without the directyng grace praieth God to create a newe heart within hym to renewe a righte spirite within his bowelles doeth he not acknowledge that all the partes of his heart are full of vnclennesse and hys spirite writhen wyth croked peruersenesse and in callynge the cleannesse whyche he prayeth for the creature of God doeth he not attribute it wholly to God But yf anye manne take exception and saye that the verye prayer is a token of a godly and holy affection oure aunswere is ready that though Dauid were by that time somewhat come to amendement yet doeth he still compare his firste state with that sorrowefull fall that he had felte Therefore takyng vpon hym the person of a manne enstranged from God he for good cause prayeth to haue geuen hym all these thynges that God geueth to his electe in regeneration And so beyng like a dead manne he wisheth hym selfe to bee created of newe that of the bondeslaue of Satan he maye bee made the instrumente of the holyghoste Maruellous and monstrous surely is the luste of our pryde God requyreth nothyng more earnestly than that wee should moste religiously kepe his Sabbat that is in resting from our owne workes but of vs nothyng is more hardly obteyned than bidding our owne workes farewell to geue due place to the workes of God If sluggishnesse hindered not Christe hath geuen testimonie euident enough of his graces to make them not to bee enuiously suppressed I am sayeth he the Uine you bee the branches My Father is a husbandeman As the branche can not beare fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the Uine no more can you vnlesse you abide in me For without me you can do nothyng If we beare fruite none otherwise than a braunche buddeth beyng plucked out of the grounde and without moysture we neede no more to seke what is the aptnesse of our nature to goodnesse And this is a playne cōclusion Without me ye can do nothing He doeth not saye that we are to weake to be sufficiēt for our selues but in bryngyng vs to nothyng he excludeth all opinion of power be it neuer so little If we beyng graffed in Christe beare fruite lyke a Uine whiche taketh her efficacie of liuelinesse both from the moisture of the earth and from the deaw of heauen and from the cherishyng of the sonne I see nothinge remayne for vs in doyng a good worke yf we kepe whole for God that whyche is his That fonde suttle deuise is alledged in vayne that there is a iuyce already enclosed wythin the branche and a certayne power to bryng forth frute and that therefore it taketh not all from the earth or from the firste roote bycause it bringeth somewhat of her owne For Christe doeth meane nothing els but that we are a drye sticke and nothing worth when we be seuered from him bicause by our selues beyng separate we haue no power to doe well as also in an other place he sayeth Euery tree that my father hath not plāted shal be rooted vp Wherfore the Apostle ascribeth all the whole vnto him in the place alredy alleged It is God sayth he that worketh in vs bothe to will and to performe The firste parte of a good worke is will the seconde is a stronge endeuour in doyng it the authour of bothe is God Therefore we steale it from God if we take to our selues any thinge eyther in will or in effectuall workyng If it were sayde that God doth help our weake will then somewhat were lefte for vs. But when it is sayde that he maketh will nowe all the good that is in it is set out of vs. And bicause the good will is yet still oppressed with weight of our fleshe that it can not rise vp He sayde further that to ouercome the hardenesse of that battell there is ministred vnto vs stedfastnesse of endeuour euen to the effect For otherwise it coulde not stande together whyche he teacheth in an other place that it is God alone that bryngeth to effect all thynges in all wherein we haue before taught that the whole course of spirituall life is comprehended For whyche reason Dauid after he had prayed to haue the wayes of the Lorde opened vnto hym that he mighte walke in his trueth by and by addeth Unite thou my heart to feare thy name In whyche wordes he signifieth that euen they that are well minded are subiecte to so many withdrawynges of minde that they easily vanish or fal awaye if they bee not stablisshed to constantie For whiche reason in an other place after he had prayed to haue his steppes directed to kepe the worde of God he requireth also to haue strength geuen him to fight Lette not any iniquitie sayeth he beare rule ouer me After this sorte therefore doeth the Lorde bothe beginne and ende good worke in vs that it maye all be his worke that wil conceyueth a loue of that whiche is right that it is enclined to the desire thereof that it is stirred vp and moued to endeuour of followyng it And then that our choyse desire ▪ and endeuour fainte not but do procede euen to the effecte laste of all that manne goeth forward constantly in them and continueth to the ende And he moueth the will not in suche sorte as hath in many ages ben taught and beleued that it is afterwarde in our choyse eyther to obeye or withstande the motion but wyth mightyly strengthnyng it Therefore that muste bee reiected whyche Chrysostome so ofte repeteth whome he draweth he draweth beyng willyng Wherby he secretly teacheth that God doeth only reache out his hande to see yf wee will be holpen by his ayde We graunte that suche was the state of manne whyle he yet stoode that he might bowe to eyther parte But sithe he hath taught by his example howe miserable is freewill vnlesse God bothe will and can in vs what shall become of vs yf he geue vs his grace accordyng to that small proportion But rather wee dooe obscure and extenuate it with our vnthankefulnesse For the Apostle doeth not teache that the grace of a good will is offred vs yf we doe accepte it but that he will performe it in vs whiche is nothyng els but that the Lorde by his spirite dothe direct howe and gouerne our heart and reigneth in it as in his owne possession Neyther doeth he promise by Ezechiel that he will geue to the electe a newe spirite onely for this ende that they maye be able to walke in his commaundementes but to make them walke in deede Neyther can Christes sayeng euery one that hath hearde of my Father cometh to me be otherwyse taken than to teache that the grace of God is effectuall of it selfe as Augustine also affirmeth Whyche grace God vouchesaueth not to geue to all menne generally without regarde as that sayeng as I thynke of Occam is commonly spoken among the people that it denieth nothyng to hym that doeth what lieth in him
which felyng the sinner commeth into possession of his saluatioÌ„ when he acknowlegeth by the doctrine of the Gospel that he is reconciled to God that obteyning forgeuenesse of sinnes by meanes of the righteousnesse of Christ â—e is iustified and although he be regenerate by the Spirit of God he thinketh vpon continuall righteousnesse layed vp for him not in the good workes to which he applieth himself but in yâ— only righteousnesse of Christ. When these thinges shal be euery one particularly weyed they shal geue a perfect declaratioÌ„ of our senteÌ„ce Albeit thei might be better disposed in an other order than they are set forth But it maketh litle mater so that they hang together in such sort that we may haue the whole mater truely declared surely proued Here it is good to remember the relation that we haue before sayd to be betwene faith and the Gospell bycause it is sayd for this cause that faith iustifieth for that it recemeth embraceth the righteousnesse offred in the gospel And whereas it is sayd to be offred by the gospel therby al coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of workes is excluded Which thing Paule declareth many times els where but most plainly in two places For to the Romanes comparing the lawe and the gospell together he sayth the righteousnesse that is by the law is thus the man that doth these thinges shal liue in them But the righteousnesse that is of faith offreth saluation if thou beleue in thy heart and confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and that the father hath raysed him vp from the dead See you not how he maketh this the difference of the law and the Gospel that the lawe geueth righteousnesse to workes and the Gospel geueth tree righteousnesse without helpe of workes It is a notable place and that maye deliuer vs out of many harde doubtes yf we vnderstande that the same righteousnesse that is geuen vs by the Gospell is free from all conditions of the lawe This is the reason why he doth more than ones with great seming of contrarietie set the promise by way of opposition against the law as it the inheritance be of the law then is it not of the promise all the rest in the same chapter to the same effect Truely the lawe it selfe hath also her promises Therefore there must needes be in the promises of the gospel somthing different diuerse froÌ„ the promises of the lawe vnlesse we will confesse that the comparison is very sond But what diuersitie shall this bee vnlesse it be that they are freely geuen and vpholden by the only mercie of God whereas the promises of the lawe hange vpon the condition of workes Neyther let any manne here carp agaynst me and saye that in this place the righteousnesse is reiected whiche menne of their owne force and freewill would compell God to receiue for asmuch as Paule without exception teacheth that the law in coÌ„maunding profiteth nothing bicause there is none not only of the coÌ„mon multitude but also of the perfectest that fulfilleth it Loue vndoubtedly is the chefe point of the law when the Spirit of God frameth vs vnto it why is it not to vs a cause of righteousnesse but for that euen in the holy ones it is vnperfect and therefore of it self deserueth no reward The second place is this It is manifest that no man is iustified by the lawe before God Bicause the righteous man shall liue by fayth But the law is not of faith but the man that doth these thynges shall liue in them Howe coulde this argument otherwise stande together vnlesse we agree vpon this point that workes come not into the accompt of faith but are vtterly to be seuered from it The lawe sayth he differeth from fayth Why so bicause workes are required to the righteousnesse thereof Therefore it foloweth that workes are not required to the righteousnesse of faith By this relation it appereth that they which are iustified by faith are iustified byside the deseruing of workes yea without the deseruyng of workes bycause faith receyueth that righteousnesse which the Gospel geueth And the gospel differeth from the law in this point that it bindeth not righteousnesse to workes but setteth it in the only mercy of God Like herunto is that whiche he affirmeth to the Romanes that Abraham had nothyng to glorie vpon bycause fayth was imputed to him vnto righteousnesse he addeth a confirmation bycause then there is place for the righteousnesse of faith when there are no workes to whiche a rewarde is due Where bee workes sayth he due rewarde is rendred vnto them that whiche is geuen to faith is freely geuen For the very meanyng of the wordes that he vseth in that place serue to proue the same Wheras he adioyneth within a litle after that therefore we obteyne the inheritance by fayth as accordynge to grace hereupon he gathereth that the inheritance is of free gift bicause it is receyued by fayth and how commeth that but bicause fayth without any help of workes leaneth wholy vpon the mercie of God And in the same meanyng without dout he teacheth in an other place that the righteousnesse of God was openly shewed without the law although it haue witnesse borne of it by the law the Prophetes bicause excludyng the lawe he sayth that it is not holpen by workes and that we obteyne it not by workyng but come empty that we maye receyue it By this time the reader perceiueth with what equitie the Sophisters do at this daye cauill at our Doctrine when we saye that man is iustified by faith only They dare not denie that man is iustified by faith bicause it is so often fouÌ„d in Scripture but bicause this word Only is neuer expressed they can not abide to haue such an addition made Is it so But what will they answer to these wordes of Paule where he affirmeth that righteousnesse is not of fayth except it be freely geuen Howe can free gift agree with workes And with what cauillations will they mocke out that whiche he sayth in an other place that the righteousnesse of God is manifestly shewed in the Gospell If righteousnesse be manifestly shewed in the Gospell surely therein is conteyned not a torne or halfe righteousnesse but full and perfect Therefore the lawe hath no place therein And they stande vpon not only a false but also a foolish shifte about this exclusine word Only Doth not he perfectly enough geue al things to only faith that taketh al thinges from workes What I praye you meane these sayenges that righteousnesse was manifestly shewed without the law that maÌ„ is iustified freely and without the workes of the law Here they haue a witty shifte to escape withall whiche although they deuised it not themselues but borowed it of Origene certaine of the old writers yet is very foolish They prate that the ceremoniall workes of the law not the moral are excluded They profit so with
