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 theÌ 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 saluatioÌ 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 yâ came of theÌ to be holy not as touching all which We ought not for own priuate coÌmodity sake to couÌt 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 coÌfesse 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 theÌ 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 theÌ 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 remembrauÌce to be stirred vp Farther his appointmeÌt How farforth the acceptation of the fathers conduceth vnto the children is yâ as many as repent shal be receaued into grace and wheÌ they first beleue the acceptatioÌ 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 yâ 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 theÌ and why God repeÌteth him not things ofteÌtimes 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 repeÌteth 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
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 tormeÌts 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 ây 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 ⪠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
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 froÌ 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 wheÌ they red this name Tetragrammaton turned it by this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 withstaÌd their supersticioÌ 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 froÌ 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 coÌtinually 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
iust desire For we must not coldely desire those thynges whiche we implore of God in our prayers This was Paules care towardes Paule had a care ouer the Churches of God the churches Eyther he went thether hymselfe when néede required or when he could not goo he wrote or sent some that were very deare and nigh vnto hym Hys charity did alwayes burst forth into acts which myght profite hys neighbours He sawe that the saluation of the Romanes was now at hand therefore he would aduauÌce it also by his labour And in that he prayeth in his prayers for a prosperous iorney it is nothyng els but to desire to be sent euen as Esay offred hymselfe saying Behold Lord I am redy send me And the same Paule sayd He which desireth a bishoppricke desireth a good worke Furthermore it Holy men desire to be coupled ioyned together is a perpetuall affection of good men to desire to be ioyned together forasmuch as they haue hym to be their God which is euery where in the holy scriptures called the God of vnity peace Moreouer their meetinges together are not without profyte For alwayes there is some increase of the spirite and grace of God and it séemeth that God geueth strength vnto the members of Christ then chiefly when they are ioyned together Which sentence some abuse when they cry that we must geue credite vnto Synodes and counsels as though god can not permitte so holy fathers which haue assembled together to be deceaued The assembly of Byshops vnto Synods why it is not vnprofitable That holy assembly say they of holy men coulde not be had without fruite but they as Paul sayth ought to haue bene such as had serued God in spirite had geuen them selues to aduaunce the gospell of God had powred out prayers wyth most feruent fayth and attempted nothyng of the flesh or of humane affection but suffred all thynges to be done by the will of God But that they performed not these thynges the euent sufficiently declareth For they haue brought in many supersticions and sometymes haue most seuerly decreed things that are apertly against the word of God I wyl not deny but that those which assemble rightly and orderly namely after that maner that I haue now expressed may bring forth farre greater fruites then when they deale seperatly and apart Of thys thyng Chrisostome bringeth a very apt similitude Burning A similitude firebrandes sayth he when they are seperated a sonder do conceaue and retayne within them some heate and light but yet not very much But if they be put all into one place eyther into a chimney or into a fornace they wyll stirre vp both a very greate and also a most feruent flambe In lyke maner must we thinke of holy men being eyther assembled together or seperated a sunder To bestovv among you some spiritual gifte He declareth why he so much desired to come vnto them namely to make them partakers of the giftes of God The Apostle was a vessell filled with deuyne gyfts Wherfore whether soeuer he went he bestowed and destributed them vnto the beleuers But forasmuche as God is both the author and geuer of all spirituall giftes why doth Paule here seme to chalenge or clayme them vnto hymselfe Forsoth bycause he was The workâ of God and of the ministers of the Church is ioyned together a minister of the Church and God hath so much honored the ministerye that he also coÌmunicateth euen his own proper worke vnto the ministers For as touchyng theyr functions they are not seperated from God whych is the authour of them but rather are so to be ioyned with him as though one the selfe same woorke proceeded from them both And after thys manner are ministers sayd to forgeue or to retayne sinnes to beget men vnto Christe and to saue them But if thou looke vpon God and the minister a parte eche by hym selfe then heare what Paule sayth I haue planted Apollo hath watred but God hath geuen the increase Also who is hee whyche planteth And who is he whyche watreth And in an other place he sayth that the holye Ghost distributeth his giftes By the ministers of the church the faythful are more strayghtly bound together vnto euery man as it pleaseth him and according to his will But as we haue sayd the ministers must not be seperated from God who by this dignity which he geueth vnto them prouideth chiefely for thys that the faythfull should more streyghtly be bound together in the church For euen as a citye is counted one because men helpe one an other when as some are able to geue counsell other excell in strength and other in handycrafts and industrye so would God haue it to be in the church namely that some should teach and other som be taught some helpe theyr brethren through prayers some dispense the sacraments and other some receaue them to the ende that by these mutuall offices Christians shoulde bee so bounde together that the spirite and grace of God shoulde spreade from one member to an other by ioyntes and cloysures together as it is wrytten vnto the Collossians and vnto the Ephesians All these woords are here set as much conducinge to wynne the hartes of the Romaykes that they should looke for hym chearefullye and wyth greate loue receaue hym when he should come as though therewythall they should receaue some excellente gyfte of the spiryte accordynge to hys promise These thynges serne also to stirre vp theyr mindes to reade hys Epystle For vndoubtedlye he wrote it for no other cause but that that whych by presence of hys body he coulde not performe he myght yet at the least expresse by hys Epistle Whych self thynge is a cause also why we ought in lyke manner wyth exquisite diligence to reade and heare Horrible blasphemies of certaine in our tyme. that whych is here written Neyther must we harken vnto those blasphemers whiche beyng enemies vnto pietie and vnto the true doctrine of iustification and predestination are not ashamed to crye out and say I would to God Paul had neuer writteÌ this epistle Which saying though they go about to mitigate affirming that they spake it because of these daungerous tymes yet bring they not any sufficient excuse For what is this els but to reprehende the counsels Assemblies together of Christians ought not to be vnprofitable of God and of the holy ghost Further let vs marke that it is not conuenient that assemblyes together of Christians should be vnprofytable and idle as prophake assemblyes are but they ought to haue in them some spirituall commodity And thys Greake word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã contayneth in it a vehement signifycation For thereby the Apostle declareth that he will geue nothyng vnto them but that which he had first receaued of God For he sayth he wyll make them pertakers of those giftes which he himselfe had now obtained And in such sort we ought
the law is two maner of wayes coÌfirmed 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 heaueÌs 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 wheÌ there is supposed an humor of which cloudes may encrease So also must we do here We will grauÌt 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 froÌ 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 yâ Eucharist as though it were a sacrifice when as yet the prophet thereby vnderstaÌdeth 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 vnderstaÌd 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
commeth that Baptisme also ought to be geuen onelye once Which thing is also therfore done bicause the holy ghost wil haue vs fully perswaded that after Baptisme we ought no more to returne to our old life as though an other regeneration might be permitted vnto vs. For if any man should so think he should as it is written in the epistle vnto the Hebrues treade vnder feete the bloud of the sonne of God Paul therfore vnto the Ephesians sayth One spirit one fayth one baptisme And that it consisteth of the lauacre of water and of the word we are taught out of the epistle vnto the Ephe. by these wordes Euen as Christe also loued the church and gaue himselfe for it that he myght sanctifie it beyng made cleane by the lauacre of water through the worde This is is the nature of sacraments that they consist of a signe an outward Element and the word of God Many Ecclesiasticall writers when they entreat of Baptisme do set forth the prayses and commendations Symboles of the Sacraments of the Gospell are most easy to be gotten The misteries of the Ethnikes were sumptuous The deuil sometimes imitateth the simplicity of God What is the analogy or signification of water in baptisme of water But I in thys place do rather reuerence the simplicity of Christian religion whereunto are geuen Sacraments not onely most fewe in number but also moste easye to be done For as touchyng the signes we haue nothyng but breade wyne and water whiche are thinges euerye where in vse and in all places easye to bee gotten But the misteries of Idoles were celebrated wyth greate cost and were verye sumptuous But Christ in outward thinges followed alwayes greate simplicity Although the deuill also as an imitator of God would sometimes haue water also ioyned to his holy seruices as in the misteries of Mitra and Isis And the Romanes in the playes of Apollo and Pelusius sprinkled the city ouer with water For by that meanes they thought it perfectly clensed from periuries murthers iniustice and publike crimes And such as had committed murther of set purpose sought purging holy waters But omitting these thinges this we ought to consider that the signe in sacraments ought to haue an affinity and similitude with the thing which is by it signified Wherefore séeing water washeth away the filthines of the body maketh the earth fruitefull and quencheth thirst it aptly signifieth remission of sinnes and the holy ghost whereby good workes are made plentifull and signifieth grace which refresh ãâ¦ã the auguishes of the minde Neither did the prophetes in the olde Testament otherwise prophesye of the geuing of the holy Ghost in regeneration Ioell saith that God would poure cleane water vpon the sonnes and daughters of the Iewes And Esay saith All ye that thurst come vnto the waters And the elders of the Hebrues Paul saith were baptised in the red sea and in the cloude But what maner of word it is that ought to be added vnto the element of water we haue noted namely wherein in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghoste remission of sinnes c. Into this promise our faith is sealed and as Tertullian saith the sacrament of baptisme is the garment of this fayth These prescribed wordes are deliuered of Christ in the last chap. of Mathew Nether as we haue before saide can I be perswaded that the Apostles changed this forme of words although Ambrose in that thing thought otherwise Of whose iudgement what is to be thought we haue before sufficiently declared It sufficeth vs at this present that by the element and word of God we haue a manifest testimony of of our regeneratioÌ and saluation For euen as there are three thinges as Iohn saith which beare witnes of Christ the spirit bloud and water For the father which is A place of Iohn Of the thre testimonies signified by the spirite the sonne which is declared by bloud and yâ holy ghost which is noted by water do beare witnes of his deuinity And of his true humane nature the spirite is a witnes which he commeÌded vnto the father vpon the crosse and also the bloud and water which flowed out of his side so that we are the children of God we haue a testimony of the holy ghoste we haue the remission of sinnes by the bloude of Christ set forth in the worde of promise and in the water outwardly poured vpon the body For by these witnesses our faith is both raysed vp and also confirmed because we are regenerate and are nowe made the children of God There is offred vnto vs remission of sinnes in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost And yet ought we not to thinke that it is geuen by reason of the worke wrought as they vse to speake as though a holines or the spirite lay hidden in the water and that we are regenerated by the outward touch thereof For it is not so But by the word of God and outward signe is signified vnto vs our reconciliatioÌ with God made by Christ which reconciliation if we take hold on by faith we are both iustified and also sanctified Wherefore Augustine vpon Iohn saith From whence commeth this so greate a power vnto the water that it should touch the body and washe the hart but through the word which worketh it not in that it is spoken but in that it is beleued But in infantes which by reason of age can not yet beleue the holy ghost worketh in their hartes in steede of fayth The effusion also of the holy The worde clenseth not because it is spoken but because it is beleued The things which are offred vs in baptisme we haue also before baptisme ghost is promised in baptisme as it is expressedly written in the epistle to Titus Which hath saued vs through the lauacre of regeneration and of renouation of the holy ghost which he plentifully hath powred vpon vs. Neither are these two thinges in suche maner offred in baptisme vnto vs as thoughe we by no meanes had them before baptisme For it can not be denied but that they whiche are of full age if they beleue haue iustification euen before they be baptised For so Abraham beleued and was iustified and then he receaued the seale of circumcision And Cornelius the Centurion when he had heard Peter and beleued was not onlye iustifyed but also visibly receaued the holy Ghost Neither woulde we baptise infantes but that we suppose that they already pertayne vnto the Churche and vnto Christe And yet are not suche baptised in vayne For we oughte to obeye the commaundement of God whiche if any In baptism the giftes which we had before are increased The holy Ghost is powred into the hart when we are regenerate By baptism we are visibly grafted into Christ and into the Church man shoulde contemne though he boasted neuer so muche of hys fayth yet shoulde he sufficientlye
difference which Augustin assigneth betwene ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is not alwaies obserued For yâ Scriptures vse either word indifferently to signifie yâ worshippyng of God Vnto the spirite is attributed newnes For the spirite by regeneration reneweth vs both in body and in soule and moreouer in the beleuers it sheweth forth new and Why newnes is attributed vnto the spirite What is to be vnderstand by the name of letter vnaccustomed workes The antithesis also is to the oldnes of our old estate which yâ Apostle expresseth by the name of letter in which word he comprehendeth whatsoeuer doctrine may be outwardly set forth vnto vs. For whatsoeuer is such procedeth from the strengths of nature And it is called old bicause it commeth not froÌ a hart regenerate and a will chaunged In this also is a certaine kind of obedieÌce but yet not such an obedience as God requireth And therfore it is called yâ oldnes of the letter for that it is a certaine slender imitation of that doctrine which is set foorth vnto vs. Woorkes of this kinde come not of the impression of the lawe in the harts of men For God in Ezechiell promiseth to geue vnto his people a fleshy hart Those thinges also may after a sort pertaine to outward discipline But they neither please God and moreouer to them that do them they are sinnes and therfore Paul sayth that they pertaine to oldnes Certaine of the fathers imagine many thinges touching the spirite and the letter but by the letter they vnderstaÌd The difference receaued touching the spirite and the letter is refelled an historicall sence by the spirit they thinke are signified allegories But the Apostle ment farre otherwyse But of this matter we haue spoken somwhat vpon the second chap. of this epistle vpon these wordes of Paul the circumcision of the hart is which consisteth of the spirite and not of the letter Neither ment Paul any thing els in the latter to the CorrinthiaÌs when he sayth That the law killeth but the spirit quickeneth For he calleth the law grauen in stones the ministery of death sayth that he is not appointed the minister of the letter but of the spirite Chrisostome thinketh that this sentence that we should serue in newnes of spirite is therfore added of the Apostle that we hearing mention made of liberty should not liue losely through licentiousnes of the flesh but should vnderstand that we are bound to a certaine other kynd of seruitude and that is to serue God Although as we before To obey God is not a seruitude Not all the fathers of the olde testamente liued in sinne admonished it can not properly be called seruitude for in it we follow not an other mans will but our owne Neither are these wordes of Paul so to be taken as though all the fathers of the old Testament liued in sinne and in the oldnes of the letter They pertaine vnto them only which either in this tyme want Christ or in the old tyme liued without him such as were many of the Israelites which waited for Christ according to the flesh as though Messias should be onely a pure man which should come and bring nothyng vnto the Iewes but a carnall kingdome pompe riches glory and a large dominion But the godly fathers as Abraham Iacob Dauid Esay and many others of that race wanted not the benefite of Christ but beyng endewed with the spirite of God had the fruicion of the liberty of the Gospell so much as the nature of the tyme then suffred They in dede obserued the ceremonies of their times such other like precepts but this they dyd of their owne accord not being compelled neither bare they any hatred against the law of God And although at this day after yâ Christ hath appeared yâ spirit of God be more largely poured abrode and the mysteries of our saluation are more plainlier manifested then they were in times past yet dare I not affirme that those holy patriarches had lesse of the spirite of Christ then haue many cold Christians in our tyme. And I wonder at Chrisostome beyng so great a man yâ when he wrote vpon this place he would say That the elders had a body heauy and sluggish and vnapt vnto vertues but our bodies after the commyng of Christ are made lighter reddier The interpretacion of the law deliuered of Christ pertained also vnto the elders Somwhat was graunted in the law whiche is denied vnto vs. and cherefuller and for that cause the preceptes of the Gospell are more hard higher then were the commaundementes of the law For vnto them it was sufficient not to kill but vnto vs it is not lawfull so much as to be angry Vnto theÌ iââas sufficient not to coÌmit adultery but vnto vs is also prohibited the lustful loking vpoÌ an other maÌs wife And such other things of yâ same sort I graunt in dede yâ certaine things wer permitted in yâ old law which were reuoked by Christ For it is not lawful for christians as it was for yâ Iewes for euery light cause to geue a boke of diuorcemet But those thinges which Christ admonished of lust of anger pertained no lesse vnto yâ Iewes in the old time theÌ they do to vs in this time And wheras Christ saith It was said to theÌ in olde tyme that is not to be referred vnto the sentence of the law but vnto yâ wicked Christ retected the corrupte interpretations of the scribes and of the Phariseis An error of many of the fathers Sondry affectes stirred vp by the law interpretations of the Scribes and Phariseys For otherwise when as in the ten commaundements it is sayd Thou shalt not lust all maner of wicked lust both of the flesh and of vengeaunce and of other mens goods is vtterly forbidden But not only Chrisostom but also many other of the fathers erred in this matter But to returne to our purpose we ought to know that certaine men are by the lawe stirred vp only to certaine outward ceremonies and certaine cold workes which pertaine only a certaine discipline but those selfe same can in no wyse attaine to the iust and perfect obseruance of the will of God but there are others which wheÌ they very diligently consider the law and behold the horror of sin and the vncleanes and weakenes of their strengths at the last vtterly dispaire and begin to hate and abhorre God and to blaspheme him and his law and to fall hedlong into all mischiefe and wickednes vntill they drowne themselues in eternall destruction But vnto godly men the consideration of the lawe is profitable and healthfull for when as in it as in a glasse they consider their owne infirmity they are compelled to get them vnto Christ as vnto an hauen of whome they may both obteyne forgeuenes of sinnes and also day by day greater instauration of strengthes What shall we say then is the law sinne God forbidde But
the gift of God But our aduersaries will say that they also teach that the grace of God goeth before good workes and that of that grace is some faith geuen vnto men But this at yâ beginning is so weake that it can not haue the power to iustifie how Whether a weake gracâ anâ faith haue the power to iustâfy An hiââory of Pelagius beit there may some workes be done whiche may be acceptable vnto God But let vs remember what Augustine writeth of Pelagius in his 105. Epist to Innocentius the Bishop of Rome he saith that Pelagius in the Counsell of Palestine to the end he would not bee accursed accursed all those whiche should say that they could lyue vpryghtly without grace But he by grace vnderstoode nothyng els but the giftes geuen vnto vs in our creation as free choyse reason wyll and the doctrine of the law The Byshops of Palestine beyng beguyled by thys blynd shyft absolued and released him Augustine excuseth them for that they did it plainely and simplye For when they heard Pelagius coÌfesse the grace of God they could vnderstand no other grace but yâ which the holy Scriptures set forth namely that whereby we are regenerate and grafted into Christ wherfore it is plaine that they whiche faine vnto them selues any Augustine caâleth Catechumentes before baptisme conceaued other grace then that wherby we are iustified and grafted into Christ obtrude vnto vs an inuention of man or rather Pelagius shift or starting hole whiche the holy Scriptures acknowledge not Farther Augustine in that place whiche we now spake of affirmeth that the Catechumeni and such as beleue although they be not Baptised are yet notwithstanding conceaued But they whiche are now conceaued to be the sonnes of God can not be straungers from him or enemies vnto The grace which succeedeth is one the same buâ it differeth in degree and quantity him Wherefore it followeth that they are now iustified although not so perfectly Which is hereby manifest for that Augustine calleth the grace which succedeth a more ful grace as that which differeth not from the first in kind and in nature but only in degrée and in quantity And seing it is of the selfe same kinde that the other is it must nedes also iustifie Which is hereby made playne for that Cornelius is said to haue done workes which pleased God neither is that of any greate force that Augustine addeth that that grace was not so great that it could be sufficient vnto Cornelius or vnto the Catechumeni for the obteyning of the kingdome An other place of Augustine declared of heauen For these wordes affirme not that after this grace or fayth of the Catechumeni is to be looked for an other fayth which may iustifie as though by that former fayth they were not iustified This thing only he would declare that the Catechumeni ought not to stay in this degrée of faith of grace but ought to receaue baptisme and to go forward vntill the saluation and regeneration now begonne shoulde be made perfect For if any man should contemne the sacrament of Baptisme he should be excluded from the kingdome of heauen For they which haue beleued ought chiefely to sée vnto that they be by the sacrament grafted into the Church They which will not do this or neglect it sufficiently declare that they haue not ernâstly beleued Wherefore it is not absurd tha Cornelius and the Catechumeni had that grace which iustifieth which yet if they had contemned baptisme had not bene sufficient to the obtaynment of the kingdome of heauen And The omission or baptisme is then a let vnto saluatioÌ when iâ springeth of contempt that Augustine had hereunto a respect hereby it is manifest in that he addeth that we ought not only to be conceaued but also to be borne which is so to be vnderderstand so that there be no lawfull impediment to let For if a man beleue and desire baptisme and can not attayne vnto it Augustine denieth not vnto such a one saluation For he confesseth together with other of the fathers that there is a baptisme of the spirite and that the power of the holy ghost worketh in our harts without outward signes And this he teacheth vpon Leuiticus in his 84. question For he saith that Moses without the outward ordination of the priesthode and without visible signes receaued the priestly grace and that Iohn Baptist was without outward sacramentes annoynted with the holy ghost in his mothers wombe that the thiefe vpon the crosse was without any sacramentes saued onely by the grace of God Lastly when as he saith that we are by the first grace of God conceaued and by the latter borne it is very plaine that he which is conceaued he which is borne is of one and the same kinde For a liuing creature when it is conceaued is not of any other nature then of that that it is when it is brought forth into the world This is the onely difference yâ the one is more perfect the other Grace is encreased in baptisme more vnperfect Wherefore he that is Catechumenus when he is baptised may by the grace which he receaueth in baptism séeme more perfect theÌ he was before when he only beleued although theÌ also he was iustified through faith wherby he embrased the promises of god touching Christ Now resieth for vs to examine a place of Chrisostome in his homely De spiritu Natura lege Although if I should therin speake my iudgement I thinke that that oration is not Chrisostomes For it is both repugnant vnto it selfe and also contayneth thinges not hanging together which can by no meanes be conciliated But whosoeuers it be this is certayne that it maketh more on our side then on our aduersaries side For first he sayth that men vsing mercy haue by their almes no fruite at all before they haue faith but so soone as a man is adorned with it straight way follow good and fruitfull After Chrisostomes minde we are saued by faith onely workes but before they are not had And he addeth that we are by fayth only saned when as workes without faith coulde neuer saue them which worke them And he citeth the thiefe whom he affirmeth was saued by faith only without workes And that we should not doubt of what fayth he speaketh he speaketh of that fayth whereby we are made the citizens of heauen and houshold seruantes of God But these thinges can be ascribed only to that faith which iustifieth Farther He saith also that with out faith there is nothing good The soule is deade without faith he expressedly auoucheth that without fayth there is nothing that is good and of his saying he bringeth this reason for that that soule is dead which wanteth fayth And more plainly to declare himselfe he saith that those which do excellent workes without faith are like vnto dead carkases and to the reliques of dead men which
pertakers not only of the death of the Lord but of his resurrectioÌ also for forasmuch as Christ was by it raysed vp from the dead as many as are endewed with the same spirite shall likewise be raysed vp from the dead For that cause he exhorteth vs by the spirite to mortefye the deades of the flesh that we may be made pertakers of euerlasting life Thirdly he amplifieth and adorneth this state and condition which by the spirite of Christ we haue obteyned namely that now we are by adoption made the children of God that we are moued by this spirit and made strong against aduersities to suffer all afflictions Which prayses serue not a little to quicken our desire that we should desire to be dayly more aboundantly enriched with this spirite Fourthly he confuteth those which obiected that state to seme miserable and vnhappy in which the faythfull of Christ liue For they are continually excercised with aduersities so that euen they also which haue the first fruites of the spirite are compelled to mourne And he writeth that by this meanes these thinges come to passe for that as yet we haue not obteyned an absolute regeneration nor perfect saluatioÌ for we haue it now but only in hope which when time shall serue that is in the end of the worlde shall be made perfect Fiftly he teacheth that notwithstaÌding those euills which doo enclose vs in on euerye side yet our saluation is neuertheles sure for the prouidence ⪠of God whereby we are predestinâte to eternall felicity can nether be chaunged nor yet in any poynte fayle And by this prouidence sayth he it commeth to passe that vnto vs which loue God all thinges turne to good and nothing can hurt vs forasmuch as God hath geuen vnto vs his sonne and together with hym all thinges wherefore seing the father iustifieth vs and the sonne maketh intercession for vs there is nothing which can make vs afrayd Lastly he sayth that yâ loue of God towards vs is so greate that by no creature it can be plucked from vs. Hereby it is manifest of how greate force the spirite of adoption is wherewith we are sealed so long as we wayte for the perfection of our felicity And these thinges serue wonderfully to proue that our iustification consisteth not of workes but of fayth and of the meare and free mercy of God This is the summe of al that which is coÌtained in the doctrine of this chap. As touching the first part the Apostle alledgeth that condemnation is now takeÌ away which he proueth bycause we are endewed with the spirite of Christe But this deliuery he promiseth vnto those only which are in Christ Wherfore seing it is manifest what his proposition or entent is now let vs se howe these thinges hange together with those which are alredy spoken Toward the end of the former chap Paul cried out twise first when he sayd Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And by the figure Aposiopesis he expressed not the deliuerer but here he sayth that that deliuerer is the Lawe The law of the spirit and life deliuereth of the spirite and of life Farther in that place with greate affection he sayd I geue thankes vnto God through Iesus Christe our lorde nether declared he wherfore he gaue thankes But nowe he playnly expresseth the cause For he sayth that now there remayneth no condemnation and that we are deliuered from the Thankes are to be geuen for that there remayneth in vs no coÌmendation Law of sinne and of death This is it for which he gaue thaÌks Lastly he added how that in minde he serued the law of God but in flesh the law of sinne Now he more playnly expresseth what that is namely to be in Christ and not to walke according to the flesh but according to the spirite Hereby it manifestly appeareth how aptly these thinges are knit together with those which are alredy spoken The Apostle seemeth thus to speake Althoughe sinne and the corruption of nature where wyth the godlye are vexed be as it is alredye sayde styll remayninge in them yet is there no daunger that it shoulde brynge condemnation vnto men regenerate for they are holpen by the spirite of Christe wherewith they are now endewed And euen as before he aboundantly entreated of the violence and tiranny of sinne which it vseth against vs being vnwittinge What thinges auayle to know our selues and vnwilling thereunto so now on the other side he teacheth what the spirite of Christ worketh in the Saintes Wherefore seing not only the holy scriptures but also the Ethnike writers do expressedly commaund that euery man shoulde knowe himselfe peraduenture there is scarse any other place out of whiche the A godly maÌ consisteth of two principles same may better be gathered then out of these two chapiters For a godly man consisteth of his owne corrupt and vitiate nature and also of the spirit of Christ because we haue before learned what yâ corruptioÌ of nature that is sinne woorketh in vs and now is declared what benefites of Christ we obtayne by his spirite by this may euery man as touching ether part know himselfe Vndoubtedly wonderfull great is the wisdome of the Apostle who when he wrote of the force of sin expressed it chiefely in his owne person to geue vs to vnderstand that there is no Why Paul chaungeth the persons in these two descriptioÌs man so holy which so long eas he liueth here is cleane ridde from sinne But afterward when he entreateth of the helpe of the spirite of Christ he bringeth in the person of other men least any man should thinke with himselfe that not all manner of Christians enioye this excellente helpe of God but onelye certaine principall and excellent men such as were the Apostles After these things which we haue before heard out of the seuenth chapter a man mought haue sayd forasmuch as we are so led away captiue of sinne and that by force and against our willes what hope can there be of our saluation Much saith Paul Forasmuch as now there is no condeÌnation to theÌ which are in Christ For by the spirite of Christ we are deliuered from the lawe of sinne and of death This reason is taken of the cause efficient whereby is not only proued that which was proposed but also euen the very carnell and inward pithe of our iustification is touched For although men being now iustified are so restored vnto the giftes of God that they begin to liue holily and do accomplishe some certayne obedience begonne of the lawe yet because in the iudgement of God they can not stay vpon them forasmuch as they are vnperfect and are not without fault of necessity it followeth that our iustification should herein consist Wherein consisteth iustificatioÌ âª namely to haue our sinnes forgeuen vs that is to be deliuered from the guiltines of them And this is it which
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 ââ 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 peradueÌture yâ rootes of yâ wheat and of yâ tares being intricated together should be together plucked vp But herein as we haue said coÌsisteth not the coÌtrouersy 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 streÌgth 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 ⪠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 substaÌce 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 PelagiaÌs which wer not ashamed An error of the Pelagians to say yâ man by yâ streÌgths of nature is able to kepe yâ coÌmaundemeÌts 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
oughte not to be in doubt whither the spirite of Christ do dwell in vs or no. Ambrose vpon this place noteth that the spirite of God departeth from vs for two maner of causes eyther bicause of the vnderstanding of the flesh or els bicause of the actes therof That is either for false doctrine or els for corrupt maners But if Christ be in you the body in dede is dead because of sinne Hitherto pertaineth the first part of this chapter wherin hath bene declared that although in the saintes there still remayneth sinne yet therof followeth not condemnation for it is taken away by the law of the spirit But froÌ whence this spirit is deriued into vs hath ben set forth namely froÌ the death which the son of God suffered for vs. Farther it hath ãâã declared what they are vnto whome so great a benefite is come namely ãâã which walke according to the spirite and not according to the flesh Now he entreth into the second part wherin he teacheth that we by the same spirite haue obteined participation both of the death and of the resurrection of the Lord. And he exhorteth vs according as our duety is to mortify the dedes of the flesh and to addict our selues wholy vnto the spirit by whom we haue obteyned so great benefites And to knit together those things which are to be spoken with those which are already spoken the Apostle saith But if Christ be in you In that he thus saith that Christ is in vs he sheweth that it counteth it al one for the spirite of God or of Christ to dwell in vs and Christ himselfe to be in vs not that he meaneth that the holy ghost and Christ that is the sonne of God are one the selfe same hypostasis or person But as Chrisostome hath taught this is the nature of the thrée persons that wheresoeuer the one is there also the other are together present Wherfore forasmuch as the holy ghost is in vs it followeth of necessity that the sonne of God which is Christ together with the father is in vs. Which thing Paul hath expressedly pronounced vnto the Ephesians when he sayd That Christ Not where soeuer Christ is accordinge to his diuine nature he is there also according to his humane nature by fayth dwelleth in our hartes And yet it followeth not that whersoeuer Christ is according to his diuine nature he is there also accordyng to his humaine nature For his humaine nature whether we haue a regard vnto the soule or vnto the body is finite neither can so be poured abroade infinitely that it shoulde possesse and fill all things as doth his diuine nature Wherfore we graunt that the sonne and the father are wheresoeuer the holy ghost is and whersoeuer we confesse the son of God to be there also will we coÌfesse Christ to be but yet not alwaies according to his humane nature For yâ is not possible Paul saith in his â epistle vnto the Cor. that the elders dranke of the spiritual rock which followed theÌ that rocke was Christ Of the rocke which was Christ By which wordes are ââ things to be vnderstaÌd first yâ Christ was signified in that rocke secondly yâ he was in very dede present with the people when they dranke as the holy history declareth For it telleth yâ God promised that he would be preset with his people at the rocke Oreb And the same God was yâ sonne which could not then be present according to flesh and humane nature when as he had not yet put it on And yet is he of Paul called Christe And in the selfe same epistle the fathers are sayd to haue tempted Christ in the desert which can not be vnderstand according to the humane nature for as much as it was not then extaÌt The fathers ââ the wildernes tempted Christ How it is to be vnderstande Christ to dwel in vs. So when Christ is sayd to dwell in vs by fayth or the spirite it doth not thereof follow that ether his body or his soule dwelleth in our hartes really as I may call it and substancially It is inough that Christ be sayd to be in vs by hys deuine presence and that he is by his spirite grace and giftes present with vs. Nether is this as some make exclamation to go aboute to seperate the diuine nature from the humane For we holde that the natures in Christ are ioyned together and insâperable And yet that coniunction maketh not that the humane nature extendeth it selfe so farre aâ doth the diuine nature Which thing Augustine hath most manifestly testefied vnto Dardanus Although I knowe there are some which go aboute by certayne wordes of his out his 96. treatise vpoÌ Iohn to cauill that he ment that Christ also according to hys humane nature is still with vs although he be not sene For Augustine wheÌ he interpreteth these words A place of Augustine expounded of the Lord I go to prepare you a place sayth that those places and maÌsions are nothing ells then we our selues which beleue which are as certayne dwelling places vnto which the father and the sonne come and abide in But we must by the holy ghost be prepared to be made mete dwelling places WheÌ he thus expouÌdeth these wordes he demauÌdeth Why then sayth Christ that he goeth away if we must be prepared For he ought rather to be present For if he depart away we shall not âe prepared Afterward when he solueth the question he thus writeth If I doo well vnderstande the thou departest neyther from whence thou camest nether from the place whither thou goest Thou departest in hiding thy selfe thâu commest in manifesting thy selfe But vnles thou abide in gouerning vs and we go froward ãâ¦ã ning well how shall a place be prepared for vs Behold say they by these wordes it is most manifeste that Christe hath not departed from vs but is present although he lye hiddeÌ But these men consider not that these thinges are spokeÌ of the diuine nature For that is it which is said to haue come from heauen and out of the bosome of the Father He came indede not that he departed thence from whence he came but bycause he appeared vnto vs vnder humane nature Agayne he is sayd to haue gone from hence when he ascended according to hys humane nature not that he hath vtterly departed froÌ vs but for that the humane nature in which he appeared vnto vs being taken vp vnto heauen the presence of his diuine nature lieth hidden with vs nether can it be sene of vs. And that this is the meaning of Augustine may be proued by two argumentes First bycause he entreateth of our preparation which belongeth vnto Christ according to his diuine nature for it worketh and insinuateth it selfe in our hartes and mindes Farther that place which he citeth out of the epistle vnto the Corrinthians whereas he proueth that we are the dwelling places of God teacheth the selfe same
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 forgeueÌ 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 theÌselues 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 resurrectioÌ 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 reresurrectioÌ 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 resurrectioÌ 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 yâ 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 yâ 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 heaueÌly 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 resurrectioÌ Farther we doubt not but that our flesh and body doo
debters dnto the fleshe he playnly declareth how necessary good workes are And he stoppeth their mouthes which spake ill of his doctrine as which opened a window vnto vices For he threateneth death and that eternall death vnto theÌ which liue according to the fleshe They which draw the wordes of the Apostle vnto the liberty of the fleshe vnderstand not that he teacheth that men iustified are absolued from the condemnation of the lawe and not from the obedience therof For that obedience lasteth in the Saintes for euer For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye but if by the spirite ye mortefie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue He here by an other reason proueth A reason from that which is profitable vnprofitable yâ we ought to liue holily which reason is taken froÌ that which is profitable and vnprofitable Two thinges he setteth forth namely life and death neither entreateth he here of temporall thinges but of eternall It is true in déede that it is not comely that we should follow as captaines of our life the prauity and corruption of nature which is signified by the name of fleshe neither do the debts which we owe vnto God by reason of his benefites bestowed vpon vs suffer vs so to do But yet fewe are moued with this comlynes and the nature of man is by reason of sinne to much blockish to heauenly thinges Wherefore it must haue the stronger spurres to pricke it forwarde And therefore Paul added this reason of lyfe and death If by the spirite ye mortefy the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Hereof two thinges we gather First that there are still déedes of the fleshe in the godly And who doubteth but that they are sinnes especially seing they ought to be mortefied The second is that these déedes are mortefied by the spirite for mans inuentions will nothing helpe thereunto For whatsoeuer is done by vertues described of the philosophers is sinne which can not through Christ be forgeuen them Wherefore the true and perfect cause of mortification is to be sought for at the handes of the spirite And to mortefy is nothing els but for a man to be violent against himselfe and to withstand and resist wicked lustes Here agayne also the Apostle séemeth to touch the difference betwéene deadly sinne and veniall What is to mortâfy sinne not that all sinnes are not of their owne nature deadly but for that through the death and spirite of Christ they are forgeuen therefore they are called veniall Those are called deadly sinnes which are not mortified in vs when we geue our selues to lustes and liue without repentance and sinne against our conscience neither resiââ lustes but follow on our trade of liuing wickedly neither in the meane tyme regard we the spirit or death of Christ These are those sinnes which Paul writeth They which do such thinges shall not obtayne the kingdome of God and for which as it is written vnto the Ephesians The wrath of God commeth vpon the children of distrust For as many as are led by the spirite of God are the sonnes of God By two reasons it hath bene proued that men godly regenerate ought not to liue after the fleshe either bicause they are now debters so to do or els bicause the same shall turne them to great commodity namely for that they shall liue for euer Here is added the third reason for that they are now adopted into the children of God In which place we are taught two things at once the one is that they ought We must liue vprightly for that we are adopted into children Three maner of wayes it is shewed that we are the sonnes of God fréely and of their owne accord to worke as which are endued with the spirit not of bondmen but of children the other is that they which so leade their life shall liue for euer namely for that they are the sonnes of God For he is eternall immortall And that they are the children of God he proueth thrée manner of wayes First for that they are led by the spirite of God Secondly for that they call vpon him by the name of father lastly for that the spirite so testifieth vnto theÌ Wherfore the reason may thus be knit together As many as are the sonnes of God liue not after the flesh for they are led by the spirite of God and they call God their father and they haue the holy ghost in their hartes a witnes of the adoption whiche they haue obteined Such ones are all we which beleue in Christ wherefore we ought not to liue after the flesh When they are said to be the sonnes of God which The beginning of our adoption is thâ spirit of God are led by the spirite of God therby is signified that the beginning of our adoptioÌ coÌmeth only through the sprite of God by which the faithfull are so drawen that they are sayd of Paul to be led that is without violence and any coaction bowed They which want the spirite are holden with ignorance and are tossed by the impulsion of lustes But the spirite of God so leadeth that it both teacheth what is to be done and also ministreth a will minde and strengthes to performe the same It is not inough to know what we ought to do vnles we haue also strengthes geuen vs to do it and strengthes should be in vaine geuen vs if there should want knowledge These two thinges bringeth the spirite of God with it and by that Two thinges the spirite of God bringeth with it meanes leadeth the elect with pleasure After we are once sealed with this spirite we haue obteyned the earnest peny of eternall life and the adoption of the sonnes of God And forasmuch as we are not compelled to do any thing against our wils we enioy most excellent fréedome For we are stirred vp vnto those thinges which we excedingly desire For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage vnto feare But ye haue What is the spirite of feare and what of adoption receiued the spirite of adoption wherby we cry Abba father The apostle by a certaine distinction expresseth what that spirite is wherby the sonnes of God are led For he maketh one the spirite of feare an other the spirite of adoption which is no otherwise to be vnderstand but that one and the selfe same spirite of God bringeth forth two effectes which are by a certaine order knit together For first by the law and by threatninges it maketh afeard those men that are to be iustified and breaketh and vexeth them with scourges and stripes of the conscience that vtterly dispairing of themselues they may flye vnto Christ vnto whom wheÌ they are come and that they embrace him by faith they are not onely iustified but also are fréely of their owne accorde stirred vp to iust vpright and holy workes Wherfore Paul admonisheth yâ Romanes that they are now come vnto this latter
step or degrée as though he would therof inferre that therfore they must nedes cherefully and redily endeuour themselues vnto a righteous life But bicause here séemeth to be signified a difference of the old and new Testament it shall not be amisse to sée with what spirite we are now led in the Gospell and farther with what spirit the fathers were ledde in the law Vndoubtedly Chrisostome vpon this place writeth of that matter diuers things wherunto I do not fully assent For first he affirmeth that the Iewes in old tyme had not the holy ghost But bicause he séeth yâ the Apostle in this place expressedly maketh meÌcion of yâ spirit this he saith he therfore doth for that the law of yâ elders forasmuch as it was geuen by the spirite of God was therefore called spirituall and bicause those men were instructed by that Law therefore is here mencion made of the spirite And although in the 10 chapiter of the first to the Corrinthians those Fathers are sayd to haue eaten one and the selfe same spirituall meate and to haue dronke one and the selfe same drinke of the spirituall rocke yet will not Chrisostome graunt that they were pertakers of the spirite but he sayth that therefore those thinges were called spiritual for that they were geuen not by humane streÌgths or the strengths of nature but by the power of God And it is to be wondred at that this Father should thinke that the people in the old time were excluded from the spirite of It is proued that the elders wanted not the spirite of God God wheÌ as in Exodus the 31. chapiter we rede that Bezeleel and Aholiam were replenished with the holy ghost and also with wisedome and vnderstanding to make all such thinges that God had commaunded to be made in the worke of the tabernacle and we rede that the 70. elders which were geuen to be helpers vnto Moses were in such sorte made pertakers of his spirite that they also prophefied and that Iosua was endewed with the holy ghost that Gedeon had geuen vnto hym the same spirite and that the same holye spirite departed from Saul which could not be vnles he had had it before And what meaneth this that Dauid sayth in the Psalme Take not away thy spirite from me Agayne thy spirite shall leade me Agayne Confirme me with a principall spirite Nether can we deny but that Elias and Elizeus had the spirite of God when as the one desired that he mought haue dooble the spirite of the other geuen vnto him We rede also yâ Daniell had the spirite of the saints But vnto these so many oracles we wil adde also a firme reason That the Fathers were iustified we doubt not But they could not be iustified without fayth in Christ But fayth can nether be had nor retained without the holy ghost But whereas Chrisostome sayth that the Apostle therefore maketh mencion of the spirite for that they were gouerned by the Law which was geuen of the spirite it is friuolous for the Law can not execute The law cannot do his office vnles it be holpen by the spirite hys office to bring vnto Christ men being now by it made afraid vnlesse the power therof be holpen by yâ spirite For how many Epicures godles men are there which when they heare the Law are nether brought to Christ not yet once touched for the wicked crimes which they haue committed And that place in the x chapiter of the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians is not so to be vnderstand as he thinketh ⪠For Paul sayth that the sacrameÌtes of the elders were the A place to the Corrin declared selfe same with ours For vnles it were so the reason of Paul mought easelye haue bene answered vnto For the Corrinthians mought haue thought that vpon the Iewes were therefore so manye punishementes inflicted for that their sacrameÌtes were not like vnto ours and contrariwise that they although they sinned should not be chastifed for that theyr sacramentes were more perfect which could pacefy God though he were neuer so much angry and could driue away all aduersities which honge ouer theyr heddes But when as Paul sayth that theyr sacramentes were one and the selfe same with ours thys place of refuge he vtterly taketh away from them And that Paul had herunto a regard it is therefore without all doubt to be thought for that he maketh mencion only of those sacramentes of the old Testament which answere vnto our two sacramentes omittinge all the reste whiche were innumerable For he affirmeth that they were baptised as we are baptised and sayth moreouer that they receaued one and the self same spirituall meate and drinke which we at this day receiue signifieng therby our Eucharist or supper of the Lord. If thou take away thys cause thou shalt finde nâne other cause why he made mencion of these two sacramentes only Farther what haue we in our sacramentes which we receaue as the chiefe and principall thing Is it not Christ But the Apostle testefieth that the elders receaued hym in theyr sacramentes For he sayth That they dranke of the spirituall rocke whiche followed them And that rocke was Christe We can not drinke Christ without his spirite But we can by no meanes drinke Christ vnles together therewythall also we draw in his spirite Wherefore we ought not to thinke that the elders had not the spirite of God but thou wilt say peraduenture they had rewards and chastisements as though we haue not so also For is it not so Doth not Paul greauously threaten the Corrinthians if they should follow those sinnes which the elders had committed in the desert doth he not say that many are weake and many fallen one slepe for that they had after a filthy maner abused the Eucharist And doth he not say When we are iudged we are corrected of the Lorde leste we should be condemned with this world Moreouer in the New Testament also there want not rewardes promised vnto godly men For if we geue any thing in the name of a prophet we shall receaue the reward of a prophet And he which forsaketh that which is hys for Christs sake shall receaue an hundreth fold euen in thys world also But Chrisostome addeth that vnto them was promised a land flowing with milke and hony but vnto vs is promised the kingdom of heauen Vnto the elders was promised not onely temporall things but also eternal life I graunt in dede that the elders had many temporall promises but yet not in suche sort that vnto them was no mencion made of eternall life For Christe bringeth a testemony of the resurrection out of the Law I am the God of AbrahaÌ the God of Isaak the God of Iacob And god sayth vnto AbrahaÌ I am thy protector and thy most ample reward And Daniell sayth That they shall rise agayne which haue slept in the duste of the earth some to eternall life and some to
our sinnes we straight way despayring of saluation except we come vnto Christ perceaue that we are vtterly vndone Wherefore the selfe same spirite being our guide we come vnto Christ and by faith embrace him and the promise of the mercy of God by which meanes our sinnes are forgeuen vs and we are receaued into the adoptioÌ of the sonnes of God Wherefore Paules meaning was to declare vnto the Romanes that they being now past that first steppe being regenerate in Christ haue obtayned adoption and therefore it behoued them not only to liue holily but also fréely and of theyr owne accorde to worke vprightly Vnto this our interpretacion Ambrose subscribeth Two degrees of cenuersion for he sayth That the Apostle here teacheth the Romanes that they are no more vnder the lawe but do now liue vnder fayth Wherefore I thinke with hym that in these wordes is set forth two steppes of conuersion And if a man demaund touching the people in the olde tyme how they had the spirite of Christ I thinke yâ may thus be answered by deuiding yâ Iewes into thâe partes For some of them Three kindes of peopâe amongst the Iewes wer vtterly wicked vngodly which besides name habitatioÌ outward Circumcision had nothing coÌmon with yâ people of God these meÌ I graunt were vtterly voyd of the spirit of Christ yea rather they liued vnder the spirit of SathaÌ On the other side there were some excellent holy men as Dauid Ezechias Iosias Elias Daniel many such other like whom we can by no meanes deny but the they had the spirite of the Gospell although as the time required they were compelled to obserue many ceremonies and rites pertayning vnto the lawe Agayne there were some others which were weake which although they can not be compared with these whome we haâe mencioned yet forasmuch as they being godly beleued in the Messias to come and were by that fayth iustified we ought not to thinke that they were strangers from the spirit of Christ although by reason of their imperfection the lawe chalenged greate power ouer them and they were with others as those tymes required compelled to be subiect vnto infinite ceremonies And this is the reason why the elders are said to haue liued vnder the law and vnder the spirite of bondage They had not the Sacramentes oâ their saluation so perspicuous and cleare as ours nowe are neither had they the misteries of Christe so commoÌly reueled as we now haue in the Gospell Wherfore although amongs vs are many wicked meÌ a great nuÌber of weake ones yet are we said to be deliuered froÌ the law both because we are deliuered froÌ ceremonies for the we haue the sacrameÌts misteries of saluatioÌ obtained through Christ made more clere more manifest theÌ theirs commoÌly were Paul also calleth the elders little ones for the they The holy men of the elders weâ seruants but yet profitable seruauntes liued vnder tutors and gouernours and were instructed of the law as of a scholemaister And when they are called seruaunts we ought to vnderstand the they wer profitable seruantes For such seruauntes beare great good will loue vnto their maisters and are persuaded that that which is to the honour of their maister shal also turne to their honour But lewd seruantes neuer refraine from vices nether do they any thing well vnles they be by stripes compelled These their two titles which I haue mencioned Paul ioyneth together in the epistle vnto the Galathians For thus he sayth The heyre so long as he is a little one liueth vnder tutors and gouernours and differeth nothing froÌ a seruant wheÌ as yet he is Lord of all By which words he declareth that the elect of God amongst the elders were in very dede heyres although according to the consideration of the tyme they were as little ones vnder the forme of seruauntes kept vnder the scholing of the law and elementes of this world This thinke I is to be thought of the elders Now will I returne vnto Paul He declareth that the Romanes are now iustified so that they are no more vnder the law and condemnation but are now thorow faith and the spirite adopted into childreÌ Wherfore it is mete that they which are come to this estate should resemble the nature of their father that the thinges which are allowed of him they also should allow and the thinges that he condemneth and escheweth they also should abhorre and detest Although this spirit of adoptioÌ can not so long as we liue here The spirite of adoption is not yet perfect and absolute in vs. be perfect and absolute in vs. For there is remaining in vs a perpetual strife of the flesh against the spirit This also is to be obserued that Paul here changed the Antithesis for when he had made mencion of the spirite of bondage the order of spech semed to require that he should haue said that they had receiued the spirit of liberty but in stede of liberty he did put adoption to make the thing whiche he had in hand the more notable For it is a farre greater matter to be adopted of God to be It is a greater matter to be adopted then to be set at liberty Definition of adoption Arrogation what it differeth from adoption his sonne then to be set at liberty But bicause here is mencion made of the adoption of the children of God this place semeth to require to speake somwhat of it also The Lawyers as it is had in the institutions define adoption to be a legitimate acte imitating nature found out for their solace or comfort which haue no childreÌ Farther they make a distinction betwene adoption and arrogation For arrogation they say is wheÌ he which is his own man at liberty is receiued in the steade of a son but adoptioÌ is when he which is receiued is vnder an other mans power Howbeit the lawes forbid that the elder should be adopted of the yonger for it semeth a thing monstrous that the sonne shoulde excéede the father in yeares And therfore Cicero oftentimes vehemeÌtly inueigheth against that adoption of Clodius Now God adopteth vnto himselfe his elect not for that he had not an other sonne for he had his only begotten sonne Christ in whom he was well pleased but for God adopted vs wheÌ as yet he had a sonne that in al the nature of man he had as yet no children For through Adam we wer all made straungers from him Wherfore God for this cause sent his naturall and legitimate sonne into the world that by him he might adopt vnto himselfe many children out of our kinde And this is not wont commonly to be in vre For they which haue one onely sonne seke not to get any other sonnes yea rather they reioyce that that their sonne shall not be compelled to parte the inheritaunce with his bretherne But so great was the loue of God and of Christ
