttermost degrée the one can not suffer the other For it is not possible that with a most feruent colde shoulde any heate be mingled But if the cold be somewhat remisse then may some of the contrary quality succéede Wherfore forasmuch as in this life we haue not the spirite in the highest degrée thereof it commeth that there remayneth in vs somewhat I wyll not say much of the flesh and of corruption though the spirit in the meane time haue the vpper haÌ„d For otherwise we should be in the flesh neither should the spirite as Paul saith dwell in vs. For by this metaphore as we haue sayde is signified that the spirite possesseth our myndes and beareth dominion in them But if the nobler partes of the mynde be geuen vnto the fleshe the spirite departeth awaye The sp 〈…〉 suffereth not thâ— ruâ—â— of the flesh for it canne not abyde the dominion of the fleshe Wherefore Dauyd when he had fallen into gréeuous sinnes was for that tyme destitute of the motion of the spirite of God and therfore he cryeth Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation and establish me with thy principall spirite â–ª Although in very dede he neuer fell away from election or predestination And when the Apostle saith He whiche hath By the spirite we are coupled with Christ not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his He therfore by the spirite iudgeth our coniunction with Christ bicause by it we are coupled with hym and by it we are regenerate Wherfore Christ in Iohn sayth Vnlesse a man be borne agayne of water and the spirite c. Wherby is signified yâ— that by which we are chiefly regenerate is the holy ghost but yâ— water doth in yâ— sacrament of baptisme represent the same as an outward signe Water washeth watreth maketh fertile and hath in it many Effectes of the spirite other qualities by which the nature of the spirite is declared which spirit wheÌ„ it is come vnto our mynde the disposition propriety towardnes sence and motions of Christ are grafted into vs so that he which hath obteyned it may say with Paul I lyue but not I nowe but Christ liueth in me And they which haue the spirite of Christ are said to be his not after the common maner wherby all creatures are called the children of God For Christ saith in the Gospel All things are deliuered We belong vnto Christ after a certayne peculier manner vnto me of my father But they are made his peculiar possession forasmuch as now they are both called and also are in dede his members and are grafted into him ar most perfectly knit vnto him receiuing nourishmeÌ„t of him Here we sée how folishly some answer which wheÌ„ they are reproued admonished of their duty say yâ— they are not spirituall for they coÌ„sider not yâ— by this answer they deny theÌ„ selues They whiche are truely Christians muâ—â— needes be spirituall The words of the scripture are not to be prohibited to the lay men Christians ought not to doubt whetheâ— they haue the spirite of Christ The spirite departeth from vs for two causes to be Christians for if they be of Christ they both haue his spirit and also must of necessity be spiritual They also are of an euil iudgemeÌ„t which take away yâ— bokes of the holy scriptures out of the handes of the lay men bicause they thinke yâ— they haue not the spirit For when they so say they say they are no christiaÌ„s For if they be christians they haue not only the spirit of Christ but also the wordes of the holy scripture which are the assured sayings of the spirite and are most conuenient for them Lastly who séeth not that they excedingly are deceiued which commauÌ„d vs continually to doubt whither we haue the spirite of God or no. For vndoubtedly if we oughte not to doubte whither we be Christians we
pertakers of the resurrection namely when by mortification we are Howe we are pertakers of the resurrection The spirite of God will do the selfe same thinge in vs that it hath done in Christ made like vnto his death The reason of Paul leueth vnto this foundation that the spirite of God will worke the selfe same effecte in vs that it did in Christ For of one the selfe same cause are to be looked for yâ— selfe same effectes And God forasmuch as he is euery where like vnto himselfe by the selfe same meanes bringeth forth the selfe same workes Wherefore the consequence followeth well And seing when Christ was raysed from the dead ther was rendred vnto him a pure eternall and diuine life such a life also shall one day be rendred vnto vs which life we wayte for in the blessed resurrection when our bodyes shal be raysed vp being perfectly renued and now also we beginne the same when as by new motions Our resurrection is now begon of the spirite we are stirred vp to good workes Wherefore by these wordes are we admonished to mortefie the affectes of the flesh as Paul in an other place saide They which are of Christ haue crucified their fleshe with all the lustes thereof And vnto the Colossians Mortefie saith he your members which are vpon the earth and thys is the body to be deade Neither is it to be meruailed at that by the name of the body is vnderstand sine for sinne is named of that part whereby it had entrance into vs. For the soule saith Ambrose is not traduced from the parentes but only the body Now to dye vnto the body or vnto sinne is nothing els then to do nothing at the commaundement of lustes This is all one with that which we had What to dy vnto the body or vnto sinne signifieth before in the 6. chapter That we are now in baptisme dead with Christ and are buried together wyth hym And the Apostle commonly when he writeth of mortification and newnes of life taketh argumentes of the resurrection of the Lord by which Christ layd away mortality and did put on eternall life Which selfe thing shall also come to passe in our resurrection For in it shall we lay a side all oldenes of error and of corruption Which although before that tyme we shall not perfectly haue yet nowe also in this life we beginne to possesse in some sorte alreadye Wherefore Paul saith in the 2. epistle to the Corrinthyans Euen as our olde man is dayly destroyed so on the other side is our new man dayly renewed And vnto the Collossians If ye haue risen together whith Christ seeke the thynges that are aboue And vnto the Phillippians Paul saith That he alwayes endeuoreth himselfe to the thinges that are before neglecting and setting aside those thynges which are behynde that he mought by any meanes attayne vnto the resurrection of the Lord beyng already made pertaker of hys suffrynges And thus much as touching the first interpretacioÌ„ which Chrisostome followeth which if we more narrowly consider we shall sée that it containeth that which we a litle before spake namely that it is the proper duty of Christians not to liue according to the fleshe but according to the spirite For what other thinge is this but to mortify the body of sinne and to rise againe vnto a new life with Christ as though eueÌ„ now beginneth to shine forth in vs the resurrectioÌ„ which we hope shall in the last time be made perfect The second interpretation which Augustine foloweth is to vnderstand the body properly that is for this our outward substaunce And this body he saith is through sinne dead for that vppon it by reason of sinne was sentence long since geuen And he teacheth that by Christ By Christ we haue recouered a better nature then we lâ—st hy by Adam we haue recouered a better nature then we lost by Adam For he had a body not obnoxious vnto the necessity of death howbeit mortall for if he sinned he shoulde die But we by the resurrection of Christ shall receiue a body so frée from the necessitie of dying that it can not any more dye So according to this interpretatioÌ„ Paul declareth that we besides the benefite of the death of Christ haue an other benefit also of the spirite of Christ so that we are now by him pertakers of immortality Wherfore as touching the resurrection of the bodies eche interpretation is agreable But about this particle The body is dead they agrée not for Augustine taketh the body properly but Chrisostome by it vnderstandeth the vice and corruption of nature Wherfore according to this second interpretation Paul semeth to aunswer vnto a priuy obiection For against those thinges which haue hitherto bene spoken mought some man make this obiection This spirit whome thou so highly commendest as though it deliuereth vs from sinne and froÌ„ death doth yet stil leue vs in death and obnoxious vnto many aduersities diseases and calamities Paul aunswereth that this is true only as touching the body by reason of sinne which is still left in it For there hence come those euils Howbeit he willeth vs to be of good cheare for that spirite of God which is in vs hath now taken away condemnatioÌ„ that sinne which is remainyng in vs should not be imputed vnto vs vnto eternal death and will also bring to passe that euen as Christ which was dead was by him raised vp againe from the dead so also our bodies which are yet mortall shall be repayred vnto true immortalitie This sence is easy and plain and very wel agreing with those things which haue bene spoken therfore I allow it although in yâ— other exposition I know there is no absurditie or discoÌ„moditie Here are two things to be noted first that yâ— lust which is remayning in vs is of Paul called sinne and such a sinne also that after it followeth death Which cannot be denied The luste which remayneth in vs is sinne after which followeth death Why God sendeth aduersities vpon his elect in infants that are baptised and yet die for if in them sinne were vtterly taken away death could haue no place Although in the elect which are nowe reconciled vnto God death and such other afflictions are not inflicted as paines but rather as a crosse sanctified of God and that by a fatherly chastisement we should vnderstaÌ„d how highly God is displeased with sinne and should be more and more called back vnto repentaunce and that death mought be in vs a way wherby should be extinguished whatsoeuer sinne is remainyng in vs. Wherfore although by reason of sinne death be said to haue place in vs for vnles it were death could by no meanes be yet followeth it not that it is inflicted vpon the godly and elect as a payne And God retayneth not anger againste those whoÌ„â— he receiueth into fauour An example of Dauid It lieth not in the sacrifisinge priestes
to moderate the paines inflicted of God althoughe the bodye be sayde to be deade bicause of sinne yet ought we not therfore to thinke that God retayneth hatred or anger against his whose sins he hath forgeuē For death and aduersities which afflict the godly ought not to be counted amongest paynes or punishments God is wont in déede to exercise the faythfull with aduersities as we rede of Dauid who although he heard that his sinne was forgeuen hym yet he both lost hys sonne and also in his family suffred wonderfull hard chaunces Wherefore the sacrifising priestes ought not hereof to conclude that it is lawfull for them at their pleasures to impose paynes and satisfactions vpon them whome they haue absolued from sinnes For only Christ when he died vpon the crosse hath aboundantly made satisfaction for vs all Neither did Christ impose any paynes ether vnto the thiefe or to the sinfull woman or vnto the man sicke of the palsey vnto whome he sayd Sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee Neither haue these men one word in the holy scripturs of their satisfactions Howbeit we both may and ought to exhort as many as returne vnto Christ and do repent by good workes to approue themselues to shew worthy fruites of repentance and whome they haue before by their euil workes offended him now to reconcile and edefie by their maners being changed Although these men ought not The kayes of the churche can not moderate the scourges of God vnder this pretence to clayme or chalenge vnto thēselues their kayes as though they could at their pleasure moderate the scourges of God whether they are to be suffred in this life or as they fayne in an other For it lieth in Gods hand only ether to send or to release warres disseases hunger persecutions and such other like kinde of calamities Neither hath God when he afflicteth the Saints alwayes a regard vnto this by a fatherly chastisement to correct their sinnes For oftentimes An other end of the scourges of God it commeth to passe that he will haue his Saintes geue a testemony of his doctrine and make manifest vnto the worlde how much his mighty and strong power is of efficacy in them So was Iohn Baptist behedded so were Esay Ieremy and al the Martyrs slayn This matter is clearely entreated of in the booke of Iobe Howbeit it is profitable that the godly be oftentimes admonished of repentance The spirite of Christ is the ground of our resurrection The flesh of Christ really eaten is not the cause of our resurrectiō and of good workes that God may lenefye and mitigate those scourges and calamities which he vseth to inflict vpon sinners Wherefore this place seemeth nothing to confirme either purgatory or satisfactions Howbeit by these wordes we are manifestly taught what is the ground or beginning of our resurrection namely the spirit of Christ which first dwelt in him and afterward also dwelleth in vs. Wherfore they are deceiued which thinke that vnto our resurrection is necessary either transubstantiation or the presence of Christ in the Eucharist as though out of his flesh which they will haue to be eaten of vs really we shal draw eternall life as out of a true fountaine and a certaine ground For here they make a false argument from that which is not the cause as the cause Here Paul writeth that the beginning of a new life is that we haue the selfe same spirite which was in Christ which is the whole and perfect cause of our resurrection But how the spirit of Christ can haue place in the supper of the Lord we may easely vnderstand In the holy supper we are indued with the spirite of Christ How the fleshe and bloud of Christ are a helpe vnto the reresurrectiō Wherefore the fathers sometimes attribute this thing vnto the sacraments A place of Iohn in the vi chapt for there we renue the memorye of the death of Christ of which if by faith we take hold in the communion we are more plentifully endued with the spirite of Christ wherby not only the minde is quickned but also the bodye is so renued that it is made pertaker of the blessed resurrection Hereby it is manifest how the flesh and bloud of Christ conduce to the bringing forth of the resurrectiō in vs. For by faith we take hold that they were deliuered for vs vnto the death by this faith we obteine the spirite to be made both in minde and in body pertakers of eternall lyfe And if the fathers at any time seme to attribute this vnto the sacramentes y◠hereof commeth for that they ascribe vnto the signes the thinges which are proper vnto the thinges signified This may we perceiue by the 6. chapiter of Iohn for there Christ promiseth life vnto them that eate his flesh and drinke his bloud And it is not harde for any man to sée that in that place is spoken of the spirituall eatinge whyche consisteth of fayth and the spirite For the signes were not as yet geuen of Christe And whereas hee sayth The breade whiche I will geue is my fleshe whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde is to bee vnderstande of the fleshe of Christe fastened vpon the crosse whiche beinge by faith comprehended of vs shall so strengthen and confirme vs as if it were our bread and our meate And that Christ sayd in the future tempse I vvil geue it is not to be meruayled at for he was not yet dead But hys death which afterward followed brought to passe that y◠body of Christ was offred vnto vs not only in words but also in outward signes in that last time when he was at the poynt to be deliuered Augustine in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn defendeth this doctrine For he sayth To beleue is To eate And he sayth moreouer That the old Fathers vnder the law did eate the selfe same thing that we doo For theyr sacraments and ours were all one and though their signes were diuers yet the things signified are one and the selfe same And in his epistle vnto Marcellinus he sayth That the sacramentes of the elders and ours were herein diuers for that they ▪ beleued in Christ to come and we beleue in him being now alredy come And Leo bishoppe of Rome in his epistle vnto them of Constantinoble sayth that we receauing the vertue or power of the heauēly meate do passe into the flesh of Christ which is made ours Ireneus oftentimes sayth that our flesh and our bodies are norished with the flesh and bloud of Christ which so it be rightly vnderstand we deny not For euen as by naturall meates is made bloud whereby we are naturally fed so by the flesh and bloud of Christ being taken holde of by fayth we draw vnto vs the spirite whereby the soule is norished and the body made pertakers of eternall life which we shall haue in the resurrectiō Farther we doubt not but that our flesh and body doo
they shonne persecutions but valiantly stand fast in all maner of dangers Which selfe thing Paul in the latter to Timothe wrote in other wordes saying We haue not receaued the spirite of fearefulnes but of might and of loue Wherefore he exhorteth Timothe not to be ashamed of the testemony of the Lord nor of him being in bondes for the Lordes sake but couragiously to indure labors for yâ— Gospell sake Although these thinges are true yet this is not it which this place of Iohn teacheth For it there maketh mencion of the iudgement of the Lord of which he willeth the Godly which loue God not to be aferd And he rendreth a reason for that feare hath vexation ioyned with it Wherefore I gladly assent vnto Augustine which saith that Iohn speaketh of perfect charity Which forasmuch as it can not be had in this life we may not looke to haue it without feare Farther we mought in this place vnderstand that feare which is seioyned from confidence and therefore driueth men to desperation For they which beleue and loue God truly vphold their feare with a liuely fayth The same spirite beareth witnes with our spirite that we are the children of God And if we be chyldren we are also heyres euen the heyres of God and fellow heyres of Christ if so be that we suffer with hym that we maye also be gloryfyed wyth hym For I count that the afflictions of thys present tyme are not worthy the glory which shall be reuealed in vs. The same spirite beareth witnes with our spirite that we are the children of God He sheweth that by those praiers wherby we call vpon God we are made more certayne of the adoption whereof he before made mencion For forasmuch as in our prayers we are stirred vp by the holy Ghost to cal God father we ought fully to be perswaded that it is so for that we know that the spirite of God can not lye Paul in the first to the Corrinthians sayth That no man can say the Lord Iesus but in the holy ghost Here he sayth that no man can in such sort pray to call It is the spirit which putteth vs in mind to call vpon God as vpon a father God his father vnles the same be geuen him of the spirit of God Hereby we see that those thinges which are set forth vnto vs to be beleued and which the lord himselfe hath taught can not be receaued of vs vnlesse the holy ghost doo firste throughly moue our hartes Chrisostome to confirme this testimony of the spirite of God sayth If ether any man or Angell or Archangell or any creature should preache vnto vs this adoption we mought peraduenture be in doubt of it But seing the holy ghost who is lord of all testefieth of the same what place can there be lest of doubting If a king A similitude or a Monarche should out of his regall seâ—te approue and commend any man what one of his subiects would presume by any meanes to speake against him or to set himselfe against his iudgement Where the Apostle sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is beareth witnes together Two testimonies of adoption he signifieth after a sort that there are two testemonies of thys adoptioÌ„ the one is our sprite and the other the spirite of God For it is no small or light signe of thys adoption that we haue a quiet conscience and that we doo beleue that we are now reconciled vnto God and doo now fele that we are refreshed and recreated with many other good gifts Although these things are not sufficient for our incredulity and infirmity For there is none of vs which hath our conscience so quiet as we ought to haue and which putteth so much confidence in God as he ought to doo Wherfore seing the testimony of our spirite is weake and infirme God would put to a confirmation of his spirite For he it is which testefieth together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Hereby ought we to gather of how greate force are prayers as well publique as priuate as Of greate force are prayers aswell publike as priuate well with ceremonies as without ceremonies For in them is confirmed our fayth yâ— we are by Christ adopted into the children of God Howbeit let euery man beware that when he calleth God father he also truly in the hart fele that which he pronounceth in wordes that he doo it not only of custome or of hipocrisy or call God father with the tounge and in yâ— hart doo an other thing or thinke otherwise But here maye be demaunded howe that feare whereof we haue Security and feare how they may agree together before so much spoken is not repugnaunt vnto thys security and confidence of our adoption I answere that these two thinges can not agree together if they be taken in respecte of one and the selfe same thinge But forasmuche as they happen by sundry meanes and of sondry causes they are nothing repugnaunt one to the other For therefore the sayntes feare for that they se they oftentimes fall and liue contrary to the prescript of the Law of God For they vnderstand that sinnes of theyr owne nature deserue the wrath of God scourges and hell fire When they diligently consider these thinges into theÌ„ is smitteÌ„ a feare But on the other side when with fayth they looke vpon the promises and mercye of God they are deliuered from that feare and made certayne of theyr saluation There is nothing to the contrary but that diuers causes may in our mindes bring forth diuers effectes Which thing may by a very apt similitude be declared He which out of a high tower looketh downe vnto the ground if he thinke A similitude that he shall stagger and fall straighte waye will he or nill he he is wonderfully aferd and al his body shaketh for horror But agayne when he thinketh with hymselfe that he is so closed in with a wall that he can not fall he plucketh vp hys spirites and beginneth to be secure of his safety So godly men when they consider theyr sinnes they feare punishement but when by fayth they looke vpon the mercy of God they are secure of theyr saluation And if vve be childreÌ„ vve are also heires eueÌ„ the heyers of God fellow heires of Christ Here the Apostle sheweth what we get by this adoptioÌ„ namely this to be the heires of God Which vndoubtedly can not be a small matter For not al they which are yâ— childreÌ„ of any man ar streightway also his heires For only All children are not hepres the first begotten haue that preheminence as we se the maner is at this day in many realnes and in yâ— holy scriptures it is manifest that Esau and Ismaell were not heyres Wherfore we are heyres and that not of any poore man or of smal matters For we haue obteyned the inheritaune of God and we are made the fellow heyres of
Which haue the first fruites of the spirite By this phrase of speach he signifieth ether aboundance or els only a certain smacke or tast before For so may those good thinges be called which we now haue fruicion of if they be compared vnto those good thinges which we waite for Wherefore from creatures Paul passeth vnto men which are endued with faith and with the spirite of Christ Those also he saith do grone and with ernest desire waite for that our adoption and the redemption of our body may at length be made perfect Wherefore it is manifest that they go foolishly to worke as Chrisostome noted which being led by entisementes of pleasures desire to abide here perpetually and thinke not vpon their departing hence without great griefe For what a great infelicity is this that we should reioyce euen of our misery Ambrose commendeth the excellently approued olde man Simeon which with greate cherefulnes prayed after this maner Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Waiting for the adoption What meaneth thys saith Chrisostome that thou so often to and froo tossest thys adoption as though we had now alredy gotten it seyng that thou calledst vs beleuers the sonnes and heyres of God and fellow heyres of Christ But now thou semest to make vs frustrate of it for that thou writest that we although we haue the first fruites of the spirite do yet styll wayte for that adoption He answereth vnto this and saith that the Apostle in thys place is to be vnderstand of the perfect and absolute adoption For euen so that semeth he to signifie when he addeth The redemption of our body These wordes I take not in that sence as though we are now redemed in spirite but the body remayneth which shall afterwarde be renewed For there is some what still in the soule whiche hath neede of instauration For we féele that we haue in vs man â—e corrupte motions yea euen against our willes there are also still remayning sinnes not As touching the soule also we are not perfectly ren 〈…〉 Our body and flesh is in some part renued Why Paul maketh meÌ„ 〈◊〉 rather of the body thâ—â— oâ— the soule when he entreateth of the redemption which we waite or Of the chaunge of thinges in the end of the world in all pointes healed the body also that we haue now is not without some inchâ—ation or beginning of redemption for it is now made the temple of God and the holy ghost dwelleth therin Paul to the Ephesians calleth vs fleshe of his flesh and â—oâ—e of hys bones Which could not vndoubtedly â—e sayd vnles both our flesh and the body it selfe were in some parte alredy renewed But sithen we wayte that somewhat should be restored both in spirite and in body why doth Paul make mencion rather of the body then of the soule I will tell you Bycause he had a respect vnto the fountayne of euills which are traduced from Adam thorough séede from the body For herehence began our contamination nether can it euer be weded vp by the rootes vnles the body be first extinguished by death or doo put on glory by the last changing whiche is to come Hereto tendeth the course of the Apostle when he so often maketh mencion of our body which shall in the last time be redemed For vnto the Corrinthians he sayth When this corruptible shall put on vncorruption And vnto the Phillippians He shall conforme the body of our humiâ—ity to the bodye of hys glory These thinges being thus declared the place it selfe semeth to require to speake somewhat of the chaunge of thinges which shal be in the end of the worlde First I thinke it good to declare those thinges which the Master of the sentences writeth of thys matter in hys 4. booke of sentences the. 48. distinction WheÌ„ the lord shall come to iudge the Sunne and Moone shall be darkened not saâ—th he that theyr light shal be taken from them but by the presence of a more plentifuller light For Christ shal be present the moste bright Sunne therefore the slarres of heauen shal be darkened as candells are at the rising of the Sunne The vertues of the heauens shal be moued which may be vnderstand of the powers or as some speake of the influences whereby the celestiall bodies gouerne thinges inferior Which shall then forsake theyr right and accustomed order Or by those vertues we may vnderstand the Angelles which by their continuall turning about moue the orbeâ— of the heauens Peraduenture then they shâ—ll ether cease from theyr accustomed worke or els they shâ—l execute it after some newe maner After he had gathered these thingâ— out of Mathevv and Luke he addeth out of Ioell that there shall be eclipses â—f the Sunne and of the Moone The Sun sayth he shal be darkened and the Moone shal be turned into bloud before that greate and horrible day of the Lord come And out of the 65. chapter of Esay Behold â— create a new heauen and a new earth And streight waye The moone shall shine as the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seuenfold that is enduring seuen dayes And out of the Apocaâ—ps There shal be a new heauen and a new earth Although there be no mencion made of the amâ—lifieng ether of the light of the Sunne or of the Moone Ierome interpretateth that place that the light of the Sunne shal be as it was in those first seuen dayes wherein the world was created For by reason of the sinne of the first parentes the light sayth he both of the Sunne of the Moone was diminished Which saying some of the Scholemen vnderstand not of the very substaunce of the light but bycause both the world and men haue receaued lesse fruites of these lights after the fall then they had before But all these thinges are obscure and vncertayne Whereunto I adde that some of the Rabbines thinke that these are figuratiue speaches For there shall be no chaunge in the starres but they say that vnto men being in heauines and bewaylinge the vnluckye state of theyr cases shall come so small fruite of the light of the Sunne and Moone that vnto them those starres may seme to be darckened and vtterly out of sight But contrariwise when they begin to be in more felicity and to liue according to theyr desire then at the last the light of the Sunne and of the Moone shall seme vnto them to be doubled and a greate deale more brighter then it semed before Which exposition as I deny not so also I confesse that at the end of the world shal be a great change of those things Wherfore I graunt either to be true both that in thys life oftentimes happen thinges so dolefull that dayes being otherwise most bright seme vnto vs moste darke and also that when all thinges shall haue an end the state of the worlde shall be troubled Yea also whilest we liue here sometymes it happeneth that those lights of
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