sought without hymselfe maketh the one sorte differing from the other so that not al the children of Israel be true Israelites it is vainly fayned that euery mans estate hath beginning in hymselfe Then he further foloweth the mater vnder the example of Iacob and Eâ—au For when they bothe were the sonnes of Abraham bothe together enclosed in one mothers wombe it was a monsterlyke change that the honor of firste birth was remoued to Iacob by whiche change Paul affirmeth that there was testified the election of the one and the reprobation of the other The originall and cause of it is enquired whiche the Teachers of foreknowlege wyll haue to be sett out in the vertues and vices of men For thys is an easy shorte way wyth them that God shewed in the persone of Iacob that he chooseth the worthy of hys grace and in the persone of Esau he refuseth them whom he foreseeth to be vnworthy Thus they saye boldly But what sayeth Paule when they were not yet borne and had not done any good or euell that according to election the purpose of GOD mighte abyde not of workes but of hym that calleth it is sayed The elder shall serue the yonger as it is written Iacob I haue loued but Esau I haue hated If foreknowlege were of any force in this difference of the brethren then verily mention were vnfittly made of the tyme. Let vs graunt that Iacob was chosen because he had worthinesse gotteÌ„ by workes to come to what purpose should Paul say that he was not yet borne And this now should be vnaduisedly added that he had yet done no good because this shal be a redy answer that nothiÌ„g is hidden from God and that so the godlinesse of Iacob was presente before hym If workes do win grace they shold then worthily haue had their price before that Iacob was borne as if he had ben growen to full age But the Apostle goeth forwarde in vndoing this knot and teacheth that the adoption of Iacob was not made of workes but of the calling of God In works he enterlaceth not the time to come or time past then he directly setteth them against the calling of God meaning by stablishiÌ„g of the one expresly to ouerthrow the other as if he had sayd that it is to be considered what hath pleased God not what men haue brought of themselues Last of al it is certayne that by the wordes of Election and Purpose al causes whatsoeuer men are wont to faine ellswhere than in the secret counsel of God are quite remoued from thys mater What color wil they bring to darkeÌ„ these things who in electioÌ„ assigne some place to workes either past or to come For this is vtterly to mocke out that which the Apostle affirmeth that the difference of the brethreÌ„ hangeth not vpon any consideration of works but vpon the mere calling of God because it was put betwene them wheÌ„ they wer not yet borne Neither had he ben ignorant of this their sutteltie if it had had any soundnesse in it but because he very wel knewe that God can foresee no goodnesse in man but that which he hath first determined by the benefit of his election to geue him he fleeth not to that vnorderly order to set good workes before the cause of theÌ„selues Thus haue we by the words of the Apostle that the saluation of the faythful is founded vpon the wil of the only electioÌ„ of God and that the same fauor is not gotten by workes but cometh of free calling We haue also as it were an image of that thing sett before vs. Esau and Iacob are brethreÌ„ issuing bothe of one the same pareÌ„tes enclosed yet bothe in one wombe not yet brought out into the world In them al thinges are egal yet of them the iugement of God is diuerse For he taketh the one and forsaketh the other There was nothing but the only first birth by right wherof the one excelled the other But this also being passed ouer that thyng is geuen to the yonger which is denied to the elder Yea and in other also God semeth alway as of set purpose to haue despised first birth to cutt of from the fleshe al mater of gloryeng Refusing Ismaell he cast hys mynde to Isaac Plucking backe Manasse he more honored Ephraim If any maÌ„ interrupt me with sayeng that we must not by these inferior smal benefites determine of the summe of the lyfe to come that he which hath ben aduaunced to the honor of first birth should therefore be reckned to be adopted into the inheritance of heauen for there be some which spare not Paul himselfe as though in alleging these testimonies he had wrested the Scripture to a strange sense I answere as I haue done herebefore that the Apostle nether slipped by vnaduisednesse nor wilfully abused the testimonies of the Scripture But he sawe whiche they can not abide to consider that God minded by an earthly signe to declare the spiritual election of Iacob which otherwise was hidden in his inaccessible throne For vnlesse we refer the first birth graunted to him vnto the worlde to come it shoulde be a vaine and fonde forme of blessyng wherby he obteined nothyng but manyfolde miseries discommoties grefefull banishement and many bitternesse of sorow and cares Therefore when Paule sawe without douting that God by outwarde blessyng testified the blessing whiche he had in his kyngdome prepared spirituall and neuer decayeng for his seruant he douted not for profe of this spirituall blessyng to fetche an argument from that outward blessyng This also we must remembre that to the land of Canaan was adioyned the pledge of the heauenly dwellyng so that it ought not at al to be douted that Iacob was graffed with the Angels into the body of Christ that he might be partaker of the same lyfe Iacob therefore is chosen when Esau is reiected and by the Predestination of God is made different from hym from whom he differed not in any deseruyngs If you aske a cause the Apostle rendreth this because it is sayde to Moses I wyll haue mercie vpon whom I will haue mercie and I wil vouchsaue to graunt mercie to whome soeuer I will vouchsaue to graunt mercie And what I beseche you meaneth this Uerily the Lord himself most plainly pronouÌ„ceth that men haue in themselues no cause why he shold do good to them but he fetcheth the cause from his owne mercie onely and therfore that the saluation of his is his own worke When God setteth thy saluation in himselfe alone why wilt thou descende to thy self When he appointeth to thee his mercie alone why wilte thou runne to thyne owne deseruinges When he holdeth thy thoughte wholly in his merciefulnesse alone why wilt thou turne part to the beholding of thyne owne works Therfore we must nedes come to that lesser people which Paule in an other place saith to haue ben foreknowen to God not in suche sort as these men imagine to
Augustine truely expoundeth that all these commaundementes tend to this ende that a righteous and godly man should be ready to beare patiently the malice of them whome he seeketh to haue made good men that rather the number of the good maye encrease not that he shoulde with like malice adde himselfe also to the numbre of the euell then that they more perteyne to the preparation of the hart which is inwardely than to the worke which is done openly that in secrete may be kept patience of mynde with goood will but openly that may be doone whiche we see may be profitable to them to whom we ought to beare good will But this whiche is wonte to be obiected that contendynges in lawe are altogether condemned of Paule is also false It may easily be perceiued by his wordes that there was an immeasurable rage of striuing at lawe in the Chirch of the Corynthians so farre foorth that they did make the gospell of Christ and the whole religion which they professed open to the cauillations and euell speakyng of the wycked This is the fyrst thyng that Paule blameth in them that by their intemperance of contentiōs they brought the Gospel in sclander among the vnbeleuers And then this point also that in suche sort they striued among themselues brethren with brethren For they were so farre from bearyng of wronges that they gredily gaped one for an others goodes prouoked one an other and beyng vnprouoked did hurte Therfore he inueyeth agaynst that rage of contendyng and not simply agaynste all controuersies But he pronoūceth that it is a fault or a weakenesse that they dyd not rather suffer losse of their goodes than to trauayle euen to contentions for the preseruyng of them namely when they were so easily moued with euery damage and for moste small causes did runne to the court of lawe and to controuersies he sayth that this is a profe that they were of a mynde to ready to anger and not well framed to patiēce Christians verily ought to do this that they had alway rather to yelde of their owne right than to go to lawe from whens they can scarcely get out agayne but with a mynd to muche moued and kindled to hatred of their brother But when a man seeth that without losse of charitie he may defend his owne the losse whereof shoulde be a sore hindrance vnto him if he do so he offendeth nothing against this sayeng of Paul Finally as we haue taught in the beginnyng charitie shall geue euery man best counsell without whiche whatsoeuer controuersies are taken in hande and beyonde which whatsoeuer do procede we holde it out of controuersie that they be vniust and wicked The fyrst duetie of subiectes toward their magistrates is to thynke moste honorably of their office namely which they acknowlege to be a iurisdiction committed of God and therefore to esteme them and reuerence them as the ministers and deputies of God For a man may fynd some whiche yelde themselues very obedient to their magistrates and would not that there were not some whome they should obeye because they so know it to be expedient for the common benefite but of the magistrates themselues they thinke no otherwise than of certaine necessarie euills But Peter requireth somewhat more of vs when he commaūdeth that the kyng be honored Salomon when he commaūdeth God and the kyng to be feared For Peter vnder the worde of Honoryng conteineth a sincere and well demyng estimation