it should not desperation would easely succede For euen as the lawe ought alwayes to be ioyned with the Gospell so also ought feare to be euer ioyned with faith We do not so embrace the Gospel but that we alwayes thinke vpon the obedience of the commaundementes of God And when we see how often and how greeuously we fall we call our selues backe agayne to repentance And contrariwise the lawe is not to be receaued without the Gospell for if it should we could neither obey it without Christ nor also obtayne pardon for the offences which we haue committed against Paul calleth vs back from that feare which wanteth faith The propriety of the giftes of the holy ghost How many the giftes of the holy ghost are it Wherefore Paul calleth vs not backe vtterly from all feare of God but from that feare only which wanteth faith and which flieth from God as from an enemy and from a cruell tyranne But that feare which hath faith to moderate it can not be reproued For it is the gift of the holy ghost as we rede in the xi chapter of Esay And the property of the giftes of the holy ghost is that by them we remitte all our vertues and affectes to the moderation of faith and make them to serue God truly and sincerely And these giftes are commonly counted to be seuen And if a man demaunde how they proue that straight way they cite the 11. chapter of Esay But if we examine that place by the Hebrew verity we shall finde there only sixe giftes namely the spirite of wisdom of vnderstanding of counsell of fortitude of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. But these men were deceaued by the lattine translation which followed not the Hebrew verity but the 70. interpreters For they betweene the spirite of knowledge and of feare haue put the spirite of piety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pertaining to the obedience of God Whereby it seemeth that they ment to interpretate what y◠feare of God should be which should light vpon the Messias of whome is in that place mencion made For that feare was neither seruile What manner of feare was in Christ nor filial but only an obedience piety and reuerence towardes God his father Neither haue the 70. only once so interpreted the feare of God For in the booke of Iob where we rede Fearinge God they haue turned it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Obeying God Howbeit vndoubtedly we ought not to contract into so narrow a number the giftes of the holy ghost to thinke them to be only sixe or seuen The nomber of the giftes of the holy Ghost◠is great For besides all those which are reckoned in that chapter the same Esay in an other place reckoneth the spirite of iudgement and of zeale and Zachary maketh mencion of the spirit of righteousnes and Paul here of the spirite of sanctification and Iohn of the spirite of truth Paul againe in an other place of the spirite of adoption and to the Ephesians of the spirite of promise and a greate many other like giftes And this so being let vs now see how both in this life and in the other life feare may haue place The Saintes when they are in heauen What manner of feare can be in those which are deade for that they shal then haue perfect charity properly to speake of feare as it is a motion stirred vp by reason of some greeuous euil that hangeth ouer vs shall haue no feare This doth Augustine confesse vpon the 5. Psalme vpon these wordes I will worship towardes thyne holy temple in thy feare But in them can only be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y◠is obedience reuerence worshipping piety towards God as the 70. haue expounded the spirite of the feare of the Lord. And so such a gift mought be found in Christ who otherwise coulde neither feare sinne nor hell fyre nor fatherly chastismentes of God And if a man would say that How Christ feared death he feared death that ought to be vnderstand of naturall feare of which we entreate not at this present And in this maner is Ambrose to be taken when in his booke of the holy ghost he affirmeth that the giftes of the holy ghost are in the Angels Out of which wordes the Scholemen gather that in them is the feare of God For doubtles seing they are in blessed state that can no otherwise be vnderstand but after that maner that I haue now spoken of But touching The saints so long as they liue here can not want the filiall feare the godly in this life we must thus be perswaded to thinke that they can not want the filial feare so that that feare be as I haue before tought in such sort vnderstand that they do not only flye from offending of God and are aferd of falles against his will but also are moued with the feare of hell fire and of the wrath of God and of punishmentes vnto which feare yet a quiet faith and confidence Threatninges in the law are not vaine but profite the saintes also in the mercy of God are as a present comfort For we ought not to thinke that the threatninges in the holy scriptures are vayne for they are profitable also vnto the godly especially when they haue not as yet obtayned perfect charity and absolute regeneration Christ saith vnto the Apostles I wyll shewe you whome ye shall feare namely him which when he hath killed the body can also send the soule into hell fire And Paul to the Corrinthyans bringeth forth examples of the Hebrewes in the olde tyme whereby he declareth that they for abusing the sacramentes of God were destroyed in the desert by which examples he ment to admonishe the Corrinthyans to beware of the like vengeance Many saith he are weake and many slepe And if we would iudge our selues we should not vndoubtedly be iudged But now forasmuch as we are iudged we are corrected of the Lord that we should not be condemned with this world And vnto the Phillippians With feare and with trembling worke your saluation And vnto the Romanes Be not ouer wise but feare Hereby we see that godly men liue not vpō the earth without the feare of God And here feare hath a respect vnto many kindes of euils For the godly are afeard of sinne of often fallinges of the wrath of God of fatherly chastismentes of scourges which God inflicteth also vpō his whē they sinne and finally of hell fire which they sée they haue deserued vnles God by his mercy and Christ by his sacrifice which he offred vpon the Crosse should helpe and succour vs. But what meaneth it that Iohn saith Perfect charity casteth out feare ▪ A place of Iohn declared I know there are some which interpretate those wordes in this sence That they which loue God truly are not afeard for piety sake to put themselues in al maner of dangers neither do
terrible But suffer not thy selfe gentle reader to be deceiued with a vaine shew Examine it wel and try it diligently and thou shalt finde that it is a weak and ridiculous argument We graunt that a man that is by sinnes and wicked factes alienated from God may assent vnto the articles of the faith and beleue that there is a God But this good man should haue taught farther that the same is done by the motion and impulsion Faith abideth with such sinnes as are most greuouâ—s and do wast the conscience on of true faith There may in déede be left to a wicked man a certaine humaine persuasion either by education or by opinion bicause he thinketh it to be most likely But lest any man should thinke yâ— this that I say is of mine owne inuenting namely that a man which greuously sinneth is destitute of the true and iustifying faith let him rather consider what Paul saith For he vnto Timothe saith He which hath not a care ouer his owne and especiall ouer his houshold hath renounced faith and is worse then an infidell Doubtlesse he which hath renounced faith hath not faith And vnto Titus he saith They coÌ„fesse that they know God but in dedes they deny him To confesse and to deny are things contrary wherefore it must néedes be that forasmuch as bothe are spoken of one and the selfe same men they are to be taken in a diuers sense Wherfore they may haue faith that is a certaine humaine opinion such as it is but yet not that firme and mighty assent inspired by the holy Ghost wherof we now intreat Iohn saith in his first Epistle and seconde chapter he which saith that he knoweth God and kepeth not his commaundements is a lier and the truthe is not in him Wherfore the true faith wherby we beleue truely in God is not without good workes Neither ought it to séeme vnto any man absurd that one and the self same thing may be known diuers wayes For the deuil also as well as we both knoweth and confesseth many things touching Christe The deuill is not endued with true faith A similitude whome yet neither Pighius doubtlesse as I suppose will graunt to be endewed with the true faith whereby we are persuaded to beleue those thinges which we confesse of Christ It is possible also that one skilful in the Mathematical sciences may assent vnto some one conclusion confirmed proued by demoÌ„stration which demonstration if he chaunce afterward as oftentimes it happeneth by reason of age or of some disease to forget he wil not yet for al the cease to affirme yâ— propositioÌ„ which he before knew but this doth he by opinioÌ„ or some probable argumeÌ„t not as before he did by demonstration Therfore the knowledge of one the self same thing doth not of necessity infer yâ— self same grouÌ„d of knowledge And those things suppose to be spoken only by supposition vpoÌ„ that sentence which holdeth yâ— after a man hath committed any great haynous wicked fact true fayth is lost which yet in the elect is afterward by the benefite of God again recouered otherwise it may be sayd that in men iustified and appointed of God vnto saluation fayth can not thorough the committing of any haynous crime be vtterly extinguished but is as it were in dead sléepe and lieth hidden neither bursteth it forth into act vnles it be agayne stirred by the holy ghost for in such men that haue so fallen the séede of God still abideth although for that tyme it bringeth not forth fruit But Pigghius goeth on and sayth Fayth is the foundation therefore it is farre from the perfection of the building wherfore it iustifieth not For vnto iustificatimany other preparations are required If by this perfection of the building he vnderstand Faith is very far from the last perfection the blessed resurrection and chief felicity wherein we shall sée God face to face we graunt that fayth is very farre from it For we must by many tribulations aduersities and gréeuous labours come vnto the kingdome of heauen But after the self same maner we may say yâ— iustification also is only the foundation of that eternal saluation and that it also is farre from that blessednes which we looke for For the first degrée vnto saluation is to be receaued of God into fauor and to be regenerated through Christ And afterward follow other degrées by which we come vnto that chief goodnes which we looke for But where this man found that fayth is only the foundation he can not teach out of the holy scriptures except paraduenture he wil bring that out of the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Faith is the substance of thinges that are hoped for But by those words is nothing els meÌ„t but that those thinges which we hope for are by fayth vpholden and confirmed in our minds which would otherwise wauer neither should they by any meanes stand fast But this maketh nothing at all to this purpose And if in case he will cite this also That he which will come vnto God ought to beleue we haue already before answered therunto peraduenture we wil afterward in due place speake somewhat more as touching that But goe to séeing he by so many meanes goeth about to ouerthrowe our sentence let vs heare what he himselfe at the length affirmeth and vnto what thing he attributeth the power of iustifying There are sayth he many preparations Pighius sentence and dispositions required in vs to be iustified First saith he we beleue the words of God afterward we are afeard of his wrath after yâ— we hope for mercy then we detest sinnes To be briefe he reckeneth vp all those things which we before declared vnder the name of the Synode of Trent but in the last place he sayth succedeth a sincere pure loue of God which altogether beareth dominion in our heartes and vnto this he saith is ascribed iustification I can not inough meruaile at the deuise of this man For he affirmeth that a man is in a manner perfecte before he can be iustified For he which beleueth feareth hopeth repenteth and sincerely loueth God what wanteth he to perfection But this man holdeth that a man without Christ a straunger from God and not yet iustified is able to accoÌ„plish those things which vndoubtedly in no wise agréeth with yâ— holy scriptures For they teach that a man before he is iustified is occupied in euil works wandreth in the hatred of God as it is manifest in the Epistle to the Colossians the first chapiter and to the Ephesians the seconde chapiter But how can they by whome are wrought so excellent workes as this man maketh mention of be the children of wrath how can they be sinners how caÌ„ they as it is written vnto the Romaines be the enemies of God But omitting those things let vs sée what are the groundes of this opinion First he citeth that out of Iohn he which loueth not
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 cōprehended 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence they saye is deriued this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth that worshipping which is dew vnto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augustin◠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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while he iudgeth that by the Greke wordes diuers thinges are in thys thyng distincted so that this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the worshipping which is geuen vnto God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 depēdeth 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 ornamēts 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is al 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as touching the Greeke words signity one and the selfe same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to to serue for a reward Augustine one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as Suidas testifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But afterward it was vsed to signifye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y◠is godly to worship And he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Vndoubtedly O Cirus I will spende euen my life rather then she should be brought to bondage Then the wife answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea and we reade in the holy scriptures that in Leuiticus it is sayd you shall not do any seruile worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in