priuately applied vnto himselfe generall that no man can priuately be assured of himselfe Doubtles he which calleth vpō God and calleth hym his God applieth that generall God seuerally vnto himselfe Nathan sayd vnto Dauid The Lord hath taken away thy sinne which thinge is likewise sayd vnto euery one that asketh The Gosple is to that end preched to euery creature that euery one should singularly embrace y◠promise and haue remission of sinnes The Minister sayth I baptise thee in the name of the father and of the sunne and of the holy ghost and that is to be vnderstand into the remission of sinnes And euery one priuately to hymselfe receaueth the Eucharist And these thinges are certayne seales and sealinges of the promises of God but they should seale nothing vnles the promises should now be applied perticularly vnto this man or to that man But let vs consider the scriptures Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes and he receaued circumcision the seale of the righteousnes of fayth Did Circumcisiō seale the generall promise No vndoubtedlye but rather the singular promise and whiche was now applyed vnto Abraham Wherefore let these men ceasse thus to bleare mens eyes and let them confesse that hope hath that certaintye of saluation whiche it hath receaued of fayth by reason of the firmenesse of the promises And that thou mayste vnderstand that hope is repugnaunt vnto doubt count Hope is repugnant vnto doubting To what end hope was geuen vnto men with thy selfe to what end it was geuen of God vnto men Vndoubtedlye to no other ende but that they shoulde haue wherewith to striue againste doubting For when we doubt of our saluation we haue no other weapons wherby to ouercome that doubtinge but hope onelye whiche springeth of a liuelye fayth Wherefore seeing it alwayes striueth agaynste doubtinge there is no cause that anye man should ascribe vnto it doubting as a perpetuall companion Let vs looke vpō and consider the other commaundements of God so shall that which we auouch be yet more playne God hath commaunded vs to worship him only and bicause he Why God gaue the cōmaundementes saw vs of our own accord earnestly bent vnto idolatry and vnto supersticiō therfore woulde he haue vs with the word of his law fight against this euill He hath commaunded also that we should not steale nor kill nor commit adulteries for y◠he saw that we by reason of our corrupt nature are prone to these euils So also Why God hath commaunded vs to hope God hath commaunded vs to hope for that he saw our vnbeleuyng hart to be infected with continual doubting And as in beleuing we ought not to haue a regard vnto those things which seme to be against the promises of God which thing Abraham excellently well performed when he considered not his body past children gettyng nor his wife being olde and barren but gaue the glory vnto God so in hoping we ought not to haue a regard vnto our workes for they by reason of theyr deformednes and filthines would rather feare vs away from hoping We ought In hopinge we ought not to haue a respect◠vnto our workes The security of the fleshe and the security of faith differ to fixe our eyes in the only promise and mercy of God Neither also when we vrge this certainty of hope do we open a window vnto lose lyfe as many falsly lay to our charge For the security of the flesh farre differeth from the commendable certainty of faith and of hope For neyther doth it as our aduersaries thinke expell the feare of God out of the mindes of the godly We haue before at large taught that the certainty of saluation and the holy feare of God very well agrée together in the hartes of the faithfull Likewise also the spirite helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought But the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Besides that stay of hope wherwith our patience is vpholden Paul sayth that there is an other helpe also of the holy ghost geuen vnto vs. This is y◠which Christ when he should depart out of the world promised to his Apostles I wyll not leaue you orphanes but wyll send you an other comforter If the power of the holy ghost be compared with the weakenes of our strengthes it wil The holy ghost is mightier then our in firmity Against the Pelagians farre passe our infirmity Therfore Paul vseth this comparison that therby might be increased in vs cherefulnes and confidence Here the Pelagians are put to a great foyle For so farre is it of that by the strengthes of our nature we can helpe our selues that without the helpe of the holy ghost we can not of our selues so much as know what thinges shal be profitable vnto vs and what things hurtful But in what maner we know not what to aske and how the spirite maketh request for vs with vnspeakable ▪ sighes bicause it is very obscure to vnderstand first How we know not what we ought to aske I thinke it good to declare the expositions of the fathers and secondly to declare what in them is the best Chrisostome forasmuch as at that time were greuous persecutions against the Christians thinketh that they with prayers feruently desired of God that they might at the lēgth be deliuered from so great euils and this thing not cōming to passe they conceiued a great sorrow in their minde And therfore Paul after this manner comforteth them for that we our selues know not what to pray or what to aske Wherfore God who knoweth all this right well oftētimes geueth not vnto vs those things which we aske but those things which he himselfe knoweth shall be most profitable for vs. And that he should not séeme to deiect their mindes vnto whom he writeth as though he iudged them rude and vnapt vnto things spiritual he numbreth himselfe also together with those which are troubled with this ignoraunce neither did he that falsly or only for consolation sake For he himselfe in dede oftentimes prayed that he might go to Rome and yet Paul was not alwaies heard in his prayers God heard him not He prayed also that the pricke of the flesh mought be taken frō him that is that his tribulations might be slaked as Chrisostome in this place interpretateth it And he receiued an answer of the Lord that his grace ought to be sufficient vnto him Moses prayed that he might enter into the promised land Examples of other saintes which prayed were not heard The maner of the primitiue church Ieremy prayed for the health of the people Abraham prayed for pardon for the Sodomites Samuel prayed that Saul mought be forgeuen The two Apostles prayed that the one of them mought sit on the right hand of Christ and the other on the left in the kingdome of God But these men could not obteine their
requestes for they knew not what they asked And to the declaration of this matter he saith it is wonderfull necessary not to be ignoraunt of the maner of the primitiue church For at the beginning there was in Christian men an incredible force of the spirit For some excelled in the word of vnderstanding some in the worde of knowledge some in the gift of tonges some in the gift of healyng Which giftes Paul in yâ— first to the Corrinthians in many other places reckoneth vp And amongst those giftes The gift of praying a right also was the gift of true praying wherby certaine were assured of such thinges which were to be asked of God so that they were fully certained what should be profitable vnto saluation Of these men some one when the Church was gathered together stept forth and in the name of them all prayed for those thinges which might be profitable not after any common or colde manner but being earnestly pricked forward and with many teares Of this thing there remaineth at this day A signe or tracke of the old manâ—r after a sorte remayneth in the church The holy ghost is here taken for the gift some signe or trace For when prayers are to be made publikely in the Church yâ— Deacon with a loud voyce exhorteth yâ— people to pray sometymes for yâ— church somtimes for this necessity sometimes for yâ— Wherfore Paul in this place taketh not yâ— holy spirit for yâ— third person in yâ— Trinity but for yâ— gift wherby any of the faithfull was stirred vp to pray or for the minde of a godly man so stirred vp of the spirite of God Wherfore Chrisostome thinketh that the spirit in this place signifieth a spirituall man Neither thinketh he that he so prayed as though God were to be taught but onely that they which were present might know what to aske The things which Chrisostome hath hitherto noted are not very vnlikely But here arise two doubtes the first is for yâ— Paul amongst the giftes of yâ— spirite which he in many places maketh mencioÌ„ of reckeneth not this kind of gift But this is â—asely Whether Paul make any mencioÌ„ of the gifte of prayers aunswered vnto For the gift of prayers may be comprehended in that gift which Paul calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is muâ—uall charity For we do not only helpe our brethren by almes by assistance by guardonship and by good councell but also by daily and feruent prayers Neither do I thinke that Paul hath made mencion of all the giftes of the holy ghost For he hath omitted the spirit of feare of fortitude of which Esay maketh mention â–ª It was inough for him to reckon some by which the forme and maner of yâ— rest might the better be vnderstand Although in Zachary is mencion also made of yâ— spirit of prayers â–ª For thus it is written in yâ— 12. chap. I wyll poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpoÌ„ the inhabiters of Ierusalâ— the spirit of grace of prayers which place yet yâ— Chaldey interpreter turneth coÌ„passion For in Hebrue it is Tehannonim in the Chaldey Vehachamin The other doubt is for that this exposition of Chrisostome séemeth to draw into to narrow a compasse the helpe of the holy ghost namely to those only which had this peculiar gift as though those thinges which are here spoken are to be vnderstaÌ„d only of publique prayers wheÌ„ as the wordes of Paul séeme rather to pertayne vniuersally vnto all men For the faithfull can not in any place lift vp pure hands without the helpe of the spirit of God Ambrose expoundeth these thinges more generally But it is wonderfull how he red thus It is the spirite which helpeth the infirmity of our prayers neither doth he only so rede it but also so interpretateth it And our prayers saith he are by the spirite two maner of wayes corrected the one way is if peraduenture we aske thynges hurtfull the other is if we aske thynges ryght and profitable but before the tyme. The spirite saith he commeth and powreth hymselfe vpon our prayers to couer our vnskilfulnes and vnwarefulnes and by hys motion causeth vs to aske those thinges which are profitable Augustine in his 121. epistle vnto Proba De orando Deo at large handleth this place and demaundeth whether we thinke that these were so vnskilfull of Christian religion that they were ignorant of the Lordes prayer They were not vndoubtedly How then were they ignoraÌ„t what they should aske In the Lordes prayer are contained all thinges profitable and to be desired for Here is entrâ—ated of asking of thynges indifferent when as in it are contained all thinges that are profitable and to be desired for He maketh answere that these men were in great persecutions and it is very likely that they oftentimes prayed to be deliuered which thing might be vnto them sometimes profitable and sometimes hurtfull Wherefore here is entreated not of all maner of thinges but only of thinges indifferent which if we obtayne not yet is there no cause why any man should be discouraged for peraduenture yâ— thinges should be hurtful vnto vs which we beleue should be profitable vnto vs and if we obtaine them yet ought we not insoleÌ„tly to puffe vp our minds For although these thinges be geuen vs yet do they not alwayes conduce to saluation Those thinges which are contayned in the Lordes prayer are necessary The things that are coÌ„tained in the Lords prayer can not be ill wished for neither can be amisse wished for But such things are oftentimes geuen of God in his anger as vnto the Israelites in the desert was geueÌ„ flesh with so great wrath that a great multitude of them perished So at their reqâ—est they had a king geuen them not yet of good will but in the fury of the Lord. Vnto the deuill when he made request was Iob geuen to be vexed of him Christ also permitted the deuels to enter into the heard of swyne How beit Paul could not at his request haue the pricke of the flesh taken from him Yea neither could Christ also obtaine that the cuppe which was now at hand mought passe away from him And yet no man dare say that either the deuill or the â—ngodly Israelites were more acceptable vnto God then Christ or Paul But what it is the spirit to pray for vs with vnspeakeable sighes Augustine in the same epistle which we haue spoken of declareth for he saith that we in thys thyng are disseased of a certayne learned ignorance For we know not what is profitable for vs. But on the other side the spirite insinuateth it selfe and causeth vs to sighe for good thynges And they are called vnspeakable sighes because it is not we our selues that speake or vtter that which we aske but it is the spirite The third person abaseth not it selâ—e as though he were lesser then the father He prayeth because he makeâ—h vs to pray which stirreth
large prosecute the same and chiefely by thys reason for that aduersities helpe forward our saluation And when he had seuerally declared that we are holpen by hope and by the intercessioÌ„ of the spirite and had before taught that all creatures grone with vs now he pronounceth vniuersally that all thinges woorke vnto vs vnto good He sayth not that God prouideth that we should not be vexed with aduersities but teacheth that the nature of them is after a sort inuerted as which of themselues are able to engender nothing else but our destruction but now contrariwise they bring vnto vs commodity saluatioÌ„ But this thing doo they not of theyr owne force but by the election and predestination of God Nether is it to be meruayled at if we attribute vnto God so greate a force For we see that phisitions somtimes doo the like For they oftentimes expell out of yâ— A similitude bodies of men venome or poyson by venemous medicines hemlock although otherwise it be present poyson yet being tempered by that art it is so farre of from hurting that it also expelleth poysen So afflictions in godly men fight not against them but rather fighte againste the remnants of sinne And by these wordes of the Apostle we may inferre of the contrary that vnto those whiche An argument taken from the contrary Examples either loue not or hate God all thinges turne to theyr destruction which thyng we know came to passe in Iudas in others For wheÌ„ he began to hate Christ no good occasions or quickening wordes of the Gosple or power to worke miracles could any thing profite him The Iewes also when they were led about thorough the wildernes and were adorned of God with excellent and manifold giftes yet oftentimes became worse and worse Ambrose thus knitteth together thys sentence with that which went before Although we be enfected with great ignoraunce so that ether we aske those thinges which are not to be asked or els we out of time aske those thinges whiche are to be asked yet oughte not that therefore to be a let vnto vs when as by the benefite of the spirite thorough the mercy of God al thinges worke vnto vs vnto good Howbeit this is to be noted that the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is worketh together may be taken in the singular nomber and be referred vnto the spirite namelye that the spirite worketh and conuerteth all thinges to good to those which loue God And so this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is All shal be the accusatiue case But the receaued sence is more playne it is a phrase of speach much vsed of the Attike writers to ioyne vnto nownes newter being in the plurall nomber a verbe of the third person singular Augustine Vnto the elect sins also are profitable De correptione gratia so largly taketh this senteÌ„ce the he doubted not to write that vnto holy men sinnes also are profitable Which saying indede although I will not deny but to be true yet wil I not easely graunt that it agréeth with the sentence of Paul For both those thinges which are alredy spoken and whiche shall afterward be spoken pertayne to calamities and afflictions But the same Augustine else where more diligently weighing this place vnderstandeth by The sentence of Paul is to be referred vnto calamities and afflictions Why the burthens of Christians are said to be lighte Paul entrâ—ateth not here of of pleasantnes but of commodity How aduersities profite the godly The contrary endeuor of the Deuill it the whole burtheÌ„ of grieues and tribulatioÌ„s which he sayth is by this meanes made the lighter for that we loue God For he which loueth any man from the hart so for his sake beareth calamities that he is nothing grieued at them Iacob for Rachel serued 14. yeares and that so long space by reason of his loue semed but short And this is it that Christ sayth that his burtheÌ„ is light and his yoke pleasant not that those thinges which the Christians both do and suffer are not hard and difficile but bicause by reason of the loue which they beare vnto God all thinges be they neuer so hard shal be pleasant vnto theÌ„ But Paul here entreateth not of that kinde of good thinge which is light and pleasant but which is profitable vnto the godly vnto saluation And if thou demaund how aduersities are profitable vnto the godly I answere bycause God by theÌ„ auocateth his froÌ„ the delightes and pleasures of thys world and from themselues For such are we thorough the fault of nature and naturall corruption that we can not with out some hurt of ours be driuen vnto those things which are in very dede good On the contrary part the deuil laboureth as much as lieth in him by tribulations and aduersities to draw vs from God which thing he oftentimes bringeth to passe in the vngodly but in the elect the prouidence of God ouercommeth hys malicious purpose Farther by these afflictions calamities sin which perpetually froÌ„ our birth cleaueth fast vnto vs is dayly more more diminished The Apostle saith that this commeth to passe vnto them that loue God for that they are first loued of God For Iohn testifieth that we preuent not the loue of God God in louing preueÌ„teth vs. for no man can loue him vnles he be first loued of him It may peraduenture seme wonderfull why Paul sayd Vnto them that loue and not rather vnto theÌ„ that beleue especially when as at other times he attributeth iustification vnto fayth But this is to be knowen that in this place is not entreated of iustification For he writeth of the suffring of aduersities The cause whereof if thou wilt serch from the bottome then must thou go vnto grace and vnto the holy ghost Of grace and the holy ghost streight way springeth fayth by whiche after we haue embrased the goodnes and promises of God without any delaye springe hope and charitye Wherefore Paul tooke that thinge which is in aduersities next ioyned vnto fortitude For streight way so sone as we loue God for hys Loue is not the chiefest cause that maketh vs paciently to fuâ—â—er aduersities but the â—iest cause Charity distinguisheth the true faith from the false The connexion of faith and charity The most holiest men haue but a slender loue towardes God Why vnto loue can not be ascribed iustification Difference betwene the godly the vngodly sake we patiently beare all aduersities Wherefore he declared not the chiefe and principall cause but the niest And to the ende we should not stay there he streight way adioyned the roote and fouÌ„taine of that good thing For he saith Vnto those which are called according to purpose Farther he therefore maketh mencion of loue to put a difference betwene true faith and a fayned counterfeate and dead faith which is no faith at all For some boast of faith which bere no loue at all vnto God
meÌ„ imagine of this thing ought we to be most certain that holy men cannot only sinne but also sometimes moste greauouslye fall which we se to haue happened in yâ— history of Dauid Peter But this is nothing preiudiciall vnto the election of God For such falles of the predestinate cannot The falles of the predestinate are not perpetuall be perpetuall for they are restored and by repentance renewed And although God at that time according to theyr desert doo take away from them the effectes of hys spirite of spiritual vertues yet forasmuch as he is constant and immutable he ceasseth not to loue them although they so long as they lye wrapped in sinnes haue neither any fealing of this hidden good will nor any confideÌ„ce there in And as touching the meaning of Paul they must haue sayd that he denieth not but that the elect may sometimes both fall and decline from loue but that he would only shew that such is the loue of God towardes his that it ought to perswade them neuer to suffer themselues to be pulled away from his loue Chrisostome noteth that Paul here reckeneth not thinges light and of small force For he left vntouched couetousnes of money ambition of honors desire of aâ—engement and pleasures forbidden which thinges are wont oftentimes to draw euen constant men backeward but he reckeneth vp thinges horrible and most greauous and which are accustomed easely to ouercome nature For in these wordes he comprehendeth those thinges which commonly happen in a life most hard and most bitter as emprisomentes burninges bondes tearing in sonder and such other like thinges And he vseth an interrogation thereby to signify a constant certaynty And the wordes which he vseth are not placed by chance or at all a ventures but with exceding greate conning of the holy ghost The first word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is afflictioÌ„ deriued of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth A conning placing of wordes to breake or vehemently to presse For first thinges being well ordred are accustomed to be brused or broken and afterward he encreaseth the euill and addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is anguishe where thinges are brought to so narrow a streight that a man cannot tell what counsell to take or which way to turne himselfe Then commeth outward persecution which spoyleth a man of his frendes Afterward follow hunger and nakednes for men when they are compelled to flye out of theyr countrey haue then greate want of thinges necessary And then he addeth perill so that they come also into danger of theyr life And that nothing should want at the last he addeth the sword All those thinges sayth the Apostle haue not that force that they are able to perswade the elect that they are not loued of God These discomodities of the godly Paul setteth forth in his first epistle to the Corrinthians the forth chapiter For thus he writeth I thinke that God hath set forth vs the last Apostles â–ª as men appoynted to death For we are made a gasing stocke vnto the world and to the Angelles and to men We are foles for Christes sake but ye are wise through Christ we are weak and ye strong we are despised and ye are honorable Vnto this houre we both hunger and thurst and are naked and are buâ—â—eted and haue no certayned welling places and labour working with our handes we are reuiled and yet we blesse we are persecuted and suffer we are euill spoken of and we pray And in yâ— latter to the Corrinthians In prisons aboue measure in labours more aboundantly c And vnto Timothe They which will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution And many such other like sentences are euery where to be found in yâ— holy scriptures Augustine de Doctrina Christiana Erasmus in his annotacions declare yâ— this place which we are in hande with excelleth in waight of matter and ornamentes of Rhetorike namely in Gradation in Antitheses in contraries and in RepeticioÌ„s The Apostle vrgeth also with interrogatioÌ„s and speaketh nothing in this place that is base and meane For all thinges are greate and high whither a man consider the thinges themselues or the persons He speaketh of life death height deapth God Christ the right hand of the father Angells principalities powers And last of all addeth In all these thinges we are more then conquerers Thys oration of Paul they thinke to be so notable and excellent that they suppose that nether Cicero nor Demostenes could euer haue spokeÌ„ more eloquently not in dede that the holy ghost hath nede of these ornamentes but for that he sometimes disdayneth not to abase himselfe vnto these things when they may serue to our commodity Which I therefore thought good to admonish you of that yonge men might vnderstand that these artes of speach pertayne vnto the The artes of speaking are not to be contemned of yongmen gifts of God and that they ought to seke to get them in time that the holy ghost may afterward vse them when it shall serue for the commodity of the Church As it is written For thy sake are vve deliuered to the death al the day long vve are counted as shepe for the slaughter Bycause reason and our flesh are hardly perswaded that we are loued of God wheÌ„ we are excercised with afflictions therfore Paul brought a proofe out of the scriptures to confirme this paradoxe For here haue we nede of fayth which cleaueth vnto the word of God This testimony is taken out of the 44. Psalme wherein are those men set forth complayning of theyr tribulations of whome we can not doubt but that they were most dere vnto God We are say they counted as shepe for the slaughter that is vnto whome nothing is more certaine then to be slayne For there are certayn shepe which are kept and fed for theyr wooll sake or for store sake and those haue life spared them for a time Some are appoynted for the kitchen and they are euery day as occasion serueth draweÌ„ vnto death And therefore the saynts in the same Psalme complaine that they are like vnto yâ— shepe appoynted to be eaten They complaine that they are otherwise dealt with then the fathers in the olde tyme were dealt with vnto whoÌ„ God semed to be are great fauor wheÌ„ as he enriched theÌ„ fought for theÌ„ gaue vnto theÌ„ the victorie with excellent names and titles made them famous honorable We say they are otherwise delt with For we are deliuered vnto the enemyes as shepe to be slayne as vnto whom they may do what pleaseth them It is true in déede that God would sometymes declare his loue towardes the saintes and confirme the verity of his doctirne when he adorned God vseth to his glory the aduersi 〈…〉 s and prosperities of his elect them with such goods and riches that euen the idolatrers also mought vnderstande that that God whome the patriarches worshipped was both
with him hath geuen vnto vs all thinges Farther many logicial probable reasons takeÌ„ of those excellent benefites which we féele are daily bestowed vpon vs perswade vs of the same thinges For those benefites although oftentimes they are common also vnto wicked men yet haue they the force both to cheare our hartes and also to comfort vs after that we are once perswaded by other more firmer reasons For argumentes probable althoughe of themselues they are not able throughlye to persuade yet being ioyned vnto reasons firme and demonstratiue they make the Whereunto argumentes probable serue thing more euident Farther if we will follow examples of other most excellent men we shal perceiue with how singuler a loue God loued them Let vs also euery one of vs loke vpon our own priuate doinges in theÌ„ we shall sée how we haue bene oftentimes holpen and preserued of God And although our sence be vtterly rude in these thinges for it is strange from thinges celestial yet it also in the godly The senses are made after a sorte spirituall in godly men is made after a sort spirituall euen as contrariwise in the vngodly euen the very mind also is made carnall wherfore al thinges which the godly vnderstand also by their senses testifie vnto them the good will of God towardes them By this meanes Dauid by contemplation considering all thinges which were offered vnto Why Dauid inuiteth thinges insensible to praise God his senses as pledges of the loue of God inuiteth and prouoketh them to praise God Not that he thought that they could either heare or speake but to declare that they are of that nature that they can stirre vp euerye attentiue and godlye man which hath the vse of them by his sences to praise God and to geue thankes vnto him There are also certaine thinges which of the minde it selfe are most certainly perfectly knowen for that they are the first principles wherunto we only at the sight of them without any farther triall geue our assent And in this knowledge of The first principles of the knoledge of the loue of God â–ª the loue of God towardes vs we haue for the first principle the holy ghost He beareth witnes vnto vs inwardly and in the minde that we are the sonnes of GOD. Wherfore seing the loue of God towards vs is so many waies proued Paul rightly This place serueth to the certainty oâ— saluation saith that he is fully perswaded But all these reasons are such that they cleane fast vnto faith Which faith being taken away we shall herein haue nothing that we can vnderstand nothing that we can know This place serueth wonderfully to establish the certainty of our saluation Neither must we harken vnto them whiche to the ende they woulde wreste this place from vs vse to aunswere that these thinges pertaine only to Paul as though he alone and a few other which by This place is to be taken vniuersally and not perticulerly as though it pertaineth to Paul onlye reuelation were made certaine of their saluation could say that they were fully persuaded that they should neuer be plucked away froÌ„ the loue of God Here doutles is not set forth an history neither is it declared how Paul was called in yâ— way neither is it written how he was let downe from the wall in a basket onely is brought in a conclusion of those reasons wherby he would proue that God most feruently loueth vs. Wherfore this place pertaineth not only to Paul but also to all the faithfull For it maketh nothing against vs that Paul pronounced his sentence vnder the first person For otherwise we should say that that which is written The thinges that are spoken vnder the person of Paul oftentymes pertaine to all men to the Gal. I lyue but now not I bâ—t Christ lyueth in me is to be vnderstande of Paul onely and pertaineth nothing to vs and that which he saith to the Phil. Vnto me to lyue is Christ and to dye is gayne And that which he writeth vnto the Corrinthians I do not thinke that I know any thyng but Christ Iesus and hym crucified and a great many such like sentences should be vnderstand of no other body but of Paul all which thinges yet euery christian ought to apply vnto himselfe that that sentence of the Poet may hereunto be very aptly framed Hogh thou sirra the name is chaunged but the tale is tolde of thee And if sometimes we wauer as touching this Whereof springeth our doubting touching saluation A similitude certainty that is not to be attributed vnto the defaut of faith but for that we haue not a perfect and an absolute faith As if a man professing yâ— Mathematicals should doubt of the principals of his arte that ought not to be attributed vnto his art for it is of all other artes most certaine but rather vnto his vnskilfulnes which hath not yet perfectly learned his arte Wherfore if we at any time as it happeneth in dede be in doubt of our saluation there is no other presenter remedy then to pray with the Apostles Encrease our fayth So did Peter when he saw himself at yâ— point Remedy against doubting Two principal points of thinges against vs. to be ouerwhelmed of the waues of the sea All those things which are against vs Paul in his epistle vnto the Ephe. reduceth to two principall pointes For some coÌ„sist in nature and other some are brought vnto vs of aduersary spirites We wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against spirituall wickednesses which ar in celestiall places These two thinges the Apostle mingleth together to the ende he would leaue out nothing And these things which he speaketh of are of so great force that they may seme able to alienate a man froÌ„ God By life and death he vnderstandeth all maner of daungers whereby we are endaungered touching life death All these things are not of so great force yâ— they can breake in sonder the loue of God towards vs. But wheÌ„ we are in these daÌ„gers we must say as Paul admonisheth vs in this What we must say when we are oppressed with aduersities epistle Whether we lyue or whether we dye we are the Lordes For to thys end Christ dyed and rose agayne to be Lord of the quicke and of the dead And vnto the Phillippiaus Now euen as before Christ shal be glorified in my body whether it be by lyfe or by death Nor Angels Angels as it is written in the epistle vnto the Hebrewes are ministring spirites which are sent forth to be ministers for their sakes which shal be heyres of saluation which can not be vnderstand but of good angels For euill angels are oftentimes sent forth to punishe the vngodly and to tempt men although their temptation is not vnprofitable vnto the predestinate And it is certaine that euill angels séeke by all maner of meanes to leade vs away from God which thing yet
