For what sayth the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to hym for ryghteousnes VVhat shall we say then The summe of those things which are contayned in this 4. Chapter is deuided into these partes The first is that we must be iustifyed after the selfe same manner that Abraham was iustifyed The seconde that our iustifycation commeth by the imputacion of God The third that it cōsisteth The sum of the things that shall be spoken of in this chapter in the remisson of sinnes In the fourth is set foorth the time wherein Abraham was iustifyed and so is declared that he attayned vnto righteousnes before he had put in vre any woorke of the law namely the worke of circumcision Farther he plainely sheweth that righteousnes is therfore had by fayth that the promise of God mighte be firme and sure Moreouer there is set foorth the example of Abraham and that with an amplification declarynge howe that he considered not hys owne infyrmitye neyther those thinges whyche by nature had bene able to hynder that which God had promised him Lastly is shewed y◠these things were not written for his sake only but also for vs which by faith do follow the steps of the self same father Abrahā Chrisostome bringeth in these things which are here spokē after this maner That it might seme peraduenture to It is an honorable thing to be iustified by fayth The Apostle doth very well in vsing an example some not to be very mete glorious that we should by fayth be iustified witohut works But saith he the matter is far otherwise Because partly we may se how excellent a thing this is for Paul calleth that thing righteousnes which we attayne vnto by faith here declareth that God by this means sheweth forth declareth his goodnes righteousnes and partly bycause Abraham so great a Patriarche was after this maner iustified It is not with out a cause that Paule placeth an example before his other arguments For the thinge that is here chefely sought for is that the truth which is layd before vs might be made manifest and playne And this is the proper vse of examples The dignity of Abraham most manifestly to lay a thing before our eyes And although there were greate plenty of examples yet Paul did choose this example of Abraham because he was both a man of God and also one endued with most excellente vertues because the Hebrues continuallye boasted of him as whome they acknowledge and craked to be the father and prince of theyr kindred And of suche force was his authority amōgst them that the place of the blessed was called the bosome of Of how great a value iustification is Abraham Which name Christ would not haue vsed in his Gospell vnlesse it had bene receaued amongst the commō people Neither ought we to meruayle that the Apostle so diligently and exactly bendeth himselfe to dispute of this iustification For it is not a slight thing nor a matter of small weight but the principall ground of our felicitie wherin if a mā be throughly instructed I dare be bold to say that he shall easely put away all abuses And bycause our aduersaries in it as in the first entry do fowly stumble and erre therefore in other partes of religion also are they most filthily deceaued But in this example this is chiefly to be marked that for as much as in it is entreated of Circumsion and Abraham is sayd to haue bene iustified before he receaued it some suppose that hereby they haue a firme argument that Paul excludeth not all woorkes from iustification but onely ceremonies of the law Vnto whom we answere that Paul therefore in especial reasoned touching these ceremonies for that for them the controuersie happened But yet in the discourse of hys reasoning he mingleth many thinges which cause that the question must of necessitie be taken generally which thing we shall in his place note Wherefore we graunt that the argumentes chiefly tende to that end but yet are they so handled that together he concludeth vniuersally of all workes Farther it is to be noted that in the tyme of Abraham and of the old law for as much as these ceremonies were founded vpon the word of God men were bound no lesse to obey them then the other commaundementes And yet the Apostle affirmeth that by that obedience men were not iustified Wherefore we conclude that those selfe same men could not be iustified by the obseruing of the other cōmaundemētes In this place is deiected the dignitie of good works but not vniuersally Wherfore those thinges which are here spoken ought not to be drawen vnto a loosenes of life and to licentiousnes to sinne but rather are to bee applied vnto the scope and meaning of Paul Paul onely entendeth this thing to shewe that in good workes is not set the cause of our iustification Other praises and commendacions he aboundantly geueth vnto them For it is not to bee thought that by hys doctrine he would bring into contempt the most excellent vertues Paule contemneth not the vertues and good works of Abraham The temptacions and victories of Abraham of a man of such estimation For as the Iewes make mention Abraham was very often tempted and yet neuertheles he continually ouercame God called him out of his land and kinred to lyue as a straunger in the land of Chanaan But there he could not lyue by reason of the famine wherefore hee was constrayned to go downe into Egipt where he was tempted the third tyme when Pharao tooke away hys wyfe from him The fourth temptacion hee suffered when he was compelled to depart from Loth for the auoyding of contencions Finally he was tempted when he made warre agaynst so many kinges and agaynst so victorious an host when as he him selfe had with him but a very few The sixt temptacion was when he being now a very old man was commaunded to receiue Circumcision The seuenth when king Abimelech in Gerara agayne tooke away hys wyfe from him The eight when Agar which had conceaued by him was constrained to flee from Sara who afflicted her greuouslye The ninth when he was compelled to send away his sonne Ismael being nowe of good age together with hys mother The tenth when God required of him to sacrifice vnto him hys onely bogotten sonne Isaack With these other such most excellent workes was Abraham adorned which thinges Paule contemneth not but only sheweth that these were not such that they could be opposed and set agaynst the wrath and iudgement of God so that for theyr sakes he should haue God fauorable and mercifull For in this place is not entreated of the righteousnes which is obtayned by workes which is in vs a quality cleaning vnto vs but only of that righteousnes whereby we are iustified before God The reason of the Apostle may thus be knit together We are iustified after The argument of Paule the same maner that
ouerthrowen For he saith not onely that we are iustified by faith but also he excludeth workes For he saith without workes and that it mighte the playnlier and Here is no Synecdoche vsed easeliar be vnderstand he addeth freely and other wordes which apertly are repugnant with tropicall kindes of speach And vndoubtedly this is to be considered that the man or if I may so speake the person it self be first both iust and also acceptable vnto God and then afterward shal good workes follow But those things which are written in the xx chap. of Genesis are nothing at all repugnaunt vnto this sentence A place of Genesis For there it can not be shewed that Abraham for that worke was counted iust before God For that had he before obteined But he receiued promises of hys posteritie that God would also geue them many and excellent thinges And we deny not but that God very oftentimes promiseth vnto good workes diuers rewards as well spirituall as temporall both as touching the elect themselues as also touching their posteritie Neither was Iames meaning that Abraham was iustified A place of Iames. by workes after that maner that Paul here speaketh of iustification For he speaketh of that iustification which may be known of men and according to which we are pronounced iustified For this spirituall iustification wherof we now intreat we can not know in other men but by those thinges which are done by them outwardly And in summe whatsoeuer places of the scripture do attribute righteousnes vnto workes they speake of that righteousnes which followeth iustification But to him that worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace but accordynge to debte But to him that woorketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednes of a man vnto whome God imputeth righteousnes without workes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose syns are couered blessed is the maÌ„ vnto whom the Lord imputeth not sin But to hym which worketh c. He goeth about now to shew that Abraham could not be iustified by workes forasmuch as now it is manifest by the holye scriptures that he had righteousnes by imputation For these thinges are so contrary that both of them cannot consist at one time And in that Paul saith To hym that worketh to him that worketh not we ought not so to vnderstand it as though they which beleue worke not For he speaketh of that working onely wherby we deserue or desire to deserue righteousnes And in this place this is worthy of noting which among the deuine scholemen is now common to say that Paul calleth A saing of the Scholemen merite debt Wherfore seyng Paul here excludeth debt from iustification he also of necessity taketh away merite if we will speake properly and truely of it But now I do so speake of it not as it is referred vnto the promises of God but as it is compared with our workes In summe Pauls meaning is that imputation and debt are vtterly repugnant the one to the other By this place we may very manifestly Imputacion and debt are contraries perceiue that this is the foundation of the Apostle But it shal appeare more plainly afterward where it is said And if of grace then not of workes and contrariwise if of workes then not of grace In this place are thrée antitheses or contrary positions One is of hym which woorketh and of hym whyche woorketh not the seconde of debte and of grace Thre Antitheses The thirde of rewarde and of imputation Whyche antitheses we oughte by no meanes to lette slippe And by thys place it manifestlye appeareth that the question put forth concerning ceremonies is entreated of generally For here the Apostle without any contraction entreateth of him whiche worketh and of hym which worketh not of grace and of debt of reward and of imputation of righteousnes Which extend much farther then to ceremonies For they comprehend all the good workes that may be done But beleueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly By the vngodly he vnderstandeth This reason of Paul is vniuersall Vngodlines the hâ—d of all wicked actes a sinner which is a straunger from God for impietie is the head of all wickednes And where as God is said to iustifie the vngodly it is not so to be vnderstand so long as he abideth vngodly or as thoughe God should accepte wicked actes for good or shoulde pronounce them iuste For that he forbad in the law also pronounced yâ— he wil neuer at any tyme so do But he is sayd to iustify yâ— vngodly bicause he forgeueth him his sinnes and of an vngodly person maketh him godlye Hitherto we haue heard that Abraham was iustified by faith And moreouer that What it is to iustifâ— the vngodlye his righteousnes consisted in imputacion Now followeth Euen as Dauid declareth the righteousnesse of a man vnto whome GOD imputeth righteousnesse wythout workes By these wordes also it is manifest that by woorkes are generallye vnderstande all good actes and not This also is a generall reason onelye ceremonies Whiche thynge the Antithesis dothe well declare For when he had sayd that we haue blessednes without works he opposeth and setteth vnto them as contrary sinnes and iniquities whiche in iustification are forgeuen But iniquities and sinnes haue not place onely in ceremonies And that in this place hee allegeth Dauid it serueth very much to his purpose For Dauid was endued with many good workes eueÌ„ as was Abraham And yet he thought he could not be iustified by them but onely for that that hys sinnes were forgeueÌ„ hym And by this testimony of the Scripture it appeareth that iustification and Why he vseth the testimony of Dauid Iustification and blessednes are taken for one and the selfe same thing Iustification is felicity begon Basilius affirmeth that the thinges which are done before iustificatioÌ„ are sinnes blessednes are one and the self same thyng Otherwise the conclusion should not be strong And vndoubtedly iustification if a man rightly consider it is nothyng els then a felicitie begon And Dauid testifieth that this blessednes or iustification doth not onely herein consiste that sinnes should not be imputed but also to expresse that thyng more playnly he sayth it consisteth herein that sinnes should be forgeuen And hee whiche is in hym selfe assured that iustification is the remission of sinnes the same man I say shall easely vnderstand that we bryng not good works vnto God that by the workyng and merite of them he should iustify vs but rather that we bryng sinnes vnto hym to be pardoned Basilius expressedly sheweth that the workes whiche we do whilest we are strauÌ„gers from God can not please hym He of purpose demaundeth that question in his second booke De Baptismo the seuenth question and bryngeth this sentence of the Prophet A sinner whiche sacrificeth vnto me a calfe is like vnto hym
mercy for that they haue purged themselues from filthines But what the verye meaning of that place is we haue before declared And that the Gentiles performed by nature those thinges which are of the law we thus expounded that they did many things in outward discipline which were coÌ„maunded in the law of Moses as in yâ— they eschued thefts whordomes adulteries other such like sins Wherfore Paul coÌ„cluded yâ— they waÌ„ted not the knowledge of vice vertue of right and wrong so yâ— when in many things they fell sinned they could not be excused by reason of ignoraunce There are others which vnderstand those wordes of the Gentiles now conuerted vnto Christ which being endewed with the holy ghost executed the commaundementes of God and declared both in life and in maners yâ— righteousnes consisteth not of the law of Moses of which thing yâ— Iewes continually boasted of But the first interpretacioÌ„ more agreeth with the words of the Apostle But whether soeuer interpretacion be admitted Origen hath therby no defence to proue that men attayne vnto righteousnes by the worthines True righteousnes dependeth not of the endeuor of men but of the goodnes of God The Iews did not rightly follow righteousnes of workes Yea rather the very wordes of the Apostle most plainly declare that true righteousnes dependeth not of the endeuor or worthines of men but of the goodnes and mercy of God For he sayth that the Israelites following the law of righteousnes attained not vnto righteousnes But this semeth vnto humane reason very absurd namely that those which followed not should obteyne and those which followed should be frustrated Howbeit this we ought to consider that the Israelites did not vprightly and lawfully seke it For if they had sought it according to the meaning of the law for as much as Christ is the end of the law they had doubtles beleued in him and so should haue bene iustified But by cause Paul in this place twise repeteth the righteousnes of the law some thinke yâ— those wordes are not in either place to be a like vnderstanded For in the first place by the law of rightousnes they thinke is to be vnderstanded the outward law and in the second place the true righteousnes as though Paul should saye that the Iewes applied themselues vnto the outward obseruation of the law but could not attayne vnto the true righteousnes in Christ Which interpretation I indede dislike not howebeit I thinke that these wordes may in eyther place be taken in one and the same sence so that the meaning is although that Wherfore the law of God is called the law of righteousnes the Iewes had purposed in theyr minde to kepe the law geuen them of God which law is called the law of righteousnes for that in it is contayned moste perfect righteousnes yet being voyde of fayth and of the spirite of Christ they could not kepe the law and therfore they were frustrated of theyr purpose and of that which they had determined in theyr minde so that they neyther had the true righteousnes which the Gentiles had obteyned and also were frustrated of that righteousnes which they sought for And the ground of that error was The grouÌ„d of the error of the Iewes in folowing of righteousnes Faith the soule of the commaundementes of God for that they being destitute of fayth and in the meane time supposing that they mought be iustified by workes applied themselues vnto workes only But without fayth these thinges are in vayne enterprised For fayth is the soule and life of all those thinges which are commaunded in the law Seing therfore that they fayled of the prescript of the law they had not Christ by whome their transgression of the law mought be forgeuen and by whome that which wanted mought be supplied And these workes whereof Paul speaketh the Fathers referre vnto the rites and ceremonies of the law of Moses but that as we haue declared is straÌ„ge from the very methode and doctrine which Paul vseth in thys epistle The contencion indede at the first beganne as we haue oftentimes said aboute ceremonies But Paul to proue that they can not iustify added a generall What Paul in this place vnderstandeth by workes In the obteinyng of rightousnes workes are as contrary opposed vnto fayth They which ascribe righteousnes vnto workes are not iustified proposition namely that no workes of what kinde soeuer they be in as much as they are workes haue power to iustify wherefore Paul in this place by workes vnderstandeth not only ceremonies but also all dewties of life This moreouer is worthy to be noted that Paul in this place in such sort affirmeth that righteousnes is taken hold of by fayth that vnto it he opposeth workes as contrary For when he had said that the Gentiles attayned vnto righteousnes by fayth streight way he addeth that the Iewes fell away from the law of righteousnes although they endeuored themselues thereunto namely for that they sought it not by fayth But why they sought it not by fayth he geueth a reason for that they sought it by workes Whereof it followeth that they are not iustified which abscribe righteousnes vnto workes For to put conâ—idence in them and to attribute righteousnes vnto them is an assured and euident let that thou canst not attayne vnto the true righteousnes Chrisostome noteth that these wordes of Paul which eyther pertayne vnto the Gentiles or which pertayne vnto the Iewes may be reduced to thrée wonderful principal poynts For first of the Gentiles he sayth that they attayned vnto righteousnes which Three things here out gathered against the meaning of the Iewes How the righteousnes of faith is greater then the righteousnes of workes thing the Iewes could in no case abide to heare for they would haue had none but themselues counted to pertayne to the kingdome of Christ SecoÌ„dly which is also more wonderfull he sayth that they attayned vnto righteousnes when as they gaue not themselues vnto righteousnes And which is most wonderfull of all he sayth that the righteousnes of fayth which the Gentiles tooke hold of is farre greater then the righteousnes of workes And therefore Paul before in this selfe same epistle thus wrote If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath glory but he hath not whereof to glory before God But how the righteousnes of fayth is greater and ercellenter then the righteousnes of workes is thus to be vnderstanded that although the workes of men not regenerate seme to be honest and notable and bring with them a certayne ciuill righteousnes yet notwithstanding is that righteousnes of so small valew that before God it is none at all yea rather it is counted for sinne Farther the holines and vprightnes of works which are done of men regenerate although it please God yet can it not abide to be examined tried by his exacte iudgmeÌ„t For our righteousnesses are like a cloth stayned with the naturall course of
by the workes of the lawe no fleshe shal be iustified And by fleshe he vnderstandeth a man not yet regenerate I know there haue ben some which by the flesh haue vnderstand the inferior parts of the mynde which are grosse and wrapped with filthy lustes But this sence Paul excludeth when he saith by the workes of the lawe that is by workes commaunded of God in the law which must néedes come of reason and not of the strength of the inferior soule Farther the scripture after the Hebrew phrase by the fleshe vnderstandeth the whole man whiche thing we haue in an other place more aboundantly expressed Afterward to the end he might the The fourth better confirme this sentence he saith that euery mouth might be stopped and that the whole world might be guilty before God Vndoubtedly if men should be iustified by works their mouthes should not be stopped neither should they be guilty before God for they should alwayes haue somewhat to say namely that they are therefore quite from sinnes because they had deserued it by workes but now whē men perceaue the contrary they dare not once open their lippes Farther he saith The fifth But now without the lawe is the righteousnes of God made manifest whiche hath the testimonye bothe of the lawe and of the Prophetes What man would appoint that thing to be the cause of our righteousnes without which righteousnes may be obtayned vndoubtedly no wise man would so doo when as suche is the nature of The sixt causes that without them the effectes can not be brought to passe To the same purpose also serueth that which followeth Where then is thy boasting It is excluded By what lawe By the lawe of workes No but by the lawe of fayth He woulde haue vs know that all iust cause of glory is excluded and taken away from vs for the whole glory of our righteousnes ought to geue place vnto God but if we should be iustified by workes then should it not be so for the glory should be ours and euery man would count himselfe to be therefore iustified because he hath The seuēth liued vertuously and iustly And how certaine and assured this was vnto the Apostle those thinges which follow do declare We thinke therefore that a man is iustified by fayth without workes of the lawe Wherefore shall we then deny that which the Apostle with so great vehemency affirmeth Vndoubtedly it is a thing most impudent so to do Wherefore let vs assent vnto him and not resist so great a testimony The eight of hys But besides these thinges let vs waighe and consider the pithe of Pauls meaning If we should be iustified by workes saith he we should not only haue matter to boast of but the occasion of glorying in God and of publishing his fauour towards vs should be taken away For without doubt it is vnto vs a thing most prayse worthy and glorious to acknowledge that the beneuolence and redy fauour of God towards vs through Christ is so great that he deliuereth vs miserable men from our sinnes and receaueth vs into fauour although we were couered ouer with neuer so great filthines and dragges of sinne If I say we should be should be iustified by workes then vndoubtedly could we not truly boast bragge or glory hereof But let vs go on and heare what the Apostle sayth in the beginning of the 4. The ninth chapiter What shall we say then that our father Abrahā found according to the flesh For if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to boast but not before God For what sayth the scripture Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes But vnto him which worketh a reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt Wherefore to the end that so swete a consolation of the loue and beneuolence of God towards vs should not be taken away from vs let vs constantly affirme with the Apostle that we are not iustified by workes And that he might the better persuade vs hereof he vrgeth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we say signifieth to impute to ascribe vnto a man righteousnes or to count a man for a iust man and setteth it as an Antithesis or contrary vnto merite or debt so that he to whome any thing is imputed deserueth not the same neither receaueth it as a debt But he which obtaineth any thing vnto himselfe as a debt counteth not the same as imputed or ascribed vnto him neither thought Paul it sufficient to haue alleadged the scripture cōcerning Abrahā but also he citeth Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuē whose sins are couered Blessed is the mā vnto whō the Lord hath not imputed sinne By which wordes we do not only gather that the righteousnes by which we are sayd to be iustified sticketh not in our mindes but is imputeth of God that it is such an imputation which consisteth not of works The tenth but of the mere clemency of God Farther the Apostle doth by an other propriety of good workes confirme his sentence namely because workes are signes or seales of the righteousnes already obtayned wherefore he sayth of Abraham And he receaued the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of fayth which was in vncircumcision c. Wherefore forasmuch as good workes are signes and seales which beare witnes of y◠righteousnes already receaued they can not be the causes thereof Neither haue ceremonies only that property but also euen those workes Morall workes also are seales of righteousnes before obtayned The eleuenth which are called morall when they are pleasant and acceptable before God for they also are signes and tokens of our righteousnes Wherefore Peter exhorteth vs to endeuor our selues to make our vocation sure namely by liuing vprightly and by good workes Yea and the forme also of y◠promise is diligently to be weighed which God made with Abraham for vnto it is not added a condition of the law or of workes And seing God added none with what audacity shall we then presume to do it And Paul saith For not through the lawe was the promise made vnto Ahraham or to his seede that he should be the heyre of the world but through the righteousnes of fayth For if those whiche pertayne vnto the lawe be heyres then is fayth made vayne and the promise is of no force namely because the lawe worketh anger Wherefore if we fulfill not the lawe the promise will take no place and it shal be a thing vayne to beleue that promise which shall neuer be performed which vndoubtedly must néedes vtterly be so if it be geuen vpon thys condition that we should performe the lawe when as no man can perfectly accomplish the law But the Apostle procedeth farther this iudgeth of the most mercifull counsel of God The twelfth Therefore is the inheritaunce geuē by faith that it might bee according to grace to
of a sharpe witte at the last this he fayneth That God is not knowen by fayth onely but also by loue But who euer would so say but this man onely Vndoubtedly by loue we know not but by loue we loue But that which is spoken in the booke of wisedome whiche yet with me is not of so great authority Christ himselfe hath most manifestly testified in the Gospel saying This is eternall life that they know thee the onely true God Although of this saying also of our sauior Winchester hath fained a new deuise I know not what namely that to know God is not properly eternall life although it somewhat helpe forwarde thereunto But forasmuch as neither the Fathers nor Paul nor Christ himselfe can satisfy these men there is no hope that we shall any thing preuayle with our reasons They adde moreouer That the fathers say that onely faith iustifieth that is is the principallest thing whereby we are iustified I confesse indéede that only sometime signifieth principall But this sense can not agrée with Pauls purpose This word Only some tymes signifieth principall For if charity be compared with faith charity is excellenter and better as Paul sayth Wherefore if both of them iustify as these men will haue it then shoulde charity haue the chiefest part and not faith And this also is a great let vnto these men which I haue oftentimes spoken of that Paul so ascribeth iustification vnto faith that he sayth without workes But Augustine say they vnto Simplicianus writeth That by fayth we beginne to be iustified Vnto this we may answere two maner of wayes first that that beginning is such that in very déede it hath the very full and whole iustification So that Augustines meaning is that we are iustified so soone as we haue faith Or if this please them not we will say as the truth is indéede that Augustine ment of the righteousnes which cleaueth in vs. They cite also Ambrose vpoÌ„ the 5. chapiter vnto yâ— Galathians In Christ c. For saith he we haue nede of fayth onely in charity to iustification Behold say they vnto iustification we haue no lesse nede of charity then of fayth But they are far deceaued For by those words Ambrose ment nothing els but to make a distinction betwene true faith and a vaine opinion Therfore he sayth that we haue néede of faith only namely which is ioyned with charity But Ierome vppon the 5. chapiter vnto the Galathians sayth That it is charity onely which maketh cleane the hart What other thing els shall we here aunswere but yâ— this his saying if it be vrged roughly simply is false For it is faith also which purifieth the hartes as it is written in the Actes of the Apostles And Paul to Timothe sayth Charity out of a pure hart good conscience c. By which words it is playne tâ—at the hart must of necessity first be pure before charity can come Wherefore we will interprete that sentence by the effect and as touching our knowledge For then is it most certayne that we are regenerate and haue a cleane hart when we be endued with charity After this maner also â—aue we before expounded this Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hath loued much And by the selfe same meanes also may that saying of Augustine in his booke de natura Gratia the 38. chapiter be aunswered vnto It is the charity of God saith he by which onely he is iust whosoeuer is iust But this séemeth vnto me best to vnderstand such sayinges of the fathers of that righteousnes which cleueth vnto vs. For that consisteth not onely of fayth but also of all vertues and good workes But because amongst all vertues charity is the principallest therefore the fathers sometimes Why our righteousnes is attributed sometymes vnto charity attribute righteousnes vnto it onely And that which our aduersaries haue most vniustly vsurped to expound this word Only for principall or chiefe may in this place most iustly serue vs. For here we entreat not of that iustificatioÌ„ which is had by imputation but of that which we attayne vnto after regeneration Wherefore in this our proposition we exclude not from a man that is iustified hope charitie and other good woorkes but this only we say that they haue not the power or cause or merite of iustifieng And when we say that a man is iustified by fayth only we say nothing ells vndoubtedly but that a man is iustified only by the mercy of God and by the merite of Christ only which we can not apprehend We must not leaue oâ— from vsyng this worde Only by any other instrument then by fayth only Neither must we geue place vnto our aduersaries not to vse this worde Only though they cry out neuer so much that of it springeth great offence and mens mindes are by this persuasion somwhat weakned in the excercise of vertues For by sound doctrine we may easely remedy these discommodities For we alwayes inculcate that it is not true iustification or true fayth which wanteth the fruites of good life But we se the subtle and craftie deuise of these men For if we should say that a man is simply iustified by fayth leauing out this word Only Sreight way they would adde of theyr own that a maÌ„ indede is iustified by faith but yet is he no les iustified by hope and charity and other good woorkes For this selfe same cause the Catholikes in times past would not permit vnto the Arrians this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of like substance bicause they would A like example streight way haue sayd That the sonne indede by appellation or name is GOD like vnto the father in a maner equall vnto him but yet not of one and the selfe same nature and substance Wherefore they did with tooth and naile defend and kepe still this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of one and the selfe same substance as a word most apt to expresse the truth of that controuersie which they might also by good right doo and chiefely for that they saw that that word was of necessity concluded out of the holy scriptures out of which also is most euidently concluded thys our word Only and is thought of vs a word most mete to confute the errors of those which would haue iustification to come of workes Moreouer Gardiner bishop of winchester counted this our proposition to be absurd and agaynst it amongst other arguments vsed this and it is to me more then wonderfull how much it is estemed of certayne Papists his parasites The righteousnes sayth he that is geuen vs of God wherby we are iustefied pertayneth to all the faculties of the mind or rather to the wholâ— man Ergo we are not iustified by fayth only For that pertayneth only vnto the higher part of the soule Here gentle reader lest thou shouldest be deceaued lieth hidden a double fallace or disceate For first graunt
not in the sonne hath euerlasting life 19 a Now you are cleane because of my word 80. b That we haue obtained grace for grace 145. a The pore ye shal haue alwaies with you 200. a Beholde I am with you to the end of the world eodem The bread which I will geue is my flesh 201. b To as many as receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God 205 That that might be fulfilled which was spoken 325. b I geue you a newe commaundement 283. a Who so euer the father hath geuen me no man can take away 308. b The world cā not hate you 341 All things were made by it 360 This is eternall life that they acknowledge thee the onely true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ 392. a This is the work of God that ye beleue in him whome he hath sent 406 a Howe can ye beleue when ye seke glory at mens hāds 394 Receiue ye the holy ghost c. 361 Are there not .xij. houres in the day 420. b Actes YE men of Athens I shewe vnto you that God whom ye ignorantly worship 181 Beholde God hathe geuen to thee all that sail with thee 41 That the scriptures should be fulfilled 308. a Repent and be baptized euery one of you 364. b By faith purifying their hearts 392. a 1. Corinthians IF I haue all fayth so that I can remoue mountains 393 The temple of God is holy 5 They did all eat the same spirituall meat 81. b They were all baptised in the cloud and in the sea eodem They dranke of the spirituall rocke following them 81. b Your children are holy 133. b The dart of sinne is death 139 The rocke was Christ 199. b I chasten my body and bryng it into bondage 309. b To them that are called bothe Iewes and gentiles Christ the sonne c. 297. b That the beleuers stād by faith 355. a He that standeth let him take take hede that he fal not 〈…〉 d. Diuiding to euery one particularly as pleaseth him 〈…〉 a 2. Corinthians EVen whom the God of this world hath blineded 28. b Ye are the Epistle of Christe wrote by our ministery and written not with ink c. 49. b I know none as touching the fleshe 241. b Not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables 43. b What great care it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues 166. a Therefore we after this know none according to the flesh 241 The God of this worlde hath blinded the heartes of the vnbeleuers 28. b Thou standest by faith 390. b Galathians HOw are ye againe turned to the weake and beggerly elements of the world 82. b He which is circūcised is debter to obserue the whole law 86. a The lawe was put because of transgressors 90. a As it pleased him which seperated me c. 2. b Although it be but a testament of a man yet when it is confirmed no man reiecteth it or addeth any thing to it 62. Curssed is he that abideth not in all the things that are written in the boke of the law 89 I would to God they whych trouble you were cut of 345. a Considering thy self least thou also be tempted 356. b The scripture hath shut vp all things vnder sinne 365. b The ende of the law is Christ 385. b The lawe is our scholemaister vnto Christ 391. a By the law no man is iustified before God 410. a Ephesians BY grace ye are made safe throughe faith and not of our selues 391. a We also were by nature the children of wrath c 102. b Who hath predestinated vs according to purpose 225. a Not of workes leaste any man should glory 376. b By whome we haue accesse by fayth 269. a Phillippians CHriste was in the similitude of men 194. b Taking vpon him the shape of a seruaunt 1. b We are the circumcision 49. b Yea I think al things but losse for the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ 158. b With fear and trembling work your saluation 384. a Colossians WE are circūcised in Christ by the washing away the synnes of the flesh 81. b In whome ye are circumcysed with circumcision not made with hands 85. a Mortify your members which are vpon the earth 411. b Thessalonians THis is the wil of God your sanctification 269. a 1. Timothe I Obtayned mercy for that I did it ignorantly and of infidelitie 2. b Saue that which is geuen thee to kepe 3. b Vnto the iust man the lawe is not geuen 59. b God wil haue all men to be saued 269. a Adam was not deceiued 100. a Which is the sauior of all men 306. b They that minister well gette vnto them selues a good degree 350. a The elders are worthy double honor 428. b 2. Timothe I Haue from my progenitors worshipped God with a pure conscience 8. a All scripture inspired by God is profitable to teache and to reproue c. 96. b I know whome I haue beleued and I am assured 101. a In my first defence no mā was on my side all men forsooke me God graūt it be not imputed c. 103. a I haue fought a good battaile I haue finished my course c 158. b He which shall purge him selfe shall be a vessel to honor 255. Of whome is Himeneus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concernynge faith 404. b Titus THey cōfesse that they know God but in dedees they deny him 396. b Hebrues IN that he sayth now he hath abolished that whiche was before But that which is abolished and waxen olde is euen at hand to vanishe away 82. a Be not wanting to the grace of God 141. a With such sacrifices is god won as by merite 159. b The saints by fayth haue ouercome kingdomes 391. b It is impossible for those which haue once bene illuminated 266 Faith is a substance of thinges to be hoped for 368. b S. Iames. MAn is iustified by works and not of faith only 69. a God tempteth not vnto euil 28 Patiēce hath a perfect work 100 Let no man when he is tempted say that he is tempted of God 269. a Abraham was he not iustifyed by his workes 74. b He that cometh to God ought to beleue c. 399. b 1. Peter CHaritie couereth the multitude of sinnes In the power of God are ye kept to saluation by faith 291 When once the long suffring of God abode in the dayes of Noe. 401. 1 Be ye subiecte for the Lordes sake 427. a S. Ihons epistle HE which is borne of God sinneth not 149. a Perfect loue driueth forth fear 280. b. 383. a God gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God 382. b He that loueth not abydeth in death 397. a Euery one which beleueth that Iesus Christ is born of god 391. b This is the victory that ouercometh the world our fayth eodem We haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ 65. a Ther are .iii. things which bear
no reputacion yet was it taken to be geuen for Christes sake And therefore in all the promises of the olde Testament the myndes of the godly ranne vnto this foundation and ground Then let vs consider the finall cause Wherefore would God haue the publike wealth of the Iewes preserued to the ende but only that Christ should be born therehence Why prouided he that the stock of Dauid should contynue safe euen to the ende but onely that the sonne of God should of it take humane fleshe Why brought he agayne hys people from captiuity but only that the Messias should at length be borne at the tyme promised in the place appointed and of a stocke assigned This vndoubtedly was the cause of all those promises vpon this cause did all the fathers bend their minds as many as vnderstood a right Wherfore Paule wresteth not the testemonyes of the prophetes neyther doth he rashely abuse them And let this be vnto vs a sure and faythfull rule for the perfect vnderstanding of the promises of the olde What it is to lyue by fayth testament whereas he sayth that the iust man shall lyue by fayth he meaneth that he shal be able to moue hymselfe to all good thynges as to beleue to hope to contynue in hope and to loue of charity vnto which thynges by the power and strength of our owne nature we canne by no meanes attayne And that by faith we obtaine eternall life it very well agreeth with those thinges which The knowledge whiche commeth by fayth and the eternall lyfe which shal be in heauen are one and the selfe same thyng as touching the matter Wherein the righteousnes which is receaued by fayth consisteth We are not firste iuste and then afterward lyue by fayth Differences betwen the righteousnes of the Gospel and of the lawe Christ spake This is the life eternall that they should acknowledge thee to be the only true God and him whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ These thinges shall we playnly and openly knowe in heauen our countrey and that with a cleare and manifest sight But now haue we these selfe same thinges with a very obscure knowledge that is through fayth This is not an other lyfe from that But then shall that be made perfecte which we haue now but only begon And the righteousnes which by this fayth maketh it selfe open consisteth herein especially that from the tyme we are reconciled vnto God we leade our life in such sorte that both we render vnto hym his due worshipe and also vnto our neighbour our bounden due offices or dueties And whereas the Prophete writeth that the iust man lyueth by fayth his wordes must not so be taken as though he should affirme that we are fyrst iust and that then afterward we liue by fayth But this thyng he teacheth that by fayth do come vnto vs two commodityes both that we should be iust and also that we should obtayne life we see here also set forth vnto vs the difference betweene the righteousnes of the law and of the Gospell The righteousnes of the law is a perfecte obedience of the commaundementes of God But the righteousnes of the Gospell is an imputacion thereof The righteousnes of gospell God geueth vnto vs but the righteousnes of the law we geue vnto God The righteousnes of the law leaneth vnto workes For it is written The man which doth these thinges shall liue in them and cursed be he whiche abideth not in all the thinges whiche are written in the booke of the lawe also If thou wilte enter into lyfe keepe the Commaundementes Also doo thys and thou shalte lyue But here it is sayd The iuste manne shall lyue by fayth Wherfore looke what difference there is betwene to do and to beleue so much seeme these places to be repugnaunt one to the other But these thinges A conciliation of places repugnant shall easely be made to agree by making a distinction of righteousnes For forasmuch as the righteousnes of the Gospell is one and the righteousnes of the lawe is an other some testimonyes speake of the one righteousnes and some teach of the other Now by that which hath bene spoken the Apostle setteth forth three good By fayth we obtayne saluation righteousnes and life thinges and those most principall which by fayth we obtayne namely saluation righteousnes and life For thē Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleueth agayne the righteousnes of God is reuealed by it from fayth also the iust man shall liue by fayth If there be anye that requyre more then these good thinges then is he ouer curious Further euen in the very first entrance into the cause we see how strongly he affirmeth by these three sentences now rehersed that by fayth these good thinges happen vnto vs. Here also maye be noted in what estimation Paul hath the holy scripture for vnto it he ascribeth the chiefest authority to proue the question takē in hand namely that the righteousnes of god is reuealed by fayth And if both the Apostle and also the Prophet do so manifestlye pronounce that we are iustified by fayth then is it not meete that our aduersaryes should so crye out agaynst vs for that we affirme the very selfe same Wherefore if they be herewith offended then let them grudge agaynst the scriptures agaynst Paule and agaynst What remedy we must vse when it is sayd that we reiect good woorkes the Prophet and not agaynste vs. And agaynst them which crye out that we spoyle good workes of theyr dignity and honour there is no presenter remedy then to lyue vprightly and holyly that thereby we may aboundantly haue testemonyes of good workes and say to our aduersaries if any confydence were to be put in good workes then should we in no case geue place vnto you forasmuch as in them we farre excell you And all that whiche we say and teach of iustification which commeth through fayth tendeth only to this that the truth should by the word of God be defended This was Paules meaning when he sayde vnto the Phillippians If any man may put confidence in the fleshe I also may much more and by many thinges he declareth how much in this kinde of glory he excelled others But he afterward addeth that all these things he counted as dongue and losse that he might wyn Christ and that he mought be found in him not hauing his own righteousnes namely which is of works but that which is by the fayth of Iesus Christ This excellent example of the Apostle ought we to imitate that although we attribute not iustification vnto workes yet ought we plentifully to abound in them aboue other men For if we leade an vnpure lyfe and on the other syde boaste of iustification through fayth then shall we be laughed to scorne of our aduersaryes as though we for that cause professed this doctrine to lyue without punishement 〈…〉 ly and without all order For
the selfe same wordes that they are here when he saith We are by nature Iewes and not sinners of the Gentiles Because we know that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by the fayth of Iesus Christ. Also we haue beleued in Christ Iesus that we mighte be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe For no fleshe shall be iustified by the workes of the lawe And vndoubtedly Paule reproued not Peter but onely touchyng ceremonies And in the same place in yâ— third chapiter he writeth Haue ye receiued the spirite by the workes of the law or by preaching of fayth Are ye so foolish that hauing begonne in the spirite ye should now make an ende in the fleshe where by the workes of the law seing he expoundeth them by the flesh he manifestly vnderstandeth the ceremonies of Moses But although therehence sprang the controuersie yet was it most commodiously done for Paule to reuoke it to the genus or generall worde of workes of the law Forasmuch as the tyme should come that ceremonies being banished many would in successe of tyme attribute iustificatioÌ„ to moral workes which is most manifestly confuted by this so pithy a reason of Paule And this is to be noted that this is an argument that may be turned For euen as we may inferre that no workes of the law do iustifie therfore neither do ceremonies iustifie so contrariwise may we conclude if ceremonies iustifie not therfore neither any other part of the law forasmuch as they were the principall part of the lawe If ceremonies iustefy not neither doth the morall part instefy For they are the offices of the first and greatest commaundement I am sayth the Lord thy God Wherfore it is mete that I be worshipped of thée bothe in spirite and in outward confession not only by voyce but also by rites apointed by me Neither did those ceremonies any lesse bynde the olde fathers then do Baptisme and the Eucharist in these dayes binde vs. Wherfore euen as they most greuously sinned when they were not content with the worshipping prescribed them by God but sought new ceremonies and rites inuented by men for that was to go aboute to adde vnto the wisedome of God and that the worshippyng instituted by God was the chiefe wisdome we rede in Deut. the iiij chapter so our men do most greuously sinne when besides Baptisme and the Eucharist and those thinges which we haue deliuered vs by Christ they appoint other thyngs which meÌ„ haue inuented as worshippings of God and as necessary vnto saluation As are the masse the inuocation of saintes and such other like And that by the workes of the lawe are vnderstanded also morall workes Paule teacheth by that which followeth For by the law is the knowledge of sinne For although other partes also of the law do after a sort declare sinne yet is that chiefly the office of the morall part What groundes or principles the proper workes of the law haue A distinctioÌ„ of the workes of the law A conciliation of places repugnant Which thing is expressedly declared in the vij chap. where he writeth For I should not haue knowen what lust had bene if the law had not sayd Thou shalte not lust And this is furthermore to be noted that the workes of the law as I before said when they are taken properly haue ioyned with them fayth and charity and therfore are they not without iustification For wheresoeuer is true faith there iustificatioÌ„ followeth But the Apostle by workes of the law vnderstandeth as they were done of them beyng vnprofitable and proceding also of hipocrisie Otherwise the law in dede is spirituall wherfore the workes therof must nedes be good if they be considered as they are whole and perfect And by this meanes may we conciliate those places which as touching this thing seme in the holy scriptures to be repugnant Moses said that he did set before the Iewes life when he spake of the lawe And in the 119. psalme Dauid prayeth oftentimes that God would quicken him with If the fathers at any tyme attribute righteousnes vnto good works that is to be vnderstand by reason of faith which they haue as a roote his commaundements and with his law And in this selfe same epistle the law is called both good and spirituall and the commaundement holy and good But on the contrary side Paule calleth it the ministery of death in the next chapter he saith that it worketh anger and againe that it sheweth sinne and therfore condemneth and accuseth So must we vnderstand the fathers also when they ascribe so excellent thinges vnto workes For they take them ioyned with faith grace and the holy ghost And so they ascribe vnto them eternall life and other suche like things which are vnderstanded to be geuen vnto them by reason of faith and the spirite And to declare the same this is a very apt similitude We say that man is reasonable vnto whome yet we ascribe reason not because of the body but because of the soule which is included in the body So when iustification semeth to be ascribed vnto workes we must vnderstaÌ„d yâ— that is done by reason of faith wherunto workes By faith alone we are iustefied which yet is neuer alone which are in very dede good do chiefly lene But we when we wil speake of iustification ought to bring forth our sentence prospicuously expressedly Wherefore we say yâ— iustification coÌ„meth by faith only which faith yet we confesse is neuer alone For if it be a true faith it ought alwais to haue good workes ioyned with it But the holy fathers spake hyperbollically of workes to the ende to stirre vp The fathers spake hyperboilically of workes Fayth as it is a worke iustifieth not men more and more to vse them But they are so to be vnderstanded as I haue sayd vnles we will leaue them without Christ But some obiect that fayth also it selfe is a worke of the lawe Therefore we answere that as it is our worke comming out of our will and vnderstanding it iustifieth not Because it is feble and weake For none beleueth so much as he ought neyther so strongly cleaueth vnto God as he should do But when fayth is sayd to iustifye it is taken for his obiect namely Christ and the promises of God Neyther is fayth that The power of iustifâ—ing is to be r 〈…〉 erred to his obiect A similitude thing which iustifyeth but the instrument whereby iustification is receaued Neyther must we thinke that by the worthynes thereof it is of it selfe sufficient to iustifie a man A most euident similitude may be brought as touching a begger which with his weake hand or peraduenture with his hand enfected with leprosy receaueth almes And that benefite is not weighed according to the weakenes or disease of the hand which receaueth it but according to the quantity of the monye which is geuen Wherefore
when we are demaunded whether the workes of the law iustify we aunswere if a man vnderstand thē as they are vnperfect and mayned they haue no strength to iustify But if a Workes iustify not because they procede of iustification man vnderstand the workes of the law as they are whole and perfect so are they not strange from iustification because they haue faith ioyned with them whereunto they cleaue as vnto the roote Yet will we not graunt that good workes being taken euen after this maner do iustify for that they proceede of iustification do of necessity require iustification to go before them and therefore Why Paule calleth those workes the workes of the lawe which are mained and vnperfect are they not strange from it because they depend of it Thou wilt say peraduenture why doth Paule by the workes of the law vnderstand those mayned and vnperfecte workes Because he taketh them as the aduersaries did which had a respect only vnto them and were strangers both from Christ and also from fayth in him And that Paule did not thinke those to be in very deede the workes of the lawe it manifestly appeareth by that which is before written He is not a Iew which is only a Iew outward neyther is that circumcision which is in the flesh only Where a man may manifestly see that he taketh away the nature of the Iewish religion and of circumcision from the obseruation which is only outward And vndoubtedly the Images of good thinges if they haue only a shewe be in themselues vayne and ought to be counted among thinges A similitude worthy of disprayse As the art of Sophistry forasmuch as it hath a shewe of knowledge and wanteth it in very deede is condemned Hipocrisy also is to be detested which although it set forth a shew of holynes yet is it most farre of from it Wherefore if a man should agaynst the proper and true workes of the lawe vse those testimonies which Paule now alleageth and which to the like purpose he writeth in an other place vndoubtedly he should abuse them As if Another similitude a man should impute vnto true nobility those reproches which are iustly imputed vnto them which hauing had excellent noble pregenitors haue degenerated from them into most filthy vices Or if a man shoulde reproue eloquence after the selfe same maner that we are wont iustly to reproue those which only with fine and eloquent wordes do poynt out foolishe matter when as they are vtterly ignorant of the sound truth But as touching this matter let thys suffice at this present Now is this to be expounded why he addeth this particle Before God Vndoubtedly therefore that by the contrary we myght know that certayne may sometymes be iustified before men by the workes of the law Because forasmuch as the sight of man can not perce into the inward partes of the hart men do geue sentence by the workes But God as Augustine Before men we may be iustified by workes of the law writeth in his booke De spiritu litera beholdeth the hart and sometymes beholdeth them which outwardly kepe the lawe and inwardly desire rather to do otherwise were not eyther that punishementes hang ouer theyr heds or that they thinke that they should thereby lose their estimation when as in very dede they want both fayth and charity Neyther is this to be passed ouer that by the What is to be vnderstand by the name of flesh name of fleshe is vnderstand the whole man Which phrase of speach is much vsed in the scriptures The word was made fleshe All fleshe had corrupted his way All fleshe shall see the saluation of God And a greate many other such lyke And therefore is man so called that he might be continually admonished of his miserable and weake estate and that he should vnderstand that vnles the spirite of God should resist it he should vtterly be caried away with the appetite of the fleshe To iustify as we haue before said is taken three maner of wayes Sometymes To iustify taken three maner of wayes it is to obtayne a righteousnes which sticketh and abideth in our minds But such righteousnes Paule meaneth not in this place Otherwise we deny not but that of true workes of the law by continuall exercise of them are ingenerated good and holy habites or qualities To be iustified also is to be pronounced or to be counted iust Which thinges also may be gotten by workes For so one is sayd to iustifye an other when he beholdeth his good dedes God also in the last iudgement shall geue sentence according to workes and shall pronounce good men iust by those thinges which they vprightly haue done Thirdly to iustifye is as much to say as to forgeue sinnes to absolue a man and to impute vnto him the righteousnes of Christ which thing works by their deserte can not obtayne And in this sense are those thinges to be taken which the Apostle here writeth It followeth For by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne This is the reason why we are not iustified by the workes of the lawe Because the office of the lawe is farre other then to iustifie There are some which thinke that these wordes are spoken by preuention as though the Iewes should obiect and say If the law iustifye not why then was it geuen Haue we in vayne receaued it We haue not Although the lawe iustifie not yet was it not geuen in vayne The propriety to declar sinnes is cōmon to all lawes in vayne receaued it sayth Paule the office thereof is to shew sinnes If a man demaund of what lawe these thinges are spoken we aunswere that Paule doth priuately entreate of the law of Moses but the propriety which he bringeth is common to all lawes to the law of nature the lawe of Moses to ciuill lawes which we vse in our publike wealthes As touching the law of Moses and ours there is no doubt to be put As concerning the lawe of nature the booke of Genesis doth most manifestly teach that by it was sinne knowen Which thing Ambrose vpon this place alleadgeth out of the history of Ioseph And Paule also wyll afterward declare the same when he sayth For euen vnto the law sinne was in the world but it was not so counted namely because the law of nature was dayly more and more obfuscated Wherefore it was necessary that by the law of Moses and other lawes it should be agayne illustrated And that syn was before Moses time he thereby declareth because death raigned all that time ouer all mankind And in this place in the Greke is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in latine a man may call Agnitio that is an acknowledging which is when a thinge being alreadye knowne is againe called to knowledge But after what sorte the lawe is sayd to woorke the acknowledginge of sinnes he hath before taughte whē as by many testemonies of the
neither make those thinges doubtfull which are hoped for In which wordes he sheweth that two principall thinges are to be auoyded The one is that we be not with to much curiositie Two principal things to be taken hede of stirred vp to seeke out the proofe of thinges which we ought to beleue which proofe so long as we lyue here cannot be had the other is that though they be obscure we shoulde not yet doubte of the truth of them And the same writer entreating of the confessiō of fayth thus writeth It is manifest a falling away Basilius sayth that they erre from the faith which adde any thing to the scriptures from the fayth and a poynt of pride either to refuse anye of those thinges which are written or to bring in anye thing that is not written forasmuche as our Lorde Iesus Christ sayd My sheepe heare my voyce and before that he sayde but a straunger they will not follow but wyll flee from him because they haue not knowen his voyce The Apostle also hath by an humaine example straightly forbidden either to adde or to diminishe any thing in the holy scriptures when he sayth And yet no man disanulleth the Testament of a man when it is confirmed neither addeth any thing thereunto In which place a man may perceiue how warely this man affirmeth that as touching fayth nothing ought either to be added or diminished in the holy scriptures Which maketh chiefely against those which obtrude inuencions and traditions of men as necessary to be beleued Farther the same writer plainlye setteth forth the certaintie of fayth when he declareth the propertie thereof in Moralibus the. 80. Summe and 22. chapiter Where he writeth What is the propertie of fayth He aunswereth An vnseperable certaintie of the truth of the wordes of God which is not attayned to by any kinde of reasoning nor any naturall necessitye neyther being framed to pietie can euer be shaken And he addeth That it is the duty of one that beleueth to be in such a certaintie affected according to the power of the woord Basilius sayth that whatsoeuer is with out fayth and the holy scriptures is sinne spoken and not to presume either to dissanull or to adde any thing For if whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne as sayth the Apostle and fayth commeth of hearing and hearing by the word of God then whatsoeuer is not of fayth being not contayned in the scripture inspired by the spirite of God the same is sinne This Father confirmeth together with vs the certaintie of fayth and sheweth wherehence it dependeth when he calleth it inseuerable for that when we beleue we doo not examine by our own reasons what is possible or what is not possible to be done And he semeth to allude to those wordes which Paul speaketh of the fayth of Abraham that he doubted not through incredulitie where he vsed this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore certaintie is contrarie to doubting which commeth of the examination of humane reason Moreouer that which in an other sentence he had spoken he agayne playnly repeateth namely that those things which are out of the scriptures are not to be beleued And this place of Paul Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is Note how Basilius vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Fayth differeth from opinion and suspicion sinne he vseth in his natiue and proper sense as we also vse it which thing our aduersaries can not abide Faith differeth from opiniō for opinion although it make vs leane vnto one part yet it doth that both wyth reason and also not without feare of the truth of the other partie And suspicion doth engender yet a weaker assent then opinion doth for that it both wanteth reason and also leaueth men doubtfull of the truth of the other part It is true in deede that science engendreth a firme assent but that is brought to passe by adding of demonstrations Seing now we sée playnly both what fayth is and also howe it differeth from opinion science and suspicion let vs sée howe manye wayes fayth is taken For there is one kinde of fayth which is mightie perfect and of efficacie whereby we are iustified there is an other which is voyde without fruite during but for a time vayne which bringeth not iustification Which thing is manifest by the parable of the Gospell where the séede the woorde of God I say is written to fall sometymes vpon good ground and sometimes vpon stony ground vpon thornes and by the high way side where it is lost and Fayth which iustefieth is not in all men equal bringeth forth no fruite Agayne that fayth which is good and profitable is not in all men a lyke for according to the greater or lesser infirmitie of the fleshe it hath degrées Wherfore Paul saith Euen as God hath deuided vnto euery man the measure of fayth And in the selfe same parable the seede falling on the good ground bringeth not forth fruite alyke in all partes For in some place it bringeth forth thirty fold in other some place lx folde and in other some an hundreth folde In sūme the entent of Paule in this place is to make the righteousnes of God whereof he entreateth in this place proper vnto fayth to the ende he myght vtterly take it away as well from our merites as from our workes But I meruayle that forasmuch as this is his scope how the Greke Scholies affirme that we are not so iustified that vnto the obtaynment of righteousnes The Greke Scholies and Chrysostome are noted we bring nothing our selues Fayth say they is brought of vs for that to beleue it behooueth vs to haue a valiant mynde And this selfe thinge signifieth Chrisostome These thinges must be vnderstanded warely neyther can they be admitted in that sense as though fayth proceded from vs when as vnto the Ephesians it is playnly declared that it is the gift of God neyther if it were of our selues could all boasting be excluded For we should bring much if out of our selues should come the power to beleue And this place playnely teacheth that it is not so to be vnderstanded for the Apostle addeth Being iustified freely But it should not be fréely if fayth as it is our worke should bring righteousnes I graunt indede that our vnderstanding and will do assent vnto the promises of God But that it doth or maye do the same it muste of necessity come of God Vnto all and vpon all that beleue There are three thinges now put in this proposition which the Apostle entendeth playnly to declare The first is this That the righteousnes of God is made manifest the second that it is without the law the third that it is by fayth As touching the first he sayth that thys righteousnes of God is declared vnto all and vpon all Which is not so to be Righteousnes is not in all men but only in the elect and in the beleuers ▪ vnderstanded