a most seuere vengeaunce Agaynst all vngodlynes and vnrighteousnes of men He sayth not against men because God hateth not them but taketh vengeaunce on their wicked actes And those comprehendeth he vnder the name of impietie and vnrighteousnes for wicked actes are partlye committed agaynst God and partly agaynst men VVhich vvithholde the truth in vnrighteousnes They attayned vnto so much truth that therby they vnderstode how they ought to behaue them selues towardes God and towardes their neighbours And yet withhelde they the truth in vnrighteousnes Which selfe same thyng dyd the Hebrewes committe concerning the truth which God had reueled vnto them by the law Seing therfore both these Hebrues and those Gentiles were so greuously punished what ought men which professe themselues to be Christians to hope for which wyth holde to themselues so great a lyght of the Gospell without fruite Vndoubtedly they shall at the length become most wicked and euen experiēce teacheth that those whych boast of Christ and do liue filthely do at the length in naughtynes and filthinesse passe all men though they be neuer so wicked The truth is after Who they be that withholde the truth captiue With what bondes the truth is bound The truth suffreth nothing in it selfe Aristotle in hys Ethikes a sorte with hold captine in them whych vnderstand it and yet expresse it not in workes life And it is ouercome restrayned with the chaynes of euell lustes which breathing vp out of the inferior parts of our mind do obfuscate the vnderstanding and as it were in a darke prison close in the truth knowen God kindleth the truthe in our myndes but by our lustes it is wonderfully darkened There is no cause why we should thinke as Chrisostome admonisheth vs the the truth of hys owne nature can suffer any thyng For it of hys owne nature is vnchangeable But what soeuer euill happeneth the same is hurtefull to our mynd and soule Paul toucheth in two wordes those thynges whiche Arist 〈…〉 in hys Ethikes when hee disputeth of the incontinent person prosecuteth 〈…〉 many woordes For he demaundeth by what meanes the incontinente person declineth to vices sithen that he hath in hys mynde a right opinion And hée aunswereth that that thing happeneth by reason he is to much puffed vp wit 〈…〉 me singular profite which presētly is offred vnto this senses by the wayght wherof the better part also is oppressed so that it geueth place to the lusts neither excecuteth it hys office with efficacie to consider and peyse the truth whiche before it knew Whiche thyng also the Poete affirmeth of Medea Video meliora probóque Ouide of Medea deteriora sequor whiche is in Englishe I sée what thynges are best and I allow them but I folow the worst All this doth Paul teache vs when hee sayth That the vngodly wythholde the truth in vnrighteousnesse That truth laboureth as muche as is possible to burst forth into acte but it is letted of concupiscence or luste And this is that whiche is written in the first of the Ethikes That the more The noblest part of the soule exhorteth to the best things The power of the conscience excellent part of the mynde alwayes exhorteth and prouoketh to thynges which are of the best sorte For so hath God and nature framed vs that the thyng which we know we desire to expresse in Acte which thyng when we do not we are reproued euen by our own iudgement And hereof come those wonderfull forces of the conscience whiche in sinnes of great wayght can neuer be perfectly quieted To with holde the truth in vnrighteousnes is properly to refuse the callyng of God which continually by hys truth calleth vs vnto hym self Wherfore it shall be very profitable for vs if whē soeuer we haue attained to any thing that is true either by our owne study or els by the obseruation of thinges we streighte way weigh with our selues where vnto God calleth vs through that truth which he layth before our myndes By vnrighteousnes the Apostle vnderstandeth generally what soeuer we sinne either agaynst God or agaynste men Wherefore Paul speaketh of that truth which is naturally grafted in vs and also of it which we attayne vnto by our own study For either of thē instructeth vs of most excellent thynges touchyng God so that the vnrighteousnes whiche we commit is not able to blot it out of our hartes Whiche thing yet the Accademians attempted An error of the Accademians to teache when as they contended that nothing can certainely be knowne of vs. And so they can not abyde that we should embrace any thyng as beyng sure that it is true but they will haue vs to count all thinges as vncertayne doubtfull An error of the Epicures And in lyke maner do the Epicures goe about to blot out of mens myndes those thinges which by naturall anticipation are imprinted into our myndes concerning God And yet notwithstanding neither of these were able to brynge to passe that which they endeuoured themselues to doo For will they or nill they Whither truth be stronger when it is receaued by fayth then being naturally grafted in vs. these truthes continue still in the myndes of men But which is muche to be lamented they are withholden in vnrighteousnes Peraduenture thou wilte aske how it commeth that the truth which we haue by faythe is of more strengthe to burst forth into acte then is the truth which is naturally attayned vnto Vndoutedly this commeth not therof for that one truthe beyng taken by it selfe and set aparte is stronger then an other For eyther truth hath one and the selfe same The diuersity is not in the truth but in the meane whereby it is taken hold of nature but the difference commeth of the meane and instrument whereby it is receiued The strengthes of nature are corrupt weake and vitiate throughe sin And therfore the truth which they take hold of is of no gret force But faith hath ioyned with it the inspiration of God and the power of the holy ghost And therfore it doth with great force take holde of the truth Wherfore the diuersitie is not in the truth it selfe but in the meane and instrument whereby weembrace it This is the cause why there we are changed but here we remayne the selfe same men which we were before Of which thyng we haue a manifest testimony in the Gospell Christ did set forth vnto the yong man what he should do to obteyne saluation which when he had heard yet was he not moued to geue place but went away with heauines He trusted vnto naturall strengthes and therfore he demaunded of the Lord what he mightes to attayne vnto eternall Example of diuers apprehensions of the truth lyfe But contrariwise Mathew as soone as euer he heard his vocation did with so great fayth take hold of it that forsakyng money and hys office he streyghte way followed Christ And Zachens who otherwyse was
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 reÌ„dreth 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 facieÌ„s bonum not doinge good The Greeke interpreters haue turned it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 vnderstaÌ„deth 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 sâ—rche 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 vnderstaÌ„d 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 vnderstaÌ„d 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 coÌ„passeth 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 soÌ„me 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
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 y◠we haue nede of habites or qualities y◠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 inspiratiō 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 assēt An◠this promise is chiefly y◠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 cā 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 euidētly cōcluded 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 depēdeth of y◠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 depēdeth 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 frō the holy ghost came the authority vnto the word of God and not from the Church But they say y◠Augustine writeth agaynst the epistle called epistola Fundamēti 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 vnderstāding 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
And he thinketh A similitude that Paul as a wise Phisition hauing the disease set before him abideth not in those thinges which be circumstances about it or do follow it but cunneth to the principall ground and first cause therof Therefore do all men die bicause all men haue sinned Neither ought we to thinke that here is ment that all men do sinne by some certaine action for that can haue no place in children But it is all one as if he had said Now they are bondslaues vnto sinne and are counted guilty therof And when we read these thinges we ought alwayes with the eye of our minde to consider wherunto they tend namely that we should receiue consolation and be made assured of our saluation knowing that the death of Christ hath preuayled against all these thinges By those things also which are written vnto the Hebrues may be declared how we haue sinned in the fall of Adam For there we read that Leui paid tenthes in the loynes of Abraham After the selfe same maner also may here be vnderstand that we were polluted in the loynes and in the masse of Adā The Scholies which are ascribed vnto Ierome interpretate that sinne is committed by the imitation of Adam which is commonly called actuall sinne And they say moreouer that this sinne of Adam went not ouer Abraham Isaac and Jacob which liued a holy life But bicause they sée that this is against them y◠Paul saith That all haue sinned this vniuersalitie say they is to be vnderstand with an exception Which thing they also affirme of other such kinde of sentences as Euery man is a lier Also There is none which doth good no not one when as yet there were in the world many true and holy men when those thinges were written But whosoeuer was the writer of that boke his authority ought not to cause vs to departe frō y◠truth For that which Paul spake vniuersally that all haue sinned hereby is proued Paul with our exception affirmeth that all haue sinned Here is not spoken of sinne spred abrode by imitation for that all men without exception dye For experience teacheth that to be vniuersally most true Wherfore here is to be set no exceptiō Neither ought those such like kinde of speaches which they bring to moue vs for that those sentences also are true if we speake of men not regenerate they are true also euen in the regenerate if we will speake according to their corrupt and vitiate nature Farther that here is not ment only imitation it is manifest by the Antithesis for Christe hath not only set forth vnto vs his righteousnes to imitate but also by the power of the holy ghost spredeth it abrode poureth it into the hartes of the beleuers Origene semeth to expound this place very warely For he at y◠beginning setteth forth certain things which euen Erasmus confesseth to signifie Originall sinne For he affirmeth that in Adam we were all corrupted as it were in a common ground and that we were all in his loynes as in the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Leui is sayd to haue bene in the loynes of Abraham Then addeth he certayne thinges which pertayne vnto the sinnes of perticular men which are called personall and exhorteth vs to cary about with vs the image of the celestiall man These thinges are so taken of Erasmus as though they were an interpretacion of that which went before when as in very deede they wholy confirme our sentence wherein we say Paul here taketh the name of sin in most ample sort Difinition of actuall sinne An vniuersall difinition of sinne that Paule in this place taketh sinne most amply so that it comprehendeth both the roote and all the fruites thereof But I meruayle how these men go aboute to plucke away originall vice from the nature of sinne For sinne according to the common definition they say is whatsoeuer is spoken done or thought agaynst the lawe of God and this can haue no place in children But they consider not that in this definition is not all sinne vniuersally contayned And therfore we before signified that sinne is otherwise to be defined so that that is sayd to be sinne which any maner of way is agaynst the law and will of God These men go farther and say if this were the definition of originall sinne namely the withdrawing of grace or pronesse to sinne these thinges ought rather to be counted paynes of sinnes then simles But they should haue remembred that God doth not alwayes punishe sinnes by outward scourges and aduersities God sometimes punisheth sins by sinnes but sometymes also by other sinnes Wherefore although the corruption of nature and that lust and pronesse to sinne grafted in vs all may after a sort be called paynes of sinnes yet do we affirme that they are also in very dede sinnes But they say that these thinges remayne in vs after baptisme and therefore can not be sinnes vnles we will say that sinnes are not remitted through baptisme and fayth in Christ But to this we answered before that the guiltynes The guiltines is forgeuen through fayth but the corrupt substance abideth Agaynst Erasmus indede is forgeuen vnto the beleuers howbeit the corrupt substance remaineth which if Christ were not a helper vnto vs should of his owne nature condemne vs. For seing it turneth vs away from the rule of the law of God it ought to be taken to be in very dede sinne Nether is it true which Erasmus sayth that the discourse of Paul will not suffer these thinges to be expounded of originall sinne for the thing it selfe teacheth otherwise For the entent of the Apostle is to shew from what euils the death of Christ hath deliuered vs. But that can he not do vnles he take sinne so largely that it also comprehend originall sinne But whereas Paul addeth that euen vnto the law sinne was in the world it maketh nothing agaynst this sentence For we say with Erasmus that sinne is in this place taken in the selfe same sense that it was in the sentences going before by reason of this coniunction causall For. Howbeit it is playne that those thinges which are spoken pertayne as well to originall sinne as to actuall sinnes For Nothing is counted to be sinne but in consideration of the lawe nether of both these kindes if the law were away is ether imputed or acknowledged although otherwise they both are sinnes in very dede and also wrappe vs in death wherfore let vs not suffer this place to be wrested out of our hands as well for that it is a good sure defence for vs as also for that it very well agréeth with Pauls purpose and notably setteth forth the benefite of Christ For euen vnto the law was sinne in the world But sinne is not imputed when there is no lawe Now declareth he that which was set forth in the third place Wherdof commeth knowledge of sinne namely wherehence commeth