could not only not be by any meanes remoued from the loue of Christ but also that he was chiefely for that cause excedingly vexed bycause in time past he had wished to be a straunger from Christ Which interpretation when I more diligently consider I sée that it agreth nether with the wordes nor with the intent of the Apostle For this is his scope that by reason of those thinges whereof he will afterward speake he might perswade the Iewes of his loue towardes them lest he should seme of hatred to say that they are not now the people of God but are vtterly strange froÌ„ the promise Which thing he could not haue obteyned by rehersing his sinne wherein he had persecuted the Church of God For the Iewes mought haue sayd Although hitherto thou hast loued vs when thou heldest on our side yet afterwarde when thou wentest vnto Christ thou didst change thy minde and because thou hast begone to hate vs therfore doest thou now speake these euill thinges agaynst vs. But if these thinges be vnderstand of the present state wherein he wrote this epistle vnto them and that by these wordes is signified yâ— he would euen theÌ„ also be Anathema from Christ for them then can there be no doubt put of his good will towardes them Wherefore these thinges serue nothing to the purpose of Paul if they be wrested vnto that time wherein he was as yet an vnbeleuer And that he was grieued for theyr distruction and not for his sinne this playnly declareth Paul was sory for the destruction of the Hebrued and not for his sinne which is afterwarde added Not as though the vvord of God hath fallen avvay For therefore he was grieued when he saw them perish bycause the promises of God semed to be infringed and violated And as he denieth that the promises of God are infringed so also desireth he to redeme euen with his owne distruction that it should not be thought so to come to passe and thereby the name of God should be euill spoken of Herehence come those teares and disires and not bycause he had persecuted the Church of God which yet I doubt not but it was a greate and continuall griefe vnto him But why he should make mencion of that griefe at this presenâ—e there is no reason doubtles as far as I can see Farther what neded he to contend about thys thyng wyth an othe For it was fresh in euerye mans memorye what an enemy he had bene in timâ—s past vnto Christe For hys persecution was not done in corners but publikelye and in the sight of all But thou wilt saye he therefore sweareth to make men beleue that he was excedyngelye sorye for that matter For that was secret neyther coulde it be knowen of all men but suche suspicions as are obscure are confirmed by an oth But I thinke no man doubted but that Paul was sory for the hatred which he had borne against Christ when as all men sawe with how great a feruentnes he preached his Gospell throughout the whole world Wherefore these thinges were not so doubtfull that they should nede to be confirmed by an oth Moreouer what great thinges should he thereby speake of himselfe or how should he by this meanes commend himselfe vnto his brethren by swearing But now let vs heare what the true Ierome iudged as touching this matter For that is a counterfeated Ierome which is ascribed vnto those commentaries But that is Ierome ad AlgasiaÌ„â— the true Ierome which writeth vnto Algasia in the 9. question For he asked hys counsell touching this place of Paul And he answereth that it is a question of great waight and not rashely to be passed ouer especially for as much as the Apostle wyth an oth confirmeth those thynges which he speaketh And with great admiratioÌ„ he addeth that it is a prudence vnheard of that a man should for Christes sake wishe to be seperated from Christ Straight way he compareth Paul with Moses and contendeth that either of them were endued with one and the selfe same spirite For they were both pastors of the people of God And as Christ sayth It is the part of a good shepherd to geue hys lyfe for hys shepe For to flye when the woolfe assayleth is the parts of a hired seruaunt and not of a shepherd Wherefore his iudgement is that Paul desired to dye for the saluation of his brethren For he knew that he which would saue his soule should lose it and he which would lose it shoulde finde it And to this end tendeth that which is before spoken For thy sake are we put to death all the day long and are appointed as shepe to be slayne Paul saith he desired to geue hys body and lyfe that their spirite myght be saued Farther he addeth that it may be proued by mo places thâ—n one that Haram that is Anathema in the old testament is taken for slaughter or killing We confesse that in déede the Apostle woulde and wished to geue his life for the shepe committed to his charge and for all those which might be brought vnto Christ that in him might be fulfilled those thinges which wanted of the passion of Christ But many thinges declare vnto vs that there can be no mencion made of that thing in this place For first they which so dye testifiing the fayth of Christ for the health of their neighbours are not Anathemata that is men seperated from Christ but are most nighly ioyned vnto him They are rather Anathemata that is seperated from Christ which persecute and kyll them Farthermore Haram which he saith sometimes in the olde testament signifieth killing could neuer be redemed nor be applied vnto other vses For beasts which after that maner were bound vnto God were destroyed by slaughter and thinges without life could neuer be put to publike vse or vse of common life But Martyrs which dye for the name of Christ are not made Anathemata What Moses desired of God Sepharadi The opinioÌ„ of an other Rabbins martyres which by preaching the truth dyed for the saluation of their brethren were not for that cause seperated from Christ but rather passed from this life as men which should euermore abyde with him Moreouer what will â—e answere of Moses For he desired to be slaine vnles God would spare the people but put me out saith he of the booke which thou hast written that is if we follow the common opinion blot me out of the booke of the elect For I allow not the cold fayned deuises of the Rabbines among whom Sepharadi saith If thou sparest not the people put my name out of the booke of the lawe that it be not red there What more fond exposition can there be deuised then this An other of the Rabbines thinketh that to be blotted out of the booke which God had written is nothing els then to be remoued from the office of a magistrate that he should not be the head of the people
piety Moreouer the same Aristotle in his first of his Rhetorikes writeth True nobilitie requireth to haue ioyned vertue together with prosperitie of fortune that the true nobilitye or felicitie of anye nation herein chieflye consisteth that together with prosperous successe it haue vertue ioyned with it which two things God aboundantly gaue vnto the Hebrues He addeth moreouer that that people is called noble which is not mingled with the heape and confusion of other nations for which consideration the Athenians boasted that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of themselues not mingled with others But there was neuer yet nation found which had their stocke so pure and vnmixst as had the Hebrues For Abraham The Hebrues had theyr stocke pure and vnmixt was the hed of their stocke whose neuew Iacob had 12. children of whome came the twelue tribes Farther euery tribe had their certaine families landes cities and regions which they inhabited To be short as writeth Eusebius de preparatione Euangelica there was no common welth neither of the Lacedemonians nor of the Athenians which two semed to be of all other the most excellentest which had their stocke so certaine or their tribes so certainly deriued froÌ„ one hed prince and progenitor Farther to nobility is required that the people liue by their owne lawes But no nation at any time had their lawes so proper as had the nation of the Hebrues For they had lawes geuen proper of God which infinitely excelled The Hebrues had truly their proper lawes the lawes of all other nations And they liued vnder their owne lawes so long as they obeyed the Lord. For he so long defended them from all misfortunes But by reason of their sinnes they were sometimes led away captiue of outward nations but these captiuities were not perpetuall For after that they had bene punished for their wickednes they were restored to their olde places again Moreouer antiquitie commendeth and setteth forth the nobility of a people But there can nothing be found of antiquitie in the histories of the Ethnikes but that it a long time followed after that the common wealth of the Iewes was established The nation of the Hebrues of greatest antiquity Before the war of Troye whatsoeuer is set forth of Ethnike writers is fabulous And that warre was then made when Iepthe was now iudge ouer the common wealth of the Iewes It also not a little helpeth to nobility to haue had many excelleÌ„t meÌ„ of that stocke But there were neuer ether more or more excelleÌ„ter meÌ„ The warre of Tray about the time of Iepthe theÌ„ there was amongst the Iewes I will not speake of the great increase of childreÌ„ and of the increase of good children which wonderfully florished amongst yâ— Iewes I know there are some which contemne this nobility deriued of Elders For they say that oftentimes of horses are borne mules And they cite Iphicrates which beyng ArgumeÌ„tes againste nobility a notable Emperour and hearing one contumeliously and insoleÌ„tly obiecting vnto him that he was the sonne of a showmaker thus made aunswer My stocke beginneth in me but thyne endeth in thee And he which vpbraideth vnto a man eyther An aunswere of Iphicrates A similitude fortune or want of nobilitie doth euen as he doth which beteth yâ— garments but toucheth not the body For euen as garments are without the body so nobility and fortune are without vs and are counted amongst outward good thinges Cicero although he was a man new come vp yet despised he nobility They which geue themselues to hunting prepare the best dogges they can get to hunt and not A similitude whelpes though they come of neuer so good a kinde And for battaile strong war like horses are sought for and not the coltes of good horses What profite is in pedigrees or wherâ—o is it good Frende Ponticus to be deriued from long discent of bloud Iuuenal Or what shall it auayle to thee to reckon in a row Great nombers of thine auncesters that liued long a goe It is a thing ridiculous for a man to boast yâ— he can geue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that that is seuen or a greate many coates These reasons some vse to extenuate What vse these arguments haue the nobility of bloud Neither are these thinges spokeÌ„ amisse or without profite especially agaynst those which only by the vertue of theyr elders wil be counted noble when as they themselues otherwise liue filthely vily and without any The nobilitie of kinred is profitable nobility But if any maÌ„ haue together with vertue obteined nobility of bloud doubtles of it he hath great commodity For nobility is not as it was obiected a thing vtterly outward For the proprieties and markes and motions of the elders are I know not how transferred to the posterity which although that in the next childreÌ„ or childrens childreÌ„ they ofteÌ„times shew not forth nor appeare yet by a certayne force they are kepte still and reuiue againe in other of the posterity so that in them the spirite and motions of the elders is renued vnto vertue Wherefore seing such sparkes are still reserued in vs they are not vtterly to be counted amongest outward good things Neither agréeth that comparisoÌ„ of the mule which they say is procreated of the horse For that in the mule ceasseth the generation neither can the mule if we consider the common course of nature liue long But they which are begotten of noble parentes although they themselues degenerate yet may they afterward bring forth others And to stay eueÌ„ in that similitude it not a litle adorneth the mule that he is begotten of the horse For for that cause are they more commendable then asses But Iuuenall Cicero and Iphicrates spake of those noble men which when as they themselues had no part at all of theyr fathers or predecessors vertue and good disposition would yet notwithstanding be had in estimation for this cause only for that they came of a noble bloud He whiche being but obscure in birth hath illustrated himselfe with vertues is of far more excelleÌ„cy then are they which coÌ„ming of greate nobility doo with vices and with wicked actes and with sluggishnes and cowardishnes dishonor both themselues and theyr stocke And how much God gaue vnto the posterity of the godly it is manifest not only by this place God gaue many thinges vnto the posteritie of the Saintes but also by that of Exobus where he promiseth to doo good to the iust euen to a thousand generations â–ª and also by thys that he appoynted that the kinges and priestes should be chosen out of a certayne stocke Thys prerogatiue the Ethnikes contemned not For he which prayseth Alcibiades which some thinke was Euripides when he was crowned in yâ— games of Olimpus sayth yâ— he which wil be happy must come of a noble city To which purpose I could cite a great many other testimonies if neede so required
of those yâ— say that the wil of God in willing or not willing â–ª is either of efficacy or remisse his wil doubtles he permitteth it not for nothing can be done against gods wil wherefore he willingly permitteth it And therefore his will is that sinne should not be letted Some to auoyde this appoint in God a double will the one of efficacy the other remisse And the signe of his will of efficacy they say are commaundemeÌ„tes preceptes and lawes but of his remisse wil they put counsels and exhortacions to be the signe They adde also that God will not sometymes with efficacy somtimes remissedly And the signe of his not willing with efficacy they say is prohibitioÌ„ but of his not willing remissedly they put permission to be the signe And after this maner they say that God willeth not sinne But because they sée that if God with efficacy willed not sinne it could by no meanes be committed they say that he in dede willeth not sinne but yet remissedly This is in dede a witty distinction but I am somwhat in doubt whether We can not put in the will of God either increace or diminishing it can in such sort take place in God But that we shoulde not in vayne contend graunt that it were so yet for all that they auoyde not but that God may be sayde after a sort to wil sinne For how commeth it that he in dede willeth not sinne but yet remissedly Here they haue nothing to answere but that he after a sort willeth it For reiection is not remisse vnles something of the contrary be mixed with it namely of the wil as water froÌ„ whote water is not made luke warme vnles some cold be mingled with it Wherefore in that they say that God willeth not sinne but yet remissedly that can be by no other meanes but that he after a sort willeth it wherefore this permission which they imagine is at the lengthe reduced to the will But it is a thing ridiculous that they should be aferd least God by this meanes should seeme to be vniust for thâ— will of God is the first and chiefe iustice so that whatsoeuer he willeth the same Permission is reduced to the will The wil of God is the first iustice God when he will punish sinnes by sinnes withdraweth hys grace straight way is of necessity iust And one and the selfe same action as it is in vs and commeth from vs forasmuch as it proceedeth from a corrupt ground is sinne but as it commeth from God it is iust These men seke some way to satisfie humane reason which yet they can not by this meanes attayne vnto For they are compelled to graunt that God when he wyll punishe sinnes by sinnes withdraweth his grace by which stay only our will may be vpholden that it sinne not Wherefore if of purpose he remoue away that by which onelye sinne is prohibited although he doo not vniustly how can he be sayde vtterly not to will sinne which of necessity followeth the withdrawing of grace Wherefore we say that God in dede willeth the action which is by nature produced for vnles God would it coulde by no meanes be produced but the deformitie and priuation of iustice whereby that action faileth and straieth froÌ„ his rule he in consideration of it selfe willeth not â–ª but so farforth onely as it is a punishement of sinne and as we haue sayd an instrument to declare the iustice of God Yea also Augustine sayth That God will not onely remoue awaye his grace but also hiddenly worketh in the mindes of sinners no les then he vseth to worke in the bodyes and inclineth their wils either to good according to his mercy or to euill according to hys iudgement being in dede iust but yet hidden And this sentence he hath against Iulianus in his 5. booke and 3. chapiter And in his booke de Gracia libero arbitrio the 21. chapter and he proueth it by sundry and many testimonies of the scriptures But in that God is said not to will and to hate sinne that is to be vnderstand as touching the law and the Scriptures and the rule of lyfe reueled vnto vs He is said also to hate sinne because he punisheth it and because he willeth it not for his owne sake but as we haue sayde in consideration of an other thing Wherefore in that he worketh sinne he hateth it not and in that he hateth it he worketh it not â—n suÌ„me if we will speake properly Election reiection depend of the wil of God We are not wonne but by those things which please vs and simply we cannot say yâ— God ether willeth sin or is the author therof Thus much by the way but now to returne to August He goeth on to declare that both election reiection depeÌ„d of the wil of God He saith in dede yâ— we haue free will but what auayleth that to these things For who caÌ„ beleue vnles his will be moued But it is not in our power that we should be moued by those things which are offred for we are not allured takeÌ„ but by those things which please vs. But that preaching reading coÌ„teÌ„placioÌ„ vpoÌ„ things diuine do please vs it coÌ„meth by the breathing of the holy gost And August addeth that as touching the masse or loÌ„p of al humane nature By the spirit of God â—â— commeth to passe â–ª that thinges in very deede good do please vs. wherof all we are brought forth there is no difference wherby God mought be moued to elect this maÌ„ rather then that yea rather if setting aside the grace of Christ we consider only the nature of men there can come no difference at all but that one is more witty then an other or contaminated with fewer wicked factes or endewed with better artes But if any man would say that God in election or reiection hath a respect to these things he shall playnly speake agaynst the holy scripture For Paul to the Corrinthians thus writeth Be hold your calling brethern for not many wise men not many noble men not many mighty men are called but the folish thinges of the world hath God elected c. There haue bene moreouer a greate many philosophers endewed with most excellent wittes and other men of singular grauity as Socrates Cato and Scipio who if they be compared with others may seme to haue bene enfected but with a very few vices There haue bene others endued with most excellent artes and sciences whom God yet hath ouerpassed and hath called vnto him men vnlerned sinners and wicked men wherefore this only remayneth that if God haue not a respect vnto these thinges they must say that he hath notwithstanding a consideration to the will But neither doubtles can that be affirmed For as we haue sayd it lieth not in the power of our will to be moued with good and holy perswasions For An example of Paul what maner of will had Paul at that selfe
inculcate then shoulde not boastinge be excluded for euery righteous man mought say of himselfe I haue obtained grace because wheÌ„ it was offred I receiued it I haue beleued God making promise vnto me for that I gaue mine assent I haue obteined Christ because wheÌ„ he came I receaued him But Paul crieth out that our boasting is excluded not in déede by the law of workes but by the lawe of fayth and of grace Neither can the aduersaries That modicum is some kinde of of worke Workes at vniuersally excluded froÌ„ the cause of iustificatioÌ„ The sentence of Paul is to be takeÌ„ simply and not by way of comparison deny but that that modicum which they labour so ernestly to establish is some kinde of worke But Paul so excluded not woorkes from iustification that he lefte vnto them the second place vnto faith but he vtterly and vniuersally excluded theÌ„ as touchyng the power to iustifie For he sayd not onely that we are iustified frely but added without workes Wherefore whereas they say that the senteÌ„ce of Paul is not to be vnderstanded simply but by way of comparison it is vntrue and vain But the scriptures saye they in other places speake so For it is written in the Psalm Vnles the Lord buyld the house they labour in vayne which buyld it And Paul to the Corrinthians sayth Neither he which plaÌ„teth is any thing nor he which watreth but God which geueth the encrease It is certaine say they that these thinges are to be expounded by way of comparison For in very déede both he which buildeth and which planteth and whiche watreth doth somewhat But that whatsoeuer it be forasmuch as it is but little if it be compared vnto the worke of God therefore it is sayd to be nothing and they are sayd to labour in vaine As touching the firste place we say that Dauid speaketh of ciuill works touching which we graunt that men in them take greate paynes and woorke somewhat Howbeit they labour in What is to be thought of ciuill enterprises vaine vnles God vouchsafe to fauor theyr enterprises Let Cesar AlexaÌ„der or Cato take what paynes they will either in the kingdome or in the Publike wealth and yet shall all thinges come to no purpose vnles God geue the successe In the other place Paul entreateth of the holye ministerye of the churche Neyther will I graunte this vnto the aduersaries that the Ecclesiasticall ministerye is eyther a thing small or suche as maye be called nothing For it is a thinge honorable and The holy ministery is both a thing great also nothing with most weighty wordes commended of the holy scriptures Wherefore as touching the office it is not nothing but touchinge the geuinge of spirituall life it is as Paul sayth vtterlye nothing For of it selfe it can not geue that spirituall life neyther perfect nor vnperfect The minister of the church in déede setteth forth the worde of God and the sacramentes but cannot reach to the coÌ„municating of that heauenly life Wherefore Paul spake truly and properly neither néeded he that figure A figure vsed in one place is not alwayes vsed in an other place of comparison whiche these men imagine Moreouer graunte that the scripture in other places vseth these kindes of speaches shoulde it straight way follow that therefore this sentence is so to be taken especially séeing it hath bene by most firme argumentes proued that it is in verye déede neither of him that willeth nor of hym that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy And therefore our election or predestination consisteth not of our works but fréely and of the mercy of God But still notwithstanding they are ouercome by reasons they cauill and say that they deny not but that we are elected of God fréelye but yet that causeth not but that some respecte may be had to woorkes foreséene For so they saye that we say with Paul That eternall life is grace when yet notwithstandyng we confesse that God rendreth vnto euery man accordyng to hys woorkes And if God can haue a respecte vnto woorkes when yet he geueth eternall lyfe fréely what shoulde let hym that he can not fréelye predestinate a man although he haue a respect also vnto workes foresene Hereunto we answer that eternall life is indede geuen Good workes oftentimes go before eternal life but can not preuent predestination Predestination is the efficient cause of good works and not eternall lyfe Predestination and reprobation are oftentimes with ouâ— works freely which yet followeth good workes not as merites but as necessary degrees by which they which are of full age come vnto it And this order the scripture it selfe putteth But that any our workes go before predestination the scriptures in no place haue tought vs yea rather contrariwyse Paul sayth to yâ— Ephesians Hereunto are we predestinated that we shoulde be holye and immaculate And vnto Timothe he sayth that he had obteyned mercy that he moughte be faithfull Why then seke these men to preuent order and especially seyng that theyr own similytude serueth not For eternall life followeth good workes and is not the efficient cause of them but predestination is the cause of good works Farther thys respect to good workes in predestination can not as we haue sayde take place in all men For many are predestinated vnto eternall lyfe and many are appoynted to eternall destruction which neuer should haue any workes at all as it is manifest in infantes Wherfore this is firme and vnmoueable that as touching election and infusion of the spirite there is nothing at all in vs whereby God shoulde be moued to bestowe these thinges vpon vs. For in predestination vocation and iustification there goeth before in vs nothing that is good but good works go before glorificatioÌ„ The reasoÌ„ therof is for that we straight way dye not so sone as we are iustified wherefore it behoueth that that space Why good workes in them that are of age â—o before eternall life of tyme which is betwene haue workes whereby may be declared our fayth and righteousnes which we haue by yâ— electioÌ„ of God obtayned By will Paul vnderstandeth the endeuor of the mynde and by course or running all holy workes vniuersally which metaphore is much vsed in the holy scriptures For Paul in an other place writeth of himselfe I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course And vnto the Corrinthyans So ranne ye that ye maye winne the price And vnto the Galathyans Ye runne well who letted you Out of thys sentence two thynges we ought to gather first that our saluation or election is not of hym that wylleth nor of hym that runneth that is not of our merites but of the mercy of God onely as God sayth in the 9 chapter of Deutronomy Say not for my righteousnes hath the Lorde brought me into thys lande Secondly that it is not of the willer to will nor of the runner to runne but these
thinges he hath of God So Paul to the Corrinthians when he had sayd that he had laboured more then all others added But not I but the grace of God whiche is in me The axe is not sayde to make the arke but the carpenter which vseth the axe so we also are the instruments of God both to wil to worke but it is God which worketh those things in We are the instrumeÌ„ts of God vs. Here they obiect then are not we lordes of our owne actions if it be God which worketh our workes in vs. These men vnderstand not that God the creator with so great wisedome worketh in all thinges that he moueth them not but in such maner as they ought to be moued Wherefore seing our will is so made of God that it caÌ„ not be compelled God driueth it not by force to do any thing vnwillingly The wil of man cannot be coÌ„pelled but of himselfe geueth vnto it to worke fréely and of his owne accord And therfore are we lordes of our owne actions in as much as we do nothing by compulsion Wherefore the Apostle hath now excluded both our endeuors and also our workes but yet not to that entent we should liue idely But because here is entreated of predestination and of the eternal election of God therefore these things We must not by reasoÌ„ of the doctrine of predestination geue our selues to liue â—â—elly are not to be farther dilated then the place it selfe will suffer After that we are once regenerate and that we haue the spirite of God all occasions of sluggishnes and slouthfulnes is vtterly taken away In the interpretacion of Ambrose this is to be noted that first he confesseth that that which is asked oughte not to be in the will of the asker but in the choyse of the geuer Which sentence if it might be taken playnly maketh very much on our side but he spake it in a farre other sence For straight way he addeth For whether it be mete to be geuen or no it ought to be weighed by the iudgement of the geuer Dauid and Saul required pardon but God iustly iudged which of them asked with a good mynde and which with an euill and his iustice may be declared in the euent For wheÌ„ eche of theÌ„ fell into great narrow straights touching their kingdome Dauid declared hys worthynes which beyng driuen out of his house by hys sonne with a patient mynde bare that chance neither suffred he Semey to be killed when he cursed hym But Saul beyng broken with aduersities dispayred of the Lord and sought helpe at the handes of a witche and wicked spirite These thinges declare that the iudgement of God was not deceaued So he thus vnderstandeth these wordes It is not of hym that willeth nor of him that runneth that it is not inough to will vnles the iudgement of God confirme that will to be good But this interpretacion is manifestly repugnant with that particle But of God that hath mercy For that which Paul referreth vnto the mercy of God this man referreth to iudgement Chrisostome although he thinketh that this clause It is not of hym that willeth nor of hym that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy to be an antithesis pronounced vnder the person of the aduersary yet because as I suppose he séeth that that agréeth not he so laboureth to interpretate this place otherwise that although they are counted to be the wordes of the Apostle yet therof he sayth followeth no absurdity for the Apostle ment to teache nothing els but that all is not of him that willeth nor of hym that runneth for we haue nede also of the grace of God and therefore we must not put any confidence in our workes and vertues But we haue alredy before sufficiently tought that this is an interpretacion not according to the place For they which retayne vnto themselues any thing and remitte not all whole to God although that seme to be but a litle and a modicum yet is it repugnant to the holy scriptures For they most playnly teach that as touching this matter there lieth nothing in our power And when Paul sayth that boasting is excluded not by the lawe of workes forasmuch as euen this modicum which these men seke to retayne can be nothing els but a worke they say in wordes onely and to no purpose that there is nothing whereof we can glory for in very dede they leue matter to glory of Of these things Chrisostome afterward speaketh when he interpretateth these wordes And if God minding to declare his wrath c. Wherefore it appeareth that both he and also others tooke occasion of their interpretacion of Origen For the scripture saith vnto Pharao For this same purpose haue I raysed thee vp to declare in thee my power and that my name mought be shewed forth throughout all the earth Wherfore he hath mercy on whome he will and whome he will he hardeneth Augustine to Simplicianus thus knitteth together these wordes with that which hath bene already spoken It behoued the Apostle to proue that it is not of man that willeth but of God that hath mercy Therefore he bringeth scripture which testifieth this thyng of Pharao namely that he was to thys ende stirred vp of God that he moughte in him shewe forth his power This conclusion is diuers from the former conclusion Farther he noteth that the conclusion here is diuers from the conclusion going before For he here saith not it is not of him that willeth nor of him that contemneth but of God reiecting as he before sayde It is not of hym that willeth nor of hym that runneth but of God that hath mercy Of this diuersity this I sée to be It coÌ„meth of him that doth ill to be condemned but not of him that doth wel to be saued Why God reiecteth not in consideration of workes foresene Here men are more offended the reason for that euill workes deserue calamity and destruction but good works deserue not felicity Wherefore it may come of the euill man to be condemned but it can not come of hym that worketh well to be saued And yet ought we not therefore to thynke that God is by euyll workes foresene led that he will not haue mercye on any man for that dependeth onelye of hys mere wyll For as touchyng some those whom he hath decréed to electe are no lesse corrupt in hys syght then those whome he reiecteth But thys is worthy the noting that there is greater controuersie touching this part theÌ„ there was about yâ— part which weÌ„t before For it is les displeasaÌ„t vnto meÌ„ iâ— they be said to be predestinated and elected then if they be sayd to be hated and reiected of the mere will of God wtout all consideration of merites when as yet the consideration in ech is a like Of Pharao it is written in the 9 â–ª chapiter of Exodus To this ende haue I raysed thee vp to shew forth in