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 seâte 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
vs vp to aske those thynges Neither doth the holy ghost that is the diuine person abase it selfe as though it were lesser then the father and prayeth but only it causeth vs to pray So God is sayd to tempt the Hebrues that he myght know that is to make other themselues or others to know Touching this matter Augustine in his sermon against Maximinus the Arrian at large entreateth It was sayde vnto Abraham now I know that thou fearest the Lord which is nothyng els but I haue shewed I haue made open and haue declared that thou fearest the Lord. And Paul to the Galathyans But now forasmuch as ye know God and he addeth a correctioÌ or rather are knowen of God that is tought and illustrated so that he may know All these places declare that those things which are done of godly men by the heauenly inspiration are attributed vnto God and vnto the holy ghost But there are two most manifest places the one to the Galathyans the other to the Romanes which if they be compared together make that most manifest which we affirm For vnto the Romanes Paul writeth we haue not receaued the spirite of bondage agayne vnto feare but the spirite of the adoption of children whereby we cry Abba father These wordes playnly declare that we are they which crye And vnto the Galathyans God sent The spirite ârieth because it maketh vs to crye Against the Arâians forth the spirit of hys sonne into our hartes crying Abba father Here the spirite is said to cry not vndoubtedly for any other caââe but for that it maâeth vs to crye Neither did the Arrians truly affirme that Paul saith that the holy ghost maketh intercession to the sonne For thereof went they about wickedly to inferre that as they held that the sonne is lesse then the father so is the holy ghost lesse then the sonne These are the dreames of heretiques The son prayeth maketh intercession for vs because he is lesse then the father as touchinge his humanity The spirite maketh intercession because it maketh vs to pray and to cry And vnto the Galathyans it is expressedly said that this crying Abba father is of the holy ghost Wherefore the Arrians of their owne hed and not of the wordes of Paul fained vnto themselues that the holy ghost calleth vpon the sonne not that the holy ghost stirreth vs not vp to call vpon Christ the sonne of God But this thing only Augustine teacheth that they by the wordes of the Apostle had no cause why they should so greatly bâast yâ they had proued that which they entended namely that the sonne is lesse then the father and the holy ghost lesse then the sonne Origene so interpretateth these wordes as though the holy ghost is to vs in our prayers after a sort a Schoolemaster A Scholemaster formeth himselfe to the capacity of his children and nameth the letter first vnto them that they maye imitate him in the pronunciation of the sounde of the letters which thing otherwise they could not do of themselues so the holy ghost instilleth into vs as into children what we ought to aske Out of all these interpretacions two thinges we may gather First that here are confuted the Pelagians which tought that we are of our owne strengthes able to fulfill the lawe of God For if we can not so much as know what thinges are profitable for vs how can we performe them And when we heare that the holy ghost maketh intercession for vs we reiect the Arrians which went about by these words to proue that the holy ghost is a creature and lesse then the son For it is alwayes of necessity that he which prayeth is lesse then he to whom he commeth to pray The sonne indeede is sayd to be lesse then the father because of his humanity âut the holy ghost neuer tooke vpon him any creature in one and the selfe same hypostasis to be made one person with it wherefore he is therefore sayde to The holy Ghost neuer tooke vpon him any creature in one and the selfe same hypostasis The sighes of the godly in afflictioÌâ are hearde pray because he maketh vs to pray Vnto all these thinges may be added one thing more It commeth to passe sometimes that godly men when they are greeuously afflicted do only sighe neither to their knowledge do they praye vnto God And yet the holy ghost inwardly both stirreth vp moderateth these sighes in these men although they âe not ware nor know what is done which sighes the father as moued and stirred vp by the holy ghost harkeneth vnto and vnderstandeth and granteth the requestes of the spirite And therefore is the spirite said to serch the harts because it considereth that which they themselues when they grone and sighe coÌsider not For we are somtimes so oppressed with the greatnes of temptacioÌs weaknes of yâ flesh that we can not pray but the spirite priuelye stirreth vp and kindleth these groninges And these are his prayers This thinge we feale not bycause we our selues are not they which praye for we are only stirred vp by the spirite of God For although the flesh be oppressed with tribulations yet the spirit is inwardly strong ⪠Ieremy Dauid Examples of the Saintes and Iob were sometimes occupied in lamentacions and complayntes so that they after a sort complayned of the iudgementes of God as though they were ether not iust or els to much seuere and yet notwithstanding was not the spirite extinguished in them And therfore God imputed not vnto them the sighânges of the flesh but heard the entent of the spirite They are called vnspeakeable Why they are called vnspeakeable sighes sighes for that we speake not expressedlye what the spirite asketh But as touching this sence yâ words must thus to be put in order we are ignorant what we should pray which yet we ought not to be ignorauÌt of We pray indede but what we aske we know not but God sercheth the hartes He nedeth no inquisition Why God is sayd to searche hartes Howbeit he is sayd to serch for that that which meÌ desire perfectly and exactly to know they diligently serch for it so God bycause he beholdeth our most hidden thoughtes is sayd to serch the hartes otherwise he before we beginne to aske knoweth what we haue neede of Also we know that all thinges worke together to the beste to them that loue God euen vnto them that are called of purpose For those whome he knewe before hee also hath predestinate to bee made like to the image of hys sonne that he might be the first born amongest many brethern Moreouer whom he hath predestinated them also hath hee called and whome he hath called them also hath he iustifyed and whome he hath iustifyed them also hath he glorifyed Also we know that all thinges c. Forasmuch as the Apostle had begonne to speake of the patient suffring of aduersities he thought he woulde more at
promises offred of God though they be neuer so hard and difficile So Abraham when God promised vnto him séede ouercame sence which resisted reason which dissuaded and the feblenes of his vnfruitfull body and the age of his wife and her perpetuall barennes vnto that tyme. He beleued God and wonderfully gaue vnto him his due glory These are those most notable victories by which God delighteth to be ouercome and geueth a blessyng vnto those which haue so ouercome him Their names are chaunged so that they An allegory of the halting of Iacob are called princes with God to the ende they should not ascribe such victories vnto themselues but vnto God They ought rather to count that they haue receyued them at his handes through whose grace onely they haue obteyned them They haât and haue a weake thigh for that the flesh sinne and the remnantes of original corruption the more we ouercome in this kinde of wrastling the more weaker are they made To whome pertayneth the adoption That they were the kinsemen of Paul as touching the fleshe if came vnto them by naturall propagation Now he turneth his speach to thinges which farre passe all nature namely that meÌ should by adoption be made the sonnes of God This they can not be by nature but by the singular mercy of God they âbtains by adoptioÌ to âââade his children Hâreby is very manifest that which I before did put you in minde of that from the The Hebrâââ also were ââ opâed of God in to children ⪠people of the Iewes is not to be taken away adoption but that they also were the ââânce of God But we speake not of the whole multitude confusedly but of holy âen aâd of the faithfull wâich were amongsâ that people ⪠But thou wilt say that they âad the spiââte of âondage I graunt they had in consideration of the tyme wherein they were holden vnder the multitude of ceremonies But this nothing These are not contrââây âo âaâââhe spiâiâe of ââ are aâd to ââ the ãâã children of God letted their adoption as Paul declareth to the Galathyans So long tyme saith her as the ãâã is a child be nothing differeth from a seruant For he lyueth vnder tutors ⪠goâerâeââ and scholemasters ⪠vntill the tyme appoynted of hys father when as yet notwythstandyng he is indeâdâ the heyre and Lord of all And if they pertayned to adoption then must it nedes follow that they were endewed both with fayth and with the spirite Yea if thou wilt haue a consideration to the ancientnes of tyme The children adopted haue both the spirite and faith they attayned vnto this adâption before vs. God not only graunteth vnto holy men to be by adoption called the sonnes of God but also communicateth vnto them of his nature and geueth vnto them the holy ghost which thing men can not do when they adopt any man for their child Moreouer as Paul hath before admonished God vnto his adopted children communicateth of his nature we ought to remember that after adoption followeth the inheritaunce that is that they should be the heyres of God and fellow heyres of Christ Glory They which write of glory do say that it consisteth in two thinges ⪠the one is to haue an honorable opinion of a man the other is that that estimation Wherin consisteth the nature of glory be set forth by some outward signes These two thinges did God most aboundantly performe vnto the people of the Iewes For he did not only beare good will towardes them but also continually many maner of wayes declared this his good will towardes them He placed amongst them the Arke of the couenant as his God adorâed the Israelites with glorâe habitacle there he heard their prayers and requestes and gaue oracles vnto them that sought them In Deut ⪠it is written That there was no nation so notable which had God so nigh vnto them as had the Israelites when as they called vpon hys name That glorious Thraso in Enucho boasted that the king delighted to haue him in his sight and that wheÌ being ouerweried with affaires he would case his mind of that burthen and care he would send for him and make him sitte with hym at his table apart and alone and hereof he so boasted for that he counted the entier familiarity of the king as a great glory vnto him The Hebrues also had glory not only in respect of God but also by comparison vnto other nations For Dauid saith in the Psalme God hath not done so to euery nation neither hath âe manifested his iudgementes vnto them The geuing of the Lawe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã When God had now chosen the Iewes to be his people he would also instruct them with good lawes with lawes ⪠I say farre passing all the lawes either of Solon or of Liturgus or of Nâma or of Minos The couenauntes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is couenauntes This worde although sometimes it do signifie promises yet because afterward is mencion made of them in this place it signifieth as we haue sayde couenantes which God oftimes made with the people And therefore the Apostle vseth the plurall number God oftentimes renued the couenant made with the Hebrues For God made a couenaunt with Abraham with Isaack and with Iacob and renued the same afterwarde vnder Moses Iâsua and Ioâias and last of all hath sealed it through Christ In these couenauntes were the Iewes long tyme comprehended before that we were adopted of God Touching the olde couenaunt In the new couenant the Iewes were âefore the Gentils there can be no doubt and as for the new it is playâe by the history both of the Apostles and of the Gospell For the Apostles came first to Christ and by them afterward were called the Gentles And of so great waight were these couenantes that they were sealed not only with wordes but also with outward signes theirs ⪠by circumcision and ours by baptisme VVorshipping ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this place signifieth the maner of worshipping of God which vnto the Iewes was so prescribed of God that it was not lawfull for them to adde any thing thereunto But not in that case were the Gentils The rites ceremonies of tâe Gentils were not constant For they in their idolatry continually deuised new rites and ceremonies Promises Of these dependeth saluation For they which beleue the promises of God haue both remission of sinnes and eternall felicity Amongst the Iewes were extant promises not only of their saluation but also of the calling of the Gentles But the Gentles themselues had no such promises geuen them Amongst the Iewes were extant promiâes of the calling of the Gentils of God Yea rather if a man consider the oracles and answeres of idols he shall see that they had a greater care to foretell thinges to come then they had to promise to do any thing But the promises of God are of two sortes
God should haue sayd that he would permitte him to se at the least his backe partes that not for his merites but only of his mercy But whither of these wayes so euer a man take those wordes so that he referre all thinges to the mercy of God then right well followeth of them that which the Apostle seketh Namely that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy But to speake my iudgement herein first this is to be noted that the Apostle followed the translatioÌ of the Seuenty For they thus haue that which is here written ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But in Hebrue it is written Iechannathy atta Scherachan Ierechamthyatha Schereracham ⪠the first worde is Chanan which signifieth to loue or to beare fauour The other word signifieth to haue mercy but chiefely such a mercy as mothers shew vnto theyr children For this word hath an affinity with Rechem which signifieth a wombe or belly wherin mothers beare theyr children Moreouer when he had sayd that he would make that all his good should go before Moses he added that as he went he would proclaime his name Iehoua which thing as it is had in the next chapter he performed And when he had proclaymed Iehoua he added diuers of his names wherby are expressed the properties of the nature of God The summe of those names he here after a sorte comprehendeth when he sayth I wil haue mercye on whome I will haue mercy Neither is there any difference betwene the interpretation of the SeueÌty and the Hebrue verity but that they in the second part of eche member put the verbe in the present tempse wheÌ as in the Hebrue one tempse is in eche place put But the sence which we bring agreeth very well with Paul For if the proprieties of God which he vseth toward vs be comprehended in his mercy thereby also is very aptly proued that our election also dependeth of no other thing which thing is vnto vs most profitable For if our saluation lay in our owne handes we should continually hinder How the wil of God touching predestination is reueled vnto vs. Against those which hold thaâ the mercy of God is equally offred vnto â men it But how we may iudge of this diuine wil wherby we are elected of God Christe tought vs when he reueled vnto vs the decrees of his father sayinge This is the will of the father that he which seeth the sonne and beleueth in him should haue eternall life This sentence of God whiche Paul citeth out of the booke of Exodus maketh agaynst those which hold that the mercy of God is equallye offred vnto all men For God sayth that he will not haue mercy vpon all men but on those onely on whome he will haue mercye by whiche woordes he declareth that he bestoweth his mercy vpon some certayne men and not vpon all Of this oracle the Apostle inferreth Wherefore it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Whereby we vnderstand that all whole is to be attributed vnto God which doctrine humane wisedome can not abide For streight way it thus reasoneth with it selfe Then do we nothing we are nothing but stockes and stones But we teach no such doctrine we affirme in dede that we worke but yet not vnles we be impelled by the spirite of God as Paul teacheth in his epistle in the 8. chapiter They which are led by the spirit of God those sayth he are the children of God And therefore the prophet Ezechiell sayth I will make that ye shall walke in my wayes But the maner how we do any thing being impelled and moued by God we may very wel vnderstand if we compare the 8. chapiter of this epistle with the 4. chapiter to the Galathians For in the 8. chapiter Paul thus writeth ⪠Ye haue not receaued the spirite of bondage agayne vnto feare but ye haue receaued the spirite of the adoption of children by whome we crye Abba father And to the Galathians he sayth For that ye are children God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hartes cryeng Abba father Seing then that vnto the Galathians he teacheth that the holy ghost prayeth in vs and vnto the Romanes he sayth that we our selues pray we ought thereby to vnderstand that we our selues indede pray but yet being driuen and impelled by the spirite of We are not stockes nor stones God For we are not stockes nor stones For they are not impelled but by violence but we are not against our willes compelled of the spirite of God but are perswaded and whatsoeuer we do we do it willingly Stockes and stones wheÌ they are moued neither vnderstand they nor haue they any will but we when we are impelled of God do both vnderstand and will and also geue assent Although that we haue euen these thinges also of the spirite of God Moreouer we confesse that many ciuill and naturall wordes wheÌ they passe not our streÌgths are subiect vnto our choyce and will althoughe we beleue and preache that How we worke being impelled of God A differeÌce betwene thinges ciuile and betwene those thinges which pertaine to eternall saluation those thinges also God ruleth and gouerneth as semeth besâ to his most wise prouidence But touching those thinges which are acceptable vnto God and which pertayne to our saluation we can not be moued vnles we be impelled by the spirite of God Augustine in his Encheridion to Laurentius the 32. chapiter writeth many things which serue to the declaration of this conclusion of Paul For he sayth that these thinges make very much agaynst them which hold that the beginning of our saluatioÌ commeth of our selues Which thing vârely they teach which will haue predestination to procede of good workes foresene For if it were so theÌ contrary to the sentence of Paul it should be of him that willeth and of hym that runneth Augustine in dede confesseth that no man can beleue hope or loue vnles he will but euen this selfe same wil to beleue to hope and to loue he saith commeth not but from God For that is vayne which some say that the will of man is not by it selfe sufficient and therefore nedeth yâ mercy of God as though a good worke ought to come and to procede both from our will and also from grace For if it were so Paul mought haue sayd that it is not of God that hath Good works are not to be deiâded to make one part oures an other Gods part mercy but of man that willeth and runneth For according to this sentence nether doubtles should the grace of God be sufficient vnles vnto it the will of maÌ should ioyne it selfe Which thing forasmuch as no Christian either ought or caÌ reseruing piety speake it resteth that Paul therefore said That it is neither of him that willeth nor of him that ruÌneth but of God that
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 moâicum 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 ⪠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 couÌtrey 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 whân 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 ⪠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 ⪠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
men are drawen vnto the father Verely if a man consider yâ course of the text he shal see yâ this sence caÌnot stand After yâ he had made mâncioÌ of the eating of his flesh of the drinking of his bloud yâ Iewes were by reasoÌ therof offended the disciples went their way Vpon occasion wherof Christ said No man coÌmeth vnto me vnles my father shall draw him which he ought in no case to haue said if he had ment only to reproue theÌ of infidelity He should not doubtles haue made mencion of yâ father as though he drew them not if he do bestow this gift vpon all men And Augustine when he interpretateth this place saith Why he draweth this man and draweth not that man do not thou iudge if thou wilt not erre In which words he declareth that all men are not drawen of God And in the selfe same chapter it is written Euery one that my father geueth vnto me shall come vnto me Wherfore if all men were drawen they should all come vnto Christ And in the same place it is written Euery one which hath heard of my father and hath learned commeth vnto me Wherfore seing that many come not vnto Christ therby is declared that many neither haue heard nor learned And in the 10. chapiter when Christ had sayd that he is the shepherd and hath his shepe amongst other thinges he sayth Those whome the father hath geuen vnto me no man can take out of my handes But we sée that many fall away from saluation and therefore we ought to thinke that many are not geuen of the father vnto Christ But here also the aduersaries cauille that although no man can take them away yet notwithstanding men of their owne accord may depart A cauillatio away As if a man had seruaunts being himselfe a Lord of great might he mought doubtles say no man can take away these seruants froÌ me but they may of their A similitude owne accord depart from me But how vayne this their cauillation is the words which follow declare For Christ addeth That which the father hath geuen vnto me is greater then all By which words he declared that therefore those whome he had receaued of the father could not be taken away from him for that he is most mighty wherefore if they which are in Christ can not be taken away by others neither also are they able to withdraw themselues not that they are compelled by force but by the way of perswasioÌ it is of necessity that they abide Which self It is of necessity that the predestinate do abide thing the Lord also spake touching the temptacion of the latter times namely that the elect should be deceaued if it were possible In the selfe same 6. chapiter of Iohn Christ sayd That no man commeth vnto him but he vnto whome it is geuen of the father Which place hath one and the selfe seme sence with that other sentence wherin he said No man commeth vnto me vnles my father shall draw him And Iohn Baptist as it is written in the 3. chapiter of Iohn when he heard of his disciples that Christ baptised many answered that no man can receaue any thing vnles it be geuen him from heauen And in the selfe same chapiter The spirite bloweth where it will which thing although it be spoken of the winde yet notwithstanding is it applied vnto the holy ghost which regenerateth For to declare the force of the holy ghost the similitude is taken of the nature of the winde But The reueling of Christ is not commoÌ vnto al meÌ this is more manifestly set forth in Mathew when it is said No man knoweth the father but the sonne and he vnto whome he will reuele hym In which place we are tought that the reueling of Christ is not geuen vnto all men which thing Christ in the selfe same Euangelist declared when turning him vnto the father he said I geue thee thankes o king of heauen and of earth for that thou hast hidden these thinges from the wise and prudent men and hast reueled them to infantes Here also is declared that the reuealing of true doctrine is not common vnto all men But if thou wilt say that therefore it is not reuealed vnto the wyse men A cauillation for that they wyll not receaue it The woordes whiche followe doo not render thys cause but rather declare that the wyll of God hath so decreed For it followeth For so hath it pleased thee And agayne when the Apostles enquired why he spake in Parables vnto the people he aunswered Vnto you it is geuen to knowe mysteryes but vnto them it is not geuen and he sayde that he so spake vnto them that they seeing shoulde not see and hearinge shoulde not vnderstand And he cited a prophesie out of the sixte chapter of Esay wherein was commaunded that the people should be made blind and that theyr hart should be made grosse lest peradueÌture they should be conuerted God should heale theÌ Moreouer the apostle citeth out of yâ boke of Exodus God thus speaking I wil haue mercy on whoÌ I wil haue mercy and wil shew compassion on whoÌ I wil shew coÌpassion Also yâ which is written of Pharao To this ende haue I raysed thee vp that I mighte shewe in thee my power And he saith also that some vessels are made to honor and some to contumely Which wordes most euidently declare that grace is not set forth common vnto all men Peter also in the Actes of the Apostles sayd vnto Simon the sorcerer Repent if peraduenture God forgeue vnto thee this thought But they saye that in this place Peter doubted not but that grace is common vnto all men but he was vncertaine whether Simon would receiue it and earnestly repent But this subtle shifte nothing helpeth them for as the Apostle teacheth vs vnto Timothe euen repentaunce RepentaÌce is the gift of God also is the gifte of God For he admonisheth a Bishop to kepe fast sound doctrine and to reproue them that resist If peraduenture God geue vnto theÌ to repent Whereby is concluded that it lieth not in the handes of all men to returne into the right way vnles it be geuen them of God Moreouer some sinne againste the holy ghost who are not pardoned neither in this world nor in the world to come Wherefore it is manifeste that vnto these men grace is no longer set foorth nor common And in the Actes of the Apostles God is saide to haue opened the harte of the womaÌ that solde silkes to geue héede to those thinges which Paul spake which is spoken as a certaine thing peculiarly geuen vnto that woman And this place maketh that plaine which is written in the Apocalips Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man open vnto me c. For we are sayd to opeÌ in as much as God worketh that in vs for he maketh vs to open and it is
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 patieÌt 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 commeÌdation 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 asseÌt WhereheÌce 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 oâher 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 souÌd 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 sacrameÌts Whether we must beleue with iudgementâ or without iudgement ⪠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 iudgemeÌt 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã To answer to this doubt this is to be vnderstanded that iudgement is of two sortes ⪠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
God no man knoweth but only the spirite of God And if we vnderstand How we may vnderstand some secretes of God any thing of them that commeth as it is there sayd for that God hath reueled vnto vs his spirite And we haue the mind of Christ which we haue draweÌ chiefely out of the holy scriptures spiritually vnderstanded as it is mete Augustine entreateth of this place towardes the end of his booke de gratia libero arbi trio and sayth That Paul before sayd That God hath shut vp all vnder infidelity that he might haue mercy of all And shewed also that so long as the Iewes beleued the GeÌtiles were vnbeleuers but when the Iewes were made blind the Gentiles came vnto the true fayth and from the serching out of these secretes meÌ are iustly forbidden for that they are not able to perse into them yea oftentimes they haue thereby hurt and they fall into absurd Reason ought not to persuade vs to do euill thinges that good may ensue By these sayinges is nothing taken away froÌ the certainty of fayth opinions For when meÌ heare that God hath shut vp all vnder beliefe that he might haue mercy of all streight way they adde therefore are euill thinges to be committed that good thinges may ensew when as rather they ought to say We haue done euill thinges and the lord hath thereout thorough his mercy brought forth good thinges let vs therfore doo good thinges that better may ensew No man hath bene Gods counseller for he is the chiefe wisedome Howbeit by these sayinges is nothing taken away from the certainty of fayth for that it commeth not vnto vs by humane strength or by our owne vnderstanding but by the breathing of the spirite of God And whosoeuer do rightly and diligently weighe those thinges they shall neuer be able any maner of way to complayne of God as though he should deale with them vniustly when as he as it is manifest is in debt to no man Neyther can this be true that predestination is of workes foresene when as it is sayd that no man hath Predestination is not of workes foresene geuen vnto him first that he should be recompensed For what ells is this God to predestinate according to woorkes foresene then to render vnto them his appointing to eternal life Merites also are herby most manifestly excluded which can not properly consist vnles we affirme that we geue somthing that is our Merites at excluded owne which thing this sentence which we now entreate of suffreth not Wherfore let no man cry out that he hath done many thinges and therfore many and greate thinges are dew vnto him when as no man hath any thing that is hys owne And although it be written that God will render to euery man according to his Our good workes are the workes of God workes yet is that so to be vnderstanded that if they be good workes they are for no other cause called any mans workes but for that they are wrought in hym namely by the power of the spirite of God whereby they are in very dede the workes of God And Augustine most truly sayth that God crowneth in vs his gifts For as touching vs we deserue nothing but death Finally let vs hereout gather that forasmuch as no man can by hys owne wisedome or strengths attayne vnto thinges diuine the best remedy is that we all suffer our selues to be led by the spirite and word of God For of him and thorough him and for him are all thinges to him be glory for euer Amen That we can in no wise be Gods counsellers hereby it is euident for that all thinges depend of him as it manifestly appeareth in the creation of all thinges and also in regeneration whereby we are iustified where all whole is attributed vnto him and finally we are no otherwise in his handes then the vessell is in the hand of the potter Wherefore we may conclude that he hath ful right to do with vs whatsoeuer he wil and it is our part not to be to much inquisitiue but to geue the glory vnto him and to direct all our doinges vnto him FroÌ which thing both idolatrers and also they which attribute iustification vnto theyr workes are most farre distant Origen noteth as also he before When it is said that no man can be Gods counseller the sonne nor yâ holy ghost are not excluded for the whole blessed Trinitie knoweth all thinges Origens exposition vpon this epistle suspected The things which are created consist not of the nature of God How God created all thinges by the sonne Instrumentes are not to be made equal vnto hym that worketh with them Why God created all thinges for himselfe did that this sentence None can be Gods counseller ought to be vnderstanded of thinges created and not of the sonne or of the holy ghost And to proue that the holy ghost knoweth the father he bringeth this sentence No man knoweth the thinges which are of God but the spirite of God Wherefore he admonisheth that from this proposition is to be exempted the blessed trinity which thing I therefore mencion for that it is thought that he was of this opinion that the sonne knoweth not the father and that the holy ghost knoweth not the sonne Wherfore this commentary of Origen vpon the epistle to the Romanes is not without iust cause suspected The Apostle when he sayth Of him meaneth not that the thinges which are created doo consist of the nature of God as of a certayne mater but they are of God as of the efficient beginning neyther neded there any matter in theyr creation for they were made of nothing And all thinges are therefore thorough him for that God neded not an helper for he is endewed with a full power of his own he is sufficieÌt of himselfe And he created all things by the sonne not as by an instrumente but as an artificer by wisedome excerciseth his arte For instrumentes haue not any such force that they are to be counted equall to the artificer But the sonne is in all poyntes equall vnto the father And all thinges were created of God for him for that he hath nothing more perfecter then himselfe and therefore for him selfe he created all thinges for he is the end of all thinges Augustine in his booke de Natura boni agaynst the Maniches in the 27. and 28. chapiters at large intreateth how these thinges are to be vnderstanded neither varieth be from the exposition now brought I omit to speake of them which referre these thinges vnto the father the sonne and the holye ghoste for as it is not of anye greate wayght so semeth it to be to muche constrayned Amen is a word of confirmation For the maner of the Apostle is so often as he hath made an end of entreating of those thinges which pertayne vnto the glory of God to burst forth into this affirmation which thing we also ought to
peraduenture séeme straunge vnto some as sayth Origen that the Apostle when as in the spirite of God he know that he should come to Rome wold yet notwithstanding implore those mennes prayers This in my iudgement no man shoulde call in question But we should rather learne that holy men althoughe they certainly know that God will geue vnto them whatsoeuer is expedient yet they also knowe that he will oftentimes geue it them throughe the prayers of his The We pray for those thinges which we know shal be geuen vnto vs. Lord also knew that the father would deliuer vnto him all things yet notwithstanding he continually prayed vnto him and so prayed that he sayde Father into thine hands I commend my spirite And as he knewe that his spirite should without all doubt be receiued of God so doubted he not but that the same was to be obtayned by his prayers Moreouer by those wordes we gather that the force of prayers consisteth not of our workes and merites For Paul so greate an Apostle desireth Prayers consist not of the worthines of them that pray to be holpen by theyr prayers who were far inferior vnto him although Ambrose sayth that many little ones if they be gathered together into one make great ones This saying I mislike not for Christ sayd where so euer shall be two or three gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Againe touching what thing so euer two or three shall agree together it shal be done vnto them as they desire And how much the prayers of the Church profited it is plainly declared in Peter For he was deliuered by the Angel when as continual prayer was made for him And seing now that publique prayers are so profitable they ought without all doubte most often How we ought to praâ for other to be celebrated Wherfore godly men so often as they are either sicke or are in any great daunger ought to require the publike prayers of the Churche and afterwarde when they haue obtained theyr request they ought also to require yâ church publikely to geue thanks to God for theyr sakes That ye helpe me in my busines In Greke it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This doubtles is more then to helpe a man in his busines For that word signifieth properly a man to take vpon him one and the selfe same labor one and the selfe same trauail one and the self same striuing and conflicte with him for whome he prayeth And by this phrase of speache Paul doubtles instructeth vs with what affecte we ought to pray for others that is to transfer vpon our selues as much as is possible the miseries afflictions and sorowes of him for whome we pray That he vvould deliuer me from the vnbeleuers in Iury. The first thing that he desireth them to pray for him is that he might be deliuered from the vnbeleuing Iewes whome he knewe deadly hated him For they although they wished that all the Christians might vtterly be destroyed yet they hated Paule aboue all others for that no man more vehemently then he vrged that the ceremonyes oâ Why Paââ was aboâââ all the other Apostles odious to the Iewes Moses should be taken away And in this iorney as it is set forthe in the ⪠2â and ⪠21. chapiters of the Actes Agabus and other Prophets foretolde vnto him greuous chaunces which should happen vnto him at Ierusalem wherefore both by that history and by this prayer it is manifest that the minde of Paul was troubled with no small perplexity Which perplexity yet God so restrained within certaine limites that it nothing letted him from the worke of the Lord For the Apostolical history most plainely testifieth that he most constantly answered vnto the Prophets and brethren which dissuaded him from this iorney I count not my soule and life so precious sayd he that I will delay to runne my course and to fulfil my ministery which the Lord Iesus Christ hath deliuered vnto me And I am redy sayd he not only to be bound but also to dye for our Lord Jesus Christes sake Wherefore Paule was not afeard to die but he therefore desired to be deliuered that he might minister vnto the saintes and that he might come to Rome and so goe into Spaine For it had bene muche better for Paul to haue died then so to haue bene vexed with perpetuall contumelies and to liue as one layd forth to all iniuries This he himselfe signifieth to the Phillippians saying To dye is to me a gaine How be it to abide in the fleshe is profitable for your sakes and I hope that I shall abide Paule after this manner maketh request to the Romaines not in dede for his owne commoditye but for theirs And doubtles if they had a desire to sée Paul it was theyr parts withal maner of prayers earnestly to contend that according to his desire he might be deliuered from the vnbeleuing Iewes And that this my ministery vvhich I haue to doe at Ierusalem may be acceptable to the saintes The other parte of his request is that the saintes might gently The sâate of the godly is miserable as touching this world accept his trauaile and paines The condition and state of the godly is doubtles miserable as touching this world They take most grieuous paines for the saluation of others not only to prouide for theyr soules but also for theyr bodyes And yet oftentimes they doubt whether they shall be well accepted of them whome they séeke to profit Neither dothe Paul without cause suspect that this might happen also as touching them which fauoured Christ For in those first times there was in the Churche of Ierusalem a certaine great zeale to obserue the law From which when they hearde that Paule was fallen away they bare but small good Some of the Iewes that were Christians bare no great good effection towardes ⪠Paul wil towards him Wherfore Paul feared least his duety towards them shold haue bene reiected and least he should haue bene frustrated of that consent agrement which he saw was nedeful for him to the preaching of the gospell Wherefore the preachers of our time ought to comforte themselues if they sée that theyr paynes which they take in teaching are not accepted of the people Neyther ought they which faythfully handle the distribution of almes to be grieued if they can not please all men Christ himselfe the more paynes he tooke for our sakes so much the more incurred he the displeasure of the Iewes Wherfore it ought not to seme vnto vs any great iniury if we be coÌpelled to suffer yâ which we se he hath suffred What is to be sâne vnto in geuyng of almes Hereby also let vs vnderstand that we ought not only to helpe the poore but also we must haue a care that our oblations may be acceptable and pleasant vnto theÌ which thing they litle consider which when they geue any thing geue it with
sepulchre 55. a The poison of Aspes is vnder theyr lippes 55. b The folish maÌ hath said in his heart there is no God 22. a The Lorde hathe heard the desire of the poore 381. a Loke vpon my labor and my vtility and forgeue me al my sinnes 382. a Blessed are they whose synnes are couered 75. a And in his heart there is no guile 75. b Blessed are the immaculat which walk in the law of the Lord. 75. Hoping in his mercy 102. a. b Beholde I was conceiued in iniquitie 130. b The heauens declare the glory of God 327. b Let their table be turned into a snare 342. b Returne O my soule again into thy rest 386. a Deliuer me in thy righteousnes 385 The mercy of the Lord is from generation to generation on them that feare him 397. b I as a grene Oliue tree in the house of the Lorde haue put my trust in my God 353. b Prouerbes I Do loue them that loue me 297 I also wil laugh in your destruction It pertaineth to a man to prepare the heart but thanswer of yâ tonge is of the Lord. 381 Wisedome GOd reioyseth not in the destruction of the wicked 307. Ecclesiasticus THe fornace tryeth the vessels of the potter and so doth temptation the iust men 273. All mercye shall make place to euery one according to the merite of his worke 159. b God hath mercy vpon al men and winketh at the sinnes of al men because of repentance 307 Esay ANd if he geue his soul for sin he shal se his sede a far of 118 Why hast thou made vs to erre 27 Iudg thou house of Israel betwene me and my vineyard 47 And euery day my name is euil spoken of 46. b Thou arte oure father but we are clay 276. a Make grose the heart of this peple that they vnderstaÌd not 270 Beholde I say in Syon a stone of triall 284. b All the day long I stretched abroade my haÌds to a people that beleued not 307. a He hath borne our infirmities 323. a Behold I go to a nation which called not vpoÌ my name 330 Howe long Lord euen to destruction 338. a In hearing heare ye and vnderstand not 338. a My seruaunt shall iustifye many and shall beare their iniquities 392. b Vnto wdome shall I loke but vnto the pore contrite c. 399. a Heauen is my seat and earth is my footestole 399. a Jeremy BE ye conuerted vnto me sayth the Lord and I wil be conuerted 388. a 381. b If I shall speake of a nation or kingdome c. 273. b They haue forsaken me the fouÌtain of the water of life 23. a The way of man is not in his owne power 177. a Thoughe a mother can forget hir childe yet will I not forget thee 307. a Not according to the couenauÌt which I made with your fathers 362. b If a nation shall repent him of his wickednes I wil repent me of that which I spake against him 309. b Ezechiell THe sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the father 131 As truely as I liue sayth the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue 300. a Walke in my wayes and make you a new heart 381. b If the wicked men shall repent him of al his sinnes c. 402. a If a prophet be seduced I haue seduced him 27. a Noe Daniel and Iob shal deliuer their owne soules only 42. a Daniell REdeme thy sinnes with almes 382. a Osea TAke a wife to thee of fornication c. 290. b Ye are not my people that ther shal be called the children of the liuing God 290. b Thou shalt call me my man and not my husband 334. b Joel EVery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued 68. a. 321. b Amos OVer .iii. euils and ouer .iiii. I wil not conuert him 133 a Nahum VVHat doe ye think against the Lord he wil make an ende neither shall tribulation arise the secoÌd time 37. a. 118. 131 Abacucke THe iust manne shall liue by faith 17. b Zacharie BE ye conuerted vnto me I wil be coÌuerted to you Malachie IAcob haue I loued but Esau haue I huted Mathew IVdge not and ye shall not be iudged 36. b When ye haue done all theese things say we are vnprofitable seruaunts 39. a An euil tree can not bring forth good fruit 185. a He which seketh finedeth and vnto him whych knocketh shall be opened 284. b Aske and ye shall receiue seeke and ye shall finde 383. b Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much 383. b Lord haue we not in thy name prophesied c. 394. a Saue me otherwise I pearish 11. b I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob 68. a Vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias 96. a Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee 126. Come ye blessed of my father receiue the kingdome 192. b Heauen and earth shal passe away but my words shal not passe away 218. a What so euer ye wold meÌ shold do vnto you do ye the same to them 240. a No man knoweth the father but the sonne and he to whoÌ he wil reuele him 303. b He hath borne our infirmities 323. a Vnto him that hath it shall be geuen but he which hath not euen that which he hath shal be taken away 339. b Why speakest thou in parables to them ibidem Forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs. 382. a How often would I haue gathered thy children as the hen hir chickens 306. b What so euer ye shal aske beleuing it shal be geuen you 383 Come vnto me all ye that laboure 398. b Marke HE which beleueth and is baptised shal be saued 68. a Goe ye and preache the gospel 383. b Luke THat you may eat and drinke vpon my table c. 88. b For he hath loked vpoÌ the humility of his handmaideÌ 298 Geue almes all things shall be cleane vnto you 383. b Lead vs not into temptatioÌ 27 When you haue done all these things say we are vnprofitable seruaunts 39. a Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much 339. b Goe out into the hie ways and stretes and compell them to enter 361. a Blessed is that seruaunt which when his Lord cometh shall finde him thus doing 348. b Ihon. NOwe I will not call you seruaunts but frends 1 The true worshyppers shall worship in spirit truth 8. a He which amoÌgst you is without sinne let him cast the first stone at hir 36. a Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents 133. a He which is borne of God sinneth not 149. a If any man loue me he wyll kepe my commaundements 397. a If ye had God to your father doubtles you shold loue me 397. a True worshippers worship in spirite and truth 8. a He which beleueth
thynges of which there is no mention at all made in the holy Scriptures yea we know that very many thinges which they defend were receaued long after the Apostles tyme out of the decrees or Synodes of Byshops And if there be any whose originall is not certainly knowen yet doe not the holy Scriptures make any mention of them But here the Apostle doth for thys cause commend hys Gospel because it was before promised by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures All these thynges haue a wonderfull When the promise of the Gospell begân emphasis For that which was so long tyme before promised of God can not be but excellent and wonderfull And thys promise beganne froÌ that which Adam inspyred with the holy ghost spake Thys is nowe bone of my bones and fleshe of my fleshe which the Apostle to the Ephesians taketh to be spoken of Christ Gen. 2. and of the Church and from that also which was sayd vnto Eue Thy seede shall Gen. 3. breake hys head in peeces Afterward it was extended with continuall oracles by the Patriarckes holy Prophets euen vnto the end Prophets are here taken for excellent men namely interpreters of the worde of God and by thys worde are signified all the writers of the Canonicall Scripture of what degree soeuer they were of And that which is added in the holy Scriptures pertayneth to this end to shew that they are not vayne oracles which he citeth for as much as they are extant in the holy Scriptures For they are sealed with publicke writings and ratified and firme by an instrument And in speakyng of these thynges he commendeth hym self which was the minister of so great a Gospell And by the selfe same meanes he calleth them backe both from ceremonyes and also from Philosophie vnto which thynges they were wonderfully bent It followeth VVhich was made of the seede of Dauid The incarnation of the Sonne Howe the sonne of God was made of God is here touched and in consideration of the person he is sayd to haue bene made although thys agreeth not with hym but as touching hys humanitie But it is sayd of the seede of Dauid because vnto Dauid was made a notable promise so that Messias was commonly called the sonne of Dauid as we read in the Gospell that the Scribes the Phariseis testified vnto whom Christ obiecteth How doth Dauid call hym hys Lorde By thys place are the wicked Math. 22. heretickes ouerthrowen which affirme that Christ had a body not of the nature and substaunce of the Virgin but brought from heauen They faine vnto them Christ had a true body and flesh of the Virgin Mary selues this argument Because our fleshe is subiecte vnto damnation the curse therfore it is not very likely say they that the sonne of God would take it vpon hym Which argument may easily be confuted For curse and damnation are accidences wherefore God was able easilye remoue them and yet keepe whole the nature and substaunce of man Wherefore he could no lesse geue vnto Christ a holy and cleane body of the Virgin then he could out of the vyle clay bring forth a noble and most cleane body vnto Adam And in that we heare that the sonne of God so abased hym selfe to take vpon hym humane fleshe it ought to be vnto vs no small spurre that nothing be offered vnto vs so hard which for Christes sake we will not suffer Many demaunde why Christ the sonne of God Why Christ tokâ vpon hym humane fleshe tooke vpon hym humane fleshe And although many reasons might be brought yet will I bryng that which Ambrose hath rendred vpon this place namely that punishment myght be taken in that fleshe which sinned euen as men that are malefactours are there accustomed to suffer punishmentes where they haue coÌmitted Ambrose great wicked crimes VVhich was declared to be the Sonne of God Here I can not tell howe the Latine translation had Qui praedestinatus est that is which was predestinate By meanes whereof the interpreters had much adoe to declare it aptlye They myght in deede saye that Christ was to thys end predestinate to be the Mediatour and redemer of mankinde But the thynges which followe agree not therwith for the cause of thys predestination could not be eyther the resurrection from the dead or effusion of the holy ghost Therefore we must read it as the Greke bookes haue it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth as Chrysostome interpreteth it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is shewed declared and iudged The Apostle first entreateth of the veritie of the humane nature which is hereby shewed because he was made borne of the seede of Dauid Now he setteth forth the deuine nature For he sayth that Christ was by sure argumentes published declared and shewed to bee the sonne of God And although here is no mention of predestination yet is not the Latine translatioÌ new For Origene maketh Origene eiteth the Latine translatioÌ mention of it who yet followeth it not For he interpreteth it as it is in the Greke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But how he shoulde cite the Latine translation there are sondrye opinions Some attribute thys to hys diligent and painfull studye which had a care to search out all translations Neyther is it to be thought that he was ignoraunt of the Latine tongue for as much as he was called to Rome by Mammaea the mother of Alexander the Emperour Some thinke that these thynges were not written by the author but put in by the interpreter And there are some which thinke that that booke is none of Origenes among whom is Erasmus Hierome expounding the first chap. to the Ephesians playnlye sheweth Hierome that we shoulde here reade ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã neyther addeth he the preposition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And vndoubtedly thys worde is vsed when Magistrates elected are published and declared Therefore thys is the sense Christ which was man in very dede The signification of this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The resurrections is the only signe of the deuine nature of Christ and of the seede of Dauid was declared appoynted and published to be the sonne of God by the reasons following In power according to the spirite of sanctification resurrection of the dead Thys kinde of speache being very darcke hath sondrye expositions Some thus expounde it as though it were one onely argument to proue the diuinitie of Christ namely hys resurrection which they say was done by power and by the holy ghost And to proue thys argument to be of great force they alleage that Christ gaue no other signe but the signe of Ionas the Prophete that also which hee sayd Lose thys Temple and on the thyrd daye I will rayse it vppe agayne Iohn 2. And it seemeth that some of the Apostles dyd therfore dispayre of the diuine nature because they saw the resurrection to be differred as Cleophas sayd vnto
the straunger vpoÌ the way We had well hoped that he should haue ryseÌ againe the third day Luke 24. An other opinion is which thinketh that it is one onely argument taken of the sendyng of the holy ghost For none but onely God can geue the holy ghost The sending also of the holy ghost is no small token of the deuine nature of Christ for by it we are made companions of the diuine nature and partakers of the minde of God And thus they frame the wordes that Christ was declared to be the sonne of God in power that is to say to be therby mighty because he sent vpon hys the spirite of sanctification and that from the resurrection of the dead that is after he was raysed vp from the helles For although before also he had geuen the spirit vnto such as beleued yet because it was not done so largely and so aboundaÌtly therefore as Iohn also testifieth the spirit was not yet geueÌ And Iohn 7. so this argument is taken of the effusion of the holy ghost which effusion although as touching miracles it be not at this day extant yet it so indureth that without it the Church can not consist For regeneration hath no place without the holy ghost I leue to speake of this that some take the resurrectioÌ of the dead as touching those which were raysed vp at the death resurrectioÌ of Christ wheÌ the graues were opened because this agréeth not well with those thinges which afterward shal be spoken But me thinketh that here are touched three principall argumentes wherby Christ is proued to be the sonne of God One is of the Three arguments of the deuinity of Christ miracles and that is signified by this particle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is in power For ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with Paule signifieth the working of miracles An other argument is of the resurrection whereby he was raysed from the dead and liueth for euer and wherby we also shall ryse agayne with hym The third argument is of the sending of the holy ghost and these thrée thinges were done according to the order and course of tyme. For Christ whilest he liued wrought very many miracles after his death he was raysed agayne from the dead and after his resurrection sent the holy ghost By whom we haue receaued grace and Apostleship He had before sayd Paule called by Christ vnto the Apostleship what grace is What is the difference betweene the loue of God and the loue of meÌ that he was called but he added not by whom Here he expressedly sayth he receaued this of Christ Grace signifieth in the holy scripture cheifely that beâenolence fauor wherwith God loueth vs. Wherefore we are wont to call those gracious which are loued of many are also acceptable vnto many But this is the difference they whom we call gracious haue some thing in them whereby they allure men to loue them whether the same be beauty or vertue or any such like thing For men are not moued to loue a man who hath not in him some thing that is worthy to be loued But we can not so say of God because he before all thinges loueth vs and wheÌ he hath loued he geueth vnto vs his gyftes whereby he maketh vs both acceptable and worthy of loue And if we should affirme otherwise God should not be counted the author of all thinges For by that meanes we should put some thing to be in vs before we were loued of him which should allure him to loue vs and so of a creature we should make a creator The definition of grace in affirming that we haue something which depeÌdeth not of God Wherefore grace signifieth the liberall fauour and good will of God which he fréely beareth vnto vs for Christes sake And this may be taken eyther generally so that it is afterward contracted by adding thys namely the office of an Apostle or els it signifieth in this place a gift and faculty fréely geueÌ vnto Paule which faculty is straytway expressed when he addeth And Apostleship to the obedience of fayth He addeth the ende whereunto The ende of the Apostleship the faculty of the Apostleship pertayneth namely to obey fayth And this may be done two maner of wayes either in receauing faith for it forasmuch as it is a firme assent which is geuen vnto the wordes of god may be called obedience as Paule wrote vnto the Corrinthyans that he had spirituall armors Obedience of sayth wherewith he would make captiue all vnderstaÌding vnto the obedience of god Or els it may be vnderstand of a good life and holynes of maners which follow fayth whyles we expresse the might of our fayth by honest actions For his name We execute not the office of an Apostle for our owne gayne or glory but for the name that is for the glory and prayse of Christ Iesu in al nacions And in that he addeth in all nacions he sheweth that the office of the Apostles was not contract to certayne limites but that they should throughout the whole world preach the word committed vnto them and found Churches and bringe disciples vnto Christ In which ye also are the called of Iesus Christ Although ye be Lordes ouer all yet neuertheles ye are in the number of other nacions He calleth them the called of Christ because without calling they had not come vnto him Neyther Called is not here a participle but a now âe vsed he the participle which hath the signification of tyme and that to the ende he would wish them constancye and stability in the purpose which they had taken in hand as though they had not a temporall calling but a firme constant And in that he so often vseth the name of calling he sufficiently declareth what maner of thing our conuersation is when we embrace Christ It is vndoubtedly voluntary and not compelled nor violent We are perswaded when we are with efficacy called by the inward word of God Here is the ende of the pareÌthesis which began at these words which he had before promised by his prophetes Now commeth the second part of the salutation of the epistle wherein are expressed the men whom he saluteth when he sayth Whome he seluteth The Church of Rome consisted of many nacions To all which are at Rome the beloued of God Sainctes by calling He saluteth all the Romaines because at Rome the church consisted not only of towne borne men but also of an innumerable company of straungers which were partlye Iewes and partly Grecians Therfore Paul maketh the salutacion common vnto theÌ all so the they beleue in Christ To the beloued of God he sayth which worde ought to admonish that beleuers to loue one an other for how can I not loue him whome I beleue is loued of God He rightly calleth them the beloued of God not those which loue God because it is he which loueth vs first And