holy scriptures that Baptisme succeded in the place of Circumcision Wherfore they cannot say that the baptisme of infantes is against the worde of God bicause vnles they will graunt that our infantes are in worser estate then were the infantes of the Hebrewes they must of necessity confesse that our infantes also ought to be initiated vnto God and vnto Christ They also are not to be harkened vnto which say that circumcision was only a sealyng of promises touching temporall things For Paul doth manifestly teach that it ought to be compared with baptisme And in the 17. chap. of the booke of Genesis Circumcision is instituted to confirme this promise I wyll be thy God and the God of thy seede And vndoubtedly God kepeth those whose God he is and y◠not only as touching y◠mind or as touching y◠body only but as touching y◠who le ful nature And of so great force waight is this promise y◠by it Christ proued the resurrection of the dead For forasmuch as God affirmeth himselfe to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob he therby firmly concludeth that they liue and that their bodies shall be restored vnto them in the resurrection And it is wonderfull how they dare affirme that the baptisme of infantes is a new institution in the church For Cyprian a most auntient writer maketh menciō of it sayth that it is Baptisme of children is no new thing in the church not of necessitie that we should tary till the eight day for the baptising of thē For the truth of the Gospel hath deliuered vs frō the obseruing of the number of daies Wherfore they may well be baptised what day soeuer the Church shall be assembled together Origene also writing vpon this epistle and vpon Leuiticus sufficiētly declareth that infants were in his tyme accustomed to be baptised And sithen these men were not long after the Apostles tyme neither make they mencion of it as a thyng inuented by them or in their tyme it sufficiently appeareth that that maner came from the Apostles They say that Higinus bishop of Rome was y◠first author therof which vndoubtedly can not be proued by his decrées We read in Higinus made a decre for Godfathers and godmothers but not for the baptisme of infants dede that he made a law for Susceptores whom they call Godfathers and Godmothers which without doubt was a profitable order For his meanyng was y◠whē infantes should by baptisme be receiued into the church they should be commēded vnto the faith of some men of whom to be instructed And for the performaunce of this the Godfathers and Godmothers do bynde their faith although now a dayes they regard nothyng lesse But it is a very weake argumēt therby to gather that Higinus was the first author that infantes should be baptised bicause he instituted Susceptores Yea rather sithen he made a decrée as touching that thyng it is probable that the baptisme of infantes was before that tyme in vse They cite more ouer Tertullian in his little booke of baptisme which is very elegantly writtē But The opiniō of Tertullian as touching this thing is not to be receaued forasmuch as that man in his latter age fell from the true fayth vnto the heresy of Montanus hys authority in this thyng can not be of so greate force for he also condemned second mariages disalowed the baptisme of infants against the receyued vse of the Church And if we should follow his opinion neither young men that lead a sole lyfe nor wydowes that are yong women ought to be baptised For he affirmed that this sacrament ought not to be administred b 〈…〉 thē only very late and that are of a very rype age But it may be sufficiently declared by the selfe same Tertullian that euen in his time the maner was that children should be It was the manner in his time that infants should be baptised baptised For he would neuer haue reproued it vnles it had then bene in vse and practise But now I will returne to the Apostle Knowing this that our olde man is crucified with him that the body of sinne should be abolished that henceforth vve should not be seruauntes vnto sinne This is the entent of the Apostle to teach that they which are of Christ ought to dye vnto sinne And he setteth forth the communion which we haue with the death and resurrection of Christ which communion he proueth by baptisme For by baptisme we are proued to be grafted into Christ to this ende that the olde man should be crucefied in vs and that we should no more be addicted vnto sinne Chrisostome vpon this place sayth that regeneration is two maner of wayes one which cōsisteth of the forgeuenes of sinnes an other which we obtaine after iustification in leading our life holily and innocently the first he confesseth to come vnto vs by the gift of God but in the other he sayth is required our diligence Hetherto this his sentence is true For vnto the first regeneration are not required any of our workes but for the performance of the other it behoueth them that are iustified to worke together with grace and with the holy ghost But I can not tell how he a little afterward forgetting himselfe sayth that we vnto that first regeneration do bring fayth of our selues Which is most repugnant vnto the truth For Paul to the Ephesians teacheth that fayth is the gifte of God and is not of How Chrisostome vnderstandeth fayth to be the gift of God our selues In expounding which place he thus vnderstandeth it That fayth is the gifte of God because we shoulde not beleue vnles God called vs and shoulde set forth vnto vs those thinges which ought to be beleued Wherefore his meaning is that it lieth in our power to assent vnto the calling and promises of God which are offred vnto vs. But that is most many manifestly repugnant against very many testimonies of the scriptures For in the Actes of the Apostles we reade of the To attayne to faith it is not sufficiēt that God doth sette forth vnto vs thinges we shoulde beleue woman that solde silkes how that God opened her harte to vnderstand those thinges which Paul preached And Ezechiell teacheth that God chaungeth the hartes of the godly and of stony hartes maketh them fleshy hartes Christ also saith that no man can come vnto him vnles he be drawen of the father And Dauid desireth of God to incline the hartes of his to keepe his testimonies We reade also in many places that God boweth and hardeneth hartes Lastly Paul in this selfe same epistle sayth that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God which hath compassion But as touching this question we will speaks more at large afterward Now let vs see what Paul in this place vnderstandeth The Olde man by the Olde man which he sayth ought to be crucified with Christ and
is no more I that do it I delight in the Law of God Vnhapyy man that I am who shall deliuer me frō the body of this death There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus Agayne We also grone which haue receaued the first fruites of the spirite Ambrose in his booke de Paradiso is of the same iudgemēt And to the same purpose is he cited of Augustine in his 6. booke agaynst Iulianus in his booke de philosophia or de Sacramento which booke is not at this day extant But sinne that dvvelleth in me This metaphore of dwelling is very much The Metaphore of dwelling vsed in y◠holy scriptures nether signifieth it vnto vs any thing els but a true mighty presēce In this sēce it is said The word was made flesh dwelt amongst vs. And in the old testament is oftentimes red that God dwelt amōgst the children of Israell And Paul to the Corrinthians sayth That we are the temple of God that the holy ghost dwelleth in vs. But here we must beware of the error of y◠Maniches which hold that man consisteth of two natures the one good and the other euill and y◠they are both mingled together but thorough Christ it is come An error of the Manichies to passe that the euill is seperated from the good and thrust out to the people of darkenes For they saw not that y◠euil was the corruptiō of nature which nature otherwise was good but they sayd that it doth by it selfe exist hath a certayne substaunce and that it is seperated from the good by thrustinge forth and by flyinge away and not that it ceasseth to be But the truth teacheth that Christe healeth sinne and the effect or want and so healeth thē y◠they haue no more any being The Apostle in thys place entreateth not of our cōmon euils but of our chiefest euils whiche pertayne to the strife betwene the spirite and the flesh and doo trouble and confound both whatsoeuer we haue inwardly or outwardlye For whē we do any thing we not only not do so much as both we our selues desire also is required of y◠law but we haue also y◠flesh by all maner of meanes raging fighting and striuing against the will of God Neither do we y◠good which What is the good which we would do do not What is the euell which we would not do and yet do All our woorkes haue nede of forgeuenes The flesh the members the mind and the inwards man how they are to be taken we would but that euill which we hate If thou demaūd what that good is which we would we can aunswer nothyng els but y◠it is y◠which the law cōmaundeth vs. For it is the onely maistres of all that which is good Hereby it is plaine that we do not that which is commaunded in the law Againe the euill which we hate is nothing els but that which by the law is prohibited Wherfore we cannot deny but that by our euill motions and wicked desires the law of God is violated Neither ought we to denye but that they are sinnes which yet our aduersaries will not graunt Moreouer hereby we gather that in all the things which we do we haue nede of forgeuenes and that our workes are not of so great waight that for them we should be made acceptable vnto God and merite the eternall kyngdome In this place are vsed the names of the flesh and of the members and on the the other side of the minde and of the inward man Which are not to be distinguished touching the partes of the body and of the mynde But on the one side is signified the whole man as he is not regenerate neither hath yet perfectly and vniuersally put of the prauity of nature On the other side also is vnderstande the whole man as he is now regenerate and hath receiued at the least some parte of spirituall regeneration They are farre deceiued which thinke that although we beleue not in Christ yet the minde and will in vs is wholy perfect in nature For they remember not what Paul writeth to the Corinthians The naturall man vnderstandeth not the thynges which are of the spirite of God For these wordes plainly declare that our vnderstanding hath in it much darkenes corruption whē as we are so vnapt to the vnderstanding of thinges spiritual And that thou shouldst not thinke that these thinges pertaine vnto them only that are not regenerate which are yet straungers from Christ Augustine declareth that they belong also vnto the beleuers both by those thinges which go before and by those also which follow For that Paul there entreateth of them that are baptised is by that proued which he before wrote Are ye baptised in the name of Paul It is proued also by that which followeth after Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that his spirite dwelleth in you And if they are pronounced to be such which are of the vnperfecter sort amongst the beleuers what is to affirmed of those which are vtterly straungers from Christ Doubtles seyng they haue receiued no part of iustification there can dwell in them no good Let them go now which bable that before regeneration Against workes preparatory may be done of vs some good workes which may please God wherby we may as they speake merite of congruity Let them also consider how wisely they are wont to say that if men do that which lieth in them God will graunt vnto them his grace For if they do that which lieth in them they shal do nothing He which doth that which lieth in hym doth but euill but that which is euill For as Paul sayth there dwelleth in them no good Wherfore seyng they are moued only by the ground of their corrupt nature doubtles they commit sinne And that the Apostle speaketh not of the nature of y◠outward flesh and of the visible body it is hereby proued for that when as in the epistle to the Corinthians he admonisheth them to eschew fornications he sayth that our bodies are the temples of the holy ghost Wherfore it should be false that in our flesh dwelleth no good if flesh should be taken in that signification Wherfore in thys place as we haue sayd flesh is taken for the whole nature infected wyth sinne Of this Paul pronounceth that he knoweth that in it dwelleth no good Neither wanteth this an emphasis that he sayth that he assuredly knoweth For he saw that others and in a maner the most part of mē felt not this And I would to God y◠we once thorough felt it For to will is present with me but I finde no abilitie to do that whiche is good Neither doubtles had he this power to wil but so farre forth as he had it of the spirite which renueth vs. This he proueth in the epistle to the Philippians We haue not of our selues to
it was lawful for him to do wherfore he thinketh he lost his power which before he had â—uer men But this interpretation although it conteine nothing that is vngodly yet in no wyse agréeth with the meaning of the Apostle For Paul geueth a reason how we are deliuered by Christ from the lustes and motions of which he complaineth towards the ende of the vij chapter And forasmuch as the death of Christ is put for the cause of this deliuery that exposition which we brought of the sacrifice for sin both is agreable with reason and also is proued by other testimonies of the Scriptures For Esay in his 53. chapter writynge of Christ sayth If he shall put his soule Ameth schaim asham nephesch sinne that is to say for sinne Paul also as we haue before cited him saith That he which knew no sinne was for vs made sinne And in the first epistle to the Corrinthians Christ our paschall is offered vp And in the epistle vnto the Hebreues Christ is set forth to be that sacrifice for sinne whiche was sene to be offered without the hostes Iohn also sayth Beholde the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde in which wordes he calleth him a lambe for yâ— What the killinge of sacrifices signified in the old time he should be a sacrifice for sinne And that slaughter of sacrifices shadowed nothing els vnto the elders but damnation and death For there they which offred them acknowledged that the sinnes for which they ought to haue bene punished should be transferred and layd vpon the Messias that euen as the sacrifice was killed so should Christ in tyme to come dye for the sinne of the people Which thing peraduenture they declared by an outward simbole or signe namely by laying on of Why the Gentils sometimes sacrificed men their handes And many thinke that this signification of the offring vp of the Messias for sinne was of so great force that for the figuracion therof men were among certaine nations offred vp For that which they had heard of the holy patriarches should one day come to passe the same they sought to expresse by a sacrifice most nyest as they thought vnto the truth Which yet forasmuch as it wanted yâ— word of God and was by them only inuented was nothing els then an vngodly cruelty Of this thing Origene against Celsus maketh mencion Neither can it be but Why the killinges of sacrifices aâ— at this day â— out of vse wonderful that at this day throughout the whole world there are no immolatioÌ„s of sacrifices which seme by the prouidence of god therfore to haue vanished away bicause that noble and so long looked for sacrifice of the deth of Christ which was by all those sacrifices after a sorte shadowed is now performed For God hath geuen one only oblacion wherby as we haue said sinne is condemned By which so great liberality of God towardes vs both feare and also faith ought to be stirred vp in vs. For if God to the ende he would abolishe sinne spared not his owne proper sonne what shall become of vs if we despise so great a sacrifice and tread vnder foote the bloud of the sonne of God On the other side who will not put his confidence in God whom he séeth for our sinnes to haue geuen his sonne vnto the deth Wherfore we ought with a most strong faith to embrace this sacrifice Neyther ought we here to regard the sacrificing priestes which boast that they can by their The sacrifyce of Christ is not applied vnto vs by Masses masses and superstitions and vngodly whisperinges apply this sacrifice vnto vs. In dede the holy scriptures teache that one ought to pray for an other But that yâ— communicating of one man is sufficient for an other or that it applieth the death of Christ vnto an other that thing the holy ghost neuer taught And sithen the sacramentes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is seales of promises