as generally spoken when as in all men there nether is nor appeareth any such righteousnes But his wordes are contracted vnto those which beleue vnto the elect I say and sanctified Which thing the words of the Apostle sufficiently declare If this sentence should be vnderstanded altogether vniuersally then this manifestation could not be referred but vnto the preaching This vniuersality may haue a respect vnto the preaching which is set forth vnto all men hauing no respect either of persons or estates for so Christ warned the Apostles to preach the Gospell to all creatures and generally addeth whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But the first sense is both true and also more perspicuous He afterward addeth a reason why this righteousnes is made manifest vnto all vpon all that beleue Because sayth he All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God That forasmuch as they want righteousnes of their owne they might receaue it at the handes of God There are none so holy but that as sayth Ambrose this place conuinceth them to be sinners forasmuche as this righteousnes geuen of God hath place in all and vpon all But this phrase is to be noted Are destitute of the glory of God By it some thinke is to be vnderstāded the The glory of god somtimes signifieth his dwelling in vs. dwelling of God in vs bycause men were seperated from him nether had they him ioyned vnto them by grace And that the glory of God expresseth this maner of dwelling hereby it is manifest for that the Arke of the couenant is called the glory of God Wherefore when it was taken by the Philistians the glorye of God was sayd to be taken away Others thinke that Paule by the glorye of God vnderstandeth the perfect and true righteousnes which comming from God is iudged glory or that whereby we glorifye God And forasmuch as glory What glory is is nothing els but a prayse most aboundantly published Paule by a figuratiue kinde of speach calleth the most singular giftes of God the glory of God for which giftes we both prayse and celebrate his name so that the thing hath by the figure Metonomia the name of the propriety which followeth it But in my iudgement it semeth that Paule would declare by these wordes that all men in theyr corrupt nature were reiected and that he chiefely reproueth rites sacrifices and workes of the lawe in which they thought the glory of God chiefly to consist For he sheweth that they in very deede were destitute of the glory of God although they were altogether full of their ceremonyes And are iustified freely by his grace Here we haue what that meaneth the righteousnes of God to be made manifest without the lawe namely to be geuen freely And Paule laboring to shew that in iustification is no consideration had of our workes semeth to shew that he neuer satisfieth hymselfe So many wordes heapeth he vp which signifieth one and the selfe same thing For We measure the righteousnes of God by our own righteousnes he saw what a hard thing it is to be beleued of vs which will our selues do nothing freely and by our owne measure do measure the righteousnes of God as though he also would not geue his righteousnes freely Out of this kinde of speach ought to be gathered this common sentence that by fayth only we are iustified And although this word only be not found in the holy scriptures yet is it necessarily inferred of those things which we there reade as Ambrose most Ambrose sayth by fayth onely playnly noteth in this place writing vōp these words saying We do nothyng we recompēce not by fayth only are we iustified which is the gift of God He was not content to say that we are iustified by fayth only but he addeth also other clauses whereby he might more playnly declare the same The selfe same thing writeth Basilius also in his booke De confessione fidei We sayth he haue nothing whereof Basilius was of the same iudgement we may make our boast concerning righteousnes forasmuch as we are iustified only hy fayth in Christ. Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though the fayth wherby we are iustified were alone that is not adorned with good holy works but because our workes though they be neuer so holy are not causes of the true righteousnes The like similitude is shewed in water wherin moistnes and coldnes are ioyned together but to washe away blots and spots properly belongeth to moistnes and not to coldnes Wherefore this is a false argument ab accidente whē as two things being ioyned together that which belongeth to the one is ascribed vnto the other But as touching this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being iustified being a participle of the nominatiue case it is to be referred vnto that which was a little before spoken For all haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God as though he should haue sayd they which were such are iustified freely By his grace by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth a propitiator by fayth Here Paule expresseth those thinges which by fayth we embrace when we are iustified and sheweth that by fayth he vnderstandeth the obiectes which by it are apprehended And when he sayth by grace he sheweth that he entreateth of a farre other maner of righteousnes then is that which is gotten by workes and he most manifestly excludeth the conditions We are not iustified rashely or by chaunce of the lawe And when we heare that we are iustified fréely and by grace we must not thinke that the same is done rashely or by chance forasmuch as it is tempered by the rule of the election of God The causes and reasons whereof although they be vnknowen vnto vs yet are they knowen vnto God And seing that in respect of hym the same is not done by chaunce we ought not to affirme that men are iustified b◠chance And euē as chaunce is to be takē away so also ought we to banishe necessitye least we should seeme to admitte fate or desteny For God is not compelled to chuse this man more thē that man But whatsoeuer he geueth he geueth it freely and without compulsion By the redemption Hereby appeareth that we are manumitted by Christ and made his free men For we were bond men cast into the prison of sinne Who are redemed death and the deuill But Christ hath fully payd the price for vs and that no small price for he hath shed his owne bloud for vs and geuen his life That is sayd to be redemed which before was both free and also pertayned vnto vs. We were the peculiar people of God and through our owne default we were sold vnder sinne This phrase here of the Apostle manifestly declareth how litle we ought to ascribe vnto free will before we be by the redemption of Christ set at liberty And
one of vs perticularly For he wayteth long that we should repent vs. Which thing if we do not we heape vnto our selues wrath in the day of wrath of the reuelation of the iust iudgement of God And by this pacience of God we knowe that that is true whiche Ezechiel sayth that God will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be coÌ„uerted and liue Neither here ought We must iudge by the will of God reueled and not by hys secret will we to haue a respect vnto the secret will of God whiche vnto vs is vnknowne obscure For we oughte to iudge of it as by the holye scriptures and by daylye experieÌ„ce it is setforth vnto vs and may be known For he suffreth long and by scriptures sermons scourges and finally by all manner of meanes and wayes calleth backe sinners vnto him At this present time Chrisostome interpreteth this of the coÌ„ming of Christ in the flesh For that then was he most chiefly geuen the pacience of God was declared to be so muche the greater for that then all manner of vices were rife and when men séemed to haue deserued to be moste gréeuouslye punished euen then did the mercye of God most chieflye shine vpon them And it seemeth that When sins semed most worthy to be punished then most of all shined forth the mercy of God The fâ—lnes of time Paule euery where wonderfully extolleth this time wherein God so singularly declared his beneuolence toward men that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for our saluation And that time wherein God came vnto vs he calleth the fulnes of times That he might be iuste and a iustifier of him vvhiche is of the fayth of Iesus Christ Here is touched the reason why God appoynted after thys manner to forgeue sinnes namelye that his righteousnes moughte the more appeare we vse to say that in a manne there is a notable qualitye when as out of the same fountayne others are pertakers thereof But there is an Emphasis or strength in this forme of speaking That he might be iust Wherby we vnderstaÌ„d that he is of himselfe iust neither ought we to presume to chalenge the same to our selues And he addeth Of the fayth of Iesus Christ because by that meanes the righteousnes of God doth better appeare then if we shoulde clayme it vnto our selues by workes Where is then thy glorying It is excluded By what law By the lawe of workes No but by the lawe of fayth Therefore we conclude that a man is iustified by fayth without the workes of the law God is he the God of the Iewes only and not of the GeÌ„tiles also Yes euen of the Gentiles also For it is one God who shall iustifie circumcision by faith vncircumcision through fayth Do we then make the lawof none effect God forbid yea rather we establishe the law VVherefore thy glorying is excluded By what lawe By the lawe of workes No but by the lawe of fayth After that he had declared his proposition now Epiphonema as it were by a conclusion he geueth a definitiue sentence of that which he put forth at the beginning of the chapiter when he sayd what is then the preferment of the Iewe or what is the profite of circumcision In this place he maketh answere that as touching iustification the Iewes had nothing aboue others whereof they might glory for that by those thinges which haue bene now spoken their glorying is excluded In the Greke booke is not reade this woord thy And Ambrose thinketh that these thinges are spoken against the Iewes For against theÌ„ peculiarly conteÌ„ded he now So farre is it of that the law of works excludeth glorying that rather it ministreth matter to glory of And by this woorde lawe the Apostle vnderstandeth doctrine for it hath the power to moderate and The Law of woorkes ministreth matter of boasting What this woord law signifieth gouerne our strengthes and willes to the executing of any thing as touching knowledge doctrine or instruction And in other places he applieth this worde lawe to diuers thinges as The lawe of the spirite The law of the fleshe the lawe of the members the lawe of the minde and such other like The lawe of workes is that which decreeth that righteousnes oughte to be gotten by workes But the lawe of fayth teacheth that it is to be hoped for of the mercy of God And Chrisostome sayth that the lawe of fayth is that by grace we are saued and he thinketh that the Apostle vseth the name of the lawe to the ende he would the lesse offend the Iewes which much delighted in that worde For by that meanes he semed to attribute some honour vnto the lawe which had not ill deserued of What glorieng is The contrariety betwene the law of faith and the law of workes Where merites are there is glorieng men Glorying according to the definition thereof is a boasting of some good thing And how repugnaÌ„t these two lawes are one to the other we ar manifestly tought in the Gospel where the Pharisey speaketh thus to God I geue thankes vnto thee that I am not as other men I fast twise in the weake c. Here he maketh mencion of workes only ouerhipping the grace of God as much as lay in him But the other namely the Publicane prayd with fayth God be mercifull vnto me a sinner In which words he maketh no mencion at all of works And seeing that God will haue all glorying excluded it is manifest how they erre which defend merites For where they haue place there wanteth not glorying They which glory thinke that both saluation and righteousnes and eternall life are dew vnto them But he which leneth vnto the lawe of fayth ought not in any Debte may be taken two maner of wayes wyse to perswade himselfe of any such thing Although we mought make such a distinction that debt may sometymes be taken as it is referred vnto our labours and so it hath a respect vnto reward as the Apostle will playnly afterward declare when he sayth that vnto hym which worketh are ward is imputed not according to grace but according to debt and debt may be taken an other way as it hath a respect vnto a promise when a thing is dew vnto a man not that he hath deserued it but because by our promise we haue bound our selues to geue it vnto hym Of which thing we haue an example in those giftes which are confirmed by contractes and hand writinges And agaynst this kinde of debt the lawe of fayth is not But of it springeth no glorying but our aduersaryes doo not vndoubtedly exclude glorying when they say that vnto the repentaunte is graunted remission of sinnes so that she repentaunce be mete and as they call it sufficient In this their saying they of purpose resiste the will of God which vtterly tendeth to this that all glorying should be excluded from vs. Yea Chrisostome affirmeth that
Christ for no other cause so long tyme differred his comming in the flesh but to kepe downe mans proude Pecoks tayle For if he had come straight way at the beginning vnto vs men would easely haue sayd that Why the sonne of god diffeâ—red his comming so long they had not then so great neede of hym that without him they could not be saued wherefore he would that mankinde should so long tyme be oppressed with the seruitude of sinnes and burthen of the lawe vntill they should vnderstand that they had vtterly nede of a redemer But why God so much laboreth to destroy our glory the holy scriptures aboundantly inough declare namely that Why God will haue our glory to be repressed his glory might the more brightly sinne forth Wherefore it is manifest that whatsoeuer glory we claime vnto our selues all that do we robbe from the glory of God Neyther nedeth it any greate exposition what Paule meaneth by the lawe of workes For by that word he vnderstandeth as well the lawe of nature as the lawe of Moses and also mans lawe For that all these lawes do engender glory if a man can vaunt that he can fulfill them VVe conclude therefore that man is iustefied by faith without the vvoorkes of the lavve Those thinges which he before sayd he confirmeth with a briefe conclusion which by a reason thereunto annexed he will afterward proue And where as he sayth Arbitramur that is we think in Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not to thinke or to suppose but in this place it is to conclude to inferre and certaynly to demonstrate namily of those thinges which before were spoken In which signification it is taken in the 6. chapter when the Apostle sayth So thynke ye also that ye are dead vnto sinne but are alyue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Where this word thinke ye is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is thereby signified is to haue for certayne And as touching this thyng Ambrose is of our mind and he vnderstandeth these words man is iustified without works of the Gentiles But Chrisostome contrary wyse thinketh that by this word man is ment nature to make the seÌ„tence of the Apostle more ample and large whose iudgement I mislike not for it agreeth as well with the Iewes as with the Gentiles not to attayne vnto sound righteousnes by workes but by fayth Further seing the Apostle so expressedly sayth that man is iustified without the workes of the lawe hâ—reof is inferred that which we before also tought namely that it is fayth only which iustifieth which thing not only Origine vpon this place but also Chrisostome acknowledgeth who fayth that fayth only Faith only iustifieth as OrigeÌ„ and ChrisostoÌ„e vpon thys place confesse is required to obtayne this righteousnes But I heare our aduersaries say that wheÌ„ we reade in the fathers That fayth only iustifieth that word only is to be vnderstanded principally for that it hath in iustification the chiefest partes And they bringe a place or two where this word only so signifieth But vndoubtedly if a maÌ„ weigh Pauls words well they wil not agree with this interpretatioÌ„ For he putteth righteousnes without the works of the law which is not true if works do so follow fayth that with it they bring forth iustification in the elect of God An obiectioÌ„ of the aduersaries Simple men sometimes herein gaue place vnto the papists but when they vnderstood theyr guile they returned againe into the rightway Dangers may be anoyded by an vprighte interpretation The aduersaries cry out that if we teach meÌ„ after this sorte we then open a window vnto sluggishnes and flouthfulnes Vnto which their coloured preteÌ„ces some of our men haue sometimes simply and without guile consented who when they saw that true faith whiche iustifieth hath alwayes ioyned with it good works absteyned in their sermons from that worde Onely But afterward when they vnderstoode the fraude of the aduersaries whiche obtruded this deuise to the ende they might at the length teach the people according to their owne fayned inuentions that men are not onely by faith but also by workes iustified they returned vnto their olde forme of speaking that the people should not be any more deceiued And seyng Paule most warely alwayes eschued flaunders and offences of the hearers so much as he might by the truth of the scriptures and we sée that he most manifestly teacheth those things wherof most plainely followeth That fayth onely iustifieth we ought not to be afeard of such daungers which may easily be auoyded if we aptly adde an vpright interpretation of that which we speake They agayne obiect vnto vs that workes of the law in this place signifie ceremonies Vnto whoÌ„ we aunswer as we haue before already said that the question in dede began about ceremonies but Paule dissolueth it vniuersally and answereth in suche sorte that he concludeth of all kinde of workes Wherfore the reason which he bringeth in in the first place That God is the God not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles hath a respecte vnto ceremonies For the Ethnikes had not receiued the ceremonies of It is proued that here is entreated also of morall workes the Iewes But afterward when he addeth that by faith the lawe is not abolished but rather established he declareth that his exposition is chiefly to be vnderstanded touchyng morall workes which faith abolisheth not but rather confirmeth Which thing we cannot affirme of ceremonies whiche we sée are by Christ and his fayth taken away Farther in that he before sayd that all men haue sinned and were destitute of the glory of God and by that meanes euery mouth is stopped and the whole world made guilty vnto God it sufficiently declareth of what law he speaketh And so doth that also where he sayth that the law sheweth sinne and that also which he citeth out of Dauid No liuing creature shall be iustified in thy sight and many other thynges which afterward in their places we shall sée do sufficiently shew that the wordes of the Apostle comprehend also morall preceptes Wherfore workes are excluded Woorkes ar excluded from the cause of iustification but not froÌ„ the effect therof but they are excluded as from the cause of iustification but not as from the effect And Christe to declare this to be true in Luke sayde When ye haue done all these thinges say ye we are vnprofitable seruantes vnto whom neither is this in deede due to haue thankes geuen vnto vs. But if by workes we should attayne vnto iustification then should we not be vnprofitable in doyng well and vnto vs should be farre greater things due then geuing of thankes God is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentles also Yes euen of the Gentles also He proueth now his proposition namely that men are iustified without the workes of the law For if righteousnes should depende of them
he haue transgressed his commaundement And if he had beleued him when he threatened death vnto him he would not haue bene so vnaduised to comitte that which was the cause of death And he also if he had loued his neighbour as he was bounde to do woulde not by his transgression haue throwen all his whole posterity into death And if he would haue delt iustly he would in no case haue taken away an other mans fruite which pertayned vnto him These thinges hath Tertullian excellently well noted of the law geuen in paradise vnto the first man and woman And he also affirmeth that after this law succeded that lawe which is called the lawe of nature I will not speake that Noe The law of nature The law geuen vnto Noe. receaued some preceptes which were common vnto all mankind And if God would afterward by Moses more plainly expresse the lawes which he had before geuen there is no cause why the Iewes should contemne the Gētles as though they were left without the lawe For it is most manifest that whē Christ came he did set forth a most perfect explication of the doctrine which was then set abrode amongest all men of all lawes whereby playnly appeareth how fowly The rashnes of the Iewes the Hebrues are deceaued which are so rauished with the loue of theyr owne stocke that they will rather haue God to want of his glory that he should not be the God of all mē nor his prouidēce reach vnto all mē then they will confesse that they alone are not the people whom God hath a care ouer loueth In this Why God is sayd to be the God of some place let vs note that the Apostle bringeth a reasō why God is chiefly called the God of some namely because he iustifieth them For straightway he addeth VVho shall iustify circumcision of fayth and vncircumcision by fayth What is vnderstand by circumcision and vncircumcision we haue elswhere declared they at to be vnderstand by the figure Metonomia so that by the signe Metonomia we must vnderstand those thinges which are by it signified These prepositions of and by in this place signifie one and the selfe same thing They serue to amplifie the matter as in an other place Paule sayd of God All thinges were made of hym and by hym The difference of these prepositions bred sometymes a greeuous contencion betwene the Grekes and the Lattines The Lattines sayd that the holy ghost proceded not only of the father but also of the son On the cōtrary A contenciō of the Grekes the lattines toching the holy ghost the Grekes affirmed that he proceded of the father but by the sonne not of the sonne But after they had long tyme contended they saw that their contencion was only about wordes By these thinges which haue now bene spoken we euidently see that as touching iustification the Gentles are made equall with the Iewes which is a very great comfort vnto vs. Neyther ought we to be any thyng moued that Paule here vseth a verbe of the future tense when he faith Shall iustifye For although in the olde time very many both of the Iewes and of the Gentiles were so iustified yet because that rarely happened and amongst fewe it was counted as not done if we haue a respect vnto the generall benefite which happened after the comming of Christ Neyther is the emphasis or strength of this sentence following to be passed ouer For it is one God vvho shall iustifye c. For thereby is signified that euen as there is but one God so also to iustifye men he will vse but one waye namely By fayth Those thinges which are here spoken ought much to moue vs not to contemne our neighbours For whē we shall cōsider with out selues One God vseth one way to iustefy al men A reason why we◠ought to loue our neighbors An error sprong of the wordes of Paule Woorkes that goe before iustification are excluded not those that follow Why Peter sayd that in Paul are certaine hard thing s. Iames semeth tobe agaynst Paule Conciliation A place of Augustine declared that our God is their God also we cā not but embrace them with a great loue honor beneuolence Neither ought we to flatter our selues touching singular benefites which we haue receaued forasmuch as the holy scriptures do admonishe vs that many are fyrst which shal be last and contrary many last which thalbe fyrst And Augustine in hys booke of 83. questions in hys 66. question admonisheth that this sentence of Paule which is now proued namely that man is iustified without workes of the lawe was peruersly vnderstand of many which thought that men when they beleued and were iustified had no more any nede to liue holily iustly not weighing that Paule here speaketh of works that go before iustificatiō not of those which follow it This indede is true that there go no works before which are the causes why we should be iustified But after we haue once obteined righteousnes it is necessary that good works follow And hereof he saith it came that Peter said that in the epistles of Paul are certaine harde thinges which men would peruerte accordyng to their owne lust Iames also semeth to haue bene led so farre that in a maner he wrote thinges contrary vnto Paule namely That a man is iustified by workes who also required the we should declare our faith by workes Wherunto also Iohn Iudas in their epistles seme to tend But all these things are wel inough neither ar they any thyng repugnant one to the other For Paul speaketh of workes that are done before iustificatiō but Iames speaketh of those workes which ought to follow it These things haue I brought out of the place of Augustine before cited and out of hys booke of faith and workes the 14. chap. Who yet in the 66. question which we haue nowe alleaged hath a certain sentence which must be warely and aptly vnderstanded otherwise it should not be true For he sayth That it is impossible that we shoulde by workes goyng before obteyne iustification but afterward sayth he it is necessarye that they follow so that we remayne in life And if a man beginne to beleue in the last houre of his lyfe whē he shall streight way die he hath nether good works going before nor good workes followyng after but there followeth him onely a righteousnes of fayth and by it he is saued Augustine semeth by those wordes to affirme that it is possible that true fayth which iustifieth may be had without works which in very dede is false For when a manne at the extremitie of death beleeueth it is not possible but that he loueth God and his neighbour and calleth vpon him and is sory for those thinges which he hath before wickedly committed Wherfore these kindes of good workes which at the least haue place in the mynde follow his faith But I
whiche sinnes were sayd to be purged but baptised them into repentaunce to the forgeuenes of sinnes adioyning therunto doctrine wherein he made mention of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Gost Which thing vndoubtedly the high Priestes and Scribes and Phariseys coulde in no case abyde that he reiecting the ceremonies which were receaued shoulde put in their place a new maner of purging Wherefore they sent a Messenger vnto him to aske of him whither he were the Messias or Elias or the Prophet as it were confessing that vnder the Messias it should come to passe that the ceremonies of the law should be abolished the the same was not lawfull for other mē to doo And if a man demaūd why God gaue ceremonies which should afterwarde be abolished Chrisostome hath thereof a very apt similitude If a man haue a wyfe very prone to lafciuiousnes he shutteth her vp in certayne places in chambers I say and parlers so that shee cannot wander abroade at her pleasure He appointeth vnto her moreouer Eunuches wayting maydes and handmaides most diligentlye to haue an eye vnto her So delte God with the Iewes He tooke them vnto him at the beginnyng as a spouse as it is said in the Prophet I haue wedded thee with mercy and with loue And by this natiō his wil was at cōueniēt tyme to enstruct the whole world Which thing he did by the Apostls when Christ was now departed frō the earth But that people was very weake and feble and aboue measure prone to adulteries of idolatry Wherfore God seperated them from other nations and would haue them to dwell in the land of Chanaan aparte by themselues and to be kept in on euery side with ceremonies and rites as it were by scholemaisters vntill this spouse was so strengthened and confirmed that her fayth was no more had in suspicion Which thing when husbandes perceiue in their wyues they suffer them to go at their pleasure whither they will and to be conuersant with menne neither do they any more set any kepers to watche them So God when he had nowe by Christ geuen vnto the church the holy ghost he remoued away from it the custodye of ceremonies and sent forth his faithfull to preach throughout the whole world The selfe same father proueth in an other place that the ceremonies and rites of the Iewes were not instituted of God of a principall entente and purpose For God woulde haue a people which should worship him in spirite and in truth But the Israelites which had bene conuersant in Egipt and had contaminated themselues with idolatry woulde needes in any wise haue both sacrifices and ceremonies so that if these sacrifices and rites had not bene permitted vnto them they would haue bene redy to turne to idolatry Wherefore God so A similitude delt with them as the maner of a wise phisition is to do who lighting vpon one sicke of a burnyng agew whiche by reason of his wonderfull great heate requireth in any wyse to haue some colde water geuen him and if he haue none geuen him he is redy to hang himselfe or by some other meanes to destroy himselfe in this case the phisition beyng by necessity cōpelled commaundeth to be brought a viole full of water which he himself hath prepared and geueth the sicke man leaue to drinke but yet with suche a charge that he drinke out of nothing els but out of that viall So God graunted vnto the Hebrewes sacrifices and ceremonies but yet so that they should not exercise them otherwise then he himselfe had commaunded them And that this is true he hereby proueth For that God gaue not ceremonies vntill alter they had made the golden caife God prescribed not ceremonies but when he had made open his wrath against the Israelites who hurling in theyr braselets earinges and ringes caused a calfe to be made for them which they worshipped And seyng it is so Paul saith rightly when he sayth that the law is not by faith abolished although those ceremonies be taken away Which sentence Christ also confirmeth when he saith that he came not to take away the law but to fulfill it The sence of which wordes may easely be gathered out of those thinges which we haue before spoken The reasons which afterward follow are brought to confirme this proposition now alledged namely That man is iustified by faith and that without the workes of the law Hetherto when as at the beginning Here is repeated the methode or order which the Apostle hath hether to kept the Apostles had set forth that by the Gospell and the faith of Christ commeth saluation and righteousnes he vsed this reason that whersoeuer the Gospel and faith want there is most great vnrighteousnes and vncleannes of life but on the contrary side where these haue place there is both righteousnes and true holines Therfore by them saith he come saluation and iustification The Minor or second proposition was proued chiefly as touching the first parte For first the Gentles liued most filthely although they knew God by the nature of things Farther the Iewes were not in their conuersation one whit better then the Gentles And this done he declareth wherehence the true righteousnes should be sought for t namely of faith without workes Which thing before he would proue he thought it good to confute an obiection namely that by faith he ouerthroweth not the law but rather by faith confirmeth it This selfe same thing is obiected vnto vs in our dayes that by faith which with the Apostle we affirme to iustifie we ouerthrowe all honest and holy workes Of this thing do they cry out which defend the worke wrought in the sacramentes which boast of workes of supererogation whiche defend purgatory inuocation of saintes and obtrude vowes and sole life What shall we answer to these things Paul sayth y◠he by faith abrogateth not the law but rather confirmed it In which wordes he geueth a reuerence to the ceremonies instituted of God which for their tyme were of necessity obeyed especially for the they were founded vpon the word of God But we can not so say as touching those things which we are accused to haue ouerthrowen Bicause they are abuses and mere superstitions In this disputacion the condition of Paul and ours is diuerse which are vtterly repugnaunt vnto the worde of God Wherfore we confesse that these thinges we ouerthrow by the fayth of Christ and doctrine of the Gospell Now haue we heard the purpose and state of the question which shall be entreated of which we ought continually to haue before our eyes so that vnto it must we referre whatsoeuer is sayd in this whole discourse And this shal be with fruite to heare those thinges which the Apostle writeth The fourth Chapter VVHat shal we say then that Abraham our Father hath found concerning the flesh For if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God
Abraham was iustified But he obtayned righteousnes by fayth without workes wherefore we also ought to be iustified by faith without workes The minor or second proposition is thus proued For if Abraham shoulde haue bene iustified by woorkes he had glory or merite whiche is all one before God But that is not possible that any man should haue glory before Abraham obteyned righteousnes not by works but by imputacion God Wherefore neyther is that possible from whence it is deduced And that Abraham was not iustified by workes the seripture declareth vnto vs. For it sayth that Abraham obtayned righteousnes by imputacion For it sayth Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto hym for righteousnes This is the summe of Paules reason After Chrisostomes mynde this is worthy to be noted If any man not hauing good works should be iustified that assuredly might seme Wherby the dignity of sayth doth chiefly appeare The foundation of the example is that all men are iustified after one and the selfe same manner to be a great thinge But this is a thing farre greater the he which was most rich in good workes coulde not for all that be iustified by them Vndoubtedly hereby most manifestly appeareth the worthynes of fayth VVhat shall we say that our father Abraham found Forasmuch as he bringeth an argument from an example to this ground leaneth he that it behoueth all men to be iustified after the same maner that Abraham was iustified For it is the selfe same God which iustifieth and there is one and the selfe same nature of them which are iustified and the righteousnes which both then was geuen and also is now geuē is one and the selfe same it is the selfe same Christ by whome both they and we obtayne righteousnes Wherefore it followeth that all men are iustified after one and the selfe same maner God in dede The outwarde instrumentes which God vseth to iustify by may be diuers may vse to it sundry instrumentes as well the scriptures of the olde testament as of the new and the simboles or signes also aswell of the newe sacramentes as of the olde when as the thinge whiche is geuen is vtterlye one and the selfe same Further it is necessary that the thinges which followe haue a similitude with the types and signes which went before And that the fathers were formes and shadowes of our times no man doubteth Here let vs call to remembrance with what mynde thinke we toke the scribes and pharisyes these woordes of Paul vnto whome it appeared that he tooke away the power of iustifieng from these excellent workes of Abraham I doubt not but that they were therewith all thoroughly offended and paraduenture they resisted Paul as though they would put away such iniury from so great a prophet and defend his excellent good workes We haue at this day an experiēce of their furious rage in them which so soone as euer they heare vs speake any thing othewise then the fathers haue written are set a fire and counte vs not worthy to be harkened vnto But Paul nothing passed vpon the euill reportes of the Scribes in his tyme. For they may be answered by an easy and manifest distinction namely that there is one righteousnes ciuile outward and attayned vnto by workes and is a quality cleaning in our myndes but there is an other righteousnes which is imputed vnto vs of God Our father sayth he peraduenture alluding vnto the name For Abraham is called the father of many nacions And although in the booke of Genesis where these things are written he was not as then called Abraham but Abram yet when the Apostle wrote this he thought mete to call him by that name by which he was commonly called When he sayth our he includeth himselfe that he mighte not be thought as an vnnaturall sonne to haue cast of his father To finde in this place signifieth to obtayne by what meanes soeuer it be whether it be by gift or by any other meanes According vnto the fleshe may be adioyned eyther vnto this word father wherby to geue vs to vnderstand that he was the progenitor of the Iewes as touching theyr naturall originalli and by that meanes he semeth to reproue the Iewes for that they boasted of the nobility of the fleshe only and endeuored not to imitate the piety and religion of Abraham Wherefore in the Gospell Christ sayd that they were not the children of Abraham but the children of the deuill For if they had hene of Abraham they would haue done his workes But they contrarily wholy applied themselues vnto lying and murthering which are most certaynly the workes of the deuill And after this maner he is called father accordinge to the fleshe whereby is gathered as some say that only their bodies and not theyr soules were traduced from him Or according to the opinion of other men these words according to the fleshe fleshe are to be ioyned vnto the verbe found so that the sence is By the flesh that is by the workes of the flesh such as are ceremonies circumcision This interpretation Ambrose followeth who peculiarly vnderstādeth circumcisiō Neither am I much against it so that we vnderstād that although this questiō the argumēts that are put forth be touching What are the principall things that Abraham found Righteousnes to be imputed to be iustified by woorks are opposite one agaynst the other Freely and not freely are repugnaunt ceremonies yet by that spirite of God is brought to passe that those things should be generally entreated of as we shall in his due place declare And the thinges which Abraham found were chiefly that he was called iust and the Father of all beleuers For this is to be the father of many peoples and lastlye this also that he was the heyre of the wōrld But here is chiefly entreated of the obteyning of that righteousnes which is sayd happened not vnto hym but by fayth For righteousnes to be imputed and to be iustified by works are cleane contrary the one vnto the other which is hereby manifest for that to be iustified by imputation is to haue righteousnes fréely And to be iustified by woorkes is not to haue righteousnes fréely But to haue righteousnes fréely and not to haue it fréely are manifestly repugnaunt one agaynst the other And in that he sayth If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to boast but not before God It is as much as if he had sayd that he shoulde not haue righteousnes before God and that all other righteousnes is of no value For it is God at whose becke we ought either to stand or to fall Wherefore we nothing passe vpon the righteousnes which is had of men especially as touching this present purpose And it were fond to acknowledge any other righteousnes for the true perfect righteousnes then that which God himselfe and the holye scripture calleth righteousnes Wherefore no man can now doubt but that the Apostle
speaketh not of ciuill righteousnes which we get by workes and which cleaueth in our mindes as a qualitie but onely of the righteousnes which is geuen vnto vs fréely and is imputed vnto the beleuers Wherefore Paul expressedlye added this particle Before God Whereby is manifestly gathered that the woorkes of men are not of that nature that they can be layde agaynst the wrath and seueritye of God and that they can appease him and make him mercifull vnto vs. Moreouer To haue whereof to boast before God Is to obtayne anye thynge as an excellente and noble gifte whiche we may boaste that we haue receyued of God and not to haue obtayned it of our selues or of our owne strengths For he which leaneth vnto workes commendeth hymselfe and hys owne But hee which is iustified by fayth commendeth the liberalitie of God and setteth foorth hys giftes Whereupon Chrisostome noteth that men haue much more to glorye of when they leane vnto fayth then when they féeke to glory in their works The giftes of God which fayth taketh hold of farre excell all our workes They which glory of workes doo magnifie a thing which is séene and felt but he which glorieth in fayth conceiueth a noble opinion of God so that he is perswaded that he wil performe euen those thinges which can not be done by nature neither boasteth he of those thinges which he hath done but extolleth those thinges which God hath done namely that he loueth him that he hath forgeuen him his sinnes and counteth him in the number of the iust This is in a maner the whole glorieng What is the glorieng of the godly Glorieng is righteousnes freely liberally geuen What is to beleue of the godly By this kinde of speache we sée that the Apostle by glorieng vnderstandeth righteousnes fréely geuen of God Whereby is easelye expressed what Paul ment when before he sayd All men haue sinned and want the glory of God In which place by glory he vnderstode nothing els then righteousnes freely geuē of God bycause by that chiefly shineth forth the glory of God This oracle is writtē in the 15 chap of y◠boke of Genesis Vehaamin beiehonah veiahashbo lo tfaddicka Abraham beleued in God and he imputed vnto him righteousnes To beleue in this place is assuredly to thinke that God of his mercy loueth vs which mercy by hys mere promise is set forth vnto vs and we not to suffer our selues by reason of our vnpuritye or vncleanes to be plucked awaye from this perswasion Wherefore it wholy consisteth in the embrasing of the grace and promise of God offred vnto vs. In very many places Abraham is highly cōmended and praised But he was neuer called iust but then onely when he beleued Hereby may we Onely in thys place Abraham is called iuste How diligent depe a handler of scriptures Paul was know with what great diligence Paul did both handle search and weigh the holy scriptures He declineth not to allegories nor to mens inuentions He especially weigheth two wordes which he compareth together by which the whole reason is knit together which wordes are To beleue and righteousnes to be imputed But in the historie of the booke of Genesis which we are now in hand with it is had after this maner God appeared vnto Abraham and sayd that he was his buckler or protection and his plenteous reward Which things when he heard he begā to complayne for that he had no children For the elders ▪ had an exceding greate desire to haue children and that for two causes partlye bycause they desired the increase of a people which might worship God and partly bycause they had heard that the Messias should take flesh of theyr nacion Therfore they desired by hauing Why the elders wer so desirous of posterity of children to light at the length vpō that Messias But God vouchsaued not onely to geue vnto him posteritie but commaunded him also to number the starres of heauen which thinge when he could not do God promised that the aboundance of his sede should be as greate Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes That which the Grecians haue turned in the passiue significatiō 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is was imputed in the hebrue is written actiuely he imputed namely God imputed vnto him righteousnes But in the sence there is no difference And Paul therefore followeth the seuenty interpreters bycause theyr translation was not vnknowen vnto the heathen where let vs note that that which in the hebrew is in Deum that is in God the same both Paul and the seuenty haue turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to God wherfore they obserued not that difference of Augustene of beleuing God and beleuinge in God But here ariseth a doubte how Abraham semeth to How that the fayth of Abraham was in Christ haue obtayned righteousnes by fayth For that fayth was not of Christ but onely of an infinite yssue and posteritie But vnto this may answere be made many wayes First that Abraham beleued not onely touching issue but chiefelye touching those thinges which at the beginning of the chapter were promised vnto him namely that God would be vnto him both a shield and a reward And moreouer then this he foresaw Christ in his posterity Wherefore in the Gospell it is saide of hym that he saw the day of Christ and reioyced And Paul to the Galathians referreth all thys vnto one seede whych is Christ Farther hee whyche talked wyth hym was the sonne of God For no man hath sene God at anye tyme. Therfore whatsoeuer thinges we haue either seene or knowen of hym the Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared it vnto vs. Wherfore if he beleued God he beleued in Christ We haue oftentimes Christ the roote of all promises also declared that in all promises was wrapped and infolden as the roote and foundacion that promise which was touching Christ Neyther seeme they to thinke amisse which affirme that alwayes the obiect of faith is the mercy and goodnes of God which sheweth forth it selfe in singular giftes eyther temporall or spirituall Wherefore when the elders conceaued a hope of victory of deliuery from enemyes and from other calamityes they chiefely did put their confidence in the deuine goodnes because by it God was moued mercifully and appeasedly to geue vnto them these singular giftes And he coulde not be appeased towardes them but by Christ Wherefore in that they beleued any of the promises of God they beleued in Christ Which thing also we ought to be myndfull of when we aske our dayly bread we ought to beleue y◠we shal not want such thinges as pertayne to our liuing Some thinke this to be repugnaunt vnto the argument of Paul which is written in the 106 Psalme of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar who when he had thruste thoroughe the Madianitishe Whither Phinees were iustefied by his worke
harlot and the Israelite not only repressed the plague inflicted by God but also got this thereby that euen the selfe same thinges with like number of wordes were written of hym which Paule here citeth of Abraham out of the booke of Genesis And it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnes Which wordes seing they are spoken of him by reason of his worke it might seme that iustification is not After iustification the saintes do workes which God counteth for iust Paule entreateth of the first righteousnes and the psalme of that righteousnes which followeth iustification Good workes also are sayd to be imputed for righteousnes so proper vnto fayth that Paule should firmely auouch that righteousnes commeth vnto vs by it only But we answere that we deny not but that after fayth and iustification are of good men wrought excellent workes which are of God counted for iust especially when they haue their ofspring out of fayth Wherfore Augustine vpon the 31. Psalme when he commendeth Abrahams fact in that he would haue sacrificed his only sonne sayth that he commendeth the building but in the meane tyme he considereth the foundation which was fayth he sayth that he alloweth the fruite but in the meane tyme he hath a regard to the roote But Paule now entreateth not of those thinges which follow righteousnes but of the very roote and hed what that is for which we are counted iust Wherefore the Psalme speaketh of the worke and Paul of the fyrst righteousnes Nether ought we to maruayle that good workes are sayde to be imputed for righteousnes forasmuch as it is necessary it should be so For they haue not in thēselues so much perfection that they can in all pointes satisfye the lawe of God Wherefore it is nedefull that God for his mercy sake receaue them as acceptable in imputing that part of goodnes and of righteousnes which wanteth in them They also are not to be harkened vnto which interprete this sentence so that they vnderstand that Paul speaketh of fayth here as it is a worke so that Fayth is not here taken as it is a worke Two manner wayes of imputing the sence should be that God imputed vnto righteousnes that acte of Abraham whereby he beleued as though he would count that for iuste That is not intreated of at this present to dispute of a iust worke But that is sought from whence we are iustified And to make the matter more playne to be imputed vnto righteousnes is taken two maner of wayes Sometymes it signifieth some acte to be ratified and to be allowed and to speake briefely to be accepted for iust and after this maner we graunte that that acte of Phinees and the good workes of holy men are imputed of God vnto righteousnes An other way it signifieth that by which we our selues are counted in the number of the iust and that Paul attributeth only vnto fayth as though he should haue said Abraham beleued that he was acceptable vnto God and that he was counted with him for iust and lastly that he should attayne to blessednes and as he beleued so he receaued For it came to passe vnto hym according to his fayth Wherefore by it he receaued that which was offred vnto him of God as it is written in the beginning of the 15. chapter For God had sayde vnto hym I am thy protector and thy exceding great reward But that which is sayd of Phinees and of the workes of goodmen pertayneth vnto the dutyes whiche follow them that are iustified But forasmuch as many promises are made vnto workes and God in this place calleth himselfe a reward and eternall life is oftentimes If eternall life be sayd to be rendred vnto workes why is not also sayd of righteousnes Good woorkes may go before eternal life but not before iustification Eternall life is called a reward by a similitude and not properly in the holy scriptures called a reward as though it were rendred vnto workes why may we not by workes likewise obtayne righteousnes seying that it is as great a matter to glorifye as to iustify But two thinges are here to be considered first that good workes may go before glorification but not before iustification Because after that we are iustified we may do such thinges as are acceptable vnto God But before we are iustified we are able to do nothinge that is truely good and which can please God Moreouer we graunt not that eternall life is had by workes as though it were by them merited But when it is called a reward it is in this respect because it is rendred after the worke done euen as that which we deserue by any ciuile actions is not wont to be rendred till the worke be full done And in such sort eternall life may indede haue some similitude of a reward but yet properly and as touching the nature of a reward it is most farre of and that for thrée causes First because those thinges which are geuen and which are receaued are not alyke but that is required to the nature of merite Secondly because the workes which we offer are not our owne For God geueth them vnto vs and woorketh in vs both to will and to performe Wherefore if there were any merite it should not be attributed vnto vs but vnto God as to the author of all good workes Lastly when a reward or merite is properly taken it behoueth the that which is geuen of vs be not bound of duety vnto him vnto whom it is geuē But we although we shoulde not obtayne felicitye yet ought we to doo all our thinges vnto the glory of God Wherefore eternall lyfe can not be called a reward but by a certaine similitude But many say that these sentences of Paul are to be vnderstand by a figure as though it were the figure Synecdoche that faith is therefore said to iustifie because it in iustifieng obteineth the chiefest place and so they will Sinecdoche which y◠aduersaries vse not that good works which are ioyned with faith should vtterly be excluded from y◠power of iustifieng They are in dede content that we should commend faith but yet in such sort commend it that we shoulde say that it iustifieth together with other good workes which workes they say Paul vnderstādeth in it by the figure Synecdoche And by this meanes they thinke may be conciliated very many places in the scriptures For vndoubtedly in the xx chap. of Genesis God for a worke promised many thinges vnto Abraham Bicause saith he thou hast done this thing thy seede shall be increased it shall obteyne the gates of his enemies and in thy sede shall all nations be blessed and other such like And Iames semeth to expound this Synecdoche when he affirmeth that Abraham was iustified by workes Vnto these men we aunswer that the wordes of Paul will in no case suffer any suche trope or figure whose wordes are so playne and perspicuous that they neither can be violated nor yet
whiche killeth a dogge and whiche offreth fiue swete cakes like vnto him whiche offreth the bloud of swyne But no man doubteth but that the workes whiche we worke are in a sorte sacrifices Wherfore if sinners offer them vnto the Lord they are displeasant vnto hym He addeth also an other reason He whiche worketh sinne is the seruant of sinne because when we be seruaunts vnto sinne it suffreth vs not to do any thing that is acceptable vnto God Lastly hee maketh thys reason that Christ said No man can serue two maisters neither is it by any meanes possible that we should serue both Mammon and God Wherupon hee concludeth that it is not possible that the wycked shoulde do good woorkes Wherefore the woorkes of preparation whyche our aduersaries fayne are What sins to be couered signifieth are vtterly excluded Augustine interpretyng the 31. Psalme sayth That sinnes to be couered is nothyng els then that God will not consider them And if sayth he hee consider them not then will he not punish them Wherefore sinnes are sayd to be couered before God because God will not punishe them They ought not so to bee vnderstand to be couered as though they were ouer couered and yet neuertheles remayne lining in vs. Their bonde and guiltines whereby punishment was due vnto vs is by forgeuenes taken away And for this thing the Prophet prayed when hee sayd Turne away thy face from my sinnes When Dauid made this Psalme hee was sicke and was troubled with a grenous disease For he maketh mencion that hys bones were withered away and that he felt the hand of God heauy vpon him and that the moystnes of hys body was in a maner all dried vp and manye other such like thinges Wherefore being by the disease admonished of his sinnes and of the wrath of God he brast forth into these woordes by which hee testified those to be blessed whose sinnes God had forgeuen And he taketh blessednes for instification For iustification as we haue sayde is a blessednes begon For Sins onely are a let that we are not blessed sins are onely a let that we are not now already blessed which whē they shall vtterly be taken away they shall no more hinder blessednes But men though they be neuer so good and holy yet so long as they lyue here are not vtterlye without sinne Therefore they alwayes aspire vnto blessednes that is vnto the forgeuenes of sinnes Wherefore in that selfe same Psalme it is afterward added For So longe as we liue here we pray for iustification He which prayeth not for the forthe forgeuenes of sins prayeth ill this shall euery one that is holy pray vnto thee Which thing our Sauiour also hath taught vs. For in the prayer which he made which euen the best and most holye oughte to saye he commaunded vs to saye Forgeue vs our trespasses And they which pray for other thinges and make not mention of this let them take hede that thyng happen not vnto them which happened vnto that Pharisey whom Luke sheweth to haue praid after this maner I geue thee thankes O God that I am not as other men are c. And for that cause saith Christ he departed not home to his house iustified bicause he rehersed before God his good workes onely But contrariwise the Publicane acknowledging his misery durst scarcely lift vp his eies vnto heauen And so being vtterly deiected in mynd he said Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner And by this confession he acknowledged that he brought nothing vnto God but sinnes and therfore prayed that they might be forgeuen him He saith Christ returned home iustified Where as Dauid here as the Apostle citeth hym maketh no mencion of good workes yet some will obtrude it vnto vs out of these things which follow And in his spirite is no guile But vnto these mē August very well aunswereth In him saith he there is no guile which as he is a sinner so acknowledgeth himselfe to be and when he seeth himselfe vitiated with euill workes dissembleth What it is not to haue guile within one them not but manifestly confesseth them Therfore it is added in the selfe same psalme I haue said I will confesse mine owne iniquitie agaynst my selfe But yet againe suche whyche woulde so fayne weaken thys reasonynge of Paule obiecte vnto vs that there is vsed the figure Synecdoche so that wyth those thynges which Dauid setteth foorth wee shoulde also ioyne good woorkes to iustifye And to make their sentence of the more credite they gather other testimonies out of Dauid in which blessednes is also attributed vnto workes as Blessed are the immaculate which walke in the law of the Lorde Blessed is the man which feareth the Lorde Blessed is the man which hath not gone in the counsels of the vngodly and many other Whether blessednes be attributed vnto woorkes Here is entreated of the first blessednes and not of the last such like places in which they say that blessednes is as expressedly ascribed vnto workes as it is in that place which Paul now citeth vnto the remission of sinnes But forasmuch as these men doo recite againe the same argument in a manner which we haue a little before dissolued they shall also haue euen the selfe same answer Namely that here is not intreated of that blessednes or felicitie whiche follow the first iustification but here is disputed of the very first and principall iustification And why we can not here admit the figure Synecdoche we haue before alredy shewed bicause Paul expressedly affirmeth that this righteousnes cōmeth without workes And bicause it should not be said that he spake these things only of ceremoniall workes of the law he afterward addeth that the promise therefore consisteth of grace that it might be firme not wauer which excludeth not onely ceremonies but also morall works And a little before we reade forasmuch as iustification is geuen by imputation it cannot then be of workes And that he confirmed by a generall reason of working and of not working which vndoubtedly extend much farther then to ceremonies For we worke no lesse in morall workes then in ceremoniall workes He said moreouer that they which are iustified haue wherof to glory before God as though they had of him obteined righteousnes and not of their works Whiche reason remoueth from iustification eyther kynde of woorkes both ceremoniall and also morall Wherefore we moste manifestlye sée Ambrose saith we are iustifyed by faith onely that the figure Synecdoche canne by no meanes stande wyth the reasons of Paul Ambrose expounding these wordes oftentimes writeth that we are iustified by faith onely and he addeth without labour and any obseruation But that which he afterward addeth when he interpreteth this sentence of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquityes are forgeuen he sayth Vnto whome iniquityes are forgeuen without labor or any worke and whose sinnes are couered no worke of repentance being required of them but only
the vncircumcision For we say that fayth was imputed vnto Abraham vnto righteousnes How was it then imputed when he was Circumcised or vncircumcised not when he was circumcised but wheÌ„ he was vncircumcised Afterward he receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnes of fayth which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the father of all them that beleue not beyng circumcised that righteousnes mighte be imputed vnto them also And the father of circumcision not vnto them onely which are of the circumcision but to them also that walke in the steppes of the fayth of our father Abraham which he had when he was vncircumcised Came this blessednes then vpon the Circumcision or vpon the vncircumcision The Latine interpretation hath this worde Manet that is abideth added to this sentence which is not in the Greke bookes Neither doth yâ— verbe which the Latines haue much agrée with the phrase which is by the accusatiue case and by the Greke preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rather as Theophilactus admonisheth we must vnderstand this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth lighteth it or beloÌ„geth it or some such lyke thinge Neither do I disalow the coniecture of Erasmus who thinketh that insteade of this verbe Manet was first written Manat whiche signifieth to come or to spread abrode And thus muche as touching the woordes But this is the meanyng A man might thinke that although Dauid made no mention of workes when he set forth the blessednes of those whose sinnes are forgeuen yet because he himselfe was both circumcised also vsed sacrifices he thoughte that this forgeuenes of sinnes is obteined by these things although he expressed them not And for that cause Paul taketh againe the example of Abraham which he at the first vsed And so returneth Why Paul returneth againe to Abraham to the ground and beginning of circumcision and considereth the very time wherin Abraham receiued it and proueth that long time before he was circumcised he was both iustified and also pronounced the father of many nations that is of all them which beleue Wherof it followeth that we without ceremonies and other workes shall by faith be counted iust and be admitted into the people of God and placed among the meÌ„bers of Christ This argument may thus be made more The forme of the Argument The order of the causes and the effectes in the iustificaâ—ion of Abraham Of what greate waight is the diligent marking of the scriptures Circumcision was had in greate estimation euident That which yet was not coulde not bring righteousnes vnto Abraham But when Abraham was pronounced iustified circumcision was not yet Wherefore it could not iustifie Abraham Let vs in this maner set the order betwene the causes and the effectes First God did set forth vnto Abraham his promises Secondly followed faith And thirdly iustification Lastly came obedience which caused him to circumcise himselfe and to do many other excellent good workes We may not peruert this order that by obedience and circumcision whiche are the last effects we should bring forth iustification which went before Againe in thys place yâ— Apostle teacheth vs with how great study and diligence the Scriptures are to be red and the times and moments in stories are throughly to be considered He entreateth of circumcision bicause all that controuersie sprang first by reason of ceremonies and bicause also they had circumcision in no lesse estimation theÌ„ we now haue baptisme For they counted it for a noble worke and an excellent worship pyng of God Wherfore we may inferre or conclude that if we be not iustified with that kind of workes wherin consisted the worshipping of God vndoubtedly much lesse shall we be iustified by other workes For these are counted more excellent more acceptable vnto God then are other workes For we say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham vnto righteousnes These wordes serue wonderfully to depresse the pride and hautines of the Iewes which continually cried that righteousnes could by no meanes stand without circumcision But Paul contrariwise affirmeth that it was in Abraham before he was circumcised For Abraham was as yet vncircumcised when he was pronounced iustified Wherfore it is no meruaile if many mo of the vncircumcised then of the Iewes were saued after the comming of Christ Here it semeth that there are set before our eyes two fathers the one of the vncircumcised the other of circumcision And if we more depely consider the matter we shall see that the father of the vncircumcised is set in the first place For Abraham was not yet circumcised when he was of God counted iust What theÌ„ is there remayning for the Iewes that they should so aduance themselues aboue the GeÌ„tles Nothing vndoubtedly but the signe And eueÌ„ as Abraham is not the father of the vncircumcised for yâ— cause only bicause they haue vncircumcision but bicause of faith so also is he not the father of the circumcised bicause they are circumcised but bicause they beleue By these things it is manifest Circumcision and vncircumcisioÌ„ are conditions comming by chaunce that both circumcisioÌ„ also vncircumcision are conditions coÌ„ming by chance and of theÌ„selues helpe nothing to the obteinment of iustification Very aptly doth the Apostle bring in these two men Dauid and Abraham Of which the one that is Dauid being now circumcised bare testimony of iustification And Abraham being not yet circumcised obteined neuertheles iustification Wherfore it sufficiently appeareth that Circumcision is not a meane necessarily required to obtain righteousnes And he receaued the signe of circumcision He receaued I say circumcision which was a signe The seale of the righteousnes of fayth This is a preuention for they which heard these thinges mought thus haue thought with themselues If Abraham were iustified before circumcision then was circumcisioÌ„ superfluous vnto this obiection Paule answereth saying that circumcision was not vayne or vnprofitable for it was the seale of the righteousnes of fayth In this sentence Paule Circumcision was not a thing geuen in vain hath two woordes namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a signe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a seale which woordes althoughe they be of very nighe affinitie the one to the other yet ar they not both of one the selfe same significatioÌ„ For this woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a sign is more general then his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yâ— is a seale An image is a signe but it can not be a seale But we vse to put seales vnto such things as we wyll haue with greate fidelity kept and remayne vnuiolated And therefore are letters sealed letters patentes of princes are confirmed with seales yâ— no man should doubt of the authority or truth of theÌ„ So God deliuereth vnto vs sacramentes Sacramentes are not onely signes but sealinges What circumcision signifyed what it sealed as seales of his promises Wherfore circumcision signified two
reade in the scriptures was restored strength to beget children Nether is it any meruaile that By fayth we renounce the best part of our selues by y◠worke of faith is aduāced y◠glory of God forasmuch as in it for Gods sake we deny the best part of our selues which is our mynde and reason wherby we ether assent or not assent vnto thinges set forth vnto vs. Wherefore it is manifest that there can nothing more excellent be offred of vs vnto God For this is a wonderfull testification of the power and goodnes of God for his sake to seme to quench in our selues the sense of nature But I wonder at those which so diligently commend workes and so highly extoll chastity sole life and other workes and yet are so colde in setting forth the commendation of fayth when as by it commeth the victory whereby we ouercome both our selues and also the whole world For so Iohn sayth this is the victory which ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Which thing We are not iustified by fayth as it is a worke Faith meriteth not vnto vs iustification Fayth as it is a worke excelleth all other workes Proues that fayth cannot be without good workes The vertues of the vnderstanding are not repugnant to vices I speake not as though I ment that we are iustified by fayth as it is a worke For it is defiled by sundry blottes of our infirmity And Augustine sayth that this sentence is by no meanes to be admitted that fayth meriteth vnto vs iustification For fayth is not sayth he of our selues but as Paul to the Ephesians expressedly testefieth it is the gift of God Howbeit as it is a worke it many wayes excelleth all other workes Nether can it be expressed how far wide the scholemen erre when they imagine that fayth can consist without good workes For by their sentence fayth should not attayne vnto the dignity of prudence which both as the Philosophers write and also they themselues confesse can not be had without the rest of the vertues What maner of thing then shall Theologicall fayth be if it attayne not vnto the perfection of prudence Farther forasmuch as vertue suffreth not vice to be ioyned together with it and they themselues contende that fayth is a vertue how wil they haue true fayth to be in sinners and such as are strangers frō God But they will say that they put fayth to be a vertue of the vnderstanding vnto which kind of vertues vices are not repugnant For that we sée sometimes that the most wickedst men that are haue in them excellent sciences But nether will this any thing helpe them their owne fayned imagination is a let thereunto For they imagine that those thinges which are set forth vnto our vnderstanding are obscure and nothing euident and that we geue not assent vnto them but because the wil cōmaundeth the vnderstanding to geue his assent in that thinge to geue place to the truth of God Wherefore I will demaunde of these men whether the worke of y◠wil wherby it cōmaundeth y◠vnderstāding to geue place to assēt vnto the words of God be good or euell Vndoubtedly whether they wil or no they must The vnderstandinge cannot be commaunded to beleue without charity Fayth depēdeth not of the commaundemē◠of the wyl◠be cōpelled to say it is good But without charity it is not possible that the will should bring the vnderstāding to embrace y◠things that are to be beleued Wherefore these fonde deuises of theirs are repugnaunt the one to the other But we teach no such thing that fayth should depend of the commaundement of the wil For how should it be moued to commaund things that are to be beleued to be receaued as good and worthy of credit except it had first receued it by vnderstanding In dede we confesse that those things which we beleue are obscure and not very euident vnto humane reason But they are made plaine vnto the vnderstanding by the light of the diuine reuelation and illumination of the holy The deuine reuelation maketh those thinges playne which otherwise were obscure ghost Wherfore they are by the iudgment of reason apprehended and admitted with a singular certainty which thinges being so knowen and receaued as it must nedes follow the wil delighteth it selfe in them so earnestly embraseth them that it commaundeth vnto the other faculties of the mind workes agreable vnto that truth whiche the mind hath beleued And by this meanes of faith springeth charity and after it followeth hope For the things which we beleue and ernestly loue with a valiant and patient minde we wayt for which thing pertayneth chiefely vnto hope Nether let any man thinke that this is ether against reason or extinguisheth the nature of mā for that in beleuing we sem◠to renounce humane sence as though this were in vs a madnes as Agrippa the king sayd vnto Paul when he preached the fayth of Christ Much lerning hath driuen thee to madnes The matter is not so but rather by faith is brought to passe Fayth neyther extinguisheth the nature of man nor reason The foundacions of our resurrection that our reasō maketh it selfe subiect vnto the doctrine of God and vnto the reuelation thereof rather then to inferior reasonings and perswasions which being inferiors vnto the holy scriptures man is by them rather exalted then deiected And if a man should say that men in beleuing are madde we will adde farther it is aboue all things done with reason The Apostle maketh mencion that God rayseth to life the dead and that the body of Abraham was dead and also the wombe of Sara By which wordes Chrisostome sayth are layde the foundacions of our resurrectiō which we beleue shal come For if god could do these things then can not he wante ether meanes or power whereby to restore againe to life the deade And vndoubtedlye I am perswaded that this fayth was no small helpe vnto Abraham to moue him to sacrifice his sonne as God had required at his handes For although hee had receaued the promise that he should haue posterity by Isaake yet he saw that although he were slaine yet there was What faith confirmed Abraham to obey God still remayning place for that promise For he beleued y◠God was able to rayse him vp although he were slayne and make him to liue agayne And how commendable the fayth of the patriarch was Paul declareth when he sayth that he had not a regard to his dead body or to the dead wombe of Sara but gaue the glory to God being most assuredly perswaded this that God was able to performe and bring to passe whatsoeuer he had promised Ambrose by an Antithesis or contrary position declareth the excellency of this fayth for he compareth it with the incredulity of Zachary vnto whome when the angel shewed the birth of Iohn Baptist yet he remained still in vnbeliefe and therfore he was reproued of the