forasmuche as he by his mighty working perpetually moueth and stirreth vs vp maketh vs to light vpon diuers occasions whiche we for that we are euill can not vse well But in this similitude this difference oughte be noted that it lieth in the hande of God by his liberall grace and spirite to deliuer vs from sinne grafted in vs by nature wheÌ„ as it lieth not in the power of the carter to heale the disseased féete of the horses The wisedome of God directeth sinnes to a good ende This moreouer is attributed vnto the diuine wisedom to direct sinnes so brought foorthe to an good ende and to vse those euill thinges bothe to the saluation of the elect and also to the illustracion of his power For the declaration wherof Ambrose vseth a similitude taken of phisitions whiche vse the punishmente of condemned men to the helpe of men For they cut theyr bodies they consider and search the in ward parts and leaue nothing vnsearched that thereby they may vnderstand the beginnings and groundes of diseases and be able afterwarde to heale others And there are thrée thinges chieflye to be weighed in these wordes of the Apostle Fyrst he sayth That it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy SecoÌ„dly he addeth To this purpose haue I raised the vp last of al he hath mercy on whome he will and whome he wyll he hardeneth All these kindes of speache are of great waighte to call vs backe from the consideration of our merites to the simple and méere pleasure of God And when we heare that God hardeneth therby we ought to vnderstand nothing els but the effect of the vengeance and wrath God to harden what is signifieth of God whether the same be done eyther by God himselfe immediatelye as they vse to speake or by the deuil or by euil men For al these can do nothing but so far foorth as they are permitted of God Wherefore it is as true that God hardeneth whome he will to shewe forth his power as that is true whiche Salomon saith in the Prouerbs that he maketh the wicked man for the euill day Chrisostome sayth that this example of Pharao may very well be compared with the first For euen as Moses could noe see why some of the people of Israell should bee slayne when as others hauing sinned in the selfe same case were pardoned so now men could not see why onely Pharao was chosen out in whome God would show the seueritie of his iudgements For there were There wer others whiche no lesse resisted God then Pharao many others which no les resisted God then did he Afterward he addeth that the Apostle mought by an example of the Iewes haue confirmed that which he entended but he would with great prudency declare in a king barbarous and a straunger from the people of God that which they afterward should perceaue and se in theÌ„selues Farther he sayth that whereas it is sayd that God hardeneth it signifieth nothing els but that God by his great goodnes patieÌ„ce and lenity suffred Pharao As touchng the first I deny not but that this example of Pharao is very well knit together with that former example concerning Moses although I haue otherwise interpretated those wordes spoken vnto Moses But that God had in them a regarde either to worthines or vnworthines I vtterly deny And forasmuch as we haue before sufficieÌ„tly confuted this we shall not néede in this place to repeate the same agayne But whether to harden be to vse mercy and goodnes towardes any man we will streight waye consider But first I thinke it not amisse to declare Origens mind touching this matter For it maye séeme that out of him as out of a fountaine others haue drawen the principles of theyr error He bringeth a similitude of a good maÌ„ of the house which hath many seruauntes Who considering theyr dispositions to be diuers first of all studieth to know how he may commit vnto euery one an apte chardge according to the conditioÌ„ of euery one of them And therfore those whom he séeth to be meete for husbandry he sendeth to serue in the country those whome he séeth apt to merchandise he sendeth to fayres and to the market those whiche can féede cattell he maketh féeders of cattaile and those whome he séeth more apte for the table and the chamber he kéepeth stil at home In the meane time because that he séeth that by reason of the seruile condition which is in theÌ„ they shall haue néede sometimes of beatings to accomplish this matter he séeketh such natures which of theyr own accord are inclined to cruelty that when chastisemente shall be néedefull he maye haue one at hand which is much more sharper then they whiche néede to be corrected and which for his wicked factes is worthy not so much to be amended as to be put to death whose destruction yet he will haue at the last to be profitable to the amendemente of the rest And therefore when he sendeth him to take vengeaunce he thus saith To this purpose haue I raised thée vp and therfore he saith that Paul writeth not to this purpose haue I made thée least the faulte should seme to be laid vpon the creator but God would haue that malice which Pharao had gotten He stirred vp Pharao saith Origene for that he would not streightway punish him vnto himselfe to be fruitefull vnto others And he sayth that he hardened the harte of Pharao for that he would not take sodeine and full vengeaunce vpon him but would rather vse gréeuous plages continually increasing by litle and litle For by this pacience and goodnes of God was Pharao hardened Thus much Origen vpon these wordes with whome I cannot agrée in two places especially First because that he vniuersally remoueth away from God this hardening and transferreth it wholy vnto Pharao Secondly for that he sayth that he was â—ardened by the patience and goodnes of God Moreouer also for yâ— he séemeth toÌ„ affirme that God chose Pharao to show foorth such examples vpon him for that he was a man most hard and past all amendment For that is farre wide from the frée reprobation of God which as Paul saith commeth from God without any respect of workes The commentaries also which are ascribed vnto Ierome affirme the selfe same thinges and geue a reason why God would choose Pharao aboue all others in whome he would Pharao is now said to haue filled the measure of his sinnes God in the destruction of Pharao prouided for the Israelites so seuerely make manifest his iudgements namely for that he had now filled the measure of his sinnes which thing we reade of the Sodomites and of the Ammorites But this is to affirme that reprobation commeth of euill woorkes They adde moreouer that GOD woulde by the destruction of Pharao prouide for his people of Israell that they shoulde not be afearde of the tyrannes
difference is only in the men and not in God The goodnes of God is equally geuen vnto all men In the nature of men is equality All men are not by one â–ª and the selfe same force drawen Against the similitude of the clay and of the wâ—xe A place to the Hebrues declared For some embrace his goodnes when it is offred but others reiecte it and are hardned For rather contrariwise in men we must put equality and likenes as which comming of one and the selfe same masse haue like condition of free wil and they by themselues can do nothing that is vpright Wherefore seing that this infirmity or rather vnablenes is a like in all men the differeÌ„ce must nedes be put in grace as in the mouing and efficient cause for that all men are not after one the selfe same maner drawen For vocation is of two sortes the one is of â—fficacy the other common And that similitude of the clay and of the waxe is vayne and trifling For after the fall of Adam this distinction hath no place in frée will For in maÌ„kinde now are not some like waxe and other some like clay For god as Paul saith maketh his vessels of one yâ— selfe same clay according to his conning geueth to one the self same clay sondry formes Neither doth yâ— place to the Hebreues make any thing to this purpose For there the scripture exhorteth men which ofteÌ„times heare the word of God to endeuour themselues by holy life to be fruitful which if they do they shall obtain the blessing of God but if they liue wickedly and suffer the sede of God to be corrupted and made vnprofitable in them they shal be obnoxious vnto the curse For the declaration whereof he vsed an excellent similitude taken of the earth Wherefore in that place is nothing spoken of fre wil and grace but of the word of God of men which professe Christ in the church whome God exhorteth yâ— they should not be such as dure but for a time and are only in name Christians Whereunto also The parable of Christ of the seede Christ had a respect in the parable of the sede cast partly vpon good earth and partly vpon stony ground and partly amongest thornes and partly in the high way Wherfore the condition of the shoure of the word of God is described yâ— it always lâ—ghteth not vpon good men and vpon such as are reformed by the grace The good earth are those which are elected spirit of God Wherfore we may say yâ— yâ— good earth are those which are elected and yâ— barren earth are yâ— reprobate And the earth as it hath showers froÌ„ heaueÌ„ so therehence also hath it fertility bareÌ„nes So it is god which ministreth vnto vs both his word also yâ— grace of faith wherby we with profit receiue yâ— same word But whereas Pigghius saith that it is a phrase of speach much vsed that a good and gentle master will say vnto his seruauntes abusing his lenity I my selfe haue marred you I my selfe haue spilt you that doubtles I deny not But he should haue proued that Paul in this place spake in this sort For seing that God is otherwise This figure of Pighius agreeth not with the wordes of Paul vnderstanded to harden the harts of men this figure will not agrée with the words of Paul For first it is an hard inuersion of speach if whereas Paul saith God hardeneth the hart of Pharao we should say vtterly excluding God Pharao hardeneth his hart for that he abuseth the goodnes of God Moreouer if as Pigghius thinketh to harden should be all one with to do good to haue mercy to shew clemency it should not then be the part of a father which gouerneth well and with clemency to forgeue sinnes to adopt into children and to geue sondry giftes but to chasten and to punishe And by that meanes shall follow many absurdities For when God deliuered the children of Israell into captiuity we must say that he had mercy on them because he punished them And when he brought them home againe from captiuity for that he did good vnto them we must say that he hardened them By this meanes to send his sonne into the worlde which was a token of incredible clemency was to harden the worlde and by Titus and Vespasian to destroy and ouerthrow Ierusalem was to haue mercy on the Iâ—wes So shall the glorification of the saintes pertaine to hardening and the punishemente of hell fyre to mercye And forasmuch as God doth good vnto all men rayneth vpon the iust and vpon the vniust and maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the good and vpon the euil if we follow Pigghius opinion we must say that God hardeneth them all Further who can deny but that Pharao was smitten of the Lord and chastised especially when as there are reckoned vp so many plagues wherewith God smote him But euen then most of all as Pigghius dreameth God should haue mercy vpon him not haue â—ad hardened hym yea rather although God be sayde sometymes to haue hardened the hart of Pharao when he tooke away those plagues yet if a man diligently reade of the history of Exodus he shall fynde that the selfe same was spoken when Pharao was smitten and when the plagues were layde vpon hym For when the lice were sent and the sorcerers coulde not do the like when the cattayle were slayne with the pestilence and when euery where men were so troubled with botches that neither the sorcerers themselues coulde escape them it is by expresse wordes written that the hart of Pharao was hardened Lastly Paul sayth that vnto them that loue God all thinges turne to good Wherefore whether he send vpon them prosperity or aduersity he alwayes hath mercy vpon Pighius in vaine excuseth God them neither can he by any maner of meanes be sayd to harden them Neither doth it any thing profite Pigghius when as though he would excuse God he sayth that he hardeneth when he will not punishe those which deserue punishmentâ—s For neither by this meanes doubtles if a man loke vpon humane reason can God eschew the suspicion of cruelty and of iniustice For if that He may be callâ—d an vniust father which punisheth not his children in tyme. â—enity be hurtfull and God is not ignorant thereof why then vseth he it Should not he be counted an vniust father which chastiseth not his children in tyme God indede tollerateth many things and that not agaynst his wyll but with hys wyl And if he tolerateth and willeth that which is agaynst our saluation how shall he not seme to be against our saluation But he hath geuen vs thâ—u wilt say free will But reason will say O God whatsoeuer thou dost either A false imagination of Pighius of certayne others in chastising or in fauoring me it is nothing vnles thou shalt first change me and in stede of
a stony hart shalt geue me a fleshy hart These men to no purpose imagine that God setteth forth a certayne common grace vnto all men so that whosoeuer will may receaue it as though it were in our power either to embrace it or to reiect it For if it were so the beginning of our saluatioÌ„ should be of our selues and so whilest we go aboute to defend the liberty of our owne will we spoyle God of his election and liberty For if he equally offer his grace vnto all men as these men imagine then shall he predestinate nor elect none for it shall rather lye in men either to reiect God or to elect hym But the scripture euery where attributeth vnto God the election of those whome he will to Our will is not the rule of the election of God be saued And Christ sayth Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you It is a poynt of great arrogancy to seke to bring God into an order that our wyll shoulde be the rule of the election of God This thing me thinketh is very vnwarely spoken of these men to affirme that they are receaued of God which will admitte his grace and they are reiected which will not admitte it Notwithstanding yet these men by such wiles and subtleties satisfye not humane reason which is the thing they chiefly go aboute For if we should graunâ— that which these men imagine namely that that litle or as they call it that moâ—icum whereby we can either admitte or reiecte grace when it is offred is in vs comming of our selues yet forasmuch as it is of all men confessed that God can by his spirite so helpe that little whatsoeuer it be that it shall not decline from vocation nor be ouercome of lustes humane reason will still enquire why he performeth not that especially seing that he may do it without any his discommodity euen onely by his becke Verely if a father should se his sonne in danger to be striken or to fall is it not his duety to helpe him and to It is the fathers part when he may â–ª to deliuer his son from daunger remedy the danger yea rather it is not onely the duty of a father so to be but also of euery good man and chiefly if it may be done without any losse or dammage But this may be without all doubt affirmed of God for nothing can hinder him when he defendeth any by his grace and spirite Neither auaileth this any thing which some say that it is not mete that men should be compelled to good thinges for we say that men desire not to be compelled but to haue their will made good and so changed that it be not ouercome of sinne And that may be obtayned without compulsion for the Saintes which are The saints which are in their couÌ„trey are not compelled to will that which is good already in theyr countrey namely in heauen of their owne frée and voluntary accord cleaue fast vnto God and that perpetually without any compulsion had at all But they obiect that if it were so then should men haue no merites at all For those merites they say consist in that modicum which they say is remayning in vs so that we vse it rightly But here also humane reason will answer What do these thinges helpe with so great a danger and destruction of infinite men Farther it very much pertaineth vnto the glory of God not to ascribe any thing vnto our merites but to referre all whole vnto him Thou seest now into how sondry and blinde mazes these men throw themselues whâ—n they seke to excuse God who hath no neede at all of any such patrone For all the godly ought to be no les assured that the wil of God is iust then they are These men acquite not God by their excuses that God is But what I besech you get these men by these their excuses Forsoth euen this in stede of one blasphemy which they pretend to auoyde which yet in very dede is no blasphemy at all â–ª they vnwares fall into many absurdities Yea at the length they are brought to that poynt that wil they or nil they they holde that some good thing commeth from men which dependeth not of God They crye out that it is absurde to saye that God is the cause of induration God to harden-taken in that sence that was before declared is not absurd But I would gladly know of them vpon which article of yâ— fayth this absurdity lighteth Doubtles vpon none if they so vnderstand the matter as we haue before declared it namely that we must not thinke that God of himselfe poureth any malice into men But if they shal say as doubtles they do say that they so teach that men should not be offended I would know of them what part in man is offended by this doctrine They wil answere I know humane reason But if they so much weigh the offending thereof why do they not disanull in a maner al the articles of the fayth For doth not it thynke that the creation of all thinges is absurde Doth not it thinke the death of Christ If we should satisfie humane reason we must disanuâ— the articles of the faith and the resurrection of the dead is absurde Paul to the Corrinthyans sayth that the naturall man vnderstandeth not those thinges which are of the spirite of God for vnto him they are foolishnes And what in Gods name shall we say that may satisfy humane reason Shall we say that God as touching perticuler thinges hath not a regard to humane affayres but that he onely vniuersally prouideth for the world Or shal we say that he permitteth men vnto themselues and condemneth no maÌ„ vnto eternall paynes For these and such like thinges as they are not disagreable from humane reason so are they most of all repugnant vnto the holye scriptures Wherefore we sée that this deuise though it séeme goodly to the shew and wittye This witty deuise nothing auayleth yet doth it nothing profite these men Now will we examine the sentences of the Prophets wherein God séemeth somtimes to be said to be the cause of deceauing and of error Shall we say that they prayed against the ouermuche lenity of God and sayd after this maner O God why dost thou so long forgeue this people why doost thou not chastise them that they be not so deceaued and erre Here doubtles I cannot inough meruayle at the so great negligence of these men in weighing the sayinges of the prophets Verely if a man diligently read the 60. chapter of Esay Where it is thus read Why hast thou made vs to erre â–ª O God and hast turned away our hart from thy feare He shal sée that this complaint is rather of the deceates and The Prophets praid not against the lenity of God beguilinges of the false Prophetes then of the lenitye of God For Esay prayed not that the people should be
dissease whereof he was sicke was by nature deadly Wherefore the prophet in those threates pronounced Gods will of the signe that is so much as could be knowen by the force of nature But the changing came of the will of God which is of efficacy which they call the consequent Niniue also for the greauous sinnes thereof was worthy to be destroied Wherefore Ionas shewed vnto them the antecedent will of God which they call the will of the signe Wherefore when God calleth Pharao or any other reprobate by that vocation or outward promise we vnderstand the antecedent will or the will of the signe but that other hidden will which they call the wil of efficacy or the consequent we vnderstand not Wherefore God can not deny himselfe neither doth he in these willes striue agaynst him selfe But by his doctrine and promises being in differently and generally set forth he stirreth vp the mindes of the ministers of the Church chearefully to preach the word and that vnto all men which thing doubtles they would not doo if he had made them assured of his hidden wil. For if they knew that they had to deale with men reprobate they would vtterly be discouraged and geue ouer And on the other side when as we se that no fruite succedeth of our doctrine and preaching herein we comfort our selues for that we were before admonished of this that there are many which by the purpose of God are made blinde Augustine in his booke de Spiritu litera the 34. chapter in which place he entreateth touching this matter sayth That if he were asked the question touching euery perticular man why God will haue some to heare the Gospel but not to receaue it and other some both to haue it and to embrace it he hath nothing to answer but only these two things O the depth of the riches c. And also Is there iniquity with God God forbid And if there be any sayth he that are not content with these answeres let them enquire of men better lerned then I am but in the meane time let them beware of presumptuous persons Presumptuous persons he calleth those which flye eyther vnto workes foresene or vnto such like fonde imaginations For these thinges forasmuch as they are not taught in the holy scriptures may well be called humane presumptions Ambrose vpon this place sayth that the will of God can not be resisted for that he is of all the most mightiest And forasmuch as he is the father of all therfore vnto no man he willeth ill but will haue those things preserued which he hath made Wherefore it is by no meanes agreable vnto him to be vniust In these wordes Ambroses meaning is to shewe that this power of the will of God is tempered with such a iustice that it hath a respect vnto the worthines and merites of men Of which minde also is Origene For he sayth that the will of God is in dede most mighty but yet the selfe same will is most vpright Wherefore he writeth that it is in our will to be eyther good or euill And on whiche side so euer we incline we can not resist the will of God but that it will eyther reward vs or punishe vs as iustice shall require For it lieth not in our handes vnto what maner of paynes or vnto what maner of rewardes we should be destinâ—ed or appoynted Wheras Origen sayth that it lieth in our handes eyther to be good or to be euill it is not true For our saluatioÌ„ The nature of generatioÌ„ consisteth wholy in regeneration which dependeth altogether of the grace and spirite of Christ For this is the nature of generation that he which is begotteÌ„ nothing at all worketh to the begetting of him selfe yea neyther doubtles caÌ„ he But he which sayth that it lieth in vs to be good doth without doubt eyther vtterly take away the benefite of Christ or elles wonderfully diminishe it But we say and teach that the will of God is vpright although we deny that it dependeth eyther of creatures or of merites This obiection VVhy doth he complayne and vvho resisteth his vvill The Apostle bringeth agaynst the conclusion before inferred he hath mercy on vvhome he vvill and hardneth vvhome he vvill and chiefly as touching the latter part of the conclusion For it may seme very absurd that God should according to his will harden any man Yea oftentimes in the Fathers and euen in Augustine also who yet in this matter is on our side we reade that induration commeth by the iust iudgmeÌ„t of God as if they should say that God hardneth those only which by theyr wicked actes deserue the same Wherefore induration semeth not to depend of the will of God as Paul in this place teacheth for he simply pronouÌ„ceth Whome he will he hardeneth But to the vnderstanding here of we must cal to memory the things which we before sad concurre to induration For first there is What thinges are to be considered in induration grafted in vs a vice or corruption wherby doubtles we are aleantes from God And induration is nothing els if we geue credite vnto Augustine in his 4. chapter de Predestinatione Gratia then to resist the commaundementes of God Then followeth it that we are left of God in this euil Wherfore the same Augustine To harden is not to make soft sayth in the selfe same place that God hardneth whom he will not make soft maketh blind whome he will not illuminate repelleth whome he will not call And as touching this the seÌ„ce of the Apostle is He hath mercye on vvhome he vvill and vvhome he vvill he hardeneth that is he hath not mercy And in this worke of God to haue mercy or not to haue mercy we do nothing at all For he freelye God freely distributeth his mercy vnto whom he will It is not in our power not to be moued impelled distributeth his mercy vnto whome he wil. And wheÌ„ we are thus without mercy left in our naturall corruption vnto vs is added the perpetuall motion and impelling of God which suffreth no creature to be idle Although neyther euen this to be moued and impelled is left in our power Thirdly forasmuch as occasions are offred and cogitations sent into the minde eyther of God him selfe or at his commaundement and will by Angells or the deuill by meanes whereof that induration the more vttereth it selfe and is made greater here we may consider the iustice of God For Achab being a most wicked man deserued to be An example of Achab. deceaued of the deuill by the ministery of false prophetes And Pharao for that he was cruell agaynst strangers and infants deserued so to be stirred vp and to vtter his induration Wherefore when God is said to harden thereby we ought to vnderstand that he will not haue mercy But wicked men being forsaken of him forasmuch as being stirred vp by his perpetuall motion they can not be quiet
more excellency then the effect especially in that it is such a cause wherfore if workes be the causes of predestinatiō they are also more worthy of more excellency Our works cannot be of more worthines then predestination That which is constant certaine dependeth not of that which is vncertain vnconstant then predestination Moreouer predestinatiō is sure cōstāt infallible How thē shall we appoint y◠it depēdeth of y◠works of frée will which are vncertaine vncōstant may be bowed hither thither if a mā cōsider thē perticulaly For men are a like prone vnto this or y◠kinde of sinne as occasions are offred For otherwise if we will speake generally by reason of the sinne of the firste parentes frée will before regeneration can do nothing els but sinne Wherefore according to the sentence of these men it must néedes follow that the predestination of God which is certaine dependeth of the workes of men which are not onely vncertaine but also are sinnes Neither can they say that they mean of those works which follow regeneration For those as we haue taught spring of Grace and of predestination Neither do these men consider that they to satisfye humane reason We must not so defēd ou◠liberty that we spoile God of his libertie and to auoutch I know not what liberty in men spoyle God of his due power liberty in electing which power and liberty yet the Apostle setteth forth and saith that God hath no les right ouer men then hath the potter ouer the vessels whiche he maketh But after these mens sentence God can not elect but him only whom he knoweth shal behaue himselfe wel neither can he reiect any man but whom he séeth shal be euill But this is to go about to bring God into an order and to make him subiect vnto the lawes of our reason As for Erasmus he in vaine speaketh against this reason For he sayth that it is not absurde to take away from God that power which he himselfe will not haue attributed vnto him namelye to do any thing vniustly For we say that Paul hath in vaine yea rather falsly set foorth this We must geue vnto God that liberty whiche the scripture geueth vnto him liberty of God if he neither haue it nor will that it should be attributed vnto him But how Paul hath proued this libertye in God that place whiche we haue cited most manifestly declareth They also to no purpose obiect vnto vs the iustice of God for here is entreated onely of his mercy Neither can they deny but y◠they by this their sentence do rob God of a greate deale of his loue and good will towardes men For the holy scripture when it would commend vnto vs the fatherly loue of God affirmeth that he gaue his sonne and that vnto the death and that then when we were yet sinners enemies and children of wrath But these men will haue no man to be predestinated which hath not good woorkes foreséene in the minde of God And so euerye man may say with himselfe If I be predestinated the cause thereof dependeth of my selfe But an other which féeleth truely in his harte that he is fréely elected of Loue towards God is kindled of the true feling of predestination God for Christes sake when as he of himselfe was all maner of wayes vnworthy of so greate loue will without all doubt be wonderfullye inflamed to loue God againe It is also profitable vnto vs that our saluation shoulde not depende of our works For we oftentimes wauer and in liuing vprightly are not very constant Doubtles if we should put confidence in our owne workes we should vtterly dispayre But if we beleue that our saluation abideth in God fixed and assured for Christes sake we cannot but be of good comfort Farther if predestination shoulde come vnto vs by our woorkes foreséene the beginning of our saluation should be of our selues against which sentence the scriptures euery where cry out For that were to raise vp an idoll in our selues Moreouer the iustice of God shoulde then The consideration of the election of God ▪ and of the election of man is diuers haue néede of the externe rule of our workes But Christ sayth Ye haue not elected me but I haue elected you Neither is that consideration in God which is in men when they beginne to loue a man or to picke out a frende For men are moued by some excellente giftes wherewith they sée a man adorned But God can finde nothing good in vs which first proceedeth not from him And Ciprian saith as Augustine oftentimes citeth him that we therefore can not glory for that we haue nothinge that is our owne and therefore Augustine concludeth that we oughte not to parte stakes betwene God and vs to geue one parte to him and to kéepe an other vnto Vnto God is all whole to be ascribed our selues touching the obteinement of saluation for all whole is without doubte to be ascribed vnto him The Apostle when he writeth of predestination hath alwaies this ende before him to confirme our confidence and especially in afflictiōs out of which he saith that God will deliuer vs. But if the purpose of God shoulde be referred vnto our workes as vnto causes thereof then could we by no meanes conceaue any such confidence For we oftentimes fall and the righteousnes of our If predestinatiō shold depend of workes i◠woulde make vs not to hope but to dispayre workes is so sclender that it cannot stand before the iudgement seate of God And that the Apostle for this cause chiefly made mencion of predestination we maye vnderstand by the. 8. chapter of this Epistle For when he described the effectes of iustification amongst other things he saith that we by it haue obteined the adoption of sonnes and that we are moued by the spirit of God as the sonnes of God and therfore with a valiant minde we suffer aduersities and for that cause euery creature groneth and earnestly desireth to be at the length deliuered And the spirite it self also maketh intercession for vs. And at the last addeth That vnto them that loue God all thinges worke to good And who they be y◠loue God he straightway declareth Which are called saith he according to purpose These seketh Paul to make secure that they shoulde not thinke that they are hindred when they are excercised with aduersities for that they are foreknowne predestinated called and iustified And that he had a respect vnto this security those thinges declare whiche In which wordes of Paul the aduersaries a◠deceiued follow If God be on our side who shal be against vs Who shall accuse against the elect of God First by this methode is gathered that the aduersaries much erre supposinge that by this place they may inferre that predestination commeth of workes foreséene For Paul before that gradation wrote these wordes To them that loue God all
