helper But none can be helped but he which doth somewhat The Manichies bereeued man of all dooing and made him as a stocke or a stone Secondly I make that in the regenerated there remayneth infirmitie For asmuche as sin dwelleth in vs and the fleshe fyghteth againste the spirite in the regenerated euen to the ende of our lyfe the regenerated performe not their purposes altogyther withoute incomberance These thinges are confirmed by the Apostle in the seuenth to the Romanes and in the fift to the Galathians And therfore that freedome of oure wyll is weake by reason of the dregges of the olde Adam and of the corruption that is bred and borne with man and remayneth in vs euen to the ende of our lyfe Notwithstanding for asmuch as the strength of the fleshe and the remnants of the old man are not so effectuall as vtterly to quenche the working of Gods Spirite therefore the faithfull are saide to be free but yet so as they acknowledge their owne weakenesse and boast not at all of the freedome of their will For the faithfull must euer beare in minde this saying which Saint Austin harpeth vpon so muche out of the Apostle Mar. 11. what hast thou which thou hast not receyued and if thou haue receyued it why bostest thou as though thou haddest not receyued Moreouer the thing that I had determined doth not foorthwith come to passe For the fallings out of things are in gods hand And thervppon S. Paule prayeth the Lord to prosper his iourney Rom. 1. Therefore euen in that respect mans freewill is weake Neuerthelesse no man denieth but that bothe the regenerated and the vnregenerated haue freewill in outwarde things For man hath this propertie common to him with all other liuing things to whome he is not inferiour namely to will some things and to nill other some So can he speake or holde his peace and goe abrode or tarie at home howbeit that euen in this behalfe an eye must always be had to Gods power whiche caused that Balaam coulde not attayne to the mark that he shot at nor Zecharie speake as he woulde haue done when he came out of the Temple In this case I condemne the Manichees which denie that mans freewill when he was good was the beginning of euill vnto him Also I condemne the Pelagians which say that an euill man hath sufficient free will to do a good commaundement For they be disproued by the holy scripture which sayth vnto the one sort God made man righteous and vnto the other if the sonne make you free then are you free in deede Of the true iustification of the righteous By the worde Iustifie the Apostle in his discourse of iustification Rom. 8. betokeneth the forgiuing of sinnes the acquiting of men from gilt and punishment the receyuing of them into fauour and the pronouncing of them to be righteous For the Apostle sayth to the Romanes It is God that iustifieth who shal then condemne There Iustifying is matched agaynst Condemning Act. 13. And in the Acts of the Apostles the Apostle sayth By Christe the releasing of your sinnes is preached vnto you and of all the thinges from which you could not be iustified by the Lawe of Moyses by him is euery one that beleeueth iustified For in the Lawe and the Prophets also we reade in this wise Deu. 25. If variance rise betweene man and man and they come to iudgement let the iudges iudge them and let them iustify the ryghtuos and condemne the vngodly And in the fift of Esay it is sayde woo be to them that iustify the vngodly for rewardes Nowe it is most certeyne that by nature all of vs are sinners and vngodly and cast and conuicted of wickednesse and condemned to die before Gods iudgement seate and that we be iustifyed that is to say released or set free from sin and death by God the iudge onely for Christes sake and not for anye desert or respect of oure owne For what is more manifest than this saying of Saint Paules Rom. 3. All men haue sinned and are destitute of Gods glorie but are iustified freely through his grace by the redemption that is in Christe Iesus For Christ toke vppon him the sins of the worlde and toke them away and satisfied Gods Iustice God therfore only for Christes passion and resurrections sake is mercifull to oure sins and layeth them not to oure charge but imputeth Christs ryghtuousnesse vnto vs as oure owne so as henceforth we be not onely clensed and purged from oure sinnes or made holie but also rewarded withe Christes ryghtuousnesse 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 4. and so consequently set free from sin death or condemnation and finally made ryghtuous and heires of the endlesse lyfe Therefore to speak properly only God iustifieth vs and onely for Christes sake doth he iustifie vs not imputing our owne sins vnto vs but imputing vnto vs Christs rightuousnesse Rom. 3. And bycause we receiue this iustification not by any workes but by trust in Gods mercy and in Christ therfore I teache and beleeue with the Apostle that the sinner is iustifyed by onely fayth in Christ and not by the law or by any workes For the Apostle sayth Rom. 4. I am of opinion that a man is iustified by fayth without the deedes of the law Againe if Abraham were iustifyed by workes he hathe whereof to boast but not before God Gen. 15. For what sayeth the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was reckened vnto him for rightuousnesse Now vnto him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is imputed to him for rightuousnesse And againe you be saued by grace through fayth that not of yourselues but it is gods gift Not by works least any man shoulde glory Ephe. 2. For asmuche then as fayth receyueth Christ our righteousnesse and imputeth all things to Gods free fauour in Christ therfore is iustification fathered vpon fayth howebeit for Christes sake and not bicause it is our worke for it is the gifte of God But that we receyue Christ by fayth the Lorde himselfe sheweth by many words in the sixth of Iohn where he putteth eating for beleeuing and beleeuing for eating For like as we receiue foode by eating so doo wee participate of Christe by beleeuing Therefore I deuide not the benefite of Iustification partly to Gods grace or to Christ and partly to our selues or to our owne charitie and works or to our owne deseruing But I attribute it wholly to Gods free fauor in Christ by fayth Besides this our loue and works could not please God if they were done of vs beeing yet vnrighteous and therefore it behoueth vs to be first iustified before we can loue or doo good works But we be iustified as I sayde afore by fayth in Christe through the onely grace of God who imputeth Christes ryghtuousnesse to vs and not our owne sinnes and consequently imputeth oure beleeuing in Christ vnto