church can not releâ—se the afflictions of the godly these punishementes which God inflicteth vpon vs whilest we liue here are not in the power of the Church that it can at pleasure and as it listeth it selfe alter or lenifye or mitigate them as our aduersaryes haue fayned of the paynes of purgatory Which their fayned deuise they can not confirme by any reason taken out of the holy scriptures We must diligently also weigh the wordes of the Apostle For as when he fayth That we stand in grace by fayth he declareth that the property of fayth is to erect and to confirme our mindes Which property vndoubtedly it hath not but by that it cleaueth vnto the woord of God For so by it are broken the rages and tempests that rushe agaynst vs so are we established not to wauer with euery wynde of doctrine nor to change our opinion for euery chance of fortune The philosophers when they woulde amply set foorth the constancye of a iust man compared it with a fower square stone which howsoeuer it falleth falleth right But A comparison of fayth with philosophy fayth much more truely accoÌ„plisheth this theÌ„ doth philosophy Chrisostome addeth That the good thinges of this world whatsoeuer they be are nether firme nor constant For they are oftentymes assayled with many dangers and not seldome ouercome And although whilest we liue here we lose them not yet when we dye will we or nill we we must nedes forsake them But these spirituall things whereof we now intreate are both firme and shall after death be made more ample But the same Chrisostome vpon this place is of vs warely to be red For he sayth that Paul in making mencion of those thinges which we receaue of Christ rehearseth many thinges But when he commeth to those thinges which we haue of our selues he setteth forth only one thing namely fayth â–ª which sayth he we our selues bring of our owne But we must surely sticke fast to thys ground that fayth also is the gift of God and is deriued from him into vs. Out of this place also may be gathered a most firme argument that we are iustified by fayth only Which shall be made playne by the effect after this maner That by An argument wherby is proued that we are iustified by faith one lye which we are iustified ought to make vs quiet before God This thing can not workes bring to passe but fayth only Ergo we are iustified by fayth and not by workes The maior is very playne that we are not iustified vnles we haue such a quiet mynde that we abhorre not nor flye from the fight of God And that our workes are not able to performe this theyr vncleanes and vnpurenes declareth Wherefore Dauid hath not without cause written Enter not into iudgement with thy seruauntes Lord. We reioyce in the hope and glory of God Here is declared the nature of this peace and tranquilitie of the minde namely that it maketh vs most assured and sure of perpetuall felicity for we reioyce not but for that which we now possesse And that we euen now also possesse eternall lyfe Christ manifestly declareth We posses eternall life euen now also when he saith He that beleueth in me hath eternall lyfe But bicause it is not yet ful neither as yet appeareth therfore Paul addeth In the hope of the glory of God This glorye whiche we hope for is a coniunction with God that he maye wholye dwell and worke in vs which thing when we shall haue attayned we shall be adorned with the last and highest point of felicitye neither shall there be left any place vnto misery But when he sayth In the hope of the glory of God He séemeth to speake that by preuention For that as touching those which beleue the common opinion of men is excedingly deceiued For the Ethenikes commonly deride Christians for that they count themselues to be happye when yet in the meane tyme they want not wicked affections and are vexed with tribulations and aduersities They thinke yâ— we should weigh our felicity by those things which we haue Our felicity is not to be weighed by those thinges which are in vs. of our owne But we are of a farre other opinion for we so far forth counte our selues happy as we are so counted of God and that he imputeth vnto vs righteousnes not that we are not in the meane tyme renewed both in minde and in bodye although we are yet vnperfect And euen this selfe same righteousnes whiche we haue now obteyned and the renouation which is in vs we in no case thynke to be of that force that by it we can attayne vnto the rewardes of eternall lyfe Thys peace and felicitie and reioycing of which the Apostle now intreateth is yâ— which confirmed the Martirs when in Christes quarell they did shed both their lyfe and What is this peace which is had by faith bloud This is that hundreth folde which is rendered also in this lyfe is of more value then all the riches and pleasures of this world Wherefore when the Ethnikes deriding vs do boast of their riches and pleasures and power we ought not to be moued For we easely perceaue that they with al these their goods are miserable and wretched but on the other side we féele our selues happy when we haue possession of this one good thyng although we want all those thinges whiche they so highly estéeme And here is to be marked the order that the Apostle vseth in rehersing the effectes of iustification First he setteth forth peace wherby is declared The methode or order of the effectes of iustification that the battaile that sin had stirred vp against vs is now at an end For sin beyng by the death of Christ blotted out and the righteousnes of christ beingimputed vnto vs of God through faith of enemies we are made frendes whereby is made opeÌ„ vnto vs an entrance vnto his manifold grace and to the obteinement of innumerable benefites For so long as yâ— warre endured we were a great way of froÌ„ God and strangers from the promises but now that the peace is made by the mediator we are brought nearer there is geuen vs frée accesse vnto God which accesse yâ— Apostle worthely putteth in the second place as which could not haue come vnto vs vnles we had first obteyned peace Farther thirdly followeth reioycing in the hope of the glory of God For who will not now hope that he shal be adorned with the glory of God Whome will not so assured an expectation of so great a thyng of the glory I say of God make ioyfull and glad And of how great force and power this reioycing in the hope of the glory of God is that which followeth declareth And not that onely but also we reioyce in afflictions Of so greate force is this reioycing that those thinges which men especially wicked men count for a dishonor and from which they abhorre
Whereof springeth the certainty of hope touching the constaÌ„cy of God which no vnworthines of ours caÌ„ make frustrate and if we looke vpon this vnworthines withdrawing vs from this confidence we ought agaynst hope to beleue in hope and though it neuer so much cry out agaynst vs we ought to haue full confideÌ„ce that we shal by Christ be made safe setting before vs our father Abraham whose steps we ought by fayth to cleaue vnto he as touchinge the promise that he should haue issue had no consideratioÌ„ vnto his age or to his wife which was past childbearing but had a respect only vnto him which made the promise had a consideratioÌ„ vnto his might and therfore he most firmely setled with himselfe that that should come to passe which God had promised So although that we be vnworthy and that our filthynes sinnes are a let vnto vs yet let vs haue no distrust but that we shal by Christ be made safe vnles we will be infected with infidelity from which AbrahaÌ„ so much abhorred for he doubted not through vnbeliefe sayth the Apostle Wherfore this vncertaynty of our aduersaries is vtterly taken away from the minds of the godly For for this cause as the Apostle testifieth would God haue vs to be iustified by fayth not by works that the promise should abide certaine and What is to geue glory vnto God The vngodly ought to haue hope vnshaken And this is in deede to geue the glory vnto God whiche thinge Abraham did For he notwithstanding those wonderfull great impediments hoped that that vndoubtedly should come to passe which God had promised Iob also so little estemed these letts that he sayd Although he kill me yet will I hope in him By which words he declareth that it is the part of the godly althoughe they be seuerely afflicted of God appeare to be hated of him yet not to cast away hope Wherfore him let vs imitate if our fallinges and vnworthynes themselues against vs yet let vs not distrust Let vs in the meane time detest our bices and as much as lieth in vs amend them but yet through them let vs by no meanes be deiected from the hope of saluation For if when the promises of God are of fred we should looke vpon our owne worthines we should be stirred vp to desperation There should be no peace if we stood in doubt of saluation rather then to any hope For there is no man whose minde is not ladeÌ„ with many and greuous sinnes Farther Paul teacheth vs that peace towards God is had by Christe and by the fayth which is towardes him which peace vndoubtedly should ether be none at all or ells very troublesome if we should continually doubt of his good will towards vs. Do we not alwayes in our praiers call him father But no sonne which followeth naturall affection doubteth of his fathers good will towards him How then do we call him father whome we suspect to be our enemy There mought be brought a great mani other such The fathers taught the certainety of saluation like reasoÌ„s for the certainty of hope But now I will in few words declare that the fathers also in theyr writings taught the selfe same certainty Chrisostome vpon this place thus writeth do not saith he though thou be neuer so vnworthy discorage thy selfe seing thou hast so great a defeÌ„ce refuge namely the loue or fauor of the iudge And a little afterward he saith For that cause the Apostle himselfe when he saith hope confouÌ„deth not ascribeth all the things which we haue receaued not vnto our good dedes but vnto the loue of God Ambrose also saith That forasmuch as it is impossible that they which are deare vnto him should be deceaued he would make vs assured of the promise because it is God which hath promised hath promised to those whome he counteth for deare Augustine in his sermoÌ„ which he made vpoÌ„ yâ— moÌ„day in yâ— RogatioÌ„ weke Why sayth he doth your hand tremble when you knocke why is your conscieÌ„ce halfe on slepe when you beg I am the dore of life I abhorre not him that knocketh though he be vncleane And vpoÌ„ the 41. Psalme he sayth Put not hope in thy selfe but in thy God For if thou puttest hope in thy selfe thou shalt fill thy soule full of trouble for that it hath not yet found how it may be secure or assured of the. By these words he declareth that security which we haue coÌ„meth not of our selues but of God And vpoÌ„ the 27. psalm when he expoundeth these words of Paul out of the secoÌ„d chapter to yâ— EphesiaÌ„s we also were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrath as are others Why doth he say we were Bycause sayth he by hope nowe we are not for in deede we are so still But we speake that which is better namely that which we are in hope bycause we are certaine of our hope For our hope is not vncertaine so that we should doubt of it And Chrisostome vpon the. 5. chapter vnto the Romanes sayth that we ought no les to be fully perswaded of those things which we shall receaue theÌ„ we ar of those things which we haue alredy receaued Cyprian also in his sermon of the pestilence when he sawe the godly fearefull to dye many wayes confirmeth them to be sure of theyr saluation and amoÌ„gst all other things saith that they are afeard and abhorre death which are without hope or fayth And Bernardus wonderfully reioyseth of the 〈…〉 of Christ of his wounds and crosse In that rocke he sayth he standeth and shall not fall for no violence done against him He maketh mencion also of many excellent things touching this firm and coÌ„stant certainty Wherfore those things which we haue auouched of the constancy and security of hope agree not only with the holy scriptures and with most sure reasons but also with the sentences of the fathers Now it shal be good to define hope that yâ— certainty therof may the more plainly be known Wherfore hope is a faculty or power breathed into vs Definition of hope by the holy ghost wherby we with an assured and patient minde wayte for that the saluation begonne by Christ and receaued of vs by fayth should one day be perfited in vs not for our merites but through the mercy of god First it is said to be instilled of the holighost bicause that springeth not of nature or of our coÌ„tinual actioÌ„s It is indede after faith although not in time yet in nature which thing we may perceaue by epistle vnto the Hebrues Where it is written that Hope is after faith that faith is the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of things to be hoped for For forasmuch as the things which we hope for ar not euideÌ„t manifest but ar a gret way far of froÌ„ vs they ought to cleaue fast vnto faith wherby as by a certain brase or sure post they may be staied vp And yâ—
same light of the sonne which nourisheth and prepareth the earth to receaue séedes and which when they are committed vnto the earth causeth them to spring and being now sprong vp so norisheth them that they bring forth fruite so also is it vtterly one and y◠selfe same Grace of God both that which preuenteth our will and also that which followeth after Wherefore Augustine sayth Grace preuenteth that we should be healed the same followeth after that we should be nourished It preuenteth that we might be called it followeth after that we might be glorified Wherefore they iudge not well which thinke that Grace preuenting is a certaine common motion wherewith God striketh the hartes of men in stirring thē vp to doo well as though it were in their power ether to come vnto him that calleth them or to reiect him And no les doo they erre which bable in the Scholes that there is one Grace freely geuen All grace ought to be geuen frely We are not by gifts and habits made acceptable vnto God but by his meere grace and mercy There are many free giftes wherby the godly cannot be discerned from the vngodly Certaine giftes are peculier vnto the saintes Some called naturall giftes grace What grace the churche mēt against Pelagius A similitude Nothing maketh vs acceptable vnto God but his mercye and an other which maketh vs acceptable For euery grace ought to be geuen freely for otherwise as Paul sayth it should be no Grace And forasmuch as by Grace that maketh acceptable they vnderstand an habite as we haue before taught they doo wickedly in affirming that men are by such giftes made acceptable vnto God For before hym we are receaued into fauor by hys onely mercye and for Chrystes sake and it is not conuenient to attribute that vnto creatures which belongeth only to Christ and to the goodnes of God Farther we are first acceptable vnto God by his free election before that any suche giftes be geuen vs. I graunt indede that there are many free giftes whereby the godly can not be discerned from the vngodlye as are the gifte of tounges prophecying the gift of healing and such other like which happen as wel vnto the euill as to the good Contrarily fayth hope and charity belong onely to the godly Naturall giftes also are somtymes called graces as sharpenes of wit strength of body And after this maner the Pelagiās craftely confessed that men nede grace to liue vprightly But by grace they vnderstood frée choise reason and wil. We deny not but that these things are fréely geuen of God But yet we deny that they are graces which happen vnto the elect through the redemptiō of Christ And whē the church confuted the error of Pelagius it ment not this kind of grace but that grace wherby we are regenerate and iustified without which no man can either be acceptable vnto God or liue vprightly Sometymes the will of man is compared with a horse and grace with him that sitteth vpon the horse which comparison as touching many conditions is not to be misliked But this is chiefly to be takē héede of that howsoeuer we take grace we alwayes appoint it to be geuē fréely and not of workes Neither doth it by any meanes make a man acceptable but so far forth as it is taken for the good will of God And thus much as touching grace The sixte Chapter WHat then shall we say shall we continue in sinne that grace may abounde God forbid How shall we that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein Knowe ye not that all we which are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised into his death We are buried then with hym by baptisme into his death that euen as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so we also should walke in newnes of lyfe What then shal we say shal we continue in sinne that grace may abound Paules methode Paul was accused as though he taught that we shoulde sinne Towardes the ende of the former chap. Paul mencioned two thinges namely that the law entred in that sinne should abound and where sinne abounded there also grace did much more abound These two things were offensiue vnto the mindes of many bicause he semed to much to depresse the law to geue men an entisemēt to sinne Wherefore by preuention he repulseth these false accusations In the 7. chap. he plainly teacheth that that which he hath in this place written concerning the law happeneth not vnto it of his owne nature but through our default Now presently he cleareth his doctrine of that wherof he was accused namely that he should teach that men should sinne to the end the grace of God might the more abound That offence which Pauls doctrine semed to brede euen then when he was The same thing is layde to our charge yet on lyue is also now a dayes layd to our charge For when we teach that iustification is promised by faith only without workes they cry out euery where that workes are condemned the law made vnprofitable a way opened to lyue losely so by that meanes all discipline of maners vtterly perisheth This may be a most sure token that we haue attayned vnto the naturall and true meanyng of the doctrine of Paul when as we know that the selfe same accusations are layd to our Our sentence excedingly stirreth vp mē to do well charge which we are assured were layd vnto his But that these are mere false slāders hereby it may easely be manifest bicause there is nothyng more profitable to stirre vp men to lyue godly and well then to shew that so great is the goodnes of God that he fréely geueth righteousnes vnto vs without our desertes For who would not endeuour himselfe to be answerable to so great goodnes And it should It should be miserable if felicity should begotten by woorkes be a miserable case if felicitie and blessednes should be geuen vs accordyng to our workes For forasmuch as the imperfection of our actions cannot be hidden from vs vndoubtedly we should dispayre of the thing y◠we séeke for Then whiche thyng there can be nothyng more miserable The Apostle sheweth how great a griefe of minde it was vnto him to sée his doctrine drawen into so euill part and that of so true principels should be gathered such absurdities But this is the corruption of Men corrupt do of true principles gather thinges absurde mans nature that if there be neuer so litle an occasion offred it will straight way snatch those things which are rede or heard in the holy scriptures ether to the fulfilling of the lust of their owne desires or els to the confidence of their owne strengthes Wherefore Paul to withstand these euils when he had hetherto with many reasons confirmed the healthfull doctrine of iustification doth now on the other side vrge good workes and vehemently exhorteth vs not to abide any longer in
are the braÌ„ches As the brauÌ„ch caÌ„ not bring forth fruite vnles it abide in the vine so ye caÌ„ not bring forth fruite vnles ye abide in me And strait way he addeth Without me ye can do nothing And in an other place he saith that an euill tree can not bring forth good fruite For first it behoueth yâ— roote to be good before there caÌ„ be hoped any good fruite to come froÌ„ it But good trees we caÌ„ not be before we be grafted into Christ This grafting is in the holy scriptures called regeneration And euen as no man can helpe anye thinge to the generation of himselfe so can no man any thing helpe to the regeneration of himselfe Paul also in this selfe same epistle sayth whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Wherefore seing the wicked want fayth whatsoeuer they do ought to be counted for sinne If thyne eye be single thy whole body shal be lightsome But if thy light be darkenes how great shall that darknes be Vnles fayth be present we are conuersant in darkenes and of necessity sticke fast in sinnes Farther if we follow the opinion of these men we shall vtterly ouerthrow the nature of grace For grace if it should be of works as Paul saith should then cease to be grace Paul also addeth that the Israelits following after the lawe of righteousnes attayned not vnto righteousnes for that they sought it by workes and not by fayth Vnto the Collossians also he playnly teacheth what maner ones we be before we are iustified Estranged saith he from God enemies in mynd conuersant in euill workes And in this epistle vnto the Romans men not yet grafted into Christ he calleth wild Oliue trées And we know that wilde Oliue trees are barren neither can they bring forth fruite Farther workes can not be good vnles they either satisfy the lawe or if they any thing stray from the lawe the same be not imputed vnto theÌ„ through Christ But men not regenerate can not satisfy the lawe for euen the regenerate can not do it And forasmuch as they are not by faith ioyned vnto Christ they can not attaine vnto the benefite of Christ whereby such defectes or wants are made whole againe And he whiche teacheth that a man canne without the grace of God do workes which are acceptable vnto God must of necessity also teach that Christ is not the redemer of the whole man For he ascribeth vnto our nature no small portion of saluation without Christ which teacheth that we can without the grace of Christe woorke wel and liue vprightly Paul also in this place when we were sayth he the seruauntes of sinne we were free vnto righteousnes Which is nothing els but that we had no consideration at all vnto righteousnes or fellowship therewith Moreouer he exhorteth vs that euen as we haue serued sinne so we should now serue righteousnes And he also teacheth that we should now altogether without any sinnes serue righteousnes Wherefore it is certaine that before we serued sinne and were vtterly without all righteousnes Lastly he hath left no meanes at all betwéene the seruitude of sinne and of righteousnes But these men contrariwise fayne certayne men what they be I know not which although they be not yet iustified do yet notwithstanding iust and good workes which may be acceptable vnto God All these thinges sufficiently declare how absurd and found these mens opinion is Howbeit in the meane time they crye out that we are blasphemous which auouch the whole nature of man to be euill But as Augustine warely writeth Vnder the prayses of nature lye hidden the enemyes of grace They ought to haue considered vnto what Vnder the prayses of nature lie hidden the enemies of grace ground we referre that euill whereof we complayne For we ascribe it not either to nature as it was created or vnto God but vnto sinne which through the first man had an entrance made open vnto it For by al maner of meanes we disagrée from the Manichies For they dreamed both that our nature is euill and that it was created of an euill God But we confesse and acknowledge that man was created frée But that he hath now lost that liberty we make not God the author thereof but his owne fault They were called of the Church heretiques Why they are called heretikes which deny free will Our aduersaries some what drawnye vnto the manichies which denied frée will But this is to be vnderstand of the first creation of our nature For otherwise there is none of the fathers which if the truth be diligently examined bewayleth not the calamity of man whereinto he fell through sinne Our aduersaries rather approch vnto the Manichies which contend that our corrupt affectes as they are now were so created of God For so they affirme that he created euill But we forasmuch as we sée that these troublesome affections want not sinne therefore deny that they were so created of God but through our own fault are become vnbrideled and resisting the word of God For it is certaine that man was at the beginning made vnto the image of God But nothing more besemeth it then liberty But seing that image is in a maner blotted out in vs so that it hath nede now to be restored through Christ what meruayle is it if liberty also be for the most part taken away from it when they reason that man is frée it is all one as if they should say that man is a two footed creature and therefore must nedes go vpright But if they shoulde so conclude of a lame man it shoulde A similitude easely appeare how much they are deceaued For the proprieties of man which belong vnto his nature being perfect agrée not when they are applied vnto his nature corrupted Neither do the opinions of our aduersaries much disagrée from the Pelagyans For they tought that nature being holpen by the grace of creation A coÌ„parison bâ—tweene our aduersaries and the Pelagâ—ans and by the doctrine of the lawe may liue vprightly and these men say that nature being holpen by grace preuenting and knocking may do good workes which may please God The catholike Church resisted the PelagyaÌ„s nether coÌ„teÌ„ded it about the grace of creatioÌ„ or of yâ— law nor also about grace preuenting but tought yâ— without the grace of Christ wherby we are iustified no man can do any good workes And with Augustine who was a great fighter against these men there is no difference To be with out grace without the faith of Christe are all one with Augustine betwene to do good works wtout grace to do good works wtout yâ— faith of Christ He vpon the 31. Psalme to declare that there is no good worke without faith thus writeth A good entent maketh the worke good but that entent doth fayth direct Wherefore consider not what a man doth but what he hath a regard vnto whilest he is in doyng And wheÌ„ as in
the gift of God But our aduersaries will say that they also teach that the grace of God goeth before good workes and that of that grace is some faith geuen vnto men But this at yâ— beginning is so weake that it can not haue the power to iustifie how Whether a weake gracâ— anâ— faith haue the power to iustâ—fy An hiâ—â—ory of Pelagius beit there may some workes be done whiche may be acceptable vnto God But let vs remember what Augustine writeth of Pelagius in his 105. Epist to Innocentius the Bishop of Rome he saith that Pelagius in the Counsell of Palestine to the end he would not bee accursed accursed all those whiche should say that they could lyue vpryghtly without grace But he by grace vnderstoode nothyng els but the giftes geuen vnto vs in our creation as free choyse reason wyll and the doctrine of the law The Byshops of Palestine beyng beguyled by thys blynd shyft absolued and released him Augustine excuseth them for that they did it plainely and simplye For when they heard Pelagius coÌ„fesse the grace of God they could vnderstand no other grace but yâ— which the holy Scriptures set forth namely that whereby we are regenerate and grafted into Christ wherfore it is plaine that they whiche faine vnto them selues any Augustine caâ—leth Catechumentes before baptisme conceaued other grace then that wherby we are iustified and grafted into Christ obtrude vnto vs an inuention of man or rather Pelagius shift or starting hole whiche the holy Scriptures acknowledge not Farther Augustine in that place whiche we now spake of affirmeth that the Catechumeni and such as beleue although they be not Baptised are yet notwithstanding conceaued But they whiche are now conceaued to be the sonnes of God can not be straungers from him or enemies vnto The grace which succeedeth is one the same buâ— it differeth in degree and quantity him Wherefore it followeth that they are now iustified although not so perfectly Which is hereby manifest for that Augustine calleth the grace which succedeth a more ful grace as that which differeth not from the first in kind and in nature but only in degrée and in quantity And seing it is of the selfe same kinde that the other is it must nedes also iustifie Which is hereby made playne for that Cornelius is said to haue done workes which pleased God neither is that of any greate force that Augustine addeth that that grace was not so great that it could be sufficient vnto Cornelius or vnto the Catechumeni for the obteyning of the kingdome An other place of Augustine declared of heauen For these wordes affirme not that after this grace or fayth of the Catechumeni is to be looked for an other fayth which may iustifie as though by that former fayth they were not iustified This thing only he would declare that the Catechumeni ought not to stay in this degrée of faith of grace but ought to receaue baptisme and to go forward vntill the saluation and regeneration now begonne shoulde be made perfect For if any man should contemne the sacrament of Baptisme he should be excluded from the kingdome of heauen For they which haue beleued ought chiefely to sée vnto that they be by the sacrament grafted into the Church They which will not do this or neglect it sufficiently declare that they haue not ernâ—stly beleued Wherefore it is not absurd tha Cornelius and the Catechumeni had that grace which iustifieth which yet if they had contemned baptisme had not bene sufficient to the obtaynment of the kingdome of heauen And The omission or baptisme is then a let vnto saluatioÌ„ when iâ— springeth of contempt that Augustine had hereunto a respect hereby it is manifest in that he addeth that we ought not only to be conceaued but also to be borne which is so to be vnderderstand so that there be no lawfull impediment to let For if a man beleue and desire baptisme and can not attayne vnto it Augustine denieth not vnto such a one saluation For he confesseth together with other of the fathers that there is a baptisme of the spirite and that the power of the holy ghost worketh in our harts without outward signes And this he teacheth vpon Leuiticus in his 84. question For he saith that Moses without the outward ordination of the priesthode and without visible signes receaued the priestly grace and that Iohn Baptist was without outward sacramentes annoynted with the holy ghost in his mothers wombe that the thiefe vpon the crosse was without any sacramentes saued onely by the grace of God Lastly when as he saith that we are by the first grace of God conceaued and by the latter borne it is very plaine that he which is conceaued he which is borne is of one and the same kinde For a liuing creature when it is conceaued is not of any other nature then of that that it is when it is brought forth into the world This is the onely difference yâ— the one is more perfect the other Grace is encreased in baptisme more vnperfect Wherefore he that is Catechumenus when he is baptised may by the grace which he receaueth in baptism séeme more perfect theÌ„ he was before when he only beleued although theÌ„ also he was iustified through faith wherby he embrased the promises of god touching Christ Now resieth for vs to examine a place of Chrisostome in his homely De spiritu Natura lege Although if I should therin speake my iudgement I thinke that that oration is not Chrisostomes For it is both repugnant vnto it selfe and also contayneth thinges not hanging together which can by no meanes be conciliated But whosoeuers it be this is certayne that it maketh more on our side then on our aduersaries side For first he sayth that men vsing mercy haue by their almes no fruite at all before they haue faith but so soone as a man is adorned with it straight way follow good and fruitfull After Chrisostomes minde we are saued by faith onely workes but before they are not had And he addeth that we are by fayth only saned when as workes without faith coulde neuer saue them which worke them And he citeth the thiefe whom he affirmeth was saued by faith only without workes And that we should not doubt of what fayth he speaketh he speaketh of that fayth whereby we are made the citizens of heauen and houshold seruantes of God But these thinges can be ascribed only to that faith which iustifieth Farther He saith also that with out faith there is nothing good The soule is deade without faith he expressedly auoucheth that without fayth there is nothing that is good and of his saying he bringeth this reason for that that soule is dead which wanteth fayth And more plainly to declare himselfe he saith that those which do excellent workes without faith are like vnto dead carkases and to the reliques of dead men which
implore some tast of the mercy of God and of the righteousnes which is bestowed vpon them And this is the very naturall meaninge of such godly prayers Nether must we thinke that yâ— publicane prayed any otherwise He did not in that sense calâ— himselfe a sinner for that he was minded to abide still in sinnes for he was not so minded that he would still retaine his old purpose to sinne but he was truly and from the hart coÌ„uerted vnto God But our aduersaries faine that they whiche still perseuer in theyr sinnes nether haue in minde to change theyr life do yet notwithstanding some good which pleaseth God But we are taught by the holy scriptures that he which beleueth in God hath eternal life and therefore is iustified but other things are nether good nor yet please God Wherefore seinge that the publicane prayed and with fayth prayed it is moste certayne that he had eternall life nether wanted he iustification But to make What thinges are required to workes which are acceptable vnto God al these things the more planly to be vnderstaÌ„d it shal not be froÌ„ yâ— purpose to declare what things are required vnto a good worke to make it acceptable vnto God First he which doth a good dede must nedes be moued by yâ— spirit of God for otherwise in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth nothing that is good and they which are led by the spirite of God are doubtles the sonnes of God Secondlye it behoueth that fayth be present whereby we may certaynly vnderstand that that worke which we take in hand is of those kindes of things which God willeth and by his law commaundeth to be done For whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sin Nether ought we so to handle the matter that our hart should accuse vs in that thing which we doo Thirdly whatsoeuer we doo must wholy be directed vnto the glory of God that hereunto we chiefly and aboue all things haue a regard that the prayse and glory of God be illustrated by our workes Whither ye eate or whither ye drinke or what soeuer other thing ells ye do doo all things to the glory of God saith Paul Fourthly forasmuch as by reason of the infirmity which is grafted in vs there alwayes wanteth somewhat in our workes yea euen in those which seme to be most vprightly done it is necessary that the grace and mercy of God thorough Christe be wyth vs whereby that defect or want maye be compensed Wherefore Dauid sayth Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen Blessed is the man vnto whoÌ„ the Lord imputeth not his sin And Paul sayth There is now coÌ„demnatioÌ„ to those which are in Christ Iesus Again That which was impossible vnto the Law in asmuch as it was made weake thorough the flesh God sending his sonne c. These testimonies playnly declare that both our workes want of perfection and of theyr dew end and that also it commeth thorough Christ and the mercy of God that that blame mingled with our workes is not imputed vnto vs. Lastly thys also is required that no man glory of that which he vprightly doth but in God only and that he acknowlege that that which he doth he hath of his goodnes and WhereheÌ„ce the definition of a good worke is gathered The vngodlye are farre distant from the conditioÌ„ of good workes not of hys owne strengths For who hath seperated thee sayth Paule to the Cor. What hast thou that thou hast not receaued But if thou haste receaued it why boastest thou as though than haddest not receaued it When all these thinges whiche I haue reckoned are obteyned then the workes without all doubt shall be good and acceptable vnto God The diligent reder may here out of these câ—ditions of a good worke gather the definition thereof Contrariwise if we consider the nature of a man not yet regenerate we shal easely perceaue that those conditions which we haue sayd to be necessary vnto a good work can not be found in theÌ„ For he is vtterly voyde of the spirite of God and of fayth and is so infected with selfe loue so yâ— whatsoeuer he doth he referreth it not vnto God but vnto hys owne commodity Farther forasmuch as he is a stranger from Christ it must nedes be that he is left vnder the Law Wherfore whatsoeuer defect or fault is in his workes which must nedes be much the same can not by any meanes be compensed Finally if he haue done peraduenture any notable or goodly worke he glorieth not in God but in himselfe for he is ignoraunt both of Christe and of the grace of God By these two descriptions of a good worke and acceptable vnto God and of a man that liueth without Christ I thinke it is now manifest that those workes can not be good and acceptable vnto God which procede from an infidel But our aduersaries contend to wrest from vs two most strong places which we vse for the confirmation of this matter The first is that we say that A Metaphore of the good â—â—ell tree an euil trée can not bring forth good fruite The second is That whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Of whiche sentences we will in this place somewhat speake That metaphore of the euill trée which can not bring forth good fruite Christ vsed not only in the. 7. chapiter of Mathevv but also in the selfe same Mathevv the 12. chapiter And thereof he inferred Ye generation of vipers howe can ye speake good things when as ye are euill But before I make open this cauillation I thinke it good to declare how Augustine agaynst Iulianus the Pelagian in his 4. booke and 3. chapiter contended for this selfe same place He setteth forth a godly worke of a man being an infidle namely to cloth a naked man and demaundeth whether this worke may be called sinne Verely vnles this worke be Without fayth to cloth a naked man is sinne of that kinde that pleaseth God I se not what other workes infidells can doo which can be acceptable vnto him And Augustine contendeth and playnly proueth that it is sinne And that lest he should seeme to speake this without reason he sayth that it is therefore sinne for that he which doth that so godly a worke glorieth of hys worke for he doth not by fayth acknowledge ether God or Christ nor thinketh that he hath receaued the same at his handes Farther he sayth that to auoyd the nature of sinne it is not inoughe that a good thinge be done but also that it be well and vprightlye done Shall we then say that an infidell hath done a good worke and wrought vprightly If we graunt not this then must we confesse that he sinned but if we graunt it then must we confesse the fruit to be good notwithstanding an infidell without Christ is an euill tre So shall we graunt that an euill tree can bring forth good fruite which thing yet Christe expressedly denieth Now
debters dnto the fleshe he playnly declareth how necessary good workes are And he stoppeth their mouthes which spake ill of his doctrine as which opened a window vnto vices For he threateneth death and that eternall death vnto theÌ„ which liue according to the fleshe They which draw the wordes of the Apostle vnto the liberty of the fleshe vnderstand not that he teacheth that men iustified are absolued from the condemnation of the lawe and not from the obedience therof For that obedience lasteth in the Saintes for euer For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye but if by the spirite ye mortefie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue He here by an other reason proueth A reason from that which is profitable vnprofitable yâ— we ought to liue holily which reason is taken froÌ„ that which is profitable and vnprofitable Two thinges he setteth forth namely life and death neither entreateth he here of temporall thinges but of eternall It is true in déede that it is not comely that we should follow as captaines of our life the prauity and corruption of nature which is signified by the name of fleshe neither do the debts which we owe vnto God by reason of his benefites bestowed vpon vs suffer vs so to do But yet fewe are moued with this comlynes and the nature of man is by reason of sinne to much blockish to heauenly thinges Wherefore it must haue the stronger spurres to pricke it forwarde And therefore Paul added this reason of lyfe and death If by the spirite ye mortefy the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Hereof two thinges we gather First that there are still déedes of the fleshe in the godly And who doubteth but that they are sinnes especially seing they ought to be mortefied The second is that these déedes are mortefied by the spirite for mans inuentions will nothing helpe thereunto For whatsoeuer is done by vertues described of the philosophers is sinne which can not through Christ be forgeuen them Wherefore the true and perfect cause of mortification is to be sought for at the handes of the spirite And to mortefy is nothing els but for a man to be violent against himselfe and to withstand and resist wicked lustes Here agayne also the Apostle séemeth to touch the difference betwéene deadly sinne and veniall What is to mortâ—fy sinne not that all sinnes are not of their owne nature deadly but for that through the death and spirite of Christ they are forgeuen therefore they are called veniall Those are called deadly sinnes which are not mortified in vs when we geue our selues to lustes and liue without repentance and sinne against our conscience neither resiâ—â— lustes but follow on our trade of liuing wickedly neither in the meane tyme regard we the spirit or death of Christ These are those sinnes which Paul writeth They which do such thinges shall not obtayne the kingdome of God and for which as it is written vnto the Ephesians The wrath of God commeth vpon the children of distrust For as many as are led by the spirite of God are the sonnes of God By two reasons it hath bene proued that men godly regenerate ought not to liue after the fleshe either bicause they are now debters so to do or els bicause the same shall turne them to great commodity namely for that they shall liue for euer Here is added the third reason for that they are now adopted into the children of God In which place we are taught two things at once the one is that they ought We must liue vprightly for that we are adopted into children Three maner of wayes it is shewed that we are the sonnes of God fréely and of their owne accord to worke as which are endued with the spirit not of bondmen but of children the other is that they which so leade their life shall liue for euer namely for that they are the sonnes of God For he is eternall immortall And that they are the children of God he proueth thrée manner of wayes First for that they are led by the spirite of God Secondly for that they call vpon him by the name of father lastly for that the spirite so testifieth vnto theÌ„ Wherfore the reason may thus be knit together As many as are the sonnes of God liue not after the flesh for they are led by the spirite of God and they call God their father and they haue the holy ghost in their hartes a witnes of the adoption whiche they haue obteined Such ones are all we which beleue in Christ wherefore we ought not to liue after the flesh When they are said to be the sonnes of God which The beginning of our adoption is thâ— spirit of God are led by the spirite of God therby is signified that the beginning of our adoptioÌ„ coÌ„meth only through the sprite of God by which the faithfull are so drawen that they are sayd of Paul to be led that is without violence and any coaction bowed They which want the spirite are holden with ignorance and are tossed by the impulsion of lustes But the spirite of God so leadeth that it both teacheth what is to be done and also ministreth a will minde and strengthes to performe the same It is not inough to know what we ought to do vnles we haue also strengthes geuen vs to do it and strengthes should be in vaine geuen vs if there should want knowledge These two thinges bringeth the spirite of God with it and by that Two thinges the spirite of God bringeth with it meanes leadeth the elect with pleasure After we are once sealed with this spirite we haue obteyned the earnest peny of eternall life and the adoption of the sonnes of God And forasmuch as we are not compelled to do any thing against our wils we enioy most excellent fréedome For we are stirred vp vnto those thinges which we excedingly desire For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage vnto feare But ye haue What is the spirite of feare and what of adoption receiued the spirite of adoption wherby we cry Abba father The apostle by a certaine distinction expresseth what that spirite is wherby the sonnes of God are led For he maketh one the spirite of feare an other the spirite of adoption which is no otherwise to be vnderstand but that one and the selfe same spirite of God bringeth forth two effectes which are by a certaine order knit together For first by the law and by threatninges it maketh afeard those men that are to be iustified and breaketh and vexeth them with scourges and stripes of the conscience that vtterly dispairing of themselues they may flye vnto Christ vnto whom wheÌ„ they are come and that they embrace him by faith they are not onely iustified but also are fréely of their owne accorde stirred vp to iust vpright and holy workes Wherfore Paul admonisheth yâ— Romanes that they are now come vnto this latter
inculcate then shoulde not boastinge be excluded for euery righteous man mought say of himselfe I haue obtained grace because wheÌ„ it was offred I receiued it I haue beleued God making promise vnto me for that I gaue mine assent I haue obteined Christ because wheÌ„ he came I receaued him But Paul crieth out that our boasting is excluded not in déede by the law of workes but by the lawe of fayth and of grace Neither can the aduersaries That modicum is some kinde of of worke Workes at vniuersally excluded froÌ„ the cause of iustificatioÌ„ The sentence of Paul is to be takeÌ„ simply and not by way of comparison deny but that that modicum which they labour so ernestly to establish is some kinde of worke But Paul so excluded not woorkes from iustification that he lefte vnto them the second place vnto faith but he vtterly and vniuersally excluded theÌ„ as touchyng the power to iustifie For he sayd not onely that we are iustified frely but added without workes Wherefore whereas they say that the senteÌ„ce of Paul is not to be vnderstanded simply but by way of comparison it is vntrue and vain But the scriptures saye they in other places speake so For it is written in the Psalm Vnles the Lord buyld the house they labour in vayne which buyld it And Paul to the Corrinthians sayth Neither he which plaÌ„teth is any thing nor he which watreth but God which geueth the encrease It is certaine say they that these thinges are to be expounded by way of comparison For in very déede both he which buildeth and which planteth and whiche watreth doth somewhat But that whatsoeuer it be forasmuch as it is but little if it be compared vnto the worke of God therefore it is sayd to be nothing and they are sayd to labour in vaine As touching the firste place we say that Dauid speaketh of ciuill works touching which we graunt that men in them take greate paynes and woorke somewhat Howbeit they labour in What is to be thought of ciuill enterprises vaine vnles God vouchsafe to fauor theyr enterprises Let Cesar AlexaÌ„der or Cato take what paynes they will either in the kingdome or in the Publike wealth and yet shall all thinges come to no purpose vnles God geue the successe In the other place Paul entreateth of the holye ministerye of the churche Neyther will I graunte this vnto the aduersaries that the Ecclesiasticall ministerye is eyther a thing small or suche as maye be called nothing For it is a thinge honorable and The holy ministery is both a thing great also nothing with most weighty wordes commended of the holy scriptures Wherefore as touching the office it is not nothing but touchinge the geuinge of spirituall life it is as Paul sayth vtterlye nothing For of it selfe it can not geue that spirituall life neyther perfect nor vnperfect The minister of the church in déede setteth forth the worde of God and the sacramentes but cannot reach to the coÌ„municating of that heauenly life Wherefore Paul spake truly and properly neither néeded he that figure A figure vsed in one place is not alwayes vsed in an other place of comparison whiche these men imagine Moreouer graunte that the scripture in other places vseth these kindes of speaches shoulde it straight way follow that therefore this sentence is so to be taken especially séeing it hath bene by most firme argumentes proued that it is in verye déede neither of him that willeth nor of hym that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy And therefore our election or predestination consisteth not of our works but fréely and of the mercy of God But still notwithstanding they are ouercome by reasons they cauill and say that they deny not but that we are elected of God fréelye but yet that causeth not but that some respecte may be had to woorkes foreséene For so they saye that we say with Paul That eternall life is grace when yet notwithstandyng we confesse that God rendreth vnto euery man accordyng to hys woorkes And if God can haue a respecte vnto woorkes when yet he geueth eternall lyfe fréely what shoulde let hym that he can not fréelye predestinate a man although he haue a respect also vnto workes foresene Hereunto we answer that eternall life is indede geuen Good workes oftentimes go before eternal life but can not preuent predestination Predestination is the efficient cause of good works and not eternall lyfe Predestination and reprobation are oftentimes with ouâ— works freely which yet followeth good workes not as merites but as necessary degrees by which they which are of full age come vnto it And this order the scripture it selfe putteth But that any our workes go before predestination the scriptures in no place haue tought vs yea rather contrariwyse Paul sayth to yâ— Ephesians Hereunto are we predestinated that we shoulde be holye and immaculate And vnto Timothe he sayth that he had obteyned mercy that he moughte be faithfull Why then seke these men to preuent order and especially seyng that theyr own similytude serueth not For eternall life followeth good workes and is not the efficient cause of them but predestination is the cause of good works Farther thys respect to good workes in predestination can not as we haue sayde take place in all men For many are predestinated vnto eternall lyfe and many are appoynted to eternall destruction which neuer should haue any workes at all as it is manifest in infantes Wherfore this is firme and vnmoueable that as touching election and infusion of the spirite there is nothing at all in vs whereby God shoulde be moued to bestowe these thinges vpon vs. For in predestination vocation and iustification there goeth before in vs nothing that is good but good works go before glorificatioÌ„ The reasoÌ„ therof is for that we straight way dye not so sone as we are iustified wherefore it behoueth that that space Why good workes in them that are of age â—o before eternall life of tyme which is betwene haue workes whereby may be declared our fayth and righteousnes which we haue by yâ— electioÌ„ of God obtayned By will Paul vnderstandeth the endeuor of the mynde and by course or running all holy workes vniuersally which metaphore is much vsed in the holy scriptures For Paul in an other place writeth of himselfe I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course And vnto the Corrinthyans So ranne ye that ye maye winne the price And vnto the Galathyans Ye runne well who letted you Out of thys sentence two thynges we ought to gather first that our saluation or election is not of hym that wylleth nor of hym that runneth that is not of our merites but of the mercy of God onely as God sayth in the 9 chapter of Deutronomy Say not for my righteousnes hath the Lorde brought me into thys lande Secondly that it is not of the willer to will nor of the runner to runne but these
efficacye whiche they call the will of the consequent by whiche is brought to passe that the predestination of GOD is not made frustrate Thys purpose we call moste wise because God doth nothing rashely or by chaunce but doth all thinges with moste The mighty will of God great wisedome Therfore the Apostle before ioyned predestinatioÌ„ together with foreknowledge saying Whome he hath foreknowne those hath he predestinate By which purpose God hath from eternally This is therfore added because predestination is no new thing neither such whiche as manye fayne goeth not before thinges or euer they are done Paul sayth in his latter Epistle to Timothy Predestination is no new thing Which hath called vs with his holy vocation not by our workes but according to his purpose and grace which we haue receaued before the times of the world in Christ Iesus Here we manifestly sée that with the predestinatioÌ„ of God is ioyned the eternity of times And vnto the Ephesians we are sayd to be electe before the foundations of the world were laide Whereby he hath constantly decreed By these woordes we are toughte The predestination of God is immutable that the predestination of God is vnmutable For Paul sayth in the latter Epistle vnto Timothy The foundatioÌ„ standeth firme The Lord knoweth who are his And before in the 8. chapter when the Apostle woulde teache that hope maketh not ashamed and that they that had an assured hope should be saued he bringeth a profe of the same by predestination saying Whome he hath foreknowne those also hath he predestinate And he addeth who shall seperate vs from the loue of God Shall tribulation Shall anguish c And Iames sayth that with God is no chaunging or varietie of courses of times And in Esay God crieth I am God and am not changed And in this Epistle the 11. chapter where is entreated of predestination Paul sayth The giftes and calling of God are without repentance But whereas God in Ieremy the. 18. chapter Somtimes the promises threatninges of God are chaunged sayth that he would change the sentence which he had threatned vnto any natioÌ„ so that they would repent the same is not to be vnderstand of predestination but of those thinges which are foretolde shall come to passe by that will of God which they call the will of the signe namely when by his Prophets he declareth vnto meÌ„ eyther what theyr sinnes haue deserued or what hangeth ouer theyr hedes by reason of naturall causes Whome he hath loued in Christ This we adde because whatsoeuer God The giftes of God come vnto vs by Christ Christ is the hed of al the predestinate geueth or decréeth to geue that geueth he and will geue throughe Christe And as we haue oftentimes alleadged Paul vnto the Ephesians saith that we are elected predestinate in Christ. For he is the Prince and heade of all the predestinate yea none is predestinate but onely to this ende to be made a member of Christ To call into the adoption of children So Paul in a maner euery where speaketh and especially in the first chapter vnto the Ephesians For there he saith that we are predestinate to the adoption of children And that vocation followeth straight way after predestination those woordes which we haue before alleadged declare Whome he hath predestinate those also hath he called To iustification by faith That vnto vocation is adioyned iustification Paul by these selfe same wordes teacheth Whome he called those also hath he iustified But that we are iustified by fayth it hath ben so manifestly declared that here we shall not néede any playner declaracion Vnto glory by good workes This thing also Paul teacheth in the selfe same place Whome he hath iustified saith he those also hath he glorified And that glory followeth good woorkes and that we are predestinate vnto those good woorks that place vnto the Ephesians which we haue already often cited manifestlye proueth For first he saith that we are predestinate that we shoulde be holye and blameles before God Afterwarde he sayth that God hath prepared good woorkes in which we should walke That they might be made like vnto the image of the sonne of God This Image indéede is begonne in vs by regeneration when we are iustified and in theÌ„ that are of full age groweth dayly to perfection by good workes is fully finished in the eternall glory But in infantes this likenes hath place when it is begonne by regeneration and is finished in that last glory Howbeit in them for want of age are not required good workes That in them might be declared the mercy and goodnes of the creator This is the laste ende of predestination shadowed vnto vs by Paul in the similitude of the potter which hath power to make one vessell to honor and an other to contumely So God hath prepared his vessels to glory that in them he mighte declare his glory By this definition we gather that God hath predestinate vnto the elect not only glory but also good works that is meanes by which he will haue his elect come vnto glory By this we may sée how fowly they are deceaued which liue wickedly and yet in the meane time boast that they are predestinate For the He that liueth wickedly caÌ„not boast oâ— predestination scriptures teach yâ— men according vnto the predestination of God are not brought vnto glory by wicked factes and noughty deedes but by vertuous life and manners Neither are they to be harkened vnto whiche crye out howsoeuer I liue the predestination of God shall haue his effect For this is vtterly to be ignorant what predestination is and impudently to goe about to abuse it Now that we haue seuerally after this maner examined this definition by Predestination is â—ot in the thinges but â—â— the minde of God his partes let vs gather thereout certayne things not vnprofitable First thys that predestination is a woorke of GOD and is to bee placed in the minde of God For although men are sayd to be predestinate yet must we not appoint predestination in them So also things are sayd to be perceaued and known when as yet in them is neither knowledge nor perceauure but onely in the man that knoweth them Wherefore euen as we can foresee either rayne or colde or fruite before they come so God predestinateth men which as yet haue no beyng For of relatines some are such that of necessity the one can not be but together with the other as a father and a sonne and some there are whereof the one may be although the other be not together with it as before and after and science and Predestination is before the predestinate â— he endes of predestination are in the predestinate Why the of feâ—tes are put in this definition that which is known by science Predestination therefore is referred vnto the latter kind of relatiues Which predestination yet forasmuch as it is as we haue
would declare that this his assent to the truth resembled some We are also sorye by reason of the morall workes of the Ethnikes certaine shew of piety and of duty Wherefore in such workes which are morally called good the minde of the godly delighteth although therewithall also it sorroweth that those workes are not done as they ought to be done And as touching this present sentence of the Apostle we must not gather that he of sinne that is of zeale without true knowledge conceaued a loue and good will towardes the Iewes for he reasoneth not from the cause yea rather by the effect he declareth his loue towardes them namely in that he not onely prayeth for saluation for them but also agrauateth not the crime which they were guilty of but rather Paul loued not the Iews for their euill zeale as much as the thing suffreth excuseth it It should be a false kind of reasoning a non causa vt causa that is taking that for the cause which is not the cause if a man would hereby proue that Paul had a delight in the sinnes of the Iewes But if a man will nedes contend that this argument is taken from the cause we say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is englished harts desire is in this place an affect What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place signifieth The zele of the Iewes was sinne which pertaineth to mercy and so Paul had compassion vpon the Iewes for that he saw the Iewes so miserably erred And this sentence is of no small force to proue that that zeale of the Iewes though it were goodly to the shew was sinne for nothing stirreth vp mercy but only misery and calamity neither are we moued to pray for any that they might be conuerted from euil workes vnles the same workes were sinnes and that very hurtfull Wherefore I wonder at the Nicodemites of our tyme which obiect the history of Elizeus and of Naaman The Nicodemites of our time The fact of Naamā the Siriā very ill cited the Sirian to proue that it is lawful for them so that they thinke wel in in their hart to be present at vngodly supersticions For Naaman the Sirian although he were newly conuerted yet he vnderstoode that that was sinne and for that he had not as yet so farre gone forwarde to departe from his commodities he required of the Prophet to pray for him which declareth that he iudged that such a sinne neded pardon Wherefore we conclude that this zeale of the Iewes whereunto the Apostle now beareth record was in very deede sinne and although it haue some shew of vertue yet is it very farre of from it For as it is plaine by moral philosophy that vertues and vices are as touching Vices and vertues are occupied about one the same matter where about they are occupied one and the same but in forme much differ as fortitude and feare temperaunce and intemperance iustice and iniustice For one and the selfe same affectes when they are by right reason bridled to a mediocrity and when thorough vice they either want or exceede differ not in matter although the habites or qualities which are occupied about them are much differing And that which the Philosophers speake of vertues and of vpright reason we ought to transferre also vnto the holighost and vnto faith geuen vnto the scriptures And although in a good and euil zeale the affect be one and the same yet is the difference most great when it is gouerned by true knowledge and faith and when it is gouerned of it selfe and wanteth true knowledge As A similitude the water of the sea and rayne water although they agree together in matter of moisture yet are they sundred by very many proprieties differences These A good intent is not sufficient to make the worke good thinges haue I therefore alleadged to confute those which oftentimes defend wicked actes for that they are done of a good minde purpose or as they say entent as though euery zeale were sufficient to make the worke good Whose sentence if it were true mought easely excuse the Iewes in that they killed Christ and afflicted his Apostles for they beleued that by these meanes they defended the lawe of God and ceremonies of their fathers But the Apostle Errors in matters of faith is hurtfull Against workes of preparation saith otherwise when he attributeth vnto them zeale but yet a zeale ioyned with error but when error lighteth in matters of faith it is a deadly sinne Wherfore let them well aduise themselues what to say which so stoutly defend workes preparatory doubtles their meaning is nothing els but that men although before iustification they absolutely worke not good workes yet by reason of a certaine vpright purpose and zeale of congruity they deserue grace Such workes for as muche as they want true knowledge whiche is fayth it followeth that they are such a zeale as the Apostle nowe speaketh of We deny not but that God sometimes vseth suche our wycked workes by thē at length to bring vs vnto iustification but that we our selues do thorow them deserue iustification it is farre from the truth yea rather oftentimes Goodly workes are sometyme a let vnto saluation it commeth to passe that such workes are a great let vnto saluation For the Philosophers and Pharesies being dronken glutted with those goodly workes were ouermuch puffed vp and for that they delighted in thē selues they contented them selues with those workes neither endeuoured they to ascend vnto the true degree of righteousnes We are by this doctrine also of Paul We must not streight way geue place to zele admonished not straight way to geue place vnto zeale we must first trye and diligently examine it for oftentimes vnder the goodly shew thereof lyeth hidden most great impietie as it is manifest in the Iewes which slew Christ and persecuted the Apostles and as this place euidently declareth It is a greuous sinne to refuse to be subiet vnto God A rule to try zeale For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to stablish their own righteousnes are not subiect vnto the rightousnes of God What more wickednes could haue bene deuised then to refuse to be subiect vnto God and to seeke to prefer their own righteousnes before the righteousnes of God The Apostle in these wordes geueth vs a rule whereby we may be able to trye and examine our zeale And that rule is this to see whether we will be subiect vnto God whether we can abide that all thinges shoulde bee attributed vnto God and claime nothing vnto our selues as the true knowledge of God requireth There are a great many in our daies which as it were by a certain zeale labour to defend worshipping of Images pilgrimages and other suche supersticious actes vnto whom if a man manifestly declare that those thinges are repugnant vnto the word of God they