they can profite them onely if we speake of theÌ„ which are of full age which embrace theÌ„ by fayth Wherfore eueÌ„ as it is not coÌ„uenient yâ— one should be baptised for an other so doth it nothing profite if one man receiue the Eucharist or supper of the Lord for an other For this were all one as if a man should take seales by which promises are confirmed and transferre theÌ„ vnto a blanke paper which hath neither promise nor any thing written in it we may in déede when we communicate geue thankes vnto God for that he hath holpen our neighbours and brethren and we may pray for them that they may be confirmed But to eate the sacrifice or Eucharist or to offer vp Christ for other men it is vtterly a fained inuention And although we shoulde graunte theÌ„ thys yet should they not haue yâ— which they so much séeke for For thys is not peculiar vnto priestes but is coÌ„moÌ„ vnto al theÌ„ which celebrate yâ— supper of yâ— lord Away therfore with these fained lies let euery maÌ„ labor by his own proper faith to take hold for himselfe of this benefite of Christ to apply it vnto himself Augustine in his exposition begon vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes saith that euery one of vs applieth vnto himselfe the sacrifice of the death of Christ For he saith Touching the sacrifice of which the Apostle then spake that is of the burnt offring of the Lordes passion that euery man offreth for hys owne sinnes then when he is dedicated vnto the passion of Christ through faith and when by baptisme be is noted by the name of faithfull Christians Now let vs speake of the third thing namely to sée what is the fruite of the death of Christ That the righteousnes of God might be fulfilled in vs which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirite That which we haue turned Righteousnes and others Iustification in Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth that honesty and vprightnes which is commaunded in the lawe which although it be so called yet are we not therby iustified for the fulfilling thereof can be in no man but only in him which is iustified It is true in dede that We shal be iudged according to our works we shall not be iustified by them we shal be iudged accordinge vnto those woorkes for God wyll render vnto euerye manne accordynge to hys woorkes For accordinge to the condition of the workes the forme of the sentence shal be pronouÌ„ced Yet are not good works the causes of that felicity which we looke for For if they were causes then shoulde they either be equall with the reward or els they should be greater then it For this is the nature of causes ether to excell the affectes or at the least wayes to be The dignity of causes either excelleth or els is equall with the effecâ—es How the preceptes of the law are fulfilled in vs by Christ equall
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul taketh for that power which is geuen of God to worke miracles whereby are restrayned the vngodly whereunto is opposite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 y◠epistle vnto the Ephesians in two places For thus it is there writtē 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 y◠lower parts regions of y◠erth And heigth may be takē otherwise for y◠heigh goodly shew of humaine reasons which are cōmonly takē 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 munitiōs wherby we ouerthrow coūsels and euery heigth that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God And after this sētence 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 y◠we can not be plucked away frō God by any other creature which is brought forth of new As though before he had reckoned vp those creatures which are extant and thē afterward addeth that neither any other creature if it could be brought forth shall haue so much strēgth to breake that loue of God wherwith he loueth vs. And he citeth Iannes and Mambres which when before Pharao they resisted
follow be alleadged of Paul the more vehemently to repell the obiection For he repelleth it after a sorte with this execration God forbid Whiche thing is plainelye declared by this particle For whereby is geuen a reason of the sentence going before And hereunto helpeth that this sentence is cited oute of the scriptures Whiche thinge Paul is not wont to attribute vnto the person of the aduersarye For he obiecteth vnto himselfe those thinges which are affirmed of humane wisedome against the sentence of the holy Ghoste but this he retayneth vnto himselfe by testimonye of the scriptures to confute these humane reasons whiche séeme to be againste it I will not speake how Origen when he sawe the absurditye of his exposition had no great affiance in it but placed an other in stéede thereof But Chrisostome and Ambrose attribute these wordes vnto Paul himselfe althoughe they somewhat straye from the righte interpretacion For Chrisostome sayth that Paul in this place maketh the matter more obscure to the ende to driue the Iewes to that pointe that touching the question for which they kept so great stirre neither they themselues should be able to make any aunswere For they demaunded why theyr nation being reiected the Gentils should be taken Paul to stop theyr mouthes And ye sayth he tell me why Ismaell being reiected Isaac was receaued Why Iacob being beloued Esau was hated But because to these thinges mought aunswere after a sorte be made that these men were euill and the other good therefore he bringeth thys place out of the. 33. chapter of Exodus where when God by reason of the idolatry which the people had committed in the calfe had commaunded manye of them to be slayne would yet notwithstandinge pardon the reste of the multitude Here is lefte no such refuge at all for the crime of them all was a like Wherfore God said vnto Moses I will haue mercy on whome I wyll haue mercy That is I alone can discerne why I will haue mercy on this man and will not haue mercy on that man This canst not thou sée Wherfore in this matter geue place to me Neither wanteth it an Emphasis that the Apostle in this place by name putteth Moses For séeing that he sawe not the cause of this thing when yet notwithstanding he was of all men that euer were the most familiarest with God verely much les could others sée it Wherfore Paul by these wordes repelleth putteth to shame the rashe The interpretation of Chrisostom confuted It is not the part of the holy ghost to make darke that questioÌ„ which is nâ—cessary vnto saluation inquisition of men for that God onely foreséeth the merites and worthines of those whome he electeth and whome he pardoneth This interpretacioÌ„ containeth thrée thinges which in my iudgemeÌ„t are not very sound First for that it sayth yâ— the Apostle maketh obscure the question when as in dede he most of all maketh it plain neither is it the part of the holy Ghost to hide the truth whiche is so necessarye to saluation Moreouer it affirmeth that God spake these words to Moses touching those men which were slaine for idolatry which thing as we shall declare agréeth not with the History Laste of all it referreth the matter to the righteousnes and foreknowledge of merites when as Paul reduceth these thinges to the mercye of God onely Ambrose will haue these thinges to be alleadged of the Apostle in thys sence as though God should say I will haue mercye on him whome I foreknowe shal be conuerted and abide by me And I will shew compassion on him on whom I will shew compassion that is I will geue mercy vnto him whome I haue foreknowne shall after his error with an vprighte harte returne vnto mee And this sayth he is to geue vnto him vnto whome ought to be geuen and not to geue vnto him vnto whome ought not to be geuen to call him whome he knoweth will heare him and not to call him whome he knoweth will not heare him And to call What to cal is with Ambrose To haue mercy is noâ— to foreknow sayth he is to pricke forward to receaue fayth In this interpretacioÌ„ also first this is to be disalowed that to haue mercy should be all one with to foreknow for these wordes are of farre diuers significations Wherefore to interpretate the one by the other is to adde of his owne head and not to geue the meaning of the Apostle And when he sayth that God geueth vnto whome is to be geuen and geueth not to whome is not to be geuen he hath a respecte vnto the iustice of God when as God himselfe as Paul testifieth referreth all thinges to his mercye Neyther is it true that God calleth those onelye whome he knoweth shall heare him for he daylye called the Iewes whome he knewe shoulde be rebellious vnlesse peraduenture he vnderstande no other callinge but that whiche is of efficacye but that callinge commeth not hereof for that men are prone to heare but yâ— it maketh them to be able to heare But Augustine wrytyng vppon thys place thoughte that GOD hathe not a respecte vnto workes to come but vnto faythe But the same sentence he himselfe afterward by most firme reasons reuoketh in his second booke of RetractatioÌ„s the 1. chapiter and in the first booke and 23. chapter Now resteth that as the wordes of Paul playnly declare the election and good will of God depend only of his mercy But that these wordes I will haue mercy one vvhome I vvill haue mercy should be vnderstand as Chrisostome would haue them of the slaughter of some of the pardoning of other some it semeth An history in Exodus rehersed not to be agreeing with the history For that slaughter is set forth in the 32. chapiter But before ye come to the other place which is in the 33. chapiter there are many thinges set For after that slaughter the Lord commaunded Moses to go vp from that place and sayd that he would not go with them for that it was a stiffenecked people And the people hearing this were excedingly sory and wept Agayne Moses prayed vnto the Lord that he would go with him and added that he would not go vnles the Lord would so promise him At the length the lord being as it were ouercome with these prayers maketh answer yâ— he would so do for that Moses had found fauor in his sight And Moses hearing this added Now then shew me thy glory Vnto whome the Lord answered I will make all my good go before thee and I will proclayme my name Iehouah before thee and I will haue mercy one whome I will haue mercy and I will shew compassion one whome I will shew This place is not to be vnderstanded of the idolatrers but of Moses compassion Wherefore I like theyr iudgement better which thought that thys place is to be vnderstanded not of the idolatrers slayn or preserued but of Moses only as if
chastised but rather he lameÌ„ted and bewayled their captiuity In the. 4. chapter also of Ieremy is in a manner the selfe same meaning In deceauing saith he O Lord thou hast deceaued thy people They sayd peace peace â–ª and behold the sword In these wordes Ieremy complaineth that the Iewes were deceaued by false prophets for that he saw theyr calamity at hand yet doth not the prophet pray that that calamity might come vnto the people but rather with greate grief threatneth it vnto them The selfe same thing againe sheweth Ezechiell and that more plainely in his 14. chapter If a man saith he meaning a wicked man How God deceiueth shall aske counsell of a Prophet and he in his answere shall deceaue him I saith the Lord haue deceaued that Prophet and will destroy him But how God maketh to erre deceaueth and seduceth it is declared in the bookes of the kinges â–ª For thus the Lord sayd vnto the spirites which stoode before him who shall deceaue Achab An euill spirite answered I will deceaue him Then said God How I will be saith he a lieng spirite in the mouth of all the prophets of Achab. Then aunswered God Go thy wayes and thou shalt preuaile This history declareth that God stirreth vp the deuil to lie and that he will haue him to be of efficacy and to preuaile The selfe same thing also teacheth Paul to the Thessalonians Forasmuch as they haue not saith he receaued â—he loue of the truth God will send vpon them the spirite of error to beleue lies By this it is manifest that the Prophets prayed not vnto God to punish the people as Pigghius dreameth But whereas he saith that Paul in his second chapter to the Romanes declareth that God by his lenitie and clemencie hardeneth men he is excéedingly deceaued For when Paul saith Dost thou contemn the riches of his goodnes A place of the 2. chap. to the Romanes long suffring and lenitie not knowing that the goodnes of God leadeth thee to repentance But thou according to thine hardenes vnrepentaunte hart heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath in the day of wrath c To vnderstande the sence of these wordes thou oughtest to consider what he before spake He inueighed against those which wheÌ„ they sée and iudge what is vprighte yet do contrary to their owne knowledge and iudgement Therfore the Apostle saith We know that the iudgement of God is according to the truth against those which do such thinges Dost thou thinke O man which iudgest those which do such thinges and dost the selfe same thinges thy selfe that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Wherefore vnto such men Paul threatneth most The differring of the punishment 〈◊〉 to repentance and hardeneth not gréeuous punishmentes which many contemned for that they felte them not but saw them differred vntill the end Wherefore Paul demaundeth whether by reason of that differring they contemne the goodnes of God which he saith is geuen vnto them to lead them to repentance By these woordes we are admonished not to neglect the space which is geuen vnto vs before we be condemned Wherefore Paul admonisheth them of theyr duety And Augustine against Iulianus in his 5. This inuitation is not of efficacie but in the elect only booke and 3. chapter saith that by this bountefulnes of God wherby punishmentes are so differred men are inuited to repentance but this inuitacion is not of efficacy but in the elect onely For that men should be brought to repentance is more required then onely differring of punishmentes For it behoueth that God inwardly moue the hartes Wherefore Paul to Timothe where he admonisheth the bishop perpetually to teach the aduersaries addeth If peraduenture God geue vnto theÌ„ repentance This is nothing which Pighius It is the gift of God to vse his goodnes well imagineth that this goodnes of God being set forth men may vse it of themselues For it commeth of God for a man to vse it wel Wherfore it is manifest that that differring is in a maner an inuitation to repentance not an induration whichin duration had his being in men before that differring and is not poured in of God but is after a sorte brought forth to light Wherfore this maketh nothing at all against vs that Paul addeth yâ— men according to theyr hardenes heape vp vnto them selues wrath For we deny not but that yâ— hardnes is called ours For that we haue the groundes therof in our selues although it do not vtter it selfe and burst foorth into acte vnles we be stirred vp by the motion of God For that in God we liue are moued and haue our being Wherfore Paul in that place entreated not of hardning as it commeth from the motion of God but as it is of vs. And when he calleth it ours he nothing disagreeth from vs. They vse to bring certaine places of the scriptures which seme to be against this sentence that we say that God hardeneth meÌ„ A place of Iames. TemptatioÌ„ by afflictioÌ„s is of God For Iames in his first chap. saith Let no maÌ„ when he is tempted say that he is tempted of God For God as he is not tempted with euils so also tempteth he no man But euery one when he is tempted is entyced and drawen of his owne lust First here we ought to vnderstand that Iames entreateth not of euery kinde of temptacion for we can not deny but that that which is done by affliction is of God For we know that he Why God tempted the fathers tempted Abraham and the fathers in the desert not that he mought knowe what they were but that they mought vnderstand and haue experience of themselues But Iames speaketh of that temptation whose groundes are in our selues namely prauity of nature and vnbrideled lustes which although they can not be put in practise vnles through God being the chief and principall mouer and impeller as we haue before declared in the similitude of the carter and so they depend of either Mime chaâ—â—â—e wâ—â— vnto sinâ—e yet exc 〈…〉 them sâ—â—ord â— for part both of God and of vs yet cannot men therfore excuse their wickednesse and lay the cause thereof vpon God For the nature of the wicked is of his owne accord prone ynough thereunto And this is it which Iames reproueth For he will not that men when they sinne should thinke vpon the perpetuall mouing of God but rather of the maliciousnes and prauitie which is grafted in them by the entisement whereof they take pleasure in theyr wicked factes And forasmuch as God by sinnes punisheth sinnes doubtles he would not punish them vnles he detested theÌ„ 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 punishe sinnes vnlesse he detâ—sted them Neither are those sinnes wherby he punisheth other sinnes otherwise wroughâ— of God then so far forth as they are punishments and do pertayne to iustice But in what sence Iames ment yâ— God tempteth not he very wel declared in these wordes For sayth he