ground-worke of this Gospell P The sonne of God who was made of the seede of Dauid only as perteyning to the fleshe and in respect of his manhod and therwithall was shewed to be the sonne of God with singular power through the sanctifying spirite R. Wherin appeared this Godhead of Gods sonne or by what meanes P. In the raysing vp of the dead from their graues or by the rising agayne of our Lord Iesus Christ who both rose agayne himselfe from the dead and also called other men agayne vnto life R. I acknowledge here a wonderfull description of the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is bothe very man and the very sonne of God Now I pray you shew who called you to this office of preaching the Gospell R. The very same Christ our sauiour by whose goodnesse I obteyned the office of Apostle R. I pray you what is the end of this function P. To cause the people of all countreys to submit themselues and to be obedient to the faith which we preach eueriwher in the name of our said lord Into the which number coÌ„pany you Romanes also are admitted called by Iesus christ Therfore vnto you al which dwel at Rome which ar both derebe loued of god choseÌ„ to liue in godlines and holynesse I wishe peace and euerlasting happinesse from God him selfe the heauenly father and from our lord Iesus Christ his only begotten sonne ¶ The entraunce into the Epistle R. Hitherto ye haue layde foorth the title of your Epistle wherein you haue shewed vs who you are to whome you write and finally what you intende to set downe vnto vs namely the Gospell concerning the sonne of God Nowe remayneth that we come to she whole body of the Epistle and first if it please you set downe the state and grounde of the whole Epistle in fewe words that I may the easlyer conceiue the whole matter and beare it in remembraunce P. To be shorte the drifte of the whole Epistle is this to shewe all men indifferently the two cheefe poynts of ReligioÌ„ namely the doctrine of fayth and the doctrine of good conuersation proceeding out of fayth bycause that all the thinges which are conteyned in the holie scriptures may easly be referred too those two And furthermore I take him not to be the worst learned man which hath learned the true maner bothe of beleeuing rightly and of dooing well R. In what order handle you these thinges P. First I teache what is to be beleeued and afterwarde by what deedes godlinesse is to be shewed and exercised For the works that are called good beeing destitute voyde of true faith notwithstanding that to outward shew they be excellent and prayseworthie haue nothing in them but a fading glosse of glittering brightnesse But God the sercher of the inward thoughtes laugheth them to scorne setteth light by them as things that proceede not of fayth R. What order keepe you afterwarde in laying foorth the fayth P. Euen this that I deuide it as it were into two places Whereof the one sheweth the way whereby men knowing themselues to bee giltie and enemies to God may neuerthelesse recouer his fauour and repayre his good will as it were after banishment which place if you thinke good we will call the place of IustificatioÌ„ And afterward I shew that all mankinde may without difference inioy this benefite of attonement and Gods fauor by the force of faith which the Lorde bestowed vpon men from heaueÌ„ whether they be GeÌ„tiles or Iewes Whiche place let vs call the treatise of Gods election or of the calling of the Gentiles R. I like very well of this kind of teaching Therfore it is to be wished that all the professers of true religion should set aside the manifolde intanglings and great windlasses of curious questions and specially the great number of mens forgeries and inuentions and imploy their whole minde about these so needefull things But now let vs come to the entraunce of the first treatise P. In this entraunce I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christe for you all vvhose fayth is blazed abrode ouer all the vvorlde vvith so greate prayse For God vvhome I serue in preaching the Gospell of his sonne is my witnesse that I make mention of â—ou without ceassing and haue alwayes mynded you in my prayers that by Gods leaue I myght one tyme or other happen to haue a prosperous iourney vnto you R. All men for the most part are wont to visite this Citie eyther to beholde the greatnesse of it and the beautie of our buildings or else to seeke gayne But I hope that some other honest cause brought you hither P. Yea in deede For mine onely desire was to see you that I might impart some spiritual gifts vnto you to strengthen you withall R. As who should say Paul that you knowe not how there are no smal number heere indewed with Gods spirite which were able though you were away not onely to lay the foundation of oure faythe by their exhortations but also to increase it and to buylde it vppe too the roofe by their teaching P. I know that welinough Therfore my meaning was not more to strengthen you than to take comfort among you through mutual fayth both yours and mine R. But the necessitie of these bondes seemeth rather to haue brought you hither by force than your owne good wil specially forasmuche as ye coulde finde in your harte to trauell so long in other places P. Nay rather my brother I would yee shoulde be well assured that I oftentymes purposed vpon this iourney vnto you that I might I say reape some frute among you as well as I haue done among the rest of the Gentyles but stayed by reason of lettes and hinderances vnto this day R. But wheruppon springeth this your so greate earnestnesse and desyre to publish the Gospell P. Euen of myne office For inasmuche as I am appoynted to be an Apostle it is my duetie to think my selfe a detter of all that I can doo bothe to the Greekes and to the Barbarous and both to the wise and to the vnwise alike For this cause I was desirous and still am desirous with all my harte to preache the Gospell with a readie and cherefull minde to you also that dwell at Rome R. Yet am I wont to maruell that you will teache the Gospell in these bondes and forlorne prison seeing that euery man of power and wisdome dothe so stifly gaynsay it and cheefly seeing that so fewe followers of this learning are to be found in this most renowmed citie P. Other men may for mee through vnskilfulnesse ignorance set lesse by the Gospell than they ought to doo But I who am well acquainted with the excellencie of so great a thing am no whit at all ashamed of it For out of all doubt the Gospel is the power of God that bringeth saluation to all beleuers first to the Iewes after to the grekes R.