and Salomon ioynyng the kyng with God sheweth that he is full of a certaine holye reuerence and dignitie This is also a notable commendation in Paul that we obey not onely for wrathe but for conscience Wherby he meaneth that subiectes ought to be ledde not onely with feare of princes and rulers to be holden in their subiection as they are wont to yeld to their armed enemie which see that vengeance shal redily be taken vpon them if they resist but because the obediences that are shewed to them are shewed to God himselfe forasmuch as their power is of God I speake not of the men as if the visor of dignitie dyd couer foolishenesse or sluggishnesse or cruelties or wicked maners and full of mischeuous doyng but I say that the degree it self is worthy of honor and reuerence that whosoeuer be rulers may be estemed with vs and haue reuerence in respecte of their beyng rulers Of this then also foloweth an other thyng that with myndes bente to the honoring of them declare their obedience in profe to them whether it be to obey their proclamations or to paye tribute or to take in hande publike offices and charges that serue for common defence or to doo any other of their commaūdementes Let euery soule saith Paul be subiect to the hyer powers For he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordināce of God The same Paule writeth to Titus Warne them that they be subiecte to rulers and powers that they obey the Magistrates that they be redy to euery good worke And Peter saith Be ye subiect to euery humaine creature or rather as I translate it Ordinance for the Lordes sake either to the kyng as moste excellent or to the rulers that are sent by hym to the punishement in dede of euell dooers but to the praise of well doers Moreouer that they shoulde testifie that they doo not fayne subiection but are sincerely and hartily subiect Paule addeth that they should commende to God the safetie and prosperitie of them vnder whom they lyue I exhorte sayth he that there be made praiers besechynges intercessions thankesgeuynges for all men for Kynges and for all that be set in superioritie that we may liue a peasable quiet life with all godlynesse and honestie Neither let any man here deceiue himselfe For sithe the magistrate can not be resisted but that God himselfe must also be resisted although it may be thought that an vnarmed magistrate may frely be despised yet God is armed whiche will strongly take vengeance on the dispisyng of hymselfe Moreouer vnder this obedience I contemne moderation which priuate men ought to bynde themselues to kepe in cases touchyng the publike state that they do not of their owne head entermedle in publike businesses or rashely breake into the office of the Magistrate and enterprise nothyng publikely If any thyng shall in a publike ordinance be behouefull to be amended let not themselues rayse vprores nor put their handes to the doyng of it whiche they all ought to haue fast bounde in this behalfe but let them cōmit it to the iudgement of the magistrate whose hand alone is here in at libertie I meane that they presume to do nothing vncōmaunded For when the commaundement of the ruler is adioyned then are they also furnished with publike authoritie For as they are wont to call the coūsellers of a king his eares and eies so not vnfittly a man may cal them the handes of the prince whome by his
where he bryngeth in Wisedom begotten of God before all worldes and bearyng rule in the creation of thynges and in all the workes of God For to say that it was a certayne commaundement of God seruyng but for a tyme were very foolishe and vayne where as in deede it was Goddes pleasure at that tyme to shewe foorth his stedfast and eternall purpose yea and some thyng more secrete To whyche entente also maketh that sayinge of Christe My Father and I doo woorke euen to this daye For in sayinge That from the begynnyng of the worlde he was contynually woorkynge with his Father he doothe more openly declare that whyche Moses hadde more shortely touched We gather then that the meanynge of Goddes speakynge was this that the Worde hadde his office in the doynge of thynges and so they bothe had a common woorkynge togyther But moste playnely of all doothe Iohn speake when he shewethe that the same Woorde whyche from the begynnyng was God with God was togyther God the Father the cause of all thynges For he both geueth to the Worde a perfecte and abydyng essence and also assygneth vnto it some thyng peculiar to it selfe and plainlye sheweth how God in speakyng was the creatour of the worlde Therefore as all reuelacions proceding from God dooe well beare the name of the worde of God so oughte we yet to sette in the hyeste place that substancyall Worde the well spryng of all Oracles whiche being subiecte to no alteracion abideth alwayes one and the selfe same with God and is God hymselfe Here many dogges dooe barke agaynste vs whiche when they dare not openly take from him his Godhead doe secretly steale from him his Eternitie For they saye that the Worde then beganne firste to be when God in the creation of the world opened his holy mouthe But verie vndiscretelye dooe they to imagine a certaine innouacyon of the substaunce of God For as those names of God that haue relacion to his outwarde worke beganne to be geuen vnto hym after the being of his worke as for example thys that he is called the creatour of heauen and earth so doeth Godlynesse knowe or admitte no name that shoulde signifie any newe thinge in hymselfe to haue chaunced vnto God For if any shoulde come to him from ells where than in hymselfe then thys saying of Iames shoulde fayle that euery good geuing and euery perfecte gifte is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lightes with whom is no variablenesse neyther shadowing by turning Therfore nothing is lesse to be suffred thā to faine a beginning of that Worde whiche both alwaye was God and afterwarde was creator of the worlde But full suttelly forsoth they reason that Moses in saying that God then first spake doeth secretlye shewe that there was no Worde in him before Whiche is a moste tryfling argumente For it foloweth not because a thyng at some one certaine time beginneth to be shewed openly that therefore it had neuer anye beyng before But I conclude farre otherwyse and saye seyng that in the same momente that God sayed lette lighte be made the power of the worde appeared and shewed it selfe the same Worde was longe before But if a man aske howe long before he shall fynde no beginnyng For he appointed no certayne space of tyme when hym selfe sayed Father glorifie me with the glory which I had wyth thee before the worlde was And thys thyng Iohn also left not vntouched because he fyrst sheweth that in the beginning the worde was with God before that he commeth to the creation of the worlde We saye therefore agayne that the Worde whyche was conceyued of God before any beginning of tyme was contynuallye remayninge wyth hym Whereby bothe hys eternitie true essence and Godhead is proued Althoughe I dooe not yet touche the person of the Mediator but do deferre it to that place where we shall specially entreate of the Redempcion yet because it oughte to be certaynly holden wythoute controuersie amonge al men that Christ is the same Word clad with flesh in this place will be very fitte to recite all those testimonies that proue Chryst to be God When it is sayed in the .xlv. Psalme thy throne O God is for euer and euer the Iewes doe cauill and saye that the name Elohim is also applied to the Angels and soueraigne powers But in all the Scripture there is not a like place that raiseth an eternall throne to any creature For he is here not simplye called God but also the eternall Lorde Againe this tittle is geuen to none but with an addicion as it is saied that Moses shal be for a God to Pharao Some rede it in the Genitiue case which is verye foolishe I graunte in dede that oftentimes a thing is called Diuine or of God that is notable by any singular excellence but here by the tenoure of the texte it appeareth that suche a meaning were harde and forced and will not agree But if their scubbornesse will not so yelde In Esaie is verie plainly broughte in for all one both Christe and God and he that is adorned with the soueraigne power whiche is properly belonging to God alone This saieth he is the name wherby they shall call him the strong God the Father of the world to come c. Here the Iewes barcke againe and turne the texte thus this is the name whereby the stronge God the father of the worlde to come shall call him so that they leaue this onely to the Sonne to bee called the Prince of peace But to what purpose shoulde so many names of addicion in this place bee heaped vpon God the Father seeyng it is the purpose of the Prophete to adorne Chryste with suche speciall notes as maie builde oure Faith vppon him Wherfore it is oute of doute that he is here in like sorte called the stronge God as he is a little before called Immanuell But nothing can be founde plainer than that place of Hieremie where he sayeth that this shall be the name whereby the sede of Dauid shall be called Iehouah oure righteousnesse For where the Iewes themselues doe teach that all other names of God are but adiectiue names of addicion and that this only name Iehouah whiche they call vnspeakable is a substantiue name to expresse hys essence we gather that the Sonne is the onely and eternall God which saith in an other place that he wil not geue his glory to an other But here also they seke to scape away because that Moses gaue that name to the Altare that he bilded and Ezechiel gaue it to the newe citie Hierusalem But who doth not see that the Altare was builded for a monumente that God was the auauncement of Moses And that Hierusalem is not adorned with the name of God but onely to testifie the presence of God For thus sayeth the Prophete The name of the citie from that day shal be Iehouah there And Moses sayth
