vndoubtedly he saith that glorying is excluded because wee can bring nothing of our owne which is worthy to be approued or commended of God If merite be the matter of glorying whether you terme it de congruo which is apt fitte or conuenient That is called merite de congruo when a man of his own good motioÌ„ proceeding naturally from him meriteth the firste grace which they call grace preuenting Merite de condigno when man being holpen by the firste grace doth make himselfe worthy of eternall life or whether you call it de condigno that is worthie whereby man recoÌ„cileth God vnto himself here thou seest they are both ouerthrowen For here he speaketh of no diminishing or moderating but Paule verily leaueth no droppe of merite Moreouer if the glorying of workes be so taken away by faith the faith cannot purely be preached but in giuing all vnto the mercie of God man must needes bee spoyled of all prayse it followeth then that wee are not holpen by any woorkes to the obteyning of righteousnesse Of woorkes How doth the Apostle here deny our merits to be excluded by the lawe seeyng before he proued our damnation out of the lawe For if the lawe make vs subiecte to death what glorie shall wee gette out of it Or rather doeth it not couer vs beeyng depriued of all glorye with shame or reproche But then hee shewed howe our sinne is layd open by the detection of the Lawe because wee are all fallen from the obseruation of it And heere hee meaneth if righteousnesse were in the lawe of woorkes our glorying were not excluded but because it is of fayth onely therefore we cannâ— chalenge nothinge to our selues for fayth receyueth all from God it bringeth nothing but a humble confession of neede or want And the Antithesis or contrarietye of fayth and woorkes is to bee noted wherein without addition woorkes are put vniuersally Therefore he neyther intreateth of ceremonies onelye nor yet of the externall shew of woorkes but comprehendeth all the merites of woorkes which can be imagined The name Lawe is giuen vnto fayth improperly but yet this darkeneth not the sence of the Apostle For his meaning is that when wee are once come vnto the rule of faith then all the glorie of woorkes is ouerthrowen as if hee shoulde saye the righteousnesse of woorkes veryly is commended in the lawe but faith hath a lawe of his owne which leaueth no righteousnesse in workes whatsoeuer they be 28 We haue determined therefore Now he gathereth the principall proposition as though it were now out of all controuersie adding also an explication For iustification by faith is made very cleere whiles woorkes are excluded by name Therefore our aduersaries at this day labour nothing more then that faith might be intangled with the merite of workes They confesse a man is iustified by faith but not by sole faith Yea in verie deede they place the power of iustification in charity howsoeuer in wordes they giue it vnto fayth But Paule in this place doeth make iustification so free that he maketh it euident howe in no sort it can stand with any merite of workes I haue shewed before why he nameth the workes of the lawe and also I haue declared those to be ridiculous whiche restrayne it vnto ceremonies Their imagination also is childish which take the works of the lawe for externall or literal workes which are done without the spirite of Christ But rather the Epitheton is as much of value as if he had called them meritorious How S. Iames saith a man is not iustified by faith onely because he hath regard vnto the roward promised in the law Whereas Iames sayeth a man is not iustified by faith onely but by works it is nothing coÌ„trary to the former sentence The reconciliation depeÌ„deth chiefly vpon the state of that argument of the which Iames intreateth in that place For in that place the question is not howe menne get vnto them righteousnesse before God but how they approue themselues to be iust For hee refuteth Hypocrites who glorie vainely in the title of faith It is therefore a grosse fallacie not to obserue how the word iustifie or iustifying is otherwise taken with Iames then with Paule as they intreate of diuers things And also the word faith most certainly appeareth to be equiuocal id est of ambiguous and doubtfull signification This twofolde ambiguity or doubtfulnesse ought is haue byn noted It may be gathered out of the text that Iames would nothing els then that a man is not made or approued iust by a dead faith excepte hee confirme his righteousnesse by woorkes Of which matter see our institutions 29 Is God the God of the Iewes only and not of the Gentiles also Yea euen of the Gentiles also 30 Seing there is but one God who shall iustifie the circumcision by faith and the vncircumcision by faith 29 Is God the God of the c. The second proposition sheweth how that righteousnesse doth no more appertayne vnto the Iewes then vnto the Gentiles And it was very necessary that should be vrged to the end place might be made for the kingdom of Christ through the whole world He doeth not therefore aske simply or precisely whither God bee the maker of the Gentiles which was knowen to be out of all controuersie but whether he would shew himselfe a Sauiour to them also or no. For after he hath matched all mankynde together and hath brought them all vnder the same condition if there be any difference amongst them it is of God and not of themselues The righteousnes of God in Christ is not tyed to one nation which haue all things like or equall amongst them So that if it be true God woulde haue all the people of the earth to be partakers of his mercy theÌ„ saluation and righteousnes which is necessary to saluation is extended vnto all Wherefore â—nder the name of God heere is an insinuation of that mutuall relation which often commeth to our sight in Scripture Iere. 30.22 I wil be your God you shal be my people For that God for a time did choose vnto himself a peculiar people that taketh not away the beginning of nature namely that all meÌ„ were made according to the image of God brought vp in this world vnto the hope of blessed eternity 30 Who iustifieth When hee saith some are iustified by faith other some of faith he seemeth to be delighted with the variety of speech in declaring the same matter that he might by the way gyrde the folly of the Iewes who imagine a difference betweene them and the Gentiles In the cause of iustification there is no difference between the Iewes and Gentiles when as in the cause of iustification there is no difference at al. For if men be made partakers of this grace by faith onely and there is one faith in them both it is childishnesse to make a variance or diuersitie where there is so great