such a sort that Gods glory was shed from them into Gods people as from a most plentifull storehouse For so doth that worde of God by taking fleshe vpon him not onely shrewd vs from the curse of the law but also sheeld vs defend vs from it and giueth vs most certeine assurance of Gods louing kyndnes if we put our trust in his blud For he is succeeded as our souerein king and euerlasting preest in sted of Moyses and Aaron But shew me wherfore God did cast so great good will to mankind P. Doubtlesse euen for this cause that hee had determined to shew his ryghtuousnesse more bryght than the daylight to mortall men in tyme too come both in forgyuing all mens offences which almightie God hath of his owne incredible mercifulnesse eyther discountenanced or borne wyth vnto this day and also in pardoning wyping away of their sinnes which are still yet alyue or shall heereafter draw this common breth that therby it may appeare openly to all men that God is ryghtuous not onelye bycause hee himselfe is indewed with rightuousnes but also bycause he sheadeth oute his ryghtuousnesse into the minds of them that put and settle their whole trust in his Christ R. I beleeue it to be verely so Therefore it behoueth that so great a benefite to be borne alwaies in remembrance of those too whome Gods goodnesse hath graunted to inioy Christ as their prophet to teache them the wyll of the heauenly father as their high preest which hath with his owne bloud sealed vp the couenant made betweene the father and vs and as their moost mighty King to sit in our mynds and to gouerne vs by his spirit P. You see then what are the causes of mans saluation Now therefore if a man shoulde aske a Iew whether he thought that there were any thing left him wherein he eyther could or should glorie what myght he answere Nay rather if it please you answere you for him and vtter what you thinke R. Nothing so God help me I se nothing why he should be loftyminded or boast himself or his prerogatiue For all cause of boasting is shut out P. Againe if I shoulde aske him whether the Israelites haue any such vauntage by the law it selfe the rule of good deedes that they shoulde thinke themselues better than all other nations or whether the glittering woorkes of the Iewes can haue so great force as iustly to set them in such a iollitie I pray you what would he say to it R. I beleeue he woulde be more dum than a fishe as the prouerbe sayth For how can any doinges of men eyther he or seeme to be so muche worthie before God P. Therefore it is meete that all mankinde should be ridde of all selfe weening pryde stubbornesse and boasting by the doctrine of fayth and be driuen of necssitie to yeeld the whole glory of all things vnto God alone R. Doubtlesse I thinke that to be out of all controuersie P. Therefore it is too be beleeued than the whiche nothinge can be sayde or deuised more holie or true that menne are counted and made ryghtuous and adopted of the heauenly father into the number of his children by fayth without the woorks of the law or without desertes that spring of mens deeds R. If the way to ryghtuousnesse too saluation and to euerlasting lyfe be opened vnto men by fayth and not by the law there is no cause why the Iewes should repyne at the Gentyles or enuy them P. None at all For which of them is so blockishe or ignorant of things belonging to God as to imagin in his mind that God is the God of the Iewes onely and not of all other nations also Out of doubt god is the god of al people and nations and will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowing of him 1. Ti. 2.4 R. Then doth it follow that there is no odds betweene circumcision and vncircūcision as in respect of saluation P. Surely they be both in one cace or both alyke bycause that for asmuch as God is but one and the onely creator of all men alyke he doth also kepe one selfe same maner of sauyng mankynde For he iustifieth the circumcised by fayth and accepteth the vncircumcised for rightuous by fayth taketh them for his owne R. But heere is a doubt greeueth me that you seeme to pull downe vtterly the law and the dignitie thereof by the doctrine of fayth P. It is nothing so For we be so far of from purposing to ouerthrow the law by fayth that we indeuer to strengthen vphold and stablish it most of all thereby which thing I will shew moost euidently in conuenient place For seeing that Christ is the ende the performing and the vtmost poynt of the law and that the law is as a certeine scholing and trayning of men vnto Christ as the which yeeldeth not wherewith to fulfill Gods commaundements but only sheweth the necessitie of fulfilling them I beseech you how greatly is the law beautified and aduanced by fayth when by the doctrine of faith we shew the way to performe the lawe by the spirit of Christ R. Syr Cha. 4.1 you haue spoken ynough of the law more truely in myne opynion than men will well lyke of But we will say more of this heereafter You knowe of how greate authoritie Abraham was alwayes among the Israelites for his good workes sakes And yet notwithstanding all that dignitie shall seeme to fall to the ground if he obteined no rightuousnesse and innocencie by his owne procurement Or else poynt you me oute some fruite of those good workes wherwith he was adorned P. I graunt that Abraham had gotten no small glorie and commendacion of ryghtuousnesse to himselfe by hys good Godly and well ordered doinges if he had become ryghtuous by his woorkes But yet then shoulde this prayse haue rested eyther in him selfe or haue taken place alonely amonge men but not at all before God R. I pray you shew by what meanes that came to passe P. Truely the holie scriptures shew it inough and more than inough Ge. 15.9 Gal. 3.6 Ja. 2.23 For thus is it written Abraham beleeued God and that true fayth of hys vvas reckened to hym for ryghtuousnesse R. I acknowledge the recorde of the old testament and imbrace it with both my handes But whereto tendeth it P. You shal heare Consider the state and circumstance of that tyme. For as yet the lawe was not whiche was afterwarde gyuen by Moyses in somuche that what soeuer Abraham dyd at that tyme he ought not to father it vppon the law written Therfore he could not glorie of the performyng of the lawe And for that cause God by that saying of hys affirmeth that Abraham was iustified at his hand by fayth R. Thinke you the whole matter to be dispatched with this one argument P. No But you shall vnderstande the whole cace the better if we compare the wages wyth the gyfte For