willeth But that God should will sinnes is to be counted for most absurd and for a blasphemous doctrine They say moreouer that God can not iustly punish â–ª if we committe those thinges which he him selfe both willeth and worketh But this must we of necessity say if we affirme that not only our ends but also our meanes to the endes depend of the purpose of God To satisfye this doubt first let them remember that it can not be denied but that God after a sort willeth or as other some say permitteth sin But forasmuch as that is done without any coaction of our minde therefore no man when he sinneth can be excused For he willingly and of his owne accord committeth those sinnes for which he ought to be condemned and hath the true cause of theÌ„ in himselfe and therfore hath no nede to seke it in God Farther this is no good comparison which these men make betwene good workes and sinnes For God â—o worketh in vs good workes that he ministreth vnto vs his grace and spirit whereby these workes are wrought for those are the groundes of good workes which groundes doubtles we haue not of our selues But sinnes he so gouerneth and after a sorte How God is said after a sort to wil sinne willeth that yet notwithstanding the groundes of them that is the fleshe and our corrupt and vitiate nature are not in God but in vs. Wherefore there is no nede that they should be powred into vs by some outward motion And God is sayd after a sorte to will sinnes eyther for that when he can he prohibiteth them not or for that by his wisedome he directeth then to certayne endes or for that he suffreth them not to burst forth but when and how and to what vses he him selfe will or finally for that by them he will punish other sinnes But these adde that God by no meanes willeth sinne For so it is written in Ezechiell As truly as I liue sayth the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue But we answere that the Prophet in that place entreateth not of the mighty and hidden will of God and of his will of efficacy For God by that will worketh all thinges which he will both in heaueÌ„ and in earth But he entreateth of that will which they call the will of the signe For no man can by those signes and tokens which are expressed in the law gather that God The first aunswer willeth his death or condemnation For the lord commaunded hys lawe to be published vnto all men he hath vnto all men set forth those things which should be profitable and healthfull lastly he vpon all men indifferently powreth greate benefites Wherefore by this will which we call the will of the signe he willeth not the death of a sinner yea rather he prouoketh them to repentance But as touching the other will which they call the will of his good pleasure if by it he would that no man should perish then doubtles no man could perish and there is no will so peruerse as sayth Augustine which God if he wil caÌ„ not make good Wherefore according to this will he hath done all things whatsoeuer he would This is a redy and playne interpretation which if our aduersaries admit not but will nedes contend that the wordes of the Prophet are to be vnderstanded Another aunswer of the mighty will of God and of his wil of good pleasure theÌ„ will we answer yâ— yâ— sentence pertaineth not vniuersally vnto all sinners but only to those which repeÌ„t And those are yâ— electe predestinated vnto whome God as according to his purpose he geueth faith and vocation so also geueth he repentaunce Wherefore which sense so euer they followe they shall neuer by those woordes conclude that God vtterly by no meanes willeth the death of sinners or willeth sinne But they obiect certaine wordes out of the first chapter of the booke of wisedome where it is written God reioyseth not in the destruction of the liuing But if say they he by anye manner of meanes willeth sinne or the punishment thereof he can not be said not to reioyce therein For he reioyseth doubtles in that which he will haue to be done First I aunswere that that booke is not in the Canon and therfore the authority thereof maye be refused But amitte that that booke were canonicall yet do those wordes make nothing against vs. For he whatsoeuer he was that was the author God doth not against his will punishe wicked actes of that booke ment nothing els but to remoue from God that prauitye of nature whereby wicked men take pleasure in euil things And yet was not his meaning that God punisheth wicked factes against his wil. For otherwise whatsoeuer that author vnder the name of Salomon was he should be against the true Salomon For he in his Prouerbes vnder the person of wisedome thus writeth of the vngodly and of the vnbeleuers I also will laugh in your destruction In which wordes is declared that God with a laughing that is with a chiereful minde administreth iustice As touching the wordes of Ecclesiasticus which are writen in the. 15. chapter That no man ought to say of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he hath deceaued me How it is to be vnderstanded that God deceiueth no maÌ„ in which place the lattine translation hath Me implanauit Vnles we will haue that place to be manifestly repugnant with many other places of the scripture in which God is sayd to haue deceaued the people by false prophets and to haue commaunded that Achab the king should be deceaued and to haue made blind the hart of the people that they shoulde not sée we must néedes after this manner expounde those wordes That no man ought to lay the fault in God as though he woulde excuse himselfe Achab though he was deceaued yet he moste iustly deserued to be They whiche are deceiued are iustly deceiued deceaued for that he contemned the true oracles of God and delighted himselfe in false Prophets The infidelity also and impiety of the people of Israell caused the vengeance of God and execution to come vpon them so that when they were deceaued they could by no meanes be excused Our aduersaries also séeme somewhat to be offeÌ„ded for that we affirme that men haue in themselues the cause of sinnes that is a corrupte and viciate nature For in the first chapter of the booke of wisedome the generations of the world are sayde to be good and not to haue in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a medicine of destruction This is true indéede so that it be vnderstanded of the first constitution of thinges and chieflye of the creation of Our nature as it was instituted of God wanted corruption man which was created of God in a good estate But afterward thorow his fall he spilt both himselfe and his posterity
vnto Simplicianus in his first booke and 2. question sayth That vocation is of two sortes one is common whereby men are called but not by one and the selfe same maner whereby they are apt to be moued and conuerted others are called as they are apt to be moued neyther sayth he must we thinke that God could not so haue called Esau as he mought be moued and as he mought be made apt for all men are not after one and the selfe same manner moued and allured vnto God Verely forasmuch as he is omnipotent he mought by his impulsion take away y◠hardnes which is grafted in vs. But say they if he would he mought and yet wil not God alwayes do that which he can Let it be so we say euen the selfe same that God ouerhippeth some and will not haue mercy on them and therefore geueth not vnto all men so much as mought be sufficient vnto theyr saluation And in those whome he ouerhippeth he attayneth to that end which he willeth as it is written of Pharao To this purpose haue I raysed the vp to declare in the my power that my name mought be published abrod thorough out the whole earth Christ knew very well as he he him selfe testified that Tire and Sidon and Sodoma should haue bene moued to repentāce if he had shewed vnto them the miracles and doctrine which he shewed vnto the Iewes wherfore Tyre and Sydon wāted that which sufficed The aduersaries are compelled to say that no man is elected of God forasmuch as he gaue not those thinges vnto thē they wanted that which sufficed vnto saluation The lord also sayd vnto the Apostles I haue chosen you but ye haue not chosen me But by the opinion of the aduersaries putting that vniuersall grace no man should be chosen of God forasmuch as he should be after one and the selfe same sort vnto all men yea rather we should chose God in receauing his grace when it is offred and we should be potters of the election of God and should not be formed of him I haue planted saith Paul Apollo hath watred but God hath geuen the encrease that is life and spirite But if those thinges should be put common vnto all men he should rather haue sayd ye haue receaued vnto your selues the spirite life grace The selfe same Apostle sayd that God had begonne in the Corrinthians a good worke and also would performe the same agaynst the day of the lord Which wordes playnly declare that all whole is to be ascribed vnto God namely to beginne and to performe And vnto the Ephesians He worketh all thinges according to the counsell of his will not sayth he according to the counsell of an other mans will Which thing doubtles he should haue sayd if euery mā had in his power to receaue saluation or not to receaue it Agayne vnto the Galathians When it semed good vnto him which seperated me from my mothers wombe c. If it were as these men affirme Paul should haue said whē it semed good vnto me For as touching God they affirme that grace is alwayes redy and layd forth vnto all men Wherfore by theyr sentence conuersion should then come when it should please vs. And these argumentes although many more might be brought I thinke at this present sufficient Only now resteth to ouerthrow those reasons which seme to make against vs. To the arguments of the aduersaries Outward calling is common to the predestinate and to the reprobate But before we enter into that matter this we say that we in no wise deny but that God by outward calling namely by his prophets Apostles preachers and scriptures calleth all men For this man is no more excluded from the promises or threatninges then that man but these thinges are a like set forth vnto all men although all men are not predestinated to attayne vnto the fruite of them This is diligently to be noted if we will redely answere to those thinges which are obiected And when they lay agaynst vs which thing they very often do that the promises are common and are vniuersally set forth neither ought to be contracted vnto these men or vnto those men and that God dalieth not in them but dealeth in good earnest First as touching vniuersallity I will bring other propositions no les vniuersall All flesh shall se the saluation of God All shall be taught of God Al shal know me from the least to the greatest I wil poure of my spirit vpon all fleshe Shall we say that these thinges are true as touching all men no doubtles vnles Origens fable should be renewed that all men shall at the last be saued They will answer that these propositions ought to be contracted vnto the beleuers vnto them that are willing and vnto them that receaue the grace of God And we also say that they are to be contracted but we referre our contraction more higher and ascend vnto the election of God and vnto reprobation and whether resolution I besech you is the perfecter whether contraction is of more equity And yet do we not say that God dalieth in these vniuersall promises For forasmuch as the predestinate and the reprobate led theyr life together neyther are they knowen one from an other it is mete ▪ that preaching should be had vnto all men together and that for the reprobate the elect should not be defrauded which by the preaching of the word of God receaue profit And by this vniuersal preaching God bringeth to effect that end which he him selfe willeth For the godly whē they se that the reprobate are left in their owne sence and beleue not thereby vnderstand that grace is not nature and in them consider what should also haue happened vnto them selues without the mercy of God whose gift conuersion is and lieth not in the strength of man And the vngodly are made vnexcusable when as they haue not so much as performed those outward workes which they mought haue done as it is declared to the Romanes in the first and second chapters First the aduersaries imagine that they are setters forth of the mercy of God for that they put it common vnto al Whether sentence ascribeth more to the mercy of God men But if we consider the matter more thorowly we attribute much more vnto mercy thē they do For we affirme y◠al whole dependeth of it which thing is of thē in the meane time denied whilest they wil haue it to lye in our power to receaue the grace of God And if we say that mercy is not a like vnto al men destributed we can not therefore be reproued forasmuch as the scriptures manifestly testify the same But these men when they say that it lieth in our wil to receiue grace although they extenuate the same yet is it in very dede proued to be much for what should it profit to haue grace vniuersally set forth vnto al men vnles a man would by his
neither bound nor hidden either thorow feare or thorow flattery And by fete the Prophet by the figure Metonymia vnderstode comming But in that he calleth them beautifull he figuratiuely vnderstandeth that preaching is excellent and pleasaunt For they came to preache the Gospell then which is nothing more beautifull Wherefore by that beautifulnes of the féete vnderstand the beautifull Gospel And therfore the messangers thereof were worthy to be receaued with great reioysing much ioy of the godly For if the Philosophers were had in estimation for that they were thought to show the ends of good and euill The preachers of the Gospell are more to be honoured then yâ— Philosophers although in very déede they performed not that how much more worthy of honour are the Euangelistes which openly set forth vnto the world sound felicitye eternall life And that these men should be sent of God not onely the wordes of the Prophet as we haue before signified declare but also reason firmelye proueth for that no man could come to the knowledge of so greate a will of God towards his which passeth the strength of nature and farre goeth beyonde the capacitye of humane reason vnles God himselfe made it knowne and reuealed it vnto him And they which are not sent of God do lye and deceaue so farre is it of that they preach the Gospel Wherfore in Ieremy the Prophet in the. 14. 23. 27. chap. the lord said Behold I sent not them and they ranne The Prophet speaketh by way of admiratioÌ„ and demaundeth How beautifull are the feete For the Apostles did not onelye preach the pleasaunte woorde of God but also wroughte wonderfull miracles by meanes wherof was worthely stirred vp admiration both to the séers to the hearers Moses was in such sorte furnished that wheÌ„ he said vnto God which sent him They will not beleue me God gaue vnto him power miraculously to turne his rodde into a serpente and also to do other other thinges whiche farre passed all humane strengthes And Christ also when he sent his Apostles to preache adorned them Miracles are not sufficient to proue doctrine with this power to worke miracles thereby to confirme the truth of the doctrine Not that miracles are of themselues thereunto sufficient for we are admonished in Deut not to beleue false prophets though they also worke miracles And of Antichrist Paul hath foretold vnto the Thes yâ— he should come with lying wonders to deceaue But this commodity onely they haue to stirre vp admiration diligentlye to consider the thinges which are toughte for we are so blockishe that we woulde What is the vse of miracles easely neglect them Wherfore when we are stirred vp we oughte by the consideration of the woorde of God to allow them and to holde faste the thinges whiche are good Of them whiche bring glad tidinges of peace and whiche bring glad tidinges of good thinges The summe of the preaching of the Gospel is peace and chiefly with God For they which preach as the Apostle teacheth in the latter The suÌ„me of the preaching of the Gospell is peace to the Corrinthians bring with them the wordes of reconciliation neither exhort they any thing els but that we should be recoÌ„ciled vnto God through Christ God was before angry with mankind he punished and condemned men reiected theyr prayers and contemned theyr workes thoughe they were notable for that they were done of their enemies And men on the other side were not onely miserable but also hated euen God himself they wished that there were no God they cursed his iudgements and fled from him as from a tyranne and cruell butcher for that their owne conscience on euery side accused them But the Gospel preacheth peace and reconciliation through Christ This is it which the Angels sange at the byrth What is the peace of Christians of Christ Glory on high peace in earth good will towardes men The Angels extolled the acte of God which had decréed by his sonne to redeme mankind and this their praise and reioysing is the glory of God Further forasmuch as we now throughe Christ reconciled vnto God we obtaine peace inwardly as touching our mind for being by grace and the spirite renued we leade an vprighte life neither do wicked affectes any more rage in vs our conscience reproueth vs not nether are our harts by furious rages stirred vp to perturbations Moreouer we wish well and do good vnto our neighbours as vnto our selues and haue with them peace that a moste louing peace Neither is this any let that Christe sayde that he came not to sende peace vpon the earth for that it is to be vnderstanded as touching the peace of the What 〈◊〉 Christ caâ—e not to 〈◊〉 flesh and of the world For with the peace of the Gospell whereof we now entreat are ioyned great daungers and discommodities of the flesh Straightway after it follow persecutions and losse of goods But it is added And which bring gladde tidings of good thinges Goodnes is that as Philosophers say which all things desire And more largely or plainely to declare the nature therof Good thinges are all such which in respect of vs are either profitable What good is commodious or pleasaunt to our vses Wherfore by the power of the Gosple this benefite we obtaine that all thinges are made to serue vs. All things saith Paul are yours whether it be life or death or Paul or Cephas we are Christes and Christ is Gods Againe To them that loue God all thinges worke to good And this is How we aâ— by Christ deliuered from 〈◊〉 to be noted that Esay added that these messengers should also preach deliuery for although death misfortunes pouerty diseases and such other kinde of euils do stil vexe vs yet notwithstanding are we by Christ sayd to be deliuered from them for that they haue not any longer the nature of punishments For al these discommodities of the flesh hath God by his crosse and death sanctified so that they haue not any longer the nature of punishment but are made vnto vs enstructions fatherly chastisementes victories triumphes notable actes But to ouer passe nothing we ought not to be ignorant that in the Hebrue tonge Shalom that is peace signifieth happy successe of thinges so that whereas the Grecians say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What peace in the Hebrue signifieth in the superscription of their letters the Hebrues vse to write Shalom that is peace And so forasmuche as Euangelistes publishe abroade peace they preache sound true felicity And if thou demaund in what thing consisteth suche a peace goodnes and deliuery We aunswere that to speake in one worde it consisteth in the kingdome of God Therfore Christ when he sent his disciples to preache willed them to preach that the kingdome of heauen was at hand This selfe thing Esay This peace consisteth in the kingdom of god
and Paul here chiefely reproueth the Iewes We may also hereby learne how farre we are of from the perfection of God He suffreth long tyme beareth with men God is more patieÌ„t then men that will not beleue in him but all men are high mynded and can not abide that either their wordes or writinges should be contemned Then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Here again is repeted the commeÌ„dation of the ministery that by it faith is diuulged amongst CommendacioÌ„ of the ministery men Faith is by hearing this sentence must be rightly and soundly taken that is when God will worke therewithall and put to his ayde Some haue thought that by hearing is here to be vnderstanded the inward word for that in it is the full and perfect cause of faith Which thing as I deny not so also I sée that Paul speaketh not of the inward hearing that is of the motion that is done by the holy Here is entreated of the outward worde The worde of God abideth firme though it be not beleued ghost but of the outward preaching to the office whereof the Apostles were sent And although faith can not after the ordinary and accustomed maner be without the word of God yea and that without the outward word yet the word of God abideth still although faith be not geuen vnto it for knowledge hath relacion as they vse to speake to the thing knowen but that which may be knowen is not on the other side referred to knowledge when as there are many thinges which may be knowen are not knowen After which selfe maner very many thinges are to be beleued which yet are not beleued Wherfore faith forasmuch as it is an asseÌ„t WhereheÌ„ce faith taketh his differences geuen vnto the word of God although it take not his differences of the subiect or of his forme yet taketh it them not either of the efficent cause or of the obiect for it is occupied aboute those things which haue bene reuealed by God neither commeth it by the light of nature but by the illustracion of the holy ghost But as touching the subiect it is placed in the minde as wisdome prudence and other sciences are and the nature thereof is a quality as other knowledges also are qualities Furthermore if hearing whereof springeth faith be by the word of God it is manifest that the foundacion of faith is the word of God only Wherefore the ministers of the Church and preachers ought hereby to learne what is to be preached Onely the worde of God is the foundacion of faith Humane traditions are not the worde of God namely the word of God only and not humane traditions although now they are so bold to call them the word of God which yet they are not by any meanes able to proue when as they are vncertaine and repugnant the one to the oâ—her and are oftentimes abolished or renued which in no wise agrée with the word of God Basilius in his sermon de confessione fidei saith that it is a falling away from faith and a great pride either not to admitte the thinges which are written in the holy scriptures or to adde any thing vnto them Which sentence he confirmeth by the testimony of Paul to the Galathians where he saith The testament although but of a man when it is once ratefied no man maketh voyde or addeth any thing thereunto which thing ought much more to be taken hede of in the testament of God set forth in the holy scriptures But here a riseth a doubt For if onely the woorde of Whether we must beleue miracles God is to be beleued why sayd Christ that if they woulde not beleue him they shoulde yet at the least beleue his workes For it séemeth by thys sentence that we shoulde also beleue miracles But we aunswere that miracles are as testimonies by which men are the easelier brought to beleue so that they are thinges by meanes whereof men beleue not that fayth is directed vnto them as vnto his obiect although as touching the miracles of Christ and of the Apostles we must beleue that they were done by God and not by Belzebub or by the deuill as the Pharise is sclanderously reported and this is conteyned in the worde of God for it geueth testimony that these miracles should be wrought and that they were wrought in theyr due time namely in the preaching of souÌ„d The Sacramentes are beleued doctrine The Sacramentes also are beleued but they are nothing ells but the visible words of God wherunto also is adioyned yâ— word of God which is heard as Augustine fayth The worde commeth vnto the element and it is made a sacrament Howbeit there is discretion and iudgmente to be had when we beleue the word of God that we picke not thereout any wicked or corrupt sentence there is also requisite good triall and examination to discerne miracles and in the sacrameÌ„ts Whether we must beleue with iudgementâ— or without iudgement â–ª is to be considered that they be orderly ministred that is as they were instituted of God And by sound iudgement we must remoue away and set aside the inuencions of men that we beleue not them as we would beleue the wordes of God And when Basilius or other of the fathers doo say that we must beleue with out examination or iudgemeÌ„t which semeth to be taken out of that which Paul sayth in this epistle that Abraham beleued neyther iudged he that word in greke Distinction of iudgement is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To answer to this doubt this is to be vnderstanded that iudgement is of two sortes â–ª The one is when we take counsell of the sences and humane reason and this is vtterly to be remoued from fayth for it alwayes resisteth the word of God The other is the iudgment of the spirite which is of necessity to be had And this is it which Paul sayd Proue all thinges and that which is good hold fast And vnto the Corrinthians Spiritual thinges are compared with spirituall thinges and by this iudgment it is necessary to conferre one place in the holy scriptures which is more obscure with an other whiche is more manifest The authority of the Church hath not dominion ouer faith as some wickedly thinke The office of it is to preach to admonishe to reproue to testifie The autority of the church hath not dominioÌ„ ouer fayth to lay the holy scriptures before mens eyes neyther requireth it to be beleued but so farre forth as it speaketh the wordes of God Paul before he here made mencion of the worde by which fayth is brought forth made mencion of them that preach the Gospell that is of the ministers which are sent of God in whoÌ„ he described the ministery of the Church namely that it consisteth in preaching of the Gospell Moreouer if fayth as it is here written come by hearing that is as it is added by
Wherefore God is not without iust cause angry for that the ministery is so conterfeated And it is much to be lamented that this office is of a great many of the laity had in contempt neyther can the ministers iustly complayne hereof when as the greatest part of them haue first and before all others thorough their licentiousnes idlenes slouthfulnes and neglecting of their office brought this functioÌ„ out of estimation Wherfore we must earnestly pray vnto GOD that he would vouchafe now at the length to succour his Church in sending woorkmen which The false Apostles spake ill of Paul â–ª will labour diligently The Apostle mought haue sayd I glorifye the grace which is geuen vnto you for that ye should come vnto Christe and vnto his Gospel for thereby the Iewes were stirred vp to emulation but he would make mencion of his ministery to the end to commend it and to set it forth and that not without néede for there were many false Apostles which sayd that Paul was not the true Apostle of Christ and euery where as much as in them lay extenuated his authoritye And that Paul was an instructer and teacher of the Gentiles it is manifest by the Epistle to the Galathians where he sayth that Peter Iames and Iohn had geuen vnto hym their right hands that he should preache amongst the Gentiles as they Paul was an instructer and teacher of the Gentles Paul first preached vnto the Iues before he preached to the Ethnikes did vnto the circumcision And vnto Timothe he testifyeth that he was appointed a teacher and instructer of the Gentiles Although as he went thoroughout the world before that he preached in any city vnto the Gentiles he went first to the Sinagoge of the Iewes beginning thereto publishe abraode the Gospell according to the order appointed by God that the Iewes should first be called but yâ— charge of the Church of Ierusalem he wholy left vnto others In as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentles That which in the Greke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in as much the lattine interpreter turneth quamdiu that is so long and this also he doth in Mathew the 25. chapiter saying So long as ye haue done these thinges to one of my least when as in that place also in the Greke is reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is more aptly turned in that in as much and as For when it standeth for an aduerb of time the Apostle commonly addeth this greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth tyme. As in the first to the Corrinthyaus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yâ— is the wife is bound vnto the law so long as her husband liueth And vnto the Galathians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is So long as the heyre is a child But Origen I know not how readeth quamdiu that is so long and doubteth whether it should at the leÌ„gth come to passe that Paul should cease to be the Apostle of the Gentiles and that Paul sawe that after this life he should be the Apostle of inuisible spirits and that vnto him should be sayd that which we reade in the Gospell Come hether good seruaunt and faythfull for that thou hast bene faythfull in fewe thinges I will set thee ouer many thynges But because he sawe as I suppose that thys is somewhat to harde to be easely beleued he addeth Shall we vnderstand thys saying to bee as that is I wyll be wyth you euen vnto the ende of the worlde not as though I wyll not afterwarde also bee wyth you so nowe also he sayth so longe as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles not as though at any time he should not be the Apostle of the Gentiles Paul sayth that he glorifieth his ministery for yâ— he laboured by all maner of meanes that the ministery of his preaching might be of efficacy and that that which he The ministery is glorified so loÌ„g as it is of efficacy in the hâ—rtes of the hearers Nothing in the world better then the church spake without might by the power of the spirite be written in the hartes of the hearers wherevnto he bent all his industry and laboured by continual prayers to obteyne that at Gods hand to the end to prouoke them of his flesh to emulation Men labour to the vttermost of theyr power to followe that whiche they iudge to bee good honest and godlye But I thinke that there is nothing in the world more goodly or better then the Church being wel and holily ordered which Church God so loueth as the husband doth his wife This gaue occasioÌ„ to Salomon to write those songes of loue which are called Cantica Canticorum And Christ omitted nothing though it were hard horrible which was eyther to be done or suffred for it At this Church doo the Angels woÌ„der of it learne many thinges pertayning to the sondry and manifold wisedome of God And men if they want not theyr right wittes embrace and reuerence it Wherfore in the first to the Corrinthians it is written And if they shoulde prophesie and behaue themselues in a decent order in the Church and there should enter in any vnlearned hearing his secretes touched and made manifest namely by preachinges they would fall downe and worshippe and will they or nill they should confesse that God is amongst theÌ„ Wherefore let theÌ„ vnto whome is committed the charge to enstruct and adorne so amiable and wonderfull a society take hede what they doo for they haue committed vnto them not only the charge of those which are preseÌ„t with them but also of others which by emulation of yâ— church being wel ordred may be brought vnto Christ He calleth the Iewes his flesh after the maner of yâ— scripture wherein The Iews are called the fleshe of Paul meÌ„ vse to speke of theyr brethern and kinsfolkes He is our mouth and our flesh And in so saying he obteyneth theyr good will to heare him That I might saue some of them He sayth not all for that he knew that this was not now possible for him to doo for at that time it behoued that yâ— greatest parte should be made blinde and be shut vp vnder incredulity Towardes the end of the world is to be looked for a generall conuersion of the Iewes Thys phrase of speach is to be noted wherein he sayth That I might saue some of them For no man doubteth but yâ— it is God which saueth as many as are saued but The ministers by a certaine propertie of speach are said to saue The holy ministery ought not to be conteÌ„ned Paul so sayth for that he knew that he was a minister of the newe Testament and of the spirite And after the same maner wrote he vnto Timothe when he exhorted him to be diligent in doctrine and in reding This doing sayth he thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them which heare thee Wherefore that which is proper vnto God is by a