moderate seueritie The Prophet pronounceth vnto theÌ„ that it is not so bicause they are punished for their owne offenses that it staâ—deth not with the iustice of God that the righteous sonne shuld suffer punishmeÌ„t for the noughtinesse of the wicked father Which thing also is not coÌ„teined in this present ordinance For in the Uisityng whereof mention is now made be â—ulâ—illed when the lord taketh away froÌ„ the house of the wicked his grace the light of his 〈◊〉 other helpes of saluation in this that the children being blinded and forsaken of him do goe on in the steppes of their fathers they susteine curses for their fathers offenses But in asmuch as they are put to teÌ„porall miseries at last to eternall destruction herein they are punished by the iust iudgement of God not for the sinnes of other but for their owne iniquitie On the other side is offred a promise of enlarging the mercie of God into a thousand generations whiche promise is also often founde in the Scriptures is set in the solemne couenant of the churche I will be thy God and of thy seede after thee Whiche thinge Salomon hauing respect vnto writeth that the childreÌ„ of the righteous shal be blessed after their death not only by reason of holy bringing vp which also not a litle auaileth thereunto but also for that blessing promised in the couenaÌ„t that the grace of God shall rest eternally in the houses of the godly Herupon groweth great coÌ„fort to the faithfull great terrour to the wicked For if euen after death the remembrance bothe of righteousnesse wickednesse be of so great force with God that the cursing of the one and the blessyng of the other redoundeth vnto posteritie much more shal it light rest vpoÌ„ the heads of the doers themselues But it maketh nothing agaynste vs that the issue of the wicked many times cometh to good profe and the issue of the faithfull swarueth out of kinde bicause the lawmaker meante not here to stablish such a perpetual rule as should derogate his free election For it sufficeth for the comforte of the righteous and for the terrour of the sinner that the penaltie is not vayne or of no effect although it doe not alwaye take place For as the temporall punishmentes that are layed vpon a fewe wickedmen are testimonies of the wrath of God agaynst sinnes and of the iudgement that shal one day be geuen vpoÌ„ all sinners although many escape vnpunished euen to the ende of their life so when God geueth one example of this blessing to shew mercie and bouÌ„tifulnesse to the sonne for the fathers sake he geueth a profe of his constant and perpetual fauour to them that worship him and when he ones pursueth the wickednesse of the father in the sonne he sheweth what iudgement is prepared for all the reprobate for their owne offences Which assurednesse he had in this place principally respect vnto And by the way he coÌ„mendeth vnto vs the largenesse of his mercie whiche he extendeth vnto a thousand generations whereas he assigned but only fower generations to vengeance The third Commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vayne The end of this coÌ„maundement is that his will is to haue the maiestie of his name to be holy among vs. Therfore the summe shal be that we do not defile it with contemptuously irreuerently vsing it With whiche prohibition the coÌ„maundement hangeth orderly together that we take studie and care godlily to reuerence it Therefore we ought so to order our selues both in our mindes our tonges that we neyther thinke nor speake any thing of God himself or his misteries but reuerently with much sobrietie that in weyeng his workes we conceiue nothing but honorable toward him These three things I say it behoueth vs not negligently to marke that what so euer our minde conceiueth of him what so euer our tong vttereth it may sauour of his excelleÌ„cie maye agree with the holy hyghnesse of his name and finally may serue to aduauÌ„ce his magnificence That we do not rashly or disorderly abuse his holy worde reuereÌ„d misteries either to ambition or to couetousnesse or to our owne triflinges but that as they beare the dignitie of his name emprinted in theÌ„ so thei may kepe their honour estimation among vs. Last of al that we do not carp against or speake euel of his workes as these wretched men are wont to babble reprochefully against them but that what so euer we reherse done by him we report it with wordes of praise of his wisedom righteousnesse and goodnesse That is to sanctifie the name of God Where otherwise is done it is defiled with vaine and peruerse abuse bicause it is violently carried froÌ„ the right vse wherunto only it was apointed and though there be no other hurt done yet it is spoyled of his dignitie and by litle and litle brought to contempt Now if there be so much euel in this rash redinesse to vse the name of God out of season much more mischief is in this if it be employed to euell vses as they do that make it to serue the superstitions of Necromancie cruell execrations vnlawfull coÌ„iurations other wicked enchauntementes But swearyng is chiefly mentioned in the coÌ„maundement as the thing wherin the peruerse abuse of Gods name is most detestable that thereby we may be the better altogether frayed awaye from all defilyng thereof But that here is commaundement geueÌ„ of the worship of God and of the reuerence of his name and not of the truthe and equitie that is to be kept among men appereth by that that he afterward in the second table condemneth periurie and false witnesse wherby hurt is done to the felowship of meÌ„ but it were in vaine to repete it agayne if this coÌ„maundement entreated of the dutie of charitie And also the diuisioÌ„ of the law itself requireth it bicause as it is said God did not in vaine apoint two tables for his law wherby is gathered that in this coÌ„maundement he chalengeth his owne right to himself defendeth the holynesse of his name and teacheth not what men owe to men First is to be learned what is an othe It is a takyng of God to witnesse to confirme the truthe of that whiche we speake For those cursed speaches that coÌ„teine manifest reproches against God are vnworthy to be reckened among othes That suche takyng to witnesse whan it is rightly done is a kinde of worshippyng of God is shewed in diuerse places of the Scripture As wheÌ„ Esaye prophecieth of the calling of the Assyrians and Egyptians into felowship of the couenaÌ„t with Israel They shal speake sayth he in the tong of Chanaan shal swere in the name of the Lord. That is to say in sweryng by the name of the Lord they shall yelde a confession of his religion Againe when he speaketh of the enlargemeÌ„t of his kingdome he sayth Whosoeuer
the ende of thys present life From thense did spring vp that consideration whiche the faythfull oftentimes vsed for a comforte of thir miseries and remedie of patience It is but a momente in the Lordes displeasure and life in his mereye Howe did they determine afflictions to ende in a moment that were in affliction in a manner of their life longe where dyd thei espye so longe an eâ—duringe of Godes kindenesse whereof thei scarsely felt any lyttle taste If thei hadde sticked faste vpon the earthe they coulde haue founde no such thing but bicause thei loked vpon heauen thei acknowledged that it is but a moment of time while the Lord exercise his holy ones by the crosse but that his mercies wherein thei are gathered together do last the worldes age Againe they did â—oresee the eternall and neuer endinge destruction of the vngodlye whiche were as in a dreame happy for one daie Wherevpon came these sayinges The remembrance of the righteous shall be in blessing butte the name of the wicked shall rotte Precious is the deathe of the Saintes in the sighte of the Lorde but the deathe of the wicked moste euell Againe in Samuel The Lorde shall keepe the feete of the holy and the wicked shall be put to silence in darkenesse Whiche do declare that thei well knewe that howesoeuer the holy were diuersly carryed aboute yet their laste ende is lyfe and saluation and that the prosperitie of the wycked is a pleasaunt waye whereby thei by little and little slide forwarde into the gulfe of deathe Therefore thei called the deathe of suche the destruction of the vncircumcised as of them from whome the hope of the resurrection was cutte awaie Wherefore Dauid coulde not deuise a more greuous curse than this Let them be blotted out of the boke of life and not be written with the righteous But aboue all other notable is that sayeng of Iob I knowe that my redemer liueth in the last daie I shal rise againe out of the earth and in my fleshe I shall see God my sauioure This hope is layed vp in my bosome Some that haue a mynde to make a shewe of their sharpe witte do cauill that this is not to be vnderstanded of the last resurrection but of the firste daye that Iob loked to haue God more gentle to him whiche although we graunt them in parte yet shall wee enforce them to confesse whether they wyll or noe that Iob coulde not haue come to that largenesse of hope if he had rested his thoughte vpon the earthe Therefore we muste needes confesse that he lifted vp his eyes to the immortalitie to come whiche sawe that his redeemer would be present with him euen lyeng in his graue For to them that thinke only of his present life death is their vttermost desperation whiche very death coulde not cutt of Iobs hope Yea though he kill me said he neuerthelesse I will still hope in him And let no trifler here carpe against me and saie â–ª that these were the sayenges but of a fewe whereby ys not proued that suche doctrine was among the Iewes For I wyll by and by answer him that these fewe dyd not in these sayenges vtter any secret wisedome wherevnto onely certayne excellente wittes were seuerally and priuately suffred to atteine â–ª but that as thei were by the holy Ghoste apointed teachers of the people so they openly published those misteries of God that were to be vniuersally learned and ought to be the principles of the common religion among the people Therefore when we heare the publike oracles of the holy Ghoste wherein he spake of the spirituall lyfe so clerely and plainely in the Churche of the Iewes it were a pointe of vntolerable stubbournesse to sende them away only to the fleshly couenant wherin is mention made of nothing but earth and earthly wealthinesse If I come downe to the latter Prophetes there wee maye freely walke as is oure owne felde For yf it were not harde for vs to gett the vpperhande in Dauid Iob and Samuel here it shall be muche more easye For God kepte this distribution and ordre in disposinge the couenant of hys mercye that howe muche the nearer it drewe on in processe of tyme to the full perfourmance thereof with so muche greater encreasementes of reuelation hee dyd daye by daie more bryghtly shewe it Therefore at the beginning when the firste promise of saluation was made vnto Adam there glystered oute but as it were smale sparkles of it After hauinge more added vnto it a greater largenesse of light began to be put forth whiche from thense fourth brake out more and more and displayed her bryghtnesse farther abroade till at length all the cloudes were dryuen awaye and Christe the sonne of righteousnesse fully lyghtned the whole woorlde We neede not therfore to feare that wee fayle of testimonies of the Prophetes if we seeke them to proue oure cause but bicause I see that there wyll aryse a huge deale of matter wherevpon I shoulde bee constrained of necessytie to tarrye longer than the proportioâ— of my purpose maye beare for it woulde so growe to a worke of a great volume and also bicause I haue already by those thinges that I haue saide before made plaine the waye euen for a reader of meane capacitie so as he maye goe forwarde wythoute stumbling therefore I wyll at this present absteine from long tediousnesse whyche to do ys no lesse necessarie but geuing the readers warning before hande that they remembre to open theyr owne waye with that key that we haue fyrste geuen them in theyr hande That is that so ofte as the Prophetes speake of the blessednesse of the faithfull people whereof scarscely the leaste steppes are seen in this present life thei maye resorte to this distinction that the Prophetes the better to eâ—presse the goodnesse of God did as in a shadow expresse it to the people by temporall benefites as by certaine rough drawing of the portraiture therof but that the perfect image that thei haue painted therof was suche as might rauish mens myndes out of the earh and out of the elements of this worlde and of the age that shal perishe and of necessitie rayse it vp to the considering of the felicitie of the lyfe that ys to come and spirituall We wyll be content with one example When the Israelites being carryed awaye to Babylon sawe their scattering abroade to be like vnto deathe they coulde hardely be remoued from thys opinion that they thought that al was but fables that Ezechiel prophecied of their restitution bicause thei reckened it euen all one as if he had tolde them that rotten carcases shoulde be restored againe to lyfe The Lorde to shewe that euen that same difficultie coulde not stop him from bringing hys benefite to effect shewed to the Prophete in a vision a field full of due bones to the which in a moment with the onely power of hys worde he restored