vs for ryghtuousnesse Furthermore the Apostle doth very apparently deryue loue from fayth 2. Tim. 2 saying the ende of the commaundement is loue from a pure harte good conscience and vnfeyned fayth Therefore in this cace I speake not of a feyned empty ydle or dead fayth but of a lyuely and quickening fayth which for Christs sake who is our lyfe and quickeneth vs whom it taketh hold of both is and is sayde to be lyuely so sheweth it selfe to be by lyuely workes No whit at all therefore is S. Iames contrary to this doctrine Jam. 2. forsomuch as he speaketh of an empty and dead fayth which some men did boast of whereas they had not Christ lyuing in theÌ„ by fayth The same Iames in saying that workes iustify is not contrary to Paule for then were he to be reiected but he sheweth that Abraham vttered a liuely and iustifying faith by his works which thing all the godly do who notwithstanding trust all only vnto Christ and to no woorkes of their owne For the Apostle hath sayd againe Now doo not I lyue but Christe lyueth in me The lyfe that I nowe lyue in the fleshe I lyue by beleeuing in the sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me I hold no skorne of Gods grace For if ryghtuousnesse come by the lawe then hath Christ dyed in vaine Of Gods predestinating and chosing of the Saints God from euerlasting hathe freely of his owne meere goodnesse without any respect of men Eph. 1. predestinated or chosen the Saintes whom he intendeth to saue in Christ according to this saying of the Apostle God chose vs in him before the foundations of the worlde were layde And againe Which saued vs and called vs with a holy calling 2. Tim. 1 not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and free fauour which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before all tymes but disclosed nowe by the appearing of oure Sauiour Iesus Christ So then Gods choosing of vs is not withoute a meane though it be not for any desert of ours but in Christ and for Christ so that they whiche are now greffed into Christ by fayth are the selfe same also whiche are chosen and the reprobates or castawayes are those that are out of Christe according to this saying of the Apostle Try your selues whether you be in the fayth or no. Knowe ye not your selues 2. Cor. 13 how that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse perhappes you be castawayes Finally God hath chosen the Sayntes in Christe to a certen ende which the Apostle declareth in that he sayth Ephe. 12. he hath chosen vs in him to the ende we shoulde be holy and vnrebukable through loue before hym which did predestinate vs afore hande in himselfe to adopte vs to be his children through Iesus Christ to the glory of his grace And although God know whiche are his and that in some places mention is made of the fewenesse of the chosen yet oughte we to hope well of all men Phl. 1 and not to be rash in reckening any man to be a reprobate Surely Paule to the Philippians saith I thank God for you all he speaketh of the whole churche of the Philippians that you are come to the communion of the Gospell assuring my self that he which hath begon the good worke in you will also go through with it and meete it is that I should so thinke of you all And in the xiij of Luke when the Lord was asked whither few should be saued he answereth not that there shal be few or many saued or daÌ„ned but rather counseleth euery of them to stryue to get in at the narrow gate as if he had sayde it is not for you to be curious in serching of these things but rather to indeuer to go into heauen by the narrowe way Therefore I lyke not the vngodly speeches of some meÌ„ which say that few be chosen and sith I am not sure whether I be of that noÌ„ber or no I will not refrayne myne owne pleasures Othersome say if I be predestinated or chosen of God nothing shall put me from saluation which is certenly appointed for me what so euer I do And if I be of the nomber of the castawayes no fayth or repentance can helpe me bycause Gods determination cannot be chaunged and therefore all teaching and warninges are to no purpose For the Apostle fyghteth againste suche folke saying Gods seruant muste be ready to teache and instruct suche as stande against him 2. Tim. 2 if God at any tyme wyll gyue them repentance to know the truth But Saint Austin in the .xiiii. chapter of his booke de bono perseuerantiae and in the chapters following sheweth that both of them be to be preached that is to wit booth the grace of Gods free choosing and predestinating and also wholesome warnings and teachings Therefore I mislyke of suche as seeke without Christe whether they be chosen from euerlasting or no and what God hath determined of them before all tyme. For we must giue eare to the preaching of the Gospell and beleeue the same and take it to be oute of all doubt that if we beleue and be in Iesus Christ we be chosen For the father hath vttered vnto vs in Christe the euerlasting sentence of his predestination as I declared euen now from oute of the firste chapter of Paules second Epistle to Timothie Therefore we must teache and consyder aboue all thinges how greate the loue of the father is reueled to be towards vs in Christ We must dayly herken what the Lord himselfe telleth vs in the Gospel how he calleth vs and saith Mar. 11. come vnto me all ye that are wearie and ouerloden and I will refresh you God so loued the world John 3. that he gaue his only begotten sonne for the worlde to the intent that euery one whiche beleeueth in him shoulde not die but haue euerlasting lyfe Math. 18 Also it is not the will of the father that any of these little ones shoulde perishe Therfore let Christ be our loking-glasse wherin to behold our predestination We haue euident and substantiall recorde ynough that we be written in the booke of lyfe if we communicate with Christ so as he be ours and we be hys through true fayth In the temptation of predestination than the whiche there is not a more daungerous let this be oure comforte Luke 11. that Gods promises are vniuersall to all beleeuers that he sayth ask and ye shall receiue for euery one that asketh receyueth and finally that we pray togither with the vniuersall churche of God Our father which arte in heauen and that we be greffed into Christes bodye by baptim and are often fed in his Churche with his fleshe and bloud vnto eternall lyfe Beeing confirmed with these thinges we be willed to worke out our owne saluation in feare and trembling according to S. Paules counsell FINIS These articles of the ryght beleeuing fayth I ment to adde to the ende of my dialoge to disproue the vntowarde dealings of such men as slaunder me of Pelagiamin without any iust occasion only bycause I do often exhort my heerers to good workes Whiche thing I deny not but I do very diligentlye howbeit not for that I thinke the children of Adam to be able to attaine saluation by their owne strength withoute the grace of God for I impute the beginning Rom. 8. the increase and the accomplishment of our saluation and happinesse to the only free fauour grace of God But for asmuch as I see mans nature forewarde ynough of it selfe to imbrace vaine carelesnesse fleshly liberty I minded that my sayings shuld rather hold them in awe Act. 13. and lead them away from the pleasures and delyghtes of this worlde as it were by casting a brydle vpon them than put spurs to them running already of their owne accord to do euill Therefore as for those that lyke not of my maner of teaching it is fre for them to deuice apter and to put them forth to their heerers so they do it in the feare of God to the furtherance of his â—hurch and without disgracing of others that follow another trade of teaching Ephe. 2. But of these thinges I shall perchance speake more largely at another tyme. Our preseÌ„t age misdemeth things through spite The age to come wil iudge things more vpright