but was not altogether reiected And that this benefite was bestowed vpon the fathers the Scripture in many places mencioneth There were other nations which in déede receaued the Gospel but yet kéept it but for a while skarce aboue one age or two It is true that we haue succeded in the place of the Iewes and are made pertakers of the selfesame priuiledges with them yet notwithstanding the Iewes were before vs abode the long tyme before in possession Wherefore if they be nowe broken of we ought more to bee afeard if they for their pride were smitten with blindnes were for their incredulity cut of what is to be thought of vs wild oliue trées and barren vnfruitfull branches Thorough incredulity were they broken of sayth Ambrose not for thy sake but by reason of their owne defaulte whiche thing I meruayle he should write If this Preposition propter that is For do signifie the cause efficient I graunt that our saluation was not the cause of their cutting of They had Our saluatiō was the small cause of the reiection of the Iewes in themselues the sinne of incredulity which GOD minding to punishe in this sort by his iustice reiected them But that our calling was not the finall cause which God in their reiection had a regard vnto I can in no wise deny seing that Paul affirmeth it wherefore I thinke rather we may say that they were broken of from their fruitefull trée both for theyr owne default and for our sakes Be not high minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is which is otherwise sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vice is opposite vnto the pouerty of the spirite which Christ so commended that he called them which were endewed with it blessed But they are to be laughed at which by this saying of the Apostle labour to defend ignoraunce to feare away men from knowledge Noli altum sapere say they that is Be not ouer wise Whiche exposition how strang it is from the skope of the Apostle I suppose now euery man plainly séeth But to close vp the exposition of this place I thinke that betwéene the degrées whereby we come to saluation the meanes which bring vs hedlong to destruction this order is to bee put As touching them The degrees to saluation and the degrees to destruction which shal be saued first is election or predestination Thereout burst forth grace the spirite and fayth strayght way follow good workes then haue they geuen vnto them perseueraunce and at the last is rendred the crowne of felicitie But vnto destruction the first degrée is the corruption of the lompe of mākind thorough originall sinne that God would not haue mercy thereof followe many sinnes which we by liuing wickedly afterward adde after them followeth blindnes they are infected with incredulity moreouer the harte is hardened and at the last followeth eternall damnation See therfore the bountefulnes seuerity of God Towards thē whiche haue fallen into seuerity but towards thee bountefulnes if thou continue in his bountefulnes or els thou also shalt be cut of And they also if they abide not still in vnbeliefe shal be grafted in For God is able to graft them in agayne For if thou wast cut out of the oliue tree which wast wild by nature and wast grafted contrary to nature into a right oliue tree how much more shall they that are by nature be grafted into their owne oliue tree Se therfore the goodnes and seuerity of God c. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greke the is See some turne Ecce y◠is Behold for in signification it is somtimes all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle cōtinueth stil in one the self same matter For this treatise was very necessary to put away the discord which in the primitiue sprang betwene the Gentiles the Iewes He exhorteth thē to set two things before their eyes the goodnes of God his seuerity Goodnes he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth clemency a redines of mind to do a man good to do him pleasure Seueritye he calleth in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is then when thinges are done with extremitie and that men are delt with euen according to the rigor of iustice The singuler bountefulnes of God towardes the Gētiles Against the Maniches and Marcionites The scripture euery where inuiteth vs to consider the seuerity an◠goodnes of God Towardes thee saith he goodnes For that was a singuler bountifulnes that when as the Gentils were contaminated with idolatry and mought iustly worthely haue bene left in their infidelity they were yet notwithstanding called adopted and adorned with so many ornamentes and giftes By these woordes are confuted the Manichies Marcionites which affirmed that there are two Gods one good gentle and mercifull the other seuere yea and cruell when yet the Apostle in this place attributeth the selfe same proprieties vnto one and the self same true God It is manifest also that they which are cut of are by the iust seuerity of God broken of and fall away so that they are without excuse Moreouer not onely Paul in this place but also the whole scripture in infinite places in a maner prouoke vs to the consideration of those two thinges And that not without iust cause for in the consideratiō of the goodnes of God we are prouoked vnto faith and vnto loue towards him also to geue him thanks for y◠benefits receiued at his hands But when we consider y◠seueritie iudgements of God it maketh vs to pity those which fall and to be fearefull of our owne estate Chrisostome expounding this sentence See the goodnes It is not saide saith he See thy merites and thy laboures for it commeth all whole of grace from aboue I woulde to GOD he had alwayes spoken after this manner and that he had abode still in that whiche he here teacheth The entent of the Apostle in the consideratiō of the seuerity of God is that we beholding other mens dangers and falles should be made more ware Which selfe thing he in an other place meaneth when he sayth in the first to the Corrinth He which standeth let him take heede that he fall not and vnto the Galathians Considering Two kinds of feare thy self least thou also be tempted Wherfore this is to be known that feare is of two sortes the one is which abateth nothinge of confidence but onely engendreth a greater diligence and bringeth more effectuall endeuors The other is which excéedingly diminisheth yea rather taketh away confidence pulleth away endeuor and bringeth sluggishnes The latter commeth of infidelity the other cōmeth of diligence and of fayth By this kind of feare are the churches moued more and more to apply themselues vnto God and to praye instantlye for their preseruation What prayer is vaine namely that the kingdome of God shoulde not be transferred from them
that he in spirite come into their hartes and be applied vnto them by faith As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching election they are beloued for the fathers sakes For the giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce For euen as ye in times past haue not beleued God yet haue now obteined mercy through their vnbeliefe euen so now they haue not beleued by the mercy shewed vnto you that they also maye obteyne mercye For God hath shutte vp all vnder vnbeliefe that he myghte haue mercye on all As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching election they are beloued for the fathers sake The Apostle maye séeme here to speake thinges contrarye for before he wrote that the Iewes were reiected made blinde and vexed with the spirite of pricking whereby they were stirred vp againste God But now he séemeth to make them holy by their stocke and by the hope of the redemption whiche shall come vnto them to pertayne vnto GOD. What shall we then say of them For Gods frends and enemies are also our frendes and enemies For if we loue God it is méete that we count his enemies for our enemies and his frendes for our frendes The Apostle in a diuers respect affirmeth eyther to be true of them according to the Gospell which they beleue not which they resiste whiche they woulde not haue to be spread abroade and to be preached they are the enemies of God For your sakes also whose saluation they cannot abide and whom they enuy for that ye are adopin to children they are enemies so long as the Gospel whilst they are thus blinded is preached and ye brought to saluation How Hilarius in his 11. booke de Trinitate Dei calleth them the enemies of God we haue before declared Seing therfore What we ought to do against the Iewes which are enemies vnto vs. they are the enemies of God they oughte also to be our enemies but not that we should entreat them ill or hurt them but rather that we should withstande their wicked enterprises Will they not beleue Let vs do the best we can to bring thē to beleue Wil they not haue the Gospel preached Let our care be that it be more diligently preached Do they séeke to hinder our saluatiō Let vs séeke to aduaunce it But on the contrary side if we looke vpon election if we consider the fathers of whome they came we shall sée that they were beloued of God for he chose their fathers and would haue the séede y◠came of thē to be holy not as touching all which We ought not for own priuate cōmodity sake to coūt any for our enemies should come of them but as touching so many as should be able to adorn that kinred with the name of holines And this loue hath declared it selfe in those especially which are as remnantes saued and shall towards the ende be saued But in the meane time let vs obserue this rule that those whome we count for our enemies or frendes we so counte them for the Gospell or saluation sake and not for our owne priuate commodities or pleasures sakes and that that maner that we haue before described Whereunto this also is to be added that for the amplifieng of the Gospel we suffer at their hands thinges dispitefull and hateful we suffer them patiently As forasmuch as the Iewes are according to election and according to the couenant made with the fathers beloued God will not be vnmindful of his couenant But whereas Chrisostome saith here that this consolation of Paul which he vseth vnto the Iewes consisteth in woordes only is in no wise to be receaued For Paul saith nothing in words which is not firme and sound Neither is that of any force which is sayd that the fathers profited them not vnles they beleued for we also cōfesse that thing and affirme that the Iewes whiche are saued are saued by faith but we say moreouer that God is of his mercy and voluntary clemency moued to geue vnto thē faith and this also he doth for that he wil not be counted vnmindfull of the promises whiche he made with the fathers and for their progenitors sakes who were vnto him dearely beloued he bestoweth vpon thē many giftes for so would he honor them As it is sayde of Isaack in the booke of Genesis that God woulde doo good vnto hym for hys father Abrahams sake who had obeyed hys voyce And in the tenne Commaundementes the same our GOD promyseth that vnto the godly he will do good euen to a thousande generations Neither is Ambroses interpretacion to be allowed who saith that forasmuche as they are the children of good parentes when they repente they shal be receaued of God for that the remembraunce of their parents shal be stirred vp before God God is not forgetful neither nedeth he to haue his remembraūce to be stirred vp Farther his appointmēt How farforth the acceptation of the fathers conduceth vnto the children is y◠as many as repent shal be receaued into grace and whē they first beleue the acceptatiō of their fathers is not annexed thereunto but they are receaued for Christes sake in whom they beleue Howbeit to the end they should beleue and y◠God should adorne them with faith motions of the good spirit thefrendship leage wherby god was ioyned to their fathers may be of force yea is somwhat of force For the giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce By this reason he proueth that the election of God abideth still in that kinred For this is the nature of God not to repent him he is constant and is not chaunged his singular wisdome suffreth him not to repent This pertaineth to vnware men which haue an ill iudgement euen from the beginning and contrary to whose opinion many Why men repent thē and why God repēteth him not things oftētimes happen But in God can no such thing happen for he hath from eternally most wisely appointed all thinges nothing can happen but that which he foresaw and is thereof in a maner the author Wherefore seing that he hath promised the the sede of the fathers shal be holy he wil stand to his promises and wil thereout gather many his elect For his gifts and calling are without repentance although the Iewes seme for a tyme to be expulsed But this is worthy of consideration how this is true that God repenteth not when as he himselfe sayde It Places which seme to note that God repēteth repenteth me that I made man And it repented him that he had made Saul king And in the 18. chapiter of Ieremy it is written I will repent me of the good which I promised to a kingdome or nation if they decline to iniquitye And dayly experience teacheth that many giftes are of God taken away from many men Hereto we say that God is not moued with affectes as men are although the
imitate to approue the glory of God so often as occasion serueth with all our harte to wishe it and with a willing and glade assent to affirme and ratify it Of Iustification BVt now to make an end of the long disputation which we haue had it shall not be amisse more fully to entreate of Iustification which is the The questiō put forth scope and end of all that which Paul hath hitherto spoken of And in this sort let the question be put forth Whether men be iustified by workes or by fayth But first of all it shall be good to pease and discusse the woordes of the question proposed and let vs beginne with this woord Iustification The signification of this worde to iustifie This verbe Tsada with the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth to be iust But if it be transferred vnto the third coniugation it signifieth to transferre righteousnes into an other and to make iust for this is the nature of the forme of those verbes which they call Hiphil Euen as Amad signifieth to stand so Heamid signifieth to appoint that is to make an other thing to stand Wherfore Hitsadik in the Hebrue signifieth to iustifie that is to make one iust which thinge God is said two maner of wayes to iustifie when it is done of God is done of him two maner of wayes For sometymes he doth in very deede bring forth righteousnes in men First when with his holy spirite he frameth them agayne wholy reneweth them in restoring the strengths of their mindes and deliuering the powers of man from a great part of his naturall corruption and this is the first righteousnes which sticketh and cleaueth to our mindes by the benefite of God thorough Christ Then when he hath so restored and made them new agayne he geueth good and holy workes by the vse and frequency of which workes is engendred in our minds a quality or as they call it an habite whereby we are made prone to lyue honestly and holyly And we deny not but this kind of righteousnes is in the harts of the regenerate But sometimes God iustifieth in absoluing vs from sinnes and ascribing and imputing vnto vs righteousnes And then this woord Hitsadik is a woord taken of the lawe whiche pertayneth to iudgements as also this word Hirsehig ▪ which signifieth to declare one to be wicked and hurtfull And to iustifie is by iudgement words testimony and affirmation to count one for iust And forasmuch as there are two significations of this word to iustifie namely eyther in deede or in accompt and estimation And God is the author of either of them whether of these two shal we followe We now in treate of the latter forme of iustification in the disputation proposed Forsothe the latter and that for because the renouation inspired by the spirite of God and our righteousnes as touching the habite gotten by good workes are whilest we lyue here so vnperfect and mayned that if iudgement should be geuen by them we were neuer able to stand before the iudgement seate of God Besides that Paul disputing of this matter after he had brought forth the authority of Dauid and a testimony of the history of Abraham in Genesis vseth this word of imputing and by the proper signification thereof he reasoneth touching this present cause or question And this I suppose to be sufficient as touching the declaration of the first word namely of Iustification Now let vs entreate of fayth A man with the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth to be firme which self same verbe in the third coniugation which as I What this worde faith signifieth haue sayd is called Hiphil signifieth to geue constancy and assurednes to any promise or thing Wherefore the Latines say Fidem homini aut verbis tribuere which is in Englishe to geue fayth vnto a man or vnto words and it signifieth as much as if a man should say to beleue Wherefore this Hebrue verbe Heemin signifieth none other thing then to suppose or thinke a thing to be firme constant and sure And as touching God he which beleueth not him maketh him a lyar For Iohn sayth in his first Epistle the 5. chapiter He which beleueth not God maketh him a lyar Which thing how greauous a sinne it is let euery man consider with himself Contrariwise he which beleueth God adorneth him with glory and honour For in this Epistle to the Romanes it is written of Abraham that he staggered not thorough doubting in hauing consideration to his own body being now almost dead or to the wombe of Sara being past child bearing but gaue the glory vnto God being strong in fayth and fully persuaded that he was able to performe whatsoeuer he would Wherefore there semeth to be a certayne Analogye or proportion betwene this verbe to beleue and to iustifie as we in this place take it for as to iustifie An analogy or proportiō betwene to beleue and to iustify A double certainty of faith is by iudgement and estimation to ascribe righteousnes to a man and not to make him to be in very deede iust so to beleue is not in very deede to make the words and promises of any man sure and firme but to thinke and setle with our selfes that so they are But this acte of beleuing whereof we now intreate hath two maner of firmenes and certaynety First of the things namely of the words and promises of God which abide much more firmely then heauen and earth Secondly as touching the persuasion which forasmuch as it is wrought by the power of God is also most firme and most certayne and of an assured persuasion that is that it is neuer naked but alwayes draweth with it many and sundry motions An assured persuasiō is not naked ▪ it draweth with it also other motions of the mynde of the mind For experience and dayly vse teacheth that in things ciuile a man being well and fully persuaded of pleasaunt promises is filled with confidence reioyseth sheweth a mery contenaunce is glad and pleasaunt and cleaueth vnto hym that made the promise so that he doth by all meanes allowe him But contrariwise when he beleueth not the persuasion he laugheth at it neglecteth and contemneth it or waxeth cold and bendeth the browe wherefore it can neuer be that he which beleueth in very deede can want such affections whiche are accustomed to followe a full and stronge persuasion And therfore those that are the pure professors of the Gospell do iustly affirme that to beleue hath a very greate coniunction with action or withe the motion of confidence hope and such like affections But most of all with a sincere and firme affiance which it alwayes draweth with it Whereby it commeth to passe that in the holy Scriptures promises are made Vnto true faith is ioyned an assured confidence Promises are in the scriptures geuen both vnto saith also to cōfidence Why in the olde Testamēt is
therefore such leaues he casteth awaye and destroyeth as vaine and nothinge woorth And of the same estimation are those They put in infidels a grace wherby they may doo good works woorkes with God whiche these men so colour and adorne They inuente also an other fayned deuyse not muche vnlike vnto the firste for they saye that those workes of the infidels are not done without grace For there is say they a certain generall grace laid forth vnto all men and common vnto men euen not regenerate wherewith they beinge after a sorte holpen may merite iustification and do An heresy of the Pelagians workes which please God But in so saying they fall into the heresye of Pelagius For he also taught that men without the grace of Christ might euen by the strengthes of nature and doctrine of the lawe worke good woorkes by whiche they might be iustified Neither doth this any thing helpe their cause in that they saye that they referre not these thinges vnto nature but vnto grace whiche the Pelagians vtterly denied for in wordes they wil séeme to disagrée from them when as in verye déede they altogether agrée with them For in that they assigne a grace whereby they can attain vnto righteousnes without Christ they are both against Christ and also against the counsell Milleuitanum and also against the holy scriptures Further in that they make grace common vnto all men they turne it vnto a nature and so say that some vse it and other some vse it not And this grace they Grace preueÌ„ting and grace after following call a preuentinge grace but that other whiche is more absolute they call an after following grace Which diuisioÌ„ we deny not so that it be rightly vnderstand For we graunt that there is one grace which preuenteth and an other which foloweth after but that grace is nothinge els but one and the selfe fauor of God throughe Christ wherewith we are both preuented to will well and wherewith we afterwarde being regenerate are holpen and stirred vp to liue well For who euer doubted but that we are preuented of God before we can be chaunged and renued in Christ He were worse then madde which would say that we in our conuersion do preuent the ayde and helpe of God He first loueth vs before we can beginne to loue him he first stirreth vs vp by his fauor and spirite before that we can either will or thinke any thinge that is good But herein is the error if we thinke that men are endued with the grace of Christ wheÌ„ they are not yet regenerate nor renued in Christ There are in déede sometimes geuen vnto them certain illustrations but if those be not so vehement and of such efficacye to chaunge their mindes Certayne illustratioÌ„s are geuen vnto infidels then serue they vnto their iudgemente and condemnation and not vnto their saluation which thing we must thinke that eueÌ„ the sinnes of them which are so illuminated do deserue And lest any man should be ignorant what these mens meaning is this is to be knowen yâ— they affirme that Paul excludeth from iustification those workes onely which are done of them by frée will onelye and by the helpe of the law But I would faine know of these men what manner of workes those be which are so done of men They are not vndoubtedly grosse and filthy sinnes such as are murthers fornications adulteries theftes and other suche like For these thinges are not done by the helpe of the law but rather by the impulsioÌ„ of the flesh and of the deuill Neither are they natural works as to play or pastime to plough to reape and to saile for as touching these thinges there is nothinge commaunded in the law Then there remaineth onely honest ciuil or moral workes as to honor the parentes to helpe the poore to be sorye for wicked actes committed For these things are both commaunded in the law and may as these men thinke be performed by frée will from all these say they Paul taketh away the power of iustifieng But what other good workes then are there remaining vndoubtedlye I se none vnles peraduenture they vnderstand those which are done of men alredy iustified for before iustification other workes haue we none besides those whiche we haue now rehersed Sithen therfore these men exclude both sinnes and also workes naturall and these morall workes which the law commaundeth vndoubtedlye they exclude all workes Let them then shew by what works they would haue men to be iustified If they had any consideration they woulde haue this alwayes before their eies If of grace then not of workes and if of workes then is it not of grace neither would they flye vnto this so folish false and vaine cauillation to say that Paul is to be vnderstand of those workes onely which are destitute of any faith and grace whatsoeuer they be How dare these men speake this when as they cannot abide that a man should say that men are iustified by faith only Ye added say they that worde Onely of your owne head it is not found in the holy scriptures If they lay this iustly rightly against vs why did they themselues commit the same faultes why will they take that themselues which they will not geue vnto others Seing therfore Paul taketh away the power of iustifieng from woorkes not adding therto this worde onely how do they then adde that worde vnto them But we haue Why wear said to be iustified by faith that by it onely most firme argumentes out of the holy scriptures to adde vnto fayth this word only and we vse that kinde of speach which as we shall declare is receaued and vsed of all the fathers But let vs heare what they also bable as touchinge this matter Paul say they had most to do with the Iewes which thoughte that they mighte so be iustified by workes and especially by the woorkes of the lawe that they had no néede of Christ Wherfore the Apostle bendeth himselfe to that only But I thinke that whatsoeuer thinges he wrote he wrote them vnto the church which consisted both of the Iewes and also of the Gentils which with one assent confessed Christ Do they thinke that there were any among all these whiche promised vnto themselues saluation without Christe Vndoubtedlye if there had bene any suche the church would not haue suffred theÌ„ But yet there were some which together with Christ would haue retayned ceremonies vnto whiche they attributed ouer muche but that there were any which excluded Christ it is not to be thoughte Further Paul wrote of iustification vnto the whole Churche which consisted both of â–ª Iewes and also of Gentâ—es Paul when he teacheth these thinges instructed not onelye the Iewes but also the Gentils as it most manifestly appeareth by the Epistle vnto the Ephesians where he saith that a man is iustified by faith and that saith he not of your selues leaste any man should boast and in