be smitten with the terrour of Gods iudgement Therefore hee doth not onely conuince them of their iniquitie but also being cōuicted doth rouse them from their drowsinesse First of all hee condemneth all mankinde since the worlde began of ingratitude that in so excellent a workemanship they did not acknowledge the workemaster yea when they were constrained to acknowledge him they did not worthily honour his maiestie but prophaned violated the same with their vanitie So all men are proued giltie of impietie then the which there is no more detestable wickednesse And to the ende it might more plainely appeare that all men are fallen from the Lorde hee rehearseth the fylthie and abhominable woorkes whereunto euery where men are subiecte Which is a manifest argument that they haue degenerate frō God for as much as they are tokens of Gods wrath which appeare not but in the godlesse And because certaine of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles hauing couered theyr inward wickednesse with the cloake of outward holinesse did seeme vnreproueable of these impious workes And therefore were thought to bee exempted from the common condemnation the Apostle directeth his stile against that fained holinesse And because that visarde before men coulde not bee drawen from those pettie saints he reuoketh them vnto the iudgement of God whose eyes beholde the verie hidden thoughts Afterward hauing made a distribution he citeth the Iewes by themselues and the Gentiles also by themselues before the tribunall seate of God Hee taketh from the Gentiles that excuse of ignorance which they pretended For their conscience whereby they were sufficiently conuicted was vnto them in steede of a lawe Hee vrgeth the Iewes with that chiefly which they tooke for their defence namely with the written law wherof in as much they were proued to be transgressours they could not cleare themselues of iniquitie seeing the mouth of God had alreadie pronounced sentence against them Hee preuenteth also that obiection which might seeme to make for them videliz that the couenant of God which was vnto thē the marke of sanctification was violated vnlesse there were difference put betweene them and others Here first he teacheth that the title of the couenant made them nothing better then others seeing through their vnfaithfulnesse they were fallen from it Secondly least the constancie of gods promise should be in any part diminished he graunteth vnto them some prerogatiue by the couenant but such as consisteth in the mercy of God and not in their merite Then finally by the authoritie of the scripture he proueth al both Iewes and Gentiles to bee sinners where also he speaketh somwhat of the vse of the law Thus when he hath depriued all mankind both of the trust of their own vertue and also of the glory of righteousnes and throwen them downe with the seueritie of gods iudgement he commeth vnto that which he purposed namely that wee are iustified by faith shewing what faith that is and howe wee obteine thereby the righteousnesse of Christe Heerevnto hee addeth in the ende of the third Chapter a singuler sentence to beate downe the fiercenes of mans pride least he should aduaunce himself against the grace of God And also least the Iewes should hemme in the grace of God within the compasse of their nation he proueth by the way that it appertaineth to the Gentiles also In the 4. chap. he argueth frō an example which because it was cleere and therefore free from cauillations he putteth it downe to wit in Abraham who in as muche as hee is the father of the faithfull ought too bee in steede of a rule generall example Hauing therfore proued him to be iustified by faith he teacheth that the same way is to be holden of vs And heereupon hee inferreth by the comparing of contraries to followe that the righteousnesse of workes must vanish where place is giuen to the iustification of faith Which thing he proueth by the testimonie of Dauid who reposing all the blessednes of man in the mercy of God doth take this from works that they should make a man blessed After this hee handeleth that more at large whiche hee had briefly touched before namely that there is no cause why the Iewes shold aduance themselues aboue the gentiles who are partakers of the same felicitie with them seeyng the Scripture declareth righteousnesse to haue happened vnto Abraham when hee was vncircumcised In which place hee taketh occasion to intreate of the vse of circumcision After this he addeth that the promised saluation doth depend vpon the onely goodnes of God for if it depended vpon the law then could it neither bring peace vnto our consciences wherein it ought to be firmely rooted neyther were it like euer to come vnto his perfection Wherefore that it may be firme and sure in imbracing of it we are to consider the onely truth of God and not our selues and that after the example of Abraham who not considering himselfe did wholly set before him the power of God In the ende of the Chapter to the intent hee might more aptlye applye the alleadged example vnto the generall cause hee conferreth those thinges which on both sides are like In the fift Chapter after he hath touched the fruite effect