thinking of the heaueÌ„ly life or froÌ„ study to garnish thy soule But this was long ago truely sayd of Cato that there is great carefulnesse of trimming our body great carelesnesse of vertue And it is an old prouerbe that they whiche are much busied in care of their body ar commoÌ„ly carelesse of their soule Therfore although the libertie of the faithfull in outward thinges is not to be restrained to a certain forme yet truely it must be subiect to this law to beare very little with theyr owne affections but contrariwise still call vpon them selues with continually bent mynde to cut of all shew of superfluous plentie muche more to restraine ryotous excesse and to take diligent hede that they do not of helpes make to them selues hinderaunces The other rule shal be that they that haue but small and sclender rychesse may learne to lacke pacieÌ„tly that they be not carefully moued with immeasurable desire of them whiche pacieÌ„ce they that kepe haâ—â—e not a litle profited in the Lordes schole as he that hath not at least somewhat profited in this behalf can scarcely haue any thing wherby â—o proue him selfe the scholar of Christ. For beside this that the most part of other vices do accompanie the desire of earthly thinges he that beareth pouertie impatiently doth for the moste part bewray the contrarie disease in abuÌ„dance I meane hereby that he whiche wil be ashamed of a poore cote wil be proude of a costly cote he that will not be content with a hungry supper will be disquieted with desire of a deintier and would also intemperately abuse those deinties if he had them he that hardly and vnquietly beareth a priuate base estate will not absteine from pryde if he climbe to honors Therfore let all them that haue an vnfained zele of Godlinesse endeuour to learne by the Apostles example to be full and huÌ„gry to haue store and suffer want The Scripture hath also a third rule wherby it tempereth the vse of earthly thinges of whiche we haue spoken sumwhat when we entreated of the preceptes of charitie For the Scripture decreeth that al earthly thinges are so geuen vs by the bountifulnesse of God and apointed for oure coÌ„moditie that they may be as things deliuered vs to kepe wherof we must one day yelde an accompt We must therfore so dispose them that this saying may continually sound in our eares yeld an accoÌ„pt of thy â—aylywike Therwithall let this also come in our mynde Whoe it is that asketh suche an accompt euen he that hath so muche commended abstinence sobrietie honest sparing and modestie and abhorreth riotous sumptuousnesse pride ostentation and vanitie whiche alloweth no other disposing of goodes but suche as is ioyned with charitie whiche hath already with his own mouth condemned all those deliteful thinges that do withdrawe a mans mynde from chastitie and cleannesse or doe dull his wit with darkenesse Last of all this is to be noted that the Lorde biddeth euery one of vs in al the doinges of his life to haue an eye to his calling For he knoweth with how great vnquietnesse mans wit boyleth with howe skipping lightnesse it is caried hether and thether how gredy his ambitioÌ„ is to holde diuerse thinges at ones Therfore that all thinges shoulde not be confounded with our follie and rashenesse he hath apointed to euerie man his duties in seuerall kindes of lyfe And that no man rashly runne beyond his bondes he hath named all suche kyndes of lyfe vocations Therfore euery mans seuerall kinde of life is vnto him as it were his standing apointed him by God that they should not all theyr life vncertainly wander about And this diuision is so necessary that al our doinges are measured thereby in his sight and oftentimes contrary to the iudgemeÌ„t of mans reason and Philosophie There is no dede accompted more noble euen among the Phylosophers than for a man to deliuer his contrie from tyrannie but by the voice of Gods iudgemeÌ„t the priuate man is openly condemned that layeth hand vpon a tyrant But I wil not tarry vpon rehearsing of examples It is sufficient if we knowe that the calling of the Lord is in euery thing the beginning and fundation of well doing to whiche he that doth not diriect himself shal neuer kepe a right way in his doinges He may paraduenture somtime do somwhat seming worthy of praise butte whatsoeuer that be in the sight of men before the throne of God it shal be reiected moreouer there shal be no conuenient agrement in the partes of his life Therfore our life shall then be best framed when it shal be directed to this marke For then no man caried with his owne rashenesse will atteÌ„pt more thaÌ„ his calling may beare because he knoweth that it is not lawful to passe beyond his bondes He that shal be a man of base estate shal contentedly liue a priuate life least he shold forsake the degree wherin God hath placed him Againe this shal be no smal relefe to cares labors greues and other burdens when a man shall know that in all these thinges God is his guide The more willingly the magistrate will execute his officeâ— the housholder will bynd him selfe to his dutie euery man in his kinde of life will beare and passe through the discommodities cares tediousnesse and anguishes therof when they are perswaded that euery maÌ„s burden is laid vpon him by God Hereupon also shal growe singular coÌ„fort for as muche as there shal be no worke so filthy vile if it be such a one as thow obey thy calling in it but it shineth is most precious in the sight of God The aleuenth Chapter ¶ Of the iustification of Fayth and fyrst of the definition of the name and of the thyng I Thinke I haue already sufficiently declared before howe there remayneth for men being accursed by the lawe one only helpe to recouer saluation agayne what Faith is and what benefites of God it bestoweth vpon man and what fruites it bringeth fourth in hym The summe of all was this that Christ is geuen vs by the goodnesse of God and coÌ„ceiued and possessed of vs by faith by partakyng of whome we receiue principally twoo graces the first that being reconciled to God by his innocencie we may nowe in stede of a iudge haue a merciful father in heauen the second that being sanctified by his Spirite we maye geue our selues to innocencie and purenesse of lyfe As for regeneration whiche is the second grace we haue alredy spoken of it as muche as semed to be sufficient The manner of iustification was therfore lesse touched because it serued well for our purpose first to vnderstande both how the Faythe by whiche alone we receiue frely geuen righteousnesse by the mercie of God is not idle from good workes and also what be the good workes of the holy ones wherupon part of this question entreateth Therfore they are first to be throughly discussed and so discussed that we must
we suffer with him we shal also reigne together with him that we be so fashioned like to his suffringes till we atteyne to the likenesse of his resurrection For asmuch as the Father hath predestinate these to be fashioned like the image of his sonne whome in him he hath chosen that he maye be the first begotten among all his brethreÌ„ and therfore that neyther death nor present thinges nor thinges to come shall seuer vs from the loue of God which is in Christ but rather all thinges shall turne to vs to good and to saluation Loe me do not iustifie a maÌ„ by workes before God but we say that all they that are of God are regenerate made a newe creature that they may passe out of the kingdome of sinne into the kingdome of righteousnesse that by this testimonie thei make their callyng certayne and are iudged as trees by the frutes The .xvi. Chapter ¶ A confutation of the sclaunders whereby the Papistes goe about to bryng this doctrine in hatred WIth this one word may the shamelesnesse of certayne vngodly men be confuted whiche sclaunder vs with sayeng that we destroy good workes and doe draw men awaye from the followyng of theÌ„ when we say that they are not iustified by workes nor do deserue saluatioÌ„ and againe that we make to easy away to right cousnesse when we teache that it lieth in the free forgeuenesse of sinnes and that we do by this enticement allure men to sinne whiche are of their owne will to much enclined thereto already These sclaunders I say are with that one word sufficiently confuted yet I will brefely answer to them bothe They allege that by the iustification of fayth good workes are destroyed I leaue vnspoken what manner of men be these zelous louers of good workes whiche doe so backbite vs. Let them haue licence as freely to rayle as they do liceÌ„tiously infect the whole world with the filthinesse of their life They faine that they be greued that when fayth is so gloriously aduaunced workes are dryuen downe out of their place What if they be more raysed vp and stablished For neyther doe me dreame of a fayth voyde of good workes nor a iustification that is without them This onely is the difference that when we confesse that fayth and good workes do necessarily hange together yet we set iustification in fayth not in workes For what reason we doe so we haue in redinesse easily to declare if we do but turne to Christ vnto whome our faythe is directed and from whome it receyueth her whole strength Why therefore are we iustified by faith bycause by fayth we take holde of the righteousnesse of Christ by which alone we are reconciled to God But this thou canst not take holde of but that thou must also therewithall take holde of sanctification For he was geuen to vs for righteousnesse wisdome sanctification redemptioÌ„ Therfore Christ iustifieth none whome he doth not also sanctifie For these benefites are coupled together with a perpetuall and vnseperable knot that whome he enlighteneth with his wisdome them he redemeth whome he redemeth he iustifieth whom he iustifieth he sanctifieth But for asmuch as our question is only of righteousnesse and sanctifieng let vs staye vpon these We maye put difference betwene them yet Christ conteineth them bothe vnseperably in himself Wilt thou therfore obteine righteousnesse in Christ Thou must first possesse Christ thou canst not possesse him but that thou must â—e made partaker of his sanctification bicause he can not be torne in peces Sithe therefore the Lord doth graunt vs these benefites to be enioyed none otherwise than in geuing himself he geueth them bothe together the one neuer without the other So appereth how true it is that we are iustified not without workes and yet not by workes bycause in the partaking of Christ wherby we are iustified is no lesse coÌ„teined sanctification than righteousnesse That also is moste false that the mindes of men are withdrawen from the affection of weldoyng when we take from them the opinion of merityng Here by the way the readers must be warned that they foolishly reason froÌ„ reward to merit as I shall afterward more plainly declare namely bicause they know not this principle that God is no lesse liberal when he assigneth reward to workes than wheÌ„ he geueth power to do well But this I had rather differre to the place fit for it Now it shal be enough to touche howe weake their obiection is whiche shal be done two wayes For first whereas they say that there shal be no care of well framyng of life but when hope of reward is set before them they erre quite from the truth For if this only be enteÌ„ded when men serue God that thei loke to reward or let out to hire or sell their labors to him they litle preuayle for God will be freely worshipped freely loued he I say alloweth that worshipper which when all hope of receyuing reward is cut of yet cesseth not to worshippe him Moreouer if men be to be pricked forward no man