so vpon remorse of their owne cōsciences at length submit them selues eueriwhere to gods power yeelde themselues wholly vnto him R. Why so P. Bicause that of al men there is not one be he neuer so well fraught furnished with al vvorks either of the lavv of nature or of the lavv vvritten that cā beare avvay the prayse of righteousnes at Gods iudgement so as he ought to be coūted righteous for his weldoings if he want faith which alonely imbraceth the fauour of God R. Al this discourse then ameth at this poynt that we should beleeue that nother the Iewes by the power works of the law written nor the Gentiles by the power works of the law bred in them by nature can passe for righteousnes before the iudgementseate of Gods maiestie So greatly is nature in all pointes corrupted and marred vnlesse it be restored agayne as yee would saye to hir birthright by the operation and benefite of the heauenly spirit For what clennes can spring out of vnclennes or perfectiō out of vnperfectiō But teach me I pray you to what vse the law now serueth P. Out of all doubt to very great and plenteous vses Wherof this is the chefe and most excellent that whereas men ar otherwise blind the law setteth their vices before their eies so as they be cōpelled to acknovvledge them vvhether they will or no. For it serueth vs for a most cleare looking glasse to spie out our spots in R. Euen so is it and that haue I learned by the examples both of other men and also of my selfe namely that vnlesse we looke vpon the law as vpon a glasse all of vs shall become blinder than betles in our owne vices But I pray you when we haue founde out our errours sinnes by the bewraying of the law whence shall we seeke remission or where shall we finde Phisicke for the diseases of our soules P. Out of the gospell or glad tidings of eternall saluation whereby God vttereth his good wil and mercy towards vs. For by that without the helpe or furtherance of the lawe Ro. 2.17 God sheweth his owne righteousnesse I say not the righteousnesse of the Law but his owne righteousnesse to be receiued and imbraced by the hand of fayth and he ingraffeth and ingraueth the same in our mindes by the power of his spirite together with al the companie of vertues as innocencie holinesse clennesse mildnesse honestie godlinesse louingnesse and hope For all these things are drained from him as from a spring that can not be dried into mens mindes And althoughe this rightuousnes of Gods whereof we speake haue hitherto beene wrested aside to the Law alone throgh the ignorance of the Ievves hovvbeit not of all but of most parte of them yet hath it alwayes beene confirmed and proued by most euident records not onely of the Prophets but also of Moises of the lavv it selfe therfore this righteousnes was not in any vvyse inuented by the vvitte and cunning of men R. What can be spoken more playne more profitable or more plentifull than this saying of yours For heereby it is manifest that all hope of saluation both for Iew and Gentile must be reposed in the righteousnesse of fayth and not in the workes of the Lawe For inasmuche as that righteousnesse is Gods righteousnesse and therefore God him selfe is the author of it no doubte but it shall most of all yea and alonely auayle at the iudgement seate of almightie God specially forasmuche as it is not deuized by man but springeth of God himselfe and is set foorth by his worde But what is the meane to inioy this so precious and healthfull righteousnes throughly P. The vvhole atteinement of that righteousnes cōsisteth in faith towards Christ and in the sincere and inwarde feeling and trust of Gods goodnes offered vs in Christ by Christ This fayth beeing brought vs down from heauen by Christ imbraceth the true substantiall holines innocencie or righteousnes vvhich is set foorth in the Gospell And moreouer that righteousnes of the Gospel or of God belongeth to al men without any difference bicause that all without exception haue sinned made themselues thrals to the tyrannie of sin And for that cause they haue exceding great neede of the helpe and fauour of the glorious and immortall God from vvhose good vvil they of themselues are as far of as there is oddes betweene the ovvgliest sinne of man and the brightest glory of God R. Nothing is or can seeme more profitable nothing is or can seeme more pleasant than this doctrine specially to mindes that are cumbered with the tyrannie of sinne or with the accusation of the lawe For it sheweth bothe that the Phisicke of our diseases cōmeth frō god and that the order meanes how to vse it is rased vs by his hande all whiche things are receiued by faith and assured beleefe of Gods good will towards vs and also that the same benefite is cōmon to all people least any man conceyuing an vntoward opiniō of Gods goodnes should set out him selfe frō the function of so gret a benefite Howbeit forasmuch as God hathe determined to make vs righteous holy and his children by the sayd fayth as by an instrument whiche thinke you to bee the neerest for vs to attaine to this fayth Or by what deserts may we wind our selues into gods fauour to earne the same P. I wish you to be better learned in this poynt For no deserts or weldoings of ours which in deede are none at all can leade god to brede faith in vs or to make vs holy righteous to adopt vs to his children but his bestovving of that so great and incredible benefite vpon al men is of his owne mere grace goodnes and liberalitie R. So much the better comfort hope ought wretched men to haue which are in thraldome to sin sith they be sure that their saluation is layde vp in the keping of so faythfull and friendly a creator and father But in what thing resteth this good will and friendship of God P. Euen in the redemption of mankinde wrought by Iesus Christ Eph. 1.4 Gen. 3. 16 whom the euerlasting father had before the creating of all things and before all time appointed to be the reconciler of all things for their sakes which should repose their trust in his bloud R. O saying worthy to be had in euerlasting remembrance that mens mynds may alwayes be cheered vp to giue God continuall thanks in that for their sakes he is a most mercifull father hath voutsafed that his eternall worde should become fleshe to the intent that the treasures of Gods vnmeasurable goodnes should be discouered and laide foorth to the children of Adam Now doo I perceiue that the sayde euerlasting worde beeing become fleshe Iohn 1.18 is the raunsome of our redemption and the very counterpane of the olde merciseate wherewith the Arke and the Lawe inclosed therin were couered howbeit after