men after the fall if grace and the spirite be away For of themselues they cannot do otherwise although it be not againste their nature but that they may By what necessitie we are vrged to sinne be holpen and chaunged of God The third necessitie is that which they call of infalliblenes or of consequence or as the Logicians speake of a composed sense Which is when our actions are not considered as they come from our owne nature reason or will but are considered together with the predestination and foreknowledge of God And although the disquieting of humane reason as touching this necessitie is by those distinctions after a sorte asswaged yet is there an other maze wherein it excéedingly wandreth For it séeth that God coÌ„maunded Pharao to let the people go and therby it gathereth that he willed that thing On the other Whether God at one the selfe same tyme both willeth and â—illeth one and the selfe same thing A place of Esay side it heareth that God saith I will harden the hart of Pharao by which wordes it gathereth that he would not haue the people let goe â–ª Wherefore humane sence iudgeth it a thing very absurde that God should at one and the same time both will and not will one and the same thing But a godly minde to vnfold it selfe out of this perplexity will call to memory the sentence of Esay spoken vnder the persoÌ„ of God which sentence our sauiour Christe also vsed in the Gospell and likewise Paul in the actes of the Apostles when he had preached at Rome to the vnbeleuing Iewes Heare saith he the word and vnderstande it not see a sight and discerne it not Make grosse the hart of the people that they vnderstande not stoppe theyr eares that they heare not blind theyr eyes that they see not lest peraduenture they be conuerted I heale them And Christ in the Gospell saith that he came to iudgemente that they God wil haue some to be made blinde â–ª vnto whome yet he wil ha them his word bâ— seâ— for which see should not see These sayings declare that God wil haue some to be made blinde and yet in the meane time he will haue his word to be set forth vnto them For Christ sent his Apostles to preache throughout the whole world And although he excepted none vnto whome he would not haue his Gospel preached yet opened he not the haâ—ts of all men to assent vnto the truth when they heard it Wherfore it followeth that the elect onely do beleue but the wicked are hardened and their sinne is made more greuous when as now is taken away the excuse of ignorance For Paul saith in the first chapter of this Epistle that the inuisible thinges of God â—â— seene by the creation of this world being vnderstanded by those things which are made his eternall power also and diuinitie so that they are without excuse Christ also sayth If I had not come and spoken vnto theÌ„ they had had no sin not yâ— otherwise they should haue bene without sinne but for that they shoulde not haue had so gréeuous sinne For after that they had heard Christ al excuse of ignorance was now taken away from them Wherefore when humane reason beareth vs in hand that to call a maÌ„ and yet in the meane time will not haue him to come is nothing els but to séeke to mocke and to deceaue let vs put it to silence and say with the Apostle O man what art thou that contendest with God And let vs declare that it is méere madnes A remedy against humaine reason to séeke by Dilemmas and Silogismes to carpe God and to obiecte vnto him that he dealeth no les absurdlie then if a man should call his frende to a banquet should sée many things to be therunto a let which lets although he when he may remoueth not yet is he angry vnles he come or if a man should sende his seruaunte any whether whome he knoweth shal be letted in his iorney and although he take not away those hindrances when as he may yet wil he punish his seruant for tarieng or if a magistrate should coÌ„maund a man fast bound in prison to come foorth wheÌ„ yet notwithstanding he looseth not his bondes These thinges séeme vnto them absurde for two causes First for that they vnderstand not to what ende the law and Vocation the law haue moe endes then one vocation and the commaundements were geuen For they thinke that they were geuen to no other vse but to be performed But Paul saith that by the law is the knowledge of sinne Men are so proude and so blockishe that they thinke they can straight way perform al things so yâ— it be onely declared vnto theÌ„ what they should do Wherfore yâ— they mought vnderstaÌ„d their impoteÌ„cie imbecilitie it was necessary yâ— they should receue yâ— law should be called being not yet deliuered for by yâ— meanes they must nedes fele perceiue yâ— knowledge alone of it self is not sufficient An other cause why these men are troubled is for yâ— they see not the other commoditye which the elect gee hereby For when they fele in theÌ„selues how weake they are they are stirred vp to thinke lowly of theÌ„selues and to implore yâ— By the vocatâ—on of the reprobate although without efficacy the elect are holpen ayde of God and more and more in the reprobate which are forsakeÌ„ to acknowledge theyr owne naturall imbecility and to confesse that they shoulde haue bene in the same estate vnles besides the knowledge of the truth they had bene holpen by the spirite and grace of God Wherefore hereby it is manifest how profitably and wisely those thinges were instituted which semed absurd And forasmuch as not al which heare the Gospel are inwardly with efficacy moued of God thereof it commeth that Paul sayth to the Corrinthians that it is to some the sauor of life to life aâ—â— to other some the sauor of death to death This is a playne There is no contrariety in the will of God simple conciliation of that contrariety which appeareth to be in the wil of God And bycause that in these vocations and promises semeth to be expressed some will of God which yet taketh not effect certayne diuines haue not vnskilfully sayd that there is one will of the signe or of the antecedent an other will of efficacy The will of the antecedent and of the consequent God when he pronounceth things which succede not doth not therfore lie Examples or of the consequent For it oftentimes happeneth yâ— God ether threatneth or promiseth a thing which yet shall not come to passe And yet doth not God therefore lye or deceaue For he pronounceth those thinges eyther as nature was then ordered or as thorough ill desertes it mought come to passe vnlesse some change were had in the meane time So was Ezechias told that he should dye bycause that
the vnbeleuers would straight way sée the accomplishement of the promises and if it be any while differred they throw themselues down hedlong and dispayre It may also thus be vnderstanded that they which faithfully beleue are not rash in executing their deuises For first they serch out the wil of God neither desire they to obteine any thing but yâ— which they know shal be acceptable vnto him Chrisostome in this place interpretateth to A similitude stomble not to beleue For euen as they which hauing their eyes fixed an other way then that way which they should go do easely stomble so they also stomble which haue a respect vnto any other thing in Christ then to that wherfore he was sente A stone oftentimes is not séene either because it is little or els because it sticketh in the earth yet notwithstanding it oftentimes maketh a man that is not ware to fal So was it with Christ when he liued here vpon the earth Therefore Esay saith of him We haue sene him and there was no beawty in him and therfore we esteemed him not With this offence without all doubt wer the Iewes enfected Which thing Paul testifieth to the Corrinthians If saith he they had knowne him they had neuer crucified the Lord of glory But forasmuche as this ignorance was suche that The Iews are not excused by their ignoraunce themselues were the cause therof it could not excuse theÌ„ And that which is in this place sayd of Christ is written in the first to the Corrinthians We preach saith Paul Christ crucified vnto the Iewes indeede an offence and vnto the Grekes foolishenes but vnto the called both Iewes and Greekes Christ the power of God and wisedome of God And Simeon in Luke sayth that Christ is put to the fall resurrection of many For they which beleue haue him for a foundacion and wholy lene vnto him and therefore What Simeon pronounceth of Christ they cannot fall but the vnbeleuers stomble vpon him and are broken to péeces Origen demaundeth why Christ Iesus when as otherwise he is adorned with most excellent titles for he is called the pastor the dore the way the light the truth and such like is here of Paul by a horrible name called an offence and a stombling stone And he reasoneth that Christe was an offence that is a let and an impediment to them that runne vnto sinnes for he therehence called men backe by admonishing preaching and correcting But this is farre wide from the meaning of Paul For such an offence had bene profitable and had much conduced to edificatioÌ„ But the Apostle speaketh of that kinde of offence wherby the Iewes fell Wherfore we may say rather that Christ is the stone whereby either the faithfull are edefied Why Christ is called the stone of fouÌ„daâ—ion â–ª the corner and precious stone or the vnbeleuers fall hedlong into damnatioÌ„ Esay calleth Christ the stone of the foundation for that vpoÌ„ him is built the church he is called the corner stone for that by him are in the church ioyned together two distinct walles namely the Gentils and the Iewes He is also called a pretious stone for that he buildeth vp to a most excellente ende To this selfe thing alluded Peter in his 2. chapter of his first Epistle Vnto whome saith he we come who is the liuely stone being indede of meÌ„ reiected but before God elected and precious Farther he also vseth the testimonye of Esay Behold saith he I lay a stone in Sion to be laid in the chiefe corner a stone elected and precious and he that beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed wherfore vnto you which beleue he is precious but vnto them which beleue not he is a stone which the builders haue reiected Seing that either of the Apostles saith that faith maketh not ashamed The certaintie of saluation coÌ„mended they manifestly declare that men which beleue truely and faithfully forasmuch as this is the nature of faith ought to be assured of theyr saluation Wherfore let vs beware least as the Iewes gloried of the righteousnes of the lawe of which yet they had no part at all we also in the same manner put confidence in a shadowed security of faith which is dead and no faith at all vnles it haue workes ioyned with it Let vs take héede also that we stomble not vpon Christ that is vppon Who they be that stoÌ„ble vpon Christ and his worde his word which they do which when they are reproued and inuited to repentance straightway steppe backe And if we will truely cleaue faste vnto the stone Christ we must of necessity into a farre country banishe supersticions which are farre straunge from him For vpon this foundation they cannot well be builded Lastly let vs not kepe in sileÌ„ce nor dissemble true and sound doctrine foolishly fearing least by the preaching thereof men should be offended Wherefore forasmuch as Christ was geuen vnto the worlde although many should stomble vpon him let vs vse dexterity and discretion to set forth all thinges warely in their due place and time as the holy Ghost shall prompt vs but yet in such sorte that we leue not the truth for feare of offence Of predestination BVt now least in reasoning our talk should stray too farre abroad which thing might easely come to passe in so large a field of Gods predestination the entreaty whereof is full of perplexity we entend to deuide into fower principall pointes all that which we minde to speake of First I will diligently search out of the nature and definition thereof Secondly what Diuision of the questioÌ„ are the causes of it for nothing can perfectly be knowen which is not knowen by his causes Thirdly what are the effectes which predestination bringeth forth in men for there are many thinges which by their effectes are most plainly vnderstand and perceaued Lastly whether the power or force thereof be such that it bringeth vnto men necessity and whether it either taketh away or hindreth the liberty of the will of man and whether it may be altered or changed And these partes being diligently discussed we will then make an end of this discourse And yet will I not promise of this matter to speake all that were to be spoken For there are infinite things which are offred vnto them that settle them selues to consider vppon this matter But those things only will I touch at this present which shall seme most necessary and are in greatest controuersy which being so compact and ordered it shall be no hard matter for others to gather otherwayes Whether it stand with true christian pietie to dispute of predestination many other thinges But before we go to the definition of predestination there are two thinges to be answered vnto First whether it stand with true Christian religion either to dispute or to preach of predestination for if that were not lawfull we should then seme to do wickedly Secondly forasmuch as