in this life but the crosse persecutions and all aduersities moreouer they were commaunded to leade a straite lyfe to put away pleasures to dispise the world and to mortefy wicked affections All which thinges do rather withdraw men from any religion then allure them vnto it For God is my vvitnes After that he hath shewed how he gaue thankes unto God for them he addeth the perpetuall memory that he maketh of them in his dayly prayers And all these thinges tend to this ende that they should perceaue that Paule loued them For these thinges neither are found nor can be found without beneuolence and a singular charity Neither affirmeth he these thinges simply but ioyneth vnto them an othe For his chiefe care was that they should geue credite vnto him whom I serue in my sprite By spirite he vnderstandeth a mynde inspired What the spirite signifieth with the holy ghost And Ambrose when he interpreteth this place sayth that the spirit is the minde wherewith we ought chiefly to worship God For he is a spirite and therefore it is meete that he be serued inspirite The false Apostles accused Paule as a forsaker of the law an Apostata from Moses Wherfore the crime of impiety was layd to his charge which should excedingly haue alienated the mindes of the Romanes from him if they coulde haue bene so perswaded Therefore he purgeth himselfe that althoughe he worshipped not Why Paul so often putgeth himselfe A place to Timothe expounded God with the ceremonyes of Moses and rites of the law yet neuertheles he serued him in spirite Which thing he testified also vnto Timothe when he wrote that he had from his progenitors worshipped God with a pure conscience By which words we must not thinke that he excuseth his sinne and persecution agaynst the Sainctes but only sheweth this that it was not agaynst his conscience as some which by reason of weakenes suffer not those things to take place which by a sound iudgement of the conscience they know to be vpright Paule fell of ignoraunce which without doubt was sinne but not of that kinde that it should be sayd that he did agaynst that which he thought in his mynde But that which he sayth here that he serueh God in spirite Christ expressed when he spake vnto the woman of Samaria sayinge of the true worshippers that they should worship in spirite and in truth And that was spoken to this ende to The true worshippers worship in spirite and in truth expres that one day it should come to passe that the describing of any certayne place wherein God should be worshipped should be taken awaye and the ceremonies of the Iewes should be abolished so that to worship in spirite may be referred vnto the place and ceremonies of the lawe and that which is added and in truth declareth the thinge it selfe excluding shadowes whiche were setforth in the olde Testament These did in deede helpe the fathers in theyr tyme because they had the worde of God ioyned with them which might be coÌprehended in them by fayth Wherefore God blessed them so that if fayth were present they were in their tyme very profitable but when Christ came they ought to geue place But as touching rites inuented by men we can not in like maner say that they much profited bycause they had not the worde of God Therfore they are worthely to be extingueshed and put away excepte some of them as touching outward pollicy may be iudged profitable We serue in spirite when no part of our flesh is any more circumcised but the mynde and vices beastes are not slayne but we crucify our owne fleshe with the lustes there of Which selfe same worshipping in spirite Paul in an other place expressed when he sayde I desyre you throughe the mercye of God that ye geue your bodyes a lyuely sacryfyce holy and acceptable vnto God and that your woorshyppynge be reasonable He vseth this verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from whence they saye is deriued this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth that worshipping which is dew vnto God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Augustinâ only whereby we vtterly addicte our selues vnto him neither can it as Augustine testefieth in his 5. booke De ciuitate Dei the first chapter be expressed by one word of the Lattins For pietas that is piety or godlines is not only towardes God but also towards our parents and country Also Religio that is religion is not drawen onelye to holye thinges but also belongeth to that duety which we owe vnto kinsefolkes and humane affinityes But in the meane Augustines distinction betwene ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã while he iudgeth that by the Greke wordes diuers thinges are in thys thyng distincted so that this worde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth the worshipping which is geuen vnto God and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the worship whiche is geuen vnto Princes and magistrates As touchinge the thing we easely graunt that there is a difference For we worship God after one sorte and we honour Princes after an other manner Chrisostome in hys 33. homelye vpon Iohn sayth that it longeth vnto the Chrysostome The body of Christ created A similitude The reason why the worship of Christ depeÌdeth of his deuinity creature to worshippe and vnto the creator to be worshipped And he obiecteth vnto him selfe why doo we woorship Christe a man when as he hath in verye deede a body created He answereth No man when he would reuerence a king sayth vnto hym Put of thy purple garments and laye away the crowne and other ornameÌts for I wil worship thee naked he dareth not speake these words but honoreth hym beinge both clothed which purple adorned wyth a crown So we when we worship Christ do not put away his humanity from hys deuyne nature but worship it together with it But the reason whereon adoracion dependeth is hys deuinity But as touching the Greeke wordes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is al ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as touching the Greeke words signity one and the selfe same thing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to to serue for a reward Augustine one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã For as Suidas testifieth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But afterward it was vsed to signifye ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yâ is godly to worship And he addeth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is a hired bondage And this signification is manifestly had in xeniphon in his 3. booke of the education of Cirus where the husband speaketh thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Vndoubtedly O Cirus I will spende euen my life rather then she should be brought to bondage Then the wife answered ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Yea and we reade in the holy scriptures that in Leuiticus it is sayd you shall not do any seruile worke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in
Iob is called an handemayden And Augustine also himselfe in his booke Locutionum Deut acknowledgeth that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is not alwayes referred vnto thinges deuine For where as it is sayde in Deut. the 28. chapter Thou shalt serue thine enemyes in Greke it is sayd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And Paule likewise when he affirmeth himselfe to be a worshipper of Iesus Christ writeth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã wherefore thou seest that this difference of wordes is not obserued among the Grecicians Howbeit they haue a worde whiche is proper vnto the worshipping of God called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but whether it be a woord vsed among good and olde authors ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Augustine ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I know not Augustine in the place already alledged Deciuitate Dei maketh mencion of an other word called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But that properly belongeth vnto rites and misteries For it is sayd that Orpheus fyrst taught the Thracians misteryes Wherefore that woord was deriued of the Thracians turning Whereof ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is deriued this letter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã into ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But to returne to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is deriued of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which particle signifyeth vehememcy and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is to tremble For seruauntes do excedingly tremble at the commaundementes of theyr Lordes The same ambignitye is there in thys hebrue worde Schaah which signifyeth to prostrate himselfe and to bowe downe Wherefore we reade oftentymes Hiskaim that is they worshipped and Histauh that is a bowing downe and in the plurall We prostrate our bodies both before God and before creatures number it is sayd Histauidoth that is prostracions And that honour of prostrating the body and bowing the knees is not done before God onely but also before kinges and Aungels For it is a simbole or token whereby we represent our submission and lowlynes The elders vsed other signes also in worshipping Wherefore Chrisostome in an homely which he hath when he expoundeth Chrisostome Simboles or tokens of the elders in worshippyng Augustine what we signifye whilest we prostrate our selues before God these wordes of Iohn the true worshippers shall worship in spirite and in truth sayth When thou shewest thy handes openest thy harte liftest vp thy face vnto heauen and openest thyne eyes what other thing els doost thou then shew the whole man vnto God Augustine De ciuitate Dei in the place now alleaged sayth that this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is a religious and humble submission which I vnderstand so to be obserued that when we prostrate our selues before God we signify that we wholy submit our selues vnto him and that as touching al things without any exception But if we fal down before an Emperor or king we signifye that we submitts our selues vnto him as it pertaineth to his gouernment but yet not wholy because we wil euermore haue god and his word excepted And in these outward signes which are to be geuen vnto Princes a Christian must obserue the maners of the countrye makyng a difference in his mynde betweene ether subiection and let hym chiefelye beware that herein he How bowinge or prostrating is to be geuen vnto men This honor is not to be geuen neyther vnto images neither vnto the bodies of the dead do nothyng conterfeately farther let him not geue these signes but vnto them whome he by the precept of God is commaunded to reuerence that is vnto all those which are put in any high authoritye whether the same be spirituall or temporall But let him not in any case prostrate himselfe before Images forasmuch as that is expressedly prohibited Yea he must not also shew any such honor of bowing the knees or inuocation vnto the sainctes that are dead For there is no word of God concerning that thyng neyther can we when we do thys leane vnto fayth neyther know we whether they heare vs or vnderstand what thinges are done among vs. And we must take bede that when we honour Princes and fall downe before them we desire not any thing of them through flattery which lieth not in their power to geue vs as is to aske eternall life spirituall giftes conseruacion of life and such like But of a king let vs desire the helpe belonging to a king of learned and wise men to communicate theyr doctryne of rich meÌ to deale somwhat of their goods These ar the circumstances which we must vse And to speke briefely this worshipping of god which is to serue in spirite is reduced vnto fower principal points which are adoracion To what principall poynt the worshipping and adoracion of god must be reduced trust inuocation and geuinge of thankes Adoracion is an humble and religious submission whereby we vtterly submitte our selues vnto God and that in al thinges Trust is wherby we rest in him considering the power wisedome and high goodnes wherewith he is adorned For whiche thinges we cleane vnto him neither do we thinke that he will forsake or frustrate vs. Inuocation is whereby we flye vnto God in al perils and aduersytyes as which know that he is euery where at hande and that accordinge to his promises he both can and will succor vs with his defence Geuing of thankes is wherebye we referre all good thinges vnto him as vnto the firste author These fower things are due vnto God onely neyther can they as we haue defined them be By what meanes the deuill hath darckened this worshipping of god ascribed to other creatures The Deuil hath with much deceat diligently traueled to obscure this kynd of worshipping when he perswaded the worlde that men might in deede principally worship one chief God and in the meane time adioyne vnto him a number of lesser Gods Whereby came to passe that that was deuided which God would haue most of all vnited and ioyned together so the Ethnikes were deceaued Farther in our times such certayne distributions and proper offices are so distributed vnto those which are numbred among the saintes that very oftentimes inuocation is made vnto them This moreouer God is worshipped with reuetence of the childe to the father is to be considered that that which Paule sayth To serue in spirite comprehendeth a fatherly reuerence that is of the children towarde the father and not a seruile feare wherewith the Ethnikes being perswaded hated the iudgement of God and would haue no God to be at al. Wherfore they haue alwayes applied theyr cogitations vnto fayned religions and they performed certayne outward woorkes whereby they thought themselues ful of all pietie and yet in the meane time they absteyned not froÌ witked actes But godly meÌ forasmuch as they serue him in spirit are careful that they faine not vnto theÌselues a God after theyr owne fansy but do embrace him euen as it hath pleased him to declare himselfe in the woorde of the scriptures And when they see that
as it became theÌ neyther praid they for theÌ so much as they oght to haue done Wherefore the holy prophets acknowledging in themselues such a communion of sinnes sayd with others We haue sinned we haue done iniquity Vnto thee belongeth righteousnes vnto vs confusion of face Now he reÌdreth a reason why the Iewes haue nothing wherein they excell the Gentils Because sayth he vve haue alredy proued and shevved causes that asvvell the Ievves as the Gentils are vnder sinne And now besides his accusations he alledgeth testimonies also of the scriptures in which were most manifestlye comprehended the Iewes For it is not likely that the prophets and the scriptures would reproue the sinnes of other nacions and speake nothing of theyr sinnes vnto whome they chiefely pertayned Whensoeuer the Gentils are reproued in the scriptures thou shalte see them expressed by name The burthen of Damascuâ sayth Esay The burthen of Egipt the burthen of Tyrus and such like There is none iust no not one This testemony is written in the. 14. psal and in the Hebrew is redde En esah tob non facieÌs bonum not doinge good The Greeke interpreters haue turned it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is to do a good dede or a thinge profitable to our neyghbour Therin he playnely sheweth that they were without loue and charitie It followeth There is none that vnderstaÌdeth ther is none that seketh after God These words are red in the. 53. psal And it is a generall oracle as well against yâ Gentils as against the Iewes For before these wordes it is there writteÌ The Lord looked down from heauen vpon the sonnes of Adam to see whether there were any that hadde vnderstanding and sought after God Which thinges are spoken per Anthro popathian as though God were affected with the selfe same proprieties as men are wonte to be And this serueth to driue an efficacy into those thinges which are spoken otherwise God seeth all thinges neyther needeth he ether to beholde or to sârche How God is sayd to looke vpon men out any thinge By this kinde of figure in the booke of Genesis he is sayd to haue descended vnto the Tower when it was in buildinge and in the same booke he sayth that he woulde go to Sodome to se whither the thinge were so as the cry fame had declared vnto him Althoughe Augustine entreatinge vpon this place writeth that God beholdeth and looketh vpon menne when he stirreth vp those whom he hath inspired with his holy spirite to do any thinge according to those phrases of speache whereby he is sayd to tempte or txye to knowe whither he be beloued or no. For he knoweth also with out any trials but yet by them he bringeth to passe that we are admonished and do know that which before we knew not So Paule sayth that the spirite searcheth out the profound thinges of God For forasmuch as the holy Ghost is God he nedeth no searching out for the knowledge How the spirite searcheth out the profounde thinges of God of any thing But yâ Apostle so speaketh because by his impulsion we are stirred vp to serch out those things which pertaine to God But because there is added From heauen least that should be a let Augustine affirmeth that no man can vnderstand this corruption of men vnlesse his mind be conuersaunte in heauen and inspired with the spirite of God But the first interpretacion is both easier redier And in that men are said not to vnderstaÌd God it is not ment of the simple Whether men are truly said not to vnderstande God If God be euerye where why is it sayd that he must be sought for Faith is not natural in men and vulgare knowledge but of the mighty knowledge and whiche is of efficacy so that to vnderstaÌd is as much to say as to feele and to sauour God Nor seking after God Although all thinges are full of God yet is he to be sought for of godly men by reason of the darkenes which coÌpasseth our mynds through originall sinne For both the fleshe and the senses and earthly affections do let vs from knowing of hym yea though he be present And by this second testimony all men are proued to be without fayth It followeth All haue gone out of the way and are made altogether vnprofitable There is none that doth good no not one Those thinges are spoken as it were out of the mouth of God after that he had beheld from heauen the maners of men And this vndoubtedly is a consequent that they which are destitute of fayth and charity do go backward and do depart from God For so soundeth this word in the Hebrue which is here sayd They haue gone out of the way And that which is here written They are become vnprofitable is in the Hebrue they are become rotten and haue brought forth a stinking sauor which commeth to passe when sinnes are publikely and dayly committed There is none no not one Some by this word one vnderstand Christ because he alone was free from sinne Which sentence although it be true yet is not their interpretation agreable with these woordes when as in the Hebrue it is En gam eched that is no not one And by that meanes this sentence is of great force to exaggerate and amplify the customable wickednes of men Paraduenture this semeth strange why the holy prophetes as Dauid and such other like are not excepted Some aunswere that herein is vsed the figure hiperbole because the greater parte of men was so infected But in my iudgement this semeth to be more agreeable with the truth that the holy ghost speaketh of the nature of men as it is of it selfe For they which were comprehended in Christ were exemted out of this number which thing yet was geuen theÌ not by their owne strengthes or in respect that they were men but because they were regenerate and renued by Christ Their throte is an open sepulchre They haue vsed their tongues to deceite These wordes are read in the v. Psal Hetherto he hath shewed that they were not profitable to their neighbours neither sought they after God But now he declareth that both in tonge and also in dedes they were hurtfull toward their neighbours He compareth their mouth to a sepulchre because it spake filthy things and stanke as a sepulchre doth A sepulchre also sendeth not agayne the The Metaphore of a sepulchre deade whome it hath once swallowed vp So these men with their tongues and vncleane mouth vexe men without measure ende Further a sepulchre is sayd neuer to be satisfied So these meÌ are not content with the destructioÌ of one or two but are redy if it lay in them to deuour all men In soÌme he affirmeth them to be such maner of men that whosoeuer is once wrapped with the nettes of their words is as vtterly cast away as they are which are already layd in the sepulchre or graue Neither wanteth this
the selfe same wordes that they are here when he saith We are by nature Iewes and not sinners of the Gentiles Because we know that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by the fayth of Iesus Christ. Also we haue beleued in Christ Iesus that we mighte be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe For no fleshe shall be iustified by the workes of the lawe And vndoubtedly Paule reproued not Peter but onely touchyng ceremonies And in the same place in yâ third chapiter he writeth Haue ye receiued the spirite by the workes of the law or by preaching of fayth Are ye so foolish that hauing begonne in the spirite ye should now make an ende in the fleshe where by the workes of the law seing he expoundeth them by the flesh he manifestly vnderstandeth the ceremonies of Moses But although therehence sprang the controuersie yet was it most commodiously done for Paule to reuoke it to the genus or generall worde of workes of the law Forasmuch as the tyme should come that ceremonies being banished many would in successe of tyme attribute iustificatioÌ to moral workes which is most manifestly confuted by this so pithy a reason of Paule And this is to be noted that this is an argument that may be turned For euen as we may inferre that no workes of the law do iustifie therfore neither do ceremonies iustifie so contrariwise may we conclude if ceremonies iustifie not therfore neither any other part of the law forasmuch as they were the principall part of the lawe If ceremonies iustefy not neither doth the morall part instefy For they are the offices of the first and greatest commaundement I am sayth the Lord thy God Wherfore it is mete that I be worshipped of thée bothe in spirite and in outward confession not only by voyce but also by rites apointed by me Neither did those ceremonies any lesse bynde the olde fathers then do Baptisme and the Eucharist in these dayes binde vs. Wherfore euen as they most greuously sinned when they were not content with the worshipping prescribed them by God but sought new ceremonies and rites inuented by men for that was to go aboute to adde vnto the wisedome of God and that the worshippyng instituted by God was the chiefe wisdome we rede in Deut. the iiij chapter so our men do most greuously sinne when besides Baptisme and the Eucharist and those thinges which we haue deliuered vs by Christ they appoint other thyngs which meÌ haue inuented as worshippings of God and as necessary vnto saluation As are the masse the inuocation of saintes and such other like And that by the workes of the lawe are vnderstanded also morall workes Paule teacheth by that which followeth For by the law is the knowledge of sinne For although other partes also of the law do after a sort declare sinne yet is that chiefly the office of the morall part What groundes or principles the proper workes of the law haue A distinctioÌ of the workes of the law A conciliation of places repugnant Which thing is expressedly declared in the vij chap. where he writeth For I should not haue knowen what lust had bene if the law had not sayd Thou shalte not lust And this is furthermore to be noted that the workes of the law as I before said when they are taken properly haue ioyned with them fayth and charity and therfore are they not without iustification For wheresoeuer is true faith there iustificatioÌ followeth But the Apostle by workes of the law vnderstandeth as they were done of them beyng vnprofitable and proceding also of hipocrisie Otherwise the law in dede is spirituall wherfore the workes therof must nedes be good if they be considered as they are whole and perfect And by this meanes may we conciliate those places which as touching this thing seme in the holy scriptures to be repugnant Moses said that he did set before the Iewes life when he spake of the lawe And in the 119. psalme Dauid prayeth oftentimes that God would quicken him with If the fathers at any tyme attribute righteousnes vnto good works that is to be vnderstand by reason of faith which they haue as a roote his commaundements and with his law And in this selfe same epistle the law is called both good and spirituall and the commaundement holy and good But on the contrary side Paule calleth it the ministery of death in the next chapter he saith that it worketh anger and againe that it sheweth sinne and therfore condemneth and accuseth So must we vnderstand the fathers also when they ascribe so excellent thinges vnto workes For they take them ioyned with faith grace and the holy ghost And so they ascribe vnto them eternall life and other suche like things which are vnderstanded to be geuen vnto them by reason of faith and the spirite And to declare the same this is a very apt similitude We say that man is reasonable vnto whome yet we ascribe reason not because of the body but because of the soule which is included in the body So when iustification semeth to be ascribed vnto workes we must vnderstaÌd yâ that is done by reason of faith wherunto workes By faith alone we are iustefied which yet is neuer alone which are in very dede good do chiefly lene But we when we wil speake of iustification ought to bring forth our sentence prospicuously expressedly Wherefore we say yâ iustification coÌmeth by faith only which faith yet we confesse is neuer alone For if it be a true faith it ought alwais to haue good workes ioyned with it But the holy fathers spake hyperbollically of workes to the ende to stirre vp The fathers spake hyperboilically of workes Fayth as it is a worke iustifieth not men more and more to vse them But they are so to be vnderstanded as I haue sayd vnles we will leaue them without Christ But some obiect that fayth also it selfe is a worke of the lawe Therefore we answere that as it is our worke comming out of our will and vnderstanding it iustifieth not Because it is feble and weake For none beleueth so much as he ought neyther so strongly cleaueth vnto God as he should do But when fayth is sayd to iustifye it is taken for his obiect namely Christ and the promises of God Neyther is fayth that The power of iustifâing is to be r ãâ¦ã erred to his obiect A similitude thing which iustifyeth but the instrument whereby iustification is receaued Neyther must we thinke that by the worthynes thereof it is of it selfe sufficient to iustifie a man A most euident similitude may be brought as touching a begger which with his weake hand or peraduenture with his hand enfected with leprosy receaueth almes And that benefite is not weighed according to the weakenes or disease of the hand which receaueth it but according to the quantity of the monye which is geuen Wherefore
whiche sinnes were sayd to be purged but baptised them into repentaunce to the forgeuenes of sinnes adioyning therunto doctrine wherein he made mention of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Gost Which thing vndoubtedly the high Priestes and Scribes and Phariseys coulde in no case abyde that he reiecting the ceremonies which were receaued shoulde put in their place a new maner of purging Wherefore they sent a Messenger vnto him to aske of him whither he were the Messias or Elias or the Prophet as it were confessing that vnder the Messias it should come to passe that the ceremonies of the law should be abolished the the same was not lawfull for other meÌ to doo And if a man demauÌd why God gaue ceremonies which should afterwarde be abolished Chrisostome hath thereof a very apt similitude If a man haue a wyfe very prone to lafciuiousnes he shutteth her vp in certayne places in chambers I say and parlers so that shee cannot wander abroade at her pleasure He appointeth vnto her moreouer Eunuches wayting maydes and handmaides most diligentlye to haue an eye vnto her So delte God with the Iewes He tooke them vnto him at the beginnyng as a spouse as it is said in the Prophet I haue wedded thee with mercy and with loue And by this natioÌ his wil was at coÌuenieÌt tyme to enstruct the whole world Which thing he did by the Apostls when Christ was now departed froÌ the earth But that people was very weake and feble and aboue measure prone to adulteries of idolatry Wherfore God seperated them from other nations and would haue them to dwell in the land of Chanaan aparte by themselues and to be kept in on euery side with ceremonies and rites as it were by scholemaisters vntill this spouse was so strengthened and confirmed that her fayth was no more had in suspicion Which thing when husbandes perceiue in their wyues they suffer them to go at their pleasure whither they will and to be conuersant with menne neither do they any more set any kepers to watche them So God when he had nowe by Christ geuen vnto the church the holy ghost he remoued away from it the custodye of ceremonies and sent forth his faithfull to preach throughout the whole world The selfe same father proueth in an other place that the ceremonies and rites of the Iewes were not instituted of God of a principall entente and purpose For God woulde haue a people which should worship him in spirite and in truth But the Israelites which had bene conuersant in Egipt and had contaminated themselues with idolatry woulde needes in any wise haue both sacrifices and ceremonies so that if these sacrifices and rites had not bene permitted vnto them they would haue bene redy to turne to idolatry Wherefore God so A similitude delt with them as the maner of a wise phisition is to do who lighting vpon one sicke of a burnyng agew whiche by reason of his wonderfull great heate requireth in any wyse to haue some colde water geuen him and if he haue none geuen him he is redy to hang himselfe or by some other meanes to destroy himselfe in this case the phisition beyng by necessity coÌpelled commaundeth to be brought a viole full of water which he himself hath prepared and geueth the sicke man leaue to drinke but yet with suche a charge that he drinke out of nothing els but out of that viall So God graunted vnto the Hebrewes sacrifices and ceremonies but yet so that they should not exercise them otherwise then he himselfe had commaunded them And that this is true he hereby proueth For that God gaue not ceremonies vntill alter they had made the golden caife God prescribed not ceremonies but when he had made open his wrath against the Israelites who hurling in theyr braselets earinges and ringes caused a calfe to be made for them which they worshipped And seyng it is so Paul saith rightly when he sayth that the law is not by faith abolished although those ceremonies be taken away Which sentence Christ also confirmeth when he saith that he came not to take away the law but to fulfill it The sence of which wordes may easely be gathered out of those thinges which we haue before spoken The reasons which afterward follow are brought to confirme this proposition now alledged namely That man is iustified by faith and that without the workes of the law Hetherto when as at the beginning Here is repeated the methode or order which the Apostle hath hether to kept the Apostles had set forth that by the Gospell and the faith of Christ commeth saluation and righteousnes he vsed this reason that whersoeuer the Gospel and faith want there is most great vnrighteousnes and vncleannes of life but on the contrary side where these haue place there is both righteousnes and true holines Therfore by them saith he come saluation and iustification The Minor or second proposition was proued chiefly as touching the first parte For first the Gentles liued most filthely although they knew God by the nature of things Farther the Iewes were not in their conuersation one whit better then the Gentles And this done he declareth wherehence the true righteousnes should be sought for t namely of faith without workes Which thing before he would proue he thought it good to confute an obiection namely that by faith he ouerthroweth not the law but rather by faith confirmeth it This selfe same thing is obiected vnto vs in our dayes that by faith which with the Apostle we affirme to iustifie we ouerthrowe all honest and holy workes Of this thing do they cry out which defend the worke wrought in the sacramentes which boast of workes of supererogation whiche defend purgatory inuocation of saintes and obtrude vowes and sole life What shall we answer to these things Paul sayth yâ he by faith abrogateth not the law but rather confirmed it In which wordes he geueth a reuerence to the ceremonies instituted of God which for their tyme were of necessity obeyed especially for the they were founded vpon the word of God But we can not so say as touching those things which we are accused to haue ouerthrowen Bicause they are abuses and mere superstitions In this disputacion the condition of Paul and ours is diuerse which are vtterly repugnaunt vnto the worde of God Wherfore we confesse that these thinges we ouerthrow by the fayth of Christ and doctrine of the Gospell Now haue we heard the purpose and state of the question which shall be entreated of which we ought continually to haue before our eyes so that vnto it must we referre whatsoeuer is sayd in this whole discourse And this shal be with fruite to heare those thinges which the Apostle writeth The fourth Chapter VVHat shal we say then that Abraham our Father hath found concerning the flesh For if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God
things But we speake so of sacramentes as Paule now speaketh of circumcision Now because we haue sufficiently spokeÌ of the word we will adde the definition of a sacrament Definition of a sacrament What a signe is and this definition is most receaued A sacrament is a visible forme or a visible signe of an inuisible grace And that is called a signe which besides the forme which it offreth vnto the senses bringeth some other thing into our knowledge And a signe as Augustine writeth and the master of the sentences affirmeth is deuided into a naturall signe and a signe geuen Smoke is a naturall signe of fyre and cloudes a naturall signe Distinction of a signe Thinges signified haue theyr distinction by diuersities of times of fyre and cloudes a naturall signe of rayne But a signe geuen and appoynted of the will is diuers as letters wordes gestures beckes and many such like And these signes may pertayne to diuers and sondry senses But the things that are signified are eyther thinges past thinges present or thinges to come The tables of the lawe the Manna the rodde of Aaron which were kept signified thinges past For God would haue these thinges to remayne as certayne monumentes of thinges past Other signes betoke thinges to come as the raynebow in the cloudes which was geuen in the tyme of Nohe the flese of Gedeon and the shadow of the Sunne which in the tyme of Ezechias the king went backward Sometimes are signified thinges present as in the garments of the priestes in the apparell of the Leuites in the ornameÌtes of magistrates and in the miracles of Christ For all these signified the present power of God Our sacramentes are visible signes not indede of theyr owne nature but geuen vnto vs by the will of God and they pertayne to many senses For the wordes which are set forth in the sacramentes are receaued with the eares but the notes and outward simboles are perceaued eyther by sight or féeling or smelling or tasting and they demonstrate both thinges present thinges past and thynges to come for the death of Christ is represented in them which is now past and the promise and gift of God which in the mynde and by fayth is presently embraced and the purenes of lyfe and mortification and duties of charity which are afterward to be performed of vs. By those thinges it is manifest what maner of signes we put to be sacramentes But it may séeme to be sufficieÌt to take that definition which Paule here vseth namely to say that Definition of a Sacramentout of this place of Poule What is the chiefestâ promise which is sealed in a sacrament sacramentes are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is sealinges of the righteousnes of fayth For they seale the promises by which so that fayth be adioyned vnto them we are iustifyed If a man demaund what it is that God promiseth vnto vs to aunswere briefely it is that he will be our God which thing where it taketh place saueth vs maketh vs blessed happy This is the promise which is by diuers outward simbols sealed in the sacramentes Which thing we haue in the boke of Genesis the 17. chapter where circumcision is geuen whereby was confirmed the couenant made betwene God and Abraham The summe of that promise was as we haue sayd that God would be his God and the God of hys séede Which selfe same thing Ieremy also testefieth of the new couenant of the Gospell where he sayth that the lawes shoulde not only be written in the bowelles and hartes of the beleuers but also that God would be vnto them theyr God and they agayne on the other side shoulde be vnto hym his people That also we well allowe Sacramentes consist of two thinges We must haue a consideration vnto the analogy of the signe vnto the thing signified We must also kepe a diuersity betwene the signe and the thinge signified which is commonly sayd that the sacramentes consist of two thinges namely of outward signes which the scholemen count for the matter and of the thing signified Which is chiefely expressed by the words adioyned vnto the simbols out of which we may gather the forme Which is not so to be vnderstand as though those thinges which are signified are bound to the outward signes or lye hidden vnder them otherwise as many as should receaue the outward clementes should together therewithall receaue the thinges signified And it is necessary that betwene the signe and the thing signified there be kept some analogy that is proportion and conueniency For if signes had no similitude with those thinges that are signified then shoulde they not be signes of them And yet notwythstandyng wyth thys conformity is styll to be kept a diuersity betweene that which is signified and those thinges whiche signifye Whiche thinge Augustine moste manifestly teacheth agaynste Maximinus the Arrian in hys 3 boke where he sayth that SacrameÌts are one thing signify an other thing Wherby oftentymes it commeth to passe that these things which are attributed vnto the OfteÌtimes are thinges spoken of signes which are not agreable with theyr nature A place out of the epistle of Iohn signes agree in no case with the nature of them but onelye are to bee referred vnto the thinges by them signified And he citeth a place out of the epistle of Iohn where thys thing is manifestly shewed For he saith yâ there are thrée things which bear witnes bloud water and the spirite and these thrée saith he are one This can by no meanes be true if we haue a consideration to the nature of bloud water and the spirite For these things are not one as they vse to speake in essence or in kinde But this verily agréeth with the father the sonne and the holy ghost which are the thing signified And that thing which Augustine here writeth may we easely perceaue in the sacrameÌts which we now entreate of in which the properties of the signes and of the thing of the sacrament are put one for an other Now that I haue sufficiently spoken of the name and definition and also of the matter and forme of the sacraments there resteth to speake of the finall and efficient cause of them The end of the sacramentes The ende for which the sacraments were instituted is that our mynde being admonished by the senses might be stirred vp and by faith take holde of the promises of God and so be inflamed with a desire to attaine vnto them For we sée yâ signes tend to no other ende but to transferre and to imprint those things which we our selues haue in our mindes into the minde of an other man that therby he may be made the more certaine of our meaning and will And this is not coÌmonly done but in matters of great weight For if they be but light matters we are not accustomed to confirme them with signes But in things of great importance they are To
constaÌtly Two thinges are to be considered in sacrifices affirme but thereof it followeth not but that the consideration of ether may sometymes light vpon one the same thing The nature of a sacrifice and of a sacrament may concure in one the same thing For there were two things to be considered in sacrifices fyrst that there was something offred vnto God and therein consisted the whole strength of sacrifices secondly that the oblation which was killed and burnt represented Christ which was to be slayne for vs by whome we shoulde haue God pacefied and mercifull And after thys maner we doubt not but that in them was a sacrament And how all these thinges were seales of most certayne promises may easely be declared by euery one of them perticularly as by the obseruation of the Sabboth by circumcision by choyce of meates by washing and sprinklinges of holy water by the vow of the Nazarites by the ceremony of the ielious by the purification of the childwife after her deliuery and by all such like kynde of misteries But Whether the people in the old time vnderstood the promises which were sealed in thceremonyes because we would be briefe we thought it sufficient to expresse those fewe now meÌcioned But there yet remaineth one doubt whether the people of the Iewes hauing those sensible signes of ceremonies vnderstoode also the promises of God whiche were by theÌ sealed Augustine at large intreateth of this matter in his 4. boke agaynst Faustus in his 3. booke de Doctrina Christiana sayth that the patriarches and prophetes and the excellenter sort of men in the olde testament being illustrate with a mighty spirite knew very well the significations of the ceremonies and of the sacramentes so that they tooke not the signes for the thinges which sayth he is a miserable seruitude but he thinketh that the people and common sort of men vsed these signes as the thinges themselues for that they vnderstoode only this that there is one only God which ought to be honored with thys kynde of worshippinge and seruice For if there were any whiche when they knew those to be signes of other thinges woulde yet notwithstanding enterprete them after their owne lust the had bene an error of a wandring mynde By this doctrine of Augustine may be put three kindes of men as touching the vse of signes For Three kindes of men which vse signes some there are which in very deede vnderstand what is signified therefore sticke not in the signes but turne their eyes to the thinges signified Others vse the signes but to what they are to be referred they know not And this Augustine thinketh pertayneth to seruitude Lastly are those whiche are not ignorant that those thinges which they vse are signes but yet notwithstanding they peruersly and as they lust themselues interprete them This is an error that very hurtfull As touching the first and third I am of the same mynde that Augustine is But in the second as touching the common and vulgare people of the Iewes I do not so fully assent vnto him to graunt that the common people of the Hebrues know nothing els of the sacramentes ceremonies of the law but that by them they shoulde worshippe the onlye and true God For they were taught continually of the Scribes and of the priestes and heard dayly the oracles of the prophetes Whereby they mought easely gather at the least a generall signification of theyr sacramentes as well touching Christ as also touching all other thinges pertayning to purenes of lyfe and holynes of maners The doctrine of the looking for the Messias was common The doctrine of the looking for the Messias was so common amongst them that as I suppose it was hidden from none oâ them all Phillippe as it is written in the Gospell of Iohn thus spake vnto Nathaniell we haue founde the Messias of whome Moses and the prophetes haue written And the common people of the Iewes being amaâed at the miracles of Christ sayd we knowe that Messias shall come and teach vs all these thinges Hereunto also serueth that the prophetes euer tought that ceremonies being done onely outwardly and without fayth are most displeasant vnto God And that fayth which was required to outward rites vnles it had had a respect vnto Christ although not fully yet some way and that at the least generally of what force could it haue bene And The prophetes most diligentlye taughte the significatiof the ceremonies forasmuch as the prophets were so diligent in obtruding and euery where inculcating the significations of the ceremonies doo we thinke that they taught nothing of Christ dauid most playnly speaketh of sacrifices that God delighteth not in them But a sacrifice vnto God sayth he is a troubled spirite and a contrite and humble hart Touching washinges and clensinges Esay instructeth them saying Be ye washed and be ye clene Ieremy also washe sayth he thy harte from iniquitye And Ezechiell sheweth that by those waters is signified the power of the holy ghost when he bringeth in God promising that he would poure cleane water vpon them Touching Circumsion also they are verye often admonished in the holy scripture to circumcise they neckes and theyr hartes And that they should not thinke that they were able to doo this of them selues and by theyr owne strengthes Moses in the 30 chapter of Deut. sayth God shall circumcise thyne harte ⪠that thou mayst loue him Touching purifications and washinges of garmentes and such other like thinges they were thus admonished in Leuiticus the 11. chapter I am the âord thy God which brought the out of the land of Egipt ye shal be holy vnto me bycause I am holy Touching the Saboth they were oftentimes told that in it was signified the rest of God and theyr santification And if so be all these The people of the Hebrues vnderstoode that Messias was signified in the sacraments of theyr times thinges were so manifestly and playnly declared which no man can doubt but that vnto them they were good and profitable and that it was not possible for them to be ignorant that the attaynment of euerye good thinge came through Christ or the Messias I can not be perswaded but that they saw that in theyr sacramentes was signified Christ Moreouerr this also is an other reason Esay most manifestly testifieth that God did lay vpon Christ all our sinnes and that we were healed only by his stripes and death wherfore seing in the sacraments mention is made that God by sacrifices is made mercifull vnto vs they could The people knew generally and not perticulerly the consideratiof all the misteries not but cal to remembraunce the only mediator Christ by whome only is God made mercifull vnto vs. Howbeit we can not affirme that the common sort of the Israelites knew all the misteries perticularly Onely this we say yâ they had a certayne generall knowledge of Christ in the sacramentes
of the law when as otherwise we our selues can not perticularly render a reason of these ceremonies The Apostles haue only generally made them playn vnto vs. And though there haue benne some amongst vs as Origen and a greate many other like which haue atteÌpted to frame for euery perticular ceremony a proper alegory yet haue they in a manner but lost theyr labour For theyr inuentions could We must not geue our selues to much to Allegories Error of the scholemen bring no profite at all vnto vs. For they most plainely want the woord of God Nether is it to be meruayled at that they so muche delighted in such inuentioÌs For euen as euery where our owne deuises woonderfully please vs so in this matter the curiosity of man excedingly delighted it selfe Now those things which we haue spoken most playnly declare how farre the schole men haue missed of the marke which haue betwen the old sacrementes and the new put this difference that the old sacramentes only signified grace and Christ but ours largly and aboundantly exhibite both For the elders say they were holpen by the woorke of the worker For when any man came with fayth and a godly Of the worke workingâ and the worke wrought motion of the hart and of the minde vnto those holy seruices he had therby merite But the woorke wrought as they call it nothing profited them as touching saluation But in our sacraments they say it is farre otherwise that not only fayth and the spirituall motion of the minde which they call the woorke of the worker helpeth vs but also euen the outward sacramente it selfe and the institution of God which they call the worke wrought conferreth vnto vs both remission of sinnes and also saluation But I will demaund of these men what that is which the outward worke and the visible sacrament exhibiteth vnto vs that we do not attayne vnto by fayth if they aunswere that it is Christ as for hym we comprehende by fayth If remission of sinnes that also we obtayne by fayth if reconciliation wherby we returne into fauor which God this also we can not obtayne without fayth if last of all the encrease of grace and of the spirite neither vndoubtedly doo we by anye other meanes obtayne this but by fayth what is there then remaning that this worke wrought bringeth This word is altogether strange nether is it once meÌcioned of in the holy scriptures Worke wrought a woorde neuer heard of Nether would I at this time haue vsed it but that I haue to conteÌd agaynst the aduersaries But paraduenture they will say Forasmuch as besides fayth is also added the outward woorke is there nothinge to be attributed vnto it yes vndoubtedly I attribute much vnto it when it procedeth of fayth For I know that such a worke pleaseth God and that he vseth to recompence many thinges vnto such workes But what maketh that to this present purpose Did not the elders vnto theyr fayth adioyne also those workes wherby they exercised and receaued the sacraments of theyr law Wherfore as touching this part wee see that they had in theyrs as many things which pleased God as we haue in ours vnles paraduenture they wil contend that the exercising and receauing of our sacramentes is ether a better or nobler woorke then was the exercising and receauing of the sacramentes of the elders which thing I will not graunte vnto The receauing of our sacraments is not more excellent or better then the receauinge of the sacraments of the elders Whither the sacramentes conferre grace and remittâ sinnes theÌ especially seing yâ the perfectin of the worke is to be coÌsidered by faith and charity from wheÌce it procedeth wherfore if Abraham and Dauid had more faith when they receaued theyr sacramentes then any weake Christian when he is baptised or communicateth who will not iudge but that theyr worke is more notable and more exceleÌt then the other mans worke And moreouer as for that kinde of speach which these men so often vse namely that sacraments remitte sinnes ar conferre grace we do not easly admite vnles paraduenture in that seÌse wherin Paule affirmeth that the Gospell is the power of God to saluatioÌ as vnto Timothe the reading of the holy scriptures is sayd to make saffe which vndoubtedly is nothing ells but that the might and power of God wherby he remitteth sinnes geueth grace and at the end saueth vseth these instruments and meanes to our saluation And euen as to bring vs to saluatioÌ he vseth the word of the Gospell and the preaching of the holy scriptures so also adioyneth he ther vnto the sacraments For by ether of them is preached vnto vs the liberall promisse of God which if we take hold of by fayth we shall obtayne both saluatioÌ and also remission of sinnes This is the true sense vnto which also are the fathers to be applied when they say that grace is the power of the sacramentes Which is all one as if they had sayd vnderstanding and sense is the power of speach and of wordes And how vnaptly the Scholemen speake of theyr stay or Of the stay or let of the scholemen let herby it is manifest for that they say that he putteth not a staye or let which although he haue not the acte ether of louing or of beleuing yet obiecteth nothing that is contrary or opposite vnto grace namely the acte of infidelity or of hatred TheÌ in such case say they the sacraments of the Gospel conferre grace But this is nothing ells then to attribute vnto creatures the cause of our saluation and to binde our selues to much to signes and elements of this world Thys ought to bee certayne and most assured that no more is to be attributed vnto the sacramentes as touching saluation then vnto the worde of God Wherfore We oughte to attribute no more vnto the sacraments then vnto the woord of God How our sacraments are better then the sacramentes of the elders Sometimes is receaued the sacraments onely sometimes the thinge onelye Grace is not bounde vnto the sacramentes as we put corne into sackes if sometimes we heare as Augustine also saith our sacramentes are better then the sacramentes of the elders this ought so to be vnderstanded that it be refer red vnto perspicuitie For we graunt that our sacraments both speake and preach more plainly of Christ then did the sacraments of the elders Wherfore seing we are more clearely and plainly instructed faith is the more fuller and bringeth vnto vs more grace and spirite And we gladly admit that which the same Augustine saith That sometymes it commeth to passe that the sacrament is receyued wythout the thing For so the wicked and infidels vsinge the sacramentes receiue onelye the outwarde signes and are vtterly voyde of saluation and of grace Sometimes also it contrariwise happeneth that the godly being excluded by any necessitie froÌ the vse of the sacramentes yet are in no wise defrauded
to licentiousnes and liberty of the fleshe But in such sort ought we to frame our selues that we should alwayes dispayre as touching our selues but contrariwise put all our confidence in God only Lastly this is to be knowen that it is not possible that so long as we lyue here we shoulde be so assured in fayth that there should neuer aryse any doubt Neyther are these thinges repugnant one to the other but that we may both beleue and also be assured and yet in the meane time be moued with some doubtfulnes For these thinges procede of diuers principles As for example reason iudgeth that the orbe of the Sunne is bigger then the whole earth but yet in the meane tyme the sence both doubteth touching that matter and also testifieth otherwise Certainety and doubting come of diuers grounds Iohn also sayth he which is borne of God sinneth not Howbeit contrariwise he sayth If we say we haue no sinne we lye for we do not alwayes worke by that grounde whereby we are regenerate and therefore we oftentymes fall sinne So also must we think of certainty doubting that they procede not out of one the self same principles or grounds For doubting procedeth froÌ our flesh froÌ humane weaknes humane wisdome But certainty coÌmeth of the faith which we haue towards god But because we do not alwayes worke by faith therof it commeth that we oftentimes doubt But at the last the strength of fayth getteth the vpper hand and driueth away the cloude of doubting Now let vs sée Certainety getteth the vpper hand how Paule declareth vnto vs the certaynty of the promise by the second principall poynt namely by the propriety and nature of fayth This thing he doth in discoursing the example of Abraham of whome he thus writeth Which is the father of vs all As it is written I haue made thee a father of many nations Abraham is a father of many nations that is of all those which beleue in what place of the world so euer they be And he is called the father of the beleuers both bycause he was an example of faith vnto the beleuers and also taught and preached the same This is that communion of Saintes The communion of sayntes which we professe in the Simbole or Creede According to the example of God In Greeke it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Chrisostome interpreteth by this aduerbe of similitude ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as though Abraham Abraham like vnto God were like vnto God And this likenes the same Chrisostome declareth two maner of waies First for that as God is not the father of one nation and not also of an other So also Abraham is not in such sorte the father of some beleuers that he is not also the father of other beleuers Secondly for that as God is not our father by kinred of the flesh but by a spirituall maner So Abraham is not in such sort the father of all the beleuers that he hath begotten them according to the fleshe but as we haue sayd by a spirituall kinred That Greke word may signifie Before so that he was the father of all the beleuers before God namely because it can not be vnderstand by humane sense and reason that Abraham is the father of all the beleuers but this is vnderstand onely before God that is by the power of the spirite This word also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may signifie Before in such sort as in the booke of Genesis the woman is sayd to be made a helper vnto the man the she should be Benegdo that is before him as if a man should say a thing apte and hauing proportion and iust analogy vnto the man and which shoulde euer be at hande which maner of helpe coulde not be found for Adam amongest the other liuing creatures And if a man demaund seing that we differ from God by an infinite distance of perfection What analogy or proportion can we haue towards him How wâ may by fayth be coÌpared wyth God I aunswere that that commeth to passe by the helpe of faith For by it we receiue the giftes and promises which God hath decreed to fulfill in vs when yet our strength and power can by no meanes be made equall with God Suche a lyke thing haue the Philosophers of God the first cause of all thinges vnto whom A similitude they say by a certaine proportion and analogy answereth that which they cal the first matter for that in power it is apt to receaue all maner of formes whych God would bring forth So we by faith are made apt to receaue the promises of God and so we are set before him or ouer against him Howe be it euerye man must diligently take heede that he haue so muche faith as is sufficient least hee The wrestling of Iacob with God should be ouercome of the promises of God This is that wrestling of Iacob with God For he would not be ouercome of him but wrastled against him and receaued the blessing Whom he beleued Ambrose readeth Thou hast beleued as though it were an Apostrophe which is a turning of his speche to the Ethnike But the reading which is vulgarly receaued is the playner And calleth those thinges which are not as though they were This apeared in the creation of the world For when God did onely commaund that any Why God is sayd to call creatures thing should be straight way it was By which kinde of speeche is shewed the easines of creation of thinges for in it there is no more griefe to God then it is to vs when we call anye manne Here is declared also that by the sonne whiche is the word of the father were and are all thinges made We also when we are regenerate are sayd to be called Which aboue hope beleued vnder hope This kinde of speach seemeth at the first sight absurde For how is it possible that a man shoulde aboue hope haue notwithstanding hope Chrisostome very well expoundeth this Aboue the hope saith he of man and vnder the hope of God And it is all one as if a man shoulde haue sayd he hoped euen in thinges desperate or elles when there was no hope at all yet hoped he But in that word is vsed the figure Metonymia For by hope in this place we vnderstande those thinges whiche are hoped for The meanyng is Contrary to those thinges whiche moughte by man haue bene hoped for he wayted for those thynges whyche were set foorth by God to be hoped for In this example of Abraham which the Apostle hath taken in hande to entreat of is verye The nature and property of fayth aptly described the nature and property of faith For faith is the gift of God wherby we firmely assent vnto his promises striuyng agaynst the flesh and humayne wisedome That it is the gift of God Paul to the Ephesians by expresse wordes testifieth when he sayth that by fayth we