destruction and casting away of such sort in deed are the vnbeleuers and the wilful stubborne Iewes that he might punishe them the sorer afterwarde and so make his power and rigour famous renomed is he to be blamed for it Againe what if that he moreouer to shew the gretnes of his glory in the vessels of mercy prepared theÌ„ to glory Is it therfore to be ascribed to mens deseruings R. He that thinkes of anye deseruing is starke madd But see agayne what the Isralites obiecte If God say they doe punnishe the falscharted disobediente and stifnecked Iewes hee may doe as he sees cause but yet should he not for those wicked mennes sakes dispossesse the people of Israel of their prerogatiue and dignitie which is nowe conueyed to the vncircumcised which as they surmise are oute of Gods couenaunt and cast awaies To conclude in few woords the Iewes accuse not God of vniustice for punishing the Israelites offences but they blame him of vnconstancie for gathering a new people to him by the preaching of the Gospell P. No maruell though he do so For god the maker of all men had so determined from euerlasting For whom he had chosen in his diuine minde them did he aftervvard call from heauen not onely of the Ievves but also of the Gentiles R. But this seemeth straunge and vnwonted to the Israelites and they crye out with full mouth that this is a new found and forged doctrine and vtterly vnknowen of old Prophets P. O gentle interpreters of the Prophets Ose 2.23 1. Pe 2.10 Remember they not vvhat the Lord promised by Osee I vvill call a people mine saith he vvhich are not my people a nation beloued which is not beloued and vvhere it was sayde you are not my people there they shall be called the childreÌ„ of the liuing god R. I see a very euident recorde of the casting of the Gentiles P. Heere also on the contrary side what Esay cryeth against the Israelites that vvere to be cast off Although the number of the children of Israell sayth hee be as the sande of the sea Esa 10.22 yet shall but a remnant be saued For the Lorde shall doo the thing rigorouslye and at once and that vvith ryghtuousnesse I say he shall doo a rigorous thing vppon earth R. The Prophet theÌ„ foretelleth that it was done as sone as said and that it is iustly done that so few of them shal be saued Therfore the matter as it should seeme is vnpossible to be called backe bicause it is iustly decreed P. Heere further what the same Esay sayd in his first sermon concerning the casting off of the Iewes Esa 1.9 If the Lorde of hostes sayth he had not lefte vs some seed vve had bin lyke to Sodom and Gomor we had all perished for our falshartednesse and stubbornesse For you must vnderstand it is the singular benefite of the euerlasting God that I and a few others doo beleeue the Gospell of God For our wicked deeds deserued euerlasting damnation R. I am ryght well assured of that nother thinke I that Gods mercy shyneth forth lesse manifestly in the calling of you than in the calling of vs. But I pray you what shall we say to this that so many Gentiles imbrace the Messias that was borne of the Iewes and promised to the Iewes and that so few of the Iewes beleeue in him Seeing that the election and calling of them both commeth of Gods grace whereof commeth so great difference that so few of the one sort and so innumerable of the other sort receiue Christ P. My iudgement is this that the Gentiles which followed not the righteousnesse of workes or of mens deseruings ouertooke righteousnes I meane the righteousnesse that springeth of faith contrarywise that the Israelits which followed the righteousnes of the lawe attayned not to the righteousnes of the lawe R. What is the cause P. As I suppose it is for that the Israelites seke not to be iustified by faith but by the deedes of the lavv reposing the whole state of their hope in their ovvne works And therfore they dashe agaynst the stumbling stone whiche thing the prophet Esay forshewed shuld come to passe Esa 8.14 18.16 wheÌ„ he bespake the children of Israell in these words Beholde I will lay in Sion a stone to stumble at and a rocke to dashe agaynst and whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed nor beguiled R. Truly the falling out proueth the Prophetes foresaying For Christe is a stumbling stone to the vnbeleeuers and disobedient But to suche as sticke to him by fayth he is the sure foundation of singular quietnesse peace and happines But to tell you the truthe Paule you are very ill reported of among your own countreymen for this doctrine For they thinke you speake it of spite or that you seeke your owne glory in the Churches of the Gentiles by their vnbeleefe P. Cha. 10.1 My dere brother I pray you giue no credite to their words For I assure you that I haue an earnest good wil tovvards them And in my prayers which I povvre out vnto God I make suite for the saluation of the Israelites and vvishe it with all my hart and cease not to be earnest with God for it rather pitying them than spyting them For I am vvont to witnesse thus muche of them that their striuing against Christ agaynst grace and agaynst the Gospell is done of a zeale to godwarde hovvebeit vnskilfully and not vpon knowledge R. I thought as muche my selfe but herken Some seeme to them selues to be ledde with a certayne desire of Gods honour and think that he thrusteth them forwarde to withstande the iustification of â—ayth But if a man could creepe into the bowels of their hartes perchaunce he shuld see that they referre not al their intents and indeuers vnto god Neuerthelesse I would be lothe to condemne any body but yet dare I say thus much that they haue no pretence of excuse before God though they sinne through ignoraunce P. I will shew you the welspring of al the mischeefe These men knowing not what righteousnes god requireth of vs indeuering to settle stablish their owne righteousnes by the deedes of the lawe vvithout faith will not submitte themselues to the righteousnes of god But you know welinough that the obeying of gods lawe without the foundation of fayth is rather a visor of righteousnes than a righteousnes that pleaseth god Nowe the very marke that faythe ameth at is the coeternall and coessentiall sonne of God becomme fleshe the true Messias and aduocate of Mankynde And the ende or vttermoste restynge poynte of the Law is the same Christe Gal. 3.24 to make them righteous and cleare vvhich trust in him Thus ye see hovv great differeÌ„ce there is betweene the righteousnes of the lavv and the righteousnes of fayth which difference my countreymen confounde and mingle togither For Moises treating of the righteousnes that commeth by the