can put sharper spurres vnto them than those that are taken of the ende of our redeÌ„ption and calling such as the word of God spurreth men withal when it teacheth that it is to wicked vnthaÌ„kefulnesse not mutually to loue him agayne whiche first loued vs that by the blood of Christ our consciences are cleansed from dead workes to serue the liuyng God that it is a haynous sacrilege if beyng ones cleased we defile our selues with newe filthinesse and prophane that holy blood that we are deliuered from the handes of our enemies that we maye without feare serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life that we are made free from sinne that we maye with a free Spirit folow righteousnesse that our olde man is crucified that we may rise agayne into newnesse of life agayne that if we be dead with Christ as becommeth his members we must seeke those thinges that are aboue and must in the world be wayfaring men from home that we may long toward heauen where is our treasure that the grace of God hath appered to this end that forsakyng al vngodlinesse worldly desires we maye liue soberly holyly and godlyly in this world lokyng for the blessed hope and the appering of the glorie of the great God sauior therefore that we are not apointed that we should stirre vp wrath to our selues but that we may obteyne saluation by Christ that we are the teÌ„ples of the Holy ghost which it is not lawfull to be defiled that we are not darknesse but light in the Lord whiche muste walke as children of light that we are not called to vncleannesse but to holinesse bicause this is the will of God our sanctificatioÌ„ that we absteyne from vnlawfull desires that our callyng is holy that the same is not fulfilled but with purenesse of life that we are
Christ the sonne of God is oures and we likewise are in him the sonnes of God and heyers of the heaueÌ„ly kingdome beyng called by the goodnesse of God not by our owne worthinesse into the hope of eternal blessednesse But bicause they do biside these assayle vs as we haue sayd with other engines goe to let vs goe forward in beatyng awaye these also First they come backe to the promises of the lawe which the Lord did set forth to the kepers of his law and they aske whether we wil haue them to be vtterly voyde or effectuall Bycause it were an absurditie and to be scorned to say that they are voyde they take it for confessed that they are of some effectualnesse Hereupon they reason that we are not iustified by only faith For thus sayth the Lord And it shal be yf thou shalt heare these commaundementes and iudgementes and shal kepe them and do them the Lord also shall kepe with thee his couenant and mercie whiche he hath sworne to thy fathers he shall loue thee and multiplie thee and blesse thee c. Agayne If ye shall wel direct your wayes and your endeuors yf ye walke not after strange Gods yf ye do iudgement betwene man and man and goe not backe into malice I will walke in yâ— middest of you I will not recite a thousand peces of the same sorte whiche sithe they nothyng differ in sense shal be declared by the solutioÌ„ of these In a summe Moses testifieth that in the lawe is set forth blessyng and curse death and life Thus therfore they reson that eyther this blessyng is made idle frutelesse or that iustification is not of fayth alone We haue already before shewed how if we sticke faste in the lawe ouer vs beyng destitute of al blessing hangeth only curse which is thretened to al transgressors For the Lord promiseth nothyng but to the perfect kepers of his law such as there is none found This therefore remaineth that all mankinde is by the law accused and subiect to curse the wrath of God from whiche that they maye be loosed they must needes goe out of the power of the law and be as it were brought into libertie from the boÌ„dage therof not that carnall libertie whiche should withdraw vs froÌ„ the kepyng of the law should allure vs to thinke all thinges lawfull and to suffer our lust as it were the stayes beyng broken with loose reynâ—s to runne at riot but the spiritual libertie whiche may comfort and rayse vp a dismayed and ouerthrowen conscience shewyng it to be free from the curse and damnation wherewith the lawe helde it downe bond and fast tied This deliuerance from the subiection of the law and Manâ—mission as I may cal it we obteyne wheÌ„ by fayth we take holde of the mercie of God in Christ whereby we are certified and assured of the forgeuenesse of sinnes with the felyng whereof the law did prick and bite vs. By this reason euen the promises that were offred vs in the lawe should be all vneffectuall voyde vnlesse the goodnesse of God by the Gospell did help For this condition that we kepe the whole law vpoÌ„ which the promises hang and wherby alone thei are to be performed shal neuer be fulfilled And the Lord so helpeth not by leauyng part of righteousnesse in our workes and supplyeng part by his mercieful bearyng with vs but when he setteth only Christ for the fulfillyng of righteousnesse For the Apostle when he had before sayd that he and other Iewes beleued in Iesus Christ knowing that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe addeth a reason not that they should be holpen to fulnesse of righteousnesse by the fayth of Christ but by it should be iustified not by the workes of the law If the faythfull remoue from the law into fayth that they may in fayth finde righteousnesse which they see to be absent from the law truely they forsake the righteousnesse of the lawe Therefore now let him that list amplifie the rewardinges whiche are sayd to be prepared for the keper of the law so that he therewithall coÌ„sider that it coÌ„meth to passe by our peruersnesse that we fele no frute thereof till we haue obteyned an other righteousnesse of faith So Dauid when he made mention of the rewardyng whiche the Lord hath prepared for his seruantes by and by descendeth to the reknowledging of sinnes wherby that same rewarding is made voyde Also in the xix Psalme he gloriously setteth forth the benefites of the law but he by by crieth out Whoe shall vnderstand his faultes Lord cleanse me froÌ„ my secret faultes This place altogether agreeth with the place before where when he had sayd that all the wayes of the Lord are goodnesse and truth to them that leaue him he addeth For thy names sake Lorde thou shalt be mercifull to my peruersnesse for it is muche So ought we also to reknowledge that there is in deede the good will of God set forth vnto vs in the lawe if we might deserue it by workes but that the same neuer coÌ„meth to vs by the deseruyng of workes How then Are they geuen that they should vanish awaye without frute I haue eueÌ„ now already protested that the same is not my meaning I say verily that they vtter not their effectualnesse toward vs so long as they haue respect to the merit of workes and that therfore if they be considered in themselues they be after a certayne maÌ„ner abolished If the Apostle teacheth that this noble promise I haue geuen you commauÌ„dementes which who so shal do shall liue in them is of no value if we stand still in it and shal neuer a whit more profit than if it had not ben geuen at all bicause it belongeth not euen to the most holy seruauntes of God whiche are all far from the fulfillyng of the lawe but are compassed about with many transgressions But when the promises of the Gospel are put in place of them which do offre free forgeuenesse of sinnes they bryng to passe that not only we our selues be acceptable to God but that our workes also haue their thanke and not this only that the Lord accepteth them but also exteÌ„deth to them the blessinges whiche were by couenant due to the keping of the law I graunt therefore that those thinges whiche the Lord hath promised in his lawe to the folowers of righteousnesse holinesse are rendred to the workes of the faythfull but in this rendryng the cause is alway to be coÌ„sidered that powreth grace to workes Now causes we see that there be three The first is that God turnyng away his sight froÌ„ the workes of his seruaÌ„tes which alway deserue rather reproche than praise embraceth them in Christ and by the only meane of faith reconcileth them to himself without the meane of workes The secoÌ„d that of his fatherly kindnesse and tender mercifulnesse he lifteth vp workes to so great
imputed to him for righteousnesse Sith therfore it is said that the acte done by Phinees was imputed to him for righteousnesse what Paule affirmeth of faith the same may we also conclude of works Whervpon our aduersaries as though thei had wonne the victorie determine that we are in dede not iustified without faith but that we are also not iustified by it alone and that workes accomplish our righteousnesse Therefore here I beseache the godly that if thei knowe that the true rule of righteousnesse is to be taken out of the Scripture only thei will religiously and earnestly weie with me how the Scripture may without cauillations be rightly made to agree with it selfe For asmuch as Paul knewe that the iustificatioÌ„ of faith is the refuge for them that ar destitute of their own righteousnesse he doth boldly coÌ„clude that al thei that ar iustified by faith ar excluded from the righteousnesse of works But sith it is certayne that the iustification of faith is common to all the faithfull he dothe thereof with like boldenesse conclude that no man is iustified by works but rather contrariewise that men are iustified without any helpe of workes But it is one thing to dispute of what value works are by themselues and an other thing what accompt is to be made of them after the stablishing of the righteousnesse of faith If we shal set a price vpon works according to their worthinesse we saie that thei are vnworthy to come into the sight of God and therefore that man hath no workes whereof he may glorie before God then that being spoiled of al helpe of works he is iustified by only faith Now we define righteousnesse thus that a sinner being receiued into the communion of Christ is by hys grace reconciled to God when being cleansed with his bloode he obteineth forgeuenesse of sinnes and being clothed with his righteousnesse as with his own he staÌ„deth assured before the heauenly iudgment â—eate WheÌ„ the forgeuenesse of sinnes is set before the good workes which folowe haue now an other valuation than after their own deseruing bycause whatsoeuer is in them vnperfect is couered with the perfectioÌ„ of Christ whatsoeuer spottes or fylthinesse there is it is wyped away wyth hys cleannesse that it maye not come into the examination of the iudgement of God Therfore when the giltines of al trespasses is blotted out whereby men are hindred that thei can bring forthe nothing acceptable to God and when the faulte of imperfection is buried whiche is wonte also to defile good workes the good workes which the faithful do are compted righteous or which is all one are imputed for righteousnesse Now if any man obiect this against me to assaile the righteousnesse of faithe first I will aske whether a man be compted righteous for one or two holy works being in the rest of the works of his life a trespasser of the law This is more than an absurditie Then I will aske if he be compted righteous for many good works yf he be in any parte founde gilty This also he shal not be so bolde to affirme when the penal ordinaâ—ce of the law crieth oute against it proclameth al them accursed which haue not fulfilled all coÌ„maundementes of the lawe to the vttermost Moreouer I wil go further ask whether ther be any work that deserueth to be accused of no vncleannesse or imperfection And howe could there