are saued and that not of our selues for saith he it is the gift of God And euen as the Philosophers supposed that the strengths and faculties of men are not sufficient to do all things absolutely and perfectly therfore A similitude held yâ we haue nede of habites or qualities yâ in sodaine cases we mought be redy to do well so that we should nede no long deliberation and that that whiche we do we mought do it both easely and pleasantly so also ought we for the receiuyng of those thinges which are of GOD to haue our minde and vnderstandyng strengthened by some power from without vs and geuen vnto vs seyng that thorough the default of our first parent we are most vnapt to vnderstande the hidden thinges of God And forasmuch as those things wherunto our faith hath a respect are altogether deuine it followeth of necessity that to vnderstand them we be holpen also by deuine inspiratioÌ But we must now declare what is the chiefest thing wherunto our faith is directed and that to speake briefly is the promise of God wherunto by beleuing we asseÌt Anâ this promise is chiefly yâ wherin he promiseth that he wil thorough Christ be fauourable and mercifull vnto vs And although in the holy scriptures are red and offred vnto vs very many promises of GOD yet What is the first obiect of faith this one is the chiefest for whose sake the rest are performed vnto vs vnto whiche also are all other promises to be referred This promise as we haue before sayde is that wherein God promiseth that he wil be mercifull vnto vs for Christs sake And although there be very many things which we ought to beleue as threatnings histories exhortations prayses of God and such other like yet ought The common obiect of fayth all these thinges to be referred to perswade vs of this promise onely Hereby is manifest what is the chiefest obiect of fayth for the common obiect of fayth or as they call it the equall obiect is the word of God set forth in the holy scriptures Beyond this obiect fayth extendeth not it selfe For as Paul sayth fayth commeth of hearing and hearing by the word of God This thing our aduersaries caÌ The papistes obiect vnwritten verities which they say are to be beleued The perpetuall virginity of Marye by no meanes abide for they contend that there are certayne things I know not what to be beleued which are not conteyned in the holy scriptures But we say the fayth is an assent whiche is geuen vnto the holy scripture vnto those things which are necessarily and euideÌtly coÌcluded of it Amongst other things they are wont to obiect vnto vs the perpetuall virginity of the mother of Christ whiche they say is to be beleued although it be not had in the holy scriptures They obiect moreouer that the authority of the holy scripture depeÌdeth of yâ church and can not be proued by the scriptures themselues As touchinge the firste it is sufficient for vs that we are taught by the holy scriptures that Christ was conceaued and borne of a virgin And aboue that to affirme that the blessed virgin was ioyned with man as touching fellowship of the flesh it were rash presumptuous For seing that is nether had in the holy scriptures nor yet is verye likely why in Gods name ought we ether to beleue it or to affirme it And contrariwise that she abode perpetually a virgin forasmuch as the holy scriptures doo not by expresse wordes auouch the same it is not to be receaued amongst those things which are of necessity to be beleued as are those things which are expressedly contained in the holy scriptures Ierom of this matter wrote against Heluidius For he was woorthely to be condemned for that he rashly affirmed that she was not perpetually a virgine And Augustine very well admonisheth Augustines counsell touching this matter The scripture hath not hys authority of the church vs that when we come to such places where the sence of the scripture can not certainly be gathered we shoulde not hedlong runne vnto ether parte As touching the other obiection we haue oftentimes declared that it is not true which they take as graunted that the scripture hath his authority of the Church For the stedfastnes therof depeÌdeth of God and not of men and the word was both firme and certayne before the Church beganne For the Church was called by the word And the spirite of God wrought in the hartes of them that beleued the word and of them that red it to acknowledge it to be no humane words but altogether deuine wherfore froÌ the holy ghost came the authority vnto the word of God and not from the Church But they say yâ Augustine writeth agaynst the epistle called epistola FundameÌti I would not beleue the Gosple except the authority I would not beleue the Gospell except the authority of the church moued me therunto of the Church had moued me therunto But Augustine by those words would signify nothing els but that we must attribute much vnto the ministery of the church which setteth forth preacheth and inculcateth the Gosple to all the faythfull for which of vs hath come vnto Christ or beleued the Gosple but that he hath bene stirred vp by the preaching of the Gospel which is done in the Church and yet therby can not be gathered that the authority of the Gosple dependeth of the Church in the mindes of the hearers For if it lay in it to cause the scripture to be receaued then vndoubtedly had it long a go perswaded the Epicures and Turkes to beleue the same But the matter is farre otherwise For whatsoeuer authority the Church hath or the ministers therof the same dependeth wholy of the word of God For if a man should demaund of them how they proue the authority of the Church or how they are certayne that erreth not in vnderstaÌding of the holy striptures and discerning them from other writinges they wil answere bicause it is gouerned by the holy ghost But I besech you how know ye that Bycause Christ they will say hath promised that he will be with it euer vnto the end of the world And bicause he hath also sayd weresoeuer shall be two or thre gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them And agayne I will send the holy ghost the comforter which shall lede you into all truth These are the thinges say they which perswade vs of the authority of the Church But I Contrariwise the church hath his authority from the scripture Fayth is firme would fayne know from whence ye receaued these thinges if not out of the holy scriptures Wherfore we may contrariwise conclude that the Church hath his authority of the scripture Farther by this place of Paule is declared an other difference of fayth namely that it is a firme assent For he setteth forth of Abraham that he nothing
chaunce to dye ether after death we shal haue no fealing or if there be any we shall be in a better state In this maner did they frame themselues after a sort to beare al aduersities But in godly meÌ the consideration of valiantnes and of patience is farre otherwise they haue other causes and other meanes wherby to confirme themselues For they beare not these thinges as though they happned rashly But for that they know that by a singular prouidence they come from the most louing and almighty God from God I say theyr father which with a louing minde and by his right haÌd Consolations of the godly sendeth those afflictioÌs yâ is to the saluatioÌ of the Elect. And for the same cause they also with theyr hand that is patieÌtly receaue them and take them in good parte cryinge with Dauid It is good forme that thou hast humbled me and with Iames All ioy they think coÌsisteth in those aduersities which the most good and most wise God theyr father sendeth They alwayes lift vp the eyes of theyr minde to these promises of Christ Blessed are they which mourne for they shall receaue consolation Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen They suffer al things valiantly not bycause by sorrow they caÌ not be changed but bycause they know that in valiantly suffring the offer themselues an acceptable sacrifice vnto God and perswade themselues that they shall one day be deliuered from those euills for which are layd vp for them most ample and euerlasting ioyes with which no fortune be it neuer so froward can be compared For the suffringes of this time are not worthy the glory to come which shall be reuealed in vs. The Ethnikes oftentimes gaue ouer in the middest of theyr miseries bycause they wanted strengthes to perseuere nether vnderstoode they from whence they should require strengths by reason they knew not the true God nor theyr owne imbecility But holy men stand fast abide by it and perseuer Causes why the Ethnikes geue ouer in afflictioÌs and the sayntes perseuer for that knowing the infirmitye of theyr owne strengths they flye vnto Christ who strengthning them they are able to suffer all things if he coÌfort theÌ they doo not only perseuer but also euen in the very feruentnes of the payne reioyce and be glad The Apostles went from the sight of the Counsell reioysing for that they were counted worthy to suffer contumely for the name of Christ Patience bringeth experience This experience is a certayne triall both of our selues of our owne streÌgths also chiefly of the goodnes might of God For in this suffring of aduersityes we learne how greate the corruption of our nature is which vnles the holy ghost helpe when it is touched with any aduersity streight way bursteth forth into blasphemies and complaynts agaynst the prouidence of God Hereby we learne how broken and weakned our strengths What triaâ springeth of patience An example be by reason of sinne For we should sincke vnder afflictions if we were not stayed vp by the might of Gods helpe Of this thing we haue an excellent example set forth in Iob for he being deliuered of God vnto the deuill to be tried how great blasphemies powred he out in his affliction How much complayneth he of the prouidence and iustice of God The light of the holy ghost had no soner illuminated him but how agayne plucked he vp his spirits How godly and holy an opinion had he of God The peruersnes of our nature lieth hidden from vs. For the hart of man is vnserchable But looke how soone fyre is striken out of the flint stone so soone bursteth forth our peruersnes when affliction oppresseth vs. And this triall as sayth Peter is as a fornace vnto gold And therfore God answered vnto Abraham when he was now redy to sacrifice his sonne and had his sword redy drawen and stretched out to strike him Now I know that thou fea rest God God in dede knew that well inough before but by that fact he brought to passe that this obedience was the better knowen vnto others For we are like vnto certaine spices whose sauor is not smelt vnles a man bruse them wel we are also like vnto stones whereout is fire striken which shew not forth that force which they haue to burne but when they are well pressed betwene the A similitude fingers Experience bringeth hope So hath God disposed these his instrumeÌts that they helpe one an other and one is the cause of an other By reason of the hope of the glory of God afflictions are not troublesom vnto vs but God geuing vs strengths we beare them with a valiant minde In this pacieÌce we haue a greater profeâ and triall of the power and goodnes of God towards vs. Thereof we conceaue a greater hope So hope engendreth and bringeth patieÌce and againe patience hope For when we consider that God hath holpen vs to beare afflictions patiently we hope that he will also hereafter helpe vs and at the length make vs blessed The sicke man for yâ he hath confidence in the phisitioÌ suffreth his botche or sore to be cut Afterward as he feeleth himselfe relieued he more A similitude more putteth confidence in the phisition so that if neede were to cut his foote also he would not be afeard to commite himselfe to his discretion The deuill as much as he can driueth vs to desperation and by afflictions goeth about to perswade vs that God is our enemy But contrariwise the holy ghost saith bicause thou hast quietly and patiently borne affliction it ought to be a sure token vnto the that God in it declareth his fauor towardes the. Wherefore haue hope for he will vndoubtedly deliuer the. And although Iames putteth experience before ConsiliatioÌ of Paul Iames. patience wheras Paul putteth it after yet is there no disagreemeÌt betwene theÌ For Paul meaneth that experience which is geuen at length after the battayle that we mought haue a full triall of our selues and Iames meaneth the selfe same experience but yet as it is gotten and engendred by the exercise of tribulations But that which Iames addeth Patience hath a perfect worke may be expounded A place of Iames. two maner of wayes either that he exhorteth vs to perseuerance in suffring that our patience may be absolute and perfect as which falleth not away or els that we should be of a perfect mynde towardes those which afflict vs of so perfect a mynde I say that we desire not to haue them recompensed for the iniuries which they do vnto vs. And hope confoundeth not This is a notable chayne and an excellent connexion of Christian degrées Of this chayne the first linke is fastened to the A chaine post of afflictioÌs in this worlde from thence the godly ascend to pacience from pacience to experience and from experience to hope which hope
offred And God hath symplye and without condition promysed vnto vs remission of sinnes and eternall lyfe and The promes of the forgeuenes of sinnes and of eternall life is simple and without coÌdition We haue no absolute promise touching the perils of this life hath commaunded that we shoulde wythout all doubting both beleue and hope for them Wherfore in these thinges nether fayth nor hope can deceaue vs But touching the perilles and aduersity of this life we haue no plaine and absolute promise but as they vse to speake vnder distunction For God hath promised that he will ether deliuer vs or ells comfort vs in the dangers that we shall not fall away but constantly confesse his name or if we chaunce to fall he hath promised to restore vs againe yâ we may attaine vnto eternall life Wherfore it is not mete that the certainty of hope should be fixed in one of these parts only Which thing if sometimes good men do yâ springeth of humane affection and not of Christian hope and therfore it is no meruayle if they sometimes be deceaued But nowe to returne vnto Paul he of a certaine greate loue hoped to abide longer with the Phillippians to edefie them And for that he had not Why Paul was sometimes deceaued in his hope this oute of the woorde of God it easely came to passe that he was deceaued But the summe of the piety belonging to the Gospel is that we assuredly settle our selues that God loueth vs and will at the length make vs blessed And if somtimes the mindes of the saintes are disturbed as though they doubted of the promises of God or of theyr saluation this happneth not through the default ether of fayth or of hope but bycause so long as we liue here we are not perfectly In the saints arise certaine doubtes of saluation furnished wherfore this doubting springeth of the flesh of humane wisdoÌe we agree indede with our aduersaries in this that certaine doubts aryse somtimes of saluation euen in the godly But herein we disagree from theÌ for that they attribute this vnto hope but we say that it commeth of humane infirmity only and that it is daily to be corrected so that let a man thinke that he hath so much profited in fayth and hope how much he feleth himselfe the more constant and firme But how these euills spring not of fayth or of hope but of our owne corruption we haue before declared by an apte similitude and will now repete the same againe No man can deny but that the mathematicall scieÌces ar most certaine Wherfore he which hath learned them exactly boldly pronounceth nothing doubteth of theyr conclusions But he which is but meanely instructed in this faculty oftentimes doubteth and standeth in a perplexity for that he hath not yet perfectly attained vnto those sciences So also are we tossed with doubts not through faith or hope but by reasoÌ we hope not nor beleue so much as is nedfull But some man will say that we are paraduenture hereby deceaued for that in the steade of the true faith or hope we haue only their shadowes For we can not easely discern the true hope and faith from the counterfeat and fained hope and faith I answere that by this instance can not be taken away the properties of fayth or of hope for although one or two can not discerne theÌ Howe the true fayth and hope are discerned from the counter fayt The holy ghost is not knowen by âay other thinge then by it selfe yet they remaine stil firme in their owne nature As we se it is in liberality and prodigality For there are many which can not distinguishe one from the other and yet are not therefore theyr proprieties and conditions taken away Paul in this place entreateth of the nature propriety of hope If thou wilt afterward demaund how these faculties or powers are discerned froÌ the counterfeate we answere that they are declared by the force and power of the holy ghost which holy ghost hath in all spirituall things no other light more clere theÌ it selfe wherby to be illustrated which thing we se also true in the Sonne For it is not declared to be the Sonne but by his owne light Wherefore Paul vnto yâ Romanes very aptly sayd It is the spirite which heareth witnes vnto our spirite that we are the children of God But besides this light of the holy ghost is required also the examination of our selues whereof Paul thus speaketh in the latter epistle to the Our examination also is required to yâ trial of our fayth and hope Corrinthians Try your selues whither ye be in fayth In which triall we must make a distinctioÌ of hope For there is one hope which hath alwaies ioyned with it repentance and a desire of amendment of life of which kinde of hope the Apostle speaketh when he sayth that it confoundeth not For it hath alwayes these companions ioyned with it namely fayth and charity Wherfore when we teach the certainty therof we open not a window vnto vices as our aduersaris slaunder Our certainety openeth not a way to sins Our certainety is not security of the the flesh vs nether doo we stirre vp men to lose life For this true hope stirreth not vs vp to these things but rather impelleth vs to liue accordingly to that hope There is an other hope which may rather be called security of the flesh wherof Augustine thus rightly speaketh Suche as cleaue vnto it by hopinge perishe And those are they which say God is good loueth vs Christ died for our saluatioÌ howsoeuer we lead our life we shall obteyne saluation Of this hope we must diligently beware for it is far distant from repentance a desire to liue wel being of yâ nature it vterly driueth away from it faith and charity This hope miserably deceaueth men Wherefore of it Paul here speaketh not Now remayneth to se whither the blessed spirites or soules may in heauen haue this true hope wherwith the godly are now adorned For on the one side we knowe that they wayte for the resurrection of the bodies and the last iudgment which shall be vnto them very wel come wherefore in that behalfe they seeme not to be vtterly voyde of hope Agayne one the other side the Apostle vnto the Corrin describeth fayth hope and charitye but of these three he sayth that only charity falleth not away By which woordes he manifestly teacheth that true hope can haue no place when Whether Christ and the saynteâ haue still hope we be in heauen And yâ whiche we haue sayd of the godly may also be called in question touching Christ for he also semeth to haue hoped that he should rise agayne and that he should cary vp his humane nature into heauen To these things we answere that it ought not to be denied but that both Christ hoped and also the soules of the blessed doo yet after a
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 heaueÌ 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 caÌ 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 coÌfirmed 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 namâ of God is no where better vnderstand then in the holy scriptures it followeth that by theÌ 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 theÌ froÌ aboue Which seÌtence 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 heaueÌ 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 couÌted 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
ernest peny and a triall of the saluation to come And therefore in those which are in Christ he hath engrauen and emprinted his spirite Nether nede we sayth Ambrose forasmuch as we are so deare vnto God to be aferd that we should of him be deceaued And Paul hath not without a cause made mencion of the holy ghost For he it is which beareth witnes vnto our spirite that we are the sonnes of God and by him we chiefely acknowledge the thinges that are geueÌ vs of God For as it is written in the first to the Corrinthians we haue not receaued the spirite of this world but the spirit which is God to know the thinges which are geuen vs of God But because we can not by certayne demonstracions or by experience of the sence teach vnto the infidels this loue of God whereof the holy ghost maketh vs assured therefore it is A similitude sayd to be powred into our hartes For we are in this life like strangers which although at home they come of a noble parentage and are rich yet so long as they are abiding amoÌgst strange nations they are not had in estimation But yet they knowing their owne nobility reioyce in their hart and passe not vpon the vayne opinions that other men haue of them So we hauing the loue of God shed abroade into our hartes when we are as fooles miserable men derided of the wicked are nothing at all moued with their iudgement being fully contented with our state and condition Augustine somewhat otherwise expoundeth this place For he thought that by loue is to be vnderstand that loue wherwith we loue God which exposition in my iudgement can haue no place For we haue not therefore our hope vnshaken because we loue God but because we are loued of God Farther the scope of Paul is to confirme our hope by the benefit of the death of Christ which maketh vs assured not of our loue towards God but contrariwise of Gods loue towardes vs. Wherefore he concludeth his argument with these wordes And God hath set forth his loue to wardes vs. c. Although we also gladly acknowledge with Augustine that the hope of godly men is somewhat confirmed for that they now feele by the holy ghost that they are inflamed with the loue of God when they vnderstand that for their sake the sonne of God was of hym deliuered vnto the death And that our loue is deriued of that loue of God wherewith he embraseth vs it is playne and manifest Our loue springeth of the loue of God but as touching the sence of the Apostle the former exposition is more naturall For Christ when we were yet weake according to the consideration of the time died for the vngodly For a man will scarce dye for a righteous man For for a good man it may be that one dare dye But God setteth forth his loue towardes vs seing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Much more then being now iustified by his blood we shal be saued froÌ wrath thorough him For if wheÌ we wer enemies we wer recoÌciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled we shal be saued by his life And not only this but we also reioyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whome we haue now receaued the attonement For Christ when we were yet weake c. Now he expresseth the reasoÌ wherby we may knowe that God loueth vs namely for that he gaue his sonne for vs wheÌ we were yet weake sinners vngodly enemies Wherfore we manifestly gather that yâ hope caÌ not confound vs wherby we haue full confidence yâ seing we are now regenerate and reconciled vnto God we shal at the length obteine eternall felicity For if he vouchased to geue so much for enemies and sinners sakes vndoubtedly he wil geue much more vnto his frindes and childreÌ Wherfore The Methode of Paules reason Paul first setteth forth the benefite bestowed vpon maÌkind the sonne of God I say which was geueÌ vnto the death Secondly he maketh a comparisoÌ wherby is excedingly confirmed the hope of the faythfull Last of all he sheweth that we doo not only hope but also excedingly reioyce of this loue of God towards vs. As touching the first part he doth not coldly or scleÌderly declare how much good God hath bestowed vpon vs when he gaue his sonne for our saluatioÌ but with greate amplificatioÌ he setteth forth the matter namely that his sonne was not geuen for all men but for those which were vtterly vnworthy of all mercy For before we wer by the benefite of God made pertakers of this redemption we could by no helpe or force of our owne helpe our selues And therfore Christ is sayd to be geuen for weake ones which wholy neded all maner of helpe And those selfe same being wicked and vngodly refused the helpe offred vnto them And when they were sinners these euells dayly encreased more and more For both the infirmity was encreased and the remedy grew the more in hatred by reason of theyr impiety which more and more encresed This also helped therevnto for that men were now declared to be open enemies And it was a greate matter to vndoo and make voide those thinges which were once decreed This is the meaning of these wordes vveake vngodly sinners and enemies For a righteous man and for a good man Seing that all men are loth to dye thereby is manifest how greate was the loue of Christ towards vs which would dye for such as once were we as hath now bene declared For the righteous Some hereby haue vnderstand a iust cause For they whiche haue deserued death canne skarslye bee perswaded too take theyr death patient For the Good That is they more willingly dye for that which is profitable and plesant as the parentes for theyr children the husbands for their wiues merchants for theyr merchandise Origen bringeth an example of the Martirs which suffer death for Christs sake who is in very dede good Others make meÌcion of the Decians Curtians Codrians and the bretherne called Phileni which of theyr owne accorde gaue theyr liues for theyr countrey For all these semed to haue bene moued to geue themselues to the death both for that which is iust for that which is profitable For it was a thing iust that they should be so kind vnto theyr countrey in the defence thereof to be willinge to shedde theyr liues Farther also by theyr death they semed to preserue those who were vnto them most deare Vndoubtedly for my part I thinke with Chrisostome that by these woords Iust and Good are simply to be vnderstand good men and iust men although Ierome to Algasia in his 7. question taketh Iust and good substaÌtiuely for a thing iust and good But why Paul sayd Scarce for a iust man and addeth peraduenture for a good man I thinke this to be the cause for that they which seemed sometimes to
Vndoubtedly they that consider the thing it selfe diligently will say that the sentence of Anselmus is for many causes better then this opinioÌ of Pigghius For we know that to be true which Ecclesiastes saith namely That God made man right The sentence of Anselmus better then the opinion of Pigghius But when he had once sinned streight way followed crookednes For he doth no more now behold God and heauenly thinges but is perpetually made crooked to earthly and carnall thinges and is made subiect vnto the necessity of concupiscence And this is to want Originall iustice For actions or doinges are not taken away from men but the power to vse them well is taken away As we sée happeneth in those that haue the palsey They do in dede moue the hand but bicause yâ power is hurt wherby to gouerne that motion they moue it deformedly and weakely This hapneth also in vs. For forasmuch as the deuine righteousnes is wanting in vs the A similitude grouÌd is corrupt wherby our workes ought to be rightly ordred accoÌplished But saith Pigghius to want this gift cannot be sinne in yong childreÌ For they are not bound by any debt or bond to haue it And if the aduersaries saith he wil say otherwise let them shew some law wherby we that are borne are bound Which thing saith he seing they cannot do let them cease to say that this wante of Originall iustice is sinne But we canne alledge not one lawe onely but also thrée lawes The first is the institution of man God made man after his owne image and similitude By what law they that are borne are bound to haue originall righteousnes What is the nature of the image of God Wherefore we ought to be such For God doth iustly require that in our nature which he made And the image of God doth herein chiefly consist to be endewed with deuine proprieties namely with iustice wisedome goodnes and patience But contrarywise Pigghius crieth oute that this is not the nature of the image of God for he sayth that it consisteth in vnderstanding memory and will as Augustine hath taught in his bookes de Trinitate and in many other places These thinges in deede do the Scholemen teach but we wil proue that the matter is far otherwise both by the scriptures and by the sentences of the fathers Firste in the Epistle to yâ Ephesians it is thus written Put away the old man coÌcerning the conuersatioÌ in time past which is corrupted though the concupiscenses of error but be renued in the spirite of your mind put on the new maÌ which after God is created in righteousnes holines of truth And to the Collosians the 3. chap. Ye haue put on the new man which is renued in knowlege after the image of him that created him And a little afterwarde A trimme reason concerning the image of God he expresseth yâ coÌditions of this image saying Put ye on teÌder mercy goodnes modesty kindnes gentlenâs long suffering forbearing one an other forgeuing one an other And in yâ 8. chap. to the Rom. Those which he foreknew he also hath predestinate to be made like vnto the image of his son All these things sufficieÌtly declare what that image of God is which the holy scriptures set forth vnto vs in the creation instauracioÌ of man Neither abhorred the fathers from this sentence Ireneus in his 5. booke saith that by the powring into vs of the holy ghost man is made spirituall euen as he was created of God And Tertullian against Marcian saith that that is the image of God which hath the selfe same motious and senses with God And the reason which perswadeth vs therunto is that man was therefore at the beginning made like vnto the image of God to be ruler ouer all things created as it were a certaine vicar of God And no man can doubt but that God will haue his creatures well gouerned For he continually commaundeth vs not to abuse them and we are bound by a lawe to referre all those thinges whereby we are holpen vnto God as from whome all things do flow But the good vse and right administration of thinges can not be had vnlesse we be endued wyth those condicions whiche we haue sayde are required vnto the Image of God But in that Augustine assigneth the Image of GOD to bee in the vnderstandynge memorye and wyll wee saye that he therefore Augustine is defended The faculties of the minde are the image of God but not when they are spoyled of vertues The law of nature requireth originall righteousnes did it to setforth vnto vs some form or example of the deuine persons in what case they are one to an other But he oughte not so to be vnderstanded as thoughe he would make these faculties of the mind being naked and spoyled of these vertues which we haue declared the image of God Wherfore we haue a law geuen vnto vs either by the institution or by the restitutioÌ of man which Paul commandeth and by this bond we are bound to haue originall iustice whiche we haue loste We haue also the law of nature to liue agreably vnto it as Cicero saith in his 3. booke de finibus is the principall and last end of mans estate And this lawe dependeth of that other law which we before put For it commeth of no other thinge that we haue in our mind cogitatioÌs accusing and defeÌding on an other but onely for that they are taken of the worthines of nature as it was instituted of God For whatsoeuer Philosophers or lawgeuers haue written of the offices of mannes life the same wholy dependeth of the fountaines of our constitution For those preceptes The offices of the law of nature ar had of the institution of man cannot come out of a corrupt nature out of selfe loue and malice whereby we are prone to euil but they come of that forme of vpright nature which they imagine is required of the dignity of man and which we know by the scriptures was instituted of God and commaunded of vs to be renued And to this pertaineth as some say that law of the mind against which the law of the members resisteth There is also a third law which God would haue put in writing namely Thou shalte not lust Which precept although our aduersaries wrest vnto actual sinnes yet we wil By this precept thou shalte not lust is condemned the want of originall righteousnes Infantes feele not these lawes in the 7. chapt of this Epistle declare that it also belongeth to originall sinne and that God would by the commaundement haue all manner of wicked lust vtterlye cutte of from men Wherefore we haue now lawes whyche so longe as they be in force wyll perpetuallye bynde vs and make vs debitors all our lyfe tyme to performe that ryghteousnes whyche they require It is true in déede that infantes féele not these lawes and by that meanes sinne
instructed Adam immediatly as they are wont to speake without all outward ministery The signe of baptisme is in no case to be coÌtemned For such as neglect it wheÌ they may attain to it obtain not regeneratioÌ But if they caÌ not attayne to it it shal be no hurt vnto a godly man and to him that is conuerted vnto Christ though he bee not baptised And hereof it came that the fathers made mencion of the Baptisme of blood and of the spirite And Ambrose vpon the death of Valentinian the Emperor sayth that he wanted not the grace of Baptisme for as much as he so excedingly desired it although he were not baptised But if I should be demaunded concerning infantes of Christians which dye without Baptisme I would answere that we ought to haue a good hope of them that the same hope leaneth vnto the word of God namely vnto the league and couenaunt made with Abraham wherein God promiseth to be not only his God but also the God of his séede Which promise yet forasmuch as it is not so generall that it comprehendeth all therefore I dare not perticularly promise saluation to any which so departeth For there are some children of the saintes which pertayne not to predestination as we rede of Esau Ismaell and many other whose saluation was not therefore letted bycause they were not baptised Howbeit whilest we liue here there remaine euen in them that be regenerate remnantes of this sinne For originall sin is not vtterly taken away by regeneration The guiltines indede is taken away and such thinges as remayne are not imputed to eternall death But euery âhinge ought to be iudged by that that it is in it selfe wherefore if we be demaunded whether it be sinne which remayneth in the regenerate we answere that it is sinne And if thou rede at any time that it is not sinne thou must vnderstand that to be spokeÌ That which remaineth of this sinne after regeneration is sinne of the guiltines thereof But of this matter we will speake more at large in the 7. chap. But in death this kinde of sinne shall vtterly be ouerthrowne For in the blessed Resurrection we shall haue a body renewed and apt for eternall felicity But in the meane time so long as we are here our old man and naturall corruption is coÌtinually dissolued that in death at the last it may cease to be Now haue we sene three thinges how originall sinne is spred abroade by what thing it is takeÌ away and what is to be iudged of the remnantes thereof Now let vs speake of the payne due thereunto Some of the scholemen thinke that the payne shal be without feling What is the punishment of originall sinne The Pelagians thought that they should only be banished out of the kingdoÌe of heauen and farther they affirme nothing but Pigghius addeth this also that they which dye hauing but this sinne only shal be blessed with a certayne naturall felicitye and shall loue God with all theyr hart with all theyr soule and with all theyr strength and shall set forth his name and praises And although he dare not affirme these thinges as certayne yet he alloweth theÌ as very likely But Augustine de fide ad Petrum and in other places also oftentimes adiudgeth infantes that are not regenerate if they dye so to eternall fire And in dede diuers sentences of the holy scripture seme to agree with his opinion For in the last iudgement sentence shal be geuen but to maner of wayes nether is there appointed any third place betwene them that are saued and them that are condemned The Papistes also although they thinke that Purgatory shall continue vnto the day of iudgement yet after that day they put no middle place And it is manifestly writteÌ that they whiche beleue not in Christ shall not only not haue eternall life but also the wrath of God abideth vpon them And so longe as we be without Christ we are called the childreÌ of wrath nether is it to be doubted but that God punisheth those with whome he is angry Wherefore we will say with Augustine and with the holy scriptures that they shal be punished but how or in what sort we can not define but that for asmuch as there are sundry punishementes of hell for euen the scriptures affirme that some shall be delt with more tollorably then other some it is credible that they forasmuch as they haue not adioyned other actuall sinnes vnto originall sinne shall be more easely punished Howbeit I alwayes except the children of the sayntes for that we doubt not but that they may be nombred with the beleuers although in very dede by reason of age they beleue not as the children of the infidels are nombred among the vnbeleuers although by themselues they resist not fayth Wherfore the children of the godly departinge without Baptisme may be saued thorough the league which God hath made with theyr parentes if so they partayne vnto the nomber of them that are predestinate I except also if there be any other which by the secret counsell of God belong vnto predestination These thinges being now thus discussed let vs come vnto the argumentes of the Pelagians whereby they sought to proue that there is no originall sin Their The argumentes of the Pelagians against originall sinne first argument is that it is not very likely that God will still persecute the sinne of Adam wheÌ as he hath long since sufficieÌtly punished it especially seing NahuÌ the prophet saith that God wil not twise iudge one the selfe same thing I know there be which aÌswer yâ he hath not twise geueÌ iudgemeÌt vpoÌ yâ sin but ââs only for in one iudgement he coÌpreheÌded AdaÌ all his posterity But to declare the thinge more manifestly I say that in euery one of vs as often as we are punished there Euery man beareth his owne sinne and not an other mans How this is to be vnderstande that God reuengeth in vs the sinne of Adam A similitude is a cause why we ought to be punished and therefore in euery man is condemned his owne proper fault and not an other mans And though we reade that God doth reuenge in vs the sinne of Adam that is so to be vnderstand by reason our sinne had his beginning of him As if a man being sicke of the pestilence should infect other and they dye we can not say but that euery one of them died of his owne and proper pestilence and not of an other mans But if a man will say that they perished by his pestilence from whome they drew the contagiousnes that is so to be vnderstand because he brought in the pestileÌce first and with tooch infected them But that sentence of Nahum the prophet maketh A place of Nahum nothing to this matter In déede Ierome when he interpreteth that place sayth that by those wordes Marcion is confuted For he falsely alledged that the God of
vnles we also put to our endeuor and do wyll and also runne But the Apostle affirmeth farre otherwyse saying that it is neither of hym that wylleth nor of hym that runneth but of God that hath compassion And in an other place of hymselfe he sayth I haue laboured more then all but yet not I but the grace of God which is in me By which wordes he taketh away all from hymselfe and ascribeth it wholy vnto the grace of God And Augustine addeth we pray for our enemyes which are yet euill and will not be obedient vnto God and do reiect his promises which thynge seing we do what els do we desire but that God should change theyr wylles which vnles it were in the hand of God to do it should be in vayne to desire it of hym Paul also in an other place sayth Not that we are apt to thynke any thinge of our selues as of our selues And if that we can not so much as thynke much les vndoubtedly can we wyll for the The will being changed of God is not idle wyll followeth knowledge and thought Neither speake I these thinges as though the will being changed of God ought to lye styll idle and to do nothing For it being renued ought to worke together with grace that as Bernard also sayth of frée wil that which was begon of the one may be performed of both For then we are not only The regenerate do worke together with God pure men or naked men but are made the childreÌ of God and haue ioyned with vs the mouing of the holy ghost And Paul to Tymothe sayth that the man of God being instructed in the holy scriptures is now mete and apt to all good thinges But they are accustomed to say and commonly do teach that the grace of God is laide forth vnto all men And therefore if it be not receaued it commeth through our owne default for euery man say they may obtayne it if he will This doubt we will Whether the grace of God be laid foorth vnto all men briefely dissolue We may in déede graunt that the grace of God is in this sort setforth to all men because the generall promises of God are offred and preached indifferently vnto all men Neither do the preachers which publishe them abroade any thinge regard the secret will of God or thinke thus Peraduenture this man is not predestinate or my labour shall nothing profite him They thinke vpon no such matter but do set forth the word of God vnto all men vniuersally After this When a maÌ receaueth grace he doth it not by the power of his owne will maner grace or the calling of God may be saide to be coÌmon vnto all meÌ Howbeit when anye man receaueth the promises offred he doth it not by his owne power or will For it is nedefull that his hart be opened which thing Luke in the Actes maketh mencion of the woman that solde silke For all men are not called with efficacy and according to purpose But these meÌ seme to faine vnto theÌselues a grace as though it were a certaine garment hanging in the ayre which any man that will may put on But these are the inueÌtioÌs of mans wisedome The holy scriptures Grace working and workyng together speake farre otherwise They vse also thus to deuide grace that they make one a working grace the other a grace working together FroÌ which distinctioÌ Augustine abhorred not For it semeth to be deriued of these wordes of the Apostle It is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe Therfore yâ working grace is that which at the beginning healeth and chaÌgeth the wil and afterward causeth that the will being changed and healed may worke vprightly And first indede it is called a working grace and then a grace working together And thys is One and the selâe same grace is working and workinge together one and the selfe same grace and not two graces But the distinction is taken of his effectes For first the will when it is healed concurreth with Grace passiuely For by it it is sayd to be changed and we are sayd to be regenerate But afterward it behaueth it selfe both actiuely passiuely For being moued of God it also willeth and choseth And in this sence is that true which is written vnto the Hebrues Be not wanting from the grace of God For we beinge Regenerate ought not to sit idle but to liue and worke according to Grace which followeth But they excedingly erre which thinke that the will by it selfe can will good The wil of it selfe cannot will good thinges thinges and that by grace and the spirite is nothing ells brought to passe then to cause it with efficacy to will and that it may obteyne those thinges which it willeth which thing as we haue now shewed is repugnant vnto the holy scriptures They demaund farther whither we may merite any thing by that first grace Our aduersaries in dede say that we may but we deny it and doo vtterly reiect all consideration of merite Which thinge with what iust reasons we doo After the first giftes we descrue not the latter we shall in an other place haue more opportunity to declare We graunt that God of his liberality and mercy is wont after many benefites alredy geuen to geue others but yet not that any of the first giftes of God can merite the other later giftes And so are these places in the Gospel to be vnderstand To him that hath shal be geuen thys also well good seruant bycause thou hast bene faythfull in Grace preuenting and grace after following few things I will set the ouer many thinges Moreouer they deuide grace into grace preuenting and grace after following Which deuision Augustine semeth to proue by the wordes of Dauid in the 59. Psalme His mercy shall preuent me and his mercy shall follow after me But this distinction is so to be receaued that it be It is one and the selfe same grace but the variety is in the effectes The order of the effects of grace vnderstand of one and the selfe same grace and the variety to consiste in the effectes For there are many and sundry giftes wherewith the mercy of God adorneth vs. For first the will is healed and it being healed it beginneth to will well afterward the thinges that it hath willed well it beginneth to execute after that it perseuereth in doing well at the last it is crowned Grace therefore preuenteth our will in healinge of it the same also followeth in causinge those thinges to please vs which are vpright It preuenteth in causing vs to will it followeth after in driuing vs to performe those thinges which we would It preuenteth in mouinge vs to good woorkes it followeth after in geuing perseuerance It preuenteth perseueraÌce in geuing of it it followeth after in crowning A similitude of it And euen as that is one and the selfe
sinne And it is not hard to sée how fowly they are deceaued which do of Pauls wordes gather these so greate absurdities For in their reasons they take that A false argument of those which gather absurd things out of Paules sayinges which is not the cause for the cause and so fall into a manifest false argument For not to put confidence in the workes of the law or to teach that by the lawe sinne abounded is not a sufficient cause why the lawe of God should either be reiected or els counted vnprofitable And to teach that workes iustifye not is not a cause why we should ceasse of from doing works And to say that more grace abounded when sinne abounded is not to say that our sinnes are the causes of the grace of God For that is agaynst nature that that which is in very déede euill shoulde That which is in very deede euell of it selfe bringeth not foorth good things bring forth good And seing sinnes do alienate vs from God how should they purchase vnto vs grace The disease maketh not the Phisition notable but by occasion It is the art which coÌmendeth him and not the disease So sinnes of their own nature do not illustrate the grace of God but his goodnes and mercy wherby he forgeueth sinnes If we wil conclude rightly and without a fals argument let vs thus reason forasmuch as we can not fulfill the law and therfore it can not iustifie vs let vs not cleaue vnto it only Wherfore let vs annexe Christ and his grace How we ought in this place to conclude which if we do we shall receiue much fruit therby Againe seing that workes can not be the cause of iustification let vs not attribute so much vnto wicked men to such as are not yet regenerate to say that they by their own merites can get vnto themselues grace But being regenerate let vs aply our selues to good works as to the fruites of righteousnes And althoughe sinnes are not the causes of the grace of God yet let vs acknowledge that there neded a mighty and an aboundaÌt grace to take those sinnes away when as they had so infinitely increased There Paralogismus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is committed also in these arguments a false reason of equiuocation For when Paul sayth where sinne hath abounded there more abounded grace he saith not whersoeuer sinnes haue increased there streight way grace hath more abounded For there are found many most wicked men ouer whelmed with infinite synnes in whom shineth no grace of God at all But this Paul sayth where sinnes haue increased by the law and are now in very dede known and inwardly felte in the mynd there men being made afeard of their misery are after a sort prepared and driuen vnto Christ to implore his ayde ⪠And therby it commeth to passe that grace aboundeth in them which are so touched by the law There is an other fallace or An other fallace as touching the diuersity of time deceipt in this reasoning which coÌmeth of yâ diuersitie of tymes For we graunt that God through Christ geueth aboundant grace wherby the sinnes which went before regeneration are blotted out Yet therof ought not to be gathered that sins are againe to be heaped vp to the end grace also should be augmented Wherfore it plainly appeareth that in these false accusations is more then one kynde of false argument Neither was Paul onely accused of this crime that he opened a wyndow to sin but also al those whosoeuer they were that taught Christ ernestly For those false witnesses in yâ Actes testefied against StepheÌ yâ he ceassed not to speake An example concerninge Stephan We are not onely iustified by faith but we receaue the spirite of Christ wherby we are restored to newnes of life many things against God against yâ law But Paul to acquite the doctrine of the Gospel froÌ such false accusatioÌs saith that we are not only iustified by faith but also haue the spirit of Christ whereby we are both stirred vp to a new life and sinne also is weakened in vs. Wherfore wheÌ we reade the holy scriptures we ought to ponder them with greate diligence and attentiuenes before by way of reasoning we gather any thing out of them For he which neglecteth the principles or first groundes is easely led into dangerous errors So greate difference is there betwéene those things which Paul concludeth of the things before spoken and those thinges which the vnlerned do gather of them that they are manifestly contrary one to the other They by this doctrine do gather that we must sinne to the ende grace may abound But Paul of the selfe same doctrine gathereth that we must not sinne that grace should abound Which thing he proueth in this chapter principally The aduersaries gathered that we must sinne and Paule that we oughtâ not to sinne The Apostle proueth bââwo reasons that we muste sinne no more Why he vseth interrogations They which are dead vnto sinne ought not to liue in it Similitudes by two reasons the first is because we are now deade vnto sinne and are come vnto Christ And this reasoÌ he at large handleth in the first part of this chap. The other reason is that we ought to obey him vnto whose seruice we haue addicted our selues Wherefore seing by our conuersion vnto Christ we are made the seruantes of righteousnes we must now serue it and not sinne And this reason contayneth that which remayneth of this chapter Neither is it in vayne that Paul putteth forth his sentence by interrogations For by them he partly expresseth the affection of his indignation how that he toke it very greuously that the doctrine of the Gospell should be diffamed with so absurd suspicions Farther by his interrogations he declareth the security of his conscience For he sheweth that he thought nothing lesse then that which was obiected against him The first reason is this They which are dead vnto sin ought not to perseuer therin But Christians are dead vnto sinne Wherfore they ought not to perseuer in it These things are euidently proued by the contrariety of death and life because no man can at one and the selfe same tyme be both deade and also on lyue For euen as he is a foole which would desire health in such sorte that he would together with it be sick also or which would abyde still in the fire that he might be deliuered from burning so also is he a foole which being deade vnto sinne thinketh that he may neuertheles liue vnto it The selfe same thing teacheth Christ when he sayth that no man can serue two masters And in naturall knowledge it is a common sentence that the generation of one thing is the corruption of an other Wherefore if we be borne agayne to Christ then is it necessary that we should dye vnto sinne Although What it is to dye vnto sinne whilest we liue here this death is
what also he meaneth by the Body of sinne which he affirmeth ought to be abolished When he speaketh of the Olde man he alludeth vnto Adam and vnderstandeth the corrupt nature which we all haue contracted of him Neither signifieth Not onely the body and grosser partes of the minde pertaine vnto the old man he thereby as some thinke the body only and grosser partes of the minde but comprehendeth therewithall vnderstanding reason and will For of all these partes consisteth man and this maliciousnes and oldenes so cleaueth vnto vs as the Greke Scholies note yâ the Apostle calleth it by the name of man And men yâ are without Christ are so much addicted vnto their lustes pleasures and errors that without theÌ they count not themselues to be men Farther by this Antithesis or coÌparison vnto the new man we may vnderstand what the olde man is In the epistle to the Ephesians we are commaunded to put on the newe man which is creatâd according vnto God in all righteousnes and holynes of truth And coÌtrarâwise To put of the old maÌ which is corrupted according to the lusts of error Wherefore Ambrose expounding this place saith That the Apostle therefore calleth the deedes past the olde man Because euen as the newe man is so called by reason of fayth and a pure life so is he called the old man bycause of his infidelity and euill dedes The body of sinne also signifieth nothing els then the deprauation and corruptioÌ What the body of sinne is of our whole nature For the Apostle would not that by this word we should vnderstand the composition of our body And naturall lust although it be but one thinge yet bycause vnto it are associated and annexed all maner of sinnes which as occasioÌs are offred doo burst forth therfore it is expressed by the name of the bodye And Paul vnto the Colossians after thys selfe same maner calleth sondry sinnes our members Mortifie sayth he your members which are vpon the earth namely fornication vncleanes euill lust auarice and other whiche there followe Our members are the instrumeÌts of sinnes if God prohibite them not And vndoubtedly vnles the spirit of Christ doo prohibite our members they are altogether organes and instrumeÌts of sinnes Chrisostome vpon this place faith That the Apostle calleth not this our body only so but also all our maliciousnes for so calleth he all our maliceousnes the old man The Greke Scholies vnderstand by the body of sinne our condemned nature Although if we would referre that sentence vnto this our outward body it may seme that Paul so spake for that all wicked lust and all corruption of nature is drawen from nature by the body Thys is Humane corruption is drawen by the body The corruption of nature hath sundry names also to be marked that the Apostle setteth our corrupt nature as contrary vnto the spirite but yet by sondry names sometimes by the name of flesh sometimes by the name of the body of sinne sometimes by the name of the old man and sometimes of the outward man and sometimes by the name of naturall man all which things signifie whatsoeuer is in man besides Christ and regeneratioÌ and also whatsoeuer withdraweth vs from the law of God CoÌtrariwise by the name of the spirite he vnderstandeth all those thinges which are done in vs by the inspiration instinction and motion of the holy ghost wherfore Ambrose by the body of sinne vnderstandeth also the soule that is the whole man As contrariwise the soule also in the holy scriptures signifieth sometimes the body and The soule The fleshe the whole man This word flesh also sometimes comprehendeth all the partes of a man that is not yet regenerate For Christ when he reasoned with Nicodemus of regeneratioÌ whatsoeuer saith he is born of the flesh is flesh by which words he sheweth that the flesh ought to be regenerated into the spirite And forasmuch as regeneration pertayneth not only vnto the body nor only vnto the grosser Reason and will are coÌprehended in the name of fleshe partes of the minde but chiefely vnto vnderstanding reason and will it sufficiently appeareareth that these thinges also are vnderstand by the name of flesh And Ambrose sayth that the flesh is sometimes called the soule which followeth the vices of the body Christ also answered vnto Peter when he had made yâ notable confession Flesh and blood hath not reueled these thinges vnto thee Whereby fleshe and blood he vnderstandeth whatsoeuer humane reason can by nature come to the knowledge of Wherefore to retayne still the body of sinne and the old maÌ is nothing els then to liue according to that estate wherein we are borne And Naturall knowledges grafted in vs are of themselues good but in vs they may be sins The affections of them that are not regenerate are sinnes though they be honest if a man demaund whither these naturall knowledges grafted in vs touching God and outward dedes are to be counted good or no I answer yâ of theÌselues they are good but as they are in vs not yet regenerate but vitiate corrupt vndoubtedly they are sinnes bycause they fayle and stray from the coÌstitution of theyr nature For they ought to be of such force that they should impell and driue all our strengths and faculties to obey him But they are so weake that they can not moue vs to an vprighte life and to the true worshipping of God which selfe thing we iudge also of the naturall affections towards our parents frendes countrey and other such like For although these thinges of their owne nature are good and honest yet in vs that are not yet grafted into Christ they are sinnes For we referre them not according as we ought vnto the glory of only true God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ nether doo we them of faith without which whatsoeuer is done is sin And Paul sayth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is knowing this and a litle afterward ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which wordeââeach that those thinges which are here sayd ought to be most assured and certayne vnto vs and perfectly knowen of vs so that euery godly man should fele this in hymselfe This kinde of speach hath an Antithesis vnto that which was sayd at the beginninge Know ye not that as many as are baptised ânto Christ Iesus are baptised into his death as though he should haue said Of this thingye ought not to be ignoraÌt And if ye once perfectly know this principle theÌ those thinges which thereof follow caÌ not but be knoweÌ of you Let it not seme straÌg that Paul doth Why Paul vseth so many tropes figures by so many so suÌdry figure hiperboles I say metaphors exaggerat aggrauateth is matter namely That we are dead vnto sin are buried with Christ and the old man is crucified that the body of sinne should be abolished and suche other like For we neuer sufficiently