while in the meane time our own cōscience wauereth for the thing that is done against a mans owne cōscience cānot be dō without sin Therfore whē thou seest other men vse the libertye of the gospell cōsult with thine own faith before thou folow their exāple deale not with any thing which thou knowest not by the allowāce of thine own cōscience by the record of the holy Ghost to be throughly acceptable to God R. Now I see plainly how great daūger there is in setting out of christen liberty to the shew Chap. 15. when the foūdaciō of faith the feare of God is not layd afore frō whēce the seking of brotherly loue proceedeth But to say the truth Paule your coūtrymen do ouermuch hinder the course of the gospell in our church by holding fast the ordināces of the law and we thinke that suche weakelinges are not to be borne with all Heereupon spring braulinges stryfe and contentions among vs. P. But I thinke the contrary For we that are the stronger and stedfaster sort and are indued with a mightier faith must beare the infirmities of the weker sort charitably cary thē as you would say vppon our shoulders And we must not plese our selues but euery of vs must please other and serue his turne in all goodnesse and hs is bounde by the duetye of charitye to study for his edifying and instruction Whiche thing maye be gathered euen cheefly by Christes example who suffered all things to the intent to bring vnto his father not only the weaklings but also euen his cruellest enemies by ouercomming them with patience Therfore this mediator betwene God and man cockered not himself ne cared to please himselfe onlye but tooke vppon him all slaunder reproch Psa 69. and finally torment and infamie according to this saying which the Kingly prophet hath writtē of him the reuilings of them that reuyled thee are lyght vpon me R. Yea Thinke you that that saying of Dauids is a prophesie of the messias and that the Prophet incorageth vs too patience by his example P. Yea verely For whatsoeuer things are written in the books of our forefathers are written to oure learning that we myght haue hope through patience and comfort of the scriptures For in asmuch as they be the wordes of the holy Ghost we muste beleeue that they be not vnprofitable or vaine but that they make for our instruction R. It is straunge the we should alwaies be occupied in reading the holy scriptures and yet profite so little in these vertues For how many do know at this day that Gods giuing of strength to the stoute is not to the intent they should condemne the weake but to the intent they shuld help them Or who is he also which taketh so abundant comforte by reading the holy scriptures that he fainteth not in aduersity P. These vertues my brother depend not vpon the letters but vpon the spirit of gods word which lies hid in the letters vvhich if you haue not you shall euer stick stil in the bark of the letter And I pray god the author of patience cōfort to teach you by his spirit to graunt you to be al of one mind one towards another after the exāple of Iesus christ as his doctrine exāple require that you may by that meanes with one accorde one mouth glorifie god euē the father of our Lord Iesus christ Whose gentlenes I beseech you to follow in bearing one vvith another and to releeue the weake brethren like as Christ releeued vs bare with vs only to the end to glorifie his father and our glorious god I knowe you haue very many of my countrey men among you which are stil feble weak in the faith but you must haue a care of them after the example of Christ you must set before your eyes the footsteps of that heauenly master who notwithstanding that the Jewes were neuer so vnworthy did yet voutsafe thē such honor for the couenāts sake that was made vnto their fathers that he bare the roome euen of a seruant among them with incredible patiēce Now if the son of god estemed men so much then godlines requireth not only that you should not reiect thē or hold scorne of them but also that yee should be so kindled vvith the spirite of charitie as to receyue them to teache them and to further them more and more to the knovvledge of the libertie of the Gospell by your discrete dealyng For I am vvont too teache that Jesus Christ vvas a minister amonge the Circumcised too keepe the fathers credite in the things vvhiche he hadde promised to their forefathers Therefore Chryste perfourmed all thinges for Gods truthes sake and for the confirmation of his promises R. These things are true in dede howbeit their vnthankfulnes agaynst Gods so great goodnes is the cause that God hath shaken them off and taken vs to be his people P. In deede their sinnes are the cause of their shaking off but the receyuing of you dependeth vpon the incomprehensible goodnes of our most mercifull God And therfore you Romans must not become high minded but rather glorifie God for his mercy bestowed vpon you as you be taught in the holy Scriptures For ye see what the kingly Prophet hath said Ps 18.50 1. reg 21. Deu. 32. Ps 117.1 Therfore will I confesse thee among the Gentiles and sing vnto thy name And agayne he sayth Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people And agayne All nations prayse yee the Lord and all people prayse ye him together Also the prophet Esay confirming Gods eternall ordinance of the calling of the Gentiles saith thus Es 11.10 There shall be a roote of lesse and he whiche shall rise vp to reigne ouer the gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust Heerby you maye gather that your calling to the participation of the kingdome of heauen is not by reason of the sinnes of the Iewes and much lesse for your own deserts but bicause god of his goodnes wold haue it so Therfore like as he hath shewed his mercy towards vs so also on the other side it behoueth vs to be mercifull to others R. Would God that this lesson might take deepe roote among vs all P. And I also beseech god the author of hope and in whom the trust of all mē ought to be reposed to fill you with al spirituall ioy quietnesse of mind and peace of conscience in true fayth that by beleeuing you may abound in hope through the power of the holy ghost For there is none other way for men to attayne to these ornaments of christian godlines but by the meere benefite of god by the power of his spirite and by the working of fayth R. To the intent wee maye nowe at length make an ende of this our talke I can not maruell inough at this your so free maner of dealing with vs. For you are not ignoraunt how great the dignity and excellencie