of the righteousnes of faith he is almost wholly occupied in amplifications whiche serue to make the matter more cleere For by an argument taken from the greater he sheweth how great things we now being redeemed reconciled vnto God are to expect looke for at his hands through his loue which was so bountiful towards vs being sinners vtterly vndone cast away that he gaue vnto vs his onely begotten only beloued sonne After this he compareth sinne with righteousnes which commeth by free grace Christ with Adā death with life the law with grace Wherby he declareth that the infinite goodnes of God doth ouermatch our sins how great so euer they are In the sixte Chapter hee commeth vnto sanctification which we haue in Christ For our fleshe is prone assoone as it hath tasted a little of this grace to cocker wantonly his sins concupiscences as though it had now dispatched al. Therfore Paule on the contrary declareth here that we cannot bee partakers of righteousnes in Christ vnlesse also wee lay holde on sanctification Hee fetcheth his argument from Baptisme wherby we are admitted in the felowship of Christ therin we are buried together with Christ that being dead in our selues by his life wee might be raised vnto newnes of life Whereupon it ensueth that no man without regeneratiō can put on his righteousnes From hence he draweth exhortations vnto puritie and holines of life which necessarily ought to appeare in those who are translated from the power of sinne into the kingdome of righteousnes hauing cast away the wicked cockering of the flesh which seeketh a more licentious libertie of sinning in Christ Finally he doth briefly make mention of the abrogation of the law in abrogating wherof the new
thinke an example to bee propounded which prooueth that it appertaineth vnto the ceremonies onely But wee haue alreadie declared why Paule hath named circumcision For neither doe any other swell with the confidence of workes then hypocrites And wee know howe they glorye onely in eternall shewes Secondely circumcision in their iudgement was a certayne entraunce vnto the righteousnesse of the lawe therefore it seemed also to bee a woorke of great dignitie And whereas they fight out of the Epistle to the Galathians where when Paule handleth the same cause yet hee directeth his stile vnto ceremonies onely that also is not firme inough to obtaine that they woulde Sure it is Paul had to doe with such as did insence the people with a false beleeue or confidence of ceremonies That he might remoue or take this away hee doeth not conteine him selfe within the compasse of ceremonies neither disputeth hee specially of what valewe they are but he comprehendeth the whole lawe as may appeare by the places whiche are all of them deriued from that fountaine Paul speaketh here of workes without exception Suche also was the state of that disputation which was holden at Hierusalem amongst the disciples And it is not without cause we laboure to prooue Paul in this place without exception to speake of the whole lawe For the verye stile and maner of disputation which hee hath hither to followed and doeth still prosecute doeth sufficiently fauour vs and many places doe not suffer vs to thinke otherwise It is therefore a sentence notable amongst the chiefest that no man shall bee iustified by the keeping of the lawe Hee hath shewed the reason before and repeateth it againe straightwayes because all men together being conuicted of transgression are reprooued of vnrighteousnesse by the lawe Flesh without some speciall restraint signifieth man These two are contrary one to the other as wee shall see more at large in the processe to bee thought righteous by workes and to be guiltie of transgression This worde fleshe without any speciall consideration betokeneth men but that it seemeth after a sort to pretende a more generall signification After which maner more is expressed when one sayth all mortall men or all mortall creatures then if hee shoulde name all men as you may see with or at Gellius For by the Lawe Hee reasoneth from the contrarie that we haue not righteousnesse by the Lawe because it conuinceth vs of sinne and damnation seeing life and death proceede not foorth of the same fountaine And whereas he reasoneth from the contrary effect of the lawe that wee can not be iustified by it wee muste vnderstande his argument proceedeth or holdeth not except wee keepe this as an inseparable Though the law be the rule of righteousnes yet it profiteth nothing by reason of our corrupcion perpetuall accident that the lawe reuealing to man his sinne taketh from him the hope of saluation that way The Lawe truely by it selfe because it instructeth vnto righteousnesse is the way to saluation but our prauitie and corruption letteth that this way it profiteth nothing Nowe this must needes bee added in the seconde place whosoeuer is founde to bee a sinner hee is spoyled of righteousnesse For it is friuelous to faigne with Sophisters an halfe righteousnesse that workes shoulde partly iustifie But nothing is gotten on this behalfe for the corruption of man 21 But nowe is the righteousnesse of God made manifest without the lawe hauing witnes of the lawe and the prophetes 22 To witte the righteousnesse of GOD by the faith of Iesus Christe vnto all and vpon all that doe beeleeue 21 But nowe is the righteousnesse c. It is doubted in what sence hee calleth that the righteousnesse of God whiche wee obteine by fayth whither therefore because it onely consisteth or standeth in the sight of GOD or for that the Lorde doeth giue the same vnto vs of his mercie Because both interpretations agree well wee will contende on neither part What righteousnes is called the righteousnes of God and howe the same is reueiled with out the lawe id est workes He saith therfore that that righteousnes which God both communicateth vnto man and also embraceth only and acknowledgeth for righteousnesse is reueiled without