be any such before those eies to whom eueÌ„ the very starres are not cleane enough nor the Angeles righteous enough So shal he be compelled to graunt that there is no good worke which is not so defiled with transgressions adioyned with it with the corruptnesse of it selfe that it can not haue the honoure of righteousnesse Nowe if it bee certaine that it proceedeth from the righteousnesse of faith that woorkes which are otherwise vnpure vncleane and but halfe workes not worthy of the sight of God much lesse of his loue are imputed to righteousnesse why do thei with boasting of the righteousnesse of workes destroye the iustification of faith wheras if this iustification were not thei shold in vaine boaste of that righteousnes Wyll thei make a vipers birthâ— For therto end the saiengs of the vngodly meÌ„ Thei can not denie that the iustificatioÌ„ of faith is the beginning foundatioÌ„ cause matter substance of the righteousnesse of works yet thei coÌ„clude the man is not iustified by faith bycause good workes also are accoÌ„pted for righteousnesse Therfore let vs let passe these follies confesse as the truth is that if the righteousnesse of works of what sort soever it be accoÌ„pted hangeth vpon the iustificatioÌ„ of faith it is by this not onely nothing minished but also coÌ„firmed namly wherbi the strength therof appeareth more mighty Neither yet let vs think that works ar so coÌ„meÌ„ded after fre iustificatioÌ„ that thei also afterward come into the place of iustifieng a maÌ„ or do parte that office betwene them faithe For vnlesse the iustificatioÌ„ remaine alway whole the vncleannes of workes shal be vncouered And it is no absurditie that a man is so iustified by faith that not only he himself is righteous but also his woorkes are esteemed righteous aboue their worthynesse After this maÌ„ner we wil grauÌ„t in workes not only a righteousnes in parts as our aduersaries theÌ„selues wold haue but also that it is alowed of God as if it wer a perfect ful righteousnesse But if we remeÌ„bre vpoÌ„ what fouÌ„datioÌ„ it is vpholdeÌ„ al the difficultie shal be disolued For then noâ— til their beginneth to be an acceptable worke wheÌ„ it is receiued with pardoÌ„ Now whense coÌ„meth pardoÌ„ but bicause God beholdeth both vs â—amp al our thinges in Christe Therefore as we when we are graffed into Christ do therfore appeare righteous before God bicause our wickednesses are couered with his innocence so our workes are be taken for righteous bicause whatsoeuer faultines is otherwise in theÌ„ being buried in the cleannesse of Christe it is not imputed So we may rightfully sai that bi onli faith not oÌ„ly we but also our works ar iustified Now if this righteousnes of works of what sorte soeuer it be hangeth vpoÌ„ faith tree iustification is made of it it ought to be included vnder it and to he sette vnder it as the effect vnder the cause therof as I may so cal it so farre is it of that it oughte to bee raysed vp either to destroy or darken it So Paule to dryue men to confesse that oure blessednesse coÌ„sisteth of the mercy of God not of works chefli enforceth that saying of Dauid Blessed are thei whose iniquitties are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is he to whom the Lord hath not imputed sinne If any maÌ„ do thrust in to the contrary innumerable sayings wherin blessednesse seemeth to be geuen to works as are these Blessed is the man whiche feareth the Lord whiche hath pitie on the poore
other sense thought our heart must be cleāsed of al desires al our strēgths must be gathered vp drawē together to this only purpose Thei which haue gone most far before other in the way of the Lord are yet very far from this marke For though they loue God with their minde and with sincere affection of heart yet they haue still a great part of their heart and soule possessed with the desires of the fleshe by which they are drawen back and stayed from goyng forward with hasty course to God They do in deede trauayle forward with great endeuor but the fleshe partly febleth their strengthes and partly draweth them to it self What shall they here do when they fele that thei do nothing lesse thā performe the law They wil thei couet they endeuor but nothing with such perfection as ought to be If they loke vpon the law they see that whatsoeuer worke they attēpt or purpose is accursed Neyther is there any cause why any man should deceiue himself with gathering that the worke is therefore not altogether euell bycause it is vnperfect and therfore that God doth neuerthelesse accept that good which is in it For the law requiring perfect loue condēneth al imperfectiō vnlesse y rigor of it be mitigated Therefore his workes should fal to nought which he wold haue to seme partly good he shal finde that it is a transgression of the law euen in this bicause it is vnperfect Loe how al our workes are subiect to the curse of the law if thei be measured by the rule of the law But how shold thē vnhappy soules cherefully applie thēselues to work for which thei might not trust that they colde get any thing but curse On the otherside if beyng deliuered frō this seuere exacting of the lawe or rather from the whole rigor of the lawe thei heare that they be called of God with fatherly gentlenesse thei wil merily with great cherefulnesse answer his calling folow his guiding In a summe they which are boūd to the yoke of the law ar like to vn̄dseruāts to whō are apointed by their lordes certain taskes of work for euery day These seruāts thinke that thei haue done nothing nor dare come into the sight of their lordes vnlesse they haue performed the ful taske of their workes But childrē which are more liberally more freemālike handled of their fathers stick not to present to them their begonne half vnperfect workes yea those hauing some fault trusting that they wil accept their obedience willingnesse of minde Although thei haue not exactly done so much as their good wil was to do So must we be as may haue sure affiāce that our obediēces shal be allowed of our most kinde father how little soeuer how rude vnperfect soeuer thei be As also he assureth to vs by the prophet I wil spare thē saith he as the father is wont to spare his sonne that serueth him Where this word Spare is set for to beare with al or gētly to winke at faultes forasmuch as he also maketh mention of seruice And this affiance is not a litle necessarie for vs without which we shall go about all thinges in vaine For God accompteth himselfe to be worshipped with no worke of ours but which is truely done of vs for the worshipping of him But how can that be done among these terrors where it is douted whether God be offended or worshipped with oure worke And that is the cause why the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues referreth all the good workes that are red of in the holy fathers to faith and weyeth thē only by fayth Touching this libertie there is a place in the Epistle to the Romaines where Paule resoneth that some oughte not to haue dominion ouer vs bicause we are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace For when he had exhorted the faithfull that sinne should not reygne in their mortal bodie and that they should not geue theyr members to be weapons of wickednesse to sinne but shoulde dedicate them selues to God as they that are alyue from the deade and theyr members weapons of righteousnes to God and whereas they might on the other side obiect that they do yet carry with them the fleshe full of lustes and that sinne dwelleth in them he adioyneth that comforte by the libertie of the law as if he shold say Though they doo not yet throughly fele sin destroyed the righteousnes yet liueth not in thē yet ther is no cause why they shold feare be discouraged as though they had ben alwaidispleased with thē for the remnantes of sin forasmuch as they ar by grace made free from the law that theyr workes shuld not be examined by the rule of the law As for them that gather that we may sinne because we ar not vnder the law let thē know that this libertie perteineth nothing to them the ende wherof is to encourage to God The third part is that we be bound with no conscience before God of outward thinges which are by them selues indifferent but that we may indifferently sometime vse thē and sometime leaue them vnused And the knowledge of this libertie also is very necessary for vs for if it shal be absent there shal be no quiet to our consciences no ende of superstitions Many at this daye do thinke vs fonde to moue disputation about the free eating of fleshe about the free vse of dayes and garmentes and suche other smale trifles as they in dede thinke them but there is more weight in them than is commonlye thoughte For when consciences haue ones cast thē selues into the snare they entre into a long and combersome waye from whence they can afterwarde finde no easy way to get oute If a man beginne to doubt whether he maye occupye linnen in shetes shertes hankercheifes and napkines neither wil he be out of doubt whether he may vse hempe and at the last he wil also fal in doubt of maters for he will waye with himselfe whether he can not suppe without napkins whether he maye not be without handkerchifes If any man thinke deyntye meate to be vnlawful at length he shal not with quietnesse before the Lorde eate either brounebreade or common meates when he remembreth that he may yet susteine his body with bacer fode If he doute of pleasaunte wyne afterwarde he will not drinke deade wine with good peace of conscience last of al he wyl not be so bolde to touche sweter and cleaner water than other Finally at the length he wil come to this point to thinke it vnlawfull as the common sayinge is to treade vppon a strawe lying a crosse For here is begonne no lyghte stryfe but this is in question whether God will haue vs to vse these or those thinges whose will ought to guide al our counsels and doynges Hereby some must needes be carried with desperatiō into a confuse deuouryng pit some must despising God and casting away