FINIS The Articles of the Catholike fayth which Anthonie Coranus Spaniarde Student of Diuinitie professeth and alwayes hath professed Nowe set out in Print for their sakes which haue not bene present at his Readings To the Christian Reader 1. Pet. 1.15 THe Apostle Peter exhorteth the faythful in these words To be readie to yeelde an account of their faith Be ye always readie to answere euery man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in you with mildnesse and reuerence hauing a good conscience that they which slaunder your good conuersation in Christ may be ashamed of their misreporting of you as euil doers Beeing warned by this counsel an eight yeeres agoe when I taught at Andwerp in the French tung I wrate a confession of my fayth in the same language which by Gods grace shall within a while come foorth in Latin and Englishe also Afterwarde I wrate at London certeyne Tables concerning Gods works which were printed in fower Languages Latin Frenth Dutche and English In the short Articles of those Tables I indeuered to comprehende as it were in propositions the holy doctrine of bothe the Testamentes And I beleeue assuredly that in that writing I haue sette foorth the true the right meaning and the very pure truthe of the Christian Religion drawen oute of the fountaynes of the holye Scriptures and that in suche orderlye methode and apparante playnnesse as my conscience vpbraydeth mee not withe any errour Howe beit that soome reporte otherwise eyther peraduenture bicause they perceyue not my meaning at all or else bicause they looke but slightly vppon the articles them selues Now therefore for their sakes which haue not read those writings I will set downe certen shorte articles concerning the chief points of our christian religion which I imbrace with all my hart Farewell gentle reader and hereafter neither thinke nor speake euill of any man for the reports that are spred abrode of him but first giue him eare and heare his reasons Of Gods written worde I receyue and imbrace the Canonicall scriptures both of the olde testament and of the new and I thanke our God for raysing vp that light vnto vs that wee might haue it euer before our eyes least we should be led away to errours or fables eyther by deceiptfulnesse of men or by the wilinesse of deuils I beleeue that they be heauenly voyces whereby God hath vttred his wil vnto vs That mens minds can haue no rest but onely in them That in them as Origen Austin Chrisostome and Cyril haue taught all things are conteyned abundantly and fully which are needfull for our saluatioÌ„ That they be the power and might of God vnto saluation That they be the foundation of the Prophets Apostles whervpon Gods Church is buylded That they be the most certen rule wherunto the Churche may bee inforced if it swarue or go astray and wherevnto all the doctrine of the Churche ought to be â—alled backe And that against them there â—s no lawe no tradition no custome to be â—eard no not although Paule him selfe or an Angell from heauen should come and teache otherwise Of the mysterie of the holy Trinitie Therfore I beleeue that there is one certen nature and diuine power whiche we call God and that the same is distinguished into three equall persons the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost al of one selfe same power of one selfesame maiestie of one selfsame euerlastingnes of one selfsame Godhead of one selfsame substaunce And that althoughe those three persons be so distincte that neyther the Father is the Sonne nor the Sonne is the holy Ghoste or the father yet they bee all three one God and that the same one created heauen and earth and all thinges that are conteyned in the compasse of the heauen whether they be seene or vnseene Of Christe the Mediator betweene God and man I beleeue that Iesus Christ the onely sonne of the euerlasting father toke flesh and mans whole nature vpon him of the blessed and pure virgin when the fuâ— time was come according as had bin determined long ago before all worlds to shew vnto men the secret and hidden wiâ— of his father whiche had bin kept close from al ages and generations and to accomplish the miserie of our redemption in humane body and to nayle to hys crosse our sinnes and the handwriting that was written agaynst vs. Of the holy Ghost I beleeue that the holy Ghost whiche is the thirde person in the holy Trinity is the very true god not made not created not begotten but proceding froÌ„ both that is to wit from the father the sonâ— by an vnutterable meanes vnknowen to men and that it belongeth to him to soften the hardnes of maÌ„s hart and that when he is receiued into their brests eyther by the preaching of the gospell or by any other meane he inlighteneth them and leadeth them vnto the knowing of God into the way of all truthe into newnesse of the whole lyfe and into hope of euerlasting saluation Of the Catholike Church I beleeue that there is but one church and that the same is not now shet vp into any one corner or kingdom as it was in times past among the Iewes but that it is Catholike and vniuersall spred abrode through the whole worlde so as there is now no Nation that can iustly complayn that it is excluded and can not belong to the Church and people of god That the same Church is the kingdome the body and the bridâ—e of Christ that of that kingdome only Christ is the king that of that body only christ is the head that of that bride only Christ is the bride grome That there are diuers orders of ministerie in the Churche some Deacons some Elders some Bishops to whom the teaching of the people and the care of ordering of Religion is committed and that no one eyther is or can be ouerruler of the whole forsomuche as Christe is euer present in his church and needeth not a lieuetenante to supply his roome in the whole and no man is able to comprehend in mind the whole Churche that is to say all partes of the earth muche lesse to set them in order to rule theÌ„ rightly handsomly Thaâ— the Apostles as Cyprian sayth were aâ— of like power amoÌ„g theÌ„selues that thâ— residue were the same that Peter was 〈◊〉 That it was said alike to them all feedâ— yee That it was sayd alike to them all â–ª Go ye into the whole world That it was sayd alike to them al Teach the Gospel â–ª and that as Ierome sayth all Bishops whersoeuer they be ether at Rome or aâ— Eugubium or at Constantinople or aâ— RhegiuÌ„ are all of one desert all of onâ— Priesthood and that as Cyprian saythâ— there is but one Bishoprick that euerâ— Bishop holdeth a part of it as the whole and that according to the Councel of Niceâ— the bishop of Rome hath no more poweâ— ouer the church of Christ