as we are able and to the end we should not be faint harted he comforteth vs in promising vs an easy victory bicause we are not vnder the law but vnder grace What then shal we sinne bicause we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbidde Knowe ye not that to whomesoeuer ye geue your selues as seruantes to obey hys seruaÌts ye are to whome ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes But God be thanked that ye were the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the harte vnto the forme of the doctrine wherunto ye were deliuered But beyng made free from synne ye are made the seruauntes of righteousnes What shall we therfore sinne bicause we are not vnder the law but vnder grace Now coÌmeth he vnto the second reason wherby he entendeth to proue yâ we ought not to abide in sinnes none otherwise theÌ he came at yâ beginning of this chap. vnto his first reasoÌ For euen as before he depressed yâ law coÌmended grace wherupon the aduersaries toke occasioÌ of speking slaundrous words saying shal we abide in sinne that grace may abound So coÌcludeth he yâ reason now brought forth by these wordes For ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace At whiche wordes the false prophetes cried out saying that many were offended and accused the doctrine of Paul And therefore he oftentymes obiecteth vnto himselfe such Antipophora is â figure interrogations For his doctrine for that cause was euery where euill spoken of Wherefore here is vsed the figure * Antipophora If it be so as thou sayst that we are deliuered from the lawe then may we sinne and that without punishement But they which make this obiection are wonderfully deceaued For the deliuery from the lawe is not geuen to liue licenciously but rather for a more perfecter absolutenes Wherefore Paul addeth God forbid signifiing that he excedingly abhorred from such kinde of doctrine And this absurdity mought haue followed if Paul had affirmed only that we are deliuered from the lawe and had added nothing els But in that he addeth But ye are vnder grace he sheweth Grace is a more excelleÌter scholemaster then the law that they are so deliuered from the lawe to the ende they should lyue vnder a more excellenter schoolemaster for by grace and the holy ghost we are not only so illustrated that we sée what thinges we ought to do but also we are excedingly stirred vp and pricked forward to execute the selfe same thinges Wherefore the Apostle doth not so leaue the godly without the lawe that he woulde haue them let loose the bridle vnto wicked lustes but he setteth forth grace which through the benefite of the Gospell succeded the lawe And forasmuch as men are much better gouerned by grace and by the holy ghost then they are by the lawe it easely appeareth how weake the argument of these men is For in their disputation they take as it was said at the beginning that for the cause whiche is not the cause But so farre is it of that that which Paul sayth is the cause of sinne that of it rather the contrary followeth For they which are vnder grace and are gouerned They which are gouerned by the conduite of grace sinââ not by the conduite thereof sinne not yea rather forasmuch as Christ ãâ¦ã gh grace liueth in them they can not sinne so farre forth as by hym they are âtirreâ vp to any kynd of worke For Paul saith vnto the Galathyans I liue but not I now but Christ liueth in me But they sinne which liue vnder thâ Lawe which ãâ¦ã seth and condemneth them as Paul writeth vnto Timo. The law is not geuen vnto a righteous man but vnto the vngodly and vnto sinners to ãâ¦ã holy and ãâ¦ã the prophane to murtherers of fathers and mothers to manslears to whoremongers and to abusers of nature and if there be any other thing that is contrary to wholsome doctrine By thys place we sée that they which are infected with these wicked vices are vnder the dominion of the lawe namely by it to be accused and punished But the Gospell suffreth vs not to remayne in sinne for it doth not only preach the remission of sinnes but also vnto theÌ that beleue it bringeth the spirite of God whereby they are wonderfully inflamed and stirred vp to holy workes Neither is this reason of any force We are not compelled by threatninges and punishements of the law to withhold our selues from sinne therefore we are by none other meanes impelled By what reasons the regenerate are bound to liue holilye They which liue vndergrace oughte to obey God A similitude of seruauntes to lyue innocently For we are bound of dewty piety and fayth to lyue honestly and holilye which things vndoubtedly are of greater force and doo more vehemently stirre vs vp then any bond of the Lawe This is the effect of the reason aleadged They which liue vnder grace ought to obey God but to make the thyng more playne we will expresse it by a similitude of seruants for they ought in all things to be obedient vnto their masters and to be comformable vnto theyr willes thus therefore he reasoneth It is mete that seruaunts obey their Lords But ye are now made the seruauntes of righteousnes wherefore vnto it oughte ye to do seruice and not vnto sinne Farther to strike vs more sharpely he addeth to this reason a double spurre to pricke vs forward firste he sayth that they came into this seruitude not against their willes or by compulsion but willyngly and of theyr owne accorde secondlye as muche as lyeth in hym he layth before theyr eyes the haynousnes of synne and geueth thankes vnto God who deliuered them from it and made them the seruauntes of righteousnes If a man demaunde at what tyme we addicte our selues to be seruauntes vnto righteousnes Chrisostome answereth that we then do it when we are baptised So by the sacrameÌt of baptisme he declareth both this reason and also the other wherby he proued that we are dead vnto sinne This similitude of seruauÌtes and Lords is confirmed by that right or law whereby seruauntes are bound vnto theyr Lordes which law whither it be the law of god or the law of man maketh theÌ bound to obey theyr Lords and this thinge may be knowen by the finall cause if we consider the property of the name Augustine in this 19. booke De ciuitate Dei the 15. chap writeth that Serui that is seruaunts were so called of the Latine meÌ Why Serui that is seruants are so called Seruio in lattine signifyeth to saue or to keepe Seruitude sprange of sinne We are born slaues vnto Sathan bycause being taken in warre they were saued of theyr enemies For they which were taken were not alwayes slayne by them that ouercame them but sometimes were reserued one liue for this purpose that they should be seruauntes vnto them that tooke them And
by the mercy of God through Christ be wholy forgeuen hym euen as he had forgeuen vnto others theyr offences And it is so farre of that Augustine thought that Paul was vtterly without sinne that he interpreteth this place vnto the Phillippians Yea also I thynke all thynges to be but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lord for whome I haue counted all thynges loosse and iudge them to be dongue of workes done after he came to Christianity For when as before hauing made mencion of workes done when he was yet of the Iewishe religion he sayd But the thynges that were vantage the same I counted losse for Christes sake those wordes which are afterward added he addeth by the way of correction shewing that not only workes of Iewishe religion but also all other were to bee counted for losses and thinges vncleane For he considered that in all thinges is some fault and defect or want And that sinnes are mingled with our good works Sinne is mingled with our good works the scriptures most manifestly teach when they say that no man can be iustified in the sight of God And the saintes do make intercession against that exact examination of righteousnes Enter not say they into iudgement wyth thy seruaunt O Lord. And Ihon sayth If any man say he hath no sinne he deceaueth hymselfe and the truth is not in hym And Salomon sayth in the bookes of kinges That there is not a man on earth so iuste that he sinneth not Which wordes Augustine diligeÌtly weighing applieth them vnto the form of the present time least any man should referre that sentence of Salomon vnto those thinges which we haue committed before regeneratioÌ We ought all to pray that our trespasses may be forgeueÌ vs as which in this life may rather thirst after righteousnes then yâ we caÌ attaine vnto a perfect absolute righteousnes For that precept of yâ lord wherein we are coÌmanÌded to loue God with all our hart with all our soule and with all our strengths shall then at the laste be perâormed when we shall come to that place where we shall so God face to face as he is as Augustine writeth in his booke de Spiritu Litera towardes y end In which place also he demaundeth why this commaundement was geuen if it can not be performed in this life He answereth that therefore God commaunded it that we should know what by fayth we ought to desire whereunto our hope shoulde be leueled and what we ought continuallye to go aboute in all our actions And he thinketh him to haue much profited in this life which can at the length se how farre he is of from that which is perfect The same Augustine in his seconde booke De peccatoruÌ meritis remissione chap. 16. 17. 18. writing many thinges as touching this matter sayth that in the scriptures men are sometimes called Why the saintes are called perfect notwithstanding they obserue not the commaundementes God requireth at meÌâ hands that they should be without sinne Why God gaue a laws which he knew could not be obserued No man is afflicted which is without sin perfect not bicause they are vtterly without sinne but bycause in innocency of life they haue much profited and bycause that to obteine perfection they coÌtinually bend theyr studye and endeuour bycause also God forgeueth them theyr faultes and that whiche they waÌt of righteousnes he imputeth vnto theÌ of the fulnes of the righteousnes of Christ Nether denieth he but that God requireth of men that they shoulde vtterly be without sinne For there could be no sinne vnles there were a law which wheÌ we sinne we transgresse Farther he demaundeth why God gaue that Lawe which he right well saw could by no meanes be performed And he aunswereth that he did it for this cause that he mought worthely condemn those which contemned it thorough coÌtempt transgressed mought here theyr prayers which applied theÌselues vnto it and more and more helpe them dayly to accomplishe the same And to this purpose he bringeth that sentence which is written namely that God correcteth and chastiseth those whome he loueth but yet not with fury or auengment but with a fatherly correction But there is none chastised or afflicted which is without sinne For this thing only suffred our Sauiour namely wtout any fault committed of him selfe to susteyne most bitter paynes Wherfore seing all men whom God loueth are corrected with aduersities it followeth of necessity that they all are subiecte vnto sinne Which thing Paul vnto the Galathians most assuredly affirmeth of the saintes For he sayth that in them the flesh so repugneth against the spirite that they can not doo those thinges which they would And in the next chapter he writeth that he himselfe did the euill which he hated By all these things may easely be gathered that a man though he be neuer so holy yet so long as he here They which are loued of god are not without sin We haue euer in vs some what which nedeth forgeuenes Vnles we were miserable before God he should not vse mercy towardes vs. What mercy is How the regenerate are not vile before God Note a certaine distinction liueth hath alwayes some what in him that hath nede to be forgeuen of GOD. Which thing Augustine also testefieth towardes the end of his booke De Spiritu Litera And hereby is most euidently gathered that our good workes are not sufficient vnto eternall life But our aduersaries crake and boast that the regenerate are not vile in the sight of God But we say that we before God are not with out miserye For vnles we were so God could not vse mercye toward vs which mercy yet Augustine writeth that we haue altogether nede of if we desire to be crowned For mercy is an effectioÌ wherewith we are moued towards them that are in misery wherefore if eternall life be geuen vnto vs of mercye then must we nedes be vtterly miserable before God But if they vnderstand that the regenerate are not vile in the sighte of God bycause God beawtifieth them with many giftes and ornamentes we graunt to that Yet those gyftes whatsoeuer or how great soeuer they be ought not to seme of so great force to be sufficient vnto eternall life And that commeth not thorough yâ defaults of the giftes but thorough our default which in all thinges obey them not For we still cary aboute in our fleshe much of old Adam and of naturall corruption Farther our aduersaries put a difference betwene the good workes of men regenerate for they say yâ those are partly of our selues and partly of God Those say they as they are of vs can merite nothing but as they are oâ God they doo merite and are causes of eternall life And by this distinction they thinke that yâ matter is made playne But we graunte not so much vnto them For if we diligently and thoroughly consider
writteÌ in the selfe same chapter to refell the blasphemies of these meÌ Which sentence of that holy man confirmeth that which we haue oftentimts sayd namely that the holy scriptures touching these thinges which pertayne to saluation is The holy scripture is sufficient touchinge those thinges whiche are necessary to saluation Vnles we had bene in the flesh the law had not hindered vs What is to be in the flesh sufficient and may be of the faithfull vnderstand so that they be not sluggishe and slouthfull and neglect the reading of the holy scripture Hereafter when we come vnto it we shall declare in what maner and with what moderation and wisedome the Apostle defendeth the lawe And as touching this sentence we ought to note that Paul therefore sayth that the wicked affectes of sinnes by the lawe were of efficacy in our members because we were in the fleshe Vpon this is the blame to be layd and not vpon the lawe For vnles we had bene in the fleshe the lawe had nothing hindred vs. And to be in the fleshe is nothing els but to be stirred vp by our owne strengthes and to be moued and impelled of our vitiate and corrupt nature for whatsoeuer is in vs besides the spirite and grace is called fleshe Wherfore in that in vs are encreased sinnes and lustes that commeth hereof for that we are in the fleshe Men vse as much as lieth in them to eschew a pestilent and hurtfull ayre So we also if we will be saued must abhorre and flye this contagiousnes of the fleshe and flye vp into heauen vnto Christ And we can not depart from the fleshe but by death And for that cause Paul exhorteth vs that by the body The flesh a slippery place of Christ we should dye vnto sinne For the fleshe is a slippery place Wherefore so long as we abide in it we must néedes oftentymes slide Wherefore we must cleue fast vnto Christ which may so gouerne and vphold vs that in this slippernes of the fleshe we fall not into eternall destruction But now ye are deliuered from the lawe being dead vnto it wherein ye were holden c. Now he returneth vnto that estate wherein we are now placed by Christ Now sayth he are we deliuered from the lawe he sayth not from the fleshe or from sinne for these two thinges he counteth for one and the same Being dead vnto it wherein we were holden He sayth not that either sinne is dead or that the lawe is dead He sayth only that we are dead By that wherein we were holden he vnderstandeth the lawe and not sinne For in the Greke is redde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being the neuter gender But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is sinne is the feminin gender Howbeit it appeareth that there were sundry readinges amongst the Grecians For whereas we haue now ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is being dead some redde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is of death so that the sence should be But now ye are deliuered from the lawe of death that is from the lawe that bringeth death Others rede ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the genetiue case as thought Paul would say that we are now deliuered from the lawe that is dead Although that reading which we first followed and interpretated is both more common and also more receaued And the Apostle in such sort sayth that we are deade vnto the lawe as before he sayd that we are mortefied by the body of Christ And as Chrisostome sayth we are therefore sayd to be deliuered How we were holdeÌ vnder the law The law is abrogated not by it selfe but by an other thing from the law for that that bond is now broken whereby the lawe held vs obnoxious And that bonde was sinne And we were holden in the law not as obseruers thereof but as men condemned and guilty Now are we which are made pertakers of the death of Christ deliuered from it By these things we vnderstand that the lawe is sayd to be dead and to be abrogated not through it selfe but by reason of an other thing For therefore it ceaseth now to accuse to prouoke to compell to condemne and to be gréeuousome because sinne is dead Wherefore the ende thereof was not to iustifie vs for that thing could it not performe in as much as it was weakened through the fleshe The ceremonies also of the lawe were taken away by reason of an other thing namely because Christ is now come And ciuile commundementes are now abrogated because the common wealth of the Israelites is destroyed And therefore Paul escheweth plainly to say that the lawe is dead for that this thinge is not agréeable with it according to his owne nature But he alwayes runneth vnto our fleshe and vnto sinne and fréely pronounceth that they are dead For by reason of their death the lawe it selfe also ceaseth and dieth But this is to be marked that we in the meane while so long as we liue So long as we liue here we are not perfectly dead here are not perfectly dead And therefore the lawe so long is not vnprofitable For we are not endued with so plentifull a spirite that we do all thinges by the impulsion thereof Wherefore there are many thinges in vs which the lawe may accuse and reproue Wherefore holy men so long as they liue here cease not to looke vpon the lawe that flieng the comdemnation thereof they may be more and more conuerted vnto Christ For although we be by fayth grafted into Christ Our coniunction with Christ may euerye day be made greater and greater yet may that coniunction euery day encrease For the life of the godly is sayd to be a perpetuall mortification and repentance Neither is this any let vnto our regeneration that we say that much of the olde Adam is still remayning in vs. And therefore when we consider the lawe and sée what is still to be mortefied in vs we are more and more driuen vnto Christ And this is it which Paul writeth vnto the Galathyans that he by the lawe is dead vnto the lawe Wherefore euery Christian ought thus to count with himselfe that so long as he séeth any thing in What are the tokens of sinne yet liuing his conscience worthy to be reproued or any prouokemente to sinne or any hatred or lothsomnes against the lawe of God or that he is drawen against his will to do good so long I say sinne is not in him dead and there is much remayning in him which may be reproued of the lawe That we should serue in newnes of spirite and not in the oldnes of the letter If thou demaunde whome we must serue answere is to be made we must serue God to worship him as it is mete The Apostle in this place vseth this The difference betwene Du ãâ¦ã and Latria is not perpetuall Greke word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to serue Wherby it is manifest that that
obnoxious to many troubles They added moreouer that therefore he sayth he is sold vnder sinne for that he was subiect vnto that death which had through the sinne of Adam crepte into the worlde For to be solde vnder sinne after them is to be subiecte vnto death and vnto other iniuries and troubles of this life which haue by the meanes of sinne crept into the world And by this meanes in Gods name they thought that they had excellently well interpretated Paul although they make no mencion at all of the vice of nature of the corruption of mans dispocition and of the prauity of all the partes both of the soule and of the body traduced through Adam into all his posterity But Paul far Against the Pelagians otherwise therefore saith that he was sold vnder sinne for that he did those things which he would not but those thinges which most of all he would he did not and for that when as to will was preseÌt with him yet he found no ability to performe that which is good and for that he fel into that infelicity which he lamented so that he felt a lawe in his members which sharpely fought agaynst the vnderstanding of the minde These sentences and causes being diligently considered it is very manifest that Paul bewayled not the death of the body or the afflictions of this life but his owne corruption which he had as wel as other men drawen from Adam Forasmuch as there are certain things which Ambrose noteth in this place which are not to be contemned it shall not be amisse here to write his iudgement First he acknowledgeth that these thinges are to be vnderstand of the lawe of Moses Farther that the lawe is therefore called spirituall for that it calleth vs backe from sinne and prohibiteth vs to geue vnto creatures that worshipping which is due vnto God only Moreouer he testefieth that we are fast bound with a double bond first by reason of Originall sinne which we haue drawen from Adam secondly by reason of infinite other sinnes which we our selues haue added He confesseth also that we are so bounde vnto sinne that we can not vse our owne power By which wordes we may gather that our frée will is not a little hindred Ambrose confesseth that free will is not a little hindâred The deuill mingleth himselfe with our thoughtes Farther he sayth that by reason of all these thinges it commeth to passe that the deuill mingleth himselfe with all our thoughts which he could not do but through sinne Wherefore seing that we can not discerne our owne thoughtes from those which are of the deuill offred vnto our mindes it is necessary that we oftentimes looke vpon the lawe of God Here we ought to note that Ambrose affirmeth that the deuill mingleth himselfe with our thoughtes which the Scholemen will not absolutely graunt For that which I do I know not For what I woulde that do I not but what I would not that do I. If theÌ I do that which I would not I consent to the lawe that it is good For that which I do I know not He now by reason he proueth yâ he is sold vnder sinne for that he doth not those thinges which he would himselfe but is rather He which of necessitye followeth the will of an other man is a seruant bought for mony violently drawn to those things which he would not But he yâ of necessity followeth the will of an other man and doth not his owne will vndoubtedly is in no better estate then a seruant bought for money And this is to be vnder tiranny to be led vnto those thinges which thou thy selfe in minde and in will allowest not And when he sayth that he doth not those thinges which he woulde he meaneth that will which is now by the benefite of Christ made comformable vnto the law of God which nether willeth nor not willeth any thing but so farre forth as it séeth it ether allowed or dissalowed of the lawe of God Wherefore the Apostle rightly of this concludeth that the lawe of God is good because the minde of men regenerate being now after a sort amended so iudgeth of it And wheÌ as he saith that he doth not those thinges which he would and imputeth not that let vnto the lawe it remaineth that that is to be ascribed vnto our lust and naturall vice which of his owne nature is euill For besides these three there is no other thing whereunto that can be imputed And he sayth that he doth not the thinges which he would for that he is not led by his iudgemente as he is regenerate but is resisting and against his will drawen backeward of lust Into this infelicity incurre we through sinne so that we ceasse to be Lords of our owne motions and workes But we were not so at the first framed This place declareth how broken and diminished our frée will is left vnto vs. For we fréely and of our owne accorde do Free will broken and diminished those thinges which in our owne iudgement we allow not Neither are we the seruauntes of sinne only touching the inferior partes of the mynde as some hold but all whole whatsoeuer we are touching nature For if there be any thing in vs which resisteth that commeth of the spirite of Christ Neither are we for any other cause sayd not to will or not to do that which we do but for that being instructed by yâ spirite of God we determin appoint with our selues yâ that is not to be done which we do Holy men are sometimes angrye more then they would be and speake sometymes many thinges which they would afterward were vnspoken An example Dauid in his anger sware that he would kill Naball the Carmelite with all his whole famelye But beinge admonished by the woordes of Abigail he reuoked his dangerous othe Our hart sayth Ambrose as it is cited of Augustine is not in our owne power We sometymes appoynt with our selues that we will with an attentiue hart pray vnto God but for that many thinges offer themselues vnto our thoughtes we straight way filthyly wander from our talke with God That which I do I know not That which he afterward sayth he hateth and would not he now sayth that he knoweth not But forasmuch as knowledge is of two sortes the one simple which iudgeth or determineth nothing of the thing Knowledge of two sorts knowen the other which ether alloweth or dissaloweth it Paul speaketh of this latter knowledge so that the sense is that which I do I know not that is I allow not with the full asseÌt of my minde Althoughe as Chrisostome admonisheth out of these wordes may be picked an other sense So great a perturbation commeth of the affects that what we do we consider not For the deceit of yâ entisemeÌts of yâ lust is subtle great Subtle men hauing ben long time practisers of craftines although The entisements of the lust
we haue before hard followeth sinne as the fruite and stipend thereof And although that Law be placed in the members yet ought no man therefore to surmise yâ the nature of the body or of the flesh is euill Sinne passeth in dede through the fleshe but thereof it followeth The constitution of the fleshe is not euill not that the constitucion of the flesh is euill and condemned If a man shoulde mingle poyson in a cuppe of gold that drinke should indede be venemous and euill howbeit the gold notwithstanding should be gold and reÌtayne still his dignity An argumeÌt against the Maniches In this place Chrisostome reasoneth agaynst the Maniches For they sayd that both the Law of God our flesh are euill for that other of them proceded from a certayne euill God Here sayth Chrisostome If the flesh be euill as ye say then must ye nedes confesse that the Law is good as that which resisteth the flesh Wherefore which way so euerye turne your selfes sayth he ye are confuted which thing commeth not to passe in doctrines of the Church For it houldeth that both the Law of God and also the nature of our flesh are good but sinne only is euill O vvretch that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death WheÌ he felt himselfe in a maner oppressed in the conflict of these two Lawes he crieth out and confesseth himselfe to be miserable which he would not haue bone That whiche maketh miserable is sin vnles he had felt himselfe oppressed with some great greuous euill But there can nothing be more greuous then misery and death These two Paul ioyneth together and complayneth that he is agaynst hys will drawen vnto them By the body of death he vnderstandeth our vitiate and corrupt nature the whole man I say as it is brought forth of the parentes From thys body he desireth to be deliuered Vnto the Phillippians he sayth That death if it should happen vnto him should be vnto him greate gayne not that he desired to put of his life but for that he wished to put one a better life And this exposition is more agreable with the wordes of the Apostle then that which Ambrose hath that by the body of sin This exclamation pertaineth to a godly man An example of true repentance He wisheth not for death but deliuerye from sinne are to be vnderstand all maner of sinnes And thys exclamatioÌ commeth nether from an vngodly man nor from one liuing in security but from one conuerted vnto Christ and striuing agaynst sinne and detesting it which he feleth to be stil strong in him Here is set forth vnto vs an example of true repentance which yâ life of a Christian ought neuer to waÌt Paul in this place wisheth not for death but to be deliuered from prauity and corruption And he vseth an interrogatioÌ to signifie that he can not be deliuered ether by the Law or by a good conscieÌce or by the shewe of good workes but deliuerye is to be hoped for at Christes handes onely I geue thankes vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. He vseth also an other exclamatioÌ for that he felt that thing to be by faith grace graunted vnto him which by any other meanes he could not attaine vnto These affectes are Contrarye affectes of the godly succeedinge the one the other contrary and succeding the one the other in the mindes of the Saintes that first they are excedingly sorye for their misery and after that they excedingly reioyce for the redemption which they haue obteyned through Christ And so vehement are these motions that Paul by the figure Aposiopesis leaueth the sentence cut of and vnperfect For that is left vnspoken which should finish vp the sentence For neither doth Paul aunswer to the first interrogation neither also doth he here expresse wherfore he geueth thankes And if a man rightly weigh these two affectes A due order of these affectes he shall finde that they are in most due order placed the one to the other For in the first exclamation being oppressed of sinne he imploreth aide But in the second when as he felt that he was now heard holpen and deliuered he geueth thankes and that through Iesus Christ our Lord not through Mary or through Iohn Baptist or through his owne workes or through any such like kinde of thing but thorow him only which is alone and the only mediatour betwene God and man There is but one onely redemer and mediator Paul confesseth himselfe to be deuided Wherefore I my selfe in minde serue the law of God but in my fleshe the law of sinne Paul in these wordes coÌcludeth that which he from the beginning entended namely that he was deuided and that in as much as he was regenerate in Christ he willed and desired good thinges but in as much as he was still carnall he was obnoxious vnto sinne He sayth that he is a bond seruaunt which is to be vnder Tirans and sayth not that he fréely assenteth thereunto But straight way in the next chapter he will declare how it was no hurt vnto hym through Christ that in flesh he serued the lawe of sinne for that there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus But here we must beware of the pestilences of the libertines and furies of our tymes which by these words of the Apostle go about to excuse their most haynous wicked factes For they say that they in fleshe In this place we must be ware of the Libertines only committe fornication and dronkennes and lyue vncleanely but in mynde and in spirite are pure and do serue the lawe of God Of which matter Augustine excellently well entreateth in his 45. SermoÌ De tempore The lyfe of man saith he is a warfare but one day it shall come to passe that we shall attayne vnto a triumph Wherefore the holy scripture vseth the termes both of fighting of triumphing Here is set forth the description of the battaile when as mention is made of the lawe that rebelleth and leadeth away captiue and he which is against his will led away captiue imploreth ayde The ioy of the triumph is set forth vnto vs in the epistle vnto yâ Corrinthyans where it is sayd death is swallowed vp in victory death where is thy victory death where is thy sting These doubtles are the words of them that deride their enemyes and which when they haue gotten the victory triumph Wherfore there is no cause why they should ascribe vnto themselues these words which fight not which resist not which striue not but fall now hedloÌg into all maner These are the wordes of them that striue and not of them that ãâ¦ã dly in sins In this battaile we haue alwaies some hurt of sinnes boasting yâ they haue in the meane tyme a cleane harte Vnto this battayle coÌmeth also lust laboureth to wrest somewhat from thée But it is thy part not
them but yet by the will of God Wherefore if thinges happen otherwise then they hoped for they comfort themselues for that they know that God theyr most louing father prouideth better both for his kingdome and for theyr saluation then they coulde haue prouided for themselues And they haue alwayes that in theyr mouth which Dauid sang Vnles the Lord builde the house they labour in vaine which build it Wherefore this is theyr care to frame theyr counsels to the word of God And the euent they committe vnto God And so on euery parte they worke surely But in those workes which are acceptable In thoâ workes which are acceptable vnto God they ãâ¦ã r straungers from Christ haue no liberty at all and greatefull vnto God men being strangers from God haue no libertye at all Hereof it came that Augustine sayth in his Enchiridion That man vsing frâe will ill lost both himselfe and free will For when in the battaile sinne got the vpper hande it broughte man into bondage I knowe there are some whiche thus interpretate thys sentence of Augustine that Adam lost free will as touchinge grace and glorye wherewyth he was adorned but not as touchynge nature Verelye here I will not muche striue to denye that reason and will whiche pertayne vnto nature were left vnto man after the fall But that the same nature After sinne nature remayned but âet mayned and wounded is mayned wounded nether can they themselues vndoubtedly deny For thys thinge also affirmeth the Master of the Sentences in hys 2. booke and xxv distinction For he sayth that man nowe after hys fall is in that state that he maye sinne and that he is in such condition that he can not not sinne And although Augustine and others should not so affirme yet may most firme reason teach it For holy workes depend of two groundes namely of knowledge and of appetite Of knowledge Paul sayth The naturall man vnderstandeth not A reason why man can not not sinne the thinges which are of the spirite of God yea neither vndoubtedly can he For vnto him they are foolishenes But now if we know not what is to be done and what pleaseth God by what meanes then can we performe it in act ⪠And in what sort our appetite and cogitacions are towardes those holy workes it is manifest by the sixt chapter of Genesis My spirite sayth God shall not striue in man for euer for he is flesh And straight way God saw that the malice of men was great and all the imaginations of the thoughtes of his hart were only vnto euill continually And in the 8. chapter The imagination of mans hart is euilleuen from his infancy And these things speaketh God himselfe And we ought touching our strengthes to beleue none Touchinge our strengthes we must most of all beleue him that made vs. more then our maker when he geueth testemony of his owne worke In Ieremy the 18. chapter the people sayd we wyll go after our own thoughtes Which place Ierome expounding thus writeth Where then is the power of free wyll without the grace of God and the iudgement of a mans owne wyll When as it is a great offence to God for a man to follow his own thoughtes and to do the will of his wicked hart That we are obnoxious vnto seruitude Christ declareth in Iohn saying he which doth Without grace we ar seruants sinne is the seruaunt of sinne Wherefore seing we sinne in many thinges and haue from our mothers wombe sinne fast cleuing vnto vs we must of necessity confesse that we are seruanntes But then shall we be in very deede frée when the sonne hath deliuered vs. Otherwise we serue a most bitter seruitude Wherefore Paul sayd that he was sold vnder sinne and so solde that in his fleshe he confessed to dwell nothing that is good and that he did the thinges which he would not and which he hated and felt an other lawe in his members resisting the lawe of hys minde and leading him away captiue vnto the lawe of sinne And vnto the Galathyans he sayth that the flesh fighteth agaynst the spirite and the spirite agaynst the fleshe so that we do not the thynges which we would Which thinges if they be true of so great an Apostle and of holy men regenerate by Christ what is to be thought of yâ vngodly which pertain nto vnto Christ For they can not come vnto him vnles they be draweÌ For Christ sayth No man can come vnto me vnles my father draw hym He which before would of his owne accord go is not drawen as sayth Augustine No man can come vnto Christ vnles he be drawen Places prouing that we are not free before regeneratioÌ but is led Wherfore if we must be drawen vnto Christ before we would not which is a most gréeuous sinne And therefore we will not because the wisedome of the fleshe is enmity towardes God For it is not subiect vnto the lawe of God yea neither vndoubtedly can it And as many as are not by Christ set at liberty liue vnder the lawe and as Paul aâdeth vnto the Galathyans vnder the curse whiche should not be true if they could fulfill the lawe of God For none incurre the curse but they which transgresse the lawe Farther Paul expressedly sayth It is not of hym that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy For our saluation is his worke and not the worke of our strengthes For it is he which worketh in vs both to wyll and to performe Before he bringeth that to passe if he deale any thing with vs ether by the lawe or by the doctrine of his worde he dealeth with stones for our hartes are stony vnles Christ chaunge them into fleshy Which thing in Ezechiell he promiseth that he will do and will so worke that we shall walke in his commaundemenntes And doubtles if we coulde without grace liue iustly and vprightly we should be able also by our workes to be iustified which sentence is vtterly condemned both of Paul and of all the whole scripture Ieremy It is Gods worke and not ours to be conuerted vnto him sayth Conuert me Lord and I shal be conuerted And Dauid sayth Creat in me O God a cleane hart And that this commeth not to passe in all men we playnly sée by the 29. chapter of Deutromony where it is thus written The Lord hath not geueÌ vnto you eyes to see nor an eare to heare nor an hart to vnderstaÌd And in the 30. cha God promised to circumcise their hartes and the hartes of their séede that they may walke in his preceptes For he both beginneth and maketh perfect our saluation For so Paul sayth vnto the Phillippians I hope that he which hath begon in you wyll accomplishe it euen vnto the day of Christ This thing holy men right well vnderstanding pray with Dauid Incline myne hart to thy testimonyes and wyth Solomon The Lord
they be moued with lesse desire to sinne and if they take lesse pleasure in their sinnes yet take they so much in them that they cannot be plucked away from them If with any zeale they heare the woorde of God yet when they haue heard it they haue it in derision when as they hope that those things which are in it promised shall happen vnto thâm leading their lyfe in such sort Wherfore we sée that all these thinges stray from the marke and appoynted end And seing that al these motions are of small efficacy and leaue men vnder the wrath of God there can nothing that is sound be hoped for at their handes But let vs heare what Esay in his 58. chapter pronounceth of this kinde of workes They seeke me sayth he dayly and wyll know my wayes as a nation that wrought righteousnes and had not forsaken the statutes of theyr God They aske me of the ordinaunces of iustice and they wyll draw nere vnto God Wherfore do we fast say they and thou seest it not we haue afflicted our soules and thou regardest it not Behold in the day wherein ye fast ye seeke that which ye desire and ye all seeke and require your debtes Beholde ye fast to stryfe to debate to smyte wyth the fist Is this the fast that I haue choseÌ These wordes of the Prophet most plainly declare that it is sinne before God to enquire after his wayes to fast for a man to afflict himself when as such workes are done without the true worshippyng of God and without piety It cannot be denied but that these are in déede goodly workes and plausible howbeit God the iust iudge reiecteth them Augustine in his bookes of confessions in himself setteth God reiecteth works though they be neuer so goodly to the shew forth vnto vs a plaine example touching this matter For he describeth the motions which he suffred in his minde before he was conuerted vnto Christ For thus he writeth in his 8. booke and 11. chapter I liued in my bond vntill the whole was broken in sonder wherwyth although beyng very little I was holden yet I was holden Thou in my eyes O Lord dydst by thy seuere mercy double the scourges of feare of shame I sayd wyth my selfe inwardly Behold now let it be done Now in a maner I knew it and dyd it not And wythin a very little I euen nowe touched it and held it and touched it not neyther helde it And the worse they beyng in custome preuayled more in me then the better thyng vnaccustomed And that very moment of tyme wherin I would become a new man the nearer it approched the greater horror it draue into me I was holdeÌ back by trifles of trifles by vanities of vanities by myne old wanton louers whiche priuely whispered doost thou now forsake vs And shall we neuer any more after this tyme be wyth thee And from this tyme forward wylt thou neuer vse this or that And I began now to harken vnto them a great deale lesse then halfe These things mencioneth Augustine accuseth the meane works that he did before his conuersion as sinnes Whatsoeer wanteth his perfection is sinne A similitude Of the Publicane he and accuseth them before God as sinnes whiche yet are so highly commended of these men These were in dede meanes wherby God brought Augustine vnto saluation howbeit they were still in him sinnes For he obeyed them not but corrupted them with many abuses so that he could not be with efficacy chaunged by them But whatsoeuer wanteth his due perfection is sinne But these Sophisters are like serpents called Hydra for one argument being as a hed cut of there ariseth to them an other They obiect vnto vs the Publicane which thus prayed in the temple God be mercifull vnto me a sinner And he is said to haue returned to his house iustified Wherfore say they he was a sinner wheÌ he prayed For we read that he was afterward iustified But his prayer pleased God Wherfore we may say they do workes acceptable vnto God euen before we be regenerate But these meÌ should haue remembred that this Publicane prayed which as we haue declared of Cornelius he could not haue done without faith For how shall they call vpon hym in whoÌ they haue not beleued Wherfore he was iustified eueÌ then when he prayed Nether maist thou so vnderstaÌd these words as though he should be then first iustified When the publicane prayed he was iustified wheÌ he had finished his prayers For although it be said to be afterward done yet doth it not therof follow that it was by no meanes done before He obteyned a more perfecter iustification a more ampler spirit a more nerer féelyng of the mercy of God He calleth himselfe a sinner and that not vnworthely partely for that If he were iustified why then calleth he himselfe a sinner he still felt in himselfe that which he misliked For alwayes how iust so euer we be yet are we commaunded to pray Forgeue vs our trespasses And partly for that in minde he called to minde how greuous sinnes he had committed before he was iustified And holy men ought in their prayers chiefly to weigh and to consider how great the burthen of their sinne is For when with their prayers they come vnto God they are moued with a true repentaunce to say with Dauid My bones are consumed away in my crying out continually day and night is thy hand made heauy vpon me my iuyce is dryed vp as the moystnes of the earth is dryed vp in the sommer Euils without number haue compassed me about Myne iniquities haue closed me in on euery side that I could not see they are encreased more then the heares of my hed My hart hath forsakeÌ me I acknowledge my wicked actes my sinne is alwayes before me Against thee against thee haue I sinned don euil before thee And to that end holy men should afterward the better beware of sinnes God stirreth vp in theÌ a most sharp feling of his wrath the they may acknowlege what they had deserued vnles God had holpeÌ them by his sonne He openeth also theyr eyes that they may se what his fatherlye chaistisemente is towardes them and that the same maye be the better felt he oftentimes differreth from them the tast and fealing of his mercy Therefore they crye Make me to heare thy ioye and gladnes that my bones being humbled may reioyce hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities A cleane harte create in me o God and renew a right spirite in my bowells cast me not away from thy face and take not away thine holy spirite from me Wherefore they also that are They that are iustified do still pray for theyr sinnes iustefied doo pray that that infirmity which is still remayning be not imputed vnto them They call to minde the thinges wherin they haue before greauously sinned and they
affirme that by regeneration is takeÌ away the guiltines of sinnes For although these vices remayne both as the scripture testefieth and also as experience teacheth yet their bond and guiltines is taken away Wherfore Augustine oftentymes saith that lust in dede remayneth but the guiltines therof is by Christ takeÌ away And he addeth that somtimes it coÌmeth to pas that the act and worke of sinne passeth away as we see it is in theft and in adultery but the guiltines notwithstandyng abideth and sometymes it commeth to passe that the guiltines is takeÌ away but the fault remayneth Which is plaine to be sene touching this lust wherof we speake It remayneth in dede but yet we cannot by it be as guilty condemned to eternall death If thou demaund why it is called sinne when as the guiltines is taken away I aunswer bicause in that it is not imputed vnto vs it hath not that of his owne nature for as touching his owne nature as we haue before taught it deserueth death and damnation but this commeth by an other meanes namely of the mercy of God through Christ But euery thing ought to be considered by it selfe and of his own nature Wherfore seyng the proper nature of sinne Euery thinge ought to be considered by his owne nature is to striue against the law of God and this thing we sée to come to passe in this lust and in these first motions therfore they ought to be called sinnes Neither by this our sentence do we fall into that folishnes which the Pelagians vpbrayded vnto Augustine and to other of the catholikes as though they should say that by regeneration The PelagiaÌâ bââided vnto catholikes folishnes is not blotted out sinne but only rased For when heares are shauen there remaine still vnder the skinne the rootes of the heares by which they grow vp againe For although we affirme that in men regenerate remaine still lust A similitude corrupt motions yet do we not deny but that God is perfectly reconciled vnto vs. Wherfore although of their owne nature they are sinnes yet by the mercy of God they are so blotted out that they now vtterly cease to be imputed wherfore if we As touchinge imputation sinnes are vtterly taken is regeneration haue a respect vnto imputation there remayneth nothing of them Last of al they obiect vnto vs that we do iniury vnto Augustine when we say that he affirmeth these to be sinnes when as he interpreteth himself that they are called sinnes improperly For as a scripture or writing is called a hand for that it is done with the hand so that these called sinnes for that they come from original sinne and as cold Why Augustine calleth these motioÌs sinnes is called slouthfull for that it maketh vs slouthfull so are these called sinnes for yâ they stirre vs vp to sinnes but yet properly they are not sinnes So say they Augustine by this meanes doth not only interpretate himselfe why he calleth these sinnes but also hath geuen vnto vs a way how we ought to vnderstand Paul wheÌ he calleth these sinnes Hereunto we aunswer first that if either Augustine or any other of the fathers do deny that these are sinnes that is to be vnderstand by When the fathers say that these motioÌs ar not sinnes they vnderstand that they are not actual sinnes way of comparison if they be compared with actuall sinnes but not that the nature of sinne can wholy be taken away from them Which thing Augustine in another place most plainly declareth For against Iulianus in his 6. booke 8. chap. For it is not sayth he no iniquity when in one man eyther the superiour partes are after a vile maner seruantes vnto the inferiour partes or the inferiour partes after a vile maner resist the superiour partes although they be not suffred to get the maistry Seyng that he calleth this sinne iniquitie he plainly declareth that vnto it is agreable the nature of sinne which we before described And in his 5. booke agaynst the same Iulianus He expressedly calleth these motioÌs sinnes and affirmeth thâ to be iniquities the third chapiter he thus writeth The luste of the fleshe agaynst which the good spirite lusteth is sinne for that in it is a disobedience agaynst the gouernment of the mind and it is a punishement of sinne for that it is rendred vnto the merites of the disobedient person and it is a cause of sinne thorough the falling away of hym that sinneth Here we sée that lust is of Augustine thrée maner of wayes called sinne Neither Note these wordes of Augustine can it be sayd that he writeth these thinges of a man not regenerate For he expressedly saith Against which the good spirite lusteth For in the wicked is not the spirite of God which striueth against lustes Wherfore we haue out of Augustine thrée places one which we before cited out of his 5. booke de libero Arbitrio and Lust remayning in vs is truly and properly sinne two against Iulianus wherin he expressedly confesseth that lust is sinne and bringeth a reason why he so thinketh Neither oughte our aduersaries as touchynge the interpretacion of Paul to runne vnto a figure to say that this is not properly to be called sinne For both out of Paul and out of other places of the scripture is brought good reason why lust is truly and properly called sinne And it is to be woÌdred at that these men otherwise are euery where so prone to figures when as in this one proposition This is my body they so much abhorre from al kind of figures when as yet notwithstanding a figure is there most conuenient And if thou desire other testimonies of the fathers wherby to proue that lust is sinne we haue before cited Ierome vpon Mathew And there are in Augustine against Iulianus found cited a great many other sentences of the auncient fathers All which make wholy on our side But now let vs come to the exposition of the 8. chapter The eight Chapter FOrasmuch as nowe there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of lyfe which is in Christ Iesus hath made me fre froÌ the law of sinne and of death For as much as in this chapiter are entreated many notable things it shall The Method of this chapt not be amisse to deuide the summe of them into the partes thereof Firste Paul remoueth away condemnation which he sayth is taken away by the Lawe of the spirite of life which spirite we haue obteyned by the benefite of the death of Christ And this liberty promiseth he not indifferentlye vnto all men but only vnto those whiche are in Christe and walke not accordinge vnto the fleshe but according to the spirite For they which seperate them selues from Christ can not be pertakers of his benefite TheÌ he addeth that we by this spirit are
Paul here writeth He hath deliuered me from the right of sinne and of death That is from the guiltines or bond whereby we were bound vnto sinne and vnto eternall death And when this bond is taken away there then remaineth nothing why we should feare condemnation But forasmuch as that is said to happeÌ through the spirite of Christ it manifestly appeareth that men are not iustefied by workes For workes follow the spirite and are saide to be the fruites thereof And this deliuery pertayneth only vnto them which are in Christ that we may vnderstand that all they are excluded which boast of faith and of the Gospell yet in the meane tyme do wallow in most grosse sinnes and are straungers from Christ and whereas they committe many thinges against their conscience yet are they not touched with any repentaunce This which is added which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirit expoundeth yâ which was before saide To be in Christ And that we may the better vnderstaÌd that it is all one we must repeate that whiche the Apostle a litle before wrote Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body that this although ye be stirred vp by these lustes yet ye ought not to permitte vnto theÌ the dominion of your minde And that which the Apostle in this place declareth bringeth with it a great consolation They which are shut vp fast in prison and do know themselues to be A similitude guilty do looke for nothing els but sentence of death now if to them pardon and forgeuenes should be offred they not looking for it they can not but excedingly be glade and reioyce So we when we see that damnation is dewe vnto vs for our sinnes can not but excedingly reioyce at these tidinges when we heare out of the holy scriptures that all thinges are freely forgeuen vs for Christes sake Wherefore if we desire to haue the fruition of this so great a benefite it is necessary that we beleue the pardon which is offred vnto vs. For thys liberalitye of God wyll nothynge profite vs without faythe Althoughe by that whiche we haue nowe spoken I doubte not but that men maye vnderstande what the meaninge of Paul is yet are there sower thynges Foure thinges put forth to be examined whiche shall not be vnprofytable more dilygentlye to examyne Fyrste what that is wherby we are deliuered Secondly from what kind of euill we are deliuered Thirdly what maner of thing this deliuery is Lastly vnto whome it pertaineth As touching the first the Apostle saith that condemnation is taken away by the law of the spirit of lyfe wherby we vnderstand the holy ghost which gouerneth our mindes and ruleth them by his inward motions With which exposition agréeth Chrisostome For euen as saith he the law of sinne is sinne so the lawe of the spirite is the spirite But in that this worde of lyfe is added some do thus vnderstand it as though that worde should be ioyned with the worde law so that the law should be called the law of the spirite and the law of life But the nature of yâ Greke tong semeth to vrge that that worde should be an epitheton or proprietie of the spirite For thus it is written ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That is of the spirit of lyfe Here the article ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã coupleth this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is of lyfe with the spirit and not with the law Wherfore the sence is that we are deliuered by the spirite the author of life and not by euery spirite which is cold and wanteth lyfe Ambrose by the law of yâ spirite vnderstoode faith which law he putteth as a meane betwene yâ two other lawes betwene the law of Moses I say and the law of the flesh Faith driueth not nor forceth vnto vices as before Paul taught that the law of the members and of the flesh doth Neither is faith as the law of Moses which only admonisheth what ought to be done but geueth not strengths to do it neither forgeueth wheÌ any thing is committed against it For faith both teacheth what is to be don and also bringeth strengths to do the same and when any fault is committed it obteyneth pardon for the same Hereby we sée what is to be vnderstand by the law of the spirite of life namely the holy ghost or els fayth For either is true for in very deede yâ author of our deliuery is yâ spirit of Christ And yâ instrument which he vseth The efficicient cause and ãâã of our saluation to saue vs by is faith For it is the first gift wherwith God adorneth and decketh men that are to be iustified by it to embrace the promises set forth vnto theÌ Now to vnderstand the second part namely fro what we are deliuered We are deliuered from the law of sinne and death By these wordes is not signified the law of Moses although by faith in Christ we ar deliuered from it also ⪠But the Apostle entreateth not therof at this present neither is the law of Moses called in yâ The law of Moses is noâ called the law of sinne holy scriptures the law of sinne For although thorough it sinne be encreased yet doth it not commaund sinne neither was sinne the author of it yea rather the law of Moses is called spiritual partly because the holy ghost was the author of it who gaue it in Mount Sina and partly because all those things which it commaundeth are spirituall neither are they agreable vnto lust nor vnto our flesh It may It is called the law of death but yet per accidens that is by chaunce in dede after a sort be called the law of death for in the latter epistle to the Corrinthians it is called the ministery of death but these thinges are not to be applyed vnto it but thorough our default For otherwise of it selfe it setteth forth those things which should be profitable vnto lyfe But it lighteth vpon the peruersenes of our nature and therof it commeth that death followeth it Which reason if we should follow the Gospell also might be called the instrument of death For Paul The Gopell is per accidens the instrument of death in his latter epistle to the Cor. thus writeth Vnto some we are the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe but vnto other some the sauor of death vnto death Wherfore there is great coÌsideration to be had with what maner of sauor we sauor the Gospell For it is not to be meruailed at that of one and the selfe same thing do follow contrary effectes For we sée daily that one and the self same sonne both drieth vp clay and also melteth waxe But seing it is so a man may meruaile why the Gospell is not in the holy scriptures called the ministery of death as the law of Moses is Ambrose answereth Because the Gospell of hys owne nature condemneth not but those which beleue not it leaueth