which diuision he A distinctiō of righteousnes maketh mencion also in an other place For in the thirde chapter he speaketh of the one parte when he saith The righteousnes of God is reuealed by fayth And in the same place of Abraham he writeth And if he were iustified by woorkes he hath wherof to glory but not before God And vnto the Phillippians in the thirde chapter when he saith That I may be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the law but the righteousnes of God And the Apostle when he would declare the ignoraunce wherewith the Iewes were enfected the more to lay the haynousnes thereof before theyr eyes saith that they had erred in y◠thing which is the chiefest in mās life namely in that righteousnes which hath saluation and felicity ioyned with it they had no vpright iudgement of the ends of good and euill nor also of the The Iews erred touchyng the chiefe good thyng What our righteousnes is fountaine of all piety And of this thing were the Iewes ignorant who aboue all other nations séemed to haue a care of religion Wherefore he deuideth righteousnes into two partes whiche thing they could not do and by our righteousnesse he meaneth that righteousnes which is gottē by works And that righteousnes may be considered two wayes either as it goeth before regeneration or as it followeth it of which partes onely the first maketh to the purpose For this place can not be vnderstanded of woorkes whiche follow regeneration for Paul dealeth againste Our righteousnes is of two sortes The good workes of the faithful are both imperfect and also do follow iustification What is the righteousnes of God Definition of sinne What is to be absolued from sinne Absolution taketh not away the defect Definition of absolutiō those which reiected Christ And y◠righteousnes which was allowed of the Iewes before faith for that it was no rightousnes coulde not stande before God For that can not be cōstituted or stablished which is nothing But that righteousnes which followeth faith may indéede after a sorte be established for that it pleaseth God howbeit it is such that by it we cannot be iustified both bicause it is vnperfect and also for that it followeth iustification Now resteth to sée what is the righteousnes of God And it may thus be defined that it is an absolution from sinnes by fayth through Christ And that we may the better vnderstand the nature of this absolution we muste on the other side weigh the nature of sinne for this being knowne we shall the eassier know what it is to be absolued from it Sinne is a defect or falling away from the law and will of God which ought to be the rule both of vs of all our doings and to this defecte is necessarilye annexed an obligation to eternall death and damnation Wherefore when by the mercy of God this obligation and guiltines is taken away a man is absolued from sinnes For the defect is not takē away for there abideth in vs an infirmity and therfore our actions alwaies want of that perfection whiche they oughte to haue And it is not possible but that the thinges which we haue already committed haue theyr defect or want Wherefore God when he forgeueth sinne taketh away the obligatiō wherby we were bound vnder the curse Now by these thinges it is manifest what absolution is namely an action of God whereby he so deliuereth and acquiteth vs not indéede from the discommodities of this life but from sinnes that is from guiltines and obligation vnto eternall death But that we should not thinke that so greate a benefite commeth thorough our desert therfore there is added thorow Christ. For him as an instrument doth God vse to this deliuery of ours And that we shoulde not be ignorant how the sacrifice and redemption of Christ is applied vnto euery one of vs it is added by faith This definition is a great helpe to the right vnderstanding of iustification The righteousnesse wherby we are iustified is without vs. The righteousnes of God cannot properly be called ours The righteousnesse which followeth regeneration may be called both oures the rightousnes of God We are not iustified by faith as it is a worke This righteousnes Paul saith is the righteousnes of God And if thou demaund whether it may be called ours I aunswere that properlye it cannot be called ours forasmuch as it is without vs. For it is an action of the will of God the respecte whereof although it be directed vnto vs yet is it not in vs. And if at anye time it be called ours that is by a figuratiue speach namely ether because that we haue the fruicion thereof or for that we by faith whiche is in vs embrace it But the righteousnes whiche followeth regeneration may be called both ours and the righteousnes of God Of God because it is done by his spirite and grace which he geueth vnto vs in regeneration for by it we are impelled to leade a godly and holy life and to attaine to true vertues It is also called ours because our strengths being renued we woorke together to the attaining vnto it and it is done in vs and resteth in our hartes But if thou say that forasmuche as the righteousnes of God is applied vnto vs by faith we séeme to woorke together to the obteining therof We aunswere that faith indéede is a worke wherby in the minde we geue assent vnto the wordes of God but we are not vy the merite and worthines of this work absolued from sinne for that commeth of the clemency of God and force of his promise which by faith we embrace Wherfore when the scripture sayth that we are iustified by faith as soone as we heare the name of fayth we must straighte waye haue a consideration vnto the obiect or correlatiue thereof namely vnto the mercy of God and promise thorow Christ By these thinges let vs gather that this righteousnes of God is most farre distant from the righteousnes which is knowne by nature for neither reason nor Philosophy knoweth anye other righteousnesse but that which hath his abiding in the minde Not that they were ignorante of absolution The righteousnes of God is not knowen by nature or of the pacifieng of God for that thing did theyr sacrifices testifie whiche doubtles tended to other ende but they called not that pacifienge of God our righteousnes neither euer vnderstoode they the true pacefieng of God nor in whom it consisted But why the righteousnes of works is called ours Chrisostome saith that the cause thereof is for that it dependeth of our workes neither wayteth it for the helpe of God but the other righteousnes is called the righteousnes of God for that it vtterly dependeth of grace and commeth without our labour He moreouer noteth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which signifieth to establish and that Paul by that word mēt to declare the vnstablenes
of humane righteousnes For we labour not to confirm Humane rightousnes vnstable and establish but onely those thinges which are weake and are not able to consiste of themselues But they which are godly do after the example of Paul to the Philippians count theyr workes especially such which they did before iustification for losse and donge so farre is it of that they séeke to establishe them or to cleaue vnto them as vnto sound and true righteousnes In this place also is to bee noted an excellent The godly stablish not their owne righteousne◠Those thinges are not to bee mingled together which Paule putteth contrary What is not to b◠subiect vnto the righteousnesse of God They whiche are subiecte vnto the righteousnes of GOD doo most of all glorify him antithesis or contrary position For here the Apostle counteth to be iustified by workes and to be subiect vnto the righteousnes of God as opposites or contraries which can in no wise stand together So y◠I wonder at those which in our time dare mingle these two together namely that we are iustified both by grace and also by our workes If these two might stand together thē should the reprehēsion of Paul be smal yea rather none at al who affirmeth y◠they which séeke to stablish their own righteousnes can not be subiect vnto the righteousnes of God And by this word subiectiō he vnderstandeth nothing els but not to be a receiuer or pertaker therof yea he speaketh most properly For they which are iustified by faith do verely make themselues subiect vnto God counting themselues as sinners and such as haue nede of his grace And hereby is geuen vnto him glory for although they seme to glorify God which confesse the truth and which for the truths sake put either their goods or life in danger yet herein chiefly consisteth his glory whē we attribute not vnto our selues any vertue or holynes but acknowledging ourselues most miserable do attribute vnto him only whatsoeuer goodnes or saluation we obtaine The commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome herein very well agrée They are not subiect say they vnto the righteousnes of God that is vnto the absolution from sinnes as though they were not sinners and had no néede of Christ And Chrisostome sayth that Paul not in déede manifestly but yet not obscurely noteth the most gréeuous punishement of these mens ignoraunce namely that through their own peruerse endeuor they were left naked of all righteousnes for they could not attayne vnto their owne righteousnes by works and fell away from that righteousnes which by the faith of Iesus Christ they mought haue had And doubtles the condition or state of such men is most miserable for forasmuch as they are not iustified by faith although they may after a sort apply The most miserable condition or estate of thē which trust to theyr owne righteousnes themselues vnto outward works yet notwithstanding when they sée that they litle profit they at the length cast away all endeuor to liue godly and religiously and in this life liue filthily and at the last in an other life are most miserably tormented For the ende of the lawe is Christ vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth For Moses thus describeth the righteousnesse which is of the lawe That the man which doth these thinges shal liue thereby But the righteousnes whiche is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thyne hart who shall ascende into heauen ▪ that is to bring Christ from aboue Or who shall descende into the deepe that is to bring Christ agayne from the dead But what saith it The worde is nere thee euen in thy mouth and in thyne hart This is the worde of fayth which we preach For the end of the law is Christ vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Now he confirmeth the proposition which he tooke in hand namely that Why Christ is the ende of the law they which wil be iustified by works are not pertakers of the rightousnes of God for the end of the law is Christ vnto righteousnes This is a causall proposition for Christ is called the end of the law because y◠he bringeth the perfection and absolution or fulnes thereof The propertye also of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is end is to End signifieth two things be noted for it signifieth two things namely the extreme or vttermost part or limite of a thing and after this maner death is called the end of liuing creatures not doubtles that we should liue to dye for that which is the worse can not be the cause of that which is better It moreouer signifieth the perfection and absolution or fulnes of any thing whē it is brought to the vttermost of his action or motion Now although as touching the first signification Christ by his comming set an end to the law for he tooke away the ceremonies and curse therof yet in this place Paul meaneth not that Christ is in such maner the end of the law but hath a respect vnto the other signification of this word namely vnto perfection and absolution for that Christ hath made perfect and full that which the law could not And that this may the better be vnderstanded let vs consider the end and scope of The scope and ende of lawes lawes Lawes are made to make men good and iust for for no other cause do they set forth things right and honest but that they should be put in vre But amongst other lawes this law which God made chiefly requireth at mens hands righteousnes holines but this thing it can not attayne vnto not in dede thorough hys owne default but by reason of our corruption Howbeit that which it can do The law by it selfe can not attaine vnto hys ende it doth namely vrgeth vs it accuseth vs and it condemneth vs that at the least being ouerpressed with so great waight we should thinke of one to deliuer vs and by that meanes should be conuerted vnto Christ by whome we may both be absolued from sinnes and also may thorough his spirite and grace be able as much as y◠condition of this life wil suffer to be obedient vnto his law geuen vnto vs. Which two thinges Christ most liberally geueth vnto them that beleue in him and so is called the ende that is the consumation and perfection of the lawe This Paul in plaine words noted when he before sayde That which was impossible vnto the lawe in as much as it was made weake thorough the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of the fleshe of sinne by sinne condemned sinne that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. Hereunto also had Ambrose a respect who thus interpreteth this place that Christ is called the end of the lawe for that God by him bringeth to passe those thinges which he had promised The law is our scholemaister to Christ A scholemaster
of our will is as though it should lie in our hand to stand in the goodnes of God or not to abide in incredulitye when we are fallen into it And for some profe and confirmation of this his corrupt sentence he from the true sense wresteth these wordes If thou continue in his bountefulnes and saith If thou shalt do the things which worthely are correspondent vnto the goodnes of God and he sayth not If thou shalt abide in fayth for fayth onely is not sufficient These thinges in very déede are not so For Paul althoughe he sayd not If thou abide in fayth yet is it all one when he sayth If thou abide in his bountefulnes For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we a litle before sayd is goodnes and a certeyne redines of the mind to do good to any In this goodnes of God sayth he if thou abide that is if thou fall not away from it In which wordes he most manifestly attributeth vnto the goodnes of God our conseruation For of it dependeth faith whereby we Paul putteth the cause for the effect are saued Wherefore he putteth the cause in stede of the effect For before he had sayd Thou standest by fayth but that thou shouldest not thinke that yâ— fayth is of thy self now he maketh mencion of bountefulnes whereof as of his true beginning fayth dependeth and that this is true it is plainly to sée by the Antithesis or contrary position For he sayth If they abide not in their incredulity they shal be restored agayne thou shalt be cut of if thou continue not in his bountefulnes This bountefulnes as thou séest is opposite vnto incredulitye and therfore it occupieth the place of fayth and that very aptly when as fayth is inspired vnto vs by the singular bountefulnes of God Neyther ought we to thinke which thing that godly father séemeth to goe aboute to proue that it lieth in the handes of euery man either to continue and to abide in a good and holy purpose or els if peraduenture we fall to be restored agayne For what dead man is able to rayse vp himselfe agayne or in stéede of a stony hart to graft in himselfe a fleshy hart And that perseuerance also is the gift of God the Apostle declareth when he sayth that it is Perseuerance is the gift oâ— God God which geueth both to will and to preforme and that according to his good will And Augustine wrote a very good booke De bono perseuerantiae whereout we may aboundantly gather sound doctrine But what néede there many arguments for proue hereof Paul himself discusseth this question when he addeth For God is able to graft them in agayne He sayth not that it lieth in their handes this worke he attributeth vnto God only Why do we then runne vnto True faith which iustifieth is neuer alone the power of our owne will or to the determination of our owne purpose And whereas he sayth that fayth alone is not sufficient when we speake of iustification this is in no wise to be receaued especially seing that he himselfe in an other place sayth that fayth alone is sufficient and so is contrary to hymselfe Notwithstanding to auoyde confusion in serching out of these thinges this we ought to know that the true and iustifying faith is neuer alone but hath ioyned with it other good workes and vertues But yet as the effects thereof which effectes followe naturally after that it hath iustified the beleuer so that amongest other effectes iustificatioÌ„ hath the first place Origen noteth in this place that of the Iewes Amongest the effectes of faith iustification hath the first place it is sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they are broken of but of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is thou shalt be cut of and he thinketh it a farre more greauous thinge to be cut of then to be broken of as though the punishement of the Gentiles if they should fall away from the faith receaued should be more grâ—uous then the punishement of the Iewes which were remoued from their old estate I can skarsely be perswaded that Paul in these woords had such subtile vnderstandinges Further the holy scriptures neuer in any place make mencion that the fall of the Gentiles should be more greauously punished then the fall of the Iewes Yea rather if a man will consider the matter well he shall see that if punishements ought to be according to the sinnes whersoeuer is the greauouser sinne Whether fal is more greuous the fall of the Iewes or the fall of the Ethnikes there ought to be the greauouser punishement inflicted And if the Iewe and the Ethnike be equally placed in the calling of God and both as it possibly may be do fall it is out of doubt that the Iew sinneth more greauously for that besides the fayth of Christ which he hath common with the Ethnike he was in comparison of him endewed with many other gifts which forasmuch as he hath neglected in falling away from God he is the more ingrate and therfore his fault is the greater That the Iewes shall at the last be restored agayne the Apostle proueth by the power of God And his argument is taken à maiori that is of the greater If God could graft thee into it being by nature a wild oliue tre and strange from a good oliue trée how much more is he able to restore the braÌ„ches which were in tymes past broken of from the fat oliue tree And when he sayth that the Gentiles were cut of from the naturall wild oliue trée he semeth to affirme that malice or wickednes is naturally in them which ought not to be vnderstanded of nature as it was instituted of God which was created good but as it is corrupted thorough the sinne of Adam and so by generation deriued into his posteritye And wast contrary to nature grafted into the true oliue tree Shall we say that it is contrary to the nature of men though they be Ethnikes and infidells A distinctioÌ„ of the nature of meÌ„ to be called agayne to God and to be conuerted vnto pietye We must make a distinction of the nature of men either as it is referred vnto God or as it is referred to his owne proprietyes For as it is referred vnto God there can nothing be done of him in it which is not sayd to be done according to nature for this is naturall to euery thing created to be subiect vnto his Creator And man It is naturall to the creature to be subiect to his creator was made to the Image of God and to this end instituted to be ioyned to his Creator wherfore both by the fyrst counsell of God whereby he made man also by the nature of thinges created which are naturally subiect vnto the efficacy and working of their author it is naturall vnto men religiously to cleaue vnto God Wherefore sinners are not sayd to be grafted into the good
of his noughty money and for that he wanteth money of golde euen so say we that the lawe is in deede spiritual iust and holy and he which could do all the thinges that it commaundeth should liue in them for it is Faith as it is a worke iustifieth not set forth vnto vs as life but forasmuch as none of vs either doth or can do it as it is geuen of God therfore are we not iustified by workes Moreouer also fayth if it should be coÌ„sidered as it is our workes we can not be iustified by it forasmuch as it is a worke both maimed and vnperfect and farre vnderneth that that yâ— law requireth But therfore are we sayd to be iustified by it for yâ— by it we take hold of the promises of God and of the righteousnes and merites of Christe and apply A similitude them vnto vs. Suppose there were a begger which hath a most filthy and leprous hand wherewith he receaueth the almes of him that offreth it vnto him vndoubtedly that beggar is nothing at all holpen by the filthines or leprosy of his hand but by the almes which he receaueth with his hand what maner of hands so euer The doctrine of iustificatioÌ„ is the principall point of godlines he haue There is none endued with true piety but must needes greauouslye lament be sory when he seeth that many which are called christians are ignoraÌ„t whether workes iustifie or no when as this doctrine is the head fountayne and stay of all religion and therfore of it aboue all thinges we ought to me most sure and certayne But now a dayes it is not onely called into controuersie but many disagre one from an other and perniciously erre from the true doctrine But if by complayning I might any thing preuayle I would very much complayne of this vnhappines but for asmuch as it is so and that by no meanes we can haue it otherwise this only will we diligently prouide for that we fall not into those opinions which diminishe the glory of God and are repugnant vnto the holy scriptures also are hurtful vnto our conscience Paraduenture some wil loke that I should chiefely make answer to the cursed speakings slaunders reproches with which the aduersaries do as touching this matter most vnportunately tragically infame vs but I am not so mad to thinke that these thinges are to be preferred before the setting forth and defence of the truth Wherfore first of al I wil descend to the matter and then when I haue confirmed our sentence I will picke out such wicked obieâ—ions as are layd against vs and will according to the strength that God hath geuen me ouerthrowe them And to the end it may manifestly appeare that men are not iustified by workes which thing was our first propositioÌ„ I will reherse in a iust order the course of the reasons of Paul which we hetherto haue heard whereby it may the easelyer be perceaued that I in all pointes agree with him neyther do I one here breadth depart from his doctrine In the first Chapiter he began to reproue the Gentiles because before they The first reason for the first proposition came to the knowledge of Christ although by their philosophy they knew the true GOD yet they worshipped him not as they shoulde haue done neyther gaue they thankes vnto him as to the author of all good things but became fooles and were frustrated in their reasons and cogitations and chaunged the glory of GOD and transferred it from him and gaue it not onely to the Images of men but vnto byrdes fower footed beastes and serpentes Wherefore God deliured them ouer to the affeâ—ions and desires of their owne hartes by meanes whereof they lyued most filthily and became as it is there written full of all iniquity malitiousnes fornication auarice and those vices which there followe And if in case they were such and lyued after that maner vndoubtedly they could not be iustified by their workes neither should Pauls reason agaynst the Gentiles haue bene of any force to proue vnto them that it was necessary for them to receaue the religion of Christ that they might be iustified vnles he had tought that they were vniuersally such as in the first chapiter he painted them out to be For who would thinke it to be any reason of efficacy whiche appeareth to be true onely of some and not of all And in the second chapiter he writeth in a maner the same thinges of the The second Iewes Behold saith he thou art called a Iewe and trustest in the lawe and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will and allowest the thinges that are profitable beyng instructed by the lawe thou boastest that thou art a leader of the blind a light of them which are in darknes an informer of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned as one that hath the forme of the doctrine that is by the lawe thou therefore which teachest an other doost thou not teach thy selfe Thou which preachest a man should not steale doost thou steale Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doost thou committe adultery Thou that abhorrest images doost thou robbe God of hys honour And thou which makest thy boast in the lawe doost thou by the transgression of the lawe dishonour God For the name of God as it is written is euyll spoken of among the Gentilss thorough you Such therefore were the Iewes without Christ wherefore they coulde by no meanes haue bene iustified by their workes or els they might haue aunswered Paul that they were vniustly so gréeuously accused But in what case men were before they receaued the faith of Christ is more manifestly shewed in the 3. chapiter for there we reade There is none righteous The third there is none that vnderstandeth or seketh after God all haue gone out of the way and are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throte is an open sepulchre with their tongues they haue deceaued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternes their feete swift to shed bloud destruction and wretchednes are in their wayes they haue not knowen the waye of peace the feare of GOD is not before their eyes c. These testimonies Paule gathered together out of sondry places of the holy scripture by which the nature of man being destitute of the grace of God is set forth in his coloures And that no man should say that only the idolatrous and wicked Gentles are by these wordes signified the Apostle as it manifestly appeareth sheweth that these thinges are also extended vnto the Iewes who aboue all others thought themselues most holye and therefore he addeth We knowe that whatsoeuer thinges the lawe speaketh it speaketh vnto them which are vnder the lawe And to the ende wee shoulde not doubt but that his entent was to bring an vniuersall reason he addeth Because
iustifieth whome he wil hauing no respect vnto condition and merites there humane reason is very much offended there our flesh ceaseth not to cry against But if either of them namely iustification and election should happen by works and merites there should be no trouble no offence no stumbling blocke layde agaynst vs. But forasmuch as it is farre otherwise and that by vs can not be rendred a reason of the will of God Paul therefore iustly and worthely cryeth out and it is mete that all men if they be wise should geue place to this his sentence The 30. In the 14. chapiter we find written Blessed is he which iudgeth not himselfe in that which he alloweth But he which iudgeth if he eate is condemned because he eateth not of fayth For whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Hereby are we taught that they which want a true faith can do or performe nothing which is not sinne I know in déede that the aduersaryes interprete these wordes of the conscience but they are neuer able to proue that fayth signifieth conscience And although paraduenture Paul entreate of it at the beginning namely that we oughte not to doo any thing against our conscience yet afterward after a sort he bringeth in a generall sentence when he writeth Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne As though he should haue sayd this is a generall rule when men go about to do any thing they ought to be perswaded by the spirite and word of God that that which they are in hand to do is acceptable vnto God and pleaseth him which persuasion if they haue not then vndoubtedly in dooing that which they do they sinne And if I should graunt that in thys place fayth signifyeth the conscience yet I suppose that thys thynge also were to be added namely that the conscience oughte not to bee beleued vnlesse it bée instructed by the woorde of God For as muche as there are many whiche haue so supersticious a conscience that whether they obey it or not obey it they sinne most gréeuously but I will not at this present stand longe about the expounding of this place forasmuch as I entreated of it before and will afterward speake somewhat thereof when I shall come to the place Farther let vs heare what is said in the 4. chapter of the first epistle to the Corrinthians where it is thus written I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified These The 31. words Paul spake of his ministery being now conuerted vnto Christ being now an Apostle whō as touching his functiō no mā was able to accuse And if so great a frend of God pronounced this of himselfe of his workes what should we attribute iustification to the workes of them that are not yet regenerate The works of the godly and of the chiefe Apostle of Christ could not deserue it how then can it be graunted vnto those which are yet straungers from Christ To the Galathians the second chapiter Paul repeteth that sentence which he had written in the 3. chapiter to the Romanes namely that no flesh shal be iustified by the workes of the lawe which sentence forasmuch as it is playne ynough hath bene alredy before recited nedeth now no farther declaration But in the third chapter is written If The 32. righteousnes come by the lawe then Christ died gratis In which place gratis signifieth nothing els but vaynely and to no purpose which then vndoubtedly should be most true For if true righteousnes before God could by any other meanes haue bene attayned vnto of men why then dyed he and why was he crucified And agayne This thing only I desire to learne of you receaued ye the spirite by the workes of The 33. of the lawe or by the preaching of fayth And straight way He therefore that ministreth vnto you the spirite and worketh miracles amongst you doth he that through the deedes of the lawe or by the preaching of fayth They which are iustified receaue the holy ghost for without it it is vtterly impossible to be iustified and if it be not geuen The 34. through works neither can iustification then come through workes Farther it is not to be doubted of any man but that iustification commeth of the good will and fauour of God when as by it men are receaued into grace adopted into his children made heyres of eternal life But such as before iustificatiō are occupied in the workes of the law ar bound vnder the curse so far is it of y◠they should haue the fruition of the fauour of God for the Apostle addeth As many as are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse But to the ende we should not thinke this to be his owne inuention he sayth As it is written Cursed be he which abideth not in all the thynges that are written in the booke of the lawe After this he argueth from the time The 35. I speake after the maner of men Though it be but a mans testament yet if it be allowed no man despiseth it or addeth any thing thereto Moreouer to Abraham were the promises made and to his seede he sayth not to his seedes as speaking of many but to thy seede as of one which is Christ. This I say that the law which began afterward beyond 430. yeares doth not disanull the testament that was before confirmed of God vnto Christ ward to make the promises of none effect First saith he the Testament of God and the first promise offreth iustification without workes Wherefore that testament confirmed receaued and allowed is not restrayned by the lawe The 36. which was so long tyme afterward geuen If there had ben a law geuen which could haue geuen life then should righteousnes haue bene of the law This reason of the Apostle is not full for there should haue bene added the deniall of the antecedent namely that the lawe can not geue life For as it is declared vnto the Romanes It was weakened through the fleshe although as touching it selfe it contayned commaundements which pertayned vnto life Wherfore seing it is for certayne that the lawe can not geue life neither can it also iustifye But before that fayth came The 37. we were kept vnder the law were shut vp vnto that faith which afterward should be reuealed Wherfore the law was our scholemaster vnto Christ that we should be iustified by fayth If the law be as it were a scholemaster then should we do greate iniury vnto God and vnto Christ which are vnto vs in the stead of parents if we should ascribe vnto the scholemaster that which is proper vnto them It is not the scholemaster which maketh vs heires which adopteth vs which geueth vs all thinges but the father Wherfore let vs ascribe our iustification vnto God vnto Christ and not vnto the law nor vnto workes nor to our merites Tell me ye that would so The 38. faine be vnder the law Do
our selues and the truth is not in vs. And I suppose there is none that will iudge it a thing mete that there should be many mediators brought in when as there is but only one mediator betwene God and men namely the man Christ Iesus But if besides him and his merites our workes should also iustifie vs then should they be set betwene God and vs neyther should Christ be the only mediator Moreouer the Prophetes do euery where pray and The 57. Dauid also that God would wash clense expiate and purge theyr sinnes namely in forgeuing and remitting them but if they could haue attayned to that thing by theyr workes then neded they not to haue requested it by praier or at the lest way not with so greate feruency And in Iob the 15. chapiter it is written that neyther The 58. are the heauens cleane before God And in that 4. chapiter he pronouÌ„ceth the Angels not to be pure In what case then shall men be before they obteyne iustification The 59. Dauid also in his Psalmes crieth If thou lord looke streightly vpon iniquities Lord who shal be able to abide it Esay calleth them yâ— thirst vnto the waters commaundeth The 60. them to buy without siluer But our men forsooth will merite and be iustified both by merites and by workes and also by siluer Moreouer in the 40. chapiter The 61. the same Prophet when he heard a voyce wherin it was sayd vnto him cry out answered What shall I cry and it was sayd vnto him yâ— he should cry All flesh is grasse and Châ—sod that is piety or religion or mercy wherwith he succoreth his neighbour is as the flower of the field that is a thing vanishing away which streight way fadeth away neyther can it continew The same thing also affirmeth he in the 64. chap. where he sayth that all our righteousnes is as a cloth steyned withe the naturall diseasâ— The 62. of a woman Which sentence whether a man apply it vnto workes done after regeneration or before I passe not muche for eyther way will make on our side And in the selfe same chapiter he addeth Our God we are clay and thou art our creator we are the worke of thy handes And the same similitude of the clay and potter vseth The 63. Paul to the Romanes in the 9. chapiter wherein is notably declared that so much are we able to do so towards our saluation as can the clay towardes the potter to cause him to make him after this maner or that maner We could also recite testimonies which are written of the maliciousnes of our hart both in Genesis in Ieremy but I suppose I haue alredy brought testimonies inough for the confirmation of our proposition This thing only now wil I say that there haue bene men so rashe that they haue not only attributed some merite of iustification vnto honest workes and which are as they terme them morally good but also vnto supersticions workes which they themselues haue imagined and inuented For who Vnto holy water is remission of sins graunted more also to other thinges is ignoraÌ„t of yâ— rimes commonly set abrode of theyr holy water Aqua benedicta de leaÌ„tur tua delicta sit tibi laus vita That is by holy water let thy sinnes be blotted out and let it bee vnto thee prayse and life They ascribe also forgeuenes of sinnes vnto Monkes coules vnto candels and vnto the oyle of boughes and vnto the ashes of palme tree and vnto pilgrimages And from things which they so peruersly interpretated in the holy scriptures concerning merites they came vnto these so foolish and vngodly thinges Vndoubtedly none vnderstaÌ„d but they which haue experience thereof how hard a thing it is that a harte brused ouerthrowen and laden with the burthen of sinnes should when it is grieued and oppressed quiet It is a thing most hard to rest in the promises of God it selfe in yâ— free promises of God thorough Christ For in that case it very much laboureth that it may once at the length be with a firme fayth established If we should with the Sophisters will a man to haue a respect vnto hys workes then shoulde he neuer be in quiet but shoulde alwayes bee vexed and alwayes doubt of hys saluation and at the laste be swallowed vp wyth desperacion I would not that any man should thinke that when we reason of this matter we take in hand a vayne matter or a strife about wordes It is a thing whereby is What is the end and fruit of this disputation defended the honour of Christe And that whiche is proper vnto him onelye namelye to iustifye and to forgeue sinnes we seeke that the same shoulde in no case be attributed vnto workes or to any other thing els of ours we séeke that the promise should be firme and that afflicted consciences should receaue consolation in the wordes and promises of God Lastly we séeke that the Gospell should be distincted from the lawe and the lawe from the Gospell which thing they can not do which ascribe iustification vnto workes and confound and perniciously mingle them together And for the confirmation of this proposition although I could bring a great many more reasons and in a maner infinite yet these which I haue already brought shall suffice and I will omitte the rest for they which are not moued with these reasons neither will they be touched with any other Howbeit I thinke it not good to passe ouer with silence the trifling shifts and wily deceates by which the Sophisters vse to auoyde and obscure this doctrine which we haue now put forth First they say that the holy scriptures as often as they take away the power of iustifieng from workes do that only as touching the ceremonies of the old law and not as touching iust and vpright workes which commonly they call morall workes In which thing how much men are deceiued euen the testimonies of the scriptures and especially of Paul whome they affirme to be most of all on their side as touching that matter will most plainly declare For although this Apostle speaketh many thinges which séeme to pertayne both to the rites and also to the ceremonies of the lawe yet in his declaration he writeth a great many â—â—â— other thinges by which he declareth that he speaketh not onely of ceremonies â–ª but also euen of the other lawes of righteousnes and vertue yea rather altogether of those which pertaine to maners and euen vnto the table of the ten commaundements And in the first chapiter when he reproueth the Gentils that without the fayth of Christ they could not be iustified he setteth before their eyes their workes namely Testimonies of Paul by whiche is proued that moral workes are excluded from the power of iustifieng idolatry filthy lustes and toward the end of the chapiter he reherseth a very long cataloge of vices wherwith they were infected nether
speaketh he any thing of the ceremonies of Moses Wherefore forasmuch as those thinges which he there rehearseth are repugnaunt vnto the ten commaundementes and to the morall lawe we can not but thinke that of it also he vnderstandeth those thinges which he writeth And in the second chapiter he reproueth the Iewes for the like kinde of sinnes For he saith Thou which teachest an other dost thou not teach thy self Thou whiche teachest that a man shoulde not steale dost thou steale that a man shoulde not commit adultery doost thou commit adultery and thou which detestest idols dost thou robbe God of his honour Who séeth not that these thinges are contayned in the lawe of the ten commaundementes And in the third chapiter he yet more manifestly entreateth of the same when he writeth There is none iust there is none that vnderstandeth or requireth after God all haue declined and are together made vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one These thinges we sée are of the same kinde pertayne vnto maners If the apostle would haue spoken only of ceremoniall lawes he woulde neuer haue made mencion of these thinges And this is also more euidently gathered that when he had sayd no fleshe is iustified by the works of the lawe he addeth For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Wherefore that lawe iustifieth not by which we know sinne According to which meaning he said also in the 4. chapiter The lawe worketh anger so farre is it of that it should iustify but it is very manifest vnto al men that sinnes are knowen and the wrath of God prouoked against transgressors more by the ten commaundementes then by the precepts of ceremonies I will not speake also of that generall sentence wherein it is sayd in the 4. chapiter That vnto him which worketh a reward is not imputed according vnto grace but according to debt◠And also that God would haue the inheritaunce to consist of grace that the promise should abide firme and not be changed that our gloriyng might be excluded which glorying commeth no les of good workes morall then of ceremonies It is written also in the 5. chapiter that the lawe entred in that sinne should abound and where sinne hath abounded there also hath grace more abounded These thinges also can not be drawen vnto ceremonies only Moreouer in the 6. chapiter when it was obiected vnto him that by so depressing workes and the lawe he did séeme to open a gate vnto loose life and vnto slouthfulnes and vnto sinnes as now dayly they obiect vnto vs he aunswered That we ought not to abide in sinne forasmuch as we are now dead vnto it By baptisme saith he we are buried with Christ that euen as he dyed and rose agayne so also should we walke in newnes of life And he admonisheth vs that euen as Christ dyed once and dyeth no more so also should we thinke our selues dead vnto sinne but liuing vnto God And he addeth that we must haue a diligent care that sinne raigne not in our mortall body and that we geue not our members the weapon◠of iniquity vnto sinne but geue ouer our selues vnto God as men of dead folke◠now lyuing and our members the weapons of righteousnes to sanctification These thinges which we haue rehearsed and the rest whiche followe euen in a manner to the ende of the chapiter séeme they to pertayne vnto the ceremonies of Moses or rather vnto a iust sincere and morall life The thing is so playne that there nedeth no question therein yet those thinges which are written in the 7. chapiter are yet much more manifest The affection saith he which are in the members were by the lawe made stronge and of efficacy to bring forth fruit vnto death But what other thing are these affections then 〈…〉 es filthy desires anger hatred and enuy which affections are rehearsed to◠the Galathians in that Cataloge where the workes of the fleshe are seperated from the workes of the spirite And there is no doubt but that all these thinges pertayne vnto the ten commaundementes Which thing the better to vnderstand Paul addeth What shall we say then Is the lawe sinne God forbid but I had not knowen sinne but by the law For I knew not what lust ment vnles the law had said thou shalt not lust Also the lawe in deede is holy the commaundemente is holy and iust and good Agayne The lawe in deede is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne For that which I do I allow not For the good which I would I do not but the euill which I would not that I do◠wherefore it is not I now which worketh it but sinne which dwelleth in me For there dwelleth no good in me that is in my flesh I haue a delight in the lawe of God as touching the inwarde man but I feele an other lawe in my member resisting the lawe of the mynde Oh vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the law of sinne and of death Wherefore in mynde I serue the lawe of God but in fleshe the lawe of sinne Whosoeuer shall diligently weigh all these testimonies shall easely sée that the Apostle wholy speaketh of the ten commaundementes whereof also he plainly maketh mencion in those foresayd words But these words which afterward follow in the 8. chapiter That which was impossible vnto the lawe in as much as it was weake by meanes of the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of the fleshe of sinne by sinne condemned sinne in the fleshe these wordes I say can not be expounded of the lawe of ceremonies and much les that which followeth in the same chapter We are debt ours not vnto the fleshe that we shoulde liue according vnto the fleshe for if ye liue according to the fleshe ye shall dye But if by the spirite ye shall mortifye the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Neither can this be referred vnto ceremonies euē as neither can that also which is written vnto the Galathithians The lawe was put because of transgressions for where there is no lawe there is also no transgression And it is certayne that neither boasting can be excluded neither can the promise be firme if our iustification should depend of the obseruation of the ten commaundementes and of the morall preceptes howsoeuer thou take away the rites and ceremonies of Moses But much more firme is this place out of the 11. chapiter of this epistle vnto the Romanes And if it be of workes then is it not of grace if of grace then not of workes This Antithesis is vniuersall neither can it by any meanes be contracted vnto ceremonies I will not speake of that also which Paul writeth vnto the Phillippians how that he besides those precepts of Moses was conuersant without blame also as touching the righteousnes which is of the law For y◠which he writeth vnto the Ephe. the second chapter Not of workes least any man should boast
he writeth vnto the Gentiles Wherefore those workes which he excludeth from iustification can not be vnderstand of ceremonies for the Gentiles obserued not them But what will they say of the epistle vnto Timothe where in the second chapiter we are simply absolutely sayd to be called not for our works but according to purpose and grace Also vnto Titus He hath saued vs saith he not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to hys mercy All these thinges are so playne and manifest that they nede no interpretacion For there is no man so dull but that as sone as he once heareth these thinges easely perceaueth that they can not without greate iniury be wrested vnto the ceremonies and rites of Moses But I would fayne know of these men why they take a way the power of instifieng from the workes of ceremonies and do so easely attribute it vnto morall workes Is it not a good and laudable maner to worshipe God which certayne appoynted rites which he himselfe hath commaunded Were not the rites and sacred seruites which were at that time prescribed vnto the people of the Iewes commaunded in the ten commaundementes Vndoubtedly where the Sabaoth is commaunded to be obserued there are all these thinâ—s conteyned And eueÌ„ these selfe same Sophisters doo they not at this day attribute the forgeuenes of sinnes and collation of grace vnto theyr sacramentes as in the old testament they were attributed vnto circumcision What man of constancy is this one while to say that the rites of Moses haue no power to iustify and an other while to graunt that the same were sacramentes of the old fathers and that in circumcision originall The inconstancy 〈…〉 e Sâ—pl if â—s sinne was forgeuen vnto infantes But this affirme not we yea we rather vtterly deny that any sacraments conferre grace They doo indede offer grace but SacrameÌ„ts conferre not grace yet by signification For in sacramentes and wordes and visible signes is lette forth vnto vs the promise of God made thorough Christ which promise if we take hold of by fayth we both obteyne a greater grace then that was which before we had and with the seale of the sacramentes we seale the gifte of God which by faith we embrased But I can not inough meruayle at these men which both affirme An other cauillation and also deny one and the selfe same thing They graunte but not with any great warines as theyr accustomed maner is that they vtterly take not away from the sacraments of the elders and chiefely from circumcision the strength of iustifying but onely since the time that the Gospell was published abrode of which time only say they the contencion of Paul sprange that the rites of Moses should no more be retayned But here also according to theyr accustomed maner they are both deceiue theÌ„selues also they deceiue others For when yâ— Apostle teacheth yâ— AbrahaÌ„ was not iustified by circumcisioÌ„ but receaued it afterward being now iustified by fayth vndoubtedly he taketh away the power of iustefying from that ceremony euen also in the time of Abraham wherein it was first instituted Dauid also wheÌ„ he affirmeth that blessednes herein consisteth that sinnes should not be imputed which thing as we now reason is nothinge ells then to be iustified speaketh he of his owne time or of any other time Abacuck also when he sayth that the iust maÌ„ liueth by his fayth and excludeth workes from iustifieng as Paul manifestly expoundeth him spake he only of his owne time thinke you Vndoubtedly he spake both of our time and also of his owne time Lastly when Paul expressedly writeth vnto the Galathians in the third chapiter As many as are of the law are vnder the curse and goeth on in prouyng that sentence wherehence I beseche you seeketh he a testemony Vndoubtedly out of the law Cursed sayth he be he which abideth not in all the thinges that are written in booke of the law Seing therefore the Law so speaketh and that as Paul sayth it wrappeth in a curse all those which traÌ„sgresse An other cauillation the commaundementes thereof then followeth it of necessity that by those works which pertayne vnto it no man can be iustified But these men go to an other shifte for they say that all those which are to be iustefied are not of one and the selfe same condition For such which come to christianity are eyther of yâ— Hebreues They put a differeÌ„ce betwene those which are first conuerted vnto Christ and those which hauing sallâ—n are restored or ells of the Gentiles certayne also after they haue once receaued Christ do fall into greauous wicked crimes and haue nede againe of instauration Nowe say they the state and consideration of both these partes is not a like For they whiche haue once professed the name of a Christian when they are fallen can not recouer righteousnes but by good workes as by almes geuing teares fasting confessions and such other which preparations and merites are not required of those which from infidelity are first conuerted vnto Christ But I would first heare of these good wise men out of what place of the holy scriptures they found this theyr distinction And seing the maner of iustification is vtterly one and the selfe same and portayneth as well to the one as to the other why ought the one to come vnto it one way the other an other way Farther why do they attribute this vnto those that are fallen in Christianity by theyr workes to merite vnto themselues iustification but vnto those which come from infidelity they attribute not the same Are they whiche haue not kept fayth when they were in the Church better then the They whiche fall froÌ„ christiaÌ„ religion are of worser estate then infidels Ethnikes I thinke not vndoubtedly for they which haue once tasted of the swete word of God and do afterward fall from it are in worse estate theÌ„ the other And the seruaunt which knoweth the will of his master and doth it not is greeuoslier punished Also He which hath not a care ouer his and especially ouer his house hold the same man hath denied the fayth is worse then an infidele But they say they deny not but yâ— they which are conuerted froÌ„ infidelity may do some good workes yea and yâ— they may if they do theÌ„ after some sort deserue iustification at the lest way of congruity but that these works are alike required as well of those as of the other they deny But forasmuch as al their works as I haue ells where taught are sins how caÌ„ they do good works before God Moreouer how are not good works required of theÌ„ before they come vnto Christ are baptised WheÌ„ as none which are regenerate by Christ caÌ„ beleue truly vnles he earnestly repent him of his former wicked life For he abouÌ„daÌ„tly bewaileth the sins of his former life confesseth yâ— he hath greauously erred
order appoynted by God in nature For God for the conseruation good order God will haue an order to be kept in outwarde thinges How Roboam is said not to haue prepared his harte of thinges will that this by a certayne connexion should follow of the other But I meruayle what these men meane when out of the bookes of the Chronicles they say that Roboam the sonne of Salomon did euil in that he prepared not his hart to enquire of the Lorde They mought easely haue sene that this serueth nothing to thys present purpose vnles they be if I may so terme them table doctors which haue more skill in the tables then in the bookes For as often as they finde in the table of the holy bookes thys woorde to prepare or preparation that strayght way whatsoeuer it be they snatche and thinke that it maketh for theyr purpose and pertayneth vnto theyr preparatory woorkes But the holy history when it declared that the kinge behaued hymselfe wickedlye addeth by exposition as it oftentimes doth that he had not an vpright hart redie to séeke the Lord. Neither doth this any thing helpe theyr cause which is written in the 16. chapter of the prouerbes Why it is said yâ— it pertaineth to man to prepare the harte It pertaineth to a man to prepare the hart but the aunswere of the tonge is of the Lord. For we ought by those woordes to vnderstande nothinge els then that men indéede are wonte to purpose wyth themseues manye thinges but the euent and successe is not in their power but dependeth of GOD. Men oftentimes appoynte wyth them selues what they will saye in the senate house in the iudgement place before the kinge vnto the souldiours and vnto the people But what shal come to passe lieth in the pleasure of God They indéede prepare the hart but God ordereth the aunswere of the tounge according to his prouidence Such an other waighty reason they cite out of the 10. Psalme The Lord hath heard the desire of the poore thy eare hath heard the preparation of their hart But in this place these The preparation of the hart of the poore good masters make two flat errors For first they vnderstand not that which they speake secondly they cite not the place accordinge to the truth of the Hebrue For the sence is That God despiseth not the prayers of the poore but according to hys great goodnes accomplisheth for them those thinges which they had determined in their mind to desire of him And this is the preparation of the harte For there is none that is godly desireth any thing of God but first he deliberateth in his harte that the same thing is to be desired Otherwise he should come rashly vnto God should pray foolishly But these men wheresoeuer they finde in the holy scriptures this word to prepare straight way snatch it vp euen against the nature thereof to establish workes preparatorye But nowe let vs sée what the sentence is after the Hebrue veritie Taauah anauim shamata iehouah tachin libbam tacshib osnecha That is Thou hast heard the desire of the poore Lord thou hast prepared or shalt prepare their hart thy eare shall heare Here we sée that Dauid affirmeth that God heareth God prepareth the hart of the saintes the desires of the saintes whome he calleth poore And he addeth a cause namely because God prepareth their hart to require those thinges whiche may serue to their saluation and please God But by whome God woorketh such a preparation in the hartes of the faithfull Paul teacheth in this Epistle when he thus writeth God prepareth our hartes by his holy spirits What we should aske as it behoueth vs we know not But the spirite prayeth for vs with vnspeakeable sighes But it is God which searcheth the hartes he seeth what the spirite will aske for the saintes We sée therefore both by Dauid and also by Paul that God heareth those prayers of them that pray vnto him which are by the impulsioÌ„ of his spirite stirred vp We learne also of the Ethnike Philosophers and that in mo places then one that those are worthy of reproofe which without consideration and rashly require any thing of God But they which professe Christ euen as they beleue that he is the author of their prayers so also do they close them vp in thys sentence Thy will be done But say they Ezechiell saith in his 18. chapter Walke in A concilition of places of Ieremy and Ezechiell my wayes and make ye a new hart Ieremy also saith Be ye conuerted vnto me saith the Lord. Wherefore a man say they may of himselfe prepare himselfe to the obteyning of righteousnes But these men should remember that it is no vprighte dealing to cite some places of the scriptures and to ouerhippe leaue vnspoken other some Let them goe therfore and sée what Ezechiell writeth in the. 30. chapt I saith the Lorde will bring to passe that ye shall walke in my wayes Agayne I will geue vnto you a fleshy hart and will take away from you your stony hart Ieremy also in the 31. chap. Conuert me O Lord and I shal be conuerted Wherfore Augustine very wel sayd Geue what thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt They abuse also an other place out of the Prophet Ionas to confirme their error For in him it is writteÌ„ that Of the fact of the Niniuites God regarded the woorkes of the Niniuites Beholde say they the affliction of the Niniuites wherby they afflicted themselues with fastings and cried vnto the lord prepared theyr mindes and made them apte to obteine pardon As though it behoued not the Niniuites first to beleue the woorde of God before they coulde eyther pray healthfully or els repent Séeing therefore they beleued before they did any workes they were iustified by faith and not by works which folowed afterward And God is sayd to haue regarded their works because they pleased him Neither did we euer deny that the workes of men being now iustified are acceptable vnto A profitable rule for the right vnderstanding of sentences of the fathers touching iustificatioÌ„ God So often as we finde in the scriptures such places which séeme to attribute righteousnes vnto our workes we muste according to the doctrine of Augustine haue a consideration out of what foundation those workes procéede And when we perceaue that they springe out of faith we oughte to ascribe vnto that roote that which afterwarde is added as touching righteousnes And how fowlye these men â—rre in their reasoning hereby we may perceaue for that they take vpon them to transferre those thinges which are proper vnto one kinde of men vnto an other Which thing eueÌ„ humane lawes wil not suffer For as it is had in the Code As touching testaments or last willes If rusticall and vnlearned men which dwell out of cities A similitude and haue not store of wise and learned
men do make their last willes withous a solemnitie required thereunto and without a sufficient nomber of witnesses prescribed whiche yet otherwise were necessary such testaments ought to be allowed Now if a maÌ„ would transferre this prerogatiue vnto citesins who for that they haue their abidings in cities haue store of men of vnderstanding he should excéedingly erre For if their testamentes should be so made they are refused neither are they counted firm So we say that the workes of men iustified may please God which thing yet neyther can nor oughte to be graunted vnto them whiche are without faith and without Christ Farther let vs marke the accustomed fond kind of reasoning of the aduersaries whiche the Logicians call A non causa vt câ—usa â–ª that is from that whiche is not the cause as the cause For they alwayes appoint good workes to be the causes A similitude of righteousnes when as in very dede they are the effects of righteousnes not causes For it is as though a man should say the fire is therfore hot because it maketh How this sentence is to be vnderstand â–ª God rendreth to euery man according to his workes hot But it is cleane coÌ„trary for therfore it fore maketh hot because it is hot So also we because we ar iustified therfore do iust thinges and not because we do iuste things therfore we are iustified Somtimes also they make this obiectioÌ„ that God will reÌ„der vnto euery man according to his works Wherfore works say they are yâ— causes of our felicity But here also as theyr woÌ„ted maner is they are very much deceiued For vnles they haue found out some new grammer vnto themselues vndoubtedly this word according signifieth not yâ— cause But Christ say they in yâ— his Iuxta last iudgement séemeth to expresse these thinges as causes wherfore the kingdome of heauen is geuen vnto them For thus will he say I was hungrye and ye fed me I was thursty and ye gaue me drinke But Christ doth not in very déede rehearse these thinges as causes but rather those thinges which wente before Come ye blessed of my father possesse ye the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world For the true cause of our felicitie is because we are elected and predestinate of God to yâ— eternal inheritance For they which are in this number are when time serueth adorned with faith whereby being iustified they haue right vnto eternall Why Christ in the iudgement will make mencion of outwarde workes There are two beginninges of thinges life But because this faith is hidden neither can be séene and Christ will haue all men to vnderstand that none but the iust are receiued into the kingdome of heauen therefore reherseth he these outwarde workes that by them it might plainly be perceaued that righteousnes is geuen vnto men by faith For there is no man that can be so ignorant but that he knoweth that there are two grounds of things the one is whereby they are the other whereby they be knowne Againe they obiect out of the first of Samuel Those that honor me I honor those that loue me I loue Here say they the promise is made vnto the worke But if they woulde make a distinction betwene the promises of the Gospel and the promises of the lawe as we haue els where aboundauntly taught they should easly vnderstand that that place is nothing repugnant vnto our sentence For if we coulde of our selues satisfie the commaundement of the law then might it be the cause why the promise should be geuen vnto vs. But forasmuch as no man is able to performe it all men flye vnto Christ and are through faith towardes him iustified Then by a certaine obedience begonne we begin to worke which although it be not exactly done according vnto the rule of the commaundement yet it pleaseth God And he of his mere liberality performeth the promise whiche was adioyned vnto that worke And so those conditions whiche are adioyned vnto the preceptes are not vnprofitable For they that are iustified attayne vnto them Neyther 〈…〉 thâ—se men ashamed to cite these wordes out of the 25. Psalme Looke vpon my labour and my vtility and forgeue me all my sinnes as though our labours or afflictions are the causes of the remission of sinnes But in this place Dauid being in most gréeuous calamities desireth of God to forgeue him his sinnes that if he should be angry for his sinnes the cause of punishmentes might be taken away For here is not entreated of labours which a man taketh vpon him of his owne voluntary will but of punishementes A similitude inflicted by God We sée also that children whilest that they are beaten of their maisters do desire forgeuenes and pardon If thou geue an almes vnto one that is leprous the leprosy can not properly be called the cause of thy compassion or mercy For otherwise all that passed by the leper should do the same But the true cause is the louing affection in thy minde But they say moreouer that in the holy scriptures much is attributed vnto repentaunce Which thing we deny not But we on the other side woulde haue them to vnderstand that repentaunce is the fruite of fayth and that no man can with profite repent hym of hys sinnes A distinction of confession vnles he first beleue They also vainely boast of many things touching confession But touching it we make a distinction For either it is seperated from hope and faith as it was in Iudas which confessed that he had sinned in deliuering the iust bloud and so farre is it of that that confession should bring any profite that it is a preparation also vnto desperation and vnto destruction or els it is ioyned wyth fayth and hope as it was in Dauid and Peter and so is it not the cause but the effect Aâ—riculeâ— confession of iustification for it followeth fayth and goeth not before it The auricular confession also of the Papistes is vtterly supersticious wherfore we vtterly contemne it For they obtrude it as a thing necessary vnto saluation and as a cause why sinnes should be forgeuen which they are neuer able to proue by any testimony of the holy scriptures They violently wrest this also out of the Lordes Forgeue vs our trespasses is expounded prayer Forgeue vs our trespasses as we also forgeue them that trespasse agaynst vs Agayne Forgeue and it shal be forgeuen you Ergo say they the forgeuenes of iniuries is the cause why our sinnes are forgeuen vs. This their reason as the common saying is with the one hand stroketh the head and with the other geueth a blowe For if the forgeuenes of iniuries should as these men would haue it deserue remission of sinnes then that remission were no remission For after thou hast once payd the price â–ª there is nothing that can be forgeuen thee but then hath remission place when the price is
not payde And as touching that place we first desire that our sinnes should be forgeuen vs. And because that by benefites receaued men are encouraged to hope that they shall receaue other and greater benefites therefore is this the meaning of that sentence O father which hast of thy goodnes geuen vs grace to forgeue iniuries vnto our trespassers forgeue vnto vs also our sinnes by these wordes also is not signified a cause but a similitude although that similitude be not perfect and absolute For there is none that is wise that will haue his sinnes so forgeuen him of God as he hath forgeuen his neighbour the iniuries that he hath done vnto him For euerye one by reason of the fleshe and that infirmity whiche it carieth about forgeueth much les vnto his brother then he ought For there alwayes sticketh in his minde some offence which although it burst not forth yet his owne conscience is a sufficient witnes vnto himselfe that his minde is not very perfect towardes him by whome he hath ben hurte But the former exposition teacheth that the similitude is to be referred not vnto remission but vnto the liberality of God that euen as he hath geuen the one so also he will vouchsafe to geue the other But whereas it is sayd Forgeue and it shal be forgeuen that is a commaundement and therfore pertaineth vnto the lawe But thou wilt obiect that that sentence is written in the Gospell and not in the lawe That is no thing at all for the lawe and the Gospell are not seperated The law the Gospell are not seperated by volumes or bookes In what maner we ought to forgeue iniuries a sonder by volumes or bookes For bothe in the olde Testamente are contayned the promises of the Gospell and also in the Gospell the lawe is not only comprehended but also most perfectly by Christ expounded Wherfore by those words we are coÌ„maunded to forgeue iniuries done vnto vs. And forasmuch as we are bound to do yâ— according to the prescript of the law that law dependdeth of this great precept Thou shalt loue the lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy strengthes according to yâ— forme therfore we ought to forgeue our enemies which thing because no man hath at any time performed neither can performe it followeth that we ought to flye vnto Christ by whome we may be iustified by faith and afterward being iustified may after a sort accomplishe that which is commaunded Which although we do not perfectly performe yet it pleaseth God and he fréely geueth vnto vs the promise annexed vnto it not Redeme thy sinnes with almes is expounded because of our workes or for our merites but only for Christes sake They go about also to blind our eyes with the wordes of Daniell wherein he exhorted the king to redeme his sinnes by almes But in that place by sinnes we may vnderstand the paynes and punishementes due vnto sinne For the scripture vseth oftentimes such phrases of speach Which thing we neuer denyed Yea rather we willingly graunt that to workes which procéede from faith God is wont to geue many thinges specially as touching the mitigation of plagues and punishements They obiect also this sentence out of the first chapiter of Iohn God gaue them power He hath geuen them power to be made the sonnes of God how it is to be vnderstand to be made the sonnes of God Wherefore they say that those which haue already receaued Christ that is haue beleued in him are not yet iustified and regenerate and made the children of God but only haue receaued power to be made the children of God namely as they thinke by good workes And in this argument Pigghius the great champion and Achilles of the Papistes putteth great affiance but yet in vayne For he thinketh that of necessity he to whome power to haue any thing is geuen hath not as yet the same thing As though we should here deale philosophically that power excludeth acte which yet euen amongest the Philosophers also is not vniuersallye true For when they defyne the soule they say that it is an acte of a body naturall hauing members or instrumentes and also hauing life in power By which definition appeareth that our body hath life in power when as yet it hath life in acte and in very déede But that worde power here signifieth that the body hath not of it selfe life but of an other namely of the soule Which thing we in this matter at this present may also affirme namely that those which haue receaued the Lord and haue beleued in him are regenerate and made the children of God and yet not of themselues but from some other waye namely of the spirite and grace of God For so signifieth this word power Although the Euangelist in that place spake not peripatetically but simply and most plainely For a little before he sayd His receaued him not By this word his he ment the Iewes which peculiarly professed the knowledge of the true God But when they had refused the truth offred vnto them God would not be without a people but appointed theÌ„ to be his peculiar people which should beleue and receaue Christ Wherefore he gaue vnto them power that is This power is adoption grace a right and a prerogatiue that when they had receaued the Lorde by faith they should be made and be indéede the sonnes of God And therefore Cirillus expounding that place saith that this power signifieth adoption and grace Farther Pigghius although he thinke himselfe very sharpe of witte yet séeth not that when he thus reasoneth he speaketh thinges repugnant For how is it possible that any man should haue life in himselfe and yet not lyue Assuredly if they in beleuing haue receaued Christ it must néedes be that straight way they haue righteousnes For as Paul writeth in the first epistle vnto the Cor. He is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holynes and redemptioÌ„ But what nede we so long a discourse The Euangelist himself declareth vnto vs who those be which haue receiued such a power namely which are not borne of bloud nor of the wil of the flesh nor of the wil of maÌ„ but of God And if they be borne of God then followeth it of necessity that they are iustified and regenerate They obiect also vnto vs a seruile feare which goeth before charity as though by it we should be prepared vnto iustification and the more easely to receaue charity Vnto whom we aunswere that such a feare without charity is sinne they replye agayne and say that Christ commaunded that feare But God commaundeth not sinne And he commaunded such a feare say they when he sayd I will shew vnto you whome ye ought to feare feare him whiche when he hath killed the body can also cast the soule into hell fire And that this feare prepareth vnto iustification they thinke may hereby be proued for yâ—