heard sayd How long Lord and vnto him was answered Vntill the cities be destroyed and brought to desolation and to waste whiche thing without doubt was partly accomplished when the Israelits were led away captiues into Babilon but not perfectly at this day that desolation is fullye accomplished namely from the time of Vespacian euen vnto the ende of worlde Moreouer experience it selfe teacheth vs yâ— they are euen to this day blind Furthermore the argument of the Apostle is yet notwithstanding of efficacy although the Prophet should speake of his time For the Iewes seemed to be excéedinglye offended for that Paul preached that they were made blinde whereas they oughte not to haue taken that in so ill parte seeing that the Prophet had long time before foretold vnto their fathers that this punishment should be inflicted vpon them Wherfore thereby is proued that Paul had spoken no new reproches against them nor had deuised any contumely of which they had not before heard And as it was shewed that in Helias time some were secretly preserued whereas all the rest pearished The things which the Iewes suffered in times past it is no meruaile if they now suffer It was Christ whoÌ„ Esay saw in the persoÌ„ of a iudge What is the purpose of God in makyng blynde the Iewes to proue that the same thinge had happened vnto the Iewes in the time of Paul so now is mencioned that the Iewes were in the time of Esay made blinde that it should not seme incredible but that they mought now also be infected with the same disease But the first interpretacion is both truer and plainer wherfore whosoeuer attentiuely readeth the woordes of Iohn may easly perceaue that Esay the prophet in that high iudge whome he testifieth was God sawe Christ These things saith Iohn spake he wheÌ„ he saw his glory talked with him That pronoune His hath a relation vnto Christe for of him was the whole course of his talke Wherefore this place is not to be forgotten when we shall proue the diuinitie of Christe for the Prophet calleth him whome he saw the God of hostes and is not afeard to attribute vnto him the name of Iehouah Wherefore we sée both out of Paul and out of the Prophet that we ought to graunte that God is the efficiente cause of the blinding of the Iewes whose principall ende is not that they shoulde sinne but that in theyr punishment should be declared his iustice as it is written vnto the Thessalonians of the time of Antichrist Whefore forasmuch as they haue not receaued the loue of the truth therefore hath God sente vpon them the spirite of errour And in Deut. the. 28. chapt Moses threatened in the name of God that the Iewes should be smitten of him with furiousnes madnes and blockishnes of hart if they harkened not vnto his wordes And in Ezechiell God saith yâ— for the punishment of yâ— wicked sinnes both of the euill Prophets and also of them which asked counsel at their handes he would seduce the Prophet These selfe thinges in a maner which happened vnto the Iewes we sée also to haue happened vnto yâ— Papists for they hauing The things which are 〈◊〉 of the Iewâ—s haue happened a so vnto the papistes bene oftentimes admonished now at the length to ceasse of from wicked supersticions and continuall corrupting of the churche not onelye woulde not heare but dayly throwe themselues downe hedlong into greater darkenes and are smitteÌ„ wyth greater blindenes Whome when we sée in thys case we ought to pity and to thinke with our selues that we also should be in the selfe same daunger if we were not contynuallye holpen by the fauoure of God In Marke the eyghte chapiter we reade that when the Apostles muttered amongest themselues that they had forgotten to take bread with them and had miserably let slip out of their memory that great miracle wherin Christ had with a few loues fed many thousands of men the Lord said vnto them Do ye not yet perceaue nor vnderstand is your hart still blinded haue ye eyes and see not and eares and heare not And do ye not remember This is the state and condition of our corrupt nature that if it be left vnto it selfe it is by preaching and miracles made blind but God is present with his elect and when the words of God or sacraments or miracles are set forth Our corrupt nature when it is left vnto it self â—s by preaching miraclâ—s made blind vnto them he openeth their harts as in the Actes of the Apostles we reade of the woman that sold silke Moreouer this blindnes in some dureth but only for a time for when it semeth good vnto God it is by the spirit of Christ taken away in others it is perpetuall and is euery day more and more encreased namely in those whome God by his hidden iudgement but yet most iust iudgement vtterly forsaketh and hath euen from eternally reiected And Dauid sayth Let their table be turned into a snare and a net for a stombling blocke and a recompence vnto them This is written in the 69. Psalme where Dauid complayneth of the calamities and oppressions wherewith he was vexed and in himself as in a type or figure he hath a respect vnto Christ and vnto all his members which he saw are obnoxious vnto the self same crosse he maketh vehement prayers for his deliuery he curseth and banneth these enemies of God straight way he addeth ioyfull prayses of the goodnes of God which had heard his prayers and therwithal ioyneth comfortable sentences â–ª Hereout Paul aptely gathered this testimony The words in Hebrew are thus Iehi Schulchanam liphnehom lephach velischlomin lemocesch Techschachnah enehem maroth vmothnehem tamid hamad Which sentence the 70. haue so turned that as touching woordes they somewhat differ from the Hebrew verity although in the sence they nothing at all disagrée from it Paul alludeth vnto the Seuenty from whome yet as we shall afterward declare he somwhat varieth The greatest difference betwene the 70. and the Hebrew verity herein is that they wheras in the Hebrew is red peace making or such things which serue to peace haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a recompensation But the error hereof springeth for that the words if they be red without prickes may seeme to be in a maner all one For Schalam signifieth to be at peace Schalom signifieth peace But Schelem signifieth to recompence Schelom signifieth a recompeÌ„ce Sehelolim in the plurall nomber signifieth recompenses But the sence is The things which of their owne nature should be pleasant ioyfull and prosperous let them be made vnto these wicked men hurtfull pernicious Let their frendes also be vnto them an offence and become vnto them vnfaithfull and traytors Moreouer let their eyes or minde be spoiled of sound iudgement that they may not see the thynges whiche are to bee desired and if they see and desyre them let their strengthes
put But Pighius sayth farther that God requireth these woorkes that he may◠fréelye impute vnto vs iustification Whosoeuer is but euen slenderlye exercised in the holye Scriptures shall easelye sée that thys man is euen directlye repugnaunt vnto Paul For he in the Epistle to the Romaines sayth Vnto hym whych worketh not a reward is imputed accordyng to grace But Pighius sayth vnto him which worketh God imputeth righteousnes fréely But to impute fréely and not to impute fréely euery childe may sée that they are contradictories But mark gentle Reader this reason of two members These workes which he speaketh of either profite vnto iustification or else profite not If they profite not why calleth he them preparations For amongst causes are reckened also causes preparatory But if he will say that they profite are in very déede causes preparatories with what mouthe can he affirme that he plucketh away nothing from the honoure of Christ but appoynteth him to be the whole and absolute cause of our iustificatiō But peraduenture this two membred argument a man will turne vpon vs touching those works which follow iustification For he wil say either they are profitable to obtaine saluation or they are not profitable If they be not profitable Wherunto good works profite after iustificatiō why are they required and why are their promises setforth vnto thē But if they be why doe we not allowe merite to be in them I answer that suche workes are profitable vnto men regenerate for that they liuing vprightly and orderly are renewed and made more perfect But that is nothing else but a certaine inchoation and as it were a participation of eternall life Farther it hath séemed good vnto God by suche meanes or rather by suche spaces to bring men vnto eternal felicitie But we can not cal these workes merites For Paul expressedly teacheth that the stipend of sinne is death but eternall life is grace But that which is giuen fréely vtterly excludeth merite And in the meane time we ought to remember that That which is geuē frely excludeth merite there is a great difference as we haue oftentimes taught betwene their works which are as yet straungers from Christ and from God and their workes which are now by grace grafted into Christ and made his members Afterward also he goeth about to confute that which we say that a man is iustified by that faith which hath a respecte vnto the promises of Christ and of the remission of sinnes as though we holde that faith is the proper correlatiue of such promises For he saith that faith hath equally a respect vnto all the thinges which are set forth in the holy scriptures Yea saith he he doth vnto God a thing no les acceptable which beleueth that he created the world or beleueth the thre persons of the diuinitie or the resurrection to come then he which beleueth that Christe was giuen to be our mediator and that by him is to be obtained the remission of sinnes For that faith is of no lesse worthinesse then the other And if we be iustified by faith he contendeth that that faith no lesse pertaineth to the other articles then to the remission of sinnes by Christ And this he thinketh may be proued by that which Paul wryteth in the. 4. chapiter vnto the Romaines And not for him only were these things written but also for vs vnto whome it shal be imputed so that we beleue in him which hath raised vp Christ from the dead Beholde saith he that faith is imputed vnto vs vnto righteousnesse whereby we beleue that God raised vp Christ from the dead and not that faith whereby we beleue that sinnes are forgiuen vs by Christ First here we confesse that our faith assēteth vnto all the things which are contained in the holy scriptures But forasmuche as amongste them there is but onely one principall and excellent truthe vnto which all the other truthes are directed namely that Christ the sonne of God suffred for vs that by him we might receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes what meruail is it if our faith haue a respect vnto this one thing chiefly For this our assumpt Paul proueth For he saith that Christ is the end of the law Wherfore séeing he is the end of al the scriptures he is also the summe and principall obiecte of our faith although otherwise Christ is the principal obiect of our faith by our faith we also embrase all other thinges which are contained in the holy scriptures And whereas he addeth that the faith which is of the other articles is no lesse acceptable vnto God then this faith which concerneth Christ and the remission of sinnes we may first say that that is not true if a man rightly way the dignitie of the action of faith For the dignitie of faith as also the dignitie of other suche like kindes of powers is measured by the obiects For as those obiects differ one from an other in excellency and dignitie so the assētings of faith ought according The dignity of faith is mesured by the obiect to the same to be counted inferior or of more excellency Séeing therefore God would in suche sort haue his sonne to die and that men should be by him reconciled that for this he hath instituted all the other things to be beleued which are set forth in the holy scriptures we can not put any doubt but that this pleased him much more then the other For that the other are directed vnto this as vnto their end And this is a common rule amongst the Logicians Euery thyng is such a thyng by reason of an other wherfore that other thyng shall much more be such Wherfore this actiō of faith wherby we assēt vnto this most noble truth ought to excell al other actiōs of faith whatsoeuer they be And so it is not by a thing like acceptable vnto God whither a man beleue this or that If we should vse this answere I know Pighius were neuer able to confute it but we say moreouer that he in vain contendeth about the greater or lesse dignitie of faith as touching this or that article For we are not iustified by the dignitie of faith For it is in euery mā weak◠and féeble But we therefore say that we are iustified by faith bicause by it as by We are not iustified by the dignity of fayth an instrument vnto this ende giuen vnto vs and by God appointed we apply Christ vnto vs and take holde of the forgiuenesse of sinnes Wherefore the worthinesse or vnworthinesse therof is to no purpose considered But that which he bringeth out of the. 4. Chapiter of the Romaines he bringeth cut of and maimed For if a man read the ful and perfect sentence he shal easely sée that plaine mention is there made of the death of Christ and of the remission of sinnes which by it we haue obtained For Paul saith that vnto vs it shall be imputed as it was vnto Abraham if
the Centaures and of the Lapethites But put â—e on the Lord Iesus Christ When he had taught that the olde man together with his works of darknes is to be put of he thought it good afterwarde to setforth vnto vs a new garment namely Christ him selfe This form of speaking What is our wedding garment Christ was geuâ—â— as a garment to our first parentes he vsed to the Galathians As many of you sayth he as are baptised haue put on Christ This is that wedding garment which euery christian ought to put on And if we will follow allegoryes this garment God commended to our first parents when he clothed them with the skinnes which were plucked of from deade beastes Christ geueth not to vs that garment but in as muche as he hath made himselfe a sacrifice for mankinde And take not thought for the flesh to fulfill the Iustes of it By the fleshe he here vnderstandeth not naturall health For that is not to be neglected that we may be able the more constantly to serue God Paul wryteth to Timothe Vse a little wine because of the stomake and often infirmities Here he prohibiteth only the pleasures and delites of the flesh For when we let loose the bridle to them the flesh is made vnruely Wherefore seing that we ought continually to wrastle agaynst the prone affects therof let vs take héede that with ouer much delicatenes we norish them not The fourtenth Chapiter HIm that is weake in the fayth receiue not for controuersies of disputations One beleueth that he may eate of all things an other which is weake eateth herbes Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not let not him which eateth not iudge him that eateth for god hath receiued him That we may the easelyer vnderstande those things which shall afterwarde be spoken let vs briefly declare the state of the Churche at the beginning The Here is declared the state of the churche in the first times Church in those first times consisted of Iewes Gentiles conuerted vnto Christ And the Gentiles liued more fréely as they which were not bounde to the lawes of Moses and as for theyr owne ceremonies of the Grekish religion they plainly saw to be vaine and dampnable But the Iewes which knew that their lawe was geuen of God himself could not straight way be persuaded that it was to be abrogated Therefore they stayed neither would they easely be plucked away from it And therfore they abstained from meates prohibited in the law and obserued the festiuall dayes of the Iewes All which things declared that they were yet weake in faith And this their infirmitie of faith the stronger