vnder the law And that is it which condemneth and killeth For it vnder the payne of damnation commaundeth that we should beleue in Christ. Wherefore they which beleue not by the condemnation of the law do perishe But the propriety of the Gospell is only to make safe It mought also be somewhat more plainly aunswered The Gospell as it onely outwardly maketh a souÌd ⪠differreth little from the law that the Gospell so long as it doth but outwardly only make a sound neither is the holy ghost inwardly in the hartes of the hearers to moue and bowe them to beleue so long I say the Gospell hath the nature of the killyng letter neyther differeth it any thyng from the Lawe as touchyng efficacye vnto saluation For althoughe it conteyne other thynges then the Lawe dothe yet it canne neyther geue Grace nor remission of synnes vnto the hearers But after that the holy ghost hath once moued yâ harâs of the hearers to beleue then at the length the Gospell obtayneth his power to make safe Wherefore the lawe of sinne ⪠and of death from which we are deliuered is it whereof before it was sayd that it leadeth vs captiââs and rebelleth against the lawe of the minde In this fight saith Chrisostome the holy ghost is present with vs and helpeth and deliuereth vs that we runne not into dammation He crâwneth vs saith he and furnishing vs on euery side with stayes and âelpes bringeth vs into the battayle Which I thus vnderstand that we are counted crowned through the forgeuenes of our sinnes and holpen with succors when we are so holpen with free and gracious giftes and with the strength of the spirite and instrumente of heauenly giftes that we suffer not this lawe of naturall corruption to raigne in vs. And let this suffice as touching that euill from which we are by the spirite of Christ deliuered Now let vs declare what is the nature of this deliuery This deliuery may indede be compared with that deliuery whereby the children Our deliuery is compared with that deliuery whereby the Israelites escaped out of Egipt of Israell were deliuered out of Egipt But they were not ãâ¦ã at liberty but yâ they were with greeuous perils greate teÌptacions excercised in the desert and when they were come to the land of Canaan they had alwayes remnants of the Amoritres Chittits Heuites and Cetites with whome they had continuall strife We also are so deliuered from death and sinne that yet there still remayneth no small portion of these euils But yet as Paul saith they can not hurt vs. For although it be sinne yet is it not imputed But by death our body shall so be losed and the soule shall so be seperated from it that by meanes of the holy resurrection it shall neuertheles returne againe vnto life And for that cause Paul said not simply that we are deliuered from sinne and from death but from the lawe and power of them Augustine also in his first booke and 32. chapter De Nuptijs concupisceÌntia saith that this deliuery consisteth of the forgeuenes of sinnes which thing also we see happeneth in ciuill affaires For if a man being A similitude cast into prison knowing himselfe to be guilty doth waite for nothing but for yâ sentence of death and yet through the liberallity and mercy of the king he is not only deliuered from punishment but also the king geueth vnto him greate landes and aboundance of riches and honors if we should consider in him the principall ground and cause of his deliuery we shall finde that it consisteth in the forgeuenes of his crime and offence For what had it profited him so to be enriched if he should straight way haue bene put to death So although by the benefite of the spirite we haue our strengthes renewed and the power or faculty to beginne an obedience forasmuch as by all these thinges the lawe of God can not be satisfied we could neuer be iustified vnles we had first remission of our sinnes For we should still be vnder condemnation and should be vnder the power of sinne and of death And when Paul vseth this word law he speaketh metaphorically For by the lawe he vnderstandeth force and efficacy And he attributeth it vnto sundry This word law is here taken Metaphoricallye thinges vnto sinne vnto death and vnto the spirite and if there be any other thing which hath the authority of ruling and gouerning the same may be called the lawe of him whome it gouerneth and ruleth But as we haue already sufficiently tought when we heare of this word lawe no man ought to thinke that here is spoken of the lawe of Moses And thus much as touching the maner of this deliuery But in this place therecommeth to my remembrance a sentence of Chrisostome in his homely de sancto adorando spiritu wherein he admonisheth that this is an apt place to proue the deuinity of the holy ghost For if the holy ghost be the author of our liberty then it behoueth him to be most frée And that A place to proue the diuinitye of the holy Ghost he is the author of our liberty not only this place declareth but also that place wherein it is written Where the spirite of the Lord is there is liberty But Arrius Eunomius and other such like pestiferous men would haue the holy ghost to be a seruaunt For they in the holy Trinity put a greate difference of persones for the sonne they sayde was a creature and for that cause farre inferior vnto the father but the holye Ghoste they affirmed to bée the minister and seruaunte of the sonne But if he bée a seruaunte howe then can hée bée vnto others the author of libertye He hath indéede other argumentes out of the holy scriptures whereby he confuteth the Arryans but it sufficeth me to haue rehearsed thys one argumente onely because it serueth somewhat for this place Now let vs se who they be that are partakers of this deliuery For Paul doth not superfluously entreate thereof For when he had taught that this libertye commeth of the spirite of Christe althoughe it be the true and principall cause yet bycause it is oftentimes hid nether can it be seene of other men therefore Paul turneth himselfe vnto the effects as vnto thinges more euident For there are many oftentimes which boast of the spirite and of faith which yet are most farre from them and remayne vnder damnation This selfe same maner shall Christ obserue in the last iudgement He shall first say Come ye blessed of my Father receaue ye the kingdome prepared for you froÌ the beginning of the world By these wordes is expressed the chiefe and principall cause of our saluatioÌ namely yâ we are elected of God predestinate But bycause this cause is hiddeÌ from the eyes The proue by the effectes declareth who are the elect of God of men to the end they might seme true heyres of the
a beginning and an endeuour of obedience and forgeuenes of defectes which they committe the righteousnes also of Christ whereby the law is fulfilled is now made their righteousnes and is of God imputed vnto them For the strengthes of the head do passe into the members Lastly by hope we are made safe and the accomplishment of the lawe which wanteth in their workes so long as they liue here they shal attaine perfectly by all meanes ful wheÌ they shal be ioyned together with Christ in an other life ⪠And therefore woulde God prouide a remedy for the weakenes of the lawe which springeth of our weaknes Let vs sée therefore what God hath done He hath sent his sonne in the similitude of the fleshe of sinne and by sin hath condemned sinne in the fleshe By these woordes is manifeste the number and distinction of the diuine persons in the holy Trinity For if the sonne be sent of the father then must one of necessity be distinct from the other which is The distinction of persons in the Trinity contrary to the heresye of Photinus Sabellias the Patripassianites and other suche pestiferous men which taught that the sonne and the holy ghost are distincted both from the father and also betwéene themselues onely as touchinge the names But what order Paul hath put in the persons we may easely sée Firste he saith that the holy ghost is he which deliuereth secondlye that that spirite is geuen by Christ lastly that the sonne is sent of the father And so he resolueth the last effect of our saluation into the first cause In the similitude of the flesh of sinne Augustine admonisheth that these This word similitude taketh not away the veritie of the flesh things are to be red ioyntly together so that this word similitude is not referred vnto the fleshe but vnto sinne For the humane nature which Christ tooke vpon him had the shew or forme of sinne but yet in very dede it could not be polluted with sinne Paul also vnto the Phillippians writeth that Christ was in the similitude of men not that he was not a man in very dede but that bycause he so abased himselfe that he nothing departed from the common custome of men nether confounded he the nature of man with the nature of the word of God but left it so perfect that euen the forme and similitude of other men might be shewed in Christ And therefore the Apostle vseth this word similitude that we might vnderstand yâ the Lord was not a pure man only as other men were althoughe he semed such a one For in him was the diuine nature hiddeÌ Wherefore there is no cause why the Marcionites or other such like heretikes shoulde by these places deny that Christ had true flesh For he tooke vpon him the nature of man as the Greke Schiolies haue noted with the affections thereof not vndoubtedly with those affections which spring of malice but with those which spring of nature instituted of God In summe to haue taken the flesh of sinne is nothing els then that Christ was so made man that he was subiect vnto heate cold hunger thirst contumelies and death for these are the effects of sinne And therefore the the flesh of Christ mought well be called the flesh of sinne Augustine in his 14. booke agaynst Faustus hath to doo agaynst an heretike which refused Moses as though he were conâumelious against Christ when he wrote Cursed be euery one that hangeth one a tree Vnto whome Augustine answereth If by this meanes thou condemnest Moses thou shalt also reiect Paul For he vnto the Galathians writeth that Christ was made accursed for vs. And the same Paul in his latter epistle to the Corrinthians sayth that he which knew not sinne was for our sakes made sinne Then he citeth this place whereof we now intreate that God sent his sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne and by sinne condemned sinne He bringeth also a reason Why the flesh of Christ is called sinne why the flesh of Christ is called sinne namely bycause it was mortall and tasted of death which of necessity followeth sinne And he affirmeth this to be a figuratiue kinde of speach wherein by that which goeth before is expressed that which followeth But besides this interpretation of Augustine I remember an other also which the same Augustine treatinge vpon this place followeth which also he semeth to haue lerned of Origene And that interpretation is taken out of Leuiticus where when as there are diuerse kinds of sacrifices instituted mencion is made of an oblation for sinne which selfe same oblation is euerye The oblacion for sinne is called sin SacrameÌts haue the names of the thinges signified where called sinne But vnto that word is oftentimes added a preposition and in the Hebrue it is written Lechatteoth and Leaschrah that is for sinne and for trespas so that hereby we may se that the sacramentes as we haue often sayd haue the names of those thinges which they signifie And other tonges also both the Lattine and the Greke seme to haue imitated this forme of speaking For the Lattines cal that piaculum or piacularem hostiam whiche is offred to turne away the wrath of God The same thing the Grecians call ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of makingâ cleane and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And this is it which Paul sometimes calleth sinne and accursed This therefore is the meaning that Christe condemned sinne whiche was in our flesh by sinne that is by that oblation which was for sinne that is by his flesh which is here called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is after the Hebrue maner of speakinge the sacrifice for sinne But to condemne signifieth in this place to take away and to discharge those thinges which vse to follow them that are condemned And that we may the easelier vnderstand how Christ by his death How Christ by death hath condemned sinne condemned sinne we ought by fayth to be assured that he hath obteyned for vs the holyghost whereby our sinnes are forgeuen whereby also lust which is the roote of all sinnes is repressed in vs. But there are others which interpretate this place otherwise as though Christ condemned sinne in his flesh that is he would haue himselfe to be punished and offred vp for sinne namely for our sin Which interpretation doth not so much differ from the first But that interpretacion which Chrisostome and Ambrose haue is farre more straunge for they thynke that sinne it selfe was condemned of Christe for sinne that is for that cause namely bycause it had done vniustly and sinned greuously For sinne of his owne right semed to rage against meÌ which were eueÌ from yâ beginning obnoâius vnto it but in yâ it was so bold to lay haÌds vpon Christ being most innocent it deserued coÌdeÌnatioÌ But Ambrose semeth to signifie that sin is here takeÌ for the deuill who in yâ he killed Christ tempted him more theÌ
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 aâl 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 coÌtraries 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 haÌd 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 ãâ¦ã suffereth not thâ ruââ 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 ⪠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 nourishmeÌt 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 coÌsider not yâ by this answer they deny theÌ selues They whiche are truely Christians muââ 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 iudgemeÌt 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 christiaÌs 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 commauÌd 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
thing Paul sayth that we are the temple of God and the temple of the holy ghost and that God himselfe dwelleth in vs which vndoubtedly can not be referred vnto the humane nature of Christ but only vnto the deuine But the better to vnderstaÌd Augustines iudgement as touching Augustine âeclareth how Christ is with vs and how he is absente from vs. this matter let vs heare what he sayth in his 50. treatise vpon the selfe same Gosple of Iohn where he expoundeth these words The poore ye shall haue alwayes with you but me ye shall not haue alwayes For he spake saith he of the preseÌce of his bodye For according to his maiesty according to his prouideÌce according to his vnspeakeable inuisible grace is fullfilled that which he spake Behold I am with you eueÌ vnto the end of the world But according to the nature which the world tooke according to that that he was borne of the virgen according to that that he was apprehended of the Iewes that he was fastened vnto the woode that he was taken down from the crosse that he was wrapped in linnen that he was layde in the sepulcher that he was made manifeste in the resurrection ye shall not haue me alwayes with you Wherefore Bycause according to the presence of his body he was 40. dayes conuersaunt with his disciples and when he had brought them forth they seing him and not following him he ascended vp into heauen He is not here for he is there and sitteth at the right hand of the Father And he is here for he hath not departed hence touching the presence of his maiesty According to the presence of hys maiesty we haue Christ alwayes according to the presence of the flesh it was rightly âayd vnto the disciples Me ye shall not haue alwayes For the Church had him a few dayes according to the preseÌce of the flesh now it holdeth him by fayth and seeth him not with the eyes There ar also very many other places in which Augustine most manifestly declareth that he was of this selfe same iudgmeÌt Wherefore yâ this which Paul now sayth If Christ be in you is not to be vnderstaÌd of his humane nature or body those things plainly declare which haue bene spokeÌ of the spirit How we receaue Christ and are ioyned vnto him in the Euchariste By this place of Paul we are plainly tought how we receaue Christ in the eucharist in what maner we are in it ioyned with him For we haue hard yâ by yâ deatâ of Christ we haue obtayned his spirite But in the supper of the Lord is celebrated the commemoration of the death of Christ and of his body done vpoÌ the crosse and of his bloud shed for vs and this not only in wordes but also in the simbols of the bread and wyne which represent the body and bloud of Christ Wherefore if by faith we embrace those thinges which we are put in mynde of we then obtayne the spirite of Christ and Christ himselfe is in vs as Paul in this place testifieth But there is no néede to require the body and fleshe of Christ according to hys naturall and real presence which yet we haue sufficently spiritually present when we apprehend them by fayth Chrisostome out of this place gathereth very many and gréeuous discommodities which men that are destitute of the spirite The discommodities which hapâeÌ vnto theÌ which are âestitute of the spirite of Christ of Christ fall into for they are holden in death and in sinne they excercise enmities agaynst God they can not obserue his lawe and though they séeme to be of Christ yet are they not For Paul will declare that they are not pertakers of the death and of the resurrection of the Lord. For he saith And if Christ be in you the body in dede is deade because of sinne but the spirite is life because of righteousnes The Apostle in this place as we haue before taught declareth that by the benefite of the spirite we are endued with the coÌmunion of the death and of the resurrection of Christ And althoughe all interpreters consent that in the latter part of this sentence is entreated of the true resurrection of the bodyes yet touching the first parte all men are not of one mynde For some thus vnderstand that the body is dead as if it should haue bene sayd that the lust and prauity which cleaue vnto vs are by the benefite of the spirite mortified and become as it were dead So that after these interpreters this word Body signifieth the naturall lyfe of men not as it was instituted of God but as it is now corrupted through sinne Thys life say they ought to be deade because it is sinne But the spirite is life because of righteousnes By the spirite he here vndoubtedly vnderstandeth the spirite of God and not any part of our mynde as it is manifest both by those thinges which shal be spoken and by those thinges which haue already bene spoken Here Paul changeth the Antithesis For he saith not the spirite liueth as he had before sayde of the body that it is deade but he The antithesis is chaunged The sâirite of God doth not onely lyue but also communicateth life vnto others sayth The spirite is lyfe Which thing is most agréeable vnto the spirite of God For that spirite doth not only liue it selfe but also communicateth life vnto others and continually breatheth into the beleuers a new and holy life Farther forasmuch as Paul ment in this place highly to commend the dignity of the spirite this abstract nowne vita that is lyfe serued better for his purpose then the verbe viuit that is lyueth Because of righteousnes In Greke it is written ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and it fitteth very well For righteousnes is both an antithesis vnto sinne and also is the life of God For so long as a man worketh iustly and liueth holily he leadeth the life of God Although the Latten interpreter hath Propter iustificationeÌ that is by reason of iustification as if he had red in the Greke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Which reading Chrisostome followed and bringeth this reason thereof for that we haue an experience of life by reason of iustification for by it sinne being taken away succeded life For these two are so repugnant one to the other that when the one geueth place the other must nedes succede The same father addeth That the body is theÌ at the last dead when we are no more affected with the motions thereof theÌ we are moued by our karkases being now buried and hid vnder grounde And thys he saith is the communion with the death of Christ because Christ dyed to dissolue the body of sinne And if his spirite which raysed vp Christ from the dead dwell in you he that raysed vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because of his spirite that dwelleth in you This declareth howe we are
eate the signes of this sacrament which signes are called by the name of the things signified And when we heare the fathers speake of the true flesh and body and bloud of Christ which we eate in the Eucharist if we looke vpon theyr natural and proper sence we shall se that they had to do agaynst those heretickes which denyed that Christ verely tooke humane flesh and affirmed that he semed to be a man onelye by a phantasye and certayne outward appearance And if it were so then as those Fathers very well sayd our sacramentes should be in vaine For the bodye and bloude of Christ should be falsely signified vnto vs if they had neuer beinge in Christe Wherefore throughe our spirite whereby our minde eateth when we communicate our body also is renued to be an apte instrument of the holyghost wherby vnto it by the promise of God is due eternall life And euen as the vine tree being planted into the earth when his time coÌmeth waxeth grene and buddeth forth so our dead karkases being buried in the ground shal at the hour appoynted A similitude by Christ be raysed vp to glory And if in case the absolute whole and necessary cause of our resurrection should as these men would haue it be that eatinge It is proued that the reall eating of the fleshe of Christ is not the cause of the resurrectioÌ of the flesh of Christ which they fayne is in the Eucharist really and corporally receaued of vs what should then become of the Fathers of the old Testament which could not eate it after that maner when as Christ had not yet put on humane nature But peraduenture they wil say that they speake not of them but of vs only For we can not rise agayne vnles we eate the flesh of the Lord for Christ instituted thys sacrament for vs and not for then But doo not these men perceaue that in this theyr so saying they now alter the cause of the resurrectioÌ But by what authority or by whose permission or commaundement they doo yâ let theÌ consider For yâ which is vnto one people the cause of resurrection how What shall become of our infaÌts should not the same be so also vnto an other But to graunt them this what in Gods name will they say touchinge infantes which dye in theyr infancy before they receaue the sacrament of the Eucharist Seing they confesse that they shall be raysed vp to glory euen hereby at the least way they may vnderstand that the corporall eating of the flesh of Christ is not so necessary vnto the resurrection but the spirituall eating is altogether necessary as without whiche no man can arise agayne to saluation For Christ expressedly saith Vnles ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall not haue life in you Shall also quicken your mortall bodies This he therefore speaketh for that through the spirite that dwelleth in vs we are now made yâ members of Christ But it is not a thing semely that the hed should liue and the members be dead He sayth mortall bodies bycause so long as we liue here we cary about death together with vs but then shall God change the nature of our bodies But so often as we heare yâ our bodies are called mortall let vs call to mind sinne for by it are we made obnoxious vnto death Chrisostome hath very warely admonished vs that we should not by reason of these wordes of Paul imagine that the Here is not spoken of euery resurrectioÌ from the dead but onely of the wicked for yâ they want the spirite of Christ shall not be raysed vp froÌ the dead For here is not entreated of euery resurrection but onely of the healthfull and blessed resurrection For the life of the damned shall be euerlasting misery wherfore it is rather to be called death then lyfe For theyr worme shall not dye and healthfull resurrectioÌ theyr fyre shall not be quenched Therefore brethern we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye mortefye the deedes of the flesh by the Spirite ye shall liue For as many as are led by the Spirite of God are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receaued the spirite of bondage to feare agayne But ye haue receaued the spirite of adoption whereby we cry Abba father VVe are debters not vnto the flesh to liue according to the flesh Here he setteth forth a most swete exhortation to moue vs to liue according to the spirite and not according to the flesh And to declare that we are vtterly bound so to Wherof our boâd to liue vprightly springeth doo he taketh a reasoÌ from that which is iust and honest Seing we are debters it behoueth that we faythfully pay our debts And this debt springeth of those benefites which God hath bestowed vpon vs which we haue before made mencion of namely for that Christ hath dyed for vs for yâ he hath geuen vnto vs his spirite whereby we are deliuered from condemnation from the Law of sinne and of death and whereby the righteousnes of the Law is fullfilled in vs and we are made pertakers both of the death of Christ and of the blessed resurrectioÌ Herefore it is that we are bound not to liue any more according to the flesh To haue made this sentence perfect Paul should haue added but according to the spirite But he suppressed thys part of the Antithesis for that it is by the other part sufficiently vnderstand For these are of the nature of those kindes of opposites or contraries that the one geuing place the other streight way succedeth Here Chrisostome noteth that God freelye and of his owne accord geueth vnto vs all those good thynges which he bestoweth vpon vs but we contrarywyse whatsoeuer we doo vnto God we do the same of dewty For we are bouÌd to doo it And if yâ case be so as is in very dede where are theÌ become works of supererogatioÌ For let yâ aduersaries Against workes of supererogation We owe much vnto the nature or substance of the flesh Here is not spoken of the substaÌce of the flesh but of the corruption of nature The necessity of good woorkes answere me whether those workes be according to yâ flesh or according to yâ spirite If according to the flesh then are they sins but if according to yâ spirite we owe theÌ of duety Neither doth Paul here mean that we owe nothing vnto the fleshe for we ought vndoubtedly to féede it and to cloth it and that not only as touching our selues but also as touching our neighbours if they haue nede But here is not entreated of the substance of the fleshe but only of the corruption whereby we are drawen vnto sinne For vnto it we in such sort owe nothing but mortification as Paul will straight way declare And when he saith that we are not
euerlastinge damnation And Esay sayth of the damnâd Theyr fire shall not be quenched and theyr worme shal not dye And to omitte all other testemonies which are infinite Christ himselfe is promised in the Law For he himselfe sayth that Moses wrote of him Paul sayth that he was the end of the Law Farther there are many such other testemonies both in the Gosples and in the Epistles of Paul whiche are all taken out of the old testament Chrisostom sayth moreouer That the elders vsed outward purifications Nether doo we deny but that they were bound to a greate many more and greauouser ceremonies then we are and yet are not we altogether The elders were bounâ to more ceremonies theÌ we are Circumcision the sacrament of regeneration as is baptisme Chrisostom herein erred for that he thoughte that the elders were forbidden onely the outwarde woorke As we are not vtterly without feare so wer not the elders altogether without loue without outward signes For we also haue bread wyne and water as elementes of our sacramentes but one and the selfe same Christe was common both vnto our sacramentes and vnto theyrs For no man can denye but that circumsion was the sacramente of regeneration euen as is also our Baptysme Yea also the verye Schoolemen confesse that orygynall sinne was forgeuen the elders in Circumcision Wherefore sentence oughte not so lightly to haue bene geueÌ that they had only outward purifycatioÌs But this is a great deale more sorer that he addeth That they restrained their haÌds froÌ euill works but we restrayne both yâ minde and coÌscience Chrisostome semeth alwayes to be of this minde that the law prohibited onely the outwarde worke and that the Gospell afterward prohibited anger hatred and lust of the mind and considered not that the elders had also this commaundement Thou shalte not lust and that the Prophets euery where required Circumcision of the hart and that in the first commaundement are comprehended faith hope charity and whatsoeuer pertayneth to the spirituall motions of the minde But whereas he saith that they were impelled by feare and we by loue it is true in dede after a sorte but yet not so that they were vtterly without loue and we vtterly without feare But of this matter we wil speake more at large afterward But that is most vntrue of all that he saith that they performed the lawe but we farre passe those thinges which are commaunded in the lawe For as we haue els where proued not euen the regenerate can so frame their workes that they can in all pointes satisfye the lawe of God He addeth moreouer that they could not be corrected and amended but by stoning mayning burning and other such like kinde of punishementes but we are only excommunicated when we deserue to suffer the extreamest punishement that the Church can lay vpon vs. But he should haue remembred that those punishementes which he maketh mencion of were ciuill punishementes which our Christian magestrates also inflict vpon malefactors But they saith he had only in name the honour of adoption and of children but we haue it in very deede Vndoubtedly it can not be denied but that God was in the olde Testament called the father of his people For of theÌ he sayth that he had called his first be gotten sonne out of Egipt The elders also were the sonnes of God by adoption And Moses saith in Deutronomy Thou hast forsaken God which begat thee And Malachi in his 2 chapter There is one God and father of vs all And Esay I haue nourished and brought vp children and they haue despised me And doth not Paul say Vnto whome pertaine the testamentes and adoption He spake then of the fathers of the Israelites of whome was Christ according to the fleshe And moreouer I said ye were Goddes and all the children of the highest They also called God their father when they sayd in Esay Thou art our father for Abraham was ignorant of vs and Israell hath not knowen vs. And so great an affection did God the father beare towards them that he saith Can a mother forget her child But although she can yet will not I forget thee And as Chrisostome hath thus written in this place so hath he in other places also many thinges like vnto the same which as I sayd are warely and with iudgemeÌt to be red Augustine entreating vpoÌ this place saith that here is put a differeÌce of the olde new TestameÌt of which the one is set in feare the other in loue He addeth moreouer that it is without controuersye that the spirit of adoption it the holy ghost But the spirit of bondage he thinketh to be that which hath the power of death that is Sathan For so many are held vnder the euill spirite as are destitute of grace and being not regenerate liue vnder the lawe For they are addicted vnto temporall thinges and obey theyr lustes noâ in dede through the default of the lawe but for that they themselues are strangers from Christ and from God For they can not obserue the lawe of God And therefore they are both wrapped in sinnes and also tossed with continuall furies He also signifieth that of this place there is an other interpretacion as though the spirite here should signifie our minde which is sometimes the seruaunt of lustes and sometimes liueth vnder the liberty of the sonnes of God But this opinion he saith can not stand for that the spirite of adoption is a litle The spirite of adoption is not our mind but a breathing from God afterward plainly sayd to be externe and accidentary namely being breathed in vs by god For so Paul writeth It is the spirit which bereth witnes vnto our spirite that we are the sonnes of God Which wordes plainly declare that there is to be put a difference betwene that spirite which perswadeth and that spirite which is perswaded And if this be true of the spirite of adoption the same opinion also must we haue of the spirite of bondage Wherefore herein Augustine agreeth with Chrisostome that they whome he thinketh to be vnder the spirite of bondage are quite voyde of the spirite of God For those kinde of men he affirmeth not to be regenerate and that they are also straungers from God yea rather addicted vnto the spirit of Sathan of whome we can not vnderstand Chrisostome to speake For out of the lawe and the sacramentes bringeth he a reason why the elders wanted the spirite But Augustine denieth that this came to passe thorough the default of the lawe Wherefore his sentence is more probable then Chrisostomes Howbeit herein I agrée not with Augustine to thinke that by the spirite of bondage is to be vnderstand Sathan For here as I said are to be vnderstand two effectes of the holy ghost The first is when we are touched with the The spirite of adoption and the spirite of feare is the spirit of God knowledge of the lawe and conscience of
towardes vs that it would exalt vs to so great dignity although vndeserued on our behalfes Neyther is that heauenly inheritaunce of that condition that when it is communicated vnto many it is therfore diminished Now let vs sée how we attaine to his adoption Paul semeth to say that it is coÌmunicated vnto vs by the spirit of Christ By the spirite faith are we adopted into children For of it haue we faith wherby we embrace Christ which died for vs and the promises of God and by that meanes are we adopted of God into children This doth Iohn excellently well declare vnto vs in the beginning of his Gospell where he thus writeth as many as receiued him vnto them he gaue power to be made the sonnes of God By these wordes we plainly sée that we then are made the sonnes of God when we receiue Christ And this is not done either by Circumcision or by any other ceremonies of the law or by good morall workes but only by faith And therfore Iohn added Vnto those which haue beleued in his name And when it is sayde A place of Iohn declared that power is geuen vnto theÌ to be made the sonnes of God we must not thinke as many Sophisters would haue vs that we first beleue and then afterward receiue power to be counted in the number of the sonnes of God For power in that Against the Sophisters place is nothing els but a right and a prerogatiue As if he should haue said the they whiche haue receiued the Lorde and beleued in his name haue a righte and prerogatiue to come into the adoption of the sonnes of God But Iohn addeth Which are borne not of bloude nor of the will of the fleshe nor of the will of manne but of Gad. First when he sayth Not of bloud he signifieth that this adoption commeth not by the order of nature that in this generation should be mingled together the séedes of man and woman Which sentence he more plainly expresseth in the next By this word flesh is sometimes signified the woman words following For he saith Not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of maÌ For that by the flesh he meaneth the woman may by two places be proued For Adam said of his wife which was deliuered vnto him of God This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh And Paul vnto the Ephesians saith He whiche loueth his wyfe loueth himselfe No man at any tyme hated his own flesh And this interpretation followeth Augustine Although I sée that this place may otherwise be expounded that when it is sayd Not of bloud we vnderstand that this adoption commeth not by anye force of stocke or kinred For the Hebrues perswaded themselues it did For they alwayes vndiscretely cried that they were the séede of Abraham Neither attayne we vnto this adoption by the will of the flesh For to the attainement of it we are not holpen by those good thinges which the fleshe vseth to couete by riches I say power strength of the body beauty and such other like things Neither by the will of man namely by those good thinges which are counted more excellent and are thought most comely for men as are wisedome prudence and workes pertaining vnto morall vertues For none of all these thinges can make vs to be the sonnes of God But are borne saith he of God All this haue we onely of the goodnes of God and of his mere mercy And therfore Paul saith to the Ephesians who hath Our adoption dependeth of predestination predestinate vs into the adoption of the sons of God Wherfore the whole consideratioÌ of our adoption dependeth of his election and predestination But of his diuine wil can no reason be of vs either vnderstanded or geueÌ And therof coÌmeth it yâ Christ saith in Iohn yâ we ought to be borne ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yâ is by the inspiration of God froÌ aboue And Christ coÌpareth this regeneratioÌ with the wind thou hearest saith he the spirit neither knowst thou froÌ wheÌce it coÌmeth nor whither it goeth wherfore God by Christ frely geueth vnto vs his spirit And he vseth yâ word as an instrumeÌt and By what degrees we attayne vnto the adoption of sonnes The adoption which we haue now is not perfect yâ is called yâ séede wherby we are regenerate He geueth also fayth wherby we receaue the promise of the word set forth vnto vs. And by that means we are iustified obteine the adoptioÌ of the sons of god which yet so long as we liue here can not be perfect Wherefore Paul a little afterward sayth that we wayte for the adoption of the sonnes and the redemption of the body which we shall not attayne vnto but in that blessed resurrection Euen the selfe same thinges writeth Paul to the Galathians And when sayth he thr fullnes of time came God sent hys sonne made of a woman and made vnder lhe Law to deliuer those which are vnder the Law that we might receaue the adoption of sonnes And bycause we are sonnes God sent the spirite of his sonne into our harts in whome we cry Abba father These words declare that there was before the fulnes of time a certayn bondage vnder the Law afterward was geuen the sonne by whom we which are appointed and destinied to be made the sonnes of God might more fully receaue the spirite and adoptioÌ This adoption Christ semeth as it were by a certayne sacrament to haue confirmed in his genealogy For when as in Luke and in Mathevv the names of his progenitors doo vary in them is mingled adoption so that oftentimes one and the selfe same man had one father by nature and an other by adoption Also in In the old testament adoption much vsed Euen vnto the dead ãâã children adopted the old testament adoption was much vsed For both Iacob adopted vnto hymselfe hys neuiewes Ephraim and Manesses to be vnto hym in steade of other sons and also that maner was of such force at that time that vnto dead men also were children adopted For wheÌ one brother was dead the brother that remayned a liue of his wife begat children and raysed vp séede in Israell Thys as a certayne shadow figured our adoption into the sonnes of God The common translation hath The adoption of the sonnes of God When as in the Greke is not red this word of God For there is only this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is adoption But this is dilligently to be considered both from whence we are by this adoption brought and whither we are transferred We were before the children In this adoption is to be considered from whence and whether we are transferred of the deuill of wrath of incredulity of distrust of this world of perdition of night and of darknes And we are transferred hitherto that we both are called and are in very dede the sons of God pertakers of
the diuine nature brethern of Christ and childreÌ of light and that we also sinne not for he which is borne of God sinneth not and that we loue our neighbors and our enemies that we may resemble our heauenly father who maketh hys sonne to shyne vpon the good the euil sendeth raine vpon the iust the vniust And finally that we be peacemakers for they shall be called the sonnes of God But our adoption is not such that we should thinke that we are borne of the substance of God For We are not the sonnes of God as begotten of hys substaunce that is proper to Iesus Christ only For the word of God is by nature borne of the father which thing yet the Arrians denied For forasmuch as they made the sonne of God a creature they must nedes say that he was not the sonne of God by nature but by adoption Greate vndoubtedlye is our dignitye For we are so highlye exalted that we be not onely called and are the sonnes of Christ called his Apostles bretherne God but also haue Christe to our brother Wherefore Christe when hee was risen agayne sayde vnto the women Goe and tell my brethren And althoughe the elders were not quite voyde of this dignitye yet had they it not so publiquely declared But this was no let at all that many amongest theÌ were weake For we also in the Gospel haue many weake ones For Paul saith vnto the Corrinthians that he could not speake vnto them as vnto men spirituall for that they were carnall and therefore he was fayne to féede them with milke Which selfe thing is written vnto the Hebrues And contrariwise they had men strong in fayth of whome we caÌ not doubt but that they were in thys The fathers in the olde time attained to the adoption of childreÌ adoptioÌ most excellent And that so it was at that time also the Apostle testifieth in thys epistle the 9. chapiter for he sayth Vnto whome pertayueth the adoption and the glory and the testament and the geuing of the Law and the worshipping and the promises and vnto whome pertayne the Fathers Here we se that adoption pertayned vnto them also Ambrose vpon this place teacheth that of thys adoption springeth vnto godly men greate security And doubtles forasmuch as this commeth We are more certaine of this adoption then we are of our carnal fathers Alexander the greate vnto vs thorough the spirite whereby we are inwardly moued we ought to be farre more certayne that we are the sonnes of God then the sonnes of thys worlde are certayne that they are the sonnes of them whome they call fathers For oftentimes the mothers deceaue both the husbandes and the children But the spirite of God deceaueth no man Long since flatterers went about to perswade Alexander that he was not the sonne of king Phillip but of Iupiter Afterward when he saw that there came bloud out of a wound which he had geuen him he lawghing sayd that that semed vnto him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is common bloud and not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yâ is the bloud Gods But we though we suffer many things yea loose our life for Christes sake yet notwithstanding ought to be fully perswaded yâ we are the sonnes of God For to the end we should not any thing doubt of that matter we haue not only a testimony of the spirite but also euen the sonne Christ hath taught vs to call God father of God hath taught vs to call God Father and to inuocate him by that name And this forme of prayers ought to call vs backe from all kinde of wickednes and from all maner of filthy works and also to put vs in minde not to degenerate from the nobility of so greate a father and that we in no case dishonour hym For it is taken to be a greate reproch vnto fathers to haue wicked childreÌ And forasmuch as we can not as we haue sayd attayne vnto this adoption but thorough Christ and his spirite nether the Iewes nor the Turkes nor men straÌgers from Christ can call vpon God as vpon theyr father By vvhome vve cry Abba father This selfe same maner of speach the Apostle vsed vnto the Galath For thus he writeth Bycause ye are sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his sonne in which we cry Abba father After this selfe same maner Christ our first begotten brother prayed vnto the father in the garden sayinge Abba father let this cuppe passe away from me Nether is it to be meruayled at that the Apostle ioyned a Greke word and a Syrian word together whiche tounge What is ment by the ioynyng together and repeticion of two tonges was then commonly vsed of the Iewes For first this repeticion serueth to vehemency of speach Farther the Apostle semeth by a certayne mistery to teach that as well the Gentiles as the Iewes shoulde be indifferentlye pertakers of thys adoption in both whiche tounges God should be called vpon by the name of father In the primitiue Church were kept still of the interpreters some Sirian words which were then in vse which we rede sometimes in yâ holy scriptures as Messias Cephas Talitha Cumy Maranatha Rabby Osianna Alleluia and Amen For those words were theÌ most perfectly knoweÌ especially wheÌ as betwene the Ethnikes the Iewes yâ were coÌuerted vnto Christ was a most straight bond of loue in a maner a perpetual familiarity But we must not thereof gather yâ in yâ We must not vâeâ strange tounge in the church The inuocation of the godly is the worke of the holy Ghost How vnto prayers to ascribed our saluation seruice of God should be vsed a straÌge tounge For yâ the holy ghost hath manifestly forbidden vs. Paul in this place wheÌ he maketh mencion of inuocation declareth the worke of the holy ghost which it straight way sheweth forth vpon the children that are adopted and now regenerate And of so greate waight and force is this work that the Apostle doubteth not by the testemony of the Prophet to attribute vnto it saluation For he saith as afterward shal be declared Euery one which calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued Not that our prayers can merite salution for that is apprehended by faith only And therefore that we should not be deceaued he straight way expresseth in what maner he ascribeth saluation vnto them For he saith How shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleued Which wordes plainly teach vs that that which is written of prayers is to be attributed vnto faith as vnto their roote But because in this place is mencion Whether the adopted be free from all feare of God Dâfinition of feare made of feare for the Apostle thus writeth Ye haue not receaued the spirite of bondage agayne vnto feare it shall not be from the purpose briefely to sée whether Paul meaneth that we are deliuered from all kinde of feare or no First
Christ we haue the inheritaunce of the Father common with Christ and we be so wholy grafted into him and altogether knitte with hym that by hys spirite we liue But then shall we come vnto thys inheritaunce when it shall be sayd vnto vs Come ye blessed of my father receaue the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And we ar the fellow heires of Christ bycause as Iohn sayth when he shall appeare we shall be like vnto hym And Paul sayth to the Colloss Ye are dead ⪠your life is hidden with Christ in God But when Christ What inheritance is your life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare together with him in glory InheritauÌce as it is defined of the Lawiers is a succession into the whole right of the dead person Can this seme a small matter to any man to be made pertaker of the whole right of God Doubtles Peter sayth we are made pertakers of the nature of God Here Ambrose noteth that it is not in thys matter as we se it commeth to passe commonly in the world For the testator must first dye before the successor can come vnto the inheritaunce But God dieth not Yea rather we which are appointed hys heyres do first die before that possession can be deliuered vnto vs. Christ also first died before he came vnto the glory which was appoynted for hym Farther as touching ciuill Lawes the heyre is counted one and the selfe same person with him that maketh him heyre So we are by Christ so streightly knitte together with God that we are nowe one with him as Christe prayed That they may be one as thou and I are one For all thinges are ours and we are Christes and Christ is Gods This inheritaunce obteyne we freely by the spirite of Christ Wherefore the bishoppes of Rome and theyr champions the Cardinalls and false Bishoppes doo wickedlye whiche haue enclosede thys inheritaunce of This inheritaunce we obteyne freely remission of sinnes and of comminge vnto the kingdome of God vnder theyr counterfete kayes so that they can at theyr pleasure sell it and ether thruste downe to hell or send vp to heauen whome they will Here agayne we haue somewhat to saye of Chrisostome For he as before he wrote that the Iewes beynge vnder the Lawe were excluded from the adoptyon of the sonnes of God so here denieth that they were the heyres of God And he citeth to confirme this sentence that place of Mathew He shall destroy to nought the wicked Many shall come from the East and from the West and shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob but the children of the kingdome shall be cast forth a dores Againe The kingdome of God shall be taken from you By these places thinketh he it is manifest that this inheritaunce pertained not vnto the Iewes But we herein also can not assent vnto him For God said vnto Abraham I am thy most ample reward And in yâ The fathers also in the old testamente were heires parable or rather the history of the Gospell the poore man Lazarus was sene in the bosome of Abraham Which what other thing was it but that he had obteined the inheritaunce of God and of Christe Paul to the Galathians sayth An heyre so longe as he is a childe nothinge differeth from a seruaunt when as yet he is Lord of all but is vnder tutours and gouernours euen vnto the tyme appointed of his father Which wordes plainly declare that the elders although by reason of the law and of ceremonies they liued after a certain seruile manner yet were in dede heyres although they were but children And that estate endured vntill the commyng of of Christ But that which Chrisostome bringeth out of Mathew is not spoken of yâ Many false Christians also which shall not possesse the kingdome of God good and godly Iewes but of the wicked and noughty husbandmen which slew the heyre Wherfore by such sentences we ought not to condemne all the Iewes in the olde tyme or to exclude them from the inheritaunce of God yea rather we ought to thinke that the vngodly Christians shal not be delt with one whit better then they were delt with For there are amongst vs many hypocrites and vngodly persons which as Paul sayth shall not possesse the kingdome of God And at this day if a man should looke for the church of Smyrna and yâ church of Philadelphus and many other churches which were in tymes past of great fame in Asia and in Siria he shall finde them either vtterly ouerthrowen or els miserably intreated vnder the tyranny of the Turke and no lesse afflicted then the Iewes are at this day which liue captiues vnder the Christians or vnder the Turkes If so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified wyth hym Euen as before he taught that we are made certaine of our adoption by inuocation or prayer wherin the holy ghost beareth witnes together with our spirite yâ we are yâ sons of God so here he sheweth a testimonye whereby we may be made more certain of attainyng vnto this ⪠inheritance which he hath spoken of Ye shal Crosses aduersities are tokens that we shal obteyne the inheritance without all doubt saith he obtein it For ye shall raign with Christ forasmuch as ye haue already attained to suffer with him Wherfore tribulations crosses are tokens and arguments wherby we may gather that we shall be the heyres of God Paul sayth vnto the Philippians That vnto them it is geuen for Christes sake not only to beleue in him but also to suffer for hym This first gift which we se we haue now obteined maketh vs certaine of the latter yâ we shall at the length not be defranded of it For no small or light power of God is declared in theÌ which valiantlye for paciently piety sake suffer aduersities persecutions I know there are some The condition or estate bâ which we must passe vnto the eternall inheritance which interpretate these wordes otherwise that Paul should seme to ascribe a certaine condition or estate by which we shall passe vnto the eternall inheritaunce namely if we haue first suffred many thinges And doubtles the Gréeke particle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is turned if so be may be drawen to either sentence This is certaine that Paul here maketh a certaine digression although it be soft and hidden to comforte these men for the afflictions which they suffred But yet departeth he not froÌ that purpose which he had in hande but with one and the selfe same labour both prosecuteth that which he began and also comforteth theÌ And it is all one as if he should haue said ye shall in dede be heyres but yet vpon this conditioÌ that ye must first suffer many thinges Christ requireth nothing at your hands which he him selfe hath not first performed he leadeth you no other way then that whereby he We shall haue the
priuately applied vnto himselfe generall that no man can priuately be assured of himselfe Doubtles he which calleth vpoÌ 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 yâ 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 CircumcisioÌ 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 vpoÌ 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 coÌmaundementes saw vs of our own accord earnestly bent vnto idolatry and vnto supersticioÌ 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 yâ 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 respectâ 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 yâ 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 leÌgth be deliuered from so great euils and this thing not coÌming 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 ofteÌtimes 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 froÌ 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 manâr 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 âasely 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is muâuall 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 ⪠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 ⪠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 coÌpassion 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 vnderstaÌd 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 ignoraÌt what they should aske In the Lordes prayer are contained all thinges profitable and to be desired for Here is entrâated 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 insoleÌtly 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 coÌtained 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 reqâest 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 ângodly 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 selâe as though he were lesser then the father He prayeth because he makeâh vs to pray which stirreth
they shall not bring to passe so great is the loue of God towardes vs. But we can not suspect any such matter of good angels for they as much as lieth in them cal home againe to God those that go astray and wonderfully reioyce of the repentance of sinners although they also somtimes are sent forth to punish Howbeit Chrisostome declareth that this place may by the figure Hyperbole or by supposition be vnderstand also of good angels For although good angels do not so in déede yet if they should their endeuor should be voyde For after the same maner Paul writeth vnto the Galathyans If an angell from heauen teach you any other Gospell then thys which ye haue learned be he accursed vnto you And vnto the Corrinthyans If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines and haue not charity I am nothyng Those wordes are not so to be taken as though true faith can in deede be without charity but if it were possible so to be yet it should nothing profite Nor principalities Paraduenture he vnderstandeth the higher spirites who haue no other charge committed vnto them but ouer prouinces empires and kingdomes This ment Daniell when he wrote of the Prince of the Grecians and of the Persians and brought in Michaell the Prince of the people of God Nor powers Power called in Greke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Paul taketh for that power which is geuen of God to worke miracles whereby are restrayned the vngodly whereunto is opposite ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the gift of healing For euen as by that power Power and the gift of healing are opposite wicked men were chastised so by this they that were vexed were healed By this power Peter slew Ananias and Saphira Paul made blinde Elimas the sorcerer and deliuered vnto Sathan many which had gréeuously sinned But here by angels he meaneth those which are sent of God to punishe the wicked as were those which destroyed Sodoma and Gomorha And such was that Angell which went betwéene Angels haue sometimes inflicted punishmentes the host of the Egiptians and the people of God and which drowned Pharao with all his in the sea and whome Dauid saw standing on the threshold destroying the people of God and which destroyed with fire the host of Senacharib Although God sometimes do the selfe same thinges by euill angels For so Dauid writeth in the Psalme that God inflicted plages vpon the Egiptians by euill angels Wherefore Paul in this place nameth the orders of the angels by their ministeries and offices And that the selfe same titles are assigned both vnto good angels The titles of orders are assigned as well to euell Angels as to good The ministeries of Angels shall not be perpetual and vnto euill it is manifest by yâ epistle vnto the Ephesians in two places For thus it is there writteÌ Against the principalities and powers that are gouerners of the world And in the 2. chapter he saith That we once liued according to the course of this world and after the prince that hath power in the ayre And these ministeries of Angels shall not be perpetuall For Paul writeth in the first vnto the Corrinthyans That all principality and power shal be blotted out when Christ shall deliuer vp the kingdome vnto God and vnto the father but yet not that the very natures and substances of angels shal be abolished but for that these offices shall serue to no more vse after we shall be once transferred vnto eternall felicity And this is worthy We haue but few thinges in the holy scriptures touching Angels of notinge that in the holy scriptures are very fewe thinges mencioned of angels For exactly and subtelye to enquire touching them serueth rather to pertayne to our curiosity then to our saluation But those thinges which serue to edification are most diligently set forth in the scriptures Which thing I would to God the Shoolemen had obserued For then had they left many intricate and vnprofitable thinges which at this day are in vayne and with great offence disputed of It is profitable for vs to vnderstand that there are some angels appointed to our ministeries for therby we vnderstand the goodnes of God towards vs. On the other side it is profitable for vs to vnderstand that there are some euill spirites of whom we are continually assaulted both that we may beware of them and also that we may implore the helpe of God againste them And these thinges vndoubtedly forasmuch as they are profitable to be knowen the holy scripture hath not kept in silence Ambrose expounding this place sheweth that we are in vayne assaulted of euill spirites For he saith that Simeon the forcerer being lifted vp into the ayre flew all about that this was openly séene and yet did the truth of God geue place to these deceates Nor thinges present nor thinges to come These wordes may be vnderstand of this world and of the world to come or of good thinges and euill which are offred vnto vs presently or of those thinges which are promised shall happen vnto vs well or ill as it happened in the temptacion of the first parents For then the fruit forbidden offred it selfe beutifull to sée vnto and swete to tast of There was promised a likenes to God and a new wisedome as though then they were blynd and had their eyes shut The lattin interpreter addeth Fortitude which word yet is not found in the Greke bookes Wherefore I thinke it best to omitte it and especially seing it hath not his Antithesis which we see is diligently added vnto the other wordes Nor heigth nor depth Heigth signifieth whatsoeuer new and vnaccustomed thing happeneth from heauen depth signifieth whatsoeuer bursteth forth out of yâ lower parts regions of yâ erth And heigth may be takeÌ otherwise for yâ heigh goodly shew of humaine reasons which are coÌmonly takeÌ out of philosophy For Paul in the latter to the Cor. saith The weapons of our warrefare are not carnall but mighty through God to the ouerthrowyng of all munitioÌs wherby we ouerthrow couÌsels and euery heigth that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God And after this seÌtence by depth we may vnderstand humblenes of minde and hurting of the body after the precepts and doctrines of men which in wordes haue a shew of wisdom as it is written vnto the Col. in the 2 chapter Nor any creature can seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. This part Paul addeth as Ambrose thinketh to declare yâ we can not be plucked away froÌ God by any other creature which is brought forth of new As though before he had reckoned vp those creatures which are extant and theÌ afterward addeth that neither any other creature if it could be brought forth shall haue so much streÌgth to breake that loue of God wherwith he loueth vs. And he citeth Iannes and Mambres which when before Pharao they resisted