the second part he left out the name of stipend and of righteousnes and in stéede of them put in the name of grace Neither do I greatly passe that Augustine in an other place writeth that Paul mought haue sayd the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life and yet he would not say so least he should haue geuen occasion of erring For how Augustine thought that Paul mought haue sayd it vndoubtedly I sée not vnles paraduenture by righteousnes he vnderstand the workes of men regenerate forasmuch as with those workes the merites of Christ are ioyned For so it might be true that eternall life is the stipend of such a righteousnes Farther Origen goeth on and sheweth that men are so iustified fréely How eternall lyfe may be called the 〈…〉 pend of righteousnes that good workes are not required to go before For expounding this sentence Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen The soule saith he whose sinnes are forgeuen must needes now be in good state for it is called blessed Wherefore it hath righteousnes which God imputeth vnto it although it haue not yet done any workes of righteousnes but only for that it hath beleued in him whiche iustifieth the vngodly Out of these words we gather many thinges First that God for works sake is not made debtor vnto any man Secondly that not only iustification but also eternall life is geuen fréely Lastly that righteousnes is imputed vnto the mindes of the beleuers although no good workes went before in them Basilius vpon these wordes of the 114. Psalme Be thou conuerted my soule into thy rest for the Lord hath done good vnto thee For saith he eternall rest is set forthe vnto them which in this life haue wrestled lawfully which yet is not rendered accordyng to the merite of workes but is geuen according to the grace of the most liberall God vnto them which haue hoped in him Seyng these thinges are spoken of the workes of men already iustified as touching eternall felicity then are they to be counted much more true if they be referred vnto the workes of them which are yet strangers frō Christ Wherfore euen as those merite not an eternall reward no more also can these merite iustification For both these thinges are geuen fréely Augustine in his booke De dogmatibus ecclesiasticis chap. 48. If by the law saith he commeth righteousnes then dyed Christ in vayne So also may we say if by nature come righteousnes Christ dyed in vayne This spake he against the Pelagians who affirmed that the liberty of man was so great that by nature onely it could do thynges acceptable vnto God And Augustine warely transferreth vnto nature that which Paul spake of the law and sheweth that the selfe same absurditie followeth either namely that the death of Christ is made in vayne For in very dede there is no other cause why the law bringeth not righteousnes but onely because nature is vitiate and weake Wherfore that which is spokē of the one may rightly agrée with the other The same Augustine vpon the first chapter of Iohn expoūding these wordes Grace for grace what saith he is grace He aunswereth That which is frely geuen What is grace frely geuen That which is not rendred saith he as due For if it were due vnto thee then it is a reward rendred If it were due thou wast before good And in his booke de predestinatione sanctorum the 7. chap. Let no man extoll himselfe as it is customably said Therfore deserued he to beleue because he was a good man and that before he beleued which thyng semeth to be written of Cornelius when as yet he had fayth when he did good workes These wordes are so playne that they haue no néede of declaration Chrisostome in his 2. homely vpon the first epistle Chrisostom vnto the Cor. Where grace saith he is there are not workes and where works are there is not grace Wherfore if it be grace why are ye proude by what meanes are ye puffed vp Chrisostome according to the maner of Paul so opposeth grace against workes that the one excludeth the other so far is it of that he will haue grace to be geuen for workes Ierome vpon the epistle to Philemon Grace saith he is whereby ye are saued and Ierome that by no merite or worke The same Ierome vpon the epistle vnto the Ephes expoūding these wordes By grace ye are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God Paul saith he therefore spake this least some hidden thought should crepe into vs if by our workes we be not saued vndoubtedly yet by faith we are saued so that in an other kinde it commeth of vs that we are saued All these testimonies sufficiently declare that iustification is geuē fréely neither can it be gotten by any merites or workes goyng before Now resteth to declare out of the fathers how good workes are to be estemed Vndoubtedly they follow iustification as the fruites therof which spring and burgē forth out of true faith Wherfore Origene sayth in that place which we haue before cited expounding these wordes vnto the Romanes But vnto him which worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt Wherfore saith he not out of workes commeth the roote of righteousnes but out of the roote of righteousnes encreaseth the fruite of workes Whiche selfe thing Augustine affirmeth vnto Honoratus saying Hereout spring good works for that we are iustified and not because good workes went before therfore are we iustified And in his first booke second question ad Simplicianum Yea and workes saith he if there be any that be good do follow as it is said that grace and go not before it And therfore he addeth If there be any good because euen the workes of the regenerate haue in thē much imperfection and vnles the righteousnes of Christ which is imputed vnto the beleuers were ioyned with those workes they should not in very dede be good The same father in his 26. chapter de spiritu Litera at large entreateth this place vnto the Romanes Not the herers of the law shal be iustified but the doers and by many reasons he proueth that good workes follow iustification and go not before To this also tendeth that which Basilius writeth in his second booke De spiritu sancto the 7. chap. of the wordes of the Lord that first it behoueth that the trée be good then his fruites to be good that the Phariseis were reproued which in theyr dishes cups made cleane y◠which was without Make cleane sayth he that which is within and that which is without shal be cleane otherwise ye shal be compared vnto painted sepulchers which in dede without seme beautiful but with in are vncleane and full of dead mens bones What counsels are to be harkned vnto Now let vs come vnto the Counsells which yet are not without choyce and iudgement
regarde to his body being past getting of children nor to the wombe of Sara being past childbearing and that he staggered not by reason of distrust but was by faith confirmed most certainely persuaded that God was able to performe what so euer he had promised This example teacheth vs that we ought not to haue a regarde vnto those things which either may or seeme to hinder our iustification but our faith ought vtterly to be fixed in the words and promises of God but contrariwise these men will call vs backe to our owne indispositions as they cal them and will haue vs therefore alwayes to be in doubt of our iustification In dede we ought not to dissemble whatsoeuer imperfection or fault is in vs and that for this cause that it may be daily amended and corrected Yet ought we not therefore to be in doubt and wauering touching our iustification and the grace of God Now haue we to proue the second proposition namely that a man is iustified by faith Which thing we entend first to proue by testimonies of the holy A confirmation that we are iustified by faith scriptures Paule in the first chapter of this Epistle thus defineth the Gosple that it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleueth In these wordes is touched the efficient cause of our iustification namely the power of God and the ende which is our saluation and also the instrument wherby it is receiued namely faith for he addeth vnto euery one that beleueth And this he confirmeth by a testimony of Abacucke the Prophet In which sentence he so much delighted that he vsed it both to the Galathians and also to the Hebrues in the self same sense He addeth moreouer that the wrathe of God was reueled from heauen by reason of the knowledge of the Philosophers which withheld the truthe of God in vnrighteousnesse and which when they knew God glorified him not as God but fell to the worshipping of Idols But contrariwise in the gospell is reuealed the righteousnesse of God namely that righteousnesse whereby men are iustified from faith to faith which phrase of speache we haue in his due place sufficiently expounded in the third chapter Now is the righteousnesse of God saith he made manifest without the law the righteousnesse I say of God by the faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon all them which beleue in him And a little afterward wherefore being iustified frely by his grace by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth a propitiator by faith in his bloud Here also is not onlye shewed the grace by which God fréely iustifieth vs but also Christ his deathe is set forthe that it may manifestly appeare that he is the reconciliator and the mediator Wherunto also is added faith wherby we receiue the fruit of his redemption to the shewing forth also of his righteousnesse in this time that he might be iust and iustifying him which is of the faith of Iesus Christ. If men coulde by theyr workes get vnto themselues righteousnesse the righteousnesse of God shoulde not then be so declared But seeing we sée that it is communicated vnto vs by faith without any preparation of workes it must needes seeme vnto vs very great And amongst other things which God requireth of men this is the chiefest that they should not any thing glory of themselues But if iustification should consist of workes men might boast of their owne endeuor and industry But seeing we are freely iustified by faith there is no place left for boasting Wherfore Paule saith Thy boasting is excluded by what law by the law of works No but by the law of faith Wherfore he concludeth after this manner We iudge that man is iustified by faith without works And that we should not think that that proposition is particular he declareth that it is vniuersall â–ª God saith he is he the God of the Iewes only is he not the God of the gentiles also Yea of the Gentiles also For it is one God which iustifieth vncircumcision through faith and circumcision by faith Wherefore euen as there is but one God ouer all men so iustifieth he all men by one and the selfe same way And in the fourth chapter he saith but vnto him which worketh not but beleueth in him which iustifieth the wicked faith is imputed vnto him vnto righteousnesse By this sentence are bothe workes excluded and also faith is set forth by which is imputed righteousnesse vnto men And straight way he addeth of Abraham that he is the father of all them that beleue by vncircumcision that it might also be imputed vnto them and that he is the father of circumcision not only vnto them which are of circumcision but also vnto them which walke in the steps of faith which was in the vncircumcision of Abraham our father Afterward by the nature of the promesse he sheweth that iustification is by faith For he saith by the lawe was not the promesse made vnto Abraham and vnto his seede to be the heire of the worlde but by the righteousnesse of faith for if those which are of the law should be heires then shold faith be abolished and the promesse made voide In these words are two excellent things to be noted The first is that the promesse is free â–ª neither is it ioyned with the condition of workes and therfore seing faith is as a correlatiue referred vnto the promesse it must needes follow that it is such as the promesse is and therefore it hath a respecte vnto the promesse by it selfe and not to the conditions of our vntowardnesse or indisposition as the good holy Fathers of Trent â—eache The second is that if the inheritance and righteousnesse should depend of that condition of works then had there bene no néede of the promesie For meÌ„ might haue sayd why is that fréely promised vnto vs which we can claime vnto our selues by our owne endeuor and labor Or why is it so necessary that we shold beleue when as by our owne workes we can attaine vnto righteousnesse Afterward Paule addeth the finall cause why iustification commeth by fayth By grace sayth he that the promesse might be firme for if by our owne works and preparations we should be iustified the promesse should alwayes be vnstedfast neither could we appoint any certaintie of it Afterwarde he putteth the example of Abraham who as it is before said contrary to hope beleued in hope neither had he a regarde vnto those things which as touching his owne part mought haue bene a let vnto the promesse of God namely his own body being nâ—w as it were dead and an hundreth yeare olde and the age of Sara his wife These things sufficiently declare what maner of faith that was by which vnto Abraham was imputed righteousnesse so that thereby we also may vnderstande the power and nature of faithe which iustifieth Paule also addeth that by suche a faith is muche aduaunced the
glory of God For when as nothing is attributed vnto our merites and workes it must néedes be that the whole glory redoundeth vnto God Therefore Paule saith of Abraham he gaue the glory vnto God knowing this most fully that what soeuer he had promised he was able also to performe And the more to expresse the certainty of faith he vsed this participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he signifieth that Abraham with a certaine most full assent embrased the promesse of God And least any man should thinke that this was a proper and peculâ—are prerogatiue geuen vnto Abraham the Apostle addeth an vniuersall rule and saith that it was not written for him only that it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but also for vs vnto whome it shall be imputed so that we beleue in him which raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Farther out of the .v. chapter we haue also an other testimony wherfore seing saith he we be iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through Iesus Christ by whome we haue accesse through faith into this grace wherein we stand Here are two things to be noted the one is that we are iustified by faith and that by grace the second that vnto this grace is not an entraunce made open by preparatioÌ„s or works which dispose vs but only by faith In the. vâ—ij chapter are set forth as it were certaine steppes and degrees by which we must come to eternal saluation WhoÌ„ he hath foreknown saith he those also hath he predestinate that they shold be like fashioned vnto the image of the sonne of God that he might be the first begotteÌ„ amongst many brethreÌ„ And whoÌ„ he hath predestinate those also hath he called And whoÌ„ he hath called those hath he iustified and whoÌ„ he hath iustified those also will he glorifie Here are reckened vp .v. degrees foreknowledge predestination vocation iustification and glorification in which as touching our purpose let vs consider what commeth betwene vocation and iustification And that is nothing else but faith For for as muche as vocation is done by the promise of iustification and of saluation the same is receiued by faith geuing assent thereunto Towardes the ende of the .ix. chapter is set forthe a difference betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles and a reason is geuen why the Gentiles obtained righteousnesse and not the Iewes For thus Paule saith What shall we say then That the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue taken holde of righteousnesse which is by faith But Israell which followed righteousnesse attained not vnto the lawe of righteousnesse bicause they sought it not by faith but as it were by workes What caÌ„ there be more manifest then these words for they declare that they which wil be iustified by faith doe obtaine righteousnesse but those which doe aspire vnto it by works doe labor but in vaine This self thing he proueth euen from the beginning of the .x. chapter where he describeth two kindes of righteousnesse the one which he calleth ours which consisteth of works the other which he calleth the righteousnesse of God which is taken holde of by faith And thus he writeth They being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to establishe their owne are not obedient vnto the righteousnesse of God Hereby it is manifest that they which wil establish their owne righteousnesse â–ª that is the righteousnesse of works do fall away from the righteousnesse of God Paule goeth on and more plainly openeth the nature of these two kinde of righteousnesses Moses sayth he thus wryteth of the righteousnesse which commeth of the lawe The man which dothe these things shall liue in them By these words he sheweth that the righteousnesse of the law consisteth in workes But of the righteousnesse which commeth of faithe he thus speaketh Say not thou in thine heart who shall ascend vp into heauen to fetch Christ from thence or who shall descend into the deepe to fetche vp Christ againe from the dead But what saith he The word is nigh thee euen in thy mouthe and in thine heart The same is the worde of faith which we preach which word he which beleueth in his heart and with his mouth confesseth the Lord Iesus Christ shal be saued Hereby we se that not the righteousnesse of the lawe which is had by workes but the righteousnesse of faithe is it which bringeth saluation And this is by the latter words more manifestly confirmed For in that there is added With the heart we beleue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth is confession made vnto saluation the later clause touching confession which semeth to be an outward worke is therfore added least we shold thinke that the faith wherby we are iustified should be idle for it is not a vaine barren faith such a one as our aduersaries dreame that we obtrude It hath most pleÌ„tifull and most aboundant fruits amongst which the confession of piety obtaineth the first place and is most necessaryest Hereunto Paule addeth a testimony out of the Prophet he which beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed They are commonly ashamed which coÌ„trary to their expectation are frustrated of that which they hoped to haue obtained Wherefore the meaning is He which beleueth in Christ and by this faith waiteth for saluatioÌ„ shal not be put to shame bicause he shall not be frustrated of his hope He addeth also an other testimony taken out of the Prophet Ioel Whosoeuer doth call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued in which words the promise of saluation seemeth to be ascribed vnto inuocation But Paule profitably teacheth as I haue before oftentimes said wheÌ„ Note thaâ— the scriptures teach a resolution froÌ„ workes â–ª vnto fayth And againe from fayth to his obiect promises seeme to be adioyned vnto workes we must alwayes run from them vnto the roote and foundation namely vnto faith So Paule in this place when he had sayd Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued straight way addeth how shall they cal vpon him in whom they haue not beleued So he resolueth the whole matter from inuocation into faith And that we shold not think that faith by his owne power hath any thing whereby it can iustifie he againe passeth from it vnto the obiect saying how shall they beleue without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Also faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Wherefore the vttermost point of the resolution is the worde of God and promesse touching Christ from whence as from the fountaine is deriued our saluation and iustification In the .xj. chapter is set forthe the Antithesis betweene incredulitie and faith which serueth very muche to confirme that which we now teache The braunches were broken of that I might be grafted in This was an obiection of the Gentiles against the Iewes Paule answereth thou sayest well
bicause of vnbeliefe they were broken of but thou standest by faith Here is geuen the reason of the fall and destruction of men and on the other side of saluation and constancie namely vnbeliefe faith And of the Iewes which should one day be restored he addeth And if they abide not stil in their vnbeliefe they shal be againe grafted in for God is of might to graft thē in Héere we sée that by departing from vnbelief which consisteth in beleuing Hereby is proued that the restoring of thē that fall cōmeth by faith men that haue fallen are restored This maketh very muche against the error of those which although they after a sort confesse that the first iustification is giuen fréely without any workes going before yet vnto men that haue fallen they graunt not restitution vnto iustification but by satisfactions and many workes preparatory These things haue I gathered out of the Epistle vnto the Romanes now will we in order prosecute the other Epistles In the first Epistle to the Corinthians the first Chapter it is thus written bicause the world in the wisedome of God knew not God by wisedome it pleased God by the folishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleue Bicause the wise men of this world saith the Apostle by their naturall searching out could not take hold of the wisedome of God whereby they might be saued God of his goodnesse hath instituted a contrary way namely the preaching of the Gospell which vnto the flesh séemeth foolishnesse that by it saluation should be geuen vnto men but yet not to all sortes of men but to those only that beléeue Wherfore in the .ij. to the Corinthians the. 1. chapter it is thus written by faith ye stand by which wordes we vnderstand that the foundation wherby we are confirmed and established in the way of saluation is faith Farther Paule to the Galathians the .ij. Chapter where he reproueth Peter for his dissimulation wherby he séemed to lead the Gentiles to obserue the Ceremonies of the Iewes thus speaketh If thou being a Iewe liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as doe the Iewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to liue as doe the Iewes For we which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the workes of the law and we beleue in Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ not by the workes of the law because by the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified Héere we sée that the Apostles therefore folowed Christ y◠they might be iustified by faith which they could not obtaine by works And afterward the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which is all one as if he should haue said As yet in déede sinne sticketh in my fleshe and in it I cary death about but yet notwithstanding I haue life not through mine owne merite but by the faith of the sonne of God In the .iij. chap. he thus wryteth I would know this of you receiued ye the spirite by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith And straight way he addeth he which ministreth vnto you the spirit in you worketh miracles doth he the same by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith By these words we sée that it is faith and not works wherby we take holde of the gifts of God and he addeth ye know that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and that vndoubtedly for no other cause but because in beleuing they imitate him Wherfore sayth he the scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles by faith shewed before hande glad tidings vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all nations be blessed This blessyng spred not abrode vnto them bicause they had their beginning of the flesh of Abraham but bicause they followed the steppes of his faith Otherwise of Abraham as touching the fleshe came not as farre as we can read any other nations then the Ismaelites Edomites and Israelites Then foloweth the conclusion Therefore they which are of faith shal be blessed with faithfull Abraham But to be blessed in the Hebrew phrase is nothing else then to receiue the gifts of God amōgst which iustification is the principallest Wherefore it followeth That vnto the Gentiles through Christ might come the promise made vnto Abraham that we might receyue the promise of the holy Ghost through faith We sée therefore that the promise of the holy ghost is not taken hold of by workes as many faine it is which thing euen reason sufficiently declareth For seing the Lord as it shall a litle afterward be declared had by promise geuen this blessing vnto Abraham we must se what is referred vnto the promise as a correlatiue Which as we haue sayd cā be nothing ells but fayth for fayth setteth forth vnto it selfe the promises of God as an obiect Paul furthermore addeth that the scripture concludeth all thinges vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christ should be geuen to them that beleue Thys is the cause why y◠holy scriptures so diligently shew vnto men how they be guilty of sinnes namely that they should be the more stirred vp to embrase y◠promises of God at the least way by fayth when as they haue not good workes by which they may take hold of them And this vnderstand we by that which is afterward written The law is our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by fayth These wordes signifie nothing els but that y◠law therfore sheweth sinnes setteth forth vnto mē their infirmity and stirreth vp theyr lustes wherby sinnes are more and more encreased that they being thus admonished should returne vnto Christ and might from him thorough fayth receaue righteousnes Which thing they vndoubtedly did of whome it is sayd Ye are all the children of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sons of God but to haue now obteyned adoption which we obteine only by regeneration or iustification And in the 4. chapiter Brethern sayth he we are after Isaake children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing ells but to beleue those thinges which God promiseth wherby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaake borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the 5. chapter he writeth We in the spirite looke for the hope of righteousnes by fayth In this place are two thinges touched the sprite of God whereby we are new facioned and renewed vnto saluation and fayth wherby we apprehēd righteousnes Wherfore in this matter of our iustificatiō although there be in our minds many ther workes of the holy ghost yet none of them except fayth helpe to iustification Therfore the Apostle concludeth Circumcision is
it is in very déede the body of a man I vtterly deny For death taketh away from the body of a man the proper forme which he had before but it leaueth the generall word so that it can only be called a body So true and iustifying fayth when it is lost ceasseth to be the true and proper fayth it may indéede as touching the generall word be called a certayne cold assent sprong of humane perswasion and not such as commeth of the holy ghost and which hath the selfe same strength and efficacy that it had before Wherefore if on either side be kept the selfe same proportion of the similitude this wonderfull strong buttresse shal make nothing against vs. For as we confesse that a dead body is a body so also do we graunt that a dead fayth is fayth so that by fayth we vnderstand the generall word of fayth and not that liuely and true fayth whereby we are iustified It is paralogismus aequiuocationis that is a false argument comming of diuers significations of a word He addeth moreouer that fayth can not iustify because of his owne nature it True fayth is not a dead fayth is a thing dead and receaueth life of an other thing namely of charity and of good workes These obiections are vayne and triflyng For none that is in hys right wit will graunt that true fayth is a dead thing For the iust man is sayde to liue by his faith And if out of fayth we draw life how can it then vnto any man seme dead But that it taketh life of an other thing we deny not for it hath it partly Frō whēce faith hath life of those things which it beleueth namely of Christ and of the promises of God and partly of the holy ghost by whose breathing it is inspired In this sort we will graunt that it hath life of an other thing but not in that sort that this man wyll namely that it hath it either of charity or of good workes For what man that is well in his wits will euer say that either the stocke of a trée or the branches or A similitude the fruites or the flowers geue life vnto the rootes And fayth is before either hope or charity Therefore of them it receaueth not life for in very déede fayth can not be the matter of these vertues And euen as that faculty or power which they call vegetatiue geueth life vnto the body and receaueth not life of the faculty or powere sensitiue or rational which foloweth so faith geueth life vnto the soule but How fayth is encreased by good workes taketh not that life either of charity or of good works Howbeit I graunt that that life of fayth is made so much the greater ampler as it hath mo better works and more feruenter charity bursting forth out of it and not that it is increased of many and often repeticion of actions as it is sayd of vertues which they cal moral but because God of his grace and mercy multiplieth the talent for that it was not idle and because God by his power bringeth to passe that fayth when it worketh through loue is stronger then it selfe when it is remisse in working But omitting these things let vs returne agayne to Pighius He as much as lieth in hym contendeth that a man can not be iustified by that fayth whiche is in Christ and in the remission of sinnes For that fayth sayth he whereby Abraham was iustified was not applyed vnto these thinges For God promised vnto hym onely a plentifull séede and possession of a countrey And straight way it is added that Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnes In this argument Pighius triumpheth and is violent agaynst the truth and vtterly derideth our sentence But this is nothing ells then to deride Paul himselfe For he by most expresse wordes affirmeth that we are iustified by fayth in Christ and by the remission of sinnes Neyther is there any thing ells in Pighius then a mere madnes and a wicked desire to contēd But let Paul come forth and answere for him selfe what he thought is to be vnderstand by the séede promised vnto Abraham Vndoubtedly in his epistle vnto the Galathiās the third chapiter he calleth that séede Christ Vnto Abraham sayth he were made the promises and vnto his seede He sayth not and vnto the seedes as speaking of many but as is were of one and in thy seede whiche is Christ. And this testament I say was confirmed by God towards Christ Let Pighius now yet beleue Paul that in that seede which was promised vnto Abraham was Christ comprehended and declared neither let him euer from hence forth with such malepertnes and desire of victory take vppon him to say that y◠fayth wherby Abraham was iustified was not fayth in Christe But as touching the remission of sinnes forasmuch as vnto vs is promised the blessing we ought to remember that the chiefe and principall poynt therof herein consisteth that we should be receaued of God into fauour and that our sins should be forgeuen vs. But Pighius goeth on manifestly to oppunge y◠doctrine of the apostle touching y◠iustification of Abraham For he sayth y◠before Abraham was circumcised had a testimony of the scripture that his fayth was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes he beleued God as it is manifest by the 12. chapiter of Genesis Wherfore sayth he according to this your sentēce he was then iustified neither was his righteousnes differred vntill that history which is had in the 15. chapter It is wonderfull to sée how much he attributeth vnto these his arguments as though by them were takē away from vs al possibility to answer what I besech you letted but that Abraham At what tyme Abraham was iustified mought be iustified at that first time when God spake vnto him first to go out of his countrey and from his kindred For euen in the selfe place at the beginning of the 12. chapiter are had the selfe same promises which are had in the 15. chapter For thus God promised him I will make of thee a great naciō and will blesse thee and will make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I wil also blesse those that blesse thee wil curse those that curse thee and in the shall all thee families of the earth be blessed Vndoubtedly in these words is conteyned the promise of Christ and the remission of sinnes And therfore there shal be no absurdity if we say that Abrahā by beleuing of those wordes also was iustified But bycause the scripture in that chapiter did not playnly set forth this therfore Paul with great wisdome hath cited those wordes which are had in the 15. chapter where it is expressedly written that fayth was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes which sentence was most necessary to confirme the sentence of the Apostle namely that a man is iustified by Why God
repeteth the selfe same promises fayth But why God would repeate the self same promises it is not hard to see For so weake is our minde that except the wordes of God be repeted and agayne and agayne inculcated it easely starteth backe frō fayth Neyther is iustification only once taken hold of but so often as we truly and mightely assēt vnto the promises of God For forasmuch as we continually slide and fall into sinnes we haue nede euermore that our iustification should be repeated Afterward he maketh a caueling that in the epistle vnto the Hebrewes are many thinges had touching fayth and many wonderfull factes made mencion of which haue bene by it obteyned but yet not one word spoken that iustification is to be ascribed vnto it But this man with an vniust payr of balance weigheth the words of the holy scripture neyther sufficiētly considereth him what those words meane The iust haue by fayth ouercome kingdomes haue wrought righteousnes haue obteyned the promises For these are so to be resolued that from the last effect we must returne vnto the first The last is to ouercome kingdoms the next to worke In the 11. chap. to the Hebrewes saith is said to iustify righteousnes the first is to obteine y◠promises amongst which promises are reckoned blessing life remission of sinnes and such other like which serue to iustification Wherfore that which is first made mencion of sayth apprehendeth by it we are iustified afterward follow good workes therfore it is sayd and they wrought righteousnes lastly by the selfe same fayth we obteyne also temporall good thinges and for that cause it is sayd They haue ouercome kingdome Wherfore Pighius falsely affirmeth that in the Epistle vnto the Hebrues among the effectes of fayth is no mencion made of iustification For although that word be not there read yet is it of necessity and manifestly gathered of those thinges that are there written For neyther are we Arrians as some wickedly belie vs that we will graūt nothing but that which is by playne and expresse wordes read in the holy scriptures For we graunt those thinges also which are by euident and playne arguments gathered out of them But Pighius afterward demaundeth why we take away from workes the power of iustifieng Vnto this we could make answere with one word that we do it bycause the holy ghost in the holy scriptures so teacheth vs namely that men are iustified by fayth without workes But to the end we should not so briefely dispatch it he hath layd a blocke in our way for he answereth vnto him selfe that the cause therof is for y◠our works are imperfect neither satisfie they y◠law of god nether also can they stand sure before the iudgment of God But by this meanes also sayth he we may affirme that iustification is not of sayth for it also is imperfect Faith as it is a worke iustifieth not For there is no man that beleueth so much as he should doo But vnto this we answere as we haue in other places oftētimes answered that fayth as it is a worke iustifieth not For that effect commeth vnto it not by any his owne power but by his obiect For from the death of Christ and promises of God is righteousnes deriued into vs. So a beggar receaueth almes with a leprous weake and sore hand and yet not in that respect that his hand is in suche sorte weake and leprous But thou wilt say why doo not other good workes also by theyr obiect namely by God for whose sake they are done apprehend righteousnes as well as fayth I answere that fayth was to this vse made and iustituted of God For so also in the body of a man although it haue diuers and sondry members yet the hand only taketh hold and receaueth And so is casely dissolued that common paralogisme we are iustified by fayth Fayth is a worke ergo we are iustified for worke sake Here in the conclusion is stuffed in this word For which was not in the premisses and therfore the collection is not good Farther the forme of the reason is ab Accidenti For it is accident or happeneth vnto sayth to be our worke in that it iustifieth vs. Wherfore it is a fallacie or deceite as they call it of the Accident Farther Pighius obiecteth that charitie iustifieth rather then faith for y◠it is the nobler excellenter vertue But this reasō we haue before confuted as ridiculous The nobilitie of the vertue serueth nothing to the power of iustifieng charitie is more nobler thē faith therfore it iustifieth rather thē faith For nobilitie or dignitie serueth nothing to iustification For it is al one as if a man wold thus reason The eyes are more excellenter then the mouth and the hands Ergo meats are to be receiued with the eyes and not with the mouth or the hands Which also we sée happeneth in naturall things that things which follow are of more perfection although they geue not life In the childe conceiued nature ascendeth as it A similitude were by degrées from the power of vegitacion to the power of féeling and from the power of féeling to the power of vnderstanding And yet doth it not therof folow that y◠powers of vnderstanding or of féeling for that they are more noble thā the power of vegitacion doe therefore geue life vnto the childe And that to iustifie It is declared by reasō that faith iustifieth not charitie rather pertaineth vnto faith then vnto charitie besides that the holy scriptures doe teache the same it may also be shewed by good probable reason For the power of knowledge which pertaineth vnto vnderstāding consisteth in perceiuing And therfore they which are taught any thing after they once vnderstand it are accustomed to say Accipio or teneo that is I take it or I holde it For in very déede by knowledge a thing is after a sort receiued into the minde Wherefore it ought not to séeme marueilous if by faith we are sayd to take holde of the promises of God and the merites of Christ But charitie consisteth in pouring out bestowing and communicating our goodes vnto others Which thing ought to follow iustification and not to go before For before that we are regenerated we are euil neither can we vprightly or in suche sort that God should allow it communicate any good thing vnto others Hereunto Pighius addeth that if that faith which iustifieth suffreth not with it hainous sinnes which may trouble the conscience and which may alienate a mā from God it must néedes follow that if a man which beleueth doe chaunce to fall into any greuous wicked crime he is straight way destitute of faith and ceaseth to beleue that there is a God when yet notwithstanding we sée that wicked men doe not only beleue that there is a God but also doe confesse all the articles of the faith This argument at the first sight séemeth to be very
abideth in death and therby he concludeth that of loue is had iustification life This is al one as if a man should say he which can not laugh is not a man Ergo by the power of laughing a man obtaineth to be a man But how absurd this is euery man may easely perceiue For to be men we haue it of the soule endued with reason Vnto which soule for as muche as the power of laughing is of necessitie ioyned this proposition which we haue brought is euer true He which can not laughe is not a man So is that most certaine which Iohn saith That he which loueth not abideth in deathe although he haue not life of loue but of faith wherewith loue is of necessity ioyned He citeth also those wordes of Christ If ye had God to your father doubtlesse ye should loue me Therfore sayth he of loue we haue the adoption whereby we are made the childrē of God But here also he vseth the self same forme of reasoning For they which loue not Christ are not the children of God and yet haue we not of loue to be the children of God but of faith out of which loue springeth After the selfe same maner a man mought say if thou wert liberall thou shouldest also be prudent And this in déede is a true proposition And yet it foloweth not that a mā is by liberalitie made prudent Yea much rather of prudence springeth liberalitie To be brief these arguments and such other like conclude nothing else then that iustification can not consist without loue and other christian vertues And yet cā not thereof be rightly gathered that a man is iustified for these vertues sake Pighius addeth moreouer this sentence of Christ If any man loue me he will keepe my commaundementes and I and my father will come to him and make ou◠abiding with him By these words it appeareth saith he that iustification foloweth of loue and the obseruing of the commaundements of God For those being obserued Christ promiseth that he will come with his father and abide with vs. For he thinketh that to receiue and to retaine Christ is nothing ells then to be iustified We confesse that when Christians being now regenerate and iustified doo liue vprightly and by good workes doo shew forth theyr fayth God commeth vnto them and heapeth them vp with greater giftes and a more ample grace For God although otherwise he be euery where yet is expressedly sayd to come vnto them in whome he beginneth to worke new workes And sithen he dayly encreaseth and adorneth his which behaue themselues vprightly and godly and faythfully excercise the talents committed vnto them it is very well sayd that he dayly cōmeth vnto them by reason of new giftes And this is that kind of visiting wherof Christ speaketh in the Gospell of Iohn But if we will know the first accesse of God comming of Christ vnto our hartes to dwell in them Paul teacheth it vs to the Ephesians For thus he writeth That Christ may thorough fayth dwell in your hartes Wherfore this sentence of Christ teacheth not that iustification commeth of loue For iustification goeth before it although not in time yet in order Pighius procedeth and maketh such a distinction of testaments that some he sayth are absolute and fre by which the heyre may streight way enter vpō the inheritance other some are conditionall which make no heyre but vpon certayne conditions And to this latter kind referreth he the testamēt of God And therfore contendeth he y◠except those conditions be performed none can be iustified Here we deny his assumpt namely that the testament of God touching the remission The promise concerning iustification hath not a condition ioyned of sinnes in Christ hath any condition ioyned with it Which thing Paul testifieth in his 3. chapiter to the Galathians when he thus writeth ▪ Brethern I speake accorto the maner of men Though it be but a mans testament yet when it is confirmed no mā doth abrogate it or adde any thing therunto Now to Abraham were made the promises and to his sede he sayd not To the sedes as speaking of many but as of one and in thy sede which is Christ. And this I say that the law whiche began 430. yeares after can not disanul the testament before approued of God towards Christ that it should make the promises of none effect These wordes most manifestly declare that the testament which God made with Abraham was pure and absolute without any condition of y◠law Which thing the words of Genesis declare For God once promised vnto Abraham the blessing Afterward was geuen the law which vnto those promises should adde conditions of precepts so that if men would be iustified and obteyne them they should know that they must performe accomplish all the commaundementes of God But this latter way of iustification although it can by no meanes be accomplished can not let or make voyd the first way But that first way was nothing ells but the Gospell thorough Christ And that men should the more willingly come vnto it there was set forth also the latter way of iustificatiō by works that men when they vnderstode that they were not able to performe them should fly vnto Christ of whome when as being iustified they endeuored themselues to liue vprightly they might fréely receaue the promises set forth in the law Now let vs sée what be those conditions which this man ascribeth vnto the Testament of God In the. 103. Psalme it is written The mercy of the Lord is from generation vnto generation vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon childrens children vpon those which kepe his testament and are mindfull of his commaundements to doe them Of these words Pighius gathereth that the feare of God the mindefulnes of the Testament of God the endeuor to performe his commaundements are the conditions of the promises of God But here I do not a litle meruail y◠Pighius would affirme that a man is iustified by loue whē as he confesseth that the holy scripture attributeth the same vnto feare But we wil not stick with Pighius y◠he be contrary vnto himselfe But if we wil harken vnto the scriptures in y◠33. Psalme Mercy is promised vnto thē that hope For thus it is written And him that hopeth in God mercy shall compasse about Also in an other place it is written he which beleueth shall not be confounded and he which calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be made safe But who séeth not that all these vertues are in a man already iustified and that God hath mercy vpon him But here lay all the controuersie vnto which of these vertues chiefly iustification is to be ascribed Vndoubtedly by the testimony of the scriptures the same is to be attributed vnto faith Pighius saith moreouer that in that condition which he alleaged is sayde that they should be mindfull of the commaundements of God
gone about to haue proued what their strength could haue done their endeuor for that they were not as yet iustified should haue bene in vaine and sinne As if a master should bid his seruaunt which is lame to walke and he shold excuse himselfe and say that he were lame and could not goe without great deformitie it is not to be thought that therefore he is excused We are not of that minde that we thinke that all sinnes are alike Yea rather we teach that they which omit or neglect those outward workes which they might performe and put not to endeuor and study to do wel do much more greuously sinne then they which according to their strengthes obserue some certaine outward discipline And as Augustine sayth Cato and Scipio shal be much more tollerablier dellt with then Catiline or Caligula But I would haue y◠Pighius whome our opiniō so much misliketh to declare himselfe when he thinketh that the holy ghost is geuen vnto men He will aunswere when as now these preparations haue gone before when a man hath beleued feared hoped repented and sincerely loued What more could Pelagius haue sayde As though to beleue to loue and such other like shoulde spring of humane strengthes He alleadgeth this also and thinketh it to make for his purpose Come vnto me all ye which labour and are laden and I wil refresh you For he thinketh that labours burthens contrition confession and as they say satisfaction fastings teares such other like make to the obteynment of iustification But this place is to be vnderstand farre otherwise For Christ calleth them laboring and loden which were oppressed with the law and felt theyr owne infirmity and the burthen of sinnes and which had now long time laboured vnder humane tradicions These men being now weried and in a maner without all hope the Lord calleth vnto him For they are more apt vnto the kingdome of heauen thē are other blessed secure men which by theyr own works good dedes thought thē selues very iuste God sayth Pighius requireth workes preparatory and them he promiseth not to fayle them of his grace This was vtterly the opinion of the Pelagians against which the holy scriptures are vtterly repugnant For they teach that it is God which geueth both to will and to performe according to his good will that it is God which beginneth in vs the good worke and accomplisheth it euen vnto this day that it is God frō whome only we haue sufficiency when as otherwise we are not able to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues Wherfore it is manifest that Pighius confoundeth the lawes of God disturbeth those things which ar wel setforth in y◠holy scriptures Farther when as we say that vnto iustification is not sufficient an historicall fayth he fayneth him selfe to meruayle what maner of historicall fayth we vnderstand For if sayth he they call all those thinges which are written in the holy scriptures an history wil they bring vnto vs an other faith wherby we may beleue those things which are not in the scriptures But we reiect not an historicall fayth as though we would faine some new obiects of fayth besides those which are The difference betwene a◠historicall faith and a straunge faith setforth in y◠holy scriptures or are out of thē firmely cōcluded But we require not a vulgar or cold assent such as they haue which are accustomed to allow those thinges which they read in y◠holy scriptures being thereto led by humane persuasiō some probable credulity as at this day y◠Iewes Turkes confesse beleue many things which we doo but an assured firme strong assent such which commeth frō the afflation of the holy ghost which changeth maketh new the hart and the mind and draweth with it good motions and holy workes In this maner we say that that fayth which is of efficacy differeth very much from an historicall assent And that we are by that fayth which we haue now described iustified we haue thrée maner of testimonies The first is of the holy ghost Which beareth witnes vnto our spirite that we are the children of God The second is of the scriptures The third is of workes But contrariwise they which hold and crie that a man is iustified by workes haue no sufficient testimony For the holy ghost testifieth it not the holy scriptures deny it only works are brought forth and those without piety and fayth such as were in times past the workes of the old Ethnikes and at this day the woorkes of many which beleue not in Christ and are strangers from God But it is woorthy to be laughed at that he hath cited also a place out of the 66. chapiter of Esay by which and if there were no more places then it only his cause is most of all ouerthrowen Vnto whome sayth God shall I looke but vnto the poore man vnto ▪ the contrite of harte and vnto him that trembleth at my woordes By these wordes Pighius thinketh are signified those workes wherby God is drawen to iustifie vs. But the matter is farre otherwise For the scope of the Prophet was to detest the suspition of the Iewes For they neglecting the inward piety of the mind trusted only to outward ceremonies Wherfore this thing God by y◠voyce of the Prophet condemned and declared how odious it was vnto him Heauen sayth he is my seate and the earth is the footestoole of my feete As if he should haue sayd I nothing passe vpon this your temple which ye so much boast of For heauen is my seate such a seat as you can not frame nor make and the earth adorned with all kind variety of plants liuing creatures herbes flowers is the footestoole of my féete Where thē shall be that house which ye wil build for me And where shall be my resting place And straight way to declare y◠it was not the tēple built with handes All these thinges sayth he hath mine hand made and all these thinges are made sayth the Lord. By which wordes we learne that God delighteth not in these thinges and in outward ornamentes and sumptuous buildinges for theyr own sakes but chiefly requireth fayth and inward piety of the minds that he may dwel in them And who they be that beleue and are in very déede godly is declared by theyr certayne and proper notes Whosoeuer is poore and séeeth him selfe to want righteousnes and whosoeuer is contrite of hart that is to say afflicted in this world whosoeuer is of a moderate and deiected spirite and not of an arrogant and proud spirite whosoeuer with great reuerence and feare receaueth the wordes of God he most iustly may be nombred amongst them These are fure tokens and as it were the proper coulours of faith and true piety Afterward the Prophet declareth how much God estemeth the workes of men that beleue not and are not as yet regenerate though these workes be neuer
so goodly to the shew He which killeth an oxe sayth he it is all one as if he should kill a man and he which sacrificeth a shepe as if he cut of a dogges necke he that offreth an oblatioÌ„ as if he offred swine flesh and he that maketh mencion of incence as if he blessed iniquity All these kindes of oblations and sacrifices were commaunded and appointed in the law of God which yet bein done of an vnclene hart and of a stranger from God were counted for most greguous sinnes Wherfore Pighius hath nothing out of this place wherby to defend his error but we by the selfe same place doo most aptly and most truly confirme our owne sentence But this is a notable and sharpe disputer which bringeth for â–ª him selfe those things which make so playnly and manifestly agaynst himselfe But he draweth this also out of the epistle vnto the Hebrues That he that coÌ„meth Two maner of wais of sekyng after God vnto God ought to beleue that there is a God and that he rewardeth them which seeke vnto him By these wordes it séemeth that he would conclude that iustification is geuen vnto them which séeke God namely by good workes But he ought to haue made a destinction of theÌ„ yâ— séeke God which thing Paul also did Namely that some seke him by workes other some by faith This distinction Paul sheweth neither leaueth he vnspoken what followeth of it For thus he writeth vnto the Romanes Israell which followed after righteousnes attayned not vnto the lawe of righteousnes because they sought it of workes and not of fayth Wherefore they which séeke God to be iustified of him by fayth as the Apostle teacheth do attayne vnto that which they desire But they which will be iustified by workes do fall away from iustification And that God rewardeth works which are done of men regenerate and by which they contend to the crowne of eternall saluation we deny not But that pertayneth not vnto this question For at this present the contencion is not about this kinde of workes but only about those which are done beforâ— regeneration Those Pighius contendeth to haue their reward and to be merites after a sort of Iustification Neither doth this any thing help this cause that he affirmeth yâ— this kinde of merite redoundeth not vpon God or maketh him debtor vnto vs or is equall vnto that which is rewarded For these thinges although vnto him they seme to serue only to extenuate the dignity of merites yet do they vtterly take away all the nature of merite For whatsoeuer good thing men do also euen after iustification the same is not properly theirs For God worketh it in them Moreouer also all that whatsoeuer it be was alredy before wholy dew vnto God neither can we do any thing that is good or geue any thing vnto him which is not his Wherfore we must vtterly take away al merite not only in theÌ„ which are not as yet iustified but also in them that are iustified Merite is taken away both from theÌ„ that are not iustified and from them that are iustified But Pighius the easelier to perswade putteth forth a similitude of a certaine maister which hath many seruauntes vnto whome to the end they should the diligentlier and spedelier accomplishe some certayne worke which he setteth them to do he appointeth a reward Who sayth he will deny but that those seruants which spedely and diligently haue finished their worke haue deserued the reward that was promised We will briefely examine what may be concluded by this similitude If by seruaunts he vnderstaÌ„d men regenerate in Christ we wil graunt that God setteth foorth prices and rewardes whereby we are stirred vp to liue holyly neither will we deny but that such may be sayd to receaue a reward But yet we will not graunt that they truely and properly merite the crowne of eternall felicity And certayne of our writers to declare that this thing pertaineth vnto the iustified do vse a similitude not of a maister and his seruauntes but of a father and his children For fathers are wont oftentimes with some certaine condition to promise a gowne a cap or money vnto theyr children which otherwise they would fréely geue vnto them yet they do it to quicken their endeuor thereunto as for example sake that they shall haue this or that after they haue throughly learned this booke or that booke Here no man that will speake as he should do and properly will say that these children when they haue finished their woorkâ— haue deserued the giftes which were promised vnto them For the father geueth them fréely and of liberalitie vnto them But Pighius entreateth of seruauntes that is of men not as yet regenerate but that vnto such are by God setforth anyâ— rewards of good thinges I meruail out of what place he can at the length declare Or whereby will he proue that the workes of such men seing they are yet as we haue taught sinnes can please God And seing the matter is so vnto them is set A comparison betwene seruaunts children forth not a reward but a punishment But to make the thing more playne let vs compare children and seruauntes together Children though they do nothing yet they enter vpon their fathers inheritaunce onely so that they will receiue it But seruantes though they labour neuer so much yet they haue no inheritancee with the children This is so plaine that it néedeth no further declaration But to wrest out of our handes this that we say that if woorkes â—e required vnto iustification the honour of Christ shoulde be diminished as thoughe hys merite alone could not be sufficient to reconcile vs vnto GOD I sayth he doo take away nothing from Christ but do leaue vnto him his honor whole and safe But I besech thée how doost thou take awaye nothing when as thou requirest workes vnto our iustification and so requirest them that thou sayst that God more regardeth them then faith But he thus expoundeth his suttle riddle â–ª That Christ in that his order is a sufficient cause as if he should haue sayd if we speake of the reconciliator and of the sacrifice whereby we are reconciled vnto God Christ onely is sufficient But we cannot be prepared and be made apt vnto that benefite but by many workes I cannot doubtles but meruaile where is become the wit of this so great sophister As though forsooth they against whome the Apostle disputeth euer said that works are required vnto iustification as outward principles or grounds Vndoubtedly they also went about the same that Pigghius doth that workes are certaine purgings and preparations of the mynds Farther who séeth not that an vniuersall proposition being true it is lawfull to apply vnto all the singular propositions thereof that which is either affirmed or denied in it Wherefore séeing Paul denieth yâ— a man is iustified by workes he excludeth all kindes of workes in what order so euer they be
we beleue that god raised vp our Lord Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Is it not here most manifestly said that we ought to beleue that that Iesus Christ whome God raised vp was dead and rose againe that we should be iustified and haue all our sinnes forgiuen vs doubtlesse it is a thing most vncomely for a man that professeth diuinitie so willingly not to sée things that are most manifest Afterward he maketh a cauillation about the perticular fayth wherby we say that euery one that beleueth truly in Christ ought to be most assured with him selfe that his sinnes are forgeuen him He denieth that there is any such faith foūd in the holy scriptures And that therfore this is only our deuise and inuētion Here vndoubtedly I can not hold my selfe but that I must nedes say that Pighius loudely lieth For I would haue him to tell me what did Abraham beleue whē he was iustified but that vnto him should one day be rendred those promises of God For vnto whome is it most likely beleued he that they should be rendred but vnto him selfe The selfe same thing may be sayd of Moses of Dauid and of many other of whome it is most certayne that they beleued that the promises which God made vnto them should perticularly be rendred vnto them And what I besech you mēt Christ when he sayd vnto the man that was sicke of the palsey Sonne thy sins are forgeuen thee And when he sayd vnto the woman Thy fayth hath made thee safe And did not Paul vnto the Galathians thus speake of Christ Who hath loued me and deliuered vp him selfe for me What can be more manifest then these wordes Let Pighius go now make his vaūts that we were the first finders out of this proper and singular fayth and let him cry that euery Christian man ought to beleue that the promises are made only indefinitely that it is not mete that euery one of vs should apply them seuerally vnto him selfe For we ought to beleue of our selues and not of other For we may as touching others be deceaued whether they beleue or no. But touching our selues we may be assured and certayne of it Let euery mā beleue the promises of God indefinitly as touching others for we know not who is predestinate and who is reprobate but none which is faythfull ought in any wise to doubt of him selfe but to beleue that the promise is perticular as touching him selfe by that that he séeth that he truly beleueth Farther when promises are set forth in an vniuersal proposition we may most assuredly of them gather theyr singular propositions And Christ sayth in Iohn This is the will of my father that euery one that seeth the sonne and beleueth in him should haue eternall life Wherfore we thus inferre But I beleue in the sonne of God Ergo I haue now and shall haue that which he hath promised Pighius still goeth one and to the end he would proue that the fayth of euery article and not that fayth only which is referred vnto Christ for the remission of sins iustifieth vseth the example of Noe. For he sayth that he beleued only those thinges which pertayned to the safegard of his house and to the destruction of the world and by that fayth he sayth he was iustified Here sayth he is no mencion made of Christ or of the remission of sinnes But it semeth vnto me that this man hath not very diligently red that which Peter writeth in his 1. Epistle and 3. chapter For Peter sayth when once the long suffering of God abode in the dayes of Noe while the Arke wos preparing wherin few that is eight soules were saued thorough the water vnto the figure wherof Baptisme now agreeing maketh vs also safe whereby not the filth of the fleshe is put away but wherebye it commeth that a good conscience Noe was iustified by fayth in Christ well answereth vnto God That which Peter saw was signified by the Arke and by those thinges which Noe did can we thinke that the patriarch him selfe saw not This vndoubtedly were to much derogation vnto him And if he saw those things which Peter maketh mencion of He beleued not only those thinges which were then done but also those which were looked for to be accomplished by Christ And therfore it is very well written vnto the Hebrues the he was by such a faith made the heyre of righteousnes But Pighius nothing passeth vpon this who so that he may be agaynst vs is nothing at all aferd to fight euen against the Apostles themselues For he is not aferd to affirme that our first father Adam was iustified but yet not with that fayth which we speake of which concerneth the remission of sins thorough Christ For he had no promise as touching that as farre as may be gathered out of the scriptures But doubtles this man is both farre deceiued and also hath forgottē his Fathers whome he would be sene to make so much of Was not the selfe same thing Adam was iustified by faith wherby he beleued the remission of sinnes through Christ sayd vnto Adam which was by God promised vnto Eue his wife that his séede should bruse the hed of the Serpent Christ was that séede he hath so broken the hed and strengths of the deuill that now neither sinne nor death nor hel can any thing hurt his members This place all the fathers in a maner thus interpret But Pighius which yet is les to be borne withall is not afeard to say that iustification is not geuen vnto vs by the promise In which thing doubtles he is manifestly agaynst Paul For he vnto the Galathians thus writeth God gaue vnto Abraham by the promise and there is no doubt but that vnto vs it is geuen after the selfe same maner that it was vnto Abraham But this is to be knowen that Distinction of the promise this woorde promise is taken two manner of wayes eyther for the thing promised and so it is not to be doubted but that we are iustified by the promise that is by Christ and by the forgeuenes of sinnes which is promised vnto them that beleue or ells it is taken for the very words of God in which he thorough Christ promiseth vnto vs remission of sinnes And in this maner also we may be sayd to be iustified by the promise For although the cause of our iustificatiō be the mere will and mercy of God yet is not the same offred or signified vnto vs but by the wordes of the promises and by the sacramentes For these words haue we as sure testimonies of the will of God towards vs. And so fayth want not wherby we apprehend the thinges that are offred we are iustified by the promises Afterward Pighius to the end he would proue that God attributeth more vnto workes then vnto faith citeth a place out of the 22.