because in the whole sede of Adam the heaueÌ„ly father founde nothing worthy of his election he turned hys eyes vnto hys Christ to thoose as it were members out of hys body them whome he would take into the felowship of lyfe Lett thys reson then be of force among the faythfull that we were therefore adopted in Christe into the heauenly inheritance because in our selues we were not able to receiue so greate excellence Whiche also he toucheth in an other place wheÌ„ he exhorteth the Colossians to geuing of thankes for thys that they were by God made fytt to be partakers of the estate of the holy If electioÌ„ goe before thys grace of God that we be made fitt to obteyne the glorie of the life to come what shall God hymselfe nowe fynde in vs wherby he maye be moued to elect vs My meaning shal yet be more openly expressed by an other sayeng of hys He hath chosen vs sayeth he ere the fundacioÌ„s of the world were layed according to the good pleasure of his will that we might be holy and vnspotted and vnreprouable in his sight where he setteth the good pleasure of God against al our deseruinges whatsoeuer they be That the profe may be more strong it is worth the labor to note al the partes of that place which being coupled together doe leaue no doute Where he nameth the elect it is no dout that he speaketh to the faithful as he also by and by afterwarde affirmeth Wherefore they doe with to fowle a glose abuse that name whiche wrest it to the age where in the Gospel was first published Where he sayth that they were elect before the beginning of the world he taketh away all respect of worthinesse For what reason of difference is there betwene them whiche yet were not and those which afterwarde should in Adam be egall Now if they be elect in Christ it foloweth that not only euery man is seuered without hymselfe but also one of them from an other forasmuch as we see that not al are the members of Christ. That which is added that they were elect that they might be holy plainly coÌ„futeth the error which deriueth election from foreknowlege forasmuch as Paule cryeth out against it and sayth that whatsoeuer vertue appeareth in men it is the effecte of electioÌ„ Now if a hyer cause be sought Paul answereth that God hath so predestinate yea and that according to the good pleasure of his will In which wordes he ouerthroweth whatsoeuer meanes of their electioÌ„ men do imagine in themselues For he also teacheth that whatsoeuer thinges God geueth towarde spirituall lyfe they flowe out of thys one fountaine because God hath chosen whom he would and ere they wer borne he had seuerally layed vp for them the grace which he vouchesaued to geue them But whersoeuer this pleasure of God reigneth there no works come to be considered He doth not here in dede pursue the comparison of coÌ„traries but it is to be vnderstanded such as he himselfe declareth He hath called vs sayth he with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to hys purpose and the grace which is geuen vs of Christ before the tymes of the world And we haue alredy shewed that al dout is takeÌ„ away in this which foloweth that we might be holy and vnspotted For if thou say because he foresawe that we should be holy therefore he chose vs thou shalt peruert the order of Paule Thus therefore thou mayest safely gather If he chose vs that we might be holy then he chose vs not because he foresawe that we would be such For these two thinges are contrarie the one to the other that the godly haue it of election that they be holy and that they come to it by meane of woorkes Neyther is their cauillation here any thing worth to which they commonly flee that the Lord doth not render the grace of election to any workes going before but yet graunteth it to workes to come For wheÌ„ it is sayd that the faythfull were chosen that they might be holy therewithall is signified that the holinesse which was to come in them toke beginning at election And how shall thys sayeng agree together that those thinges which are deriued from election gaue cause to election The same thing which he sayd he semeth afterwarde to confirme more strongly where he sayth According to the purpose of his wil whiche he had purposed in himselfe For to say that God purposed in hymselfe is as much in effect as if it had ben said that without himselfe he considered nothing wherof he had any regarde in decreing Therfore he by by addeth that the whole summe of our election tendeth to this ende that we shoulde be to the prayse of the grace of God Truely the grace of God deserueth not to be praysed alone in our electioÌ„ vnlesse our election be free But free it shal not be if God in electing his doe consider what shal be the workes of euery one Therfore we fynde that the whiche Christ sayd to hys disciples hath place vniuersally among al the faythful Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Where he not onely excludeth deseruinges past but also signifieth that they had nothing in themselues why they should be chosen if he had not preuented them then with hys mercie Lyke as thys sayeng of Paul is also to be vnderstode Who first gaue to him and shal receiue recompense For he meaneth to shewe that the goodnesse of God so preuenteth men that it fyndeth nothing in them neither past nor to come wherby he may be wonne to be fauourable to them Now to the Romaines where he fetcheth thys questioÌ„ further of and foloweth it more largely he denyeth that al they are Israelites which are issued of Israel because although by ryght of inheritance they were all blessed yet the succession did not egally passe to them al. The beginning of thys disputation proceded of the pryde and deceitful glorieng of the Iewishe people For wheÌ„ they claimed to themselues the name of the Chirch they would haue the credit of the Gospell to hang vpoÌ„ their wil as the Papistes at thys day would gladly wyth thys fained color thrust themselues into the place of God Paul although he graunt that the ofspryng of Abraham is holy by reson of the couenauÌ„t yet affirmeth that the most parte of them are strangers in it and that not onely because they â—warue out of kynde so that of lawful children they become bastardes but because the speciall election of God standeth aboue and reigneth in the hyest top which alone maketh the adoption therof sure If their owne godlinesse stablished some in the hope of saluation and their owne fallyng away alone disherited other some Paul verely should both fondly and vnconueniently lift vp the reders euen to the secrete election Now if the wil of of God the cause wherof neither appeareth nor is to be
abolished But those Bishops that haue abused suche goodnesse of princes to their owne cōmoditie haue by shewyng of this one exāple enough and to much testified that they are not Bishops For if they had had any sparcle of an Apostolike spirite they wold without doute haue answered out of the mouthe of Paule The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall But they beyng rauished with blynd gredinesse haue destroyed bothe them selues their successoures and the Chirche At length the Bishop of Rome not contented with meane lordships fyrst layde hande vpon kingdomes and afterwarde vpon the very empire And that he may with some color whatsoeuer it be reteine the possession gotten by mere robberie he sometime bosteth that he hath it by the lawe of God he sometime pretendeth the gift of Constantine sometyme some other title Fyrst I answer with Bernarde Admitte that he do by any other reason whatsoeuer claime this vnto hym yet he hath it not by Apostolike right For Peter coulde not geue that whiche he had not but he gaue to his successors that which he had the care of Chirches But when the Lorde and maister saieth that he is not appointed iudge betwene two a seruant and scholar ought not to thinke scorne if he be not iudge of all men But Bernarde speaketh of ciuile iugementes For he addeth Therfore your power is in crimes not in possessions because for those and not for these ye haue receiued the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen For whiche seemeth to thee the greater dignitie to forgeue sinnes or to diuide landes There is no comparison These base and earthly thynges haue kynges and princes of the earthe their iudges Why do ye inuade the boundes of other c. Againe Thou arte made a superior he speaketh to Pope Eugenius but wherunto Not to beare lordship I thinke Therfore howe muche soeuer we thinke of our selues let vs remembre that there is a ministerie laid vpon vs not a lordshyp geuen vs. Learne that thou hast nede of a wedehoke not of a scepter that thou mayste doo the worke of a Prophete Agayne it is playne Lordship is forbidden to the Apostles Goe thou therfore and presume to vsurpe to thy selfe either beeyng a lorde an Apostleshippe or beyng an Apostle a lordship And by and by after the forme of an Apostleship is this Lordshippe is forbidden them ministerie is bidden them Wheras these thynges are so spoken of a man that it is euidente to all men that the very truthe speaketh them yea where as the very thyng it selfe is manifest without all woordes yet the bishop of Rome was not ashamed in the Councell at Orleaunce to decree that the supreme power of bothe the swerdes belong to hym by the lawe of God As for the gift of Constantine they that be but meanly practised in the histories of those tymes nede not to be taught howe muche this is not only fabulous but also to be laughed at But to passe ouer histories Gregorie himself is bothe a sufficient and most full witnesse hereof For so oft as he speaketh of the emperor he calleth him most noble Lord and himselfe his vnworthy seruant Againe in an other place But lette not our Lord by the earthly power be the soner angry with the prestes but with excellent consideration for his sake whoe 's seruantes they be let him so rule ouer them that he also geue them due reuerence We see howe in common subiection he wold be accompted as one of the people For he there pleadeth not any other mans cause but his owne In an other place I trust in the almighty God that he wyll geue a long lyfe to our godly lordes and will dispose vs vnder your hande accordyng to his mercie Neither haue I therfore alleged these thynges for that it is my purpose throughly to discusse his question concernyng the gift of Constantine but only that the Reders should see by the way how chyldishly the Romanistes do lye when they go about to chalenge an erthly empire to their Bishop And so muche the more fowle is the shamelesnesse of Augustine Steuchus which in suche a despeired cause hath ben so bolde to selle his trauayle and tong to the Bishop of Rome Ualla as it was not hard for a man learned and of a sharp witt had strongly confuted that fable And yet as a man litle exercised in ecclesiasticall maters he had not sayde all that mighte haue made for that purpose Steuchus burst in and scattred stinkyng trifles to oppresse the clere light And truely he doeth no lesse coldly handle the cause of his master that if some mery conceited felow faynyng himself to do the same wold in dede take Uallaes part But verily it is a woorthy cause for whiche the Pope should hyre such patrones for money and no lesse worthy are those hyred losells to be deceyued of theyr hope of gayne as it hapened to Eugubinus But if any man require to knowe the tyme sins this fained empire began to ryse vp there are not yet passed fiue hundred yeares sins the Bishoppes yet remained in subiection of the princes neither was the Pope created without the authoritie of the Emperor The Emperor Henry the fowerth of that name a light and rashe man and of no forcast of great boldnesse and dissolute life gaue first occasion to Gregorie the .vii. to alter this order For when he had in his court the Bishoprikes of all Germanie partly to be sold and partly laid open for spoile Hildebrand whiche had receyued displeasure at his hande caught hold of a goodly color to reuenge himselfe But because he seemed to pursue an honeste and a godly cause he was furthered with the fauor of many And Henry was otherwise by reason of his insolent maner of gouernyng hated of the most part of princes At the length Hildebrand whiche called hymself Gregorie the .vii. as he was a filthy and naughty man bewrayed the malice of his harte which was the cause that he was forsaken of many that had conspired with hym But he thus much preuailed that his successors might freely without punishment not only shake of the yoke but also bryng Emperors in subiection to them Hereunto was added that from thense fourth there were many Emperors liker to Henrie than to Iulius Cesar whō it was no hard thing to subdue while they sate at home carelesse of all thinges and slouthful when they had most nede with vertue and lawfull meanes to represse the gredinesse of the Bishops Thus we see with what color that same goodly gift of Constantine is shadowed wherby the Pope fayneth that the Empire of the West was deliuered vnto him In the meane time the Popes cessed not somtime with fraude somtime with treason and somtime with force to inuade other mens dominions and the very citie it selfe which before was free within a hundred and thirty yeres or there about they broughte into their subiection till they grewe to the same