touching Ismaell and Esau whether they be faued or whether they be condemned And the like some do touching Salomon Origen and others such like But I omitte these thinges and thinke of Esau and Ismaell so much onely as the holy scripture hath set forth vnto vs. And I think that there are What is to be thought of Esau no places extant by which we may define any thing touching their saluation The scripture thus speaketh of Esau that he so vehemently hated his brother that he sought to kill him that he sold his birth right that he prouoked h ãâ¦ã âarentes to anger when he had take strange women for wiues that he was a violent man and despised the land of Chanaan promised vnto the fathers and in the epistle to the Hebrues it is written that he although he poured out many teares yet found he no place of repentance Of Ismaell also we reade that he was reiected not only What is to be thought of their stocke by the will of Sara but also by the will of God But touching both their posterities I deny not but that some of them mought be saued no les then some of the stocke of Iacob might become runnagates and obstinate For it is sufficient to the election and reiection of God that some part of ech stocke be either elected or reiected And touching this sentence I haue Ambrose on my side who affirmeth that the most holy man Iob was of the famely of Esau Which saying yet how much it is to be regarded I know not This thing only I dare affirme yâ as many as were saued that came of Israell those were saued by the grace of God and had a promise of their saluation and on the other side as many as were saued of the stocke of Esau those also were saued by the mere grace of God but there was no peculiar promise touching their saluation But as many as were of that stocke condemed Indefinite promises at not to be vnderstanded of euery one perticulerly they were condemned for their sinnes And the sentence of the reiection of the posterity of Esau is indefinite neither is to be vnderstanded of euery one perticularly But it may séeme more then wonderfull that God in his election worketh not only contrary to our iudgement but also contrary to his own lawes For not only after the mauer of men the first borne are preferred before the rest of the brethern but also by the prescript of the lawe of God they were holy and obtayned a dooble portion of the inheritance But God therefore so doth that we should God doth thinges contrary to his lawes vnderstand that we are saued only by grace and not through any priuiledges or conditions of this life and moreouer to geue vs to vnderstand that he is vtterly free from all lawes For his will is euen iustice it selfe and the rule of all thinges that are vpright and iust But because men can not attayne to the knowledge of of this hidden election therefore we ought to frame our selues to the lawes of of God which are published abroade and set forth to all men For Isaack circumcised his sonne Esau as God had commaunded him neither was he greatly carefull whether he were elected of God or reiected for he was then vtterly ignorant of the counsaile of God But the mother for that she had hard the oracle gaue faith vnto it as it became her and had a care that the blessing mought be distributed according to the will of God And so by her industry it came to passe that Iacob preuented his brother of the blessing Touching which will when the father also was by the spirite of God made more certayne he would by no meanes make voide that which had now passed betwene him and Iacob Paul mought now seme to haue thoroughly defended the truth of the promises of God when as after the example of Ismaell and Isaack which were borne of diuers parentes and at diuers tymes he with so great diligence bringeth in also an other coople of bretheren Iacob and Esau in whome all thinges in a maner were equall For they were borne both of one and the selfe same parentes and in one and the selfe same day and as Augustine saith in his epistle to Sixtus both conceaued at one and the selfe same time least any man mought cauell that the father was better when he begat the one then he was when he begat the other And the mother which bare them both was one and the selfe same woman And although she myght in that space of time whilest she was with child alter her maners and disposition yet that could not in such sort profit the one to be a let vnto the other Although by the Greke it appeareth not that they were both conceaued at one and the selfe same tyme. Howbeit this is red That Rebecka had fellowship by one euen by our father Isaack But Augustine followed the latine translation Farther it is not vnlikely to be true yâ they which were borne in one and the selfe same tyme were also begotten atone the selfe same tyme especially seing that the Apostle in this place endeuoreth The industry of yâ holye ghost in Paul in this coople of twynes vtterly to take away all maner of differences In Paul also is to be considered the industry of the holy ghost who when he had affirmed out of the holy scriptures that of these two brethern the one was elected the other reiected bringeth no other reason or cause of the counsell of God but that election should abide according to purpose But because he saw that this would in no case satisfy humane reason therefore he confirmed his sentence by an oracle of Malach. who straight way at the the beginning of his first chapiter thus writeth The Lord hath loued you And ye haue sayd wherein hath the Lord loued vs And the Prophet maketh answere Iacob and Esau were they not brethern But I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Wherefore with Malachy to loue is all one wyth that which Paul hath That the Election of God shoulde abide according to purpose Neither is this to be passed ouer that the Apostle in thus ioyning together these Paul most diligently red the scriptures two testimonies declareth that he had not negligently red the scriptures Wherfore we also must endeuor our selues to do the like when as we shall see places of the scriptures alleadged either of the Apostles or of other writers Paul when he red the Prophet Malachy and saw that God proueth his loue towardes the Iewes by that that he had loued Iacob and hated Esau when yet notwithstanding they were brethern and twines straight way turned himselfe to the history of Genesis and there considered many thinges which mought conduce to adorne and amplifye this matter namelye that they were borne bothe at one and the same time and of one and the selfe same parentes and that the
which diuision he A distinctioÌ of righteousnes maketh mencion also in an other place For in the thirde chapter he speaketh of the one parte when he saith The righteousnes of God is reuealed by fayth And in the same place of Abraham he writeth And if he were iustified by woorkes he hath wherof to glory but not before God And vnto the Phillippians in the thirde chapter when he saith That I may be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the law but the righteousnes of God And the Apostle when he would declare the ignoraunce wherewith the Iewes were enfected the more to lay the haynousnes thereof before theyr eyes saith that they had erred in yâ thing which is the chiefest in maÌs life namely in that righteousnes which hath saluation and felicity ioyned with it they had no vpright iudgement of the ends of good and euill nor also of the The Iews erred touchyng the chiefe good thyng What our righteousnes is fountaine of all piety And of this thing were the Iewes ignorant who aboue all other nations séemed to haue a care of religion Wherefore he deuideth righteousnes into two partes whiche thing they could not do and by our righteousnesse he meaneth that righteousnes which is gotteÌ by works And that righteousnes may be considered two wayes either as it goeth before regeneration or as it followeth it of which partes onely the first maketh to the purpose For this place can not be vnderstanded of woorkes whiche follow regeneration for Paul dealeth againste Our righteousnes is of two sortes The good workes of the faithful are both imperfect and also do follow iustification What is the righteousnes of God Definition of sinne What is to be absolued from sinne Absolution taketh not away the defect Definition of absolutioÌ those which reiected Christ And yâ righteousnes which was allowed of the Iewes before faith for that it was no rightousnes coulde not stande before God For that can not be coÌstituted or stablished which is nothing But that righteousnes which followeth faith may indéede after a sorte be established for that it pleaseth God howbeit it is such that by it we cannot be iustified both bicause it is vnperfect and also for that it followeth iustification Now resteth to sée what is the righteousnes of God And it may thus be defined that it is an absolution from sinnes by fayth through Christ And that we may the better vnderstand the nature of this absolution we muste on the other side weigh the nature of sinne for this being knowne we shall the eassier know what it is to be absolued from it Sinne is a defect or falling away from the law and will of God which ought to be the rule both of vs of all our doings and to this defecte is necessarilye annexed an obligation to eternall death and damnation Wherefore when by the mercy of God this obligation and guiltines is taken away a man is absolued from sinnes For the defect is not takeÌ away for there abideth in vs an infirmity and therfore our actions alwaies want of that perfection whiche they oughte to haue And it is not possible but that the thinges which we haue already committed haue theyr defect or want Wherefore God when he forgeueth sinne taketh away the obligatioÌ wherby we were bound vnder the curse Now by these thinges it is manifest what absolution is namely an action of God whereby he so deliuereth and acquiteth vs not indéede from the discommodities of this life but from sinnes that is from guiltines and obligation vnto eternall death But that we should not thinke that so greate a benefite commeth thorough our desert therfore there is added thorow Christ. For him as an instrument doth God vse to this deliuery of ours And that we shoulde not be ignorant how the sacrifice and redemption of Christ is applied vnto euery one of vs it is added by faith This definition is a great helpe to the right vnderstanding of iustification The righteousnesse wherby we are iustified is without vs. The righteousnes of God cannot properly be called ours The righteousnesse which followeth regeneration may be called both oures the rightousnes of God We are not iustified by faith as it is a worke This righteousnes Paul saith is the righteousnes of God And if thou demaund whether it may be called ours I aunswere that properlye it cannot be called ours forasmuch as it is without vs. For it is an action of the will of God the respecte whereof although it be directed vnto vs yet is it not in vs. And if at anye time it be called ours that is by a figuratiue speach namely ether because that we haue the fruicion thereof or for that we by faith whiche is in vs embrace it But the righteousnes whiche followeth regeneration may be called both ours and the righteousnes of God Of God because it is done by his spirite and grace which he geueth vnto vs in regeneration for by it we are impelled to leade a godly and holy life and to attaine to true vertues It is also called ours because our strengths being renued we woorke together to the attaining vnto it and it is done in vs and resteth in our hartes But if thou say that forasmuche as the righteousnes of God is applied vnto vs by faith we séeme to woorke together to the obteining therof We aunswere that faith indéede is a worke wherby in the minde we geue assent vnto the wordes of God but we are not vy the merite and worthines of this work absolued from sinne for that commeth of the clemency of God and force of his promise which by faith we embrace Wherfore when the scripture sayth that we are iustified by faith as soone as we heare the name of fayth we must straighte waye haue a consideration vnto the obiect or correlatiue thereof namely vnto the mercy of God and promise thorow Christ By these thinges let vs gather that this righteousnes of God is most farre distant from the righteousnes which is knowne by nature for neither reason nor Philosophy knoweth anye other righteousnesse but that which hath his abiding in the minde Not that they were ignorante of absolution The righteousnes of God is not knowen by nature or of the pacifieng of God for that thing did theyr sacrifices testifie whiche doubtles tended to other ende but they called not that pacifienge of God our righteousnes neither euer vnderstoode they the true pacefieng of God nor in whom it consisted But why the righteousnes of works is called ours Chrisostome saith that the cause thereof is for that it dependeth of our workes neither wayteth it for the helpe of God but the other righteousnes is called the righteousnes of God for that it vtterly dependeth of grace and commeth without our labour He moreouer noteth this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Which signifieth to establish and that Paul by that word meÌt to declare the vnstablenes
doth not without good consideration setfoorth vnto vs the resurrection of Christ for that doubtles in the resurrection is accomplished our saluatioÌ For that which is now begonne in vs we shall haue absolute and perfect when we shall be pertakers of that life which Christ in his resurrection hath gotten not onely for himselfe but also for vs. Farther if Christ had not risen again from the dead he should not now be with the father obteining by his intercession grace spirite life for vs. And as Augustine teacheth the faith whereby we beleue that Christ arose againe from the dead is proper vnto christians for that he died the Iewes also and the Ethnikes The fayth of the resurrection of Christ is proper vnto christiaÌs The article of the resurrection is a knitting together of al the rest of the articles and all infidels beleue but that he arose againe onelye the members of Christ are persuaded thereof Lastly the resurrection of the lord is after a sorte a knitting together and a bond whereby the articles going before and the articles following concerning the faith of our saluation are very well knit together For if Christ rose againe it followeth that he died for our sinnes and that his sacrifice was acceptable vnto God neither could these thinges haue bene done vnles he had for the redemption of mankinde taken vpon hym flesh and had in very dede become man Moreouer if he rose againe he hath eternall life he is ascended vp vnto the father neither is he in vaine with him in heauen yea there he is as he hath promised at hand to helpe vs and prepareth a place for vs. For with the hart man beleueth to righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made to saluation With a certayne exclamation and that doubtles very profitable he concludeth the entreaty of the place which hee alledged out of Moses wherein he attributeth righteousnes vnto fayth onely and ioyneth coÌfession thereunto because a man should not thinke that hee speaketh of a weake dead fayth but of such a fayth as bryngeth forth confession And although there are a great many good woorkes which followe fayth yet Paule mencioneth that which is the chiefest and may easeliest be gathered out of the woordes of Moses before alledged for he as we haue heard vnto the hart ioyned the mouth And Christ sayth Of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh How be it this is to be noted and that noâ negligently that Paule in this place attributeth iustification vnto fayth but some saluation he attributeth vnto confession And by saluation he here vnderstaÌdeth not the chiefest saluation that is our reconciliation wyth God or absolution from sinnes as he before dyd when he sayd If thou beleue that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saued And afterward Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued But by saluation he vnderstandeth a farther perfection which is geuen vnto them whych are now iustified for dayly the powers of their mynde and the instrumentes or members of theyr body are made perfect by doyng good woorkes And wythout doubt when wee confesse the Lord by this laudable and holy worke we get much profit So ment Paule vnto the Philippians when he sayd Woorke your saluation with feare and with trembling And if thou contend that in this place by saluatioÌ is vnderstanded iustification that we wyl not sticke to graunt so it be vnderstanded onely as touchyng the effect and a posteriori as they vse to speake that is by that which followeth namely yâ a maÌ may hereby iudge that such a one is iustified ⪠This place also maketh very much against certaine Libertines whych renew againe the errour Against Libertines of the Carpocraâians and say that we must not confesse the âeââye of fayth before the iudgement seates of persecuters From whych errour the Nicodemites of our time are not very farre of whych say that it is mought to thinke we in the hart although outwardly true pietye be dissembled and although men gâ to the rites and ceremonies of the Papistes We must in deede sake héede that we doo not rashly cast our selues into daungers but when God âath brought vs into them and that wee are examined touching the truth wee must remember that they which are ashamed of Christ before men he at the length wyll he ashamed Faith consisteth not without good works of them before the father Let our aduersaries go noâ and obiect vnto vs that fayth can consist without good workes The Apostle when he entreateth of iustification describeth alwayes such a faith which of necessity hath confession and good woorkes ioyned with it For the scripture âayth Whosoeuer beleueth in him shall not be ashamed Now is it manifest why the Iewes could not complaine of theyr reâection namely for that they were vnbeleuers And it is euident that righteousnes if we speake of the true righteousnes whych is before God can not be had but by fayth onely Whereof we may inferre that wheresoeuer fayth is there also is iustification and contrary The complaint of the Iewes stopped wyse where it wanteth iustification can in no wyse haue place Wherefore the Iewes haue nothing whereof to complaine For euen as the chiefest cause of our saluation namely the election or predestination of God is not contracted vnto the Iewes but is also poured abroade amongest the Gentiles as it hath bene declared in the. 9. chapter so faith which is the next cause of saluation is not shut vp amongest the Iewes onely yea rather but fewe of them beleued therefore the Iewes ought not to haue bene displeased for the conuersion of the Gentiles Hereunto the Apostle now endeuoreth him self to proue the the sentence which he had before spoken indifinitly namely with the hart man beleueth vnto righteousnes is to be vnderstanded vniuersally Lest the Iewes paraduenture should say It is true in deede that thou sayest but yet in our stocke onely and in the seede of Abraham It is not so sayeth Paule when as the Prophet Esay in hys 28. chapiter speaketh it by this word of vniuersality whosoeuer for hee sayeth who soeuer beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed To bee made ashamed in this place is nothing els but to be frustrated of the successe which was loked for For What is to be made ashamed when men are deceaued they are ashamed of vayne confidence This testimony of Esay the Prophet is in the. 28 thapiter which Paule also before vsed towards the end of the 9. chapiter But forasmuch as we haue there declared how it is written in the Hebrew and haue by the exposition of the Hebrew verity and of the translation of the 70. interpreters which Paule followed shewed the natiue and proper sense thereof wee will now ommitte to speake any more touching it For there is one Lord ouer all This sentence firmely proueth that as toothing saluation there is not to be put
should say that some of the braunches were broken of when as the greatest part of the Iewes had fallen away And Chrisostome cleaueth vnto his firste exposition namelye that the Apostle in words onely comforteth the Iewes and speaketh to get fauor of them whiche thinge saith he vnles it be well marked he shall séeme to speake manye thinges repugnant This interpretacion I thinke not so apte for if there be in the scriptures admitted any kinde of lye there shall doubtles be nothing remayning in them whiche shal be without suspition of a lie or of falshoode Paul in this place had a respect not onely to one age of the people of the Iewes but to the whole nation together both which was from the beginning and which should be euen vnto yâ end of the world And who séeth not that theÌ at that time were saued a great part There were many most holy patriaches iudges kings priestes prophetes priuate men and women which were all deare vnto God and towardes the end of the world they shall in great heapes be conuerted vnto Christe Yea and in the Apostles time there were in one day wonne vnto the Lord fiue thousand What marueile then is it if he saye that some or certaine braunches were broken of It Paul in this treatise maketh no lie mought haue séemed a lie if all had bene cut of Further althoughe the Apostle do somewhat extenuate or rather lenifye that which was in déede verye harde to be spoken yet maketh he no lie to speake for fauour or to comfort in woordes onely contrary to the truth of the matter Wherefore he putteth the Gentils in minde what manner ones they were before and in what state the Iewes were in times paste before God And doubtles if the Gentils had considered with theÌselues their former estate and the publike and ciuill doctrine and manners receaued amongst them they should haue found nothing in a manner which was not obnoxions vnto the curse And if they had any thing afterward whereof to glory the same came The grafting in of the GeÌâles into the wilde oliue tree is wonderful wholy not of the doctrine and manners receiued of long time amongst them but of their new grafting into Christ in the place of the Iewes which had falleÌ away And without doubt that grafting in of the Gentils which we now entreat of was wonderful The lord sayd of it Many shall come from the east and from the weast shall rest with Abraham Isaack and Iacob c. And Paul excellently wel expresseth the same vnto the Ephesians in the 2. chapter saying Remember that ye beinge in times past Gentiles in the flesh were called vncircuÌcision of theÌ which are called circumcision in the flesh whiche circumcision is made with handes that I say ye were at that time without Christ aleantes from the common wealth of Israell and straungers froÌ the couenantes of the promise and had no hope and were Atheistes or without God in the world but now ye which were once farre of are made neere through Christ by his bloud And straightway in the selfe same chapter Now therfore ye are no more straungers and foreners but citezens with the saintes and of the household of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets And this is to be noted yâ this place The olde Testament and the new is one and the self same thing as touching the substaunce maketh much to proue that the olde Testament and the new is one and the selfe same For the roote is one and the selfe same and the stocke or bodye of the trée is one and the selfe same the Iewes are cut of and we are grafted in one and the selfe faith abideth one and the selfe same mediator the selfe same sacramentes as touching the thinge although the outward signes and ceremonies are chaunged And doubtles the promises as touching the substance abide now the selfe same although at that time were mingled with them certaine shadowes of thinges as of theyr infinite populous multitude of the possession of the lande of Chanaan of the kingdome of the priesthoode of the temple or tabernacle c. Wherefore the substaunce thing and spirite are in either testament one and the same onely there is found some difference in qualities and certayne circumstances But whereas the Apostle calleth the stocke and propagation of the saintes an oliue trée it may seme that he tooke that out of the holye scriptures For in the 11. chapter of Ieremy the Lord said that he had made Iuda an oliue tree full of braunches fruitefull and fat but he there prophesieth that it shoulde be broken for their impiety whiche sentence the Apostle nowe vseth namely that the braunches are broken of And Dauid saide I as a greene oliue tree and full of braunches in the house of the Lorde haue put my truste in my God In whiche sentence is touched the cause of the fatnesse namelye for that the Saintes put their confidence in God and do truelye beleue in him I mighte also speake of that parable whiche in the booke of Iudges Ioathan the sonne of Ierobaall brought against Abimelech and against the Sichimites where he maketh mencion of the Oliue trée and and of the fatnes thereof together with the swéetnes of the fig trée and pleasantnes of the vine trée wherefore these thrée kinds of trées the vine trée the oliue trée and the figge trée are in the scriptures compared vnto the Church The Cedre trée also is somtimes added because of the beauty and heigth therof Although of the vine trée it be sayd that it was turned into a wild vine yet that is not to be vnderstanded vniuersally but only as touching the braunches which fell away Wherfore Augustine hath a very good saying that this tree is putata non amputata pruned and not cleane cut away The Apostle straight way prohibiteth the Gentles from glorieng against the Iewes He indéede forbiddeth not glorying generally for how can it be but It is not possible but that we should reioyce in the giftes of God that we should reioyce in the giftes of God but addeth against the bowes that are broken of namely that we should not reproch them To glory against theÌ were to glory against the roote and to go about in a manner to striue euen against Abraham who is our father For in the third to the Galathyans it is written They which are of faith are the sonnes of Abraham And likewise to the Romanes in the 4. chapiter But in Pauls metaphore the absurdity is a great deale more manifest if the braunches should arise against the roote Neither is the elegance of the meatophore of the wild oliue trée lightly to be passed ouer for euen as the wild oliue trée hath in deede the forme and shape of an oliue trée but yet as touching the ende and fruits it is not so prayse worthy so they which are straungers from Christ
iustifieth whome he wil hauing no respect vnto condition and merites there humane reason is very much offended there our flesh ceaseth not to cry against But if either of them namely iustification and election should happen by works and merites there should be no trouble no offence no stumbling blocke layde agaynst vs. But forasmuch as it is farre otherwise and that by vs can not be rendred a reason of the will of God Paul therefore iustly and worthely cryeth out and it is mete that all men if they be wise should geue place to this his sentence The 30. In the 14. chapiter we find written Blessed is he which iudgeth not himselfe in that which he alloweth But he which iudgeth if he eate is condemned because he eateth not of fayth For whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Hereby are we taught that they which want a true faith can do or performe nothing which is not sinne I know in déede that the aduersaryes interprete these wordes of the conscience but they are neuer able to proue that fayth signifieth conscience And although paraduenture Paul entreate of it at the beginning namely that we oughte not to doo any thing against our conscience yet afterward after a sort he bringeth in a generall sentence when he writeth Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne As though he should haue sayd this is a generall rule when men go about to do any thing they ought to be perswaded by the spirite and word of God that that which they are in hand to do is acceptable vnto God and pleaseth him which persuasion if they haue not then vndoubtedly in dooing that which they do they sinne And if I should graunt that in thys place fayth signifyeth the conscience yet I suppose that thys thynge also were to be added namely that the conscience oughte not to bee beleued vnlesse it bée instructed by the woorde of God For as muche as there are many whiche haue so supersticious a conscience that whether they obey it or not obey it they sinne most gréeuously but I will not at this present stand longe about the expounding of this place forasmuch as I entreated of it before and will afterward speake somewhat thereof when I shall come to the place Farther let vs heare what is said in the 4. chapter of the first epistle to the Corrinthians where it is thus written I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified These The 31. words Paul spake of his ministery being now conuerted vnto Christ being now an Apostle whoÌ as touching his functioÌ no maÌ was able to accuse And if so great a frend of God pronounced this of himselfe of his workes what should we attribute iustification to the workes of them that are not yet regenerate The works of the godly and of the chiefe Apostle of Christ could not deserue it how then can it be graunted vnto those which are yet straungers from Christ To the Galathians the second chapiter Paul repeteth that sentence which he had written in the 3. chapiter to the Romanes namely that no flesh shal be iustified by the workes of the lawe which sentence forasmuch as it is playne ynough hath bene alredy before recited nedeth now no farther declaration But in the third chapter is written If The 32. righteousnes come by the lawe then Christ died gratis In which place gratis signifieth nothing els but vaynely and to no purpose which then vndoubtedly should be most true For if true righteousnes before God could by any other meanes haue bene attayned vnto of men why then dyed he and why was he crucified And agayne This thing only I desire to learne of you receaued ye the spirite by the workes of The 33. of the lawe or by the preaching of fayth And straight way He therefore that ministreth vnto you the spirite and worketh miracles amongst you doth he that through the deedes of the lawe or by the preaching of fayth They which are iustified receaue the holy ghost for without it it is vtterly impossible to be iustified and if it be not geuen The 34. through works neither can iustification then come through workes Farther it is not to be doubted of any man but that iustification commeth of the good will and fauour of God when as by it men are receaued into grace adopted into his children made heyres of eternal life But such as before iustificatioÌ are occupied in the workes of the law ar bound vnder the curse so far is it of yâ they should haue the fruition of the fauour of God for the Apostle addeth As many as are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse But to the ende we should not thinke this to be his owne inuention he sayth As it is written Cursed be he which abideth not in all the thynges that are written in the booke of the lawe After this he argueth from the time The 35. I speake after the maner of men Though it be but a mans testament yet if it be allowed no man despiseth it or addeth any thing thereto Moreouer to Abraham were the promises made and to his seede he sayth not to his seedes as speaking of many but to thy seede as of one which is Christ. This I say that the law which began afterward beyond 430. yeares doth not disanull the testament that was before confirmed of God vnto Christ ward to make the promises of none effect First saith he the Testament of God and the first promise offreth iustification without workes Wherefore that testament confirmed receaued and allowed is not restrayned by the lawe The 36. which was so long tyme afterward geuen If there had ben a law geuen which could haue geuen life then should righteousnes haue bene of the law This reason of the Apostle is not full for there should haue bene added the deniall of the antecedent namely that the lawe can not geue life For as it is declared vnto the Romanes It was weakened through the fleshe although as touching it selfe it contayned commaundements which pertayned vnto life Wherfore seing it is for certayne that the lawe can not geue life neither can it also iustifye But before that fayth came The 37. we were kept vnder the law were shut vp vnto that faith which afterward should be reuealed Wherfore the law was our scholemaster vnto Christ that we should be iustified by fayth If the law be as it were a scholemaster then should we do greate iniury vnto God and vnto Christ which are vnto vs in the stead of parents if we should ascribe vnto the scholemaster that which is proper vnto them It is not the scholemaster which maketh vs heires which adopteth vs which geueth vs all thinges but the father Wherfore let vs ascribe our iustification vnto God vnto Christ and not vnto the law nor vnto workes nor to our merites Tell me ye that would so The 38. faine be vnder the law Do
Which thing if he do not vndoubtedly he beleueth not faythfully and truly This doth Augustine write of him selfe in his booke of confessions And in the actes of the Apostles the EphesiaÌs when they had geuen themselues ouer vnto Christ did not only confesse theyr sinnes but also burnt those bookes which before they had vsed vnto supersticion But I will declare vnto you what hath deceaued these men They read paraduenture in the Fathers that they attributed much vnto teares fastinges almes and other godly workes of the penitent But these men vnderstand In what sence the fathers haue attributed so much vnto prayers fastinges teares not what the Fathers ment in those places For they intreated of ecclesiastical satisfactions and not of our workes by which God should be pacified or the forgeuenes of sinnes deserued For the Church forasmuch as it saw not the inward fayth of theÌ yâ fal and there were many which not abiding the shame of excoÌmunication sometimes dissembled some shew of conuersion and repentaunce thereby the rather to be reconciled and receiued vnto the coÌmunion of the other brethern the Church I say to the end this should not happen would haue a proofe of theyr fayth and conuersion neyther would it admitte them that fell vnto the fellowship of the faythfull before they had declared teares fastinges confessions and almes as witnesses of a true and perfect chaÌging And bycause these men marke not this they confound all thinges and build thereupon most detestable hipocrisye But they haue yet an other shift for they say that the workes of infidels are not sinnes although they be done without the fayth of Christ For they imagine that there Whether the workes of infidels be sinnes or no. is a certayne generall and confused fayth towardes God which fayth they which haue althoughe they beleue not in Christ yet may they worke many excellent workes which euen for that selfe same fayth sake may please God and after a sort deserue iustification They geue say they large almes they honor theyr parents they excedingly loue their countrey if they haue coÌmitted any thing yâ is euil they are sory for it they liue moderately and do a greate many other such like thinges and that not rashly but bycause they beleue there is a God which delighteth in such workes Therefore they apply them selues vnto them to make themselues acceptable vnto him Farther they paynt out and colour theyr fayned lye with a trime similitude A stake say or a post being put into the earth although ofteÌtimes A similitude it take not roote or life yet draweth it some iuyce out of the erth so bringeth forth some leaues and buddeth as if it liued in very dede So meÌ say they that are straÌge from Christ although they liue not by the celestiall spirite yet by some inspiratioÌ of the spirite they worke those excellent workes which we haue described But we We please God with no faith but with that which is in Christ that are instructed by the holy scriptures doo acknowledge no other fayth whereby we can please God but only that which is in Christ Iesus For there is no other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men whereby we caÌ be saued but only the name of Christe our sauiour And Paul as often as he maketh mencion of fayth whiche iustifyeth alwayes declareth it to be that faythe whereby we are godlye affected towardes Christe and hys Gospell But leaste Paul shoulde seme to teach this thing peculiarly and alone I will a little more déepely repeate the whole matter Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him vnto righteousnes Abraham was iustified bâ faith in Christ But what beleued he Forsooth this that he shoulde haue séede geuen him namely that onely séede as Paul interpreteth it wherein all nations shoulde be blessed which is Christ Iesus This testament was confirmed of God vnto him in Christ yea the Lord himselfe when he spake of him said He saw my day and reioysed Iob also in the xix chap. I saith he do know that my redemer liueth which shall also rise in the last day ouer them that lye in the dust And after the wormes shall destroy this body I shall see the Lord in my flesh Whome I my selfe shall see and mine owne eyes shall behold and none other for me This faith expressed in those words is in no wise generall or confused For in it are plainly described the principall pointes whiche pertain vnto Christ For first he is called a redéemer wherein is published the forgeuenes of sinnes Further his comming to iudgement is set forth and also the resurrection of the deade in whiche resurrection not other bodies but euen the selfe same which they had before shal be restored vnto men There also put the humane nature of Christ which may be seene with corporall eies Further what manner A true faith draweth with it all good motions of the mynde They whiche be straÌgers from Christ may haue a credulity but not a true faith The Turkes haue not a true fayth although they beleue many true things that we beleue of faith I beséech you is that faith which these men affirme infidels to haue For a true and firme persuasion and a constant and an assured assent vnto the promises of God draweth with it as I said at the beginning all good motions of the minde How then can they say that these men haue faith which lie still weltering in idolatry and in most filthy and grosse sinnes They may indéede haue some certaine credulitye either by education or by humane persuasion or by an opinion after a sorte rooted in them but to haue a true faith so long as they lead such a kind of life it is by no meanes possible vnles they will graunte that the Turkes haue also faith for they assente vnto many thinges whiche we professe and beleue But this place of Paul out of the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing this place I saye they will haue to be vnderstande not onely of the true faith but they also saye that the same faith may be seperated from charitie howbeit they graunte that if it so come to passe the same fayth can profite nothing Seing therfore they after that sorte expound that place how agrée they with Paul when they say that a generall and coÌfused faith which is in men that are yet straunge from Christe can bring foorth good workes which of congruity may merite iustification and please God when as Paul saith that euen the true faith also as they interprete it doth nothing profite without charitie But that similitude which they bring of a stake or post fastened into the earth vtterly ouerthroweth their opinion For although being deade it séemeth to liue yet in very déede it liueth not And a wise husbandman séeth that that budding forth is vnprofitable and
order appoynted by God in nature For God for the conseruation good order God will haue an order to be kept in outwarde thinges How Roboam is said not to haue prepared his harte of thinges will that this by a certayne connexion should follow of the other But I meruayle what these men meane when out of the bookes of the Chronicles they say that Roboam the sonne of Salomon did euil in that he prepared not his hart to enquire of the Lorde They mought easely haue sene that this serueth nothing to thys present purpose vnles they be if I may so terme them table doctors which haue more skill in the tables then in the bookes For as often as they finde in the table of the holy bookes thys woorde to prepare or preparation that strayght way whatsoeuer it be they snatche and thinke that it maketh for theyr purpose and pertayneth vnto theyr preparatory woorkes But the holy history when it declared that the kinge behaued hymselfe wickedlye addeth by exposition as it oftentimes doth that he had not an vpright hart redie to séeke the Lord. Neither doth this any thing helpe theyr cause which is written in the 16. chapter of the prouerbes Why it is said yâ it pertaineth to man to prepare the harte It pertaineth to a man to prepare the hart but the aunswere of the tonge is of the Lord. For we ought by those woordes to vnderstande nothinge els then that men indéede are wonte to purpose wyth themseues manye thinges but the euent and successe is not in their power but dependeth of GOD. Men oftentimes appoynte wyth them selues what they will saye in the senate house in the iudgement place before the kinge vnto the souldiours and vnto the people But what shal come to passe lieth in the pleasure of God They indéede prepare the hart but God ordereth the aunswere of the tounge according to his prouidence Such an other waighty reason they cite out of the 10. Psalme The Lord hath heard the desire of the poore thy eare hath heard the preparation of their hart But in this place these The preparation of the hart of the poore good masters make two flat errors For first they vnderstand not that which they speake secondly they cite not the place accordinge to the truth of the Hebrue For the sence is That God despiseth not the prayers of the poore but according to hys great goodnes accomplisheth for them those thinges which they had determined in their mind to desire of him And this is the preparation of the harte For there is none that is godly desireth any thing of God but first he deliberateth in his harte that the same thing is to be desired Otherwise he should come rashly vnto God should pray foolishly But these men wheresoeuer they finde in the holy scriptures this word to prepare straight way snatch it vp euen against the nature thereof to establish workes preparatorye But nowe let vs sée what the sentence is after the Hebrue veritie Taauah anauim shamata iehouah tachin libbam tacshib osnecha That is Thou hast heard the desire of the poore Lord thou hast prepared or shalt prepare their hart thy eare shall heare Here we sée that Dauid affirmeth that God heareth God prepareth the hart of the saintes the desires of the saintes whome he calleth poore And he addeth a cause namely because God prepareth their hart to require those thinges whiche may serue to their saluation and please God But by whome God woorketh such a preparation in the hartes of the faithfull Paul teacheth in this Epistle when he thus writeth God prepareth our hartes by his holy spirits What we should aske as it behoueth vs we know not But the spirite prayeth for vs with vnspeakeable sighes But it is God which searcheth the hartes he seeth what the spirite will aske for the saintes We sée therefore both by Dauid and also by Paul that God heareth those prayers of them that pray vnto him which are by the impulsioÌ of his spirite stirred vp We learne also of the Ethnike Philosophers and that in mo places then one that those are worthy of reproofe which without consideration and rashly require any thing of God But they which professe Christ euen as they beleue that he is the author of their prayers so also do they close them vp in thys sentence Thy will be done But say they Ezechiell saith in his 18. chapter Walke in A concilition of places of Ieremy and Ezechiell my wayes and make ye a new hart Ieremy also saith Be ye conuerted vnto me saith the Lord. Wherefore a man say they may of himselfe prepare himselfe to the obteyning of righteousnes But these men should remember that it is no vprighte dealing to cite some places of the scriptures and to ouerhippe leaue vnspoken other some Let them goe therfore and sée what Ezechiell writeth in the. 30. chapt I saith the Lorde will bring to passe that ye shall walke in my wayes Agayne I will geue vnto you a fleshy hart and will take away from you your stony hart Ieremy also in the 31. chap. Conuert me O Lord and I shal be conuerted Wherfore Augustine very wel sayd Geue what thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt They abuse also an other place out of the Prophet Ionas to confirme their error For in him it is writteÌ that Of the fact of the Niniuites God regarded the woorkes of the Niniuites Beholde say they the affliction of the Niniuites wherby they afflicted themselues with fastings and cried vnto the lord prepared theyr mindes and made them apte to obteine pardon As though it behoued not the Niniuites first to beleue the woorde of God before they coulde eyther pray healthfully or els repent Séeing therefore they beleued before they did any workes they were iustified by faith and not by works which folowed afterward And God is sayd to haue regarded their works because they pleased him Neither did we euer deny that the workes of men being now iustified are acceptable vnto A profitable rule for the right vnderstanding of sentences of the fathers touching iustificatioÌ God So often as we finde in the scriptures such places which séeme to attribute righteousnes vnto our workes we muste according to the doctrine of Augustine haue a consideration out of what foundation those workes procéede And when we perceaue that they springe out of faith we oughte to ascribe vnto that roote that which afterwarde is added as touching righteousnes And how fowlye these men ârre in their reasoning hereby we may perceaue for that they take vpon them to transferre those thinges which are proper vnto one kinde of men vnto an other Which thing eueÌ humane lawes wil not suffer For as it is had in the Code As touching testaments or last willes If rusticall and vnlearned men which dwell out of cities A similitude and haue not store of wise and learned
to be harkened vnto We ought to receaue and reuerence those Counsels only which haue framed theyr doctrine to the rule of the holy scriptures Demosthenes in an oration against Androtion sayth that decrees of the senate ought not to be made but according to the prescript of those thinges which are alredy determined in the lawes So in ecclesiastical counsells ought not new decrées to be made as touching doctrine but of those things only which are either had expressedly in yâ word of God or ells may assuredly and euidently be gathered out of it First we will begin with the Counsell of Aphricke in which in the 80. chapiter a curse is pronounced Concilium AphricanuÌ agaynst the Pelagians who sayd that the grace of iustification is therfore geuen that by grace we may the easelyer fullfill that which we are commaunded to doo as though also with out grace although with more difficulty we might by our frée will fullfill the commaundementes of God when as yet the Lord speaking of the fruites of the commaundementes sayde not Without me ye can hardlye doo anye thing but with out me ye can vtterly doo nothing By these wordes are reproued the Papistes of our time which are not ashamed to say that a man before iustification can do yâ workes which are commauÌded in the law and which do please God and prepare a man to regeneration For what thing ells is this then with the Pelagians to say that a man may indede also before iustification performe the law although not so fully and easely as after he is iustified And that is nothing which they say namely that they put a certayne grace preuenting whereby men not yet regenerate may doo those workes which they call preparatory For in thus saying they differ in name only from the Pelagians For they also taught no les then these men doo that there goeth before a certayne grace of the law and of the knowledge of the will of God and of illumination wherby a man vnderstandeth what he ought to doo But as for the rest they attributed it vnto frée will which thing these men also do And that the Pelagians were of that opinion the counsel Mileuitanum declareth wherin it is thus written in the 4. chap. We curse all them which say that the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord helpeth vs onely for that Concilium Mileuitanum by it is reueled and opened vnto vs the vnderstanding of the commaundements of God that we may know what we ought to desire what to auoyd and that by it is not geuen vs also to loue to be able to do that which we know ought to be done For forasmuch as the Apostle sayth knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth it is very wicked to beleue that we should haue that grace of Christ which puffeth vp and not that grace which edifieth especially seyng it is written in the 4. chapter of the 1. epistle of Iohn Loue is of God In the second counsel also of Arausicanum the 4 chap. it is thus writen That Concilium Arausicanum they resist the holy ghost which say that the Lord wayteth for our will when as SalomoÌ sayth The will is prepared of the Lord and also when as Paul saith vnto the Philippians It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will And in the 5. chapter are reproued those which affirmed that of the grace of Christ is geuen an increase of faith not the beginning For the beginning also of faith commeth of the inspiration of the holy gost which correcteth our infidelitie bringing it from infidelitie to faith and from vngodlines to godlines And the proofe hereof is brought out of sundry places of the scriptures For Paul sayth vnto the Philippians I trust that he which hath begonne the good worke in you shall accomplish it euen to the day of the Lord. And againe in the same epistle Vnto you it is geueÌ not onely to beleue in hym but also to suffer for him And vnto the Ephes By grace ye are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues For it is the gift of God Moreouer they are there subiect vnto the curse which would say That the mercy and grace of God is geuen vnto the willing vnto the beleuers vnto them that are desirous vnto them that go about it vnto them that labour vnto them that watche vnto them that study vnto them that aske vnto them that séeke vnto them yâ knocke but confessed not that by the infusion and inspiration of the holy ghost and by the gift of God is geuen vnto vs to haue a will to beleue to endeuour our selues and to labour They cite these testimonies out of the scriptures What hast thou âthat thou hast not receaued And if thou hast receiued why boastest thou as though thou hast not receaued And the Apostle writeth of himselfe By the grace of God I am that I am In the 7. chap. are condemned those which thinke that by the strengths we can thinke or attaine vnto any thinge that serueth to saluation or that we can without the illumination of the spirite geue credite vnto the worde of GOD preached This may be confirmed by the scriptures For Paul saith that we cannot thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God Christ also saith Without me ye can do nothing Also blessed art thou Simon Bariona for flesh and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee They also are cursed which graunt that frée will is in dede in some maner weakened and hurt but yet not so but that men by it may be conuerted vnto saluation The scriptures are apertly repugnant vnto that sentence For the Lord saith No man commeth vnto me vnles my father shall draw hym Paul also vnto the Corinthians No man can say the Lord Iesus but in the spirite of God This is an excellent sentence God loueth vs beyng such as we shall be by his gift and not such as we are by our owne merite And in the 13. chapter it is thus written Free will beyng lost in the first man cannot be repayred and because it is lost it cannot be restored but by him by whome it was geuen at the beginning Wherfore the truth it selfe sayth If the sonne shall make you fre then are ye truly free Farther in the 17. chapter is decréed that the strength of the Ethnikes commeth of worldly lust which wordes declare that their vertues as we haue before shewed out of Augustine and other Fathers were not true vertues chiefly forasmuch as they sprang out of an euill ground But humane lust comprehendeth whatsoeuer is possible to be found in men not regenerate It followeth in the selfe same chap. that the loue of God maketh the force and strength of Christians which loue is poured into our hartes not by frée wil but by the holy gost which is geuen vs wheras no merites go
bicause of vnbeliefe they were broken of but thou standest by faith Here is geuen the reason of the fall and destruction of men and on the other side of saluation and constancie namely vnbeliefe faith And of the Iewes which should one day be restored he addeth And if they abide not stil in their vnbeliefe they shal be againe grafted in for God is of might to graft theÌ in Héere we sée that by departing from vnbelief which consisteth in beleuing Hereby is proued that the restoring of theÌ that fall coÌmeth by faith men that haue fallen are restored This maketh very muche against the error of those which although they after a sort confesse that the first iustification is giuen fréely without any workes going before yet vnto men that haue fallen they graunt not restitution vnto iustification but by satisfactions and many workes preparatory These things haue I gathered out of the Epistle vnto the Romanes now will we in order prosecute the other Epistles In the first Epistle to the Corinthians the first Chapter it is thus written bicause the world in the wisedome of God knew not God by wisedome it pleased God by the folishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleue Bicause the wise men of this world saith the Apostle by their naturall searching out could not take hold of the wisedome of God whereby they might be saued God of his goodnesse hath instituted a contrary way namely the preaching of the Gospell which vnto the flesh séemeth foolishnesse that by it saluation should be geuen vnto men but yet not to all sortes of men but to those only that beléeue Wherfore in the .ij. to the Corinthians the. 1. chapter it is thus written by faith ye stand by which wordes we vnderstand that the foundation wherby we are confirmed and established in the way of saluation is faith Farther Paule to the Galathians the .ij. Chapter where he reproueth Peter for his dissimulation wherby he séemed to lead the Gentiles to obserue the Ceremonies of the Iewes thus speaketh If thou being a Iewe liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as doe the Iewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to liue as doe the Iewes For we which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the workes of the law and we beleue in Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ not by the workes of the law because by the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified Héere we sée that the Apostles therefore folowed Christ yâ they might be iustified by faith which they could not obtaine by works And afterward the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which is all one as if he should haue said As yet in déede sinne sticketh in my fleshe and in it I cary death about but yet notwithstanding I haue life not through mine owne merite but by the faith of the sonne of God In the .iij. chap. he thus wryteth I would know this of you receiued ye the spirite by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith And straight way he addeth he which ministreth vnto you the spirit in you worketh miracles doth he the same by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith By these words we sée that it is faith and not works wherby we take holde of the gifts of God and he addeth ye know that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and that vndoubtedly for no other cause but because in beleuing they imitate him Wherfore sayth he the scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles by faith shewed before hande glad tidings vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all nations be blessed This blessyng spred not abrode vnto them bicause they had their beginning of the flesh of Abraham but bicause they followed the steppes of his faith Otherwise of Abraham as touching the fleshe came not as farre as we can read any other nations then the Ismaelites Edomites and Israelites Then foloweth the conclusion Therefore they which are of faith shal be blessed with faithfull Abraham But to be blessed in the Hebrew phrase is nothing else then to receiue the gifts of God amoÌgst which iustification is the principallest Wherefore it followeth That vnto the Gentiles through Christ might come the promise made vnto Abraham that we might receyue the promise of the holy Ghost through faith We sée therefore that the promise of the holy ghost is not taken hold of by workes as many faine it is which thing euen reason sufficiently declareth For seing the Lord as it shall a litle afterward be declared had by promise geuen this blessing vnto Abraham we must se what is referred vnto the promise as a correlatiue Which as we haue sayd caÌ be nothing ells but fayth for fayth setteth forth vnto it selfe the promises of God as an obiect Paul furthermore addeth that the scripture concludeth all thinges vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christ should be geuen to them that beleue Thys is the cause why yâ holy scriptures so diligently shew vnto men how they be guilty of sinnes namely that they should be the more stirred vp to embrase yâ promises of God at the least way by fayth when as they haue not good workes by which they may take hold of them And this vnderstand we by that which is afterward written The law is our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by fayth These wordes signifie nothing els but that yâ law therfore sheweth sinnes setteth forth vnto meÌ their infirmity and stirreth vp theyr lustes wherby sinnes are more and more encreased that they being thus admonished should returne vnto Christ and might from him thorough fayth receaue righteousnes Which thing they vndoubtedly did of whome it is sayd Ye are all the children of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sons of God but to haue now obteyned adoption which we obteine only by regeneration or iustification And in the 4. chapiter Brethern sayth he we are after Isaake children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing ells but to beleue those thinges which God promiseth wherby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaake borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the 5. chapter he writeth We in the spirite looke for the hope of righteousnes by fayth In this place are two thinges touched the sprite of God whereby we are new facioned and renewed vnto saluation and fayth wherby we appreheÌd righteousnes Wherfore in this matter of our iustificatioÌ although there be in our minds many ther workes of the holy ghost yet none of them except fayth helpe to iustification Therfore the Apostle concludeth Circumcision is