the lawe that is without the ayde helpe or supportation of the lawe so that by the lawe is meant woorkes For it may not bee referred vnto doctrine which straightwayes hee citeth for the witnesse of free righteousnesse by faith Where as some restraine it vnto ceremonies shortly after I shall shewe that to bee vayne and colde It remayneth therefore that we knowe the merite of workes to be excluded Where also wee see howe hee mixeth not woorkes with the mercie of God But all opinion of workes being remooued and abolished he establisheth the onely mercie of God Neither am I ignorant that Augustine doth expounde it otherwise for he taketh the righteousnes of God for the grace of regeneration and hee confesseth this grace to bee free because the Lorde reneweth vs being vnworthie with his spirite And from this hee excludeth the workes of the lawe that is whereby men goe about without renouation of them selues in deserue God And I knowe well inough that certaine newe beholders and vewers of matters doe arrogantly pronounce this doctrine as though it were at this day reueiled vnto them But it shall appeare plainely by the text howe the Apostle without exception comprehendeth all woorkes All workes excluded from iustification yea euen those god worketh in vs. yea those which the Lorde woorketh in his For surely Abraham was regenerate and was led by the spirite of God at such tyme as hee denieth him to bee iustified by workes Therefore he excludeth from the iustification of man not onely those workes which are morrally good as commonly they terme them and which are done by the instinct of nature but also what woorkes so euer the faithfull can haue Secondly if that bee the definition of the righteousnesse of faith blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen the question is not of this or that kinde of woorkes but the merite of workes being done away onely remission of sinnes is put downe for the cause of righteousnesse They thinke these two agree well man to bee iustified by faith by the grace of Christ and yet notwithstanding to bee iustified by woorkes which doe proceede from spirtuall regeneration because both God doeth freely renewe and by faith wee receiue his gift But Paule taketh a farre other principle namely that the consciences of men are neuer quiet till they leane or reste vppon the onely mercie of God â— Cor. 5.19 Therefore in another place after he hath taught GOD to haue been in Christ that hee might iustifie men hee doeth also shewe the maner saying in not imputing to them their sinnes Gal. 3.12 Likewise to the Gallathians hee therefore maketh the lawe contrary to faith in respect of the effect of iustifiing because the lawe
against sinne death and Satan was gotten by his resurrection Hence also came righteousnesse newnes of life and the hope of blessed immortalitie And therefore oftentimes resurrection only is set before vs for our confidence of saluation not that it shoulde lead vs away from his death but because it testifieth the effecte and fruite of his death to bee briefe his resurrection conteineth in it his death Whereof we haue said somewhat in the vi chapter And also that Paule requireth not onely an historicall fayth but hee compriseth the ende thereof in the resurrection For wee must remember wherefore Christe rose againe namely that in raysing him the counsaile or aduise of God the father was to restore vs all to life For although Christe had this power of himselfe to take his soule againe yet notwithstāding this worke for the most part in the scripture is ascribed vnto God the father 10 For with the hearte man beleeueth vnto righteousnes This place may further vs to the vnderstanding of the iustification of faith For it declareth that wee are thereby iustified that we imbrace the mercy of God offered vnto vs in the Gospell hence therefore is it that wee are iuste because wee beleeue that God is gracious vnto vs in Christe But let vs note that the seate of faith is not in the head but in the hearte and yet I will not contend about that matter in what part of the body faith resteth but because the worde hearte is almost alway taken for a serious and sincere affection What faith is I say faith is a firme effectuall confidence and not a bare knowledge onely With his mouth man maketh confession vnto saluation It may seeme marueilous why hee should now attribute a portion of our saluatiō vnto confessiō hauing so often before this testified that wee are saued by faith onely But thereby it may not bee collected that confession is the cause of our saluation onely his minde is to shew how God doth perfect our saluation namely whiles he causeth faith with hee hath put into our harts to appeare forth by cōfessiō Yea his mind was simply to note which is true faith The nature of a true faith whence this fruite proceedeth least any shoulde pretende a vayne title of faith for it for true faith ought so to kindle the hearte with the studie of Gods glory that the flame thereof may appeare foorth And surely hee that is iustified euen nowe alreadie hath obteined saluation therefore the faith of the hearte maketh no lesse vnto saluation then the confession of the mouth Thou seest hee hath so distinguished that hee referreth the cause of iustification vnto faithe and in the second place sheweth what is necessarie for the consummation of saluation For neither can any beleeue but hee must confesse with his mouth and there is a necessitie of perpetuall consequence not which may ascribe saluation vnto confession But let them see what they can answere vnto Paule who at this day proudly boast vnto vs an imaginarie faith whiche beeing contente with the secrecie of the heart leaueth out confession of mouth as a superfluous thing For it is too childishe to saye there is fire there where there is neither flame nor heate 11 For the scripture saith euery one that beleeueth in him shall not bee ashamed 12 For there is no difference betweene