law did all things How thē doth Pighius say that fayth is only the foundaciō therfore is very farre from the perfection of iustification Or to what purpose is that that after fayth he putteth so many degrées and meanes by which we come vnto iustification For Chrisostome speaketh farre otherwise y◠a man is iustified straight way so soone as euer he beleueth Farther he attributeth vnto fayth euen this also that it maketh men iust when as the law was not able to performe that although it by many wayes endeuored it selfe therunto Moreouer when he expoundeth these wordes They being ignoraunt of the righteousnes of God and going about to establish theyr owne righteousnes are not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God This righteousnes of God sayth he he calleth the righteousnes of fayth which is wholy geuen by grace from aboue and not for our labours And vpon these wordes Behold I put in Siō a stone of offence Thou seest thē sayth he that faith hath with it cōfidence and security Here he manifestly appointeth a perticular fayth and a certainty touching the remission of sinnes which thing our aduersaries so much resist Farther when he expoundeth that saying in the 11. chapter And if they abide not in theyr incredulity they also shall agayn be grafted in If fayth sayth he could graft thee when thou wast a wild oliue tree into a good oliue tree it can also restore them into theyr owne good oliue tree Here also the power to be grafted into Christ by iustification and the power to restore them which are cut of is attributed vnto fayth I could now passe ouer to Ierome if there were not somwhat which calleth me backe agayn vnto Chrisostome For the selfe same man writeth that fayth only is not sufficient vnto saluation And such sentences are oftentimes read in the Fathers which our aduersaries continually wrest agaynst vs. Although to speake the trouth such an obiection is no such a maner of weapō that it nedeth so greatly to be feared For it may easely be answered in one word For he sayth not that faith is not sufficient vnto iustification but only vnto saluation For fayth is of it self sufficient vnto iustificatiō But after we are once iustified it is not inough to the obteynement of saluation to say I beleue We must put to also an holy life good workes for by them as it were by certaine degrées God bringeth vs to felicitie And after this maner we may interprete all the sentences of the Fathers which seme to tend this way And if in case theyr wordes as sometimes it happeneth will not beare such an exposition then as it is most We must appeale vnto the scriptures right we will appeale from them writing negligently vnto the selfe same fathers writing in an other place more soundly and more catholikely as did wooman in times past which appealed from Phillip being dronke vnto the selfe same Phillip being sober Ierome vpon the epistle vnto the Galathians vpon these wordes And we knowyng that man is not iustified by the workes of the law but by the fayth of Iesus Christ sayth That all the old fathers were iustified by the selfe same fayth in Christ by which All the fathers were saued by fayth in Christ we are now at this day iustified And this sentence he confirmeth by induction of many examples first he reckoneth vp Abrham for of him he sayth Christ thus spake He saw my day he saw it and reioysed after him he maketh mencion of Moses for of him he sayth it is thus written in the epistle vnto the Hebrewes that he counted the reproches of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt and that he refusing to be in the court of Pharao did chuse rather to embrase the crosse of Christ And he addeth that Iohn Euangelist in his 12. chapiter most manifestly teacheth that all those thinges whicg Esay hath put in writing touching the glory of God when he saw the Lord sitting vpon an high throne lifted vp are to be vnderstand of the sonne of God He adddeth moreouer out of the epistle of Iudas that the Lord Iesus Christ deliuered the people of Israell out of Egipt and after that smote the vnbeleuers In which place I very much meruaile that Ierome a man otherwise excellēt in the Greke toung turned it thus the Lord Jesus Christ when as in our text is had only this word Lord vnles we will suppose that his exemplar was differing from that which we now vse Which I speake not as thoughe I doubted whither those thinges whiche at that time happened were done by Christ the sonne of God or no. For Iohn sayth No man hath sene God at any time but the sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath Whatsoeuer hath ben vttred vnto men touching thinges diuine hath bene vttered by the sonne of God Faith is not seperated frō charity declared him Wherfore whatsoeuer is vttered vnto men touching things diuine is vttered by the sonne of God who hath most truly geuē him selfe vnto mankind a faithfull interpreter of God his father And Paul in his first epistle vnto the Cor. the 10. chap. saith They dranke of the spirituall rocke following thē And that rocke was Christe Also Let vs not tempt sayth he Christ as certayne of them tempted him The same Ierome vpon the epistle vnto the Galathians where he reckeneth vp the fruites of the spirite when he cōmeth vnto faith thus writeth If charity be absent fayth also departeth away together with it These woordes manifestly declare that his iudgement was that true fayth cannot be deuided from charitie which thing we also teach and defend But Pighius with his hisseth at it and crieth out against it but let him gruntle as much as he will it sufficeth vs that this doctrine agréeth both with the scriptures and with the fathers Ambrose expounding these wordes out of the Epistle vnto the Romanes For it is one God which iustifieth circumcision by fayth Because sayth he there is but one God he hath iustified all men after one and the selfe same maner forasmuch as nothing causeth merite and dignitie but fayth And afterward vpon these wordes Therefore by fayth according to grace that the promise might be firme vnto all the seede The promise saith he cannot be firme vnto all the seede that is vnto all manner of men of what nation so euer they be except it be by faithe For the beginning of the promise is of fayth and not of the law for they which are vnder the law are guiltie but the promise cannot be geuen vnto them that are guiltie and therefore they ought first to be purified by faith that they may be made worthy to be called the sonnes of God and that the promise may be firme And towardes the beginning of the. 5. chapter vpon these wordes Being iustified by fayth we haue peace towardes God Fayth saith he and not the law causeth vs
to haue peace with God For it reconcileth vs vnto God when our sinnes are taken away which had before made vs enemies vnto GOD. And afterwarde vppon these wordes The law of the spirite of life It is fayth sayth he which iustifieth them that flye vnto it to remit vnto them that which the law helde them guiltie of that liuing vnder faith they might be free from sinne And in his 2. boke vpon the Gospell of Luke he saith that Peter wepte not but when the Lord had looked backe vpon him And he addeth that the Lord brought forth in him both repentance and the power to weape But Augustine when he entreateth of this matter séemeth to be in his owne field so that to hunt in him for testimonyes touching this controuersie is as the common saying is to séeke water in the sea Howbeit it shal not be strange from our purpose to picke somewhat out of him also In the sermon of the Lord vpon the mountaine touching the wordes of the Gospell in Mathew in his 7. Sermon towardes the end If thou presume of thine owne worke a reward sayth he is rendred vnto thee and not geueÌ„ vnto thee by grace I demaund now Beleuest thou o sinner I beleue What beleuest thou that thy sinnes may by him freely be forgeuen thee Then hast thou that which thou beleuest In his preface vpon the 31. Psalme Thou hast done no good and yet remission of sinnes is geuen thee Thy workes are considered and they are al found nought If God should render vnto these woorkes that which is dew doubtles he should condemne thee And in his booke de Spiritu Litera the 12 chapiter We gather that a man is not iustified by the rules of good life but by the fayth of Iesus Christ. And in his booke agaynst the 2. epistles of the Pelagians in his 3. boke and 5. chapter Our fayth sayth he that is the catholike fayth discerneth the iust from the vniust not by the law of workes but euen by the law of fayth And Augustine and Alpius in his 106 epistle of righteousnes is of fayth whereby we beleue that we are iustified that is that we Note diligeÌ„tly what grace we ought to confesse are made iust by the grace of God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. The same father agaynst Pelagius and Coelestius in his 1. booke and 10. chap. It is not inough sayth he to confesse what grace thou wilt but that grace whereby we are perswaded whereby we are drawen and whereby euen that which is good is geuen This maketh planly agaynst theÌ„ which put I know not what generall grace and will haue it to lye in euery mans power either to admitt or to refuse the same But this grace wherby we are so persuaded is nothing ells but fayth Which fayth indede is necessary to iustifie but those workes which are done before we be iustified doo nothing auaile For the Workes which seme good are turned into sinnes same Augustine agaynst the 2. epistles of the Pelagians the 3. booke and 5. chapter Euen as workes sayth he which seme good are vnto the vngodly turned into sinnes c And in his booke de Spiritu Litera the 28. chapter Euen as saith he there are certayne veniall sinnes without which euen the iust men can not liue and yet they hinder vs not from saluation so are there certayne good woorkes without which euen the most wicked men can very hardly liue which workes yet nothing profite them vnto saluation And that we should not thinke that this faith whereby we are iustified is a thing common What may be aunswered to be the causes why one man is persuaded and an other is not and straying at pleasure he addeth afterward in the 34 chap. Why is this man so instructed that he is vtterly persuaded an other not so There are onely two thinges which I thinke good to answer O the deapth of the riches c. Also what is their iniqâ—ity with God He that is displeased with this answere let him seeke saith he men better learned but let him beware of presumptuous persons If we should geue credit vnto our aduersaries this had ben a very rude blind doubt For they would haue straight way answered at one word that the one was perswaded because he would the other was not perswaded because he would not But Augustine considering yâ— matter more depely namely that it is god which worketh in vs both to wil to performe according to his good wil perceiuing the Paul himselfe being ouercome with the admiratioÌ„ of this thing made such exclamatioÌ„ thought it most mete rather to referre the whole matter vnto God who distributeth vnto euery man yâ— which semeth vnto hym good that without doubt iustly although we sée not the reasons of his iustice Yea neither is it méete for vs to search them out vnles we will haue that to happen vnto vs which commonly happeneth vnto flies which being allured by the The grace which the Pelagians taught was set forth to be common vnto al men was nature Grace is geuen vnto some and is not geuen vnto other some light of the candell and flying more nigh vnto it are oftentimes burnt with the slame thereof The same Augustine de Predestinatione sanctorum in his 5. chapiter reproueth Pelagius for that he had fayned that common grace vnto all the saints which he would haue to be nothing els but nature which selfe thing our aduersaries also at this day do when as they cry out that that grace is set forth as it were openly vnto all men and that it lieth in euery mans power to receaue it so that he will The same author ad Vitalem in his 107. epistle Vnto those sayth he whose cause is a like with those vnto whome grace is geuen vnto whome yet it is not geuen that they vnto whome it is geuen might vnderstand how freely it was geuen vnto them And in the selfe same place he playnly declareth that it is God which of vnwilling maketh vs willing and taketh away our stony hart and geueth vs a fleshy hart This manifestly declareth that it is fayth whereby we are iustified and that God distributeth it according to his good will The same father de dogma tibus ecclesiasticis in the 4. chap. for that booke whosoeuer was the author thereof beareth the name of Augustine To be purged from sinnes saith he God tarieth not for our will and in the 44. chapter The holy ghost maketh vs to chuse thinke and consent vnto euery good thyng pertaynyng vnto saluation And in his 13. booke and 17. chapiter de Trinitate The word of the sonne of God sayth he toke vpon hym the nature of maÌ„ without any maner of merite And after the selfe same maner also is the grace of God geuen vnto vs. This comparison is taken of the greater For if that man which was made the sonne of God obtayned the same
without any merite much more are we without any merite either of cōgurity or of worthines receaued into It is not in our power to be touched with that sight wherby the will may be moued vnto faith adoption And vnto Simplicianus in the first booke and 2. question who sayth he can lyue vpryghtly and worke iustly except he be iustified by fayth Who can beleue except he be touched by some calling that is by some testification of thyngs who hath in hys power to haue hys mynde touched wyth such a sight whereby the wyll may be moued vnto fayth And in his 61. sermon vpon Iohn All sinnes sayth he are comprehended vnder the name of infidelity And he addeth That fayth can not be wythout hope and charity Which thing also he most playnly teacheth vpon the 31. Psalme The same father in his 1. booke and 19. chapiter against the 2. epistles of the Pelagians at large entreateth after what maner we are drawen of God and amongst other thinges sayth that the Pelagians would to much triumph ouer the Christians if they had not the worde of drawing in the holy scriptures But forasmuch as that word is expressed euen in the Gospell they haue now vtterly no place whereunto to flye There are infinite other places in Augustine which confirme thys sentence whiche nowe for briefenes sake I thinke good to ouerpasse Cyrillus agaynst Iulianus in his 1. booke and 14. page sayth The fayth of Abraham and ours is vtterly one and the same And the same author vpon Iohn in the 3. booke and 31. chapiter expounding this sentence This is the worke of God that ye beleue in hym whom he hath sent For fayth sayth he bryngeth saluation and grace iustifieth but the commaundements of the lawe rather condemneth Wherefore fayth in Christ is the worke of god In these words we ought to note that faith is it wherby is brought saluation and that we are iustified by grace And he declareth these things more plainly vpon John in his 9. booke and 32. chapiter vpon these words The fathers were iustified by the fayth of those promises which we beleue And whether I go ye know and ye know the way For we are iustified by fayth and are made pertakers of the diuine nature by the participation of the holy ghost Leo in his 13. Sermon of the Passion of the Lord The fathers sayth he beleued together wyth vs that the bloud of the sonne of God should be shed Wherefore there is nothyng dearely beloued straunge in Christian religion from the old significations nor at any tyme from the iust men that haue gone before vs but that saluation is in the Lord Iesus Christ which was hoped for This and many other like testimonies confute those chiefe which dare say that Abraham was indéede iustified but not by in Christ but by faith touching earthly promises But the same author may séeme to make agaynst vs in that that we say that true fayth is not found without charity For in his Sermon de Collect eleem he thus writeth of Sathā He knowing that God is denied not onely in wordes but also in deedes hath taken away charity from many from whome he could not take away fayth and possessing the field of theyr hart with the rootes of couetousnes he hath spoiled of the fruit of good works those whom he hath not depriued of the confession of their lippes These wordes if they be déepely considered make nothing at all agaynst vs. For we speake of a true sound and liuely fayth But Leo vnderstandeth onely a certaine outward profession of faith For when he would render a reason whereby it might appeare that fayth was not taken from them he setteth forth onely an outward confession of the lippes which we also graunt may consist without charity is oftentimes boasted of of many men which yet are most wicked And after this maner I suppose are to be expounded such like testimonies if any happen in the fathers Gregory Byshop of Rome in his 19. homely vppon Ezechiell We come not sayth he to fayth by workes but by fayth we attayne vnto vertues For Cornelius the Centurian came not vnto fayth by workes but by fayth came vnto workes For it is sayd Thy prayers and almes But how prayed he if he beleued not But that he now knew not that the mediator was incarnate by workes he came vnto a more fuller knowledge Hereby I would haue our aduersaries to know y◠fayth necessarily goeth be fore al good workes For they contend y◠morall works which are done of Ethniks and of men not yet beleuing in Christ are good Which thing is in this place of Gregory confuted The same author in his 2. booke and 25. chapiter de moralibus speaking of the same thing thus writeth Vnles fayth be first gotten in our harts all other thynges whatsoeuer they be can not in deede be good although they seeme good Bede vpon the 2. chapiter of Iames He onely beleueth truely which by working excerciseth that which he beleueth For fayth and charity can not be seperated a sender And this shall suffice as touching the Fathers But what these counsels Aphricanum Mileuitanum and Arausicanum teach concerning iustification fayth grace and workes we haue before at large declared in the first article This onely wil I now adde that our aduersaries when they say that God offreth his grace vnto all men and geueth his giftes vnto men that desire them and take hold of them and forgeueth sinnes to them that do that which they ought to do forasmuch as in the meane tyme they omit the breathing of the holy ghost and the power of God which draweth vs and the inward perswasion of the mynde and all those things which are most chiefly required in this matter are most manifestly against those coūsels which we haue now cited Howbeit I can not leaue vnspoken y◠in the counsell of Mence which was celebrated vnder Carolus Magnus in the 1. chapiter is cited Gregory who thus writeth He beleueth truely which by working excerciseth that which he beleueth Forasmuch therefore as we haue now hetherto spoken as touching this article namely that men are iustified by fayth in Christ and haue confirmed the same by scriptures haue ouerthrowen the obiections of our aduersaries and alleadged testimonyes of the Fathers to confirme our sentence let vs nowe come vnto the third article Wherefore we say that iustification consisteth of fayth only Which sentence The third article We are iustified by faith onely all those places of scriptures proue which teach that we are iustified fréely and those which affirme that iustification commeth without workes and those also which put an antithesis or contrariety betwene grace and workes All these places I say most truely conclude that we are iustified by fayth onely Although this word Onely be not red in the holy scriptures But that is not so much to be weighed for the signification of that word is of necessity
gathered out of thē Farther this also is to be noted euen as we haue already before tought that we affirme not that that fayth whereby we are iustified is in our myndes without good workes although we say that it is it onely which taketh hold of iustification and remission of sinnes So the eye can not be without a head braynes hart liuer other partes of the body and yet the eye onely apprehendeth colour and the light Wherefore they which after this maner reason agaynst vs Fayth as ye say iustifieth But fayth is not alone Ergo Fayth alone iustifieth not do fall into a fowle paralogisme As if a man should thus conclude onely the will willeth But Fallacia composition is diuisionis the wyll is not alone in the mynde Ergo not the wyll alone wylleth Here euen litle childrē may sée the fallace or deceate which they call of composition of diuision And is it not a fowle thing that so great diuines should not sée it But here Smith the light forsoth of diuinity setteth himselfe agaynst vs. He of late cryed out euen till he was hoarse that we falsely affirme that those places of the Of the aduerbe gratis that is freely scripture which testify that we are iustified gratis that is fréely should signifie all one with this to be iustified by fayth onely For this worde gratis is not all one wyth Solum that is onely O dull gramarians that we are which without thys good maister could not vnderstand this aduerbe so much in vse Howbeit thys Grammaticall Aristarchus lest he shoulde séeme wythout some reason to playe the foole It is written sayth he in Genesis that Laban sayde vnto Iacob Forasmuch as thou art my kinsman shalt thou serue me gratis Here sayth he put this word Only and thou shalt sée what an absurd kind of speach it will be And in the booke of Nombers The people sayd that in Egipt they dyd eate fishes gratis And in the Psalme They haue hated me gratis Here sayth he can not be put this aduerbe Only Wherefore we rashly and very weakely conclude that for that in the scriptures a man is sayd to be iustified gratis he is therefore strayght way iustified by fayth only But this sharpe witted man one so wel exercised in y◠concordance of the Bible should haue remēbred that this word Gratis signifieth without a cause or without a reward and price And therefore we rightly say that Iustification consisteth of fayth only bycause it is sayd to be geuen gratis For if workes were required there should be a cause or a reward or a price to the obteynement of righteousnes But forasmuch as Gratis excludeth all these things of y◠word is rightly and truly inferred only fayth And those places which this man hath alledged are not hard to confute For Laban sayth Shalt thou serue me gratis that is without this condition that I should geue the any thing which is only to take and nothing to repay And the Israelites when they sayd that they did eate fishes gratis ment that they did eate them with out any price payd And this They haue hated me gratis is nothing ells then wtout a cause or without any my desert Wherfore if this word Gratis take away price merite forasmuch as Paul sayth that we are iustified gratis we must nedes vnderstand that it is doone without any our price or merite Which doubtles should not be true if works should be required as causes and merites And bicause we once brought a place out of the epistle to the Galathians Of this aduerbe Nisi that is except But when as we knew that man is not iustified by the workes of the Law except it be by the fayth of Iesus Christ and of this particle Except concluded that iustification consisteth of fayth only this man according to his wisedome rageth and sayth that this word Except is not all one with Only For sayth he Ioseph in Genesis sayd vnto his brethern Ye shall not se my face except ye bring your youngest brother Christ sayth he sayth Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man ye shall not haue llfe in you Who sayth he wil say that life is had only by the eating of the Sacramēt wherfore sayth he these thinges can not be expounded by this word Only Yes doubtles but they may For in the booke of Genesis what other thing ment Ioseph then to admonish his brethern that they should vpon this condition only come agayne into his sight namely if they brought theyr youngest brother with them ▪ And Christ in the 6. of Iohn entreated not of the eating of the Sacrament for he had not as yet instituted it wherefore by this word to eate he signifieth to beleue And he sayth that they which are of full age herein only haue life if they eate hys flesh and drinke his bloud that is if they beleue that the sonne of God was deliuefor them for the remission of theyr sinnes And that this is the only way whereby they may be saued But Smith addeth that from Iustification is not to be excluded hope and charitie and other good workes I graunt indede that those are not to be excluded from a man that is iustified Howbeit I doo not attribute vnto them the power of iustifieng For that which Paul saith y◠a man is not iustified by workes should not be true if we should be iustified by any kind of workes For if a man should say that an artificer woorketh not with his fingers and afterward should confesse that he vnto that worke which he doth vsed fingers he were worthy to be laughed at although being conuict he would say that he excepted only the litle finger and the third finger and not the thombe forefinger or middle finger For he which vseth thrée fingers vndoubtedly vseth fingers But why doth this man say that hope and charitie are not excluded Bycause sayth he euen ye your selues will haue vs to be iustified by a liuely fayth which doubtles is not without these We graunt that these vertues are always ioyned with true fayth But yet we doo not in them put any part of our iustification before God In this argument is a Fallacia accidentis fallace or disceate of the Accident For vnto those things which are adioyned is attributed that which is proper vnto that vnto whome they are adioyned As if a mā should say The Sunne is round and high ergo the roundnes and highe of the Sū doo make vs warme What workes then doth Smith exclude from iustification when as he includeth hope and charitie I suppose surely he excludeth outward workes fastinges almes and such like But with what face can he so say or teach when as he appointeth and defendeth workes preparatory But this sharpe witted man thinketh that he hath trimely escaped for that he sayth that these things are not of necessity required vnto iustification but only if they
be present they are profitable vnto iustification But this is worthy to be laughed at For we haue before most playnly taught that all workes which are doone before iustification are sinnes So far is it of that they can serue any thing vnto iustification And if they should by any meanes profite vnto iustification our glorieng should then not be excluded For we might glory that we had doone those thinges by whose helpe and ayd we were iustified But of this sayth he we can not boast for that they were done by a certayne grace of God preuenting But this is chiefly to be marked that these men attribute a great part of such works vnto frée will And therfore in yâ— be halfe at the least we may glory Neither also shall yâ— be true which the Apostle sayth what hast thou that thou hast receaued And agayne why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not receaued Here some of theÌ„ answer yâ— we can not glory of this liberty of will for that we haue it not of our owne For it is God which hath endued vs with this faculty and gaue vs frée will when he created vs. But this is not sufficient The Pelagians fâ—ed vnto the common grace of creation to take away boasting First for that this were to fly vnto the coÌ„mon grace of creation which thing the Pelagians did and by that meanes should at the lest may be left vnto vs a good vse of frée will of which we might glory For although we haue the same of God by creation yet the right vse thereof is ours namely to assent vnto God when he calleth vs and to apply our selues vnto good workes which of God are set forth vnto vs. And therefore vtterly to take away all glorying it is nedeful yâ— we continually haue this in our mynde which Auguctine hath admonyshed vs of in his booke de spiritu Litera the 24. chapiter That not onely the wyll and election of well doyng is of God because by creatioÌ„ he hath geuen choyce free wyll but also because by the perswasion of thynges sene he hath made vs both to wyll and to beleue and that not onely by the outward preaching of the Gospell but also by inward perswasion For he doth not onely stirre vp the hart but also perswadeth draweth and boweth it to beleue I graunt indéede that it is the office of the will to will and to embrace that which God offreth for we do not will by vnderstanding or by memory but by will And yet for all that I doubt not but that it is God which maketh vs to wil and to follow good things Farther our aduersaries think that although workes concurre vnto iustification yet is that notwithstanding true which the holy scriptures teach namely that we iustified fréely Because say they those workes are geuen of God and are done of grace If this refuge mought helpe then had not Paul done well when he tooke away from ceremoniall works the power of iustifiyng For a Iew might say Our fathers which in the old tyme were circumcised and performed other obseruations of the law did not the same by their owne naturall strengthes but by the grace of God both helping them and stirring them vp thereunto Wherefore if other workes which were commaunded in the lawe coulde profite vnto iustification to merite it as ye speake of congruity why coulde not ceremoniall workes do â–ª the same Neither will this any thing helpe to say that Paul taketh not away from them the power iustifiyng but onely after the comming of Christ For he manifestly speaketh of Abraham which was iustified by fayth and not by circumcision and vseth a testimony of Dauid of whome it is most certayne that he liued vnder the lawe But whereas this man sayth that charity and hope can not be excluded I would gladly know of hym whether the workes of these vertues be iust or no. I know he will graunt that they are iust What will he then answere vnto Paul who vnto Titus sayth Not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done But I know these meÌ„s fond deuises They answere that such workes also are excluded if they be done by the law and by frée will without grace But what nedeth to exclude that which can A strong reason to proue that faith onely iuâ—tifieth not be For who will either loue God or hope in him without grace Farther in what maner so euer they be done they can not serue to iustification for we are iustified by grace as it playnly appeareth by the holy scriptures But betwene grace and workes is so great contrariety that Paul sayth If of grace then is it not now of workes and if of workes then is it not of grace Neither ought these men to be so much displeased for yâ— we vse this word Only For we necessarily conclude it of that which Paul sayth First that we are iustified by fayth and afterward addeth without workes How aptly we thus conclude I will declare by a similitude in the 6. chapiter of Deutronomy if we follow the truth of the Hebrew it is thus written Thou shalt feare the Lord God and hym thou shalt serue Here as thou séest wanteth this particle Only yet because there followeth Thou shalt not go after straunge Gods The seuenty interpreters haue thus turned that place Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and hym onely shalt thou worship These men of the first proposition being affirmatiue that God is to be worshipped and of the other beyng negatiue that straunge Gods are not to be worshipped concluded that God onely is to be serued Whose authority should not be of so great waight with me but that Christ himselfe hath cited that place in that sort For thus he rebuked the deuill Depart from me Sathan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and hym only shalt thou serue Here we sée that to disproue the worshipping which is geuen vnto a creature this particle only is necessary which although it be not had in the Hebrew yet is it necessarily gathered out of it Now when as we also after this maner reason why should these men so much be offended Let them consider that the best and the most auncieÌ„st Fathers abhorred not from this word It is a thing ridiculous to sée with how colde toyes and poore shifts Smith goeth about to The fathers vsed this worde Onely resist them First he sayth that they ment nothing els but to represse men that they should not waxe insoleÌ„t But let Smith in one word according to his good wisdome aunswere me whether the Fathers spake this truely or falsely If they spake it truely then make they on our side and why doth this man so much impugne it But if falsely this good end nothing helpeth theÌ„ to represse the insolency of men For euen as euill is not to be committed that good may ensew so false doctrine is not to be affirmed to ouerthrow other
false doctrine But this man vndoubtedly is so farre besides him selfe that he sayth that this was lawfull for the Fathers to do For in his booke de votis which not many yeares ago he set abrode he sayth that Augustine in his booke de Bono viduitatis whereas he writeth that their matrimonies which had vowed a vow of virginity or of sole life are true mariages not adulteries wrote the same for no other end but to perswade Iuliana the widow vnto whome he wrote the booke that mariages in generall are not euill And so in Gods name he confesseth that Augustine setteth forth one false doctrine to ouerthrow an other false doctrine And with the like wisedōe in the same booke he fayneth that Clemens Alexandrinus wrote that Paul had a wife which he thinketh to be most false only to proue that mariage is good and honorable And if it be lawfull so to mingle true thinges with false and to confound all thinges when then shall we beleue the Fathers What thing can at any time be certaine vnto vs but that we may be deceaued by them Farther he fayneth that Paul excluded from iustification only workes of the law But this we haue before aboundantly confuted and haue taught that the reasons of Paul are generall Yea the Fathers saw euen this also For Augustine in many places affirmeth that Paul entreateth not only of ceremoniall works but also of morall works But bycause the authority of Augustine is I can not tell by what meanes suspected vnto our aduersaries Ierome also was of the opinion that not only ceremoniall works are to be excluded from iustification let vs se what Ierome sayth He vnto Clesiphon agaynst the Pelagians vpon these wordes By the workes of the law no flesh shal be iustified thus writeth By cause thou thinkest this to be spokē of the law of Moses only and not of all the commaundements which are conteyned vnder this one name law the selfe same Apostle sayth I consent vnto the law of God There are others also of the Fathers which teach the same but I now ouerpasse them Let it suffice to shew that this other fayned inuētion of Smith is vaine and trifling Thirdly he sayth that they ment to exclude workes as he calleth them penal namely those woorkes I suppose which men repentant doo but to shew how rediculous this is also shall nede no long declaration For first such workes were required of men not that by them they should be iustified before God but only to approue themselues vnto the Church namely lest they should by a fayned and dissēbled repentance seke to be reconciled Farther it is not very likely that Paul spake of any such workes For they were not at that time in vse In dede Ambrose when he excludeth woorkes frō iustification hath hereunto once or twise a respect But we ought not so much to consider what one or two of the Fathers say but what agréeth with the holy scriptures Smith addeth moreouer that it is certayne that God requireth much more of vs then fayth For in Marke it is thus written Repent ye and beleue Here sayth he vnto fayth is adioyned repentāce And in an other place He that beleueth and is Baptised shal be saued He addeth also that in the epistle to the Ephesians the Church is sayd to be sanctified with the lauacre of water in the word And that Peter in his 3. chap. of his first epistle sayth That Baptisme hath made vs safe Ierome also thus writeth vpon the first chapiter of Esay The lauacre of regeneration only remitteth sinnes Behold sayth he iustification and remission of sinnes is ascribed not only vnto fayth but also vnto the sacraments As touching the first we graunt that Christ requireth more of vs then faith For who doubteth but that he will haue men that are iustified to liue vprightly and to exercise them selues in God requireth more of men then faith all kindes of vertues otherwise they shall not come vnto eternall saluation But these are fruites of fayth and effectes of iustification and not causes But as touching the sacramēts we haue many times taught how iustification is to be attributed vnto them For they are in the same respect vnto it as is the preaching of the Gospel and the promise concerning Christ which is offred vnto vs vnto saluation And very oftentimes in the Scriptures that which belongeth vnto the thing is ascribed vnto the Sacrament or signe And bicause Baptisme promiseth remission of sinnes by Christ and signifieth it and sealeth it in them which are washed therfore Ierome of all other sacraments attributeth this vnto it only Wherefore the wordes of the Fathers ought nothing to moue vs when as they thus write That fayth alone is not sufficient vnto saluation For they vnderstand that of eternall saluation vnto which we come not except some fruite follow our fayth But of theyr sayings we ought not to gather the a man is not iustified by faith only And though at any time those selfe same fathers seme to referre theyr wordes vnto iustification yet are they to be vnderstand that theyr meaning was to expresse the nature of the true and iustifieng fayth For it in very dede is neuer alone but hath euer hope and charitie and other good workes as companions Sometimes also by iustification they vnderstand the righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs of which it is moste certayne that it consisteth not of fayth only They thinke also that this maketh agaynst vs for that Paul writeth vnto the Romanes By hope ye are made safe Neyse The righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs consisteth not of faith only they that hope is there taken for the last regeneration which we hope we shall one day obteyne in our countrey For the Apostle a litle before spake of it And vndoubtedly we possesse that saluation onely in hope not as yet in very déede If there be any paraduenture whō this most iust and most true solution wil not satisfy let him follow the interpretation of Origen For he vppon that place sayth that hope is there put for faith which is no rare thing in the holy scriptures But they haue found out yet an other fond deuise whereby as much as lieth in them they goo about to lenifie this worde Only which is so often vsed of the Fathers namely that fayth only hath the beginning and as it were the first degrée of iustification which afterward is made perfect and full when other good workes come vnto it But how vayne this is Paul himselfe sufficiently teacheth For he doth not onely say that we are iustified by faith onely but also he addeth without workes Farther this also maketh against these men which is written in in the 15. chapter of wisdome To know is full righteousnes In which place it is a sport to sée how our Smith writeth himselfe First he dareth not deny the sentēce for he counteth that booke for canonicall but as he is
that that righteousnes which is geuen vnto vs pertayneth vnto the whole man and vnto all the faculties of the mind Shall it therefore follow that that righteousnes which is offred of God is not apprehended by fayth only Vndoubtedly the meate which we eate is destributed into all the members and into the whole body And yet is it receaued with the mouth only and not with the The righteousnesse wherby we are iustified is in God and not in vs. whole body Farther the disputation is not about any righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs which in very dede is dispersed into the whole man but about iustificatiō which is the forgeuenes of sinnes But this righteousnes hath no place or seate in our mindes but in God only by whose will only our sinnes are forgeuen vs. But now forasmuch as this article hath ben sufficiently defended agaynst the cauillations of importunate men we will omitt this and briefely declare that the auncient fathers abhorred not from thys woorde Only which our aduersaries so muche detest Origen vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes vpon these woordes Thy glorieng is excluded By what law by the law of dedes No. But by the law of fayth For we suppose that a man is iustified by fayth without the woorkes of the law The iustification sayth he of fayth only is sufficient that a mā only beleuing should be iustified although he haue done no good woorke at all and for example he bringeth forth that thiefe which was crucified together with Christ and that wooman vnto whome Christe answered Thy fayth hath made thee safe Afterward he obiecteth vnto him selfe that a man hearing these thinges mought be made secure and contemne good woorkes But he answereth that he which after iustification liueth not vprightly casteth away the grace of iustification For no man sayth he receaueth forgeuenes of sinnes to vse licence to sinne For pardon is geuen not of faultes to come but of sinnes past Then which sentence can nothing be sayd more conformable vnto our doctrine Ciprian to Quirinus in his 42. chapiter Fayth sayth he only profiteth and looke how much we beleue so much are we able to doo Basilius in his sermō de Humilitate writeth that a man is iustified by faith only Hilarius also vpon Mathew the 8. chapter Fayth sayth he only iustifieth Ambrose vpon the 3. chapter vnto the Romanes vpon these wordes Being iustified freely Because sayth he they woorking nothing nor rendring turne for turne are by faith onely iustified by the gift of God The same author vpon these wordes According to the purpose of the grace of God So Paul sayth he sayth it was decreed of God that the law ceasing onely faith should be required vnto saluation And straight way after God hath ordeyned that men should by faith onely without labour and any obseruation be iustified before God The same father vpon the. 1. chapter of the. 2. epistle vnto the Corrinthians It is appoynted sayth he by God that he which beleueth in Christ should be saued without workes by faith only And he hath the like sentences in his booke de vocatione Gentium Out of Chrisostome I could bring a greate many places to confirme this sentence but of them I will picke out onely a few Vpon the 3. chapter vnto the Romanes vpon these wordes Thy glory is excluded In this sayth he is set foorth the might and power of God in that he hath saued iustified and wroughte glorification by faith onely without workes And at the beginning of the 4. chapter That a man being destitute of workes should be iustified by faith peraduenture it may appeare to be well But that a man being adorned with vertues good workes is not for all iustified by thē but by faith only this assuredly is wonderfull Hereby our aduersaries may vnderstand that although faith haue as companions hope and charitie and other good workes which thing cannot be doubted of Abraham yet they serue nothing to the apprehending of righteousnes And vpon the. 10. chapter vpon these woordes They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going aboute to establish theyr owne righteousnes were not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God He calleth sayth he the righteousnes of God that righteousnes which is of fayth Bycause we are without labour by fayth only iustified thorough the gift of God Of Augustine I will speake nothing For he is full of this agaynst the Pelagians and any man may easely by his writings proue this sentence Hesichius vpon Leuiticus in his first booke and second chapiter Grace sayth he is comprehended by fayth only not of woorkes Which selfe thing in a maner he hath in his 4. booke and 14. chapiter Theophilactus vpon the 3. chapiter vnto the Galathians expoūdeth these words Bycause by the law no mā is iustified before God Now sayth he Paul playnly declareth that fayth euen alone hath in it the power to iustifie Phocius vpon the fift chapiter vnto the Romanes Iustification sayth he consisteth of fayth only Acacius in Oecumenius vpō the first chapiter vnto the Romanes He hath saith he by fayth onely raysed vp and quickened vs being mortified by sinnes Bernardus in his 22. Sermon vpon the Canticles By fayth only sayth he he that is iustified shall haue peace And in the selfe same sermon That wanteth sayth he of grace whatsoeuer thou ascribest vnto merites Grace maketh me iustified freely Whome these things suffice not let him reade Genuadius vpon the 5. chap. to the Romanes Cirillus in his 9. booke 3. chapiter vpon Iohn Theodoretus vpon the 5. chapiter to the Romanes Didimus vpon the 2. chapiter of Iames Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall history the 3. booke and 27. chap. Ciprian or whatsoeuer he were in his exposition of the simbole Liranus vpon the third to the Galathians The ordinary glosse vpon the epistle vnto Iames Haimo vpō the Gospell of Circumcision Sedulius vpon the 1. and 2. chapiters vnto the Romanes Thomas vpon the 3. to the Galathians Bruno vpon the 4. vnto the Romanes Arnobius vpon the 106. Psalme Now I thinke I haue spoken inough as touching this question Wherfore I will now returne to the exposition of the wordes of the Apostle The twelfth Chapiter I Besech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye offer vp your bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God whiche is your reasonable worshipping I besech you therefore brethren Phisitions are accustomed to clense a sore or wound of all matter and corruption and then to anoint it with soft and gentle medicens So Paul hath first by a sharp disputacion confuted the arrogancy of thē which had confidence to be iustified by the lawe or by philosophy and that through their owne strengthes now therefore he turneth himselfe to perswade to an holy life and to good workes whereby we are renewed and are made perfect by a righteousnes cleauing vnto vs. Wherefore first he establisheth the doctrine of iustification and then that being finished he
let vs first marke that it is the duety of a Christian mind to geue thanks vnto God What thing is most contrary vnto enuy as well for the good thinges of other men as for his owne which thinge is cleane contrary vnto enuy whose nature when it is of great force is to be sory for an other mans welfare or when it is not of great force but somewhat remisse yet at the least it little regardeth or reioyceth in the prosperity of others He sayth that he geueth thankes vnto his God It is not to be doubted but that God of his owne nature is common to all and yet the Sainctes do make The saints call God theyr God him proper vnto themselues not to this entent to exclude their fellowes and partners but they are prouoked thereunto by a certayne priuate feeling of the goodnes of God which stirreth them vp to vse this kind of speach Besides this they perceyue that certayne thinges are singularly graunted vnto them which vnto other are not geuen In which consideration we reade that God named himselfe the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob when as yet he was the God of all men Paule geueth thankes for the fayth of the Romanes for which thing contrarily other men were angry and offended Wherefore we see that in the Christians and in the vngodly there is a farre sundry mynde Through Iesus Christ He geueth thankes throughe him because by the Thankes are to be geuen through Christ selse same all good thinges are deryued vnto vs. And it is meete that by thys selfe same mean they return vnto the author again For we with our infirmity and weakenes wherewith we are infected do pollute the good and frce giftes of God when they are bestowed vpon vs. Wherefore if they should be referred vnto God as we haue them in vs they should easely waxe vile but thorough Christ they are purged and being through him offred vnto God they are made a sweete sauour Paule is in a maner in all his epistles stirred vp to geue thankes vnto God for theyr giftes vnto whom he writteth because he desired nothing more then that the name of God shoulde be sanctified and hys kingdome enlarged which thinge when he saw to haue successe straight way he brake forth into geuing of thankes Your fayth sayth he is published throughout the whole world As though he should haue sayd I do not in vayne geue thankes vnto God neyther do I alone perceaue the benefite of God towardes you but the whole world doth now vnderstand how deare you are vnto God Wherefore it must nedes be that the fayth of the Romanes was feruent and liuely and which wrought by charity otherwise it coulde not so easily be published throughout the whole world Neyther was this a smale worke of God that the Gospell was spred The Gospell was wonderfully spread abroade in the tyme of Paule The exceeding great idolatry of the Romanes abroad so quickly that in Paules tyme as he here testefieth vnto the Romanes and also vnto the Collossians it was amply sowed throughout the whole world But by this word VVhole we must vnderstand the principal and chiefe partes of the world and without doubt it was wonderful meruellous how the Romanes being ouerwhelmed with supersticions for when they had ouercome the world they called vnto themselues deuelishe Gods out of all partes of the world at the length should repent and geue their mindes to the true religion Further in that Paule sayth he geueth thankes prayeth for them he admonisheth them what they should do namely that they also should geue thankes and The childrē of God do fynd in euery creature occasion of geuinge thankes pray for him Let vs in this place behold that it is the nature of the children of God to fynd in euery creature occasion to geue thankes vnto God for this is their endeuour continually to seeke God but he is euery where Wherefore forasmuch as they perceaue him to be euery where they geue him thankes for all thinges for that there is nothing so discommodious but that some way it turneth them to good On the contrary part we may sée that the vngodly and The vngodly do neuer truly geue thanks vnto God the children of the deuill are neuer at rest neyther haue they any thing so commodious or quiet which troubleth them not And whilest they alwayes fixe their eyes vpon molestious and greuous thinges they neuer from their hart geue thankes vnto God yea they alwayes both blaspheme him are vnquiet He commendeth vnto them the fayth which they had receaued to the ende they should not lightly regard or esteme it And the alteracions of the Church of Rome are much to be lamented which being here so highly praysed for the religion The church of Rome hath degee generated The church hath not alwayes the selfe same abiding places which it receaued hath afterward so degenerated that it is now made the seate of Antichrist whereby we are admonished that the Church abideth not alwayes in one and the selfe same state and place It dayly chaungeth his abiding places and wandreth from nation to nacion There were not long agoe in the East most noble Churches namely at Hierusalem Antioche Alexandria and Constantinople where at this day reigneth the filthines of Mahumet and those Christians which liue there are addicted vnto infinite supersticions and do by litle and litle degenerate into a straunge religion Wherefore the sentence of our sauior is most true wherein he pronounced that the last should be first and the first last Neither is thys to be lefte vnspoken of that the Apostle myndyng to commend the Romanes which had receaued the Religiō of Christ calleth the same Religion is called fayth Religiō fayth to the end we should vnderstād that therof depēdeth our holines Thou shalt find that same kinde of prayse ascribed vnto y◠Thessalonians in the former A praise geuen vnto the Thessalonians Epistle the. 1. Chap where Paul writeth that they were a paterne an exāple to all them whiche beleued both in Macedonia and also in Achaia so that their fayth was now euery where published But of the Romanes the admiration is y◠greater as Chrisostome testifieth for as much as they had most large Chrisostome What things might feare away the Romanes from beleuyng dominions abounded in riches and ouerflowed on euery side with pleasures all which thinges make men to shrinke from sound religion Farther it was meruellous that they gaue credite vnto the Iewes men otherwise hated of all nacions being also fisher men and vnlearned and as touching the world men most abiect especially whē they had heard preached vnto thē a man that was crucified conuersante in Iewrye whome they had neuer seene and were taughte to hope that all good thinges shoulde come vnto thē from him which had bene so cruelly put to death neither was there any felicity promised thē
he is God must be worshipped as he hath declared in the word of the scripture set forth vnto vs in the holy scriptures as a Lord and father they worship him obey him and study to aduaunce his honour as muche as they are able And agayne when they see hym declared as a iudge they set his iudgement seate before theyr eyes in all theyr actions lest they shoulde transgresse in any thinge and incurre the anger of theyr mighty iudge But they doe not so feare hym that they hate hym or that they woulde flye from hym yea and thoughe there were graunted them a place to flye vnto they woulde chose rather to embrace him punishing and chasteninge them And amonge these thinges whiche oughte to haue the principall place as touchinge this spirituall worshipping God is worshipped by obedience is obedience wherof we rede that it is better then sacrifices Neyther had God a regard in a manner to any other thinge in the whole lawe and rites of ceremonies than to haue men truly subiect and obedient vnto him But we forasmuche as we haue contracted a corrupte and viciate nature by the sinne of Adam are in nothyng more diligent and exquisite then to obtrude our own inneÌ„cions and fayned rytes for the worshipping of God and greater seueritye is vsed agaynst the transgressors of the Commaundements of men then there is agaynst those which publikely violate the Commaundementes of God A man shall euery where see blasphemers whoremongers adulterers and periured persons laughed at by the magistrates so farre are they of from punishynge them But agaynste hym whiche will vse the sacramentes of the Euchariste in both kinds they rage euen vnto the fyre And to be brief men are condemned to death for neglecting of humayne traditions but for violatinge of the lawe of God they are not so muche as once accused Wherefore God did not without a cause in Deut. commaund Moyses Onely the thynges whyche I haue commaunded shalte thou keepe neyther shalte thou adde nor diminyshe any thynge And we haue A remedye agaynst humane traditions no prâ—seÌ„ter remedy against this pestilence then dayly to be occupied in the holy scriptures and to gather out of them by what meanes God would declare him selfe vnto vs and to picke out such wayes whereby he hath chieflye commaunded vs to worship him in thus doyng we may wtout any great difficulty serue god in spirite And contrary to this spiritual worshiping is to serue god in flesh To serue God in flesh that is onely wyth fayned rytes and outward ceremonies laying away faith and inward piety This Antithesis or contrarye posicion Paul touched when he sayd vnto the Galathians Yee which began in the spirite beware ye end not in the flesh Those Galathians were rightly instructed but by the deceates of false Apostles they declined vnto the Iewishe ceremonies and outward rites which thyng was to fynish in the flesh that whych was with holynes and vpright 〈◊〉 begonne Vnto the Philippians also he sayth We are the circumcision whiche serue God in sprite hauing confidence in God and not in the flesh Then he manifestlye declareth What it is to trust in the flesh what it is to trust in the flesh saying Although I if any other may put confidence in flesh as whych am of the kindred of Israel of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew borne of the Hebrewes and of the secte of the Pharisies by feruentnes persecâ—tinge the church of Christe and as touchinge iustifications of the lawe I was conuersante without blame c. Thou seest nowe that carnall woorshippynge consisteth of all these thynges But spirituall worshippyng consisteth altogether of fayth and charity Paule addeth In the gospell of his sonne By which wordes he declareth that thys spirituall Nowe God is serued in the Gospell of hys son worshipping if it be expressed in outward workes consisteth principally in this the we should preach Christ that we should allure vnto him as much as lyeth in vs as many of our neyghbours as we can He hath alreadye declared what God he called to witnes now he goeth to the thyng which he woulde haue signifyed vnto the Romanes And that is that he contynually made mencion of them in his prayers Neyther can it hereby be gathered that Paule did alwayes so praye that he neglected other duetyes He preached he iorneyed be laboured with hys handes and fynallye he executed all such thinges as pertayned vnto hys office Wherefore we must not expound those thynges which are here spoken accordyng to the word but according to the sense and we must vnderstand them no otherwise theÌ„ that as often as the Apostle prayed he made mencion of them And the prayers of the Saincts are deuided into two kyndes Two kindes of prayer For there are certayn which are appoynted as wheÌ„ they are had in a publique congregation at appoynted and prescribed dayes the Lordes day I say and if there be any other oppoynted by the Church for publike prayers Farther it is the duety of a Christian man to haue euery day also appoynted haures wherin to pray vnto God and that three times in a day or fyue tymes or seuen times as hys busines wyll suffer him There is an other kynd of those prayers which are called vncertayne for we vse them so often as any present daunger vrgeth vs. But Paule sayth now that he alwayes maketh mencion of these men in his prayers and in some bookes is added this aduerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth euery where althoughe some exemplars haue put it out There were heretikes which were called Messaliani and of them Tripartita Historia maketh mention An heresye of the Messalianits or Euchites They attributed all things vnto prayers and that so much that they vtterly derogated both the word of God and also the sacraments affirming that al these things do nothing profyte but what commodity soeuer we haue the same coÌ„meth by prayers and they could not abyde to labour wyth theyr handes or to do any other thing If a man had vrged them to worke they would haue said that that nothing profyted for as much as we oughte to do nothinge but pray when as yet the Apostle expressedly admonisheth that he whiche laboureth not ought not also to eate He also wryteth that a man must not neglecte to haue a care ouer his owne especially his houshold which fault if any man commit he should be counted euen as an infidell But omitting this superstition we ought The children or God ought to pray often to attribute much vnto prayers forasmuohe as this is the nature of the children of God to geue themseltes oftentimes to prayers for that is to acknowledge the prouidence of God For whilest we beleue that a man can obtayne nothyng whych is not geuen him of God we are oftentimes prouoked to emplore hys ayde for such necessities as happen And whilest we pray we doo no lesse submitte
obiecte vnto vs the Gospell younge menne whyche are studious of the Gospel yea euen theyr own senses and humane reason cryeth agaynst them saying are ye not ashamed of thys new doctrine Are ye so blynde that ye see not that by thys meanes good workes are condemned the worshipping of God perisheth the minstery of the church is troden vnder foote the dignity of priesthode is abiected ecclesiasticall riches are vtterly spoyled what patrones or supporters of learned men shall ye haue hereafter Did your elders which went before you both in thys Mecoenate◠vniuersity and in others being both doctors notable men follow these steps Vnto these men also ought we to aunswere we are not ashamed of the Gospell howsoeuer you speake ill of it If so be they wil say we haue the Gospell yours A collatio◠of the doctrine of the Papistes of the Gospell is a new doctrine Let vs answere them agayne In such sort is that the Gospel which ye haue as that is the Gospell to set forth fayned worshippinges of god casting away and dispising the sincere worshipping described vnto vs of God as it is to worshippe stockes and images as is to obtrude vowes whereby such men are drawen away from matrimony which aboue others haue most neede therof as is to go on pilgrimages vnto Images to worshippe the bones of Saynctes to inuocate the dead and an infinite number of such other like Wherefore ye ought to be ashamed of your doctrine and not we of the Gospell of Christ Let it be diligētly examined what we by the same gospel iudge of the What maner of doctrine ours is honour of god We attribute all thinges vnto hym only we wil in all thinges depend of hym only Farther see what our iudgement is concerning the worshippyng of hym We desire to retayne the same pure and holy as it is delyuered vs in the holy scriptures What do we thinke of good works we vrge them continually and requyre to haue them done of vs so perfectly that we thinke alwayes that something remayneth not perfectly done of vs vnto whiche we should leuel and whereunto we ought to direct all our endeuors What iudge we as concerning the holy ministery we trauayle to haue it to be in great estimation as by which God worketh our saluacion What of Sacraments That they should be kept pure and vndefyled and be reduced vnto that vse whereunto Christ instituted them What iudge we of magistrates that they should be obeyed and that we should be subiecte vnto them in all thinges so that they commaund nothing agaynst the word of God What of poore and miserable men that we should helpe and relieue them What of publike peace and tranquillity That it be kept yea euen with the los of our goods What of sciences and good learning That they should be mayntained and aduaunced Why do ye obiect auncientnes vnto vs There is nothing that we more desire then to haue thynges brought to their olde estate Ye haue brought in new thinges we require againe the estate of the primitiue Church and desire to haue againe the institucions of the Apostles Wherefore there is no cause why we should be ashamed of the gospel of which such as complain do rather lament the losse of theyr commodities then that they can accuse our doctrine And if anye Troubles and discommodities are not to be ascribe◠vnto the Gospel troubles or discommodities happen they are not to be ascribed vnto the doctrine but vnto those which vnder the pretence of Christ and of the gospell doo seeke those thinges which are their owne and not the thinges which are Iesus Christes But now let vs see Paules reason why he is not ashamed of the gospell of Christ Because it is the power of God to saluacion to euery on that beleueth It is the power that is the organe and instrument wherby God sheweth forth hys power to saluation For together with the woord of God and the gospell are instilled grace and the holy ghost and especially remission of sinnes by whiche we are renewed and made safe And yet this knittinge together of mans saluation wyth the gospell is not naturall that is of necessitye so that the gospell The Gospell is not a naturall instrument but at the pleasure of God This diffinicion hath the cause efficient end and instrument of receauinge the Gospel A similitube of the Sacraments The sum of the whol controuersy concerning iustificatiō Why in iustification mencion is made chiefly of the power of god The difference betwene the righteousnes of the law and of the Gospel This phrase of speach to take holde by fayth is not strange nor rare in in the holye scriptures beyng geuen and set forth saluation should streight way follow of necessitye For it is needefull that God doo also inwardly moue the harts of the hearers as in the Actes of the Apostles we reade it was doone vnto the woman that sold silke Wherfore the gospel is to be counted an instrument arbitrary which God vseth according to hys will Many thynke that thys definition is taken of the cause efficient For in it is expressed the power of God whiche maketh vs safe Then is added the fynall cause namely that thys power of God is to saluation neyther is that lest vnspoken of whereby we are made able to take hold of so greate a benefyte and the same is fayth For it is added to euery beleuer For they which come to heare the Gospell and wante fayth receaue nothyng but wordes and the Gospell to them is no Gospell Euen as in the Sacraments they which are without fayth do in deede receaue the simboles or signes but they haue not the fruyte and thing of the sacraments Here is now touched the chief poynt of all the controuersy For in that it is sayd that saluacion cometh of the Gospell vnto euery one that beleueth is sufficientlye declared that we are iustifyed by fayth and not by works nor by our owne strength nor by philosophy nor by ceremonies of the law Neither did he without cause make mencion of the power of God For that before we can be saued our enemyes ought to be vanquished that is the deuill death hell and in especiall sinne Hereby playnly appeareth also the difference betweene the righteousnes of the lawe and the righteousnes of the gospell The righteousnes of the lawe is to do and to worke He that shall do these thinges shall liue in them sayd Moyses as it is alleaged to the Galathyans and shall in this Epistle be afterward intreated of in hys place But contrarywyse the ryghteousnes and saluation of the Gospell is by fayth vnto all thē that beleue For it is fayth which taketh hold of the mercye and promes of God although there haue bene some which durst affirme that this kind of speach to take hold by fayth is straung that is not vsed in the holy scriptures But they are excedingly deceaued It is