place and as here the gift of healinges and of miracles followeth fayth so doth there the remouing of mountaines wherfore those thinges which Paul hath spoken of a perticular fayth ought not to be wrested to the vniuersal and iustifieng fayth For that is to make a false argument A secunduÌ quid ad simpliciter As if a man should say this fayth may be seperated from iustification which is called fayth secundum quid ergo the true fayth and the iustifieng faith which is called fayth simpliciter that is to say absolutely may be seperated from iustification If a man should so compare two seuerall kindes that he will ascribe one and the selfe same propriety vnto either of them he shall soone be deceaued But Pigghius saw that by this easy and playne exposition all his reasoning may be ouerthrowen and therfore went he about by violence to take it from vs forgetting in the meane time that the author and patrone therof is Chrisostome And to infring it he vseth this argument Vniuersall propositioÌs are to be drawen vnto thâ matter wherof is at that tyme entrâated Paul manifestly sayth All fayth Wherfore we may not vnderstand it of any singular faith For the Apostle maketh an vniuersall propositioÌ But this man ought to remember that vniuersall propositions are to be contracted or draweÌ vnto that matter wherof is at that time entreated And although this might be declared by many examples yet at this present only one shall suffice vs. Paul in that selfe same epistle vnto the Corrinthians the first chapiter sayth that he geueth thankes vnto God for them for that they were enriched in all kind of speach and in all knowledge And yet it is not very likely that they were by the spirite of Christ endewed with naturall philosophy with Metaphisicall and Mathemathematicall knowledge with knowledge of the law and with other liberall sciences but only with all knowledge which perttayned vnto piety and vnto the Gospell Neyther is it likely that they by the power of the holy ghost were adorned with all kind of Rhetorical Logicall Poeticall and historicall speaches but onely with those which pertayned vnto the edification of the church with sounde doctrine and godly admonitions Wherfore propositions although they be vniuersall yet are not alwayes to be vnderstanded simply but ought sometimes to be drawen vnto the matter wherof is at that time entreated Wherfore that which Paul sayth If I haue all faith we vnderstand of all that faith which serueth vnto the working of miracles And that this contraction is of necessitie the wordes which followe do declare For Paul straight way addeth So that I can remoue mountaynes Chrisostome also saith that he in that vniuersalitie saw that this perticuler sentence is of necessity to be vnderstand For he saith that it may be doubted how Christ saith that to remoue mouÌtaines a little faith is sufficient which in his smalnes of quantitie resembleth a grain of mustard sede wheÌ as Paul saith If I haue all faith so that I caÌ remoue mountains as though to bring that to passe is required a woÌderful great faith He thus dissolueth the question and saith that Christ spake of the truth nature of the thing for the gift of faith though it be neuer so small is sufficient to worke miracles be they neuer so great but Paul had a respect vnto the common opinion and iudgement of men for they when they looke vpon the greatnes and hugenes of a mountaine thinke that it cannot be remoued without a certaine incredible efficacy and greatnes of faith Neither helpeth it much Pighius cause that Erasmus makyng Erasmus opinion aunswer vnto the Sorbonicall doctors reiecteth this our interpretation For first his reason is very weake and secondly false for he saith that the purpose of the Apostle was to prayse charity by comparison But what prayse should that be saith he if it should be compared with faith which is one of the frée giftes of the holy ghost and may light as wel vpon the wicked as vpon the godly For he should but coldly prayse a man which should say that he is better theÌ a dogge or a beare First this is false that Paul compareth not charity with frée gifts of God For he maketh mencion of prophesâeng of knowledge and of the gifte of tounges and preferreth Charity before them Secondly it is weake that he sayth that if our interpretation be receaued the Apostle shoulde compare Charity onely with frée gifts For we confesse that toward the end he coÌpareth it with the true fayth For Paule saith there are thre things faith hope and charitie but the chiefest is charitie And he bringeth a reason why for it abideth and the other shall cease Farther it is a full comparison if as we haue sayd we begin at the frée gifts and so afterwarde come in order to the vertues Theological yea rather by that that Paule towarde the ende of the chapiter compareth charitie with true faith it is most likely that he did not so before But if we should fully graunt this vnto Pighius that that faith wherof Paul speaketh is yâ vniuersal faith wherby men are iustified yet neither so vndoubtedly should he obtain his purpose For yâ Apostle going about by al maner Figurâ fictionis ⪠of meanes to set forthe charitie thought to amplifie yâ same by a fiction or faining which is a figure of Rhetorike knowen euen vnto children And yet doth not Paul therfore bring a false proposition for he vseth a conditional proposition which we may not resolue into a categoricall proposition yet notwithstanding is the truth in the meane time kept As if I should say vnto a man if thou haddest the life or vse of the reasonable soule without the life or vse of the sensible soule thou shouldest not be affected with pertârbations of minde no man coulde reproue this kinde of speache to be false And yet it is not possible that in a man the reasonable life should be seperated from the animall life Such kinde of speaches also are fouÌd in the holy scriptures As for example If I shall ascend vp into heauen thou art there if I shall desceÌd down into hell thou art present And if I take the fethers of the morning and dwell in the vttermost endes of the sea thither shall thy right hand leade me These sentences are true and yet is it not possible that a man should take vnto him the fethers of the morning After the same manner we say if a man should seperate faith from charitie he should make it vnprofitable although in very déede it can not be seperated from charitie And that Paule in that place vsed suche an Hyperbole or fiction that manifestly declareth which he a little before spake Though I should speake with the tongues of men and of Angels and haue not charitie I am made as a sounding brasse or a tingling cimball But we knowe that Angels haue neyther bodyes nor
to doe them there is not added saith he to doe all the commaundements God receiueth a man which endeuoreth himselfe to doe them and of his mercy forgeueth many things But this that is written To doe them must of necessitie be vnderstand of all For doubtlesse in the lawe which this man calleth the Testament are written all And if God forgeue or remit any thing he doeth it to men already regenerate And not vnto Vnto those which are not iustified nothing is remitted of the rigor of the law them that are straungers from him children of wrath such as they must néedes be which are not as yet iustified but stil prepare themselues and are bent to performe the conditions Vnto these I say nothing is remitted wherefore they are bound vnto all And therefore Moses said as Paul testifieth Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things that are written in the boke of the law Farther he maketh a contention also about the production of fayth and demaundeth from whence it hath his beginning in vs. We in one word easely answer that it hath his beginning of the holy ghost But he faineth himselfe to wonder From wheÌce faith is ingenerated in vs. how we graunt the holy ghost vnto a man before he doth beleue For he thinketh that to be absurd First I can not deuise how this man should so much wonder at this But afterward I perceaue that he manifestly maketh and teacheth with the Pelagians that fayth is of our selues and that it is gotten by humane strengthes For otherwise if he beleued that it is of God and of the holy ghost he would not seperate the cause from his effect But that he should not thinke that we without good reason do attribute vnto the holy ghost the beginning of fayth let hym harken vnto the moste manifest testimonyes of the Scriptures Paule sayth in the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians Not in the words which mans wisedome teacheth but which the holy ghost teacheth that your faith should not be of the wisdome of men but of God And in the same place The carnall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that are of God neither can he for vnto him they are foolishnes for they are spiritually discerned ⪠But how can they be spiritually discerned except the spirite of God be present Children also know that of * Coniugata be those wordes which being of one kind be dâriued of an other as of iustice a iust man or a iust thing Coniugata are deriued firme arguments And vnto the Galathians God sayth he hath sent his spirit into our hartes whereby we cry Abba father For by the spirit we beleue and in beleuing we call vpon God Yea and the spirit himselfe as it is written vnto the Romanes beareth testimony vnto our spirit that we are the children of God And vnto the Ephesians Be ye strenthened by the spirit in the inward man that Christ may by fayth dwell in your harts Here we sée that that fayth whereby we embrase Christ commeth of the spirit of God whereby our inward man is made stronge The Apostles when they sayd Lord increase our fayth manifestly declared that it sprang not of their owne strengthes but of the the breathing of God And Paul in the 1. to the Corrinthians the 12. chapiter Vnto one saith he is geuen the word of wisedome vnto an other the word of knowledge vnto an other fayth vnto an other the grace of healing And then is added that it is one and the selfe same spirit which worketh all these thinges deuiding vnto euery man as pleaseth him And if thou wilt say that this place and the foresayd petition of the Apostles pertayneth vnto the particular fayth by which are wrought miracles doubtles I will not be much agaynst it And yet if thou wilt nedes haue it so I will reason a minori that is from the lesse For if these frée gifts are not had but from the spirit of God much les can that vniuersall and mighty fayth whereby we are iustified he had from els where Farther Paul vnto yâ Rom. Vnto euery one sayth he as God hath deuided the measure of fayth And in the latter to the Cor. Hauing saith he the self same spirit of fayth eueÌ as it is written I haue beleued for which cause also I speake we also beleue and speake that God which raysed vp Iesus from the dead shall through Iesus rayse vp our bodyes also Vnto the Gal. are reckned vp the fruites of the spirite Charity ioy peace patience lowlines gentlenes fayth meekenes and temperaunce Fayth here is numbred among the fruites of the spirit wherefore it procedeth of the spirit But vnto the Ephesians he sayth more manifestly By grace you are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And in the Actes of the Apostles it is thus written The Lord opened the hart of the woman that sold silkes to geue hede vnto those thinges which Paul spake And in the 13. chapiter They beleued as many as were predestinate vnto eternall life Wherefore it is not to be doubted but that fayth is ingenerated in our harts by the holy ghost who yet may indede be had of them which beleue not but that yet is onely perswading and not as sanctifying them How the holy ghost is in man not regenerate And although in the elect he sodenly poureth in fayth yet forasmuch as he is the cause of fayth he is therefore before it both in dignity and in order Now let vs sée what absurdities Pighius gathereth out of this sentence If the spirit sayth he be the author of our fayth and vseth the instrument of the word of God and may be also in them that beleue not how commeth it to passe that wheÌ as there are many at one and the selfe same sermon where as both spirit is preseÌt and the word preached yet part do beleue and part beleue not we answere in one word that that coÌmeth because the spirit is not of like efficacy in all men neither doth after one the selfe same maner teach all meÌ inwardly and in yâ minde But of his will we can not render in cause although we nothing doubt but that it is most iust If the matter be so sayth he the hearers will easely content them selues neither will they put to their endeuor or studie for they know that that is in vaine when as it wholy dependeth of the spirite of God This is not only a very common but also an enuious obiection But we answer that all men are bouÌd to beleue the word of God and therfore theyr bounden duety is diligently and attentiuely to hearken vnto it with all their strengthes to assent vnto it And if they so doe not they shal then incurre the punishment of the law neither are they to be hearkened vnto if they shall say that they could not obey it or if they would haue
gone about to haue proued what their strength could haue done their endeuor for that they were not as yet iustified should haue bene in vaine and sinne As if a master should bid his seruaunt which is lame to walke and he shold excuse himselfe and say that he were lame and could not goe without great deformitie it is not to be thought that therefore he is excused We are not of that minde that we thinke that all sinnes are alike Yea rather we teach that they which omit or neglect those outward workes which they might performe and put not to endeuor and study to do wel do much more greuously sinne then they which according to their strengthes obserue some certaine outward discipline And as Augustine sayth Cato and Scipio shal be much more tollerablier dellt with then Catiline or Caligula But I would haue yâ Pighius whome our opinioÌ so much misliketh to declare himselfe when he thinketh that the holy ghost is geuen vnto men He will aunswere when as now these preparations haue gone before when a man hath beleued feared hoped repented and sincerely loued What more could Pelagius haue sayde As though to beleue to loue and such other like shoulde spring of humane strengthes He alleadgeth this also and thinketh it to make for his purpose Come vnto me all ye which labour and are laden and I wil refresh you For he thinketh that labours burthens contrition confession and as they say satisfaction fastings teares such other like make to the obteynment of iustification But this place is to be vnderstand farre otherwise For Christ calleth them laboring and loden which were oppressed with the law and felt theyr owne infirmity and the burthen of sinnes and which had now long time laboured vnder humane tradicions These men being now weried and in a maner without all hope the Lord calleth vnto him For they are more apt vnto the kingdome of heauen theÌ are other blessed secure men which by theyr own works good dedes thought theÌ selues very iuste God sayth Pighius requireth workes preparatory and them he promiseth not to fayle them of his grace This was vtterly the opinion of the Pelagians against which the holy scriptures are vtterly repugnant For they teach that it is God which geueth both to will and to performe according to his good will that it is God which beginneth in vs the good worke and accomplisheth it euen vnto this day that it is God froÌ whome only we haue sufficiency when as otherwise we are not able to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues Wherfore it is manifest that Pighius confoundeth the lawes of God disturbeth those things which ar wel setforth in yâ holy scriptures Farther when as we say that vnto iustification is not sufficient an historicall fayth he fayneth him selfe to meruayle what maner of historicall fayth we vnderstand For if sayth he they call all those thinges which are written in the holy scriptures an history wil they bring vnto vs an other faith wherby we may beleue those things which are not in the scriptures But we reiect not an historicall fayth as though we would faine some new obiects of fayth besides those which are The difference betwene aâ historicall faith and a straunge faith setforth in yâ holy scriptures or are out of theÌ firmely coÌcluded But we require not a vulgar or cold assent such as they haue which are accustomed to allow those thinges which they read in yâ holy scriptures being thereto led by humane persuasioÌ some probable credulity as at this day yâ Iewes Turkes confesse beleue many things which we doo but an assured firme strong assent such which commeth froÌ the afflation of the holy ghost which changeth maketh new the hart and the mind and draweth with it good motions and holy workes In this maner we say that that fayth which is of efficacy differeth very much from an historicall assent And that we are by that fayth which we haue now described iustified we haue thrée maner of testimonies The first is of the holy ghost Which beareth witnes vnto our spirite that we are the children of God The second is of the scriptures The third is of workes But contrariwise they which hold and crie that a man is iustified by workes haue no sufficient testimony For the holy ghost testifieth it not the holy scriptures deny it only works are brought forth and those without piety and fayth such as were in times past the workes of the old Ethnikes and at this day the woorkes of many which beleue not in Christ and are strangers from God But it is woorthy to be laughed at that he hath cited also a place out of the 66. chapiter of Esay by which and if there were no more places then it only his cause is most of all ouerthrowen Vnto whome sayth God shall I looke but vnto the poore man vnto ⪠the contrite of harte and vnto him that trembleth at my woordes By these wordes Pighius thinketh are signified those workes wherby God is drawen to iustifie vs. But the matter is farre otherwise For the scope of the Prophet was to detest the suspition of the Iewes For they neglecting the inward piety of the mind trusted only to outward ceremonies Wherfore this thing God by yâ voyce of the Prophet condemned and declared how odious it was vnto him Heauen sayth he is my seate and the earth is the footestoole of my feete As if he should haue sayd I nothing passe vpon this your temple which ye so much boast of For heauen is my seate such a seat as you can not frame nor make and the earth adorned with all kind variety of plants liuing creatures herbes flowers is the footestoole of my féete Where theÌ shall be that house which ye wil build for me And where shall be my resting place And straight way to declare yâ it was not the teÌple built with handes All these thinges sayth he hath mine hand made and all these thinges are made sayth the Lord. By which wordes we learne that God delighteth not in these thinges and in outward ornamentes and sumptuous buildinges for theyr own sakes but chiefly requireth fayth and inward piety of the minds that he may dwel in them And who they be that beleue and are in very déede godly is declared by theyr certayne and proper notes Whosoeuer is poore and séeeth him selfe to want righteousnes and whosoeuer is contrite of hart that is to say afflicted in this world whosoeuer is of a moderate and deiected spirite and not of an arrogant and proud spirite whosoeuer with great reuerence and feare receaueth the wordes of God he most iustly may be nombred amongst them These are fure tokens and as it were the proper coulours of faith and true piety Afterward the Prophet declareth how much God estemeth the workes of men that beleue not and are not as yet regenerate though these workes be neuer
other with mutual benefites For of our owne accord we loue both our children and brethen although they haue not bound vs vnto theÌ by any theyr benefit to vs ward And forasmuch as these things ought to be obserued in christiaÌ loue therfore Paul calleth it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã although it come not of nature but of the spirite of God and of grace And how much the consideration of brotherhoode is of force to stirre vp loue betwene The loue of brethren is of great efficacy Christian men we are taught by the example of Moses For he the next day after that he had slayne the Egiptian when he went to visite the Hebrues and saw a certayne Hebrew doing iniury to an other Hebrew as S. Stephan reciteth the history sayd vnto them Ye are bretherne why doo ye in this sorte iniury one an other The force of this affect Ioseph also declareth For he when he ment vpon the sodayne to reconcile himselfe to his brethren who had solde to be a bondman sayde vnto them I am your brother Ioseph And so soone as he had spoken that he could not restrayne him selfe from teares So great is the force of this affect with the godly Neither is the mutuall loue betwéene Christians without iust cause called a brotherly loue For Christ called his disciples brethreÌ and yâ at that time chiefly when after his resurrection he was now endued with immortality Aristotle in his 9. booke of Ethiks wheÌ he entreteth of frendship Amongst brethreÌ saith he one and the self same thing is distributed amongst many and therefore for as much as they communicate among themselues in one and the selfe same thing they by good right loue the one the other By that one and the selfe same thing wherin brethren communicate he vnderstandeth the substaunce of the father and of the mother whereof eche haue their part The like consideration also is there betwene the faithful For as Peter sayth they are made partakers of the nature of God wherfore they ought to loue one an other as brethren which thing if they neglect to doe they are worthely called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is without naturall affections Which vice as a sinne most greuous Paul in the first chapiter of this Epistle attributed to those which fell away from the true worshipping of God and were therefore deliuered of him into a reprobate minde In geuing honor ⪠go one before an other This is the proper effect of brotherly The âffects of honour of contempt loue that whome we loue those we labour by all meanes to honoure and in so doing we allure those whome we honour to loue vs again as contrariwise when we contemn our brethren we breake in sonder the senewes of loue and prouoke our brethren to hatred and enmities towardes vs. For what thing els is anger but a desire of vengeance sprong by reason of contempt Honor is here taken not only for a certaine outward reuerence wherby we reuerence the dignitye of our What honour signifieth neighbour but also for an outwarde helpe succor and aide wherby we help those which stand in néede So Paul admonisheth Timothe to honoure widowes And Christ reproued the Phariseis for that they contemned the precept of God which commaunded that parents should be honored when they gaue counsell to yâ children to offer vp those things in the temple which ought rather to haue ben bestowed towards the relief of their parents And of how great force the neglecting of this kinde of helpe towardes our brethren is to stirre vp hatred and enmities we The neglecting of our brethren stirreth vp contentioÌs may gather out of the Actes of the Apostles For straight way in the primitiue Churche there arose a grudge for that the widowes of the Gréekes were contemned in the daily ministery Hereunto Christ exhorted his when he willed that they should not prease for the first roomes in the sinagoges and that being bidden to feasts they should sit downe in the lowest rowme This worde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is in this text may haue a double sense by reason of the diuers significatioÌ of the verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã For sometimes it is taken for existimo or reputo that is to estéeme or make accompt of And so the sence shall be let euery man thinke that others are more worthy of honour then him selfe As to the Philippians in the. 2. Chapiter it is written ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is in humblenesse of minde euery man esteeming others better then him selfe And sometimes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth nothing els but to be a captaine and to goe before And so the sense is let euery one of you preuent the other with honour and suffer not himself to be preuented Not slouthfull to doe seruice For as much as these things which he hath now reckened vp ought not slenderly to be put in vre therfore Paul sayth therein we must doe our diligence And the slouthfulnes which he commaundeth to be put away is that slownes in executyng of offices whereby men declare that they doe those things which they do grudgingly From which fault they are cleare which doe it with such cherefulnes and willingnes that sometimes they contemne euen their own commodities In suÌme Paul requireth that we loue not only in words but also in very dede and with an effectual endeuor and that we be not professors of this Philosophy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is all in words but nothing in dedes which thing was reproued in diuers wise men amongst the Ethnikes Feruent in spirite Those things which he hath now made mention of for that they bring with them troubles lothsomnes laboures and costes therefore commonly seme irksome vnto the fleshe Wherfore Paul requireth that we suffer not our selues to be seduced by the flesh but rather that we be feruent in spirite Men neither hot nor colde highly displease God I would to God sayth he thou wert either hot or colde but for that thou art luke warme and neither hot nor colde I will begin to spew thee out of my mouth This word spirit may here signifie two things either the power and instincte of God or els our soule And it is doubtfull whether sense Spirit somtymes signiâeth our soule we ought here to sollow And that spirite sometimes signifieth our soule it may be gathered by many places of the scriptures For it is written blessed are the pore in spirite Againe he bowed downe his head and yelded vp the spirite ⪠Againe that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lord. Again that it may be holy both in body and in spirite Againe the body without the spirite is dead Againe Christ went to the spirites whiche were in prison Howbeit I graunt that this word spirite hath either signification And I here thinke that it hath either signification namely bothe our soule and also the power of the spirite of God
what his scope is we will first define what a magestrate is A magestrate is Definition of a magistrate aperson elected and that of God to defend the lawes and peace and with punishments and the sword to represse vices and euils and by all manner of meanes to aduaunce vertues The efficient cause is God the ende is the preseruation of the lawes and of peace the banishing away of vices and discommodities and the encrease of vertues The forme is the order which the prouidence of God hath appoynted in things humane The matter is the man or person For who so euer is appoynted to be a magestrate is taken of men The methâde which is here kept is in a maner generall First he sayth that all men ought to bâ subiect vnto magestrates which thing is first proued by the efficient cause for that ââ suche powers are of God then is it proued by the coÌtrary for that they which conteââne the magestrate are against God and that to theyr owne great hurt Finally iâ ãâ¦ã proued Why so often in the new testament is in ãâ¦ã ted thaâ ough ãâ¦ã geue ho ãâ¦ã to the magistrate â he Pope heâe proued guilty and condemned by the ende for that the magestrates bring vnto vs great profit This is bo ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ery often and also very exactly entreated of in the new Testament and that for ãâ¦ã cause chiefly for that the children of God sometimes thinke that it is a thing in a maner vayne that they being gouerned by the spirit and word of God should be subiect vnto outward powers Neither can it be expressed in how ill part yâ Iewes toke it when they were as captiues oppressed of the Babilonians Assirians Medes and Persians and when at home in theyr Countrey they were greuously afflicted first of the Macedontans and afterwarde of the Romaines They would gladly haue shaken of that yoke which the Anabaptistes Libertines at this day with great fury go about to shake of and which the Pope and his dearlings hath now long time shaken of For he hath so exempted bothe himselfe and his cleargy from all publique power that now Princes are subiect vnto him and he suffereth the great monarchies of Christendome to kisse his féete and most filthily to worship him He createth Emperors and putteth them downe as it pleaseth him He taketh away kingdomes and pylleth and polleth them as he lust But Christ behaued himself farre otherwise for he payed tribute and taught that vnto Cesar Christ was subiect to the powers of the world ought to be rendred that which is Cesars With these wordes of Paul agréeth that which Peter wryteth in the second chapiter of his first Epistle saying Be ye subiect to euery humane creature that is vnto the ordinaunce which God would shoulde be amongst men Be subiect sayth he for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superior or vnto gouerners as vnto them that are sent of him namely either of the king or of God for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do wel If we examine all the partes of this commaundement we shall in a manner finde in it all those thynges whiche are here taught of Paule The selfe same thyng Paul wrote to Titus in the third Chapiter Admonishe them sayth he that they be subiect vnto Princes and powers and that they be obedient to the magestrates And in his Epistle to the Ephesians to Timothe and to Titus he diligently commauÌdeth seruaunts to be obedient to theyr masters And vnto Timothe he commaundeth Christians to make prayers for theyr magestrates Whereby that is most manifest which we haue ofteÌtimes sayd and which Chrysostome in this place wryteth that the doctrine of the Gospel was not geuen to ouerthrow the politique gouernments The Gospel ouerthroweth not the gouernments of the world A magistrate called by the name of a father of the world but rather to confirme them and to make them better This place of the Apostle partaineth to that commaundement of the law Honoure thy father and thy mother For in the olde time as Aristotle also wryteth in his Politiques fathers gaue lawes to theyr famely and to them were as kings And amongst the Romanes the Senators were called Patres conscripti that is appoynted Fathers For a magestrate is nothing els but the father of the countrey Here we nede not curiously to entreat by what right or by what wrong Princes haue obtained theyr power This thing only is to be séene vnto that we reuerence magestrates when they are in that roome For this Epistle was written when the Romaines had now obtained the Empire of the whole world which Empire we know they possessed by violence and afterward the Emperors by as wicked practises drew vnto them the whole dominion ouer al yet Paul without al exception commaundeth vs to be obedient vnto the powers And so generall is this proposition In this prâcept are contayned all degrees of men of Paul that Chrysostome testifieth that vnder this commaundement are contained Priests Monks Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes But I thinke that Origen is not here to be allowed For he wryteth that Paul sayth let euery soule and not euery spirite for they which are vtterly spiritual do not by any meanes follow the affectes of the fleââe neither possesse things humane doe not liue vnder Princes and powers Bât who euer had more aboundance of the spirite then our Lord and sauior C ãâ¦ã t had Who at any time was more holy then his Apostles were and yet thââ submitted themselues to the higher power euen to the death ãâ¦ã to ãâ¦ã to popes bishops Wherefore ãâ¦ã s muche better to say with Chrysostome that none is to be excepted from this âniuersall sentence But those ecclesiasticall Papists will say that the kings âhemselues and publique powers haue geuen vnto them theyr right and ha ãâ¦ã appoynted that the clergye should be exempted But we ought not to regard âhat Princes haue done herein but what they ought to haue done For it lyeth not in theyr hands to disanull the lawes of God Wherefore if this diuine commaundement of Paul willeth that euen euery soule be subiect vnto the publique power then doubtles ought we to obey it For the decrées of God ought not to be reuoked by any authority of man Although these wordes are so to be contracted that we vnderstande that we are not subiecte to the magestrate but only as touching his function and office Which if he at any time goe beyond and commaund any thing that is repugnaÌt vnto piety and vnto the law of God we ought to obey God rather then men For there is no power but of God He proueth his purpose by the efficient cause For that no humane strength or force but God himselfe is the author of all powers And it is to be noted that there are sondry kindes of powers For there is Sondry kindes of
hande and exhorteth the stronger sorte and theÌ that were confirmed in doctrine to beare with the weake and that with great loue And first he bringeth an argument taken of the ende of the giftes of God For they are to that ende geuen vnto vs that with them we should helpe our brethren that our strengthe should serue to make others stronge and that our knowledge shold serue to instruct others Chrysostome sayth that here are reproued those froward and in a maner superstitious persons in that they are called weake but others are called strong which ought to beare with them And thereto he thinketh Paul had a respect in that he counteth himself in the nomber of the stronger sorte And this he doth not as sayth Origen as a boaster abrode of his owne praises but by his example to stir them vp who though in might strength he were not inferior vnto them yet he made himselfe all things to all men Neither is this word to beare lightly to be peised For in Greke it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is An argument takeÌ of the deniall of our selues to beare and after a sorte to carye vpon a mannes shoulder So Paule in an other place beare ye one an others burthen and so shall ye fulfill the law of Christ wheras he addeth and not to please our selues it is a newe profe taken of the deniall of oure selues which deniall we professe For not to please our selues is nothing els as Ambrose interpreteth it but not to seke that which may be profitable and plesant to our selues but that which may be commodious to our brother For let euerye man please his neighboure in that that is good to edification Therefore he addeth in that that is good and to edification that no man shoulde thinke yâ we ought to please our brethreÌ as touching filthy and hurtful affections In that he before sayd vve ought here he vseth a kinde of commaunding he declareth that euery one of vs is bound to these things neither pertaine they to gratification but to the bonde of the law and of loue For Christ pleased not himself To the ende the more vehemently to stirre vp theyr mindes he exhorteth them thereunto by an example For in wordes to professe Christ to be the master of our life and in very dede to abhorre from his instistitutions These are preceptes and not councels is both ridiculous and also ful of ignominy and shame In this sentence this word to please which in Greke is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth to obey to satisfy and to be seruiceable For otherwise that worde being vnderstanded in the common signification should ouerthrow the senteÌce and meaning of Paul For there is none of vs which ought not to please himselfe when as he examineth his doings by a sound iudgment and is fully persuaded that they are through faith acceptable vnto God Neither did Christ at any time after this maner displease himself in those things which he did But how he framed himself to the commodities of other meÌ we are plainly taught by the holy scriptures He abased himselfe and toke vpon him the forme of a seruaunt when as in very déede he was Lord ouer all and being of all men the most holiest he did eate with Publicanes and sinners and being most chaste he prohibited not his feete to be washed with teares and to be wiped and anoynted of a woman noted of great infamy finally being condemned with most wicked theues he vouchsafed for our saluation to be crucified betwene them He which did and suffred so many and so great things could he seme to haue sought to haue pleased himselfe or rather to frame himselfe to our commodities Wherfore the Apostle rightly setteth this example before our eyes But as it is vvritten the rebukes of them vvhich rebuke thee haue fallen vpon me This testimony is written in the. 69. psalme And Paul vseth it in this sense as thoughe the sonne should thus talke vnto the father Not only the zeale of thy Now the coâtumelies of god light vpon Christ house hath eaten me vp but also what so euer contumely and rebukes are done against thée which doubtles is done through al the sinnes of al men the same wholy lighteth vpon me and that am I ready euen by the deathe of the crosse to beare and to make satisfaction for The heartes of men thoughe they were of iron and harder then euen the most hardest stones may yet notwithstanding by this example be softned to suffre any thing for the saluation of our brother Dâubtles in this example is much more comprehended then Paul requireth of the Romaines ⪠For he commaundeth them not to beare the blames of the weake but only tâ be an helpe vnto them and to heale their infirmitie For vvhatsoeuer things are vvritten afore time are vvâitten for our learning This he addeth in the commendation sake of the holy scriptures least he shoulde seeme not very aptly to haue alleaged that testimony of Dauid The things sayth No part of the holy scripture without fruite he which were in times past written by the instinct of God pertaine to vs that we should be instructed by them Wherfore no part of the holy scriptures is without fruit For Paul sayth whatsoeuer things are written are written to our learning in other bookes though they be excellently and exactly wrytten yet thou shalt finde in them somewhat which thou mayst reiect as that which in no case pertaineth to thée But in the holy scriptures thou shalt neuer finde any thing which serueth not to thy instruction and saluation so that thou weigh the thing rightly And I would to God that as many of vs as doe read the holy scriptures would with this purpose and minde read them and wold out of euery parte of them seke our owne edification But a man shal sée many which by reading the holy scriptures are in How the scriptures are to be read déede made the learneder but yet they become nothing at all the better For they doe not at euery clause thus question with themselues what pertain these things to thée What pertaine they to thy conuersation and what belong they to thy doings This without doubt the holy Ghost had chiefly a regarde vnto not to teach any thing in the holy scriptures which should be superfluous In this thing chiefly ought the holy bookes to excel prophane bokes that nothing can be cut away from them as ouerplus or superfluous If these properties be agreable with the olde testament then much more agrée they with the new testament For one the same Against the Libertines spirite was author of them bothe Where now therefore are the Libertines of all men the most arrogantest which brag that they are so high and celestial that they haue no néede of the holy scriptures For they thinke that the scriptures are geuen only to weake men and to little ones Verely Paul nombreth
are committed to a mans charge to be caried are commonly sealed vp that it may the certainlier be knowen that they are all whole and without fraude rendred to theÌ which ought to haue theÌ which seales if they be vnbroken whole theÌ is his fidelity yâ brought theÌ discharged Wherfore Paul by this kind of speachment to signifie his innocency simplicitie vpright dealing touching this mooney For meÌ are yâ willinger redier to bestow theyr goods vpon yâ poore if they vnderstaÌd yâ they shal Almes is called fruit be administred faythfully He here calleth almes by the name of fruite which he before called a communion or communication and that for many and iust causes First for that after the Gospell is sowed and receaued with a pure and liuely faith straight way is geuen iustification before God Then is it requisite that there followe some fruite both of a pure and perfect life and also loue towardes our neighbours that there may be had some assured signification of our inward righteousnes Moreouer those almes are called friute for that such liberality was fruitefull to those nations which dealt so louingly with the poore saynts Last of all that communion semed to bring to them of Ierusalme some fruite of theyr piety For he which putteth his trust in Christ and professeth him when he is in extreante troubles although he haue a reward in heauen yet here also oftentimes when it semeth good to God he reaâeth such fruites Further lest the Romanes should suspect that the time would be very long and vncertayne before Paul would come vnto them therefore when he speaketh these thinges he setteth and appointeth a certayne time So soone sayth he as I haue performed this which I am in hand with I will come vnto you Agayne he maketh meÌcion of his iorney into Spaine which although he accomplished not yet ought not Paul therefore to be reproued of an vntruth For this is sufficient to discharge his faith that when he wrât those It is not â lie except it be done with amind to deceiue letters he purposed the same thing is his mind which he wrote For no mortall man hath the euents of thinges in his owne hand But to the full and perfect nature of a lie as Augustine testifieth is required a will to deceaue And thereof we haue a manifest testimony in the latter to the Corinthians The same thing touching this matter writeth Gelasius in the 22. the 2. question For sayth he so much as his will was then to doo he pronounced that he would in dede performe For I know that when I come I shall come to you with fulnes of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ Chrisostome semeth at the first sight to referre this fullnes of blessing to almes for that Paul many times caled them by that name which Almes are a blessing thing I thinke he did according to the custome of the old scripture wherein a gift or reward is oftentimes called a blessing For Iacob desired Esau to vouchafe to receaue the blessing which he had sent before him And Abigail desired Dauid to receaue the blessing which she brought And Dauid sayd to the elders of Iuda Receaue ye the blessing of the pray of the enemies of the Lord. And so the meaning of this place that Paul hopeth that wheÌ he shall come to Rome he shall find layd vp with them a great and plentifull almes for the poore which he here calleth a blessing This sence were apt inough but that this woord of the Gospell is added which is a let thereunto After that Chrisostome had peysed that woord he at the length leneth this way to interpretate blessing for the aboundance of all vertues and good A demonstratiue kinde of speach vsed for a deliberatiue woorkes and they without doubt are a most plentifull blessing of the Gospell namely that they which beleue should shine most brightly with excellent woorks Chrisostome also is of this mind yâ Paul by a certaine spiritual prudence coÌmendeth those things in yâ Romanes wherunto he chiefly exhorted theÌ And this is much vsed amongst yâ best lerned orators to vse a demoÌstratiue kind of spech for a deliberatiue kind But Ambrose expoundeth yâ aboundance of the blessing of yâ Gospel to be a confirmation of the dectrine of yâ Gospel by miracles Origen addeth yâ this pertaineth to yâ gift of prophesieng as though Paul should prophesie that he should come to Rome with most excellent gifts This exposition disliketh me not and especially when I consider with my selfe those wordes which were before cited out of the 19. chapiter of the Actes For Luke in that place saith that Paule purposed in spirite to goe to Rome And he might boldly promise vnto himself that he should bring aboundaunce of spirituall giftes who knew assuredly that vnto him was graunted the grace of the Apostleship which he doubted not but that it shold amongst them Wherof coÌmeth the fruite of preaching be fruitfull And I thinke that no man is ignorant but that the fruit of preaching is sometime muche holpen by the piety of him that preacheth and sometimes by the simple and pure faith of the hearers although in very déede all whole ought to be ascribed to the power force and working of God Also brethren I beseche you for our Lord Iesus Christes sake through the loue of the spirit that ye helpe me in my busines with your prayers to God for me That he wold dâliuer me from the vnbeleuers in Iury and that this my ministery which I will doe at Ierusalem may be acceptable to the saintes That I may come to you with ioy by the will of God and may together with you be refreshed The God of peace be with you all Amen I beseche you brethren c. The force of this obsecration or prayer is héereby made plaine for that it is set forth not only through the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ then which there ought to be vnto vs nothing more holy but therewithall The spirit of loue also is mingled the loue of the spirite And this particle throughe the loue of the spirite is all one I thinke as if he had sayd through the spirite of loue For as in Esay is mention made of the spirite of strength of wisedome of fear of counsel c. to geue vs to vnderstande that all the excellent faculties or powers of the minde come from the spirite of God so here is mention made of that gifte of the holy Ghost whose helpe Paul most néeded namely that the Romains should with a feruent loue pray vnto God for him Verely the corrupt affects of our vnclene nature doe so draw and plucke vs one from an other that vnles we be holpen by the bond of the holy Ghost we can not be ioyned together with a true and holy society and if that society want then shall there vtterly be no fruit of mutuall prayer It may
not in the sonne hath euerlasting life 19 a Now you are cleane because of my word 80. b That we haue obtained grace for grace 145. a The pore ye shal haue alwaies with you 200. a Beholde I am with you to the end of the world eodem The bread which I will geue is my flesh 201. b To as many as receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God 205 That that might be fulfilled which was spoken 325. b I geue you a newe commaundement 283. a Who so euer the father hath geuen me no man can take away 308. b The world caÌ not hate you 341 All things were made by it 360 This is eternall life that they acknowledge thee the onely true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ 392. a This is the work of God that ye beleue in him whome he hath sent 406 a Howe can ye beleue when ye seke glory at mens haÌds 394 Receiue ye the holy ghost c. 361 Are there not .xij. houres in the day 420. b Actes YE men of Athens I shewe vnto you that God whom ye ignorantly worship 181 Beholde God hathe geuen to thee all that sail with thee 41 That the scriptures should be fulfilled 308. a Repent and be baptized euery one of you 364. b By faith purifying their hearts 392. a 1. Corinthians IF I haue all fayth so that I can remoue mountains 393 The temple of God is holy 5 They did all eat the same spirituall meat 81. b They were all baptised in the cloud and in the sea eodem They dranke of the spirituall rocke following them 81. b Your children are holy 133. b The dart of sinne is death 139 The rocke was Christ 199. b I chasten my body and bryng it into bondage 309. b To them that are called bothe Iewes and gentiles Christ the sonne c. 297. b That the beleuers staÌd by faith 355. a He that standeth let him take take hede that he fal not ãâ¦ã d. Diuiding to euery one particularly as pleaseth him ãâ¦ã a 2. Corinthians EVen whom the God of this world hath blineded 28. b Ye are the Epistle of Christe wrote by our ministery and written not with ink c. 49. b I know none as touching the fleshe 241. b Not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables 43. b What great care it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues 166. a Therefore we after this know none according to the flesh 241 The God of this worlde hath blinded the heartes of the vnbeleuers 28. b Thou standest by faith 390. b Galathians HOw are ye againe turned to the weake and beggerly elements of the world 82. b He which is circuÌcised is debter to obserue the whole law 86. a The lawe was put because of transgressors 90. a As it pleased him which seperated me c. 2. b Although it be but a testament of a man yet when it is confirmed no man reiecteth it or addeth any thing to it 62. Curssed is he that abideth not in all the things that are written in the boke of the law 89 I would to God they whych trouble you were cut of 345. a Considering thy self least thou also be tempted 356. b The scripture hath shut vp all things vnder sinne 365. b The ende of the law is Christ 385. b The lawe is our scholemaister vnto Christ 391. a By the law no man is iustified before God 410. a Ephesians BY grace ye are made safe throughe faith and not of our selues 391. a We also were by nature the children of wrath c 102. b Who hath predestinated vs according to purpose 225. a Not of workes leaste any man should glory 376. b By whome we haue accesse by fayth 269. a Phillippians CHriste was in the similitude of men 194. b Taking vpon him the shape of a seruaunt 1. b We are the circumcision 49. b Yea I think al things but losse for the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ 158. b With fear and trembling work your saluation 384. a Colossians WE are circuÌcised in Christ by the washing away the synnes of the flesh 81. b In whome ye are circumcysed with circumcision not made with hands 85. a Mortify your members which are vpon the earth 411. b Thessalonians THis is the wil of God your sanctification 269. a 1. Timothe I Obtayned mercy for that I did it ignorantly and of infidelitie 2. b Saue that which is geuen thee to kepe 3. b Vnto the iust man the lawe is not geuen 59. b God wil haue all men to be saued 269. a Adam was not deceiued 100. a Which is the sauior of all men 306. b They that minister well gette vnto them selues a good degree 350. a The elders are worthy double honor 428. b 2. Timothe I Haue from my progenitors worshipped God with a pure conscience 8. a All scripture inspired by God is profitable to teache and to reproue c. 96. b I know whome I haue beleued and I am assured 101. a In my first defence no maÌ was on my side all men forsooke me God grauÌt it be not imputed c. 103. a I haue fought a good battaile I haue finished my course c 158. b He which shall purge him selfe shall be a vessel to honor 255. Of whome is Himeneus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concernynge faith 404. b Titus THey coÌfesse that they know God but in dedees they deny him 396. b Hebrues IN that he sayth now he hath abolished that whiche was before But that which is abolished and waxen olde is euen at hand to vanishe away 82. a Be not wanting to the grace of God 141. a With such sacrifices is god won as by merite 159. b The saints by fayth haue ouercome kingdomes 391. b It is impossible for those which haue once bene illuminated 266 Faith is a substance of thinges to be hoped for 368. b S. Iames. MAn is iustified by works and not of faith only 69. a God tempteth not vnto euil 28 PatieÌce hath a perfect work 100 Let no man when he is tempted say that he is tempted of God 269. a Abraham was he not iustifyed by his workes 74. b He that cometh to God ought to beleue c. 399. b 1. Peter CHaritie couereth the multitude of sinnes In the power of God are ye kept to saluation by faith 291 When once the long suffring of God abode in the dayes of Noe. 401. 1 Be ye subiecte for the Lordes sake 427. a S. Ihons epistle HE which is borne of God sinneth not 149. a Perfect loue driueth forth fear 280. b. 383. a God gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God 382. b He that loueth not abydeth in death 397. a Euery one which beleueth that Iesus Christ is born of god 391. b This is the victory that ouercometh the world our fayth eodem We haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ 65. a Ther are .iii. things which bear
witnes bloude water and the spirite 79. b Herein is charity perfect in vs that in the day of iudgment we haue confidence 383. a Iude. ANd Enoch the seuenthe froÌ Adam prophesied of such saying beholde the Lorde commeth c. 403. a Apocalips CHrist shal raigne a thousand yeares with his saints 88 Behold I stand at the dore and knock And if any man open vnto me I will enter in and sup with him 384. a Take vengaunce vpon the earth for our bloud 345. b Vntill he put his enemies vnder his feete 360. b Holde faste that thou hast least an other receiue thy crowne 347. b ⧠Common places Of Iustification 367 Of Predestination 285 ⧠The first Chapter PAule the seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to the office of an Apostle put aparte to preach the Gospell of God which he before had promised by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures of hys son which was begotten of the seede of Dauid as touching the fleshe and declared to bee the sonne of God with power according to the spirite of sanctification in that Iesus Christ our Lord rose agayne froÌ the dead by whoÌ we haue receaued grace and the office of an Apostle to be obedyent to fayth amonge all nations in hys name of the number of whome ye also are the called of Iesus Christ To all you which are at Rome the beloued of God called Sainctes grace and peace to you from God the father and from the Lord Iesus Christ As touchynge the saluation fyrste we muste note who it is that wryteth Three things to be considered in this salutation it secondlye to whome it is written lastly what maner of good thinges hee which saluteth wisheth vnto them It is Paule which saluteth the Romanes are they whom he saluteth and the good things which he wisheth theÌ are grace and peace indeede the chiefest thinges which of men can bee attayned vnto RhethoriciaÌs precepts concernyng Prohemes are here obserued Rhetoricians vse in theyr Prohemes to gette vnto them selues authoritie diligent hearing and beneuolence which thinge the holy Ghoste here fullye performeth For whilest that Paule doth adorne him selfe with these titles he winneth vnto him selfe authoritie and he also when he maketh mencion what are the thynges that hee will entreate of maketh the mindes of the readers attentiue And in wyshing vnto them such excellent good thinges and opening hys great loue towardes them he obteyneth theyr good will For by that meanes are they drawen to loue agayne such a man which so well wisheth vnto them Why he is so loÌg in his salutation If any man thinke that thys salutation is more full of wordes then nedeth they must remember that Paul was greuously accused of false Apostles that he had fallen from the lawe and agreed not with the other Disciples of the Lorde and that hee was not to be counted for an Apostle which had not bene conuersant with the Lorde in the fleshe as the other Apostles were To all these false accusations it was necessary to aunswere euen in hys Proheme that he might haue the better eare geuen vnto hym As touching hys name I will nothing speake for I know that the elders dyd not rashlye geue names But because the holy Scripture testifieth not for what cause he was eyther called Saule in the Iewishe religion or Paule after hys conuersion I will omitte coniectures neither will Paule claimeth vnto himself thre titles The propriety of a seruaunt I stand about thys thing In hys superscription hee setteth forth three titles wherby he beautifieth hys name the fyrst is The seruaunt of Iesus Christ and that name is common vnto all the faythfull And the propertie of a seruant is thys not to bee hys owne man but to doe the busines of hys maister Wherfore if we be the seruauntes of Christ thys is required of vs that what soeuer we liue breath and thinke be directed vnto Christ And in these wordes are false Apostles reproued which sought their owne thinges to satisfie the bellye and to increase their gaine and they wanne not men to Christ but rather to Moyses or to them selues For as much as to be the seruauntes of Christ is as we haue sayde a thing coÌmon vnto vs all let vs diligently consider the Metaphore wherby we are so called namely because we ought so to obey God as seruauntes do their maisters But we are farre of froÌ performing it For seruauÌtes do speÌd the Note wherein the most part of men differeth from the seruice of God least parte of the daye about theyr own busines and all the rest of the tyme they are occupyed about their maisters affayres But we do farre otherwise We are a very short space or an houre of our time occupied about things pertaining to God but al the rest of the time that is grauÌted vs we speÌd about thinges humaine and earthly A seruaunt hath nothyng of hys owne nor proper vnto hym selfe but we doo priuatly possesse many thynges whiche we will neither bestowe for Gods sake nor for Christes sake Seruauntes when they are beaten and strikeÌ do humbly desire pardoÌ and forgeuenes of their masters but we in aduersities resiste God murmure agaynst hym and blaspheme hys name Seruauntes do receaue onely meate and drinke and apparell and therewith are content but we neuer come to any ende or measure of heapyng vp of wealth and riches Seruaunts when they heare the threatnynges of their maisters do tremble froÌ top to toe but we are nothyng moued with the threatnynges of the Prophetes Apostles and holy Scriptures Seruauntes wil neither haue talke nor familiarity nor yet shewe any signes of amitye vnto their maisters enemyes but we are continually in fellowshyp with the deuill the fleshe and the world Wherfore We ought to serue God more then seruauntes ought to serue their maisters we are farre from that seruice whiche we owe vnto God whom yet we ought much more both to obey and to serue then our seruauntes ought to obey and serue vs. For God besides that heÌ both fedeth and nourisheth vs hath also brought vs forth hath geueÌ vs eueÌ our being Farther what soeuer seruaunts do towardes vs all that is to our commoditie and nothyng helpeth them but we contrarywise when we serue God do bryng no profite or commoditie vnto him For thoughe we lyue iustly he is therby made neuer a whit the better or more blessed theÌ he was before Also we geue litle or nothyng vnto our seruauÌts but God hath for vs geuen forth his onely sonne and together with hym hath geuen vs all thinges We promise vnto our seruantes a very small rewarde but God hath promised vnto vs the same felicity whiche Christ him selfe hath the fruition of Whereby appeareth how much more we are bounde to serue hym then are our seruauntes bounde vnto vs. But in that we haue sayd that this vocation is common to all to be the seruauntes of Christ it semeth not very
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is shall be counted or imputed Chrysostome readeth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And he sayth plainly that Paule here so speaketh as before when he sayd Thy circumcision is made vncircuÌcision 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 signifiâth 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 traÌsgressours 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 exaggârate 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 coÌmon 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 coÌmaundements of God So they saye that Baptisme and the Eucharist and the Ecclesiasticall ministery are nothing but pretend onely the obseruing of the coÌmaundementes 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 maÌ 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 circuÌcision of the flesh is the signe of the circumcisioÌ of the harte The circuÌcision 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 wheÌ 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 wheÌ 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 wheÌ as it is the worke of God for he meaneth that he wrote it onely as an instrumeÌt 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 theÌ 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 circumcisioÌ 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 thâ Gospell An ãâ¦ã 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 wheÌ he semeth to diminish any thing froÌ the law condeÌneth not the olde