the Iewe and the Grecian for hee that is Lorde ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him For whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shal be saued 11 For the scripture saith hauing noted the causes why God did iustly reiect the Iewes hee returneth to affirme or proue the calling of the Gentiles which is the other part of the question wherein hee is nowe conuersant Because therefore he had declared the way whereby men come vnto saluation and the same is no lesse common and open for the Gentiles then the Iewes Nowe adding first an vniuersall signe hee doeth plainely extende it to the Gentiles secondly he also calleth the Gentiles by name vnto it And hee repeateth that testimonie which he had alreadie alleadged out of Esay that his sentence might haue the more authoritie and also that it mighte appeare howe well the Prophecies spoken of Christe doe consent with the lawe 12 For there is no difference or respect c. If confidence or faith only bee required whersoeuer the same shal be founde there againe the loue of God shall shew foorth it selfe to saluation then shal be no difference or respect of kinred or nation And he addeth a most firme reason for if he who is the Creator maker of the whole world be the God of all men hee will shew himself louing to all who shall acknowledge and cal vpon him as God For seeing his mercy is infinite it cannot be chosen but that it should extend it selfe to all who craue or seeke for the same Rich is taken in this place actiuely for bountifull and beneficial Where we must note that the richnes of our father can not be diminished or decreased by his bountie and liberalite and therefore that wee haue nothing the lesse albeit he in rich others with the manifolde treasures of his grace The riches of God cannot bee decreased Therefore there is no cause why wee shoulde enuie one anothers prosperitie as if thereby wee lost or wanted any thing And albeit this reason of itselfe was strong enough yet hee confirmeth it by the testimonie of the Prophet Ioel because the vniuersall particle being expressed hee includeth all men together But the readers shal perceiue much better by the circumstance that that which Ioel vttereth doth agree with this place Ioel. 2.32 Acts. 2.24 and likewise that in the Acts Both because in that place he doth prophesie of Christe his kingdome and also hauing foretolde that the anger of God shoulde burn exceedingly in the middest of this his threatning he promiseth saluatiō to all who shal cal vpon the name of God Whereupon it followeth that the grace of God doth pearce euen to the very deapth of death so farre foorth as it be sought for thence that it is not to be denied the Gentiles 14 How then shall they cal vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whō they haue not heard and how shal they heare without a Preacher 15 But howe shall they preache except they bee sent according as it is written Howe bewtifull are the feete of them who bring tidings of peace who bring tydings of good things 16 But all haue not obeyed the gospell for Isaias saith Lorde who hath beleeued our speech 17 Therfore faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Heere I will not busie the reader ouer long in reciting and refuting other mens opinions Let euery mā vse his own iudgement and let it be lawfull for me freely to say what I thinke Therefore that you may vnderstande what is
taketh all excuse and hafting and the Iewes hee spoyleth of their false and vaine boasting It is therefore a certaine diuision or distribution of all mankinde into two members For God had seuered the Iewes from other nations and as for all other nations they were in one and the like case Nowe hee sheweth that that diuersitie hindereth nothing whereby they should not both bee intangled wrapped in the same giltinesse But the woorde person is vsed in the Scripture By person is meant whatsoeuer externall thing the world esteemeth for all external thinges which are wont to bee had in any price or estimation When thou readest therfore that God is no accepter of persons vnderstande that hee respecteth the puritie and inwarde innocencie of the heart and regardeth not those thinges Deut. 10.17 which men make great reckoning of Namely kinred countrie dignitie riches and such like so that acception is here taken for an election or separation of one nation from another or betweene nation and nation And if any herevpon do cauill that the election of God therefore is not free It may be answered that there is a two folde acception of man before God The first A twofoulde acception of man before God whereby of his mere goodnes hee chuseth vs being called from nothing seeing there is nothing in our nature that might be liked of him The seconde whereby when he hath regenerate vs hee also embraceth vs with his gifts that are in vs and loueth that image of his sonne which he doeth acknowledge in vs. 12 Whosoeuer haue sinned without lawe In the former part of his diuision hee setteth vpon the Gentiles to whom albeit there was no Moses giuen which might publish vnto thē the Lawe from the Lorde yet hee denieth that to hinder any whitte whereby they might not by sinning bring vppon them selues the iust iudgement of death as if hee shoulde say the knowledge of the written lawe is not necessarie to the iust condemnation of a sinner The knowledge of the written lawe is not necessarie to the iust condemnation of a sinner See therefore what kinde of supportation maintenaunce or bearing out they haue taken vpon them who through preposterous pitie vnder the pretence of ignoraunce goe about to exempt the Gentiles depriued of the light of the Gospel from the iudgement of God Who so haue sinned in the Lawe As the Gentiles whiles they are carried with the errours of their owne sence runne headlong in perdition so the Iewes haue the lawe at hande whereby they are iudged For the sentence was pronounced long agoe Deut. 27.26 