accordinge to theyr woorkes and deedes In deede the mercy of God is now large but yet in such sort that the seueritie of iustice is not wantinge Moses although he had heard manye proprieties of God whiche serued to expresse his goodnes and clemency that is that he is mercifull gentle slow vnto anger riche in mercy and truth whiche reserueth goodnes or mercye for a thousande generacions yet at the end added that God wil not pronounce the wicked man an innocent that he visiteth the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generacion But because they whiche attribute ouermuche vnto woorkes and trust that by them to obteyne eternall life are wont very often to alledge thys place I haue thought it good briefely to declare what is to be thoughte concerning Of works workes But we shal afterward more at large set foorth and declare this thing when we shall haue occasion to entreat of iustification And those things whiche shall now be briefely spoken we will afterward more largely discourse by partes seuerally First this is to be knowen that we deny not that whych is Betwene our good workes eternall felicitye there is no iust proportion There are no good woorkes without fayth Those thinges which are promised vnto works we obteyne by fayth The causes of our saluation Why God attributeth honor vnto woorkes The words of the last iudgement are diligently examined here written that vnto euery man shal be rendred accordinge to hys woorkes But there is not so muche good in good woorkes as eternall felicitie is good Yea ther is betwene these a greater difference then betwene heauē and earth Moreouer there are no woorkes to be counted good which lene not vnto faith and haue not it for the roote from whence they should spring foorth Therfore that which seemeth to be promised vnto workes the same in very deede we obtaine by fayth which is garnished with those workes And because fayth taketh hold of the mercy of God and promises in Christ therfore throughe mercy and Christ whiche are the obiectes of faith shall we be made blessed These are the true and chiefest causes of eternall life the clemency I say of God election predestinacion and the merites of Christe But God in the holye scriptures oftentimes addeth woorkes thereby to stirre vs vp beinge otherwise sluggishe and slouthfull to lyue vprightly And he adorneth woorkes with this kinde of honor that he promiseth vnto them excellent rewardes Whiche thing if we will more narrowly consider let vs wyth diligence weigh what the most high iudge shal in the last iudgemente saye For he will make examination of good workes will say that he was fed with meate and drinke and visited c. But after thys commendation of woorkes when he iudgeth vnto the sayntes the kingdome and eternall life he expresseth the principallest cause that maketh vs happy blessed For he sayth Come ye blessed of my Father and possesse the kingdome whiche was prepared for you before the beginning of the worlde These he pronounceth to be the causes of our blessednes namely that we are deare vnto God and haue geuen vnto vs the blessinge of predestination and election And therfore sayth he that the kyngdome was prepared for vs from the beginninge of the worlde Woorkes in deede are to be had but not as causes Therefore Christ admonished Works are not the causes of our felicity A place of Luke How we are called vnprofitable seruāts vs saying When ye haue done all these thinges say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done but those thinges which we ought to do Neither passe wee any thynge vpon theyr caueling which say that therfore we are vnprofitable seruantes because out good woorkes do bringe no commoditie vnto God Forasmuche as God needeth none of our good workes But say they it ought not to be denied but that we are by good workes profitable vnto our selues We graunt indede that it is profitable vnto vs that we liue well But that vtility is not to be attributed vnto our workes that they should be causes of our blessednes to come For we haue nothing in vs whereby we can make God obstricte and bounde vnto vs. For whatsoeuer we do the same do we wholy owe vnto God and a We cannot by workes binde God vnto vs. great deale more then we are able to performe Wherefore as Christ admonisheth The Lord geueth not thankes vnto his seruant when he hath done his duety And if the seruaunt by well doing cannot binde his Lord to geue him thankes how shall he binde him to render vnto him great rewardes Therefore the name of The name of merits ought to be abolished merite if we will speake properlye oughte vtterlye to be banished out of our mouthes I know that the Fathers sometimes vsed that word but yet not properly But that woord is not found at al in the holy scriptures For the nature of merite is that there be a iust proportion and equall consideration betweene The nature of merite that which is geuen and that which is taken But betwene the good thinges which we looke for and those thinges which we eyther suffer or do there is no proportion or agreemente For Paule sayth That the passions of thys time are not woorthy the glory to come whiche shal be reueled in vs. Farther merite hath ioyned vnto it debt whych thynge Paule testifyeth when he sayth That vnto hym whych woorketh rewarde is rendred accordinge to debte and is not imputed accordyng to grace Which selfe same Paul yet writeth expressedly that the grace of God is eternall life Lastlye vnto the nature of merite there is required that that whiche is geuen pertayne vnto the geuer and be not due vnto hym whyche receaueth it But woorkes are not of our selues for they are called the giftes of God whiche he woorketh in vs. Wherefore Augustine very wisely sayth That God doth crowne his giftes in vs. Now if our woorkes be due vnto him whiche thinge we cannot deny then vndoubtedly the nature of merite is vtterly taken awaye Eternall life is sometimes in the holy scriptures called a reward But then is it not that How eternall lyfe is sometymes called a reward How blessednes followeth good woorkes reward which Paule writeth to be geuen according to debte but is all one as if it shoulde be called a recompensation Gods will and pleasure was that there shoulde be this connexion that after good woorkes shoulde follow blessednes but yet not as the effecte followeth the cause but as a thinge ioyned with them by the appointmente of God Therefore we may not truste vnto woorkes for they are feeble and weake and do alwayes wauer and stagger Wherfore the promises of God depende not of them neither haue they in themselues as they come from vs that they can moue God to make vs blessed We say therefore that God iudgeth according to woorkes because accordinge as they are eyther
good or euill we shall obtayne eyther eternall life or eternall damnation But thereby it followeth not that woorkes are the causes of our saluation Our sense iudgeth that these two thinges are repugnant the one to the other that a thinge shoulde be geuen freely and yet neuertheles workes should be required These thinges are not repugnant that blessednes is geuen frely and yet goodworks required But yet is not this iudgement true For they most aptlye agree together as it shall afterward in hys place be declared We haue nowe sufficiently spoken as touchyng this kynde of speache vsed of Paule and of the Scripture And those thinges which we haue nowe alleaged shall in their places be more diligently examined euery one by themselues Vnto them which by patience in well doyng seke glory and honour and immortality eternall lyfe But vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnes indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish vppon the soule of euery man that doth euill of the Iewe first and also of the Grecian But vnto euery one that doth good glory honour and peace vnto the Iewe first and also vnto the Grecian For there is no respect of persons before God Vnto those which by patiēce in wel doing seke glory honor immortality lyfe eternall Ambrose readeth that glory honour immortality shal be rendered vnto them which seke for eternall lyfe Which thyng wycked men do not who rather labour by all meanes to aduaunce themselues vnto the honours riches and pleasures of this world which is to liue wickedly But godly and holy men do seke eternall lyfe that they may redely moue themselues to knowe and to loue God to worship hym and to deserne well of their neighboures Whiche selfe thing is eternall lyfe but yet as now begon and shal be accomplished in an other world The scripture vseth by eternall life to signify the blessednes which Life is a thing excellent we loke for For among other thinges life as Aristotle writeth in hys Politikes hath in it selfe many commodities And therfore men suffer many and greuous thinges to retayne it still vnlesse peraduenture beyng ouercome with the burthen of miseries they wishe for death But this is the playner readyng to say that God geueth eternall lyfe vnto those whiche by patience in well doyng doo seke glory honour and immortality Vndoubtedly the saintes in liuyng well do seke to be renewed vnto the image of God after which followeth glory honour and immortality And immortality is set in the last place lest they should be thought to seke the glory and honor of this world For those things do quickly perish and are offred by those men which are easely chaunged and we which receaue them here haue but a short tyme to lyue here But those thinges which we seke for are euerlastyng and immortall By patience in well doyng This he therefore saith because as he writeth in an other place They which will liue godly in Christ shall suffer persecution And not Why patience is required in wel doyng only the deuill our flesh but also wicked men do withstand good workes And forasmuch as among good workes these are the principallest wherby we helpe our neighbours to the obteynement of true sound and firme good thinges by teachyng admonishing and correctyng them therfore vnto them aboue other thinges we apply our selues But they on the other side doe sometimes take it greuously and do stirre vp persecutions agaynst vs as it happened vnto that Prophetes Apostles and Martyrs But we ought not for all that to cease Augustine in his 50. epistle willed that the Donatistes although they wickedly and cruelly raged against the Catholikes should yet not be forsaken And he bringeth a similitude A similitut◠of horses and mules which kicke and bite when their sores are in curing and yet men cease not from healyng them Which duety if it be performed vnto beastes vndoubtedly much more ought it to be performed vnto men It is assuredly a thing very hard with a valiaunt mynde to suffer lettes and impediments which hinder good workes But all thynges whiche are excellent are harde And forasmuch as we all in a maner desire eternall lyfe we ought to take vpō vs this patience in well doyng And it is not from the purpose to consider howe What is suffering the saintes may clayme vnto themselues this patience forasmuch as we dayly sinne and if we shall say that we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues We aunswere Two kinds of fallinge that there are two kinds of fallings There are certain which are in a manner dayly comming from a wicked lust which is grafted in vs by reasō of original sinne which also therfore is yet of force in the regenerate because they are not yet fully restored neyther do they alwayes behaue themselues according to the principle and ground of regeneration They are by reason of infirmity and vndiscretenes rapt and violently drawen by the enticements of this worlde but it alwayes greeueth them they resiste and desire to be rid therof Therefore they say together with Paul Now not I woorke it but sinne which dwelleth in me Wherfore so longe as they be so affected and that they cease not of from endeuouring themselues to fullfyll the will of God they are sayde to perseuer and to excercise pacience in well doynge But when they fall into more heynouser sinnes as did Dauid and Peter then thys longe sufferynge is somewhat interrupted but because forasmuch as they pertayne vnto the elect they are called backe to repentance they are forgeuen that which they haue committed and God no more imputeth it vnto them Therefore they are iudged according to the good workes which they haue done before the fall and do after the fall so that that cutting of of the perseuerance which is now blotted out by repentance remayneth no more Now we will also entreate of those whiche in the last tyme of Whether they which when they dye do repent shal be iudged according to their workes The thife wanted not good workes their life repent which as it should seeme cannot be iudged according to their good workes whereof before they had none neyther vnto them can be attributed patience and long suffering in well doing But it is to be noted that fayth can neuer be without good workes Therfore these men if they beleue although they repent in the last houre yet vndoubtedly shall they not be without good workes Which thinge the example of the thiefe declareth who repented in a maner at the very poynt of death and was saued For he being conuerted vnto God confessed Christ acknowledged hys sinnes exhorted his neighbour and ernestly prayed for the obteynement of hys owne saluation By all which thinges we may see how diligently ernestly if he had had space to liue he would haue applied himselfe vnto good works What shall we say to infantes which dye in Christ They
forasmuch as by reason of age they are as yet not able to do any thing are to be exempted out of the number of them vnto whome shal be rendred according to their workes For Paule speaketh of them whiche be of full age who mought haue brought forth good workes And that which Chrisostome writeth that this place teacheth vs not in any wise to put our trust in fayth only forasmuch as before the iudgement seate of God workes also shal be examined this his saying I say must be warely taken For true fayth neuer wanteth iust workes But Chrisostome in that place taketh fayth for that credulity whiche wicked men oftentymes boast of which is rather an opinion and vayne perswasion then that it can be called fayth which selfe same Iames calleth a dead fayth And forasmuch as it A deade sayth is no fayth is sayd to be deade it can in no case be true fayth As that man which certaynly is dead is no more sayd to be a man Wherefore Ambrose vpon thys place hath made the thing playne saying That we haue neede not only of profession but also of good life Wherefore where men do worke wickedly and yet in the meane tyme boast of fayth it is rather a vayne profession then a Christian fayth But vnto those that are contentious and which obey not the truth but obey vnrighteousnes Here is expressed the other part of iustice namely that whereby sinners are most worthely punished And by two signes he expresseth Two notes whereby the vngodly are expressed A wicked kinde of contēcion such as are wicked in that as touching rules of doctrine they are contentious and as touching maners they obey not the truth but vnrighteousnes Contention which is here ment is when a thing without iust cause and with a more vehement strife then is nedefull is taken in hand to be defended And oftentymes it happeneth that contentions men labour to defend that which in their mynde and conscience they beleue not to be true but only study to get the victory Wherefore they do nothing with any mediocritye but altogether with most vehemency and they are so tossed with the perturbation of the mynde that they alwayes farther and farther depart frō the truth Howbeit there is some A certayne contention laudable kynde of contention which is pardonable namely that which is taken in hād for the defence of the truth And such contention is without obstinacy whiche thing we may behold in Paule For he as soone as he knew himselfe to be deceaued abode not still stubburnely in hys purpose but strayght waye sayde Lord what wilt thou that I shall do But these men whom God will thus punishe are in prosecuting their matters not a whit better then they were in rules of doctrine because they obey not the truth which they know yea rather they hold it captiue with themselues as we haue before hard and are obedient vnto vnrighteousnes For truth and lust are euer present with men to geue counsell and Two perpetuall counsellers of men perswade them in intreating of matters In the wicked the worser counseller namely lust prenayleth and so they are miserably deceaued Which thing the Apostle expresseth in hys latter Epistle to the Thessalonians the second chapiter where he writeth that Antichrist shall come with power with signes and lying waytes and with all maner of deceite of vnrighteousnes in those which perishe because that they receaued not the loue of the truth to the ende they mought haue bene saued Therefore shall God send vpon them the efficacy of illusion to beleue lyes But this vnrighteousnes which they obey is afterward in the 7. chapiter called The law of the members namely because wicked luste is from the fall of the first parentes ingenerate in men and is obiected to our mynd by the ministery of Sathan who vseth it as a most apte instrument for his purpose Vnto these mē I say shal be indignatiō anger afflictiō anguish against euery soule of man that committeth euill of the Iew first and also of the Grecian Betwene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is indignation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is anger semeth to be a difference for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a more vehementer impulsion or motion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more easier which differences yet haue no place in the high iudge For God is not troubled with these affections But the scripture vseth thys trope or fygure to set forth the vengeance whiche followeth these thinges whiche afterward is expressed in that he addeth Affliction and anguishe And as touching anguishe which in Greke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must vnderstand that the minde of man delighteth in liberty Wherefore whē we are brought to such a straight that we can not by any meanes eyther moue our selues or els fynde a way out thinke we to be most greuous vnto vs. And by these wordes is described the great punishement and a desperation of the felicity to come The soule signifieth man Agaynst euery soule There are some which by this place argue that therfore is mencion made of the soule because the affliction thereof shal be a greate deale more greuous then the affliction of the body But me thinketh it is more playne to say that after the Hebrewe maner by the soule is signified the whole man or to speake more vprightly all the powers and partes of man Neyther doth this any thing let that here in the texte man is put in the genetiue case and because the Iew and the Grecian is here expressed For that tendeth to thys ende to comprehend all mankinde whiche Paule deuideth into two partes so that some he calleth Iewes and other some Grecians namely the Gentiles as many He beginneth to reprehend the Iewes as were not subiect vnto the law of Moses And here the Apostle beginneth to ioyne the Iewes to the selfe same reprehension which he vsed agaynst the Gentiles because he entendeth to reproue them also And easely by litle and litle he turneth his speach vnto thē vnto whom hereafter by name he speaketh whē not much afterwarde he saith Behold thou art called a Iew and restest in the law c. He Why the first place is assigned vnto the Iewes therefore geueth the fyrst place vnto the Iewes because in the knowledge and vnderstanding of God and of righteousnes they had the principalitye if they be compared with other nations Further forasmuch as Paule came of their kinred here hearseth them in the first place least he should seeme to spare his owne when as he had sharpely reproued the Ethnikes It was meete also that they shoulde be named before Gentiles to the ende they mought the more greeuously be accused and more sharpely punished for that they were not ignorant both of the true God and of the religion due vnto hym But glory honour and peace to euery one that worketh good to the
haue good woorkes What Moses and the Prophets had a regarde vnto when in theyr prayers they made mencion of the names of certain of the electe thinges nothing let this sentence which was alleaged namely that before God there is no acception of persons And as often as we read in the prayers of Moses or of the Prophets that mention is made of the Patriarkes whereby they endeuoured themselues to prouoke God vnto mercy we muste thinke that they had a regarde to two thinges First forasmuch as in that nation God had some appointed vnto himselfe they desired that for theyr sakes he woulde spare the whole multitude Secondlye they attributed not these thinges vnto the merites of the saintes which as we haue sayd are none but they made mencion of the promises made vnto those Fathers Hereby therefore it is manifeste by what meanes those thinges which were obiected may be aunswered But nowe let vs retourne to the exposition of the woordes of Paule For as many as haue sinned without the law shall perishe also without the law and as many as haue sinned in the law shal be iudged by the law For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God but the doers of the law shal be iustified For as many as haue sinned c. Paule here teacheth that God in very dede hath no respect of persons neyther in iudgement doth iniury vnto any man He maketh the Iewes equall with the Gentles forasmuch as of ech nation they which haue liued wickedly shall perishe And as touching the maner of iudgement the Iewes which shal be condemned shal be iudged by the law of Moses because they shall haue it both to accuse them and to condemne them But the Gentiles being wicked shall neither be accused nor condemned by that law but by the light of nature and euen by their own cogitations By the law in thys place we must vnderstand the law of Moses For it only is perfect and for it began all the contencion otherwise there were none or very fewe nations which were not gouerned by some institutions or lawes Here are added two preuentions The first is that it mought haue semed wonderfull vnto the Iewes that theyr cause should not be a whit better forasmuch as they were adorned by God with the benefite of the law Vnto whome Paule answereth that therby they were rather the more greuously to be accused because before God not they which heare the law shal be iustefied but they which do it The other preuention is for that it semed a hard thing vnto the Ethnikes that they should perishe when as they wanted the law of God Vnto whome he sayth ye were not vtterly without a law And two maner of wayes he proueth that they had a law fyrst in that by nature they did those thinges which are prescribed by the law secondly because they had within themselues their owne cogitations mutually accusing them or excusing them As touching the Iewes he sharpely reproueth them as which were of so small sound iudgement that they iudged themselues to be therefore iustefyed because they had receaued the lawe And now he beginneth by litle and litle to come vnto them which a litle afterward he doth more openly For saith he the hearers of the law shall not be iustified before God but the doers He therefore saith before God because they before mē wōderfully much boasted of the law which they had receaued God sayth he nothing regardeth this For there shall not be required of you that ye receaue the law but that ye execute the law The discourse which now is in hād is touching the righteousnes The righteousnes of the law requireth deedes and workes of the law which alone they allowed For touching the righteousnes of fayth he will afterward plainly entreate Now he cutteth their throtes with theyr owne sword in defining the righteousnes of the law namely that it vrgeth dedes and requireth works to the fulfilling thereof Whereby he calleth thē backe to consider their owne life Neither saith he in the meane time that mē cā not be otherwise iustified but only sheweth vnto thē that they haue fallē away frō the righteousnes of the law wherof they so much boasted That therfore which he now saith hath this sence If any man should by the righteousnes of the law be iustified before God it behoueth that the same should fulfil the law according to that saying Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things which are writē in the booke of the lawe This is an easy plaine expositiō But Augustine in his booke de Spiritu litera ad Marcellinum is of this minde that the doers of the law are iustified but yet in such sort that righteousnes goeth before the good works which the saintes do For they are fyrst iust before they do iust workes But because he seeth that this word of iustifying is in the future tence and by that meanes is signifyed that men shall not be iustefyed vnles they fyrst haue good workes therefore he addeth that to be iustefied in this place is not first to receaue righteousnes but to be counted righteous so that the sense is they shal be counted for righteous which shal be doers of the law but they ought first by fayth to haue receaued righteousnes whereby they were made iust but afterward they shal be made knowen by the effectes as they were before iust so now shal they be counted for iust And the like kinde of speach sayth he is in this sentence when Halowed be thy name how it is to be expounded we pray Thy name be sanctified Where we desire not that the name of God should be made holy as though before it were not holy but we desire that it may be of men counted holy This is Augustines exposition For when the Gentiles which haue not the law do by nature the thinges contayned in the law they hauing not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselues whiche shewe the effect of the law in theyr hartes their conscience also bearing witnes and their thoughtes accusing one an other or excusing at the day when God shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell For when the Gentles c. Now commeth he vnto the Gentles whiche ought not to complayne thoughe they perished seing they had not the lawe of Moses For hee declareth that they were not vtterly without a lawe because they did by nature those thinges whiche were contayned in the law And when hee sayth by Nature he doth not vtterly exclude the helpe of God For all truth that men knowe is of God and of the holy ghost And nature here signifieth that knowledge whiche is grafted in the myndes of men Euen as in the eyes of the body God hath plāted the power of seinge Neither doth Paul in this place entreate of the strēgthes by which the Gētiles being holpē performed these things For that shall afterward bée
he wil geue any plasters to heale it withall And so commeth it to passe that the law openeth the way vnto the Gospel Neither is this to What is the property of the law be maruelled at that in this place by the law are vnderstanded the Prophets and Psalmes For what soeuer is found in the whole scrpture serueth to the institution of lyfe which is peculiar and proper vnto the law Because by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustefied in his sight For by the law coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But now is that righteousnes of God made manifest wtout the law hauing witnes of the law of the Prophets Namely the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that beleue For there is no difference for all haue sinned are depriued of the glory of God And are iustefied frely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough fayth in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse by the remission of the sinnes that are passed thorough the patience of God to shew at this present tyme his righteousnes that he mighte be iust and a iustefier of hym which is of the fayth of Iesus Christ Because by the vvorkes of the lavv sâ—all no flesh be iustefied in his sight Hitherto Paule hath by good argumentes proued that iustification is not to belooked for by those thinges which wheÌ„ we haue obtayned yet notwithstanding we lyue wickedly That philosophy and the law were such he hath manifestly declared forasmuch as by them were accused both the Gentles and the Iewes that they were excedingly contaminated with wicked actes Wherby is concluded that the mouthe as well of the Iewes as of the Gentiles is stopped so that the whole world is made culpable before God And in that he lastly chiefly inueighed by sundry testimonies of the holy Scripture it was because he should haue a sharpe conflict agaynst the A sharpet conflict against the Iewes theÌ„ against the Ethnikes Hebrues For the Ethnikes were easely ouercome For they openly liued filthily neither could they out of philosophy bring any thing but the inuentions and opinions of men But the Hebrewes pretended the law and the ceremonies which they had receiued at the handes of God and therfore it semed that they might lawfully put confidence in them And peraduenture they mought haue sayd yâ— those thinges which were brought against them out of the holy scriptures pertayned vnto theyr elders and vnto them which filthily liued in the tyme of the Prophetes and not to theyr whole kinred Therfore the Apostle bringeth in a generall sentence wherby vtterly to represse them and affirmeth that no man can be iustified before God by the workes of the law Where he taketh away the power of iustifieng not onely An vniuersall proposition that by the workes of the law no man can be iustified from men or persons but also from the workes of the law so that it followeth of necessity that we must not put any confidence in them For as they were coÌ„maunded by the law no man was able to performe them For forasmuch as two things were required by the law First that workes should procede from fayth grace and charity Secondly that throughout and exactly they should agrée with the law and sithen the law ministred not strengthes to do these thinges there remained onely outward obseruations and ceremonies of which the Apostle sayth that they had not the power to iustifie Afterward by a firme reason he concludeth that we must not thinke that iustification is receiued by the law bicause by it commeth the knowledge Forasmuch as the law coÌ„demneth accuseth it absolueth not Righteousnes happeneth without the law of sinne Seyng therfore the law condemneth accuseth it absolueth not nor iustifieth For these two offices are contrary and repugnaunt the one to the other And these thyngs beyng thus ordered he gathereth his chiefe proposition of which he will in this epistle dispute namely that righteousnes commeth wythout the law Wherby commeth to passe that it depeÌ„deth not of it Afterward he affirmeth that the righteousnes of God which hath his testimony out of the law and the prophetes commeth by the fayth of Iesus Christ And this is all one wyth that which he proposed at the beginnyng that the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to Righteousnes by the faith of Iesus Christ euery one that beleueth and that in it is reueled the righteousnes of God froÌ„ faith to faith and that the iust man as Abacuck saith liueth by faith Thus much as touching the disposition now let vs diligently examine euery thing by it selfe In that he saith That by the workes of the law no flesh shal be iustified in the fight of God It is necessary that we know of what workes of the lawe the Apostle here intreateth And here we affirme that he speaketh vniuersally of all workes so the those thinges which are here spoken ought not perticularly to be drawen vnto ceremonies wheÌ„ as they include the whole law We grauÌ„t in dede yâ— the controuersy sproÌ„g by reasoÌ„ of ceremonies For the false Apostles went about to obtrude theÌ„ as necessary vnto theÌ„ They which say that ceremonies are nedelul affirm Christ not to be Christ which beleued in Christ As though Christ could not wtout theÌ„ bring saluation to yâ— beleuers Which was blasphemous neither was it any lesse irreligious then to deny Christ to be Christ which thing they must néedes graunt that affirme that he cannot saue men without the workes of the law But as touching morall commaundementes they contended not For as well the Apostles as the deceiuers vrged them Neither was there any controuersie about ciuill or as they call them iudiciall lawes for they pertayned vnto the publike wealth Which forasmuch as it had maiestrates the church and the Apostles tooke no care of those thinges But although the contention sprong by reason of ceremonies yet by the benefite of the Workes ar to be taken vniuersally when they are affirmed not to iustify The question was moued because of ceremonies holy ghost it came to passe that Paule reuoked the question from the species or partes vnto the vniuersall genus or generall worde For if the generall worde be by negation ouerthrowen it followeth that the species also euery parte be clene destroyed For if generally the law iustify not neither vndoubtedly shall ceremonies iustify forasmuch as they are a certaine species and a part of the lawe And that the discention began by reason of ceremonies the Actes of the Apostles do testiffe in the xv chapter And not much afterwarde in this selfe same epistle the Apostle when he would proue that Abraham was not iustified by the lawe bryngeth a reason taken from Circumcision And also to the Galathians where he rehearseth hearseth this selfe same sentence and in a maner with
oppressed Otherwise it shall bee all one to bee occupied in them as to marke what Liui Aristotle Salust Plutarche and other writers haue left in writing But now without the law is the righteousnes of God made manifest beyng confirmed by the testimony of the law and of the prophetes Here is expressedly put forth the question wherof he will afterward entreat And thereof he putteth two partes Of which the one is that the righteousnes of God is without the law made manifest The other is that it is obtained by the faith of Iesus Christ And Paule affirmeth that this righteousnes of God hath the testimonye both of the law and of the prophets This is it which he proposed at the beginning that by the Gospell is reueled the righteousnes of God from saith to faith And in that he writeth that this manifestation is done without the law he vnderstādeth without helpe of the law being obserued but onely by the hearing of faith Which The righteousnes of God threefold selfe thing he affirmed vnto the Galathians when he said Haue ye receiued the holy ghost by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith The righteousnes of God as I haue in an other place declared is thréefold The first is wherby we are through Christ receiued into fauour and our sinnes are forgeuen vs and the righteousnes of Christ is imputed vnto vs. And the second kind of righteousnes followeth this namely that thorough helpe of the holy ghost our minde is reformed and we all whole are inwardly renewed by grace Thirdly follow holy and godly workes for they which are once come thus far are most zelous and desirous of working well Now then Paule entreateth of the first righteousnes whiche he saith is declared in vs without the law And he calleth it the righteousnes of God because it is gotten thorough his power and goodnes and not thorough our owne workes And if a man do more narowly consider it it is the mercy of God which he bestoweth vpon vs thorough Christ And I haue in an other place admonished that that which the Hebrues call Tsedech and our men haue turned righteousnes signifieth rather goodnes and mercy And therefore to this day the Iewes call almes by that name And Ambrose vpon this place is of the selfe same mynd For he sayth Therefore is Ambrose Why the mercy of God is called righteousnes that called the righteousnes of God which semeth to be the mercy of God because it hath his originall beginning of Gods promise and when that promise is performed it is called the righteousnes of God For therfore is it the righteousnes of God because that is rendered which was promised Also whē he receiueth those which fly vnto him it is called rightousnes For one not to receiue him that flieth vnto him it is iniquity Thus much Ambrose But we must not harken vnto them which in this place do interprete these wordes Without the law for without the ceremonies of the lawe For we haue before shewed that althoughe the question was moued by reason of them yet hath Paule entreated of the lawe generally so that it comprehendeth all the partes of the law They seme not much to ouershoote themselues which by the righteousnes Christ the righteousnes of God of God vnderstande Christ for whatsoeuer pertayneth to iustification that same commeth from him vnto vs when we beleue in hym Betwene the righteousnes of God and ours Paule plainly putteth a difference when he saith in this self same The manifestation of the righteousnes of God happened chiefly in the tyme of the Apostles The order and maner of the preaching of the Apostles Epistle Being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and seeking to establishe theyr owne they are not subiecte vnto the righteousnes of God But that we may the better vnderstand what this manifestation of the rightousnes of God is which then happened chieflye when Paule wrote these thinges it must thus be vnderstanded that we must haue a regarde what manner of preaching the Apostles vsed As farre as we can gather out of the sermons of the Apostles as they are set forth in the Actes of the Apostles First they preached repentaunce setting before mens eyes their sinnes and condemnation wherin men were wrapped then they gathered together the proprieties and conditions of Christ which should heale these euils and that out of the holy scriptures Thirdly they applied the same proprieties and conditions vnto Iesus of Nazareth to allure men vnto his fayth And suche as hearyng these things beleued the same obteyned of God remission of their sinnes Inwardly they were made new and outwardly they liued moste holily resembling the image of God to which mankynde was made With perseuerance they called vppon God communicating together in prayers breakyng of bread all holye workes They stedfastly did put their trust in God as they which were vtterly destitute of all other helpe They nothing regarded worldly riches laying the price of their things and money at the féete of the Apostles They stoutely bare a good testimonye vnto Why the righteousnes of God is said to be made manifest without the law Christ reioycing that they suffred greuous thinges for hys names sake Lastly in this quarell they cherefully shed theyr bloud bestowed theyr life And the world seyng those thinges could not but be moued and acknowledge that a new kynde of righteousnes appeared on the earth And because amongest them were Ethenikes which had no knowledge at all of the law therfore the Apostle sayth Without the law Also many of the Hebrewes were called who although they knew the law yet they nothyng at all regarded it And it was all one as if they had not had the law There came some also which liued very vprightly and were moste zelous in the study of the law as Nathaniell whome Christ pronounced to be a true Israelite in whom there was no guile And these were iustified without the law for that obseruation of the law which they performed was not the cause why they were iustified The lawe in déede may be a helpe vnto iustification because it admonisheth vs and accuseth vs by whiche meanes we are dryuen vnto Christe But for as muche as it hathe not the strengthe to forgeue synnes to geue the The law helpeth vnto iustification but it is not the cause thereof A conciliation holye Ghoste to suggest faythe into the hartes of the hearers therefore Paule saythe righte well That we are iustified wythout the lawe Augustine in hys booke de spiritu litera saith that the Apostle seemeth to speake thynges repugnaunt For he affyrmeth that the righteousnes of God whereof he nowe speaketh had his testimonye of the lawe and the Prophetes and yet be saythe that it was made manifeste without the lawe But he aunswereth that there is here in verye deede no contradiction if a man rightly distinct those thinges which are here spoken For
instrument is as touching God and the same is Christ whome the goodnes of God hath vsed for a sacrifice the other instrument as touching vs is faith whereby we take hold of the mercy of God and of his promises Now speaketh he of the ende The end of iustification God would to no other end in such sort iustifie vs but to declare his righteousnes which commeth not to passe but by communicating it with others For theÌ„ doth a man declare his riches when he enricheth others then declareth a man his knowledge when he enstructeth others then also sheweth he his strength when he streÌ„gthned others as Ambrose also saith That the righteousnes of God is made manifest in iustifieng of vs because he rendreth according to his promises which he hath made But there is no smal emphasis in this that vnto righteousnes he addeth this word His Iustification by faith hath tâ—o commodities to declare that there is vtterly no righteousnes of ours Chrisostom vpon this place saith Be not afearde for this righteousnes consisteth not of workes but of fayth and he addeth that in it are two excellent commodities First for that it is easy secondly because God by it declareth his owne proper righteousnes By the remission of the sinnes that are passed I knowe not what moued A strang reding and interpretation of Ambrose Ambrose not to read remission but purpose And in his interpretation he saith because God purposed to deliuer not onely those which dwell in heauen but also those which were in hell Whch thinges seme not to serue for this place Erasmus supposeth yâ— he red not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth remissioÌ„ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth purpose this reading also doth Augustine follow in his boke de spiritu litera the xiij cha But it is best we rede as the coÌ„moÌ„ readyng hath it For so is expressed vnto vs in what thyng chieflye consisteth iustification namely in the remission of sinnes Whiche thyng Dauid setteth forth expressedly when he saith Blessed are they whose iniquities In what thing chiefly consisteth iustificatioÌ„ are forgeuen It commeth in deede by the benefite of the holy ghost that besides the forgeuenes of sinnes followeth an instauration or renewing of the whole maÌ„ But in the first principall pointe consisteth the summe of iustification namelye the forgeuenes of sinnes This particle which is added Of the sinnes passed accordyng to the opinion of some is put to take away licentiousnes of sinnyng that men should not thinke that after they haue obteined righteousnes at Gods hand they should then liue losely But it is to be thought rather that the Apostle would hereby shew the infirmity of the lawe and of philosophy of humayne strengthes as thinges which were not able to put away sinne Sinne vndoubtedly continueth and abideth vntill righteousnes be by faith communicated vnto vs. And that it did still abide we shall afterwarde heare of Paule when a little after he sayth that sinne raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses and that he therby proueth for that death did spread abrode into all meÌ„ And yet caÌ„not by this place be proued that men after iustification can not fall which falles through After iustification we still fall An error of the Nouatians fayth must be forgeuen by iustification agayne obteined Wherfore the NouatiaÌ„s did hereof vnaptly gather that after baptisme forgeuenes of sinnes should not be geuen vnto them that fell Althoughe they beyng compelled by the force of arguments confessed that God in dede can geue remission of wicked actes after baptisme but to vs in the church it is not lawfull to exercise or to promise any suche forgeuenes But they very ill weighed what was said to Peter that he should forgeue his penitent brother not onely seuen tymes but also seuenty tymes seuen tymes Paules meanyng in this place is to declare the state of man before he attayneth vnto iustification namely that he is altogether in sinne Iustification embraceth What maner ones we be when the righteousnes of God first findeth vs. Against woorkes preparatorâ— Christ is perpetually one and the selfe same mediator vs when we are in that state that we bring nothyng vnto God from our owne selues but onely sins to be forgeueÌ„ Which vndoubtedly wheÌ„ they are forgeuen it followeth of necessity that they went before Wherfore by this place are rather coÌ„futed workes as they call theÌ„ of preparatioÌ„ theÌ„ that it maketh any thyng on Nouatus side And without doubt theyr opinion is vtterly to be reiected which thinke that the first iustification in dede commeth vnto vs fréely and the we should be by baptisme regenerated are not required good workes to go before But if we chaunce afterward say they to sin then is it necessary that we make satisfaction As though Christ were not the self same mediator at one tyme the he is at an other time Iohn most manifestly coÌ„futeth those meÌ„ saying Little children these thinges I write vnto you that ye sinne not but if we sinne we haue an aduocate wyth the father Iesus Christ whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our propitiation By which wordes we gather the after baptisme also if we chance to fal Christ is our iustification and not our workes Neither is it conuenient to thinke that the estate of them whiche by greuous falles haue turned away from Christ is better then theyrs which are not as yet coÌ„uerted vnto him so that though before they could not iustifie themselues they are afterward able to do it Wherfore we must nedes thinke that by repentaunce is againe obtained the selfe maner of iustificatioÌ„ the was before in baptism or to speake more vprightly wheÌ„ we were first regenerate by faith Wherfore I The same maner of iustification after baptisme which was before can not inough wonder what came in their heds of Cullen those moste great defenders of abuses in that their booke called Antididagma where they gooe about to put a difference betwene that repentaunce which we preach vnto infidels and yâ— repentaunce which is to be done of ChristiaÌ„s that haue falleÌ„ into greuous crimes They graunt the as touching infidels we should by the law of Moses vpbraide vnto theÌ„ those wicked factes which they haue committed and then set forth Christ vnto them as a remedy and medicine of so great euils But they affirme that vnto those which being Christians haue contaminated themselues with sinnes are to be inculcated the giftes and benefites from whiche they haue fallen and to be set forth vnto them the exercises of the spirite by which they may be agayne holpen And for this their sentence they cite certaine places of the Scripture First that which is written in the Apoc. Remember from whence thou hast falleÌ„ and do the first workes Otherwise I come vnto thee And vnto the Galathians Paule saith O ye foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey
that they should beleue This his interpretation I say if we so vnderstand it as though repentance were not ioyned with the first fayth whereby we are iustified is most absurd For howe can any man being endued with a true fayth whereby he shoulde be iustified A place of Ambrose made plain want repentance so that he shoulde be nothing sory for his euill life past But if Ambrose vnderstand ether that Ecclesiasticall satisfactions are not required or els that that repentance which of necessity followeth fayth ought indede to be had but is not required as a cause of iustification then sayth he well Vndoubtedly this sentence pleased him so well that he also wrote it before as we haue mencioned and also vpon the xi chapter as we shall afterward see The fathers mustâ— be red warâ—lye he repeteth the selfe same Hereby we see how warely we must reade the fathers For they speake many thinges sometymes which if they be not well vnderstand can in no case be allowable Yea and sometymes somethinges escape them which a man can scarsely interprete soundly as that which the selfe same Ambrose writeth vpon this place Wherfore sayth he he setteth forth the blessednes of the tyme wherein Christ was borne as the Lord himselfe sayth Many iust men and prophetes desired to see the thinges which ye see and to heare the thinges which ye heare and haue not heard neyther haue they sene As though euen before the coÌ„ming of Christ also God iustified not his after the selfe same maner that he now iustifieth vs. It is manifest that this diuersity of tyme is vtterly repugnant vnto the meaning of Paul For he sayth that Abraham was iustified by sayth Yea and Dauid also whose testemony this is felt that he was after the same maner iustified And the same Ambrose before wheÌ„ he expouÌ„deth this place But to hym which worketh a reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt thus writeth It is for certayne that vnto him which is subiect vnto the lawe of workes that is vnto the lawe of Moses or vnto the lawe of nature merite is not counted vnto reward to haue glory before God For he is debter to do the lawe for necessity is layde on hym by the law so that will he or nill he he must do the lawe least he be condemned As in an other place he sayth but they which contemne do get vnto theÌ„selues damnation because presently they are guilty But to beleue or not to beleue pertaiueth to the will For a man can not be compelled to a thing which is not manifest but is thereto allured and is thereunto perswaded for it may not be by violeÌ„ce vrged vnto him But this difference betwene the workes which are commaunded by the lawe of nature and the law of Moses and betwene fayth which Ambrose here putteth is nothing at all For by the necessity of the commaundement of God we are no les bound to beleue then we are to do good workes And as to do good works is not violently vrged of men agaynst their willes no more is to beleue also And as vpon the transgression of the lawe of nature or of the lawe of Moses dependeth condemnation so also dependeth it vpon the transgression of fayth Thus we sée what maner of things sometimes we reade in the fathers I will adde also how Chrisostome interpreteth this self same place But to him which worketh a reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt Thus he writeth But this thou wilt say is a greater matter Not so vndoubtedly For vnto him that beleueth it is imputed But it should neuer be imputed vnles he himselfe also had brought somewhat with him c. Here he sayth that he which is iustified by fayth bringeth something of himselfe And that is as we before noted in his sayinges fayth And that this is not true he himselfe vpon this place declareth For he sayth that this is the principallest thing that maketh a faythfull man to be notable namely that he is by God endued with so much grace that he is able to shew forth such so great a fayth In this place he affirmeth yâ— faith coÌ„meth not of our selues but of the grace of God So yâ— before he wrote not so soundly when he sayd that we do ether geue or els bring somewhat to be iustified and make God our debter These thinges I therefore rehearse that we should not thinke that the fathers alwayes spake all thinges firmelye and constantly or that out of them we should at all tymes seke the sure exposition The Fathers do not alwaies speake like to themselues By the scriptures ought we to be setled as touching doctrine of the scriptures First we ought out of the very scriptures soundly to define of doctrines Then afterward may the fathers be reade with iudgement But that the scriptures should of necessity be subiect vnto yâ— expositions of theÌ„ it nether can nor ought to be For it were absurd to make subiect the iudgementes of God vnto the iudgementes of men And seing they also are oftentymes obscure and in their expositions diuers and manifold this were to depart froÌ„ the scriptures which are certayne to things vncertayne These things I haue spoken by the way but for our times I hope not vnprofitably Augustine in the preface of his declaration vpon the 31. Psalme writeth Many boast of woorkes and a man shall finde manye Paganes or infidels whiche therefore will not be come Christians because that they suffice theÌ„selues with their vpright life We must of necessity liue well saith he and what shall Christ require of me To liue well I lyue well alredy Wherein then shall Christ be nedefull vnto me I committe no murther nor theft nor rapine I desire not other mennes goodes I am not contaminated with any adultery For let there be founde any thynge in me that is worthy to be reproued and he whiche reproueth me let him make me a Christian This man hath glory but not with God Sée how the ignoraunce of this hidden iustification whiche is not of They which are ignorant of this iustification do abhorre froÌ„ Christian religion That is chiefly called felicity which commeth without labour workes called men backe from Christian religion Wherefore at this day also they that are ignoraunt of it and do iustifie themselues by workes are both farre from Christ and also haue no vnderstanding of the benefite that commeth by him And in this sentence of Dauid let vs this consider also that there is no mention made of good workes whiche thing also this worde blessednes geueth vs to vnderstand For when we attaine to any thing wherein we haue spent great labour we are not for that counted very happy But if we attayne vnto the selfe same thing without labour and in a maner without any our trauaile then are we couÌ„ted happy and blessed Came this blessednes then vpon the circumcision or vpon
of the law when as otherwise we our selues can not perticularly render a reason of these ceremonies The Apostles haue only generally made them playn vnto vs. And though there haue benne some amongst vs as Origen and a greate many other like which haue attēpted to frame for euery perticular ceremony a proper alegory yet haue they in a manner but lost theyr labour For theyr inuentions could We must not geue our selues to much to Allegories Error of the scholemen bring no profite at all vnto vs. For they most plainely want the woord of God Nether is it to be meruayled at that they so muche delighted in such inuentiōs For euen as euery where our owne deuises woonderfully please vs so in this matter the curiosity of man excedingly delighted it selfe Now those things which we haue spoken most playnly declare how farre the schole men haue missed of the marke which haue betwen the old sacrementes and the new put this difference that the old sacramentes only signified grace and Christ but ours largly and aboundantly exhibite both For the elders say they were holpen by the woorke of the worker For when any man came with fayth and a godly Of the worke working◠and the worke wrought motion of the hart and of the minde vnto those holy seruices he had therby merite But the woorke wrought as they call it nothing profited them as touching saluation But in our sacraments they say it is farre otherwise that not only fayth and the spirituall motion of the minde which they call the woorke of the worker helpeth vs but also euen the outward sacramente it selfe and the institution of God which they call the worke wrought conferreth vnto vs both remission of sinnes and also saluation But I will demaund of these men what that is which the outward worke and the visible sacrament exhibiteth vnto vs that we do not attayne vnto by fayth if they aunswere that it is Christ as for hym we comprehende by fayth If remission of sinnes that also we obtayne by fayth if reconciliation wherby we returne into fauor which God this also we can not obtayne without fayth if last of all the encrease of grace and of the spirite neither vndoubtedly doo we by anye other meanes obtayne this but by fayth what is there then remaning that this worke wrought bringeth This word is altogether strange nether is it once mēcioned of in the holy scriptures Worke wrought a woorde neuer heard of Nether would I at this time haue vsed it but that I haue to contēd agaynst the aduersaries But paraduenture they will say Forasmuch as besides fayth is also added the outward woorke is there nothinge to be attributed vnto it yes vndoubtedly I attribute much vnto it when it procedeth of fayth For I know that such a worke pleaseth God and that he vseth to recompence many thinges vnto such workes But what maketh that to this present purpose Did not the elders vnto theyr fayth adioyne also those workes wherby they exercised and receaued the sacraments of theyr law Wherfore as touching this part wee see that they had in theyrs as many things which pleased God as we haue in ours vnles paraduenture they wil contend that the exercising and receauing of our sacramentes is ether a better or nobler woorke then was the exercising and receauing of the sacramentes of the elders which thing I will not graunte vnto The receauing of our sacraments is not more excellent or better then the receauinge of the sacraments of the elders Whither the sacramentes conferre grace and remitt◠sinnes thē especially seing y◠the perfectin of the worke is to be cōsidered by faith and charity from whēce it procedeth wherfore if Abraham and Dauid had more faith when they receaued theyr sacramentes then any weake Christian when he is baptised or communicateth who will not iudge but that theyr worke is more notable and more excelēt then the other mans worke And moreouer as for that kinde of speach which these men so often vse namely that sacraments remitte sinnes ar conferre grace we do not easly admite vnles paraduenture in that sēse wherin Paule affirmeth that the Gospell is the power of God to saluatiō as vnto Timothe the reading of the holy scriptures is sayd to make saffe which vndoubtedly is nothing ells but that the might and power of God wherby he remitteth sinnes geueth grace and at the end saueth vseth these instruments and meanes to our saluation And euen as to bring vs to saluatiō he vseth the word of the Gospell and the preaching of the holy scriptures so also adioyneth he ther vnto the sacraments For by ether of them is preached vnto vs the liberall promisse of God which if we take hold of by fayth we shall obtayne both saluatiō and also remission of sinnes This is the true sense vnto which also are the fathers to be applied when they say that grace is the power of the sacramentes Which is all one as if they had sayd vnderstanding and sense is the power of speach and of wordes And how vnaptly the Scholemen speake of theyr stay or Of the stay or let of the scholemen let herby it is manifest for that they say that he putteth not a staye or let which although he haue not the acte ether of louing or of beleuing yet obiecteth nothing that is contrary or opposite vnto grace namely the acte of infidelity or of hatred Thē in such case say they the sacraments of the Gospel conferre grace But this is nothing ells then to attribute vnto creatures the cause of our saluation and to binde our selues to much to signes and elements of this world Thys ought to bee certayne and most assured that no more is to be attributed vnto the sacramentes as touching saluation then vnto the worde of God Wherfore We oughte to attribute no more vnto the sacraments then vnto the woord of God How our sacraments are better then the sacramentes of the elders Sometimes is receaued the sacraments onely sometimes the thinge onelye Grace is not bounde vnto the sacramentes as we put corne into sackes if sometimes we heare as Augustine also saith our sacramentes are better then the sacramentes of the elders this ought so to be vnderstanded that it be refer red vnto perspicuitie For we graunt that our sacraments both speake and preach more plainly of Christ then did the sacraments of the elders Wherfore seing we are more clearely and plainly instructed faith is the more fuller and bringeth vnto vs more grace and spirite And we gladly admit that which the same Augustine saith That sometymes it commeth to passe that the sacrament is receyued wythout the thing For so the wicked and infidels vsinge the sacramentes receiue onelye the outwarde signes and are vtterly voyde of saluation and of grace Sometimes also it contrariwise happeneth that the godly being excluded by any necessitie frō the vse of the sacramentes yet are in no wise defrauded
of wickednes if we want Christ then must we nedes abhorre God and flye from hym as from an auenger and punisher of sinne And this is that hatred of the world which Christ hath shee l Where heÌ„ce commeth the hatred of the world againste the godly What peace here signifieth to be bent agaynst him and agaynst his when he sayd If the worlde hate me it will also hate you And of the Iewes he testefieth That they hated his father But now after that we be thus iustified we haue peace towardes God for that we are perswaded that he leaueth vs and herein consisteth our whole felicitye So Dauid did not without iust cause say that they are blessed whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered And by the name of peace is here properly signified tranquility of conscience There are some which in stede of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is we haue rede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let vs haue peace As though Paul after that he had forth the doctrine of faith should now entreate of sincerenes of life and should stirre vp the Romanes to mutuall loue and beneuolence one towards an other And Origen semeth to leaue to this sentence But Chrisostome most manifestly leaneth thereunto for he bringeth two maner of expositions The one is that seing we are iustified by fayth there remayneth that contentions be put away and that men liue in peace one towardes an other And they say that therefore Paul spake this because there were some which contended that the law should be holden as necessary vnto saluation but Paul declareth that there is no such nede seing we are iustified by fayth The second exposition is that we should excercise charity and sinne not But this sentence can not stand sauing vpright the scope of this place and wordes of the Apostle For we sée that here by a briefe rehearsall is entreated of the conclusion which is inferred of those thinges which were before spoken Farther the peace which the Apostle speaketh of is not that peace which men haue one towardes an other For he playnly sayth towards God and those thinges which follow we sée are spoken by the indicatiue moode For he sayth By whome we haue accesse vnto this grace wherein we stande But Chrisostome hath herein also erred when he demandeth whether we can be without sinne wheÌ„ as we now haue iustification he maketh answere vnto himselfe that this is an easy matter Because sayth he it was a harder thing that we which were subiecte to so greeuous sinnes shoulde be deliuered from them then that when we are iustified wee shoulde beware of them For sayth he it is a muche greater matter to obtayne those thinges whiche wee haue not then to defende those thinges whyche he haue alreadye obtayned But wee haue before declared that that so long as we lyue here can not be hoped for namely vtterly to want sinne And if any man will contend that this may be done by the power of God we will not be agaynst him For God could adorne a man with so great grace that he should liue vtterly without sin But we speake according to the senteÌ„ce of the scriptures as the thing is indede and as experience teacheth vs alwayes to happen If we say Whether any man can here liue without sinne sayth Iohn we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and the truth is not in vs. And Ierome agaynst the Pelagians derideth that power which nether is nor hath bene nor euer shall be put in execution Ambrose maketh on our side and manifestly interpreteth this place of the peace of the conscience which we haue towardes God Yea he herein compareth fayth and the law together and saith that fayth excelleth Fayth excelleth the law the law for that it maketh peace which the law could not do Although whether we write it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or whether by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is whether we reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is haue or may haue our expositioÌ„ hath place stil For the Apostle ether sayth that we now alredy haue that peace or els exhorteth vs to haue it and not any more as we were wont before to flye from God But the common receaued reading by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a great deale better He addeth That by Christ we haue accesse vnto grace wherein we stand If by Christ we haue accesse vnto God and vnto his grace then may we inferre of the contrary that without Christ we flye from God To what ende then shall we call vpon Saintes what other reconciliator haue we nede of if by Christ is geuen vnto vs accesse vnto God Because say they our complayntes are not brought vnto Emperors and kinges vnles we be brought in vnto them by Dukes Earles or Lordes But as we haue before declared out of Amhrose this is done because our Princes or men nether do they sée what is done abroade in the streates and in other mens houses Therefore towardes them we haue nede of many mediators Agaynst iâ—uocation of sayntes But God séeth all thinges there is nothing hidden from Christ Wherefore whatsoeuer is attributed vnto any other is taken away from his dignity and grace Others contend that we haue accesse vnto grace by sorrowes contritions teares satisfactions workes of truth But as touching fayth which Paul so oftentymes inculcateth they speake not a word And if a maÌ„ chance to vrge theÌ„ they answere yâ— in all things they vnderstand fayth And so in a thing most wayghty and which is the chiefe poynt of the whole matter they deale fraudulently and dalyenglye But we say with Paul that by Christ and fayth we haue accesse vnto the grace of reconciliation And as for repentance and workes of charity we say that they come as companions which alwayes follow true fayth Thou wilt demaund peraduenture what maner of peace grace that is which we haue when as God vseth gréeuously to punishe those sinnes which he hath alredy remitted and forgeuen vnto his For so we reade that he did to Dauid We answere that those tribulations which God inflicteth vpon the elect after that he hath forgeuen them The afflictâ—ons of the godly haue not the nature of punishments their sinnes if we will speake properly haue not the nature of punishments For they are rather fatherly corrections wherby the saints are the better admonished not to fall agayne into the like sinnes and the church is tought how sore God hateth sinne Wherefore in these punishmentes is not disturbed the peace of the elect nether do they sometymes fly from such scourges And this I speake of the spirite and not of the fleshe This thing only Dauid desireth that the Lord would not correct him in his furye or in his wrath He refused not to be fatherly cha 〈…〉 sed But The