the extremity of the law be set forth in any decrée and the equity and moderation of the same extreame law be no where expressed An argument taken of the Romane law the iudge ought to follow the extreame law and ought not to adde equity whiche equity yet he may thē follow if it expressed in any law As for example All lawes agrée that if a debiter pay not his mooney at his day and the creaditour by that meanes susteyne losse the debitour is bound to beare the losse And this they call to pay the interest or as other speake to pay the dammage But bycause it is had in the digestes de Regulis Iuris In all causes that thing is taken for a facte wherein it commeth to passe that by an other mans meanes there is a stay why it is not done wherefore if the debter can proue that the fault was not in him why the mooney was not payd for he had the mooney and offerd it but the creditor was in the faulte why payment was not made although the creditor sustayne neuer so much losse by forbearing of his mooney yet is not the debter bound to make recompence by equity For by equity written it is counted for a déede when the let came by reason of an other Wherefore it manifestly appeareth that it is not in the power of a iudge or of any man to moderate lawes as he lust himself And if the case be so in the Romane lawes inuented and set forth by men what shall we thinke of the law of God For it ought infinitely to be more firme then the law of man Neither is it lawfull for vs to fayne in it any equity vnles The law of God more firme then the law of man when we se it expressed in writing As for example The law is He which shall shed mās bloud his bloud shall also be shed Here we haue the extremity of the law which vndoubtedly we ought alwayes to follow vnles in some other place equity teache y◠the same extremity ought to be mitigated But in an other place it is thus writē If two go forth together into the wood to cutte downe wood and the axe by chance falleth out of the hand of the one and killeth him that standeth by him let there be some cities of refuge vnto which this manqueller may fly and in which he may liue safely till such time as the matter be tried so that if he can proue his innocency then let him be let go free at the death of the Highe priest This equity mought the iudges vse bycause it was written in the lawes of God yea they ought also to vse it so often as they saw that the matter which they had in hand so required But that it was lawful for them by theyr authority to bend the lawes of God or to mitigate them it cā not be proued by any testimony of the holy scriptures Yea rather contrarily they were commaunded There may nothing be added vnto the law of God nor any thing taken from it The law of God is impossible to be obserued by humane strengthes that they should not decline neither to the lefte hand nor to the right hand and that they should not adde any thing vnto the law of God nor diminish any thing from it And we nede no long discource to teach that the law is impossible to be obserued as touching our strengths and especially before we are regenerate For that the scripture it selfe manifestly testifieth For Paul thus writeth in the 8. chapiter vnto the Romanes That which was impossible vnto the law in as much as it was weakened by the flesh Also in the same chapiter The wisedome of the flesh is enmity agaynst God For it is not subiect vnto the law of God yea neither can it vndoubtedly And in the first to the Corrinthians The carnall man vnderstandeth not those thinges which are of the spirit of God for neither can he for vnto him they are foolishnes Christ also An euill tree saith he can not bring forth good fruits Also How can ye speake good thinges when ye your selues are euill All these thinges doo manifestly teach that it is not possible that the law of God should be obserued by humane strengths being as they are now vitiate and corrupted But as touching these cauillations and subtle euasions of the Papistes let this suffice Now let vs come to certayne singular obiections which they make whereby they labour both to trouble vs and also to establish theyr owne fond lyes They An obiectiō touching the repentaunce of Achab. say that Achab the vngodly king did rent his garmentes at the threatninges of Elias did putte on sackecloth and so lay on the grounde and fasted and wente barefoote and for that cause the lord sayd vnto the Prophet Hast thou not sene Achab humbled before me In his dayes I will not bring the euill but in the dayes of his sonne Behold say they the workes of an vngodly king and one not yet iustified doo so please God that they pacified God towardes him But we say on the contrary that Achab was by these factes iustified For if he had had that true fayth whiche How Achab is said to be humbled before God iustified men he would not haue abiden still in idolatry and other most grosse sinnes indede he was somewhat moued at the threatninges of the Prophet but that thing which he did pertayned only vnto a certayne outward and ciuill discipline rather then to true repētaunce But God sayth that he was humbled before him I answeare that that word Before me may be referred either vnto the words of God which were spoken vnto Achab by the Prophet so that the meaning is Before me that is to say at my wordes or ells Before me that is to say in the Church of the Israelites And by that facte Achab testified that he repented of the wicked facte which he had committed and that was a good and sound example before the multitude But God which beheld the inward part of his hart saw that that repentaunce was fayned and vnfruitfull And for that cause he promised that he would only differre the punishement so that that punishement which otherwise should haue happened in his dayes should happen in the dayes of his sonne Neither is God holdeth backe his scourges for the obseruing of outward discipline this strange neither ought we to be ignoraunt thereof that for the keping of outward discipline plagues are differed and most greauous punishemētes of this present life are auoyded For our doctrine is not that all sinnes are alike God also wayted till the sinnes of the Amorhites were full And then at the length is hys wrath wont to be powred out when filthy lustes and wicked actes impudently without any bridle range abrode Yea where outward discipline is kept God oftentimes geueth many good thinges not indede for the merite of the factes but by an
thinketh is much more plainly confirmed by Iohn For he saith that many rulers of the priestes beleued in Christ whiche yet durst not openly professe hym But they which abhorre from the confession of the name of Christ ar farre from saluation For Christ himselfe sayth he that is ashamed of me before men of hym will I be ashamed before my father These arguments although at the first sight they séeme to haue some shew yet if a man more narrowly examine them he shall sée that The iudgement of Epictetus touching hys own bokes A similitude that very wel agréeth with them whiche Epictetus pronounceth of his bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yâ— is these are but sights or ghosts of the dreames of hell Wherefore we must diligently ponder these reasons and not iudge of them by the first sight And euen as in coynes of mony we vse not so much to haue a regard vnto the inscriptions or Images as to the goodnes and waight of the matter so also in arguments ought we to weigh and regard not so much the shew and coulour of them as the thing it selfe and the strength of them We first deny that fayth can be seperated from iustification And whereas Pigghius sayth that that is not repugnaunt vnto the nature and definition of fayth we in no wise admit it For agaynst that sentence are all the holy scriptures and the true sense of the definition of fayth and also the fathers For as touching the scriptures Iohn saith he that beleueth that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God is borne of God And he which is borne of God sinneth not For so long as faith beareth sway in our hart we commit not those sinnes which destroy the conscience and alienate vs from God How theÌ„ sayth Pigghius that it is not agaynst the nature of fayth to be seperated from iustification and from good workes especially seing Iohn sayth he which sinneth knoweth not God This thing also saw the fathers For Ciprian de Simplicitate Prelatorum where he complayneth of the infelicity of his tyme for that charity feare good workes and such like things were waxen very cold thus writeth No man thinketh vpon the feare of things to come no man considereth the day of the Lord and the wrath of God and that vpon the vnbeleuers shall come punishments and that euerlasting tormeÌ„ts are appointed for the vnfaythfull Of which things our conscience would be aferd if it beleued because it beleueth not therfore is it vtterly without feare but if it beleued then also would it beware and if it did beware then also shoulde it eschape These words declare that with true fayth is ioyned the feare of God and the eschewing of eternal punishments and auoyding of sinnes Now let Piggbius go say that true faith can be seperated from holy motions of the mind and from good workes This self same thing together doth Ierome with Ciprian affirme agaynst the Luciferians And if sayth he I beleued truely I would clense that hart wherewith God is sene I would with my hands knock my brest I would with teares water my chekes I would in my body haue a horror I would in mouth waxe pale I would lye at the feete of my Lord and would washe them wyth weeping and wipe them with my heares I would vndoubtedly cleue fast vnto the stocke of the crosse neither would I let go my hold thereof before I had obtayned mercy Hereby also it is manifest that with true faith The definition of faith declareth that it can not be separated from iustificatioÌ„ A similitude are ioyned good workes and repentaunce But as touching the definition and nature of fayth it may easely be proued that it can not be seperated from iustification and from good workes that is from his effects For fayth is no common but a firme and vehement assent and that proceding from the holy ghost And if in case a poore miser being condemned to â—y should receaue a promise only at the hand of a maÌ„ that he should be deliuered and should geue credit vnto those words straight way his mynde would wholy be chaunged to mirth and would begin to loue him that promised hym such things and would pleasure him in what thing so euer lay in his power How much more is to be attributed vnto the true faith which is geuen vnto the word of God and is inspired by the spirit of God Wherfore if that human fayth do draw with it wonderfull motions of the mynd how can we say that the true and Christian fayth is naked without good works and destitute alone Wherefore we now playnly sée both by the holy scriptures and by the Fathers and by the definition and nature of fayth that it can not be seperated from righteousnes and from holy workes Now let vs come vnto Paul He sayth If I haue all fayth c. But how knoweth Pighius that Paul there speaketh of that generall fayth which cleaueth vnto the promises of God and iustifieth and not rather of a perticular fath wherby are wrought miracles and which is a fre or gracious gift of the holy ghost This faith is not applied vnto all thinges which are found in the holy scriptures but only is a certayne vehement confidence wherby we certaynly beleue that God will doo this miracle or that miracle Of this sayth Chrisostome interpreteth Paul in thys The fayth of doctrine the faith of miracles â–ª place And to the end of this distinction either part should haue a distinct name the one calleth the fayth of doctrine the other the fayth of signes And vnto this latter fayth Chrisostome applieth those wordes If ye haue of fayth as a grayne of mustard seede and shall say vnto this mountayne Get thee hence and hurle thy selfe into the sea it shal be done Neyther vndoubtedly can it be denied but that there is such a kind of fayth For Paul in the 12. chapter of the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians wheÌ„ he reherseth vp the frée gifts which the holy ghost distributeth vnto euery man as it pleaseth him thus writeth Vnto one is by the spirite geuen the word of wisedome and to an other the word of knowledge by the same spirite and vnto an other is geueÌ„ faith by the same spirit and vnto an other the gifts of healing by the same spirit Here we sée that amongst the frée gifts of the holy ghost is reckoned fayth and that in the third place bicause Paul spake not there of the generall fayth wherby we are iustified And if we diligently peyse thinges we shall sée that Paul kepeth the selfe same order in the 13. chapter of the first to the Corrinthians For as here in the first place he putteth the woord of wisedome so there he putteth prophesieng and as here in the second place he putteth knowledge so there also in the selfe same place he putteth knowledge and as here so also there he putteth faith in the third
then is it certayne that he beleueth not This of necessitie followeth of the former conclusion For if euery one which beleueth sinneth not then doubtles whosoeuer sinneth beleueth not Let Pigghius now go laugh for that we say that by greuous sinnes true faith is lost or is in such a dead slepe that it hath not his act And let him aggrauate the matter as much as he can that he which sinneth greeuously neither beleueth that there is a God nor also the rest of the articles of the faith Origen both thinketh writeth the selfe same thing that we do And he saith moreouer that there is a tokē of true fayth where sinne is not committed as contrariwise where sinne is committed it is a token of infidelitie Again he addeth in the same chap. If peraduenture that which is said of the Apostle to be iustified by faith seme to be repugnant with that which is sayd that we are iustified freely For if fayth be offred first of the man he can not seme to be iustified frely we must remember that euen fayth it selfe is geuen of God and this he proueth by many testimonies But this thing our Pigghius can not abide For he derideth vs as often as we say that fayth is had by the breathing of the holy gost For he saith y◠it is wonderfull y◠the holy gost wil haue his abiding worke in thē which do not as yet beleue The same Origen vpon Leuiticus in his 3. boke 3. chap. The holy sicle sayth he representeth our fayth For if thou shalt offer fayth vnto Christ as a price vnto the imaculate ramme offred vp for a sacrifice thou shalt receiue remission of sinnes Here also we haue expressedly that remission of sinnes is obtayned by y◠fayth I say which is directed vnto Christ deliuered vnto death and sacrificed for vs. There can nothing be more manifest thē these testimonies which Origen hath brought for vs. But these mē are so obstinate that they wil not be led from y◠opiniō which they haue once take in hand to defēd although thou bring neuer so gret light with thē least they should séeme to any of theirs to haue defended an il cause Cyprian beside those thinges which we haue spoken of the coniunction of fayth with a good life writeth also in his 3. booke to Quirinus that fayth onely profiteth and that we are able so much to performe as we do beleue The first part of this sentēce pertayneth vnto the third article of this question but the latter serueth very much for that which we are now in hand with It is a wonderfull saying doubtles that so great is the force of fayth that by it we are able to do whatsoeuer we will And yet did not Ciprian thinke it sufficient absolutely to pronounce this but hath also confirmed it by many and sundry testimonyes of the scriptures As touching Basilius and Gregorius Nazianzenus that shal suffice which I haue before cited Chrisostome in his sermon which he hath entitled de fide lege naturae spiritu sayth that euen fayth is of it selfe able to saue a man And for an example he bringeth forth the thief who he sayth onely confessed and beleued But workes sayth he alone can not saue the workers without fayth After that he compareth workes done without fayth wyth the reliques of dead men For dead carkases sayth he although they be clothed wyth precious and excellent garments yet draw they no heat out of them So sayth he they which want fayth although they be decekd with excellent workes yet are they by them no thing holpen And the same father vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes vpon those wordes of Paul But the righteousnes which is of fayth Thou seest sayth he that this is chiefely peculiar vnto faith that we all treading vnder foote the complain◠of reasō should enquire after that which is aboue nature and that the infirmity of our cogitations being by the vertue and power of God caste away we shoulde embrace all the promises of GOD. Here we sée that by faith wee obtaine the promises of God and although by it we assent vnto all that whiche is contained in the holye Scriptures yet it peculiarly hath a regard vnto the promises of God This is also to be considered that he saith that the infirmity of our cogitacions in beleuing is by the vertue and power of God cast away For this maketh agaynst them which contend that this is done by humane strengthes as though we should haue fayth of our selues and that as though it goeth before iustification The same Chrisostome vpon the 29. chapiter of Genesis in his 54. homely This sayth he is the true fayth not to geue hede vnto those thinges which are seene although they seeme to be agaynst the promise but onely to consider the power of him that promiseth Let thē well consider this which will haue vs to haue a regard not onely to the power and promises of God but also chiefely to our own preparations And expounding these wordes in Genesis Abraham beleued God it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes let vs also saith he learne I besech you of the patriarch of God to beleue his sayinges and to trust vnto his promises not to serch them out by our owne cogitations but to shew a great gratitude For this can both make vs iust and also cause vs to obtayne the promises Here also are two thinges to be noted The one is that we are made iust by fayth the other that by the same we obtayne the promises which two things our aduersaries stoutly deny The same father vpon these wordes of Paul vnto Timothe Of whome is Himeneus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concerning fayth So sayth he he which once falleth away from the fayth hath no place to stay himselfe or whether to go For the hed Workes dead without faith being corrupted and lost what vse can there be of the rest of the body For if fayth with out works be dead much more are workes dead wythout fayth Here is to be noted that this is an argument a minori that is of the lesse For he sayth that workes are more dead without fayth then is fayth without workes The same author in his sermon de verbis Apostoli vppon these wordes of the Apostle Hauing one and the selfe same spirite of fayth For it is impossible sayth he it is doubtles vnpossible if thou liue vnpurely not to wauer in faith By this we sée how great Chrisostom thought y◠cōiunctiō to be betwen faith good works The same father expoūding these words of y◠Apostle do we thē destroy the law by faith God forbyd yea rather we confirme the law So soone as sayth he a man beleueth straight way he is iustified Wherfore fayth hath cōfirmed the will of the law whilst it hath brought to an end euē that for which the So sone as a man beleueth h◠is 〈◊〉
the one the other For so of rayne are engendred cloudes and agayne of cloudes is brought forth rayne And as the philosophers say of good actioÌ„s spring vertues and contrariwise of vertues spring good actions Chrisostome as we before admonished testefieth that the honor which we geue vnto brethern hath not only loue to the roote thereof but also engendreth the selfe same loue in those whom we honor Now hope to expresse the nature thereof is a certayne faculty or power breathed into vs of God whereby with a constant and patient mind not thorough our owne strengthes but thorough Iesus Christ we wayt for the saluation now begone in vs which by fayth we haue receaued vntill at the length it be accomplished They which hope are mery and reioyce for that they are assured that they Hope maketh glad maketh sory shall one day obteyne the things which they hope for Howbeit in the meane time they are somewhat sory and it greueth them for that they haue not as yet obteyned those thinges Moreouer they which hope for thinges hard and difficile which Hope is of things hard but not of things impossible yet are not impossible For vnles we thought that we may by the grace and spirite of Christ obteyne eternall life we would neuer hope for it Paul before in the 8. chapiter obserued eueÌ„ this selfe same order For he taught that of hope springeth patieÌ„ce For the hope sayth he which is sene is no hope For who hopeth for that which he seeth And a litle afterward If we hope for that which we se not we wayte for it thorough patience Doubtles the mind is not a litle stirred vp to suffer all thinges where great rewardes are set forth And therefore in the selfe same chapiter Paul sayth The suffringes of this time are not worthy the glory to come which shal be reueled in vs. But here it may be doubted why Paul vnto hope attributeth ioye especially seing that ioye is an affect comming of a preseÌ„t good thing but hope is of a thing to come I answere that those good thinges which are hoped for are in dede absent but such is the force of hope that that which is absent it after a sort maketh present Hope maketh things absent present Faith also maketh thinges absent present Of the Eucharist Therefore Paul in the 8. chapiter very aptly wrote that by hope we are made safe and vnto the Ephesians That God thorough Christ hath brought to passe that we now sitte together with him in heauen at the right hand of God And according to this forme of doctrine we vse to say that they which beleue truly hope doo make the body and bloud of Christ euen present although otherwise in very dede they be in heauen and they wholy in mind and in spirite haue the fruition of them so often as they rightly and godly come together to the supper of the Lord. But how great a good thing it is to haue in tribulations a patient mind hereby may be gathered for that it is a common saying That it is a great euil not to be able to suffer euill as if a man should say that aduersities and tribulations which commonly It is a gret euill not to be able to suffer euil A most profitable chaine are called euill are not in very déede euill but only for that they can not be borne or suffred Continwing in prayers Chrisostome gathereth together in good order those thinges which may mitigate the painefulnes of those offices which haue now ben mencioned Which chayne or order he thinketh Paul hath diligently prosecuted The first remedy is loue and that such a loue which coÌ„meth of a brotherly affect For there is nothing hard to him that loueth Secondly is required the feruentnes of the spirite of God thirdly the hope of that which is most excellent fourthly ayd helpe obtayned at Gods hand by affectuall prayers Wherefore Paul here admonisheth vs of prayers that we should continew in them But wheras he here saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is continwing to the Tessalonians he sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vncessantly For we ought to pray vnto God without ceassing and intermissioÌ„ so much as humane imbecillitie will suffer And euery man so often as any thing happeneth which eyther troubleth the mind or stirreth vp a feare or desire ought to turne his mind to God which can either deliuer him or accomplish the thinges which he desireth And this is done in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye Yea those prayers are chiefely commended which are as burning firebrandes cast vp into heauen by a sodayne conuersion to God and doo not thorough multitude of woordes waxe cold And Christ in Luke the 19. chapiter admonisheth vs to pray alwayes and not to be weary In Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sometimes those which are slouthfull and sluggish And that we should not become such nor be discouraged in prayeng Christ hath set forth vnto vs the parable of the widow and of the vniust iudge to declare vnto vs that God will without doubt heare those thinges which we incessantly aske of him And at the end of the parable he addeth The Lord will take vengeaunce of theÌ„ quickely But how doth he it quikely when oftentimes God quickly auengeth his There is no tarying in God but in our thinking he differeth it so long He is sayd to doo a thing quickely which doth that that is to be done so soone as occasion offreth it selfe Wherfore the tarieng is not in God but in our thinking But if we should be admitted into the inward parts and secrets of the counsell of God we should se that we are very rashe and hedlong in making our peticions Wherefore that is to be cast away from vs that we be not letted from enduring and perseuering in prayers Communicating to the nessâ—ties of the Sayntes geuing your selues to hospitality He chiefely maketh mencion of the sayntes for that they aboue all others haue most nede as those whome the world hateth And he rightly addeth Straungers The saintes haue most nede aboue all others Why the flesh abhorreth the poore for at that time the sayntes being turned out of all theyr goods liued ofteÌ„times as wanderers abrode and exiles Wherefore Paul exhorteth the Romanes to entertayne such men with a louing mind and with liberall hospitalitie The flesh is not redy to doo good to this kind of men For when it séeth them in misery it iudgeth that they can by no means be recompensed agayne at theyr hands and therfore whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon them it thinketh to be lost And they which follow this affect count nothing more blessed then to receaue Wherefore they willingly geue nothing but where they thinke there shall returne vnto them agayne either as much or rather more God oftentimes in the law commendeth Of the poore and of straungers
of God and taketh away the force and sharpnes of the law of God Let these men go now and cry out that we are they which dissolue the endeuor of good workes and open a window to loose lyfe when as they can not deny but that they are the men which at theyr owne pleasure change the assured and seuere commaundementes of God into counsells Doubtles Christ and Paul commend these thinges and doo not only geue them as counsells But this is excedingly to be lamented that those commeundementes in this iron age of ours are made like to lawes of yâ— Athenians For they although they were wisely inuented and published abrode yet notwithstanding lay neglected The lawes of the Athenians and were euery where of all men violated And this I suppose to haue come of no other cause but for that the whole iuyse and bloud of Christian religion is in a maner dried vp Reioyse with them that reioyce and wepe with them that wepe In Greke it is the infinitiue moode And no meruayle for they oftentimes vse the infinitiue moode for the imperatiue moode as the Lattines somtimes vse the selfe same moode for the preterimperfect tempse As touching the entent of the Apostle hereto chiefly he tendeth that forasmuch as we are all members of one and the selfe same body we should be altogether of one consent there ought to be betwene yâ— meÌ„bers a certayne simpathia or like affection that as it is written to the Cor. If one member suffer the other members suffer also together with it and that if one member bee glorified the other members be also glorified together with it Hereto Paul exhorteth the Thessalonians in these woordes Brethern if a man be contaminated with any sinne ye that are spirituall reproue that man in lenity of spirite considering thy selfe that thou also be not tempted This is nothing ells but that we should transferre the affects of other meÌ„ to our selues Then doubtles is a city in good estate as a certaine When a citye is in good estate wise man sayd when euery one of the citizens thinketh that iniury doone vnto himselfe which he séeth is doone to an other man and counteth that his honour which he séeth is geuen to an other He which reioyseth with them that reioyse and wepeth with them that wepe declareth himselfe to be both full of humanitie and also to be farre from enuy Neither doubtles can there any thing be commauÌ„ded which is more conuenient for the Church For forasmuch as it is one body and hath Christ only to his hed and is gouerned by the the spirite of God only it is mete that it be endewed with one and the selfe same seÌ„ce and affect Chrisostome It is a harder matter to reioyce with them that reioâ—ce then to wepe with them that wepe when he weigheth the partes of this sentence sayth yâ— it is an harder matter to reioyse with theÌ„ yâ— reioyce then to wepe with theÌ„ to wepe for the man is by nature prone to mercy if he se a man sore afflicted in great misery for yâ— the same man is prone to enuy if he se an other man encrease and augment in good fortune and prosperous successe Howbeit to conciliate mindes nothing is of so great force as these two commaundements For to him that soroweth his sorow is somewhat dimished if he se that an other soroweth his case together with him And to him also that reioyseth the ioy is encreased if he se others reioyse with him of his felicitie Hereby also commeth an other commoditie For if thou sorow together with the afflicted thou shalt by litle and litle accustome thy selfe to the godly affect of mercy and if thou take pleasure in the prosperity of thy brother thou shalt by litle and litle shake of the vice of enuy naturally grafted in the. Origen not vnprofitably admonisheth that we ought not to thinke that these commaundementes are to be taken vniuersally For we ought not with a glad mind to reioyse with a couetous man which reioyseth in his euill gotten goodes but ought rather with a brotherly admonition to withstand his wicked ioy and to call him backe froÌ„ his foolish and pernicious ioy to repentance Neither ought we on the other part to mourne together with them which vnmeasurably bewayle theyr dead or which therefore We ought not to frame our selues â—o the wycked sorowâ— and wicked pleasures of our brethreÌ„ lament for that they can not haue the fruition of those things which they wickedly desire For we ought rather to withstand them by reprouing of them and to amend theyr corrupt affectes Wherefore Paul admonisheth vs to frame our affects to iust sorow and to the sound pleasure of our brethern Be of like affection one towardes an other He exhorteth vs to transferre the affections of other men to our selues that peace and concord may grow the stronger and be the more constantly retayned When thou art rich and of might sayth Chrisostom if one in misery pouerty come into thy house thou oughtest not to iudge of him by his beggery misery and pouerty but rather to ascribe vnto thy selfe those things which thou thinkest to be in him and gladly to participate vnto him those thinges which are thyne As for example if thou se him base and abiect such a one oughtest thou also to count thy selfe if thou thy selfe be mighty and noble doubt not but that before God he also is mighty and noble Be not highe minded He vtterly remoueth away all arrogancy from the faythfull of Christ But into this fault falleth he whosoeuer attributeth vnto him selfe more then is mete and which as the common prouerbe is walketh in wonders Arrogancie is a pestilence to brotherly loue And there is nothing which maketh more to breake the peace and concord of brethern But we shall very well aduance both our selues and the Church of God if thinking lowly and moderatly of our selues we abase our selues to the lower and meaner sort For thereto tendeth that which is added But making your selues equal to them of the lower sort This sentence some refâ—rre to persons of the lower sort and some to thinges abiect But we thinke that it is to be vnderstanded oâ—ech kind For they which ascribe not to much vnto themselues nor disdayne not to abase themselues to the commodities of theyr inferiors those men I say will not contemne baser affayres and offices Be not wise in your selues This thing Paul before commaunded in the beginning of this chapiter when he sayd that no man ought to be more wise then is mete but to be wise vnto temperance More playnly also and with the selfe same Wherof commeth the conteÌ„pt of our brethren Euery man hath nede one of an other woordes in a maner in the 11. chapiter I would not Brethern sayth he that ye should be ignoraunt of this mistery Be not wise in your selues This admonition the holy scriptures euery