cursed are all those which abide not in all the preceptes thereof Therefore the sinfull Iewes are in worse case whose damnation is alreadie in their lawe 13 For not the hearers of the lawe This is a preoccupation whereby hee preuenteth that exception whiche the Iewes might alleadge Because they hearde that the lawe was the rule of righteousnes they were proud of the bare knowledge thereof Which fallacie or deception that hee might refell hee denieth that the hearing or knowledge of the lawe hath any such waight that any shoulde pretende righteousnesse thereby but the workes must bee brought foorth according to that saying Hee that doeth these thinges shall liue in them Deut. 4.1 Therefore this present sentence auayleth thus muche if righteousnesse bee sought for by the lawe then must needes the lawe bee fulfilled because the righteousnesse of the lawe consisteth in the perfection of the works They with abuse this place to build or maintain the iustification of workes are worthie to be laughed to scorne of children They onely are iustified by the lawe which fulfill the lawe but none c. therefore none are iustified by the lawe therefore it were to no purpose also besides the matter here to thrust in a long discourse of iustification for the vnfoulding of so friuelous a cauillation For the Apostle onely vrgeth that vpon the Iewes which hee had mentioned before namely the iugdement of the lawe that they coulde not be iustified by the lawe except they fulfilled the lawe If they transgressed it then was the curse alreadie prepared for them We denie not but perfect righteousnesse is prescribed in the lawe but because all men are conuicted of transgression wee say that righteousnesse must be sought els where rather wee argue out of this place that no man is iustified by workes For if they onely which fulfill the lawe bee iustified by the lawe it followeth that none is iustified because that none is founde that can boast of the fulfilling of the lawe 14 For when the Gentiles which haue not the lawe doe by nature the thinges contayned in the lawe they hauing not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselues 15 Which shewe the effect of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnes their thoughts accusing one another or excusing 16 At the day when God shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel 14 For when the Gentiles Nowe hee repeateth the proofe of the former member For he thought it not sufficient to condemne vs by woorde and to pronounce the iust iudgement of God against vs but hee goeth about by reasons to conuince the same vnto vs to the ende he might the more stirre vs vnto the desire and loue of Christ For hee prooueth that ignorance is in vayne pretended of the Gentiles seeing by their deedes they declared them selues to haue no small rule of righteousnesse There is ingraffed naturally in the minds of all men a certaine conception of iustice For no people did euer at any tyme so abhorre from humanitie that they kept not them selues within some lawes In as muche therefore as all the Gentiles voluntarily and of them selues are inclined to make lawes vnto themselues it is out of all question that there are naturally graffed in the mindes of all men certaine conceptions of iustice and vprightnes which the Grecians Prolepseis Cogitations or deuises They haue therefore a lawe without the lawe because howesoeuer they haue not the written lawe of Moses yet they are not altogether voyde of the knowledge of ryght and equitie For otherwise they coulde not discerne betweene vice and vertue the one whereof they restrained by punishmentes the other they commended and being approued of them they honoured with rewardes Hee hath opposed nature to the written Lawe Meaning that there appeared in the Gentiles a naturall light of iustice which did supplie the place of the law whereby the Iewes were taught so that they were a Lawe vnto themselues 15 Which shewe the effect of the lawe c. That is to say they testifie that there is grauen in their heartes a certaine discretion and iudgement whereby they discerne betweene right and wrong honest and vnhonest For hee meaneth not that it was printed in their will that they shoulde couette and studiously seeke after it but because they were so
farre forth as it obteineth for vs the grace of God Neither doeth he onely pronounce God the giuer of righteousnesse but also condemneth vs of vnrighteousnes that the liberality of God might helpe our necessity To be briefe Faith adorneth vs with the righteousnes of Christ which it beggeth of God none shall come vnto the righteousnesse of faith but he that is a sinner in himselfe For this circumlocution is to be applied vnto the circumstaunce of the place that faith doth adorne vs with the righteousnesse of another which righteousnes it beggeth of God And here agayne God is saide to iustifie vs whiles he doth freely pardon vs being sinners and doth loue vs with whom he might iustly be angrye namely whiles by his mercy he doth away our vnrighteousnes 6 Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednesse of man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without works saying 7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen whose sinnes are couered 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lorde imputeth not sinne 6 As Dauid c. Here wee may see they doe but cauil which woulde hemme in the woorkes of the lawe with in the compasse of ceremonies Seing he now calleth them simply and without any additiō works As works are here taken indefinitely for all workes so in the whole disputation which he called before the works of the law If no man can deny but a simple vnlimited speeche suche as we haue now in hand is indifferently to be vnderstood of euery woorke the same must alway hold in the whole disputation For there is nothinge lesse reasonable then to take the power or force of iustification away from ceremonies