and learneder sorte bothe sharpely reproued and also derided On the contrary side the Iewes reproued the Whereof sprang the discorde betwene the Gentiles the Iewes in yâ— church Gentiles as they which liued to fréely and condemned them as violaters of the lawes of God for that they did without putting any difference eate of al kindes of meates as it were with a certaine vnsatiable gredinesse of the belly And this discorde did not a little vexe the Churches at that time Therefore Paul earnestly as much as lyeth in him laboureth to put it away and admonisheth the stronger sort not to reiecte the weaker either as heretikes or as infidels but rather to instruct them and with all charitie to cherish them vntill they were confirmed in sound doctrine And on the other side he commaundeth the weake ones not rashly to condemne them that were better learned and stronger then themselues Him that is weake in the faith receiue That is adioyne him vnto you and through your humanitie and doctrine ease him of the burthen and payne of ignoraunce If thou demaunde whether that weaknes of faith were a let that they could not be iustified in Christ I thinke we may answere that it was no let For Weaknes of faythe is not a let to iustificatioÌ„ we are not iustified by the strength and excellencie of our fayth but by the obiecte thereof as we haue oftentimes taught for although some fayth be weake yet is it faith But these men thou wilt say beleued not all the things which are to be beleued for they beleued not that the ceremonyes of the law of Moses were abrogated But that faith which beleueth not all the articles of the fayth is not a true faith I graunt this in dede if that it happen throughe the default of him that beleueth as if a maÌ„ do contemne the truthes which he hath heard out of the holy scriptures and will not admit them but will be his owne iudge and arbitrer howe muche ought to be beleued of the holy scriptures and ascribeth more vnto himselfe then There is not always required an expresse faith touching all things to the testimony of the word of God this is not a true fayth For the holy Ghoste vseth not to breath into any maÌ„ suche a minde But if a man beleue not any thing which is not yet sufficiently knowen and tried out when yet notwithstanding in minde he is ready to receiue the truthe if it be once made plaine I sée no cause why suche a fayth shold not both be and be called a true faith iustifie the beleuer especially if he assent to Christ and to the principall poynts of religion Not for controuersies of disputations He prohibiteth odious contentions which rather alienate then edefie the mindes of the weake The mindes of men ought not in vaine to be wearyed but rather to be taught Paul in the last chapter of the first Epistle to Timothe sayth that certaine were sicke about vnprofitable questions and contentions of wordes And in the latter Epistle he admonysheth Timothe to eschue questions which he calleth foolish and without learning Which thing if the schoole diuines had obserued and taken héede of we shoulde not then haue had in theyr bokes so many intricate and darke I will not say vngodly and sacrilegious questions How be it all questions vniuersally are not to be condemned as vnprofitable â–ª Wherfore I can not commend certain men which are wise indéede and wary in other matters but in this one thing doubtles are not very circumspect which thinke that yâ— question touching the Eucharist which is at this day euery where debated in the churche is not conuenient and is vnprofitable The question touching the Eucharist is not vnprofitable For they consider not how much it auaileth to our saluation constantly to holde â–ª that Christ both had and at this day hath the true and perfect nature of man and to expell that detestable idolatry brought in by thys that men beleue that in the bread and wine or as they speake vnder the accidences of bread and wâ—ne is really and corporally the body of Christ When we labour for this that the horrible abuses touching Christian religion might be taken away we dispute not about the shadow of an asse or about
himselfe amongste those which receiue profite out of the holy scriptures For he saythe not they are written for your learning but for our learning Neither is there any cause why the Anabaptists together with the Maniches and Marcionites should bark against The thinges which are in the olde Testament pertain to vs. the olde Testament For here Paul bringeth a testimony out of the Psalmes in the olde Testament Origen by a certaine learned induction proueth that those things which are written in the olde Testament pertainâ— also to vs. Paul in the first Corin. sayth that those things happened to them in a figure and were sealed in wrytings for our sakes vpon whome the ends of the world haue come And in the same Epistle he citeth this sentence Thou shalt not binde the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne and this he declareth was not so spoken as though God hadde a care ouer Oxen but for that they rather serue for vs. And to the Galathians he sayth that Abraham had two sonnes which in very dede shadowed vnto vs two Testaments And to the Corinthians he saythe that the Israelites did eate Manna in the wildernes and dranke of the rocke that we might knowe that they did eat the spirituall meat and drink of the spirituall drinke namely of the rocke that folowed them and that rocke was Christ Thus much Origen And doubtles it would be tedious if a man The common people ought not to be prohibited from the reading of the holy scriptures The vtilitie of the holy scriptures should recken vp all such kind of testemonies By these thinges also let those men consider which seke to prohibite Christian men from the reading of the holy scriptures how ill they prouide for theyr commodity whilest the labour to defeÌ„d theyr owne obstinacy inueterate abuses and supersticions That we thorough patience consolation of the scriptures might haue hope This thing Paul attributeth to the doctrine of the scriptures that it easely bringeth men to patience and maketh them willing wholy to committe all that they haue to the gouernaunce of God And thereout he declareth are taken most swete consolations and most feruent exhortacions wherby the minds may be thoroughly stirred vp to execute the dewties of piety and of loue And by that meanes being fensed with a strong and sound hope we shal neuer afterward wauer in nor out as children and reedes doo These notable and excellent giftes sayth Origen he attayneth not vnto out of the scriptures which only redeth them when yet in the meane time he beleueth them not neither vnderstandeth them but he which both vnderstandeth them and beleueth them Although I thinke that vnto these woordes is to be added that God of his goodnes geueth at the length vnto men that dayly rede the holy scriptures grace both to vnderstand and to beleue and chiefely seing that fayth The reading of the holy scriptures is profitable both to the beleuees to the vnleuers Patience and consolation commeth of the scriptures commeth of hearing the light of fayth shaketh away the darkenes of ignorance Wherefore the reading of the holy scriptures is most profitable both to them that that beleue and to them that doo not beleue And patience and consolation is sayd to procede of the scriptures both for that God geueth these thinges vnto them which pereseuer in reding of the holy scriptures and whith beleue them and also for that in them we rede that Christ and his members haue for the truth and for innocency and piety sake suffered many greauous and sharpe things and by such examples we are mooued moreouer also for that by them we vnderstand that God hath alwayes bene present with his so that he hath eyther vtterly deliuered them or ells he hath made them constant and valiant to suffer all thinges And thereof we conceaue a good hope that God wil also be the same God towardes vs and that he will haue vs in the same place and nomber that in times past he had them which are commended vnto vs in the holye Scriptures Neyther are we mooued by such examples only but also we heare God himself exhorting vs to patience and to valiantnes and also promising vnto vs his helpe And therby we are made couragious and doo fele sondry and manifold consolations and also we are stirred to a good hope of the chiefe felicitie Novv the God of patieÌ„ce and consolation geue you that ye may be like minded one towards an other according to Christ Iesus That we should not thinke that the very scriptures can of themselues engender in vs patience and hope and consolation â–ª Paul pronounceth God to be the true author of these giftes He vseth indede The scriptures are not of them selues the efficieÌ„t cause of these giftes the holy scriptures as lawfull instruments by which he engendreth these things in our hartes Neyther doth Paul in vayne adde this kind of prayer For thereby we vnderstand that it is not inough that we teach vprightlie and faythfully vnles God geue strength and efficacy to our doctrine Wherefore they which preach and teach the people ought also with dayly and feruent prayers to helpe them whome they instruct that they being by God made good ground may receaue sede with fruite He calleth God the God of patience and of consolation for that he can God is named by his effâ—ctâ—s not be named otherwise of vs but of his effectes And amongst other effects which are attributed vnto God Paul in this place mencioneth those chiefely which serued most to his purpose and which a litle before he had attributed to the holy scripture He wisheth vnto the Romaines mutuall agréement for that at that time they somewhat disagréed amongest themselues as it is manifest by those thinges What agrement is wished which we haue before red Howbeit he wisheth not vnto them euery kind of agrement but yâ— which is according to Christ For many conspire together and well inough consent in committing of wicked actes and that very oftentimes agaynst Christ But we must not pray vnto God for such an agreement but rather must pray against it Or els by According to Iesus Christ he vnderstandeth that they should be instructed according to his example That ye with one minde â—nd with one mouth may glorify God and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ It is not inough with one mouth with one the selfe same words to glorifie God Christ vnles also be added one the self same mind which is to be vnderstanded by the coniuÌ„ction of charitie namely that all discords be vtterly banished away There is also required an agréement in the principall Touchyng what thinges an agrement is necessary in the church poyntes of doctrine and in the articles that are necessary to saluation As touching thinges probable it is not of necessity that all men be of one the same mind concerning them so that charity be
ceassed whose shadowes are now at the light of the truthe taken away And there withall also the ciuil commaundements are abrogated wheÌ„ as that publike wealth is now no more of necessity vpon the earth The righteousnes also of those lawes which they call Morall although it can not perfectly be fulfilled of vs yet partly through the holines of Christ which he communicateth vnto vs it is performed and accomplished and partly through the power of the holy Ghost which he distributeth to the beleuers it is with great endeuor according to that which is geuen vnto euery man expressed and that which wanteth is through the grace of Christ not imputed Finally he gaue his life for his which was the last worke of his ministery But whereas Origen noteth that the Apostle ment here to gather an argument against the Ethnikes yâ— they should not despise the Iewes although they abode still in the obseruations of the law when as Christ himself was bothe the minister of the law and obserued all these things diligently this in my iudgement semeth wide from the purpose For here rather we learne that the strength and foundation of the promises made vnto the fathers was that saluation should be attained vnto for mankinde through Christ although otherwise there were extant many other promises of the possession of the land of Canaan and of the kingdome of the worlde Which things forasmuche as Christ performed not as which What is the streÌ„gth summe of all the promises made vnto the fathers pertained not to his ministery we ought to vnderstande that they were rather things annexed then the sinewes and summe and strengthe and iuyce of the promises of God And hereunto not a little serueth that which Paule wryteth in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the. 1. chapter All the promises of God are through him yea and through him Amen And let the Gentiles praise God for his mercy Vnto the Gentiles he attributeth Mercy and truth are ioyned together mercy and to the Iewes truthe not that these two can be seperated the one from the other for there is no worke of God which hath either mercye without truth or truth without mercy but Paul ment to distinguish these things euen as they were in more force and as they were more declared in the saluation either of the Iewes or of the Gentiles Christ as touching that coÌ„uersation which he had The promâ—sâ—s of God leane onely to mercy In the graftyng in of the Gentles truth had place vpon the earth was geuen to the Iewes that the truthe of the promises shold not be made frustrate But if thou wilt descend to the very roote and foundation euen those promises leane only to the mercy of God For what thing els but euen his mere goodnes and mercy could haue moued him to promise vnto the fathers that Christ should come of theyr stocke And although the Gentiles are sayd to be grafted in by mercy yet here also truth hath place For God knew euen from eternally that the Gentiles shold be called to saluation Wherfore it was true for things false can not be knowne And therefore it was necessary that that truth should attaine to his effecte Moreouer the scriptures kept not in silence that the Gentiles should at the length be called as those Prophesies testifye which are a little afterward alleaged But the Prophesies of the holy scriptures ought without all manner of doubt to be true Wherefore the grafting in of the Gentiles pertayneth to truthe But this ought not to be ouerhipped that Paul when he entreated of the Iewes spake not only of the truth but also straight way after it made mention Whether the calling in of the Gentiles was peculiarly promised to any man of the promisses as if he should haue sayd that Christ was geuen vnto the Iewes a minister of saluation to confirme the truthe of the promises But the calling of the Gentiles was in déede foretold but as it shold séeme it was promised to none vnles peraduenture any man will contende that vnto Abraham were promised the Gentiles when it was sayd vnto him In thy sede shall all nations be blessed but as we haue already sayd this may séeme to be spoken rather in the way of foretelling then in the way of promise And if a man think this reason somwhat weak he may follow that which we before sayd that the Apostle had a regarde to that which is most frequent in the holy scriptures For in them is euery where promised that the Messias should come of the séede of the Iewes but not in so many places nor so often is mention made in them of the callynge of the Gentiles And to speake briefly these distributions of Paul are not so to be vnderstanded as though one part can by no meanes be ioyned with an other And this may plainely be proued by these two places with the harte we beleue to righteousnesse and with the mouth is confession made to saluation Againe Christ died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification As it is written For this cause will I confesse thee amongst the gentiles and wil sing to thy name This propheste is written in the 18. Psalme wherein is affirmed yâ— the prayses of God should be celebrated amongst the Gentiles which also is shewed by these other testimonies which are here added And this can not be vnderstanded but of the redeÌ„ption purchased vnto vs through Christ The last testimony maketh mencion only of the hope and fayth of the Gentiles that the kingdoÌ„ What to confesse signifieth of Christ should be spred abrode euen amongst them also In the 18. Psalme Dauid speaketh vnder the persoÌ„ of the body of Christ that is of the Church I will confesse thee amongst the Gentitles Here to confesse signifieth nothing ells but with feruâ—t prayers â—o set forth the prayses of God And by those thinges which went a litle be fore in that Psalme is gathered that that should be verified of the victory gotten and of the ouerthrow of the enemies And agayne Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people This is written in the 32. chapiter of Deut Ye Gentiles stirre vp his people to reioysing And the cause of this common ioye is before recited namely for that God had set at liberty his froÌ„ their enemies and from those that hated them Howbeit there are some which thinkâ— rather that this testimony is taken out of the 67. Psalme where we thus rede A câ—uillation of the Hebrues Let the Gentiles be glad and reioyce bicause thou iudgest the people in equity and directest the Gentiles vpon the earth Howbeit from whence so euer this place be taken it maketh no great skill for in ech place the sence is in a maner one and the same I thinke rather that it is taken out of Deutro â–ª for that in the Psalme this particle vvith my people â–ª or my people wanteth Howbeit this we ought not to