iudgeth by them But what shall we say of priuate men Doth not the spirituall man iudge all How farre forth it is lawfull to iudge others thinges doth not Paul say to the Corinthians Ye your selues be iudges From priuate men especially from men adorned with the spirite of God is not takeÌ„ away that power of iudging wherby is discerned good from ill truth from falshode profite from disprofite But here is not entreated of those thinges For here is spoken of that iudgement wherby we reproue and condemne others But vniuersally it is not lawfull for vs to condemne any man by our iudgement If thou consider the persone it is not lawfull so to condemne any man as one which can not be amended or corrected For alwayes so long as we liue here we must conceaue a a good hope of our neighbour vnles there come in the meane tyme some peculiar reuelacion of God as we haue before taught And as touching actes wheÌ„ they are neuter indifferent charity requireth that we interpretate theÌ„ to procede of a good mind for we ought not to accuse those thinges as sinnes which may otherwise be well doone But as touching good factes there is nothing to let but that we may in our iudgement commend them Yea rather both iustice and the law of charity commaundeth vs so to doo But those thinges which are vtterly wicked and plainly repugnant to the commaundemeÌ„ts of God are not condemned of vs but of the words of God But here the question is touching things indiffereÌ„t As concerning them Paul profitably commaundeth the weake for that they are still ouerspread with darknes to refraine from iudgements For that is nothing els but to goe about to vsurpe the office of God For he is only the searcher of hearts and he alone knoweth with what minde euery thing is done Augustine de verbis Domini in Râ—sh iudgement coÌ„mitted two maner of waâ—s monte sayth That in these two things iudgement is rash when it is vncertaine with what minde any thing is done or what maner thing that shall in time to come be which now séemeth either to be good or euill He standeth or falleth to his owne Lorde Sometimes they which iudge pretend this that they are moued with the griefe which they take by reason of his destruction whome they iudge But let no such affect trouble thée sayth Paule for he whome thou iudgest either standeth to his owne Lorde or falleth and to him redoundeth the profite and the hurt Doe not thou thinke thy selfe more iuster then him That he which auengeth not doe not thou by the vntimely iudgement séeke to destroy Yea he shal be established For God is able to make him to stand Forasmuch as it lieth not in thine handes to make thy brother either to stand or to fall thou Paul here reasoneth of the power of God to the effect First is requisâ—te that we be certaine of the wil of God before that we reasoÌ„ of his powerâ— oughtest to thinke well of him and not lightly to suspecte that he will fall For he hath a good and mighty Lorde which is able to stay him vp and to establishe him And yet dothe not Paule here as some fable reason from the power of God to the effect For that were to doe nothing and to imitate the Papists which vpon this that God can take away the nature of the bread and reserue the accidences without substances straight way conclude that he so doth in the Eucharist They ought first to be certaine of the will of God and afterward to come to the effect For Paul here maketh mention of the power of God for that he had before sufficiently spoken of his will that God had receiued him and taken him into his famely and geuen vnto him a firme faith and strength wherefore seeing that thou art assured of the will of God and canst not doubt of his power thou oughtest not lightly to distrust of his saluation whome thou iudgest After this manner also is to be vnderstanded that which he before sayd in the. 11. chapiter And if he abide not in incredulitye he shal be againe grafted in For God is able to graft him in againe Here also are we assured of the will of God and that by the scriptures For there are infinite promises made to the nation of the Iewes which can not vtterly be voyde For as Paule straight way afterward affirmeth the giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce and he affirmeth that they were beloued for theyr fathers sake Wherfore séeing that there was no controuersie of his will he aptly addeth an argumeÌ„t of his power Yet ought we not too much to assure our selues of an other mannes saluatioÌ„ although we ought not to be in doubt of our saluation For although we Although we can not be assured of the saluation of an other maÌ„ yet ought we to hope well of him can not be assured of others yet charity moueth vs to hope wel of them wherunto all those reasons which Paul here bringeth doe vrge vs. This man estemeth one day aboue an other and an other counteth euery day a like There was also an other infirmity of yâ— Iewes newly conuerted to Christ in that they thought that the dayes ought to be obserued according to the old law namely Easter Whytsontide the feast of trumpets the day of expiations the feast of tabernacles the new Mones and the Sabboths But they which were endued with a stronger faith counted al dayes a like How be it we except the Lords day for it pertaineth to the ten commaundementes that out of the whole wéeke Of the sabaoth and Lords day should one day be consecrated to the worshipping of God That day God wold in the olde law should be the Sabboth day that the benefite of the creation of the world and of the deliuery out of Egipt might the more firmly stick in memory But afterwarde that the memory of the resurrection of Christ and the renuing of our saluation obtained by him and the hope of our resurrection which we wait for should most déepely sinke into our mindes the Lords day was appoynted and that euen of the Apostles Of which thing is very manifest mention made in the holy scriptures Afterwarde by Ecclesiasticall men were brought in a great many festiuall holy dayes which as Erasmus testifieth and as theyr owne counsels Of holy dayes affirme as our times now are were better to be fewer or rather vtterly none at all But it is wonderfull howe Origen Ambrose and others drew these wordes of Paul to the abstinences from meats and from flesh which some Christians at that time obserued as though there were some which in the Apostles time did certain dayes abstaine from flesh or from some other kinde of meats But others thought that all dayes were frée vnto them And yet though we should follow this exposition can not the Papists which at this day laboure to obtrude
this is a great aduauncement vnto piety therfore Paul setteth it forth to the end to commend those weake ones to the better sort Howbeit lest in this matter he shold attribute more vnto them theÌ„ to the freer sort as though he shold think that the stronger in vsing liberty had not a consideration of the law of God he pronounceth the sentence which he setteth forth coÌ„mon to ech part They sayth he which obserue dayes obserue theÌ„ to the Lord they which obserue theÌ„ not obserue theÌ„ not vnto the Lord. And they which eat eat to the Lord they which eat not eate not to the Lord. And those datiue cases which Paul here vseth to obserue to the lord to eate to the lord to liue to the lord to dye to the lord signifie nothing ells but that we ought in all our actions in all our life and euen in death to depend of the lord And geueth thanks to God Hereby we may iudge yâ— eyther of those what soeuer they did had a regard vnto God for that either part gaue thanks vnto him Of what great force geuing of thanks is Wherefore geuing of thankes is of no small force For it is as it were a certaine healthfull sawse and maketh that which otherwise of it selfe should haue bene hurtefull commodious and healthfull vnto vs. Therefore Paul to Timothe writeth Euery creature is good and nothing is to be cast away which is receaued with thanks geuing For none of vs liueth to him selfe neither doth any die to himselfe For whether we liue we liue to the Lord or whither we die we die to the Lord. This may thus be applied to be a reason wherby the stronger sort are feared away from contemning the weaker namely for yâ— they both liue dye vnto the lord It may also be a general cause why they are sayd both to obserue not to obserue dais vnto yâ— lord either to eate or not to eate to the lord for that vniuersally they liue vnto the Lord and dye vnto the Lord. By these woordes we are aptly and manifestly The scope of our lyfe and of all â–ª our actions instructed touching the scope of our life and of all our actioÌ„s I would to God this might neuer slippe out of our mind but mought with most depe rootes be fixed in our hartes Life and death I thinke in this place are to be vnderstanded as touching the body For I se not very wel what consideration they haue which referre these thinges to the life of fayth and to the death of sinne For there is none which sinneth to the Lord. For that can not pertayne to the honor of God Vnles paraduenture they meane that this is all one with that which was before spoken He standeth to his Lord or falleth But the first exposition semeth in my iudgement more playne and agréeth with those thinges which Paul writeth to the Phillippians And Christ shal be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death VVhither therefore we liue or die vve are the Lordes This in sum ought to be of greate force with them for that not only our life and death depende of the lord but also for that we all both as touching life and as touching death are hys proper possession And if this be so who can contemn his neighbour escape vnpunished This is in a maner all one with that which Paul before sayd Why iudgest thou an other mans seruaunt That fault was reproued in the weake ones and this is now layd to the charge of the stronger sort that they reiect and contemne not euery kind of men but these which are the Lords Paul sayth to the Corinthians Ye are not your owne men For ye are bought with a price Glorifie God now in your body and in your spirite which belong to God Agayne ye are bought with a price be not ye made the seruaunts of men For Christ therfore died rose agayne and reuiued that he might be Lord both of the quicke and of the dead Here he ascribeth a cause why we ar by good right the Lordes For he hath redemed vs by his death by his resurrection hath deserued Whether Christ if he had not dyed for vs shold haue had vs to his proper possession life for vs. Wherfore he is Lord both of our life and of our death But here paraduenture thou wilt demaund whither if Christ had not died we should haue bene his proper possession or no As touching his diuine nature eueÌ„ without his death and resurrection he is our lord For we are created of him whatsoeuer we haue we haue it thorough him But bycause he is in very dede maÌ„ he hath by his death and resurrection iustly and worthely gotten vnto him selfe this dominion which yet the father could haue geueÌ„ vnto him freely but to set forth his glory he would rather geue it to his merites Wherefore Paul to the Phil. sayth for which cause God hath geuen vnto him a name which is aboue euery name namely for that he had humbled himselfe to death euen to the death of the crose OrigeÌ„ very largely entreteth of this doubt Howbeit I thinke that this solution which I haue here brought is more playne more true But there ariseth also an other doubt For Paul semeth to speake agaynst that sentence of the Lord in 22. chapiter of Mathew He is not the God of the dead but of the liuing For if he be not the God of yâ— dead how is he here sayd to be Lord of the dead But if the matter be more narrowly examined there is not herein contrariety For there the Lord would hereby proue the resurrection of the dead for that God could not be truly the God of AbrahaÌ„ of Isaac and of Iacob vnles he would haue them to be saued and that wholy both as touching soule and body For it is the propriety of GOD to saue thâ—se whose GOD he is And the Scripture in Exodus pronounceth that GOD is the GOD of those patriarches Wherefore they liue and shall more fully liue in the blessed resurrection Hereby it is manifest that Christ spake of those which were thought to be vtterly dead both in soule and in body But God can not be their God For he can not suffer such a death to preuaile against his But here Paul sayth that Christ is Lord of of the dead which are dead in body only but liue in spirite and when tyme commeth shall rise agayne Wherefore we sée that betwene these places there is vndoubtedly no contrarity But because we are by the way lighted vpon those words of the Lord there are as I thinke in them two thinges to be obserued First that although of them is properly concluded the resurrection of the godly whose God God confesseth himselfe to be yet followeth it that of the selfe same words may be concluded the resurrection of the wicked For if God of his goodnes do so
moued By the first righteousnes the mind of a sinner is pacified wheÌ„ as he beleueth that thorough Christ his sinnes are forgeueÌ„ and so also is it by the second for that our hart accuseth vs not of any crime of any such crime I say which may plucke vs away from God and may wast the conscience After this in order followeth ioy whereby we alwayes reioyce in the Lord and assuredly hope for perfect good thinges and doo now presently fele the same good thinges to be begoone There is a certayne other peace of the flesh which Christ came not to send vpon the earth And touching the ioy of the flesh Christ sayth in Luke Wo be vnto you which laugh now and pronounceth them to be blessed which mourne This particle in the holy ghost is added for that by him all these thinges are geuen vnto vs. Wherefore it is witten in the 5. chapiter to the Galathians The fruites of the spirite are ioy peace and patience But thou wilt paraduenture say Although the kingdome of God as it is sayd be spirituall yet notwithstanding outward thinges also seme to make somewhat eyther with it or agaynst it For they are commonly commended in the Church which liue temperately and they which geue themselues to dronknes and glottony doo greauously sinne That hereof commeth for that whatsoeuer eyther vprightnes or wickednes is in these thinges the same as Christ sayth commeth out of yâ— hart And when Paul saith yâ— the kingdoÌ„ of God is not meat or drinke he most sharpely reproueth those whose bealy is theyr God These are the things whereof the kingdome of Christ consisteth by which also it is confirmed and aduanced In these thinges let vs excercise our selues and let vs decline from those thinges which are contrary to them namely iniustice brawlinges and sorow of the spirite These stronger sorte are in my iudgemeÌ„t greauously reproued in these woords for that they vniustly reiected theyr weake brethern and for that by those theyr vntimely disputations they troubled the common peace and also for that they in liuing licentiously ouer fréely did by theyr exaÌ„ple fill others with sorow For vvhosoeuer in these thinges serueth Christ is acceptable to God and is approued of men The latine interpreter as it should seme red not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in these thinges but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in this For he hath thus turned it Qui enim in hoc that is for he which in this which reading Origen followeth and also Ambrose and eyther of them semeth to referre this sentence to the holy ghost as if he should haue sayd he which thorough the holy ghost serueth Christ If we follow this sentence then much more greauously are these coÌ„tencions and brawlings of the Romanes reproued bycause that they semed hereof to spring for that in In what things coÌ„sisteth the true worshipping of God spirite they serued not Christ but attributed to much vnto carnall thinges But we will follow the Greke reading For by it we are with great fruite taught in what thinges the true and proper woorshipping of God consisteth But in the Papacy all thinges are full of dâ—me and supersticious ceremonies He which after this maner woorshipeth God is acceptable vnto him For he worketh those things which without doubt come not of our selues but of God And men will they or nil they shall be compelled to geue testimony vnto the truth The thinges which are An argument takeÌ„ of contraries here promised are most high and most excellent namely that we shall be gratefull and acceptable both to God and to men wherfore of the contrary we may wel conclude that they which are occupied wholy in outward woorshippings in meat and drinke and afflicting of the body shall neyther be gratefull nor acceptable to men that be of an vpright and true iudgement nor also to God And this is that which Paul writeth to Timothe The excercise of the body hath litle commoditte but piety that is the spirituall woorshipping of God stirred vp by fayth loue wherof spring righteousnes peace and ioye auayleth to all thinges as that which hath promises both of this life and of the life to come And Paul so writeth not of the supersticious excercise of the body for otherwise that is vniuersally condemned in the holy scriptures as it is manifest by the second chapiter to the epistle to the ColossiaÌ„s but he speaketh of that which was of many most highly and singularly estemed and reuerenced as though the whole stay and foundacion of all religion consisted in it only Let vs therefore follow those thinges which concerne peace and mutuall edification Destroy not the worke of God for meate sake All thinges indede are pure but it is euill for the man which eateth with offence It is good neyther to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor any thing wherby thy brother may stumble or be offeded or be made weake Hast thou fayth haue it with thy selfe before God Blessed is he which iudgeth not himselfe in that thing which he alloweth For he that doubteth is condemned if he eate for that he eateth not of fayth For whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Let vs therfore follow those thinges which concerne peace and mutuall edification He auocateth them from thinges vnprofitable to the end they should geue themselues to the principall and chiefe thinges and very sinnewes of the Church namely to peace and to edification Which he declareth are to be followed not lightly or negligently when he sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For peace as Origene saith semeth to be driuen away thorough the default of men and to be taken away froÌ„ theyr doinges But the more it flieth away the more earnestly is it to bee followed after yea though it bâ— to the hinderaunce of our commodities After peace he putteth edification for that no man can abide to be instructed of him whome he thinketh to be his enemy Neyther can men be closed together as liuely stones to the building of the church vnlesse they be ioyned together with the glewe of peace and of charitie Neither destroy the worke of God for meate sake Chrisostome calleth the saluation The saluation of men is yâ— worke of God of men the worke of God This doubtles beséemeth vs not that whereas we are the workemen of God to this ende appoynted to be an helpe to him in aduauncing the Gospel we should through our default ouerthrowe that which God will haue to be established For so shall we be rather the workmen of the deuill and of the fleshe then of God But in my iudgement they nothing stray from the meaning of Paul which by the worke of God vnderstande faith although it be weake or a sparke of Christian pietie kindled in the hearts of our brethren which it is our partes by al maner of meanes to cherish and not to oppresse and to extinguish as the Romaines did and especially séeing that
Esay in his 42. chapiter thus writeth of Christ He shall not quench the smoking flaxe For Christ sayd This is the worke of God that ye should beleue And the speach is made so muche the more vehement Meate is not the worke of the deuill in that it is sayd That the worke of God ought not to be destroyed for meat sake For the Antithesis betwene the worke of God and betwene meate is of great distance And yet is not this spoken as though meat were the worke of the deuill For it also is the creature of God But as Ambrose warely noteth man was not made for meate sake but meate for mans sake Wherefore it is les to be estéemed then the saluation of man which amongst al creatures is by the figure Antonomasia that is by dignity or excellency called the worke of God Or peraduenture the Apostle here had not a respect to the nature of meat but to y◠vnbridled lusting after it and to the importunate and vnorderly defending therof which things for that they were the vices in those men the Apostle would not call them either the worke of God or edification or saluation All things in deede are pure but it is euill for the man vvhich eateth vvith offence Two thinges onely make meate vncleane He repeateth the preuention which he vsed before I knowe and am assured through Iesus Christ that nothing is common For euen as there he graunted y◠there is no vncleanes in meates as touching their nature so here also plainely graunteth he the same How be it that which he graunted he againe ioyneth with an exception of offending our brother as before he excluded a corrupt opinion touching meates For euen as suche an opinion defileth him that vseth those meates so also doth the offending of our brother Wherfore two things only contaminate meat which otherwise of his owne nature is cleane either error whereby the meate is thought to be vnlawful or els the offending of the weak conscience of our brethrē It is good neither to eate flesh nor to drink vvine nor any thing vvherby thy brother may stomble be offended or be made vveake Wheras he sayth good any man may easely perceiue that this is not simply or absolutely good but only vpō this condition if thy brother be thereby made weake Here is not spoken of that abstinence from wine and meate whereby we are commaunded not to be ouercome with dronkennes and surfeting For to eschue and flie from these things is of it selfe absolutely good Neither speaketh Paul of that abstinence frō things superfluous wherby our mind is made more able more apte to contēplate things diuine the fleshe is brideled from ouer licentiously resisting against the spirite For these things are alwayes good and necessary vnto Christian men Paule affirmeth this touching the vse of flesh wine and other things so long as the vse of thē is indifferent and sheweth when it is good to abstaine from that vse being otherwise of it self indifferent Neither ment he any thing els by this his temperancie which he exhorteth vs vnto but that we shold frame our selues to the weak ones which thing he himself performed sayth Chrisostom when he circumcised Timothe and toke vpon him the vow Neither was this sayth he hipocrisie but an edification and a most profitable dispensation towards the weake Origen proueth that the vse of wine is a thing indifferent for that although some vse it well yet notwithstanding some abstaine from it by reason of wicked and supersticious artes other some vse it to the worshipping of Idols other some such as are heretikes vse it to establish theyr fonde and madde inuentions but here arise two doubts first Note a great doubt what if my brother be offended with that kinde of meat or drinke which is necessary for me to defend there withall the life of my body For there are some which can not endure without wine Therfore Paul admonished Timothe to vse a little wine by reason of his stomake and often diseases doubtles if the saluation of our neighbor depend wholy of this abstinence we ought for a time to abstain For we ought for our brethrens sake to geue euen our life as Christ gaue himselfe for vs and this are we bound to doe euen by the law of charitie from which no Christian is free How be it we must vse suche a moderation that we must with as great dexterity as we can and with as little offence render a reason of our doing to our weake brother to geue him to vnderstand that it is frée for vs to vse any creature of God to the health of our body so that we receiue it with thankes geuing vnto An other question God But if he at the length be so obstinate that he wil not be content with a iust reason then is he to be left with the Phariseis in his offense which thing Christ hath not only in expresse wordes but also by his example confirmed vnto vs whē the Phariseys were offended for that the Apostles did eate meat with vnwashen handes The second question is what if after that we haue admonished taught the weake one we yet notwithstanding nothing profit If to the sustaining of our body we vse the lawfull creature of God we shall séeme to resist Paule who thus wryteth to the Corinthians in the first Epistle and. 8. chapiter If meate offende my brother I will for euer eate no fleshe I answere that the Apostle in that place amplified his speache by the figure Hyperbole and this particle for euer is thus to be vnderstanded if nede so require As if he should say so litle esteme I mine owne commoditie that if nede be I will for euer abstaine from al things indifferent rather then I will offend my brother But if by my long abstinence be norished the infirmity and obstinacy of my brother then vndoubtedly ought I not to abstayne For so not to eate or not to drinke were not a thing indifferent For besides that it should nothing profit that obstinate person it should also hurt the churche of God Wherfore that place of Paul to the Corinthians is to be vnderstanded of the preparation of the minde that is vnles any other thing let euery one ought to be redy to abstaine from all manner of things indifferent to the ende he should not disturbe his brethren or hurt theyr conscience Hast thou faith haue it vvith thy selfe before God He speaketh to him sayth Origen which knoweth beleueth that all kindes of meates are now frée through Christ Let him vse this his fayth towards God and geue thankes to him and let him not by reason of his fayth compell an other man to eat with a wauering and resisting conscience and let the same man haue his faith with himself and let him not boast of it to the hurt of his neighbour Neither let him with ouermuche licētiousnes vse what meates he lust Paule
commeth of a manly and strong faith And therfore I thinke Iames sayd that patience hath a perfect worke vnles peraduenture a man will thus vnderstande it that perfection is not in any work vnles we perseuer in the same For when we leaue of we bring not the worke to his ende and so without patience it is left vnperfect And besides all this our enemies are by this meanes chiefly feared away from continuing to persecute vs For when they sée yâ— we are not moued by their iniuries they thinke that they lose their labour And therfore they take not so great pleasure of the reproches wherwith they reproched vs. But if they perceiue that we are out of quiet and take it in ill parte they will thinke that theyr iniuryes haue taken good successe and will afterward be more bolde in theyr wicked endeuors By this we may sée why the Lord sayd blessed are ye when they reuile you and persecute you and speake all maner of euill and make lies against you for my sake Reioyse and be glad for your rewarde is great in heauen This commaundement of Christ the Apostles executed For they returned from the presence of the Counsell reioysing that they were counted worthy to be reuiled for his name sake And Paule in the first to the Corinthians sayth we are euill spoken of and we blesse In Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paule alwayes wished not weâ— to his enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How be it this counsell Paul alwayes obserued not For to the Galathians he sayth I would to God they were cut of which trouble you And Dauid saythe let theyr table be made a snare before them let theyr eyes be made dimme that they may not see and bow downe theyr backe all wayes And other bookes of the Prophets are euery where ful of cursses and imprecations wherewith they cursse the enemies of the people of God Here doubtles as I iudge is it to be sayd that we ought so to deale as Paule now admonisheth so long as we haue a respecte to our owne iniuryes Whether it be lawful at any tyme to curse ouâ— enemies and that we walke the ordinary way and common course whereby we are of loue bound to wishe well to our neighbours But if God open vnto vs his hiddeÌ„ will and declare what shall without doubt come to passe of our enemyes and of those which persecute vs then if we sincerely and truely loue him we ought vndoubtedly to stay our selues in his will and counsell Howbeit this caution is added first to be fully assured whether those things which God hath opened vnto vs pertaine only to a threat or wholy to declare his determinate and assured wil. For where we suspecte that God threatneth only to bring vs to repentaunce we ought not to cease of from prayers euen for the wicked So did Moses when he made supplication to God for his people So did Abraham for the Sodomites so did Samuel for Saul and so did Ieremy for the people But when they are assured that it is the fixed and certaine will of God they doe not only pray against yâ— wicked in prophesying as Augustine thinketh against Faustus in his 16. booke and. 22. chapiter where he thus writeth But cursses when they are spoken by the way of prophesie come not of the euill desire of him that curseth but of the foreknowing spirite of him that denounceth them But also it is done with a minde now consenting vnto God and wishing the self same things that he wisheth Dauid when as otherwise he was so gentle and fauorable towards Semei Absolon Saul and other enemies yet sometime so cursseth and banneth the wicked that it driueth an horror into the readers Christ also first be wailed the infelicitie of the City of Ierusalem for that it knew not the time of his visitation and sayth how often would I haue gathered together thy children as a henne doth her chickens vnder her wings and thou wouldest not Howbeit euen the same Christ when he knew the assured and vnmoueable will of God did burst forth into these words I geue thanks vnto thee O father of heauen and of earth for that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent men and hast reueled them to infants Euen so Lord for that it hath so pleased in thy sight Moreouer men of God when they come to this poynt haue not a respecte to theyr owne cause neither doe regarde theyr owne iniuryes but consider that by the wicked workes of the vngodly the Church of God is hurt the spirituall procedings therof are letted the course of the Gospell is hindred And they moste ardently desire that the name of God might be sanctified his kingdome most amply spred abrode And hereof it commeth that wheÌ„ the godly pray against wicked men they persecute not theyr own enemyes but the enemies of God whom they desire might be most purely worshipped Dauid sawe that he was called of God to the kingdome and vnderstode that the enterprises of the wicked wer not so much repugnant to his honor as to the will of God Wherfore worthely in his prayers he wisheth rather that they should pearish and that most vily then that any iotte of the most iust will of God should be hindred Wherefore bothe in this place and in suche other like we are prohibited not only to cursse but also to speake euill when we are ouercome with the contumelies iniuryes of the wicked by which it is not méete that we shold suffer our mindes to be broken to be led away from the rule of charity Herein doubtles consisteth the noblenes of stomake of Christians their incredible valiantnes of courage not only not to cursse them that persecute them but also to speake well of them and to pray vnto God for them How be it I can not inough wonder that Aquinas should say that by these words of Wherin consisteth the noblenes of â—omacke of the Christians â—n erâ—our of Aquinas Paule Christians are not compelled by the force of the commaundement to shew singularly an affect of loue to theyr enemies or as they vse to speake to shewe signes of beneuolence vnto them except it be in case of necessity For it is inough if they exclude them not from the generall bond of loue wherewith we ought to loue our neighbours Neither sayth he is it necessary that we peculiarly pray for them But this is sufficient if we exclude them not from the common prayers which we make for all men And if any man sayth he besides the case of necessity doo shew vnto his enemy tokens of a singular loue or doo singularly make intercession for him that man followeth the counsell of Christ but obeyeth not the commaundement But Christ and Paul when they spake of these thinges taught not this distinction This doctrine doubtles cutteth in â–ª sonder the strings of Christian religion it abateth the vehemency of the spirite