onely seeing Paule doeth indefinitely exclude workes Heereunto apperteyneth the contrary member that God doeth iustifie men by not imputing their sinne In whiche woordes also wee are taught that righteousnesse with Paule is nothing els then the remission of sinnes Lastly that this remission is free because it is imputed without woorkes which the verie name of remission sheweth For that creditoure or lendour whiche is paide doeth not remitte but hee which willingly of meere liberalitie doeth cancell or rase out the debte Away nowe with those teach vs to redeeme pardon of our sinnes by satisfactions from which remission of sinnes Paule fetcheth an argument to establishe the free gift of righteousnes For howe is it possible they shoulde agree with Paule they say by woorkes wee must satisfie the iustice of God that wee may obtayne pardon of our sinnes On the contrary Paule reasoneth that the righteousnesse of fayth is free and without workes because it dependeth vpon the remission of sinnes This were vndoubtedly a false argument if in the remission of sinnes there were any regarde or respect vnto woorkes at all In like sort by the same wordes of the prophete the follie of the Schole men is refuted touching halfe remission They babble that the fault being remitted the punishment is reteined of God but the Prophete he crieth that our sinnes are not onely couered that is taken awaye in the sight of God but also hee addeth they are not imputed How shall God take punishment of those sinnes hee doth not impute therefore there remaineth sound vnto vs God forgiueth not onely the fault but also the punishment this most excellēt sentence he is iustified by faith who is purged or clensed before God by the free remission of his sinnes Moreouer hence may be gathered the perpetuall continuance of free righteousnes or iustification through the whole life For when Dauid being weried with the continuall sting of his conscience burst foorth into this saying he spake surely by his owne experience And now also he had serued God many yeeres Therfore after great proceedings or goings forward at the lēgth he proued it by experience true that all they are miserable which are cited before the iudgement state of God crying out there is none other way to obteine blessednes then if the Lorde receiue vs into fauour by not imputing our sinnes Whereby the imagination of those is verye well refuted which dreame that the righteousnesse of faith is but the entrance so that the faithfull by woorkes retayne the possession of righteousnes Righteousnes not only begun but also continued by faith which righteousnes they did not obteyne by any merites Where as some times workes are saide to be imputed vnto righteousnes and also other beatitudes are reckoned that doth nothing preiudice the sentence of Paul The psal .. 106.30 Psa 106.30 saith it was imputed for righteousnes vnto Phinees the priest of the Lorde that in taking punishment vpon the adulterer and the harlot hee tooke away the reproche of Israell In deede we heare in this place howe a man did a good woorke but wee knowe a man is not iustified for one deede For there is required a perfect and most absolute obedience as the promise saith He that shall doe these shall liue in them Leuit. 18.5 Howe then is this punishment of Phinees imputed vnto him for rigteousnesse surely it must needes bee he was iustified before by the grace of God For they which haue put on the righteousnes of Christ haue God not onely fauourable to them selues How righteousnes is sometime giuen vnto workes but also to their woorkes whose spots moles are couered with the puritie of Christ that they come not into iudgement whereby workes being infected with no corruptions are counted iust and that no woorke of man can any otherwise then by this fauour please God it is euident And if the righteousnes of faith be the onely cause why our works are counted iust see then how sottishly they reason because righteousnes is giuen to workes it is not of faith onely But I oppose an inuincible argument against them namely that all works are condemned for vnrighteous except a man be iustified by sole faith The like is to be vnderstood of blessednes they are denounced blessed which feare the Lord Psal 128.1 Psal 1.2 and walke in his wayes Which meditate in his law day and night but because no man doth that in such perfection as were meete that the commaundement of God might be fully satisfied al such blessednes is voide of none effect vntill that we being purified and clensed by the remission of sinnes be made blessed and so are made capable of that blessednes which the Lord promiseth for his seruants for the studie of the Lawe and good workes Therefore both righteousnesse of workes is an effect of the righteousnesse of fayth and the blessednesse commeth of workes an effect of the blessednes with cōsisteth in the remission of sinnes If the cause neither ought neither can be destroyed of his effect they goe ill fauouredly to woorke if any goe about to ouerthrowe the righteousnesse of fayth by workes But why may not a man will some say by those testimonies contend to proue a man to bee iustified and also made blessed through woorkes