although of themselues they are wonderfull yet doe they also betoken some other thing to come to passe But wonderfull thinges are those thinges which draw men only into an admiration for that they are not done after an accustomed maner but contrary to the force and order of nature But this distinction he himself also confesseth is not obserued in the holy scriptures And not to goe from this place which we are in hande with all the miracles what so euer Paule wrought were signes wherby was proued the truth of his preaching Which self thing is to be affirmed of the wonderfull workes of Christ and of the Prophets But the writings of the new Testament which euery where make mention of the signes and wonders which Christe and the Apostles wrought imitated the phrase of the olde Testament For there a man shall oftentimes finde these words othoth and mophetim ioyned together Neither thinke I that these thinges are distinguished the one from the other but only in degrée or greatnes Althoughe I am not ignorant that signes or othoth may be suche things as haue in them no admiration at all such as are accents letters poynts words and suche like which we doubt not are signes when yet notwithstanding they procede either of arte or of nature But the holy scriptures to signifie that certaine works of the Prophets of Christ and of the Apostles did not only betoken some thing els besides yâ— which was done but also stirred vp an admiration and amasednes therfore ioyned together these two words This doubtles is my iudgement which I sée not why I oughte not to holde still vnlesse any other can shewe a better And this thyng ment Paul when he said workes How be it there are some which think that hereto are to be annexed the labors watchings and examples of innocency which shined forth in the whole life of Paule This paraduenture is not amisse spoken but therefore haue I not mencioned them for that they were commen vnto Paul and The cause of miracles to the rest of the faithfull neither could they properly be mentioned as signes of the Apostleship Hereby also we gather that the only cause of miracles is that by them might be confirmed the doctrine and truthe of God So that from Ierusalem and the regions round about euen to Illiricum I haue caused to abound the Gospell of Christ It is a very long iorney from Ierusalem to Illiricum yea if a man should goe the nighest way thither But when he addeth the regions rounde about he comprehendeth as Chrysostome noteth innumerable cityes and prouinces And as before in fower wordes only namely vvord workeâ— signes â–ª and vvonders he comprehendeth after a sorte thinges infinite so here also with the self same brâ—uity he comprehendeth most large spaces of the world And he addeth that he had made the Gospell of Christ to abounde to geue vs to vnderstand that he had not lightly or slenderly preached but had euery where lefte the Gospell of Christ perfect and confirmed before that he departed Origen compareth A comparâ— so betwene Paule Moses Aaron Paul with Moses and Aaron For vnto them also God gaue power to work signes and wonders by which yet they could not call backe euen Egipt alone when as it was but on only region from theyr idolatry and infidelity That thing which Paule had somewhat couertly signified in the beginning of this Epistle when he said That I may haue some frâ— it amongst you â—s amongest other nation he now more manifestly expresseth For he declareth what and how many those nations were and what he did amongst them Yea so I enforced my selfe to preach the Gospel not where Christ was named These things are therfore mencioned that the Romaines might vnderstand that What was the office of the Apostles Paul was famous by the most proper marke of the Apostleship For it was not the office of the Apostles to succéede in other mennes workes Yea rather other men succeded them For theyr office was to spreade abrode the Gospell to plant newe Churches to ordaine méete ministers in the Churches which they had instituted that the truthe of Christ might the quicklyer be knowne throughout the whole world And for as much as the Apostles wer of more strength then others it was méete that they should execute those workes which were of more difficultye But it is a muche more difficulte and pearillouser thing to preache the Gospell there where before hath nothing bene heard of Christ then it is to defend doctrine already receiued and established Least I should haue built vpon an other mannes foundation He calleth an other mans foundation Churches instituted by other Apostles Neither is this to be ascribed to ambition but rather to the office of the Apostleship to the incredible zeale which he had to aduaunce the Gospel He doth not rashly adde this word I enforced for sometimes he was of necessity compelled to goe to Ierusalem to Antioche to Rome and to other places in which the Apostles had before preched But as it is vvritten to vvhome he vvas not spoken of they shall see him and they vvhich haue not heard shal vnderstand â–ª This testimony is taken out of Esay the. 52. Chapiter which is therfore with the more diligent consideration to be peysed for that neither the verity of the Hebrew any thing disagreeth from the words of the Apostle neither also can any man doubt but that the prophet foretold these things of the Messias and of the preaching of the Apostles For in that chapter are written those wordes which were before cited How beutifull are the feete of them that bring the glad tidings of peace The meaning of Paul is that forasmuche as the holy Ghost admonisheth that a care be had that the preaching of the Gospell be with most quicke spede spred abrode amongst all nations that they to whome before he was not spoken of might heare and they which had not hearde might vnderstand therfore sayth he am I with so great feruentnes of minde stirred vp to preache there where the name of Christ was not before heard of But woe be vnto vs which neglect to preache there where the name of Christ is heard of true faith and piety towards him is miserably fallen in decay And so farre is it of that we will séeke other places in which the Gospell hath not bene heard of that we will not so much as kepe still those which are already gotten neither will we defend the churches already planted Vndoubtedly we wil imitate him which from Ierusalem euen to Illiricum and in all the regions round about caused the Gospell to abounde when as yet in the meane time we will be counted most stout defenders of the doctrine of the Gospell Therefore also I haue bene oft let to come vnto you But now seing I haue no more place in these quarters and also haue bene desirous many yeares agone to come vnto you whensoeuer
are rich beawtifull mighty and in honour they ought to know that this is not the Apostolicall loue Riches indede and beawty and honour are the giftes of God but yet not such that we ought with a singular loue to embrace them And the Church that 〈◊〉 in theyâ— house Paul writeth the selfe same thing of these persons in the first to yâ— Corinthians the last chap either bycause that theyr famely was so godly enstructed that it mought seme to be a Church or els for that the faythfull gathered together into theyr house to celebrate holy assemblies And this interpretacion I thinke to be the likelier although Chrisostome Origen and Ambrose follow the first The first fruites of Achaia They which before all others come to professe religion plainely declare that they litle regard men and the iudgements of the flesh but only follow the impulsioÌ„ of the holy gost Origen in stede of Achaia redeth Asia whome he that will follow let him vnderstand Asia the lesse wherein is Ephesus I meruayle at Ambrose which referreth first fruites to present dignity as though he were placed in some magestrateship or principality which semeth not vnto me very likely and especially for that this word in Christ is added My kâ—nsmen and fellovv prisoneâ—â— Kinred alone could not haue moued him but he the gladlier mencioneth them for that they had suffred together with hym They came to Christ before Paul they are called notable amongst the Apostles not that they were of the number of the 12. Apostles but for that as it is most likely they had sowed abrode the Gospell in many places and had built many Churches Origen thinketh that it is possible that they were of the number of the 72. disciples Which I thinke can not be for they fell away from Christ But how attributeth he this vnto his wife as though the office of the Apostleship could agrée also with her Paraduenture they are called notable amongst the Apostles for that they were well knowen vnto them and were of no small reputation in the Church of Christ This sence I dislike not so that the very wordes be not repugnaunt thereunto Them which are of Aristobulus house He biddeth not them to salute Aristobulus Narcissus made a freman by Claudius Cesar himselfe peraduenture for that he beleued not in Christ Yet he had of â–ª his housholde that were Christians Which self thing is also thought of those whome he addeth the friendes of Narcissus This man was made a frée man by Claudius Cesar and was a man of great might but otherwise wicked an extorcioner and one euill spoken of howbeit Ambrose thinketh that he was an elder In the Lord For all the family of Narcissus beleued not the gospel Vnto these men he ascribeth no titles paraduenture for that they were weake and did not so boldly professe the Gospell Apollo Origen thinketh that Apollo was that Apollo borne at Alexandria but I know not how I should be of his minde touching that For so great a man without doubt should haue bene adorned with some most notable title He therefore peraduenture sayth that these women â—hryphona Tryphosa Persis Mariae laboured for that they had suche a ministery as before we sayde Phebe had His mother and mine He calleth this woman mother bicause of her affection The boke of Hermas is not in the Canon towardes him and not that she was so by nature So before he called Phebe his sister Hermas Origen thinketh that this man was the author of the boke called the booke of the Pastor which scripture he sayth séemeth to him holy and inspired by God which is a plain argumeÌ„t that that boke is not to be receiued as Canonicall VVith an holy kisse This amongst the Hebrues was a token of peace and of brotherly amitie All the churches of Christ salute you Here are ment those churches through which Paul had passed or which were nigh to those places Now brethren I besech you marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoide them For they that are such serue not the lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellyes and with faire speche and flattering deceiue the hartes of the simple For your obedience is come abrode amongst al. I am glad therfore of you but yet I wold haue you arise vnto that which is good and simple coÌ„cerning euill The God of peace shall treade sathan vnto your fete shortly The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you I beseche you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offenceâ— He had willed them before to salute the godly Now he admonisheth them to beware of the wicked He willeth them diligently to marke and to consider them for that as it oftentimes happeneth they can not easely be found out but after loÌ„g time and after that they haue done some great mischief In these words are noted the false Apostles and as Chrysostome sayth diuers of the Iewes which by reason of the ceremonyes of the lawe did cause diuision and dissension in the Churches These men serued theyr voluptuous pleasures and their bealy and not God such as they were also whome the Lord sayd deuoured the houses of widowes Suche men Paule to Timothe calleth intractable vaine speakers deceiuers of mennes mindes and which were of the circumcision They ouerthrow sayth he houses they teache those things which are not meete for filthy gaine sake whose mouth oughte to be stopped A certaine Prophet of theyrs sayd That the men of Crete haue alwayes bene liers â–ª euill beasts and slouthfull bellies And in the latter Epistle to Timothe which crepe into the houses of widowes and lead captiue wemen laden with sinnes always learning and neuer comming to the knowledge of the truth They vse fayre speach sayth he but by theyr flattering they seke nothing else but to deceiue you These are two marks to know false Apostles by They serue theyr bealy and speake fayre or flatteringly Such men sayth Origen ment Christ when he said They come vnto you in shepes Two markes to know false Apostleâ— â–ª by Onely by the word of God false doctrine is discâ—rned from true clothing but within they are rauening wolues shéepes clothing are fayre wordes the gredines of the belly signifieth the rauening of Wolues And Origen addeth See in how great daunger they are which exercise not them selues in the holy scriptures by which only these men are discerned These wordes are diligently to be noted that true doctrine is discerned from fals by the holy scriptures only We make not discordes in the churche as the bondslaues of the Pope falsly slaunder vs but we as muche as lieth in vs and as our bounden duety is resist theyr conspiracye which they haue made against the truthe and with which they haue so long time oppressed it And auoyde them The Church hath no other sword but excommunication This sword the Apostle admonisheth them to vse against