and horrible confusion doeth thrust it selfe in all abroade yet the saluation of manie abydeth shut vp vnder the seale of GOD. But least any vnder this pretence should cocker their slouthfulnes as many doe seeke lurking places for their vices from the secrete preseruatiō of God we must marke agayne Who are saue◠that they are said to be saued who abide soūd vndefiled in the faith of God And also the circumstance of iudgemēt is to bee noted namely that those are they abyde safe who haue not so muche as by outwarde dissimulation prostrated their bodies to the woorshippe of Idols For he doeth not only giue vnto them the puritie of mynde but also that they haue kepte their bodies vndefiled from all vncleannesse of superstition 5 Euen so then at this present time He applyeth the example vnto his time and to the end he might make al things like he calleth them a remnant namely in comparison of that greate number whose eyes were set vpon vngodlinesse Although together alluding vnto that testimonie of Esay he alleadged before he sheweth that yet in a miserable and confused desolation the faith of God shined because there remayned some remnant And that he might confirme that more surely he doeth precisely cāll those remnauntes who being left by the grace of God doe testifie that the election of God is immoueable as the Lorde saide to Elias when the whole people was fallen to Idolatrie that he had reserued those seuen thousand Whereby is gathered that through his benefite they were preserued frō perishing Neither doth he simply preach grace but now also he calleth vs vnto election that we might learne reuerently to depend vppon the secrete counsell of God One proposition therefore is that but a few are saued in comparison of the great number of them take vnto themselues the name of the people of God Another that those are saued whom he hath chosen without respect of merite For election of grace after the Hebrue manner is put for free election 6 If by grace now then not of workes This is an amplification taken from the comparing of contraries for suche is the case betweene the grace of God and the merite of workes that he which mainteyneth the one ouerthroweth the other Againe if no consideration of workes can be admitted in election which doth not obscure the free goodnes of God which he would haue so greatly commended vnto vs therein let those phrensie persons which make the dignitie which God foresaw in vs the cause of election see what they will answeare vnto Paule For whither you shall giue place vnto workes to come or past this sentence of Paule will alway crye out against you whiche sayth that grace leaueth no place for woorkes Paule doth not here dispute onely of our reconciliation with God neither of the meanes or next causes of our saluation but he ascendeth higher namely why God before the world was made some being reiected did onely choose other some And he denieth that God was brought hereunto by any other cause then his meere pleasure Looke howe much is giuen vnto workes in iustification so much is taken from grace For if any place be giuen vnto workes so much he proueth to bee taken from grace Whereby it followeth that the foreknowledge of workes is wickedly mixed with election For if God haue chosen some reiected other some as he foreknew them to be worthy or vnworthy of saluation now the merite or wages of works being put downe the sole grace of God shall not raigne but shall onely be in halfe parte cause of election For as Paule reasoned before in the iustification of Abraham where wage is payde there grace is not freely giuen so nowe he taketh an argument from the same fountaine if works come in to be a cause when God adopteth a certayne number of men vnto saluation then wage is due and therefore it is not a free benefite And although he speake here of election yet because it is a general reason which Paule vseth heere it ought to bee extended vnto the whole cause of our saluation that we might knowe it is so often sayde there is no merite of workes as our saluation is attributed to the grace of God or rather that we might beleeue the righteousnes of works is so often brought to nothing as grace is named 7 What then Israel hath not obtayned that he sought but the election hath obtained it the rest haue beene blynded 8 As it is written God hath geuen them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they shoulde not heare vnto this day 9 And Dauid saith let their table be made a snare and a net and a stumbling blocke euen for a recompence vnto them 10 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not and bow downe their backe alway 7 What then Because he was occupied here in a harde question he maketh a demand as though he doubted Yet by this kind of doubting he goeth about to make the answere which followeth more certaine for he insinuateth that no other cā be giuen And that is namely that Israel in seeking saluation laboured in vaine because he wēt about it by a preposterous study Although he make here no mention of the cause yet seeing he had expressed it before assuredly he woulde also haue it vnderstood in this place For his wordes are as much as if he said now it ought not to seeme straunge that Israel in striuing vnto righteousnesse hath profited nothing And thence is that brought to passe whiche he addeth straightwaies of election For if Israel hath obteined nothing by merite what haue others obteyned whose cause or condition was no better Whence commeth so great difference amongst equals Here who doth not see it is election only which maketh the difference And the signification of this word is doubtful For it seemeth vnto some to be taken collectiuely for the elect Election put for the elect themselues that the partes of the contrarietie may agree among themselues whose sentence I dislike not so that also they graunt vnto me that there is somewhat more in this worde then if he had saide the elect namely that he might inferre howe there was none other cause of obteyning then election as if he said not they who labour trusting to their merits but they whose saluation dependeth vppon the free election of God for he doth precisely compare that remnant whiche was saued by the grace of God with all Israel or the whole bodie of the people Whereby it followeth that the cause of saluation resteth not in men but in the meere good pleasure of God The rest haue beene blinded As the elect onely are deliuered from perishing by the grace of God so who so are not elected must needes remaine in blindnes For this is the meaning of Paul that touching the reprobate the beginning of ruine and condemnation is hence that they are forsaken of God The testimonies