forasmuch as it maketh not ashamed but remouing all doubt attaineth to God which is our chiefe felicitye is fastened to him as of the laste linke of the chayne the highest and chiefest This selfe same propriety of Not confounding beloÌ„geth to fayth also For none that beleueth in hym shall be confounded And that not without cause For what can be of more nere affinity vnto fayth then hope The Lattine interpreter Hope and faith haue one and the selfe same propriety not to make ashamed A figuratiue speach turneth it Non confundit that is confoundeth not Howbeit it mought be more properly turned Non pudefacit that is maketh not ashamed And it is a figuratiue kind of spech For Pauls mind was to signifie that the godly can not be frustrated of their hope for they whiche are frustrated namely when thinges fall out farre otherwyse then they hoped for commonly are ashamed Wherefore Paul by shame vnderstandeth frustration because shame alwayes followeth it But the Lattine interpreter had a regarde to that perturbation of the mynde whiche followeth shame For to confounde is nothinge els but to perturbe or to trouble Now if this sentence be true as in deede it is moste true namelye that this hope confoundeth Hope dependeth not of our works Hope is most assured not it followeth that it dependeth not of our woorkes For otherwise it shoulde oftentymes fayle But that it is true and certayne Paul declareth not by one word only but by thrée and those of great efficacy For first he vseth this word knowing which betokeneth an assured knowledge of a thing He maketh mencion also of reioycing which can not haue place with godly and wise men but of those good thinges which they assuredly and firmely possesse At the last he addeth that hope confoundeth not And it is not without cause that he oftentymes induceth perswasions of this certainty for that thereheÌ„se chiefly is consolation to be sought for in afflictions When Christ hong vpon the crosse the wicked rayled agaynst him saying he hoped in God let him saue him if he will haue him Let him come downe from the crosse c. The selfe same thinges Remedy agaynst rayling speaches Hope depeÌ„deth not of merites are layd agaynst vs not only by outward enemyes but also by our fleshe and outward senses and humane wisedome How can we resist these but by thys doctrine of the Apostle hope confoundeth not the hope which we haue put in the Lord maketh not ashamed The Sophisters by this place contend to proue that hope springeth of merites because Paul sayth it springeth of putieÌ„ceâ—as though we should thinke that hope is geuen vnto vs by the merite of pacience But in the meane tyme they marke not that those thinges which Paul here by a certayne order disposeth ar not so compared the one to the other as causes and effectes For who will say that afflictions are the cause of pacience and if it be not so why should they more affirme that pacience is the cause of hope The scripture most playnly teacheth that he which putteth confidence in man or in any creature is accursed for a man of whose promise we depend assure our selues may ether dye or alter hys mynd or also be letted that he can not fayth fully perform that which he promised And to put confidence either by cause of merites or by reasoÌ„ of works is to put hope in man Wherfore such hope worthely maketh ashamed but yâ— hope which is fixed vpon God is certaine neyther caÌ„ be deceaued The Sophisters go about craftely to auoyd this senteÌ„ce by two places of Paul the one to the Romanes the other to Timothe The place to Timothe is thus I know whome I haue beleued and I am assured But the other to the Romanes is thus I am assured that nether death nor life nor angels c. By these places they thinke is ouerthrowne our sentence for that they thinke that these wordes are to be vnderstand not vniuersally of all beleuers but only of Paul and such other like which had a peculiar reuelation that they shoulde obtayne saluation But these their enterprises are in dayne For here is now entreated Here is in treated of the nature of hope generally of the nature and proprlety of hope whereby is manifestly proued that al they which are endewed with it are sure of their saluation so that they must nedes confesse that they which doubt of their saluation ether haue not yâ— hope which longeth to a Christian or els if they haue that hope they must nedes be assured He which doubteth of saluation hath not the hope that longeth to a Christian of their saluation But if a man shall say what if I shall be vnworthy and therefore God will not bestowe vpon me the chiefe reward I answere that this is a wrastling of the conscience and is to be ouercome by an assured hope For the obtaynning whereof we must clene fast vnto the word of God Such as is this God is faythfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your power but will together with the temptacion make away out such like places of the holy scripture wherein God promiseth that he will geue perseuerance to hys vnto the ende And to speake briefely the hope of the godly leneth only vnto the goodnes power and mercy of the only God This thing Basilius vnderstood right wel in his exposition vpon the 32. Psalme when he interpreteth these words hoping in his mercy He sayth he which putteth not confidence in his owne proper deedes nether hopeth to be iustified by workes hath his hope of saluation onlye in the mercy of God For when he shall consider these thinges with himselfe Beholde God and his rewarde c. But the schole men haue tought farre otherwise For the Maister of the sentences in the thirde booke thus defineth hope Hope is an assured expectacion of the blessednes to come comming of the grace of God and of merites going before Which definition how absurd it is especially as touching the latter part it is very manifest in those which are newly from most hainous filthy sinnes conuerted vnto Christ For they vndoubtedly can haue no good merites for that before they wanted charitie from which all our workes procede yet They which are conuâ—rted vnto Christ want not hope although they want works and merites They which are most wicked ought not to caste away all hope there can be nothing more certaine then yâ— they which are conuerted vnto Christ cannot be without hope Yea Augustine vpon the Psalm From the depthe haue I called vnto the Lorde exhorteth them that fall and those which liue in the depth of euils not to cast away hope and that by the example of the thiefe and of many others It may now be demaunded of them by what merites hope is confirmed in these meÌ„ They customably answere that merites do not alwayes go before hope but alwayes
hope cōtaineth expectatiō or wayting for y◠epistle to the Romanes Hope containeth expectacion or waiting for Hope hath a respecte vnto thinges of great difficulty A similitude expressedly declareth in the 8. chapter when he sayth The hope which is sene is not hope For how doth a man hope for that which he seeth But if we hope for that which we see not we do by pacience wayte for it Nether is this to be ouerhipped y◠that good thing vnto which hope hath a respect is hard and difficile For naturally in liuing creatures the affection of hope consisteth in the grosser part of the mynde which they call the angry part whereby the liuing creature is moued to labour to gette that good thing which is set before it although there séeme to be some lettes agaynst it For by such an affection it is stirred vp to ouercome whatsoeuer let commeth in the way The woolfe being hungry meteth with a bull and by the lust that he hath he coueteth that pray But when he seeth the great difficulty that hāgeth ouer him for that he must haue a sore battaile and conflict he is of the angry power of the mynde by hope stirred vp and is not aferd to put himselfe into danger and to fight And so at the length hauing put away all lettes he obtayneth his pray So hath God in the nobler part of our mynde placed hope whereby is brought to passe that when the chiefe felicity Hope is placed in the nobler part of the minde In hope heauines is ioyned together with ioy which is a thing both difficult and farre of from vs is set before vs we should not be feared away but by fayth haue boldnes and accesse vnto God as Paul sayth in the 2. chapter to the Ephesians And forasmuch as this felicity is a great space distant from the godly it can not be otherwyse but that in hoping they haue some griefe and that they in themselues sorrow that their present condition or state should be so farre remoued from felicity But on the other side when they are certayne and assured that they shall attayne vnto that end they can not but be affected with an incredible ioye And so this faculty of hope is mingled with the affectes of ioy and sorrow And the Apostle hath signified vnto vs some part of the sorrow thereof in that place to the Romanes which we haue alredy cited when he sayth Euery creature groneth and trauayleth in payne together with vs euen vnto this present And not only the creature but we also which haue the first fruites of the spirite euen we do sigh in our selues wayting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body And that ioy is ioyned with the self same hope he declareth in the 12. chapter of the selfe same epistle saying reioysing in hope And although fortitude and long suffring séeme to bring vnto our myndes expectation or wayting for yet those vertues haue not this expectation but at hopes Other vertues haue expectation of hope hand which we haue now described Nether is it to be meruayled at that one vertue should receaue any thing of an other vertue for they whiche are any thing acquaynted with the Ethikes know that liberality temperance and such other vertues haue much helpe at the handes of prudence for by the ayde thereof they haue a mediocrity appoynted them to follow This is the difference that chiefely distinguisheth hope from fayth namely that by fayth we admitte and embrace the promises offred vnto vs of God but by the helpe of hope we patiently waite that those promises should at the length be performed vnto vs. Nether was hope for any other cause geuē of God but that we should Why hope was geuen ▪ not cease of from following after that good thing which we perceaue can not be obtained by our owne déedes for nether are they by any meanes to be compared with it For the Apostle sayth The suffringes of this tyme are not worthy the glory to come which shal be reuealed in vs. For that they which are endued with hope are assured in themselues that that which they want in the strengthes of nature and in workes shal be supplied by the mercy of God and obedience of Christ And if a man demand whether a pure life and holy workes can any thing auayle vnto the certaynty of hope we will easely graunt it may so that we seclude Workes ar no small helpe to the certainty of hope the bying and selling of merites For our workes of themselues haue nothing at all whereby they can produce hope Howbeit the perswasion of faith may by them conceaue an argument to confirme hope and to reason in thys sort God hath now of hys meare liberality geuen me grace to do this or that good worke to put away this or that vice out of my mynde Wherefore he will yet geue greater thinges nether will he deny me the thinges which are remayning vnto saluation If the Sophisters had sayd thus they mought haue bene borne withall for it is not strange from the reason of the Apostle For as we shall a little afterward see he would haue vs by those thinges which God hath alredy graūted vnto vs to be certaynly perswaded of his perpetuall loue towardes vs. But these men haue both written and tought that hope it selfe dependeth of merites and so dependeth that to hope without them they say is presumption and rashenes But it semeth that somwhat may be obiected out of the holy scriptures which may make agaynst this sentence of Paul wherein he sayth that hope confoundeth not For to Timothe it is written In my first defence Whether Paule wer euer frustrate of his hope no man was on my side all men forsooke me God grant it be not imputed vnto thē but the Lord was on my side and I was deliuered out of the mouth of the lion and the Lord shall deliuer me from euery euill worke Here Paul hoped that he should escape the persecution of Nero but he was deceaued for vnder him he was slayne And agayne to y◠Phillippians whē he had sayd that he was greatly in doubt on both those sides for that on the one side he desired to be losed and to be with Christ and on the otherside he saw that it was necessary for him to abide in the fleshe for their sakes he addeth this And this I am sure of that I shall abide and with you all continue for your furtherance and ioy of your fayth Here also agayne it appeareth that the Apostle hoped that he should be deliuered from that captiuity which yet followed not Wherefore it may séeme that that hope confounded him To aunswere vnto these thinges we will repeate that which we before sayde namely that hope receaueth hys certaynty of fayth and fayth hath hys certaynty of the worde of God Wherefore it followeth that eyther of them is as certayne as are the promyses which are
excellent estate or condition but also as it is written vnto the Hebrues Do tread vnder foote the sonne of God and do pollute his blood which was shed for them By this place also we are taught to loue our enemies not after the common maner as when men say yâ— they wishe wel vnto theyr enemy it is inough they thinke if they hate him not but yet in the meane time they will take no paynes ether to bring him to amendment or to saluation And which is more haynous they are not onely not beneficyall towardes theyr enemies but also through theyr sluggishnes they suffer theyr weake bretherne to perish they winke at theyr sinnes nether vse they any admonitions or reprehensions that they might be amended There are besides infinite other instructions which The loue of God most plentifully teacheth vs many thinges the loue of God teacheth vs. For we haue no booke stuffed with more plentifull doctrine then the death of Christ whiche if we diligentlye examine we shall be tought in a maner al dueties necessary vnto saluation Lastlye is to be noted that these thinges which Paul in this place meÌ„cioneth are had although indede more briefly yet fully inoughe in the 6. chapter of the Gospell of Iohn So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonnes that euery one that beleueth in him should not perish Here also we heare that through the loue of God the sonne was deliuered for vs. And whereas Paule sayth enemies vveake vngodly sinners the same hath the Euangelist signified by this one word vvorld And whereas Paul sayth That thorough him vve are iustified recoÌ„ciled and shal be saued from vvrath that hath the Euangelist expressed in these wordes That he vvhich beleueth in him should not perishe And not only this but vve also reioyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by vvhome vve haue novv obtayned the reconciliation This was the third part which the Apostle vsed in making mencion of the benefite of Christ after that he had both layd him forth before vs and also by amplification as it was mete commended him vnto vs. Wherefore Paul sayth that so great is the gift of God that thereof we excedingly reioyce We are not only sayth he certayne that we shall be saued but also we reioyce not in our selues but in God not through our workes but through Iesus Christ by whome we haue obtayned reconciliation When he sayth that we reioyce of this benefite of God he priuely reproueth those which counted it a thinge full of shame to professe Christian religion or to wayte for saluation at the handes of a man crucified and put to a most shamefull death Herein sayth Paul is nothing vile or whereof we should be ashamed yea rather all thinges are most honorable and full of great dignity For here we can looke vpon nothing which testefieth not Reioysinge is opposed to filthines shame vnto vs the singular loue of God towards vs. This sentence of Paul agréeth very well with these words of Ieremy in the 9. chapter Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedome nor the mighty man in his might nor the rich man in his riches but he which reioyseth let him reioyce in this that he knoweth and vnderstandeth me which What our reioysing is worke mercy righteousnes and iudgement and loue these thinges in the earth The prophet meaneth the selfe same thing that Paul doth namely that no man should reioyce ether for the good thinges of the mynde or of the body or of fortune but only let him reioyce of this that he knoweth the Lord. And the vnmeasurable loue of God can by no other thing be better or clearlyer vnderstand then by the death of Christ This is our fayth this is the chiefest knowledge that we can haue of the goodnes of God Hereby we vnderstand that God hath wrought By the death of Christ is God chiefly knowne mercy when he would by this meanes redeme vs to haue wrought iudgemeÌ„t and righteousnes wheÌ„ as he would not suffer our sinnes to escape vnpunished but hath so seuerely auenged them in Christ But because our fayth ought not to be idle but to repay agayne the selfe same thinges that we haue receaued of Christ therefore the Prophet addeth that God both loueth and requireth the selfe same thinges in the earth that is in vs. VVe reioyce sayth Paul and also the prophete in the knowledge fayth of so great a gift bestowed vpoÌ„ vs by God But they reioyce not which coldly weigh these thinges but they which feale them inwardly in the mynde and so feele them that they are ernestly affected This is to reioyce in the Lord and not in our owne workes Wherefore that which Paul before sayd that the elect reioyce in tribulations herehence dependeth for we Why we reioyce in afflictions do not reioyce of the afflictions as they are of themselues but for that we feele by them that God loueth vs. Last of all our glory herein consisteth that we haue gotten God himselfe to loue vs and to be our father then which felicitye could nothing haue happened vnto vs more to be desired Nether is this to be passed ouer that Ambrose hath noted vpon this place that we ought not only to geue thankes vnto God for the saluation and security which we haue receaued but also that we reioyce in God through Iesus Christ By which words Ambrose avoucheth the security of saluation we gather that he asserteth the security of saluation as well as we to the ende our reioysing mought be concerning such thinges as we haue now assuredly in our hands Farther also hereby it most euidently appeareth that those words of the Apostle which he before spake That the loue of God is shed abroade into our hartes are to be vnderstand of that loue wherewith God loueth vs. For of that loue this sure token we haue in that God hath geuen his son vnto vs. Farther the Apostle entending to make vs certayne of our saluation and to confirme vs in our hope coulde take no argument at all of our loue towardes God for our loue is alwayes mayned and vnperfect And therefore if a mans hope were doubtfull and vncertayne and should by this meanes be confirmed and willed to be of good cheare for that he beareth a loue towardes God he mought answere straight way that he for that cause most of all doubteth for that he seeth his loue to be weake and colde and that he loueth not God so much as he ought to do and by that occasion he can not attayne to so greate a rewarde Wherefore Paul hath appoynted an other way and confirmeth our hope by the gift of God And he thought it not sufficient simply thus to say but excellently amplifieth it by the contraries and opposites Out of this fountayne are to be Wherâ—heÌ„ce are to be sought consolations in afflictions sought consolations for the afflicted when by reason of
knowe our selues neither doo we abhorre so much as it behoueth vs from our naturall corruption and from the sins which do spring therof Yea rather there are very many which vnder the pretēce of the prayse of nature and of the workes of God do highly commend many things which by very good right ought to be condemned especially when they are sinnes The meaning therfore of this place is that now by the grace of Christ and profession of baptisme the old man is crucified and that it ought continually so to be kept vnder that the body that is the multitude of sins which spring out of it should be abolished And although in this lyfe we can not obteine to be vtterly frée from fallyng An excellēt comparisō sometimes yet ought all our endeuor to tende to this ende that euen as Christe gaue not himselfe partly but wholy vnto the crosse for our sakes so also ought we to die not onely to one or two kindes of sinnes but vtterly to all kindes of sinnes And this crucifieng if we haue a respect vnto the first communion which we haue with the death and resurrection of Christ commeth first of the holy ghost and frée mercy of God But when we are once through faith regenerate and are translated from Adam vnto Christ it behoueth vs to put to our labour endeuour and diligence And therefore Paule vnto the Galathians writeth that they whiche are of Christe haue crucified theyr fleshe wyth the lustes therof And that worthely For sithen they are y◠members of Christ it is mete that they be conformable vnto their The Deuil is crucefied with the flesh hed And Ambrose noteth that we together wyth the fleshe do crucifie the Deuill because he by the meanes of it is of efficacy in vs. That henceforth we should not be seruants vnto sinne He stil more plainly declareth what this meaneth the body of sinne to be abolished And this is the meanyng that we should not obey our naturall lust thorough committing of diuers wicked vices And by the worde of bondage or seruitude he sheweth that he layeth before vs not thinges vnprofitable but things that aboue all other are to be desired namely that we might be set at liberty Neither spake he that to this end The end is that we should not be seruants vnto sinne that sinne should by no maner of waye remayne in vs for that is vnpossible so long as we liue in this world But therfore he so admonisheth vs that we shoulde not be seruantes vnto sinne For he that is dead is iustified from sinne Wherfore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we shal also liue with him Knowing that Christ beyng raysed from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more dominion ouer hym For as touchyng that he died he died concernyng sinne once and as touchyng that he lyueth he liueth vnto God Lykewyse consider ye also that ye are dead as touching sinne but are aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our lord For he that is dead is iustified from sinne The reason why we should not be seruantes vnto lust is this namely because we are by death deliuered from it For to be iustified from sinne is as much as to be deliuered from it so that henceforth it hath no more power ouer vs. And Paul seemeth here to speake not of the death of nature but of mortification wherof I haue so oftentimes spoken And iustification may be here taken properly for that mortificatiō may be the effect therof For we cannot attain vnto it vnles we be first iustified Although some not vnaptly vnderstand this place of the vsual and natural death For they that are dead do cease of from the wicked workes in which they before liued And we vse to say of a thefe 〈◊〉 is now hanged that he will steale no more and the prouerbe is a deade man 〈…〉 teth not Wherefore if we followe this sence then shall it be a metaphore that euen as they whiche are naturallye deade do forsake and finishe the sinnes which whilest they liued they committed so we forasmuch as we are dead vnto Christ and haue professed that we will dye vnto sinne oughte vtterlye to A place of Iohn cease from synne These woordes of Paul are no otherwyse to bee vnderstande then are these wordes of Iohn He whiche is borne of GOD synneth not That is in that euerye one lyueth and woorketh oute of the principle and grounde of the heauenlye natiuitye And this principle or grounde is the holye Ghoste The principles of the heauenly regeneratiō and the worde of GOD. So he is saide to be loosed from sinne and not to doe any thing by the impulsion thereof which is dead vnto sinne and is crucified together with Christ in that he is dead and fastened vnto the crosse And euen so teacheth Peter in his first epistle the 4. chapter Forasmuch as Christ hath suffred for vs in the fleshe be ye armed with the selfe same cogitation For he which is deade ceaseth to sinne neyther liueth he in the desires of men but in the will of the Lord God Wherefore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we shall also liue with him To the ende we should not be afrayd at the name of death which he hath before so often made mencion of he presently addeth a consolation declaring that vnto this death which he hath spoken of is annexed the life of Christ so that After regeneration we leade the life of God if we dye together with Christ we shall also liue together with him And this life is not only that which we looke for in the world to come but also it is euen that life which we now leade which in very dede is one and the selfe same with the life to come but that this is only a life begonne and vnperfect but the other is perfect and absolute For we which beleue in Christ and are iustified do also euen now presently leade the life of God For we are driuen and moued not of our selues but of the spirit of God But what maner of life this life of Christ is which is in the meane tyme communicated vnto vs whilest we liue in this world the Apostle straight way declareth Knowing that Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him As the life of Christ is neuer extinguished by any death so the life of the children of God and brethren of Christ oughte not to be quenched by sinnes But why Christ dyeth no more this is the cause for Why Christe dieth no more that he hath ouercome death and taken away sinne by whose meanes only death was vpholden and bare dominion For vnto the Corrinthyans it is written The sting of death is sinne and in this epistle death raigned by sinne Wherefore they which are pertakers of the death of Christ neither ought nor can any longer be subiect ether vnto sinne
yet as we haue now taught we are bound vnto the Ten commaundementes as touching the obedience thereof Hereunto I answere that no man fullfilleth the Ten commaundementes though he be neuer so holye for all our workes are so vnperfect that they answere not vnto the prescript and rule thereof Howbeit bycause the precepts which are there contayned are agreeable vnto the law of nature and are grafted and printed in our mindes it commeth per accidens that is by chance that the good workes vnto which the children of God being now regenerate thoroughe the holy ghost are stirred vp are one and the selfe same with those workes which are written in the Ten commaundementes For it is mete for them whome God hath adopted to be his childreÌ„ that they apply themselues vnto good workes and to such workes as are acceptable vnto God And those workes are vtterly one and the selfe same with those which nature rightly enstructed bringeth forth of his owne accord and which the Ten commaundementes appoynted by God contayneth But so is it not of ceremonies and ciuile or iudiciall lawes for they are not so knowen of all men that they appeare vnto all meÌ„ vpright and iust if they should iudge of them by the light of nature only Paul to encourage them that fight putteth them in remembraunce to consider that they liue vnder grace and not vnder the lawe For two wayes are the mindes of men accustomed to be stirred vp vnto battayl firste by the goodnes Two thinges do chiefly encourage theÌ„ that fighte What grace in this place signifieth of the cause secondly by the certaynty of victory and rewards As touching the goodnes of our cause there is alredy spoken sufficiently for in it we exhibite our selues vnto God and for righteousnes sake we fight agaynst sin and death And now he promiseth also an assured victory for he sayth the grace of God is â—ne our side Grace as touching this place signifieth two thinges First the forgeuenes of sinnes by imputing of righteousnes thorough Christ secondlye the gifts of the holy ghost the renuing of our strengths This latter part bicause it is receaued in vs corrupt and fylthy vessels althoughe it somewhat wythdrawe vs from sinning yet it is not such that we ought to leane and trust vnto it For our workes though they be succored and holpen by these aydes yet are they not so perfect that they can stand in the iudgement of God But by the first kinde of exhortation we receaue greate consolation in our consciences For although in our fight sinne doth thrust in it selfe whither we will or no yet ought we not to be discouraged forasmuch as we assuredly knâ—w that it is not imputed vnto vs for Christes sake For sithen thorough Christe we are receaued of God into fauor our workes although otherwise they be â—nperfect yet for hys sake are acceptable vnto God But Paul encourageth his souldiers with bothe these kindes of exhortation when as he admonisheth them both that they are vnder grace and also that they haue the holy ghost a stay and an helpe vnto them so that sinne which is naturallye planted in them shall not be able to destroye Differences betwene grace and the law them But it shall be good to note certayne differences betwene the Lawe and betwene Grace which Chrisostome also noteth The law sayth he setteth forth a crowne but first requireth workes and battayles grace firste crowneth and afterwarde bringeth vnto the battayle By this difference he teacheth that the righteousnes whiche is set forthe of the Lawe is obteyned by workes For we can not be iustifyed by the Lawe vnlesse wee haue accomplished all the thinges whiche are commaunded in the lawe But that other righteousnes whiche we haue by grace thorough faith doth first crowne vs with a new generation and adoptioÌ„ to be the children of God and then we being regenerate it bringeth vs forth vnto battailes and vnto good workes Hereunto Chrisostome addeth The law reproueth sinne but loseth not from sinne grace loseth from sinne and reproueth not The lawe reprouing sinne encreaseth it grace forgeuing it suffereth vs not to be vnder sinne These things are true and very agreable with Pauls saying but that which he addeth not long afterward namely That before the commyng of Christ the body of man when he lyued vnder the law was such that it might easely be ouercome of sinne bicause the helpe of the holy ghost was not yet present neither also Baptisme nor mortification but maÌ„ for that the law shewed only what was to be done but nothing helped therunto went at raÌ„don and erred lyke an vnbrideled horse This I say if it be vnderstand vniuersally of al men is not true For who dare presume to say that Dauid Esay Ieremy Daniell and a great many moe holy fathers wanted the holy ghost or the grace of regeneration which was sealed by Circumcision as ours is by baptisme Or who will thinke that they wanted mortification wherby they brake the wicked appetites and lustes springing in them Wherfore those wordes of Chrisostom are to be vnderstand of the vngodly which had vtterly reiected Christ from them and liued only vnder the letter of the law and fayned vnto themselues a Messias which should come to bring only an earthly kingdome and procure worldly riches and pleasures vnto the people of the Iewes of which manner of men there were many among the Iewes And since the comming of Christ we haue no small number not much vnlike vnto these which onely in name are Christians But to returne A facili Hereby is proued that we ought to be assured of our saluation vnto Paul he comforteth them by reason of easines and promiseth vnto theÌ„ the victory bicause they are vnder grace In this place are reproued those which commaund vs perpetually to doubt whether we be in the fauor of God or no. For they which in such maner doubt do receyue no fruit of this consolation of Paule For thus they thinke with themselues how can we certainly know that we are vnder grace For peraduenture we are straungers from God and are by reason of our sinnes odious vnto him for how can we be assured that they are for Christ his sake forgeueÌ„ vs But by this meanes the reason of Paul is vtterly ouerthroweÌ„ Wherfore it behoâ—eth that with an assured fayth and an vndoubted hope which confoundeth not we certainly appoint that God loueth vs hath through Christ receiued vs into fauour And so shall we out of these wordes of Paul receiue wonderfull great comfort Now haue we finished yâ— first part of this chap. wherin Paul hath proued that we ought not to abide in sinne bicause we are now dead vnto it And this hath he confirmed by the sacrament of baptisme And when he had many wayes set forth this reason he at the last added an exhortation that we should not suffer sinne to raigne in vs but should earnestly resist it as much
calleth grace eternall life But the propriety of grace is to he reÌ„dred freely Paul also sayth vnto hym which worketh not the reward is not imputed according to debt but accordyng to grace And saith moreouer that grace if it be of workes is not grace Also that the renantes shall through the electioÌ„ of grace be saued Agayne vnto the Ephesians Grace hath made vs safe throughe fayth and that not of our selues Agayne Not of workes least peraduenture any man shoulde glory This doubt Augustine sayth can not otherwise be dissolued vnles we grâ—unt A that an vpright and holy life is grace For so ether sentence may take place For eternall life is rendred vnto workes But because workes are freely geuen vs of God therâ—fâ—re also is eternall lyfe called gracee And in his booke De correctione Gratia the 13. chapter he sayth that Iames writeth that iudgemente shal be wythout mercy vnto hym which sheweth not mercy By which wordes saith he appeareth that they which lyue well shall in the last iudgement be iudged wyth mercy and they which haue 〈◊〉 wickedly shal be iudged wythout mercy And if that in iudgement we haue nede of mercy theÌ„ is it not now done for merites And in the same sence he alleageth the mother of the Machabees who as it is written in the 2. booke and 7. chapter thus speak 〈…〉 vnto her son That in that mercy I may receaue the wyth thy brethâ—rn In which place she calleth the day of iudgement mercy And vndoubtedly when we shall come before the iudgement seate of God who shall boast that he hath a chast hart Or who shall boast that he is cleane from sinne Wherefore there also mercy is nedefull whereby he may be made blessed vnto whome the Lord hath not imputed sinne The same father in hys 105. epistle to Sistus When the Apostle had sayd The stipend of sinne is death who Paul mightâ— haue 〈◊〉 righteousnes would not iudge that he should most aptly and consequently haue added but the stipend of righteousnes is eternall lyfe And it is true Because euen as vnto the merite of sinne is death rendred as a stipend so also vnto the merite of righteousnes is eternall lyfe rendred as a stipend But the blessed Apostle most vigylantly warryng agaynst pride when hee â—ad sayde that the stipend of sinne is death least humane ryghteousnes should extoll it sâ—lfe sayd not contrariwyse that the stipend of ryghteousnes is eternall lyfe but the grace of God sayth he is eternall lyfe But it is not sufficient to thynke that thesâ— things are spo 〈…〉 for humility moderation sake For the matter is so in very dede For our workâ— receaue not eternall life for a iust and deserued stipend And therefore he sayth that humane righteousnes is pride and which in name only is called righteousnes But that ought Eternall 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 vnto 〈…〉 ousneâ— but vnto 〈…〉 it is gracâ— If righteousnes were of our selues 〈…〉 should haue eternall life as a 〈…〉 When God shall reward 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 it selfe to be a true righteousnes vnto which eternall life is due which righteousnes if it be not of thy felfe then is it from aboue discending from the father of lightes Wherefore O man if thou shalt receaue eternall life it is â—n dede the stipend of righteousnes but vnto thee it is grace vnto whome also euen righteousnes is grace For it should be rendred vnto thee as a debt if the righteousnes vnto whome it is due were of thy selfe By all these thinges is gathered that with Augustine eternall life is therefore called grace because the workes which go before it are geuen fréely Farther he confesseth that in the last iudgement when God shall reward them we shall haue nede of mercy and compassion And that also we haue alwayes néede of mercy that our sinnes should not be imputed vnto vs. Lastly that eternall life although it may be the stipend of righteousnes being taken by it selfe yet vnto vs it is grace partly because it is not of our selues and partly also because it is vnperfite Hilâ—â—ius also writeth vpon the 50. Psalme My hope is in the mercy of God for euer and euer world without ende For the workes of ryghteousnes are not sufficient vnto the merite of perfect blessednes Vnto vs it is gâ—ace because good workes are not of our selues and because they are vnperfect That good workes are geuen by grace both we and our aduersaries graunt but with a difference vnles in thys wyll of ryghteousnes the mercy of God impute not the faultes of humane changynges and motions Also Ierome vpon Esay the 46. chapter If we should consider our owne merites we shoulde dispayre Our aduersaries and we contende not whether by the grace of God good workes are geuen vnto the regenerate Although neither herein also do we vtterly agrée with them For they thinke that it lieth in our power to receaue good workes when they are offred But we say that it is néedefull that our will bée changed by the grace and spirit of God otherwise as touching in this point also we abhorre from the giftes of God But of this matter we haue before sufficiently spoken when we entreated of grace Wherfore I will now stand no longer about it But there is an other thing about which there is at this day a more waighty controuersye They which defend merites do thinke that the good workes which are geuen of God vnto men are sufficient They whiche defend merites do say that good workes are sufficient to attaine vnto eternall lifâ— which thinge we deny vnto eternall life Which thinge we do vtterly deny And this maketh very much on our side which a litell before we alleged out of August That in the last iudgemeÌ„t we shall nede the mercy of God not only because good works were geuen of hym freely but also because when the iust iudge shall sit in hys throne no man can boast that he hath a chast hart or that he is cleane from sinne Wherefore it is nedefull that sinnes as sayth Dauid be not imputed vnto hym which shall come vnto felicity Wherefore seyng we haue nede of mercy it is manifest that our good workes are not sufficient The same Augustine writeth in an other place that the perfection of the sayntes herein consisteth to acknowledge how much they want still of perfection And that sentence of Paul I haue fought a good battayle I haue finished my course I haue kepte fayth he so expoundeth that he thinketh that the Apostle sayth not that he is vtterly Augustine saith not that Paul was without sinne but affirmeth the contrary Note what Augustine thinketh of this place vnto the PhillipiaÌ„s wythout sinne but that he leaning vnto fayth and vnto hope did wholy appoynte wyth hymselfe that it shoulde come to passe in the laste houre of hys death whiche was euen then at hand that whatsoeuer sinne or wickednes had crept into hym the same should
them spirite and in nature whatsoeuer Why the law is sayd to be spirituall is moued of it selfe and hath in it by any meanes life it hath it by the benefite of the spirite Wherefore if the lawe should of it selfe bring death doubtles it should do it against the nature of the spirite And the lawe is called spirituall for two causes First because it was not deuised of mans vnderstanding as ciuil laws are but was written by the ministery of Moses in mount Sina God himselfe by his spirite being the inditer thereof Wherefore comming of the spirite being the author thereof it is call spirituall It is called also spirituall for that not being content with outward actions it perseth euen to the will and to the minde and to the inward motions senses and spirites of a man and commaundeth vs to obey it with all the soule and with all the spirite Wherefore they are fowly deceaued An error in distinguishinge the law from the Gospel which so distinguishe the olde lawe from the new that they thinke that the olde lawe only restrayneth the hand but the new pertayneth also to the affectes of the minde For they are not to be counted to satisfy the olde lawe which obserue only an outward righteousnes And if they do not that which the lawe commaundeth that which they do doubtles pleaseth not God yet rather it is to be counted sinne The lawe of God forasmuch as it dealeth not with vs after a ciuill maner is not The law of God dealeth not with vs after a ciuill manner content only with an outward honesty of maners Wherefore nether Socrates nor Aristides by their righteousnes satisfied the lawe though they be neuer so much commended of writers And when the Pharisey had geuen thankes vnto God for that he was not as other men but fasted twise in the weke and did many other thinges which mought please men Christ pronounced that he went not to his house iustified But without al doubt he should haue obtayned righteousnes if by those his workes which he made mencion of he had satisfied the meaning of the lawe This excellency and perfection of the commaundementes of God carnall men vnderstand not so that the Israelites when Moses came downe from the mountayne could not looke vpon the brightnes of the countenance of Moses neither could they abide it And we also so long as we vse this vayle of humane reason The law of God is not vnderstand by the force of humane reason shall not be able to behold the spirituall light of the lawe Origene thinketh that the lawe is therefore called spirituall for that it is not to be expounded according to the letter as commoÌ„ly it is sayd but by allegoricall senses But seing Paul here entreateth of the ten commaundementes as that precept which is of him rited Thou shalt not lust plainly declareth this interpretation ought vtterly to bee counted from the purpose For in this part of the law we may not deale with allegories Neither doth Paul therfore say that he is carnal for that he vnderstood not In the Decaloge allegories haue no place allegories but for that he felt in himself affections striuing against the law of God Now then forasmuch as the law is spirituall in that manner that we haue now declared it followeth of necessitie that it of his owne nature bringeth not death but rather lyfe For so Moses in Deut. the 30. chap. sayth that he had set forth vnto The law of it selfe bringeth life the Israelites life and death good and euill blessing and cursing For the perfect obseruation of the law draweth with it blessing life and good and yâ— violating therof bringeth cursing euil and death And the law commaundeth not transgression It lieth not in our will and choise in as much as we are corrupt to chose life but obseruation But yet it lieth not in our choyce or will of our own accorde to chuse good life and blessing For the commaundemeÌ„ts of the law are displeasaÌ„t vnto vs vntill the spirite of Christ come And Christ sayth If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commaundements And Dauid in the 19. Psalme saith That the law restoreth the mynde Which testimonies if they be rightly vnderstanded teach this selfe same thing But if a man demaund whether these proprieties of the law at any time attaine to their effect We aunswer that they do but yet euen then wheÌ„ The law sheweth forth his effects in the regenerate the law is written not only in tables but also in our hartes and bowels For theÌ„ although the law be imperfectly expressed in our workes yet are not the promises therof made frustrate which in the elect of God are performed not thorough merites but thorough grace and mercy After yâ— the Apostle had in such sort coÌ„mended the law he rendreth a reason why of it he drew not life but death Bicause saith he I am carnall sold vnder sinne Here the crime of slaying the increase of sinne is transferred from the law to the corruption of our nature And there is nothing more gratefull vnto God then for vs to accuse our selues with due prayses to set forth his worde It was not possible to deuise a more apte commendation of the law For Paul doth not only set forth the singuler dignitye therof but also speaketh that which he saith is well knowen and vnderstande of all the godly We know sayth he that the law is spirituall And to make this the more playne he setteth against it our vncleannes I sayth he am carnal and sold vnder sinne The law is the maistresse of vertue and enemy of all vices I abhorre vertue and folow vices euen against my will When he sayth that he is carnall he meaneth that he was infected with Why Paul saith that he is carnal originall sinne and corruption For that euill is deriued from Adam by the flesh whiche yet containeth not it selfe in the fleshe but possesseth the whole man and all his strengthes And the better to declare what this worde carnall signifieth he Why we are said to be solde vnder sinne addeth sold vnder sinne For euen as bondmen are oftentimes drawen and impelled of their masters to that which they would not so are we by originall sinne drawen to many things which we allow not Neither are we only vnder the bonds of Originall sinne but also through our owne will we adde therunto a great hepe of sinnes Wherfore we are bouÌ„d with many kindes of snares By this metaphore Paul notably setteth forth our captiuity The Iewes were oppressed with greuous seruitude when they were captiues in Egipt neither were they any gentler delt with in Babilon but most cruelly of all were they handled vnder Antiochus But there can no seruitude be compared with this wherof Paul now speaketh for in No captiuiâ—ye can be compared with seruitude of sin those seruitudes was only an outward enemy and the
all the whole holy scripture there is not one seÌ„teÌ„ce which is against our doctrine yet they continually obiect vnto vs the example of Cornelius Of cornelius and his workes who being not yet as they thinke regenerate neither beleued in Christ did notwithstanding works which pleased God We indéede confesse that both the almes and prayers of Cornelius pleased God for the Angell affirmed the same but these men adde of their owne that Cornelius when he did these thinges was not yet iustified neither beleued in Christ But they consider not that the scripture in Cornelius beleued beleued before bap 〈…〉 e. If he beleued what needed â—e to be instructed of that place calleth him religious and one that feared God Wherefore Cornelius beleued and beleued in the Messias being instructed in the doctrine of the Iewes But whether Iesus of Nazareth were that Messias or no he knew not certaynly And therefore Peter was sent to instruct him more fully But here to blere our eyes they say that Paul in the 17. of the Actes attributeth vnto them of Athens some piety when yet they were idolatrers For thus he sayth ye men of Athens I shew vnto you that God whoÌ„ ye ignoraÌ„tly worship But eueÌ„ as if a maÌ„ can handsomly draw some one letter is not therefore straight way called a good writer neither he Whether Paul attributed any piety vnto the Athenians being yet idolatrers True piety cannot be ioyned with ignorance which can sing a song or two is therefore straight way to be called a good singing man for these names require consideration and art but it may happen by chance that a man may draw well or sing well once or twise and paraduenture the third time so none is to be counted in very déede and plainly godly which doth a worke or two which hath some shewe of piety And Paul called not the Athenians absolutely godly but added certayne termes which diminish godlines whom ye ignorantly sayth he worship But what piety can that be which is ioyned wyth the ignorance of the true God Moreouer a little before he had called theÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is verye supersticious By these two words he much diminished their piety But Cornelius Luke simply calleth religious and addeth that he fered God How great the dignitye of the feare of God is If he be blessed which feareth God how is he not also iustified A testimony of Cornelius iusti 〈…〉 ation which addition is of so great force that in the booke of Iob a man fearing God is turned of the 70. interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a true and religious man And Dauid saith Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. And if he be blessed which feareth the Lord how is not the same man also iustified But besides these things which after a sorte by the causes proue the iustification of Cornelius we haue an other testimony also of the effectes for that he gaue almes which were acceptable vnto God But we haue already by many reasons proued that no man can do workes acceptable vnto God but he which is iustified and regenerate Farther he distributed these almes vpon the nation of the Iewes that as of them he had bene instructed in the doctrine of pietie so on the other side he would imparte vnto them some of his temporall good thinges For it is méete as Paul sayth vnto the Galathians That he which is enstructed should communicate vnto hym which doth enstruct hym in all good thynges Moreouer that souldiour which was sent vnto Peter declared that he had a good testimony of all the Iewes All which thinges plainly declare that although we read not that he was circumcised yet he so approched vnto the doctrine of the people of God that all men commended his pietie It is written also that he prayed and that diligently And if a man diligently peyse Cornelius prayed at the hour which was appointed for the prayers of the Iewes the whole history he shall finde that he obserued the same houre which the Iewes had appointed them for their common prayers For it saith that at the ix houre he saw an Aungell standing by him which signified vnto him that his prayer was heard But we are taught by the first chapiter of Esay and by the xv chapiter of the Prouerbes and by a great many other places that wycked meÌ„ and sinners ar not heard of God Which yet is to be vnderstand so long as they will be sinners and retaine still a will to sinne Neither maketh that against this sentence which Augustine How God heareth noâ— sinners Why the prayers of wicked ministers are heard writeth against the Donatistes that the prayers of wycked priests are heard of God For the same father addeth That that commeth to passe because of the deuotioÌ„ of the people But Cornelius when he prayed was holpen by hys own fayth and not by the fayth of others that stoode by And Augustine in his epistle to Sixtus saith that God vseth in iustifiyng of a man to geue vnto hym hys spirite whereby he may praye for those thynges which are profitable vnto saluation And seing Cornelius prayed for those things it can not be doubted but that he was iustified Hereunto adde that no maÌ„ can rightly pray vnto God except he haue faith And that we are iustified by faith it is now already sufficiently testified and declared Peter also before he began to preach vnto hym said that he now saw verely that God is not an accepter of persons but he is accepted of hym of what nation so euer he bee whiche worketh ryghteousnesse Which wordes plainly declare that Cornelius was then accepted of God before Peter came vnto him And I maruell that there are some which dare auouch yâ— he had not the faith of Christ when as Christ himselfe in the viij chapiter of Iohn sayth That he knoweth not God which beleueth not in the sonne of God And in the 4. chapter he admonisheth his disciples If ye beleue in God beleue also in me And if ye beleued in Moses ye would also beleue me These thinges assure vs that Cornelius beleued verily in God and therfore also beleued in the Messias to come as he was instructed of the Iewes although he knew not that he was already come and that Iesus of Nazareth whome the Iewes had crucified was the same Messias He had Cornelius had the faiâ—h of the fathers of the old testament An example of Nathaniel that faith wherby the fathers beleued in Christ to come Wherfore seyng they were iustified by that faith why should we take vppon vs to deny the same vnto Cornelius Nathanaell which beleued in the Messias to come and thought not yâ— he was yet com is pronounced of Christ a true Israelite in whom was no guile which two things cannot be applied vnto a maÌ„ not yet iustified But Peter was therfore sent to Cornelius that he
might more plainly more expressedly know the thinges which he had before intricately beleued of Christ Of this mynde was Gregory in his 19 homely vpon Ezechiell For he sayth That faythe is the entry wherby we come to good workes but not contrariwyse that by good workes we can come vnto fayth And so he concludeth that Cornelius first beleued before he could bryng forth workes prayse worthy And he citeth that place to the Hebrues VVythout fayth it is impossible to please God Which sentence as it is very playne by that selfe place cannot be vnderstand but of that faith which iustifieth Bede declaryng the x. chap. of the Actes is of the same mynd and citeth yâ— wordes of Gregory Neither is the maister of the sentences of any other iudgement in hys 2. booke and 25. distinction But our aduersaries obiect vnto vs Augustine in hys 7. chap. De predestinatione sanctorum where he reasoneth against those which taught that faith Faith is not of our selues is of our selues wheÌ„ yet in the meane tyme they confessed yâ— the works which follow are of God but yet are obteyned by fayth Augustine in déede confesseth that the workes which follow fayth are of God but he denieth that fayth is of our selues For he saith that Paul writeth vnto the Ephe. By grace ye are saued through fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gyft of God But that is a harde saying which he addeth that the prayers and almes of Cornelius were accepted of God before he beleued in Christ But we must here weigh the thinges which follow For he addeth And yet prayd he not neyther gaue he almes wythout some fayth For how dyd Cornelius had faith in Christ but not a distinct and plaine fayth he call vpon hym in whome he beleued not These wordes plainly declare that Augustine tooke not away from Cornelius all maner of faith in Christ but only an expressed and distinct fayth Which thing that place most of all argueth which is cited out of the epistle to the Romanes Howe shall they call vpon hym in whome they haue not beleued For those wordes are written of the fayth and inuocation of meÌ„ regenerate as the next sentence following plainly declareth Euery one whych calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued For we cannot attribute saluation but Peter came to Cornelius to edify him not to lay the foundation in hym vnto them that are iustified But Peter was sente vnto Cornelius to buylde vp not to lay the foundation For the foundatioÌ„s of fayth were before layde in hym But those things which Augustine addeth séeme to bring greater difficulty For he saith But if he could without the faith namely of Christ be saued that singuler work man the Apostle should not haue ben sent to edifie hym But seyng he already before attributed vnto him fayth and inuocatioÌ„ after which of necessity followeth saluation wherof the Apostle speaketh in this epistle how can he take away from him saluation vnles we peraduenture vnderstand that fayth and saluation is in men The saluatioÌ„ which we haue in this life is not perfect iustified not perfect so long as they liue here For our saluation commeth not in this lyfe to that degrée nor to that greatnes which Christ requireth in hys elect For no man doubteth but that we shal not attayne to perfect saluation before our resurrection and eternall saluation althoughe we now after a sorte haue the fruition therof beyng begonne Paul to the Ephesians affirmeth that we are now saued by fayth And yet Paul to the Philippians exhorteth vs Wyth feare and wyth tremblyng to worke our owne saluation Which places cannot be conciliated together vnles The saluatioÌ„ begonne by iustification is dayly to be made perfect we say that saluation begonne in vs thorow iustification is daily to be made perfect in vs For we are always more and more renued and fayth is made more full more expressed and of more efficacy These wordes of Augustine vnles we thus interprete them it must néedes be that either they are none of hys wordes or els that he is repugnaunt vnto himselfe But that that booke is Augustines we can not deny But that he is repugnaunt vnto himselfe it is not very likely But if thou say that these things may well agrée together if we graunt that Cornelius was not yet iustified when as notwithstanding he had done some woorkes gratefull and acceptable vnto God I aunswer that this can by no meanes agrée with Augustines sentence For he in his 80. treatise vpon Iohn and in his 4. boke and 3. chap. against Iulianus and vpon the 31. psalme by most firme reasons proueth that all the workes which are done before we are iustified are sinnes But that fayth is more expressedly set forth and made more perfect in them that are iustified may easely be vnderstand by yâ— which Christ sayd vnto hys Apostles Many kings and prophets desired to see the things that ye see and saw theÌ„ not And yet notwithstanding were those kinges and prophetes men godly and iustified although they knew not all the mysteries of Christ so expressedly as dyd the Apostles And Christ when he prayed thus pronounced of hys Apostles The wordes which thou gauest me haue I geuen vnto them those haue they receaued and haue knowen that I came forth from thee and that thou hast sent me These thinges declare that the Apostles beleued in Christ and therfore were iustified And yet the very history of the Gospell plainly declareth that they were ignoraunt of many thinges For oftentimes it is declared that ether they had their eies closed that they should not sée or Note the interpretation of the wordes of Augustine els that they vnderstood not the thinges whiche were spoken Wherfore Augustine denieth saluation vnto Cornelius before Peter was sent vnto him not vniuersally but onely denieth that he had a perfect and absolute saluation But they obiect moreouer the same Augustine in his questioÌ„s to Simplicianus in the 2 â–ª booke and 2. Question where he plainly teacheth that faith goeth before good workes After that he putteth a certaine meane betwene grace and the celebration of the Sacramentes For he saith that it is possible that Catechumenus that is one newly Catechumenâ— wer such which were receâ—ued into the church to be instrucâ—ed before baptisme conuerted vnto Christian Religion and that he whiche is conuersaunt among the Catechumeni may beleue and haue grace and yet the same man is not yet washed by Baptisme Moreouer he saith that after the Sacramentes is poured into vs a more fuller grace by which wordes he signifieth yâ— it is one the selfe same grace but is afterward made more plentifull And that thou mayst know that he entreateth of that faith which iustifieth he citeth a place out of the Epistle to the Ephesians By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is
although they be adorned with goodly and precious garmentes yet haue they no feeling of theÌ„ neither by them do they gather any heate or be defended from corruption So saith he Infidels although they séeme sometymes to liue vprightly yet of their workes they receaue no commodity at all He addeth moreouer euen as it is necessary that a man first be before he can receaue meate to be nourished withall so is it necessary that there be first fayth then yâ— afterward it be nourished by good workes Touching the workes of Cornelius he saith A similitude that they were wonderfull and pleased God the chiefe rewarder of workes All these thinges are spoken both truly and also agréeably vnto our doctrine But afterward he addeth that Cornelius wheÌ„ he wrought those works which ar praysed beleued not in Christ which although it be hardly said yet may it by an interpretatioÌ„ be lenefied to vnderstaÌ„d him as we did August namely yâ— Cornelius beleued not distinctly expressedly wheÌ„ yet he beleued in Christ after yâ— selfe same maner as yâ— elders did of whoÌ„ it is to be douted but yâ— they wer saued by the sauior whoÌ„ they loked should come And this kind of faith was sufficieÌ„t vnto saluatioÌ„ vntil yâ— gosple was published abroad But afterward he addeth yâ— Cornelius could not haue obteined saluatioÌ„ vnles faith had bene offred vnto him which yet may after a sort be admitted so yâ— that saying be taken of the perfect saluatioÌ„ whervnto Christians are called and shall one day come But that which he addeth can by no meanes stand for he sayth that these workes of Cornelius were dead Here now Chrisostome beginneth not to be Chrisostome For howe was it possible that the Chrisostome herin against himselfe workes of Cornelius should be wonderfull and please God the chiefe rewarder if they were dead But if we will know the true opinion of Chrisostome hymself touching this matter let vs se what he writeth vpoÌ„ this history in the. 9. chapiter of the Actes For there he playnly testefieth that Cornelius beleued and Chrisostome vpon the Actes affirmeth that Cornelius be leued before the comming of Peter Of the excellent workes of the Romanes was a godly man and not being content with this he addeth that his life was honest and that he had sound groundes of doctrine Here he affirmeth that he had both fayth and also the fruites of fayth Finally he addeth that he had both fayth and righteousnes and all maner of vertue And thus muche touchinge Chrisostome But they obiect vnto this our sentence the excellent workes and notable enterprises of the Romanes which God recompensed with the reward of a most ample impery And to that purpose they cite Augustine in his 51. booke de Ciuitate Dei the. 15. chapiter For there he sayth that God vnto them vnto whome he would not geue eternall life gaue an earthly glory of a most excelleÌ„t empire which thing vnles he had done there should not haue bene reÌ„dred any reward to good arts yâ— is to vertues wherby they endeuored theÌ„selues to attaine to so greate glory But that we may the better vnderstand thys compensation God gouerneth the world orderly without confusion whereof Augustine speaketh we must remember that God in the gouernment of the world will haue all thinges done by a certayne order and without confusioÌ„ that effects should follow theyr causes and properties should be adioyned vnto thinges whereunto they belonge Fruites are by the heate of the Sonne made ripe witty men by industrye and study attayne vnto good artes After winter commeth the spring agayne after the springe commeth sommer and atter sommer commeth the autum Plants bring forth first leaues afterward flowers and then fruites After this maner doth God prouide for the nature of thinges and for rites and famelies And for that vnles common welthes florishinge in Lawes and vertues shoulde attayne vnto dominion all humane Vnto what vertues is naturally adioyned greate dominion thinges would sone come to nought therefore by the commaundement of God and by a naturall institution it followeth that where florisheth discipline of warre obedience towardes the magestrate obseruation of Lawes seuere iurisoiction modesty of princes abstineÌ„ce fortitude and loue of the couÌ„râ—ey there also followeth a greate empire Whiche yet proueth not that these thinges are not sinnes so far forth as they procede from men without fayth For they are Why the godly workes of the Ethnikes were sinnes not directed vnto the glory of God which ought to be the end of al meÌ„s doings wherefore thys glorye and largenes of dominion for that by the institution of God it followeth morall and ciuill vertues is both taken of ciuill men as the end and fruite of theyr labors and also is called a reward And that these works Augustine teacheth that those workes were sinnes of the Romanes were sinnes Augustine himselfe affirmeth in yâ— selfe same boke de Ciuitate Dei the 12. chapiter For thus he writeth Touching the Romanes for that for honor prayse and glory sake they studied to preserue theyr contrey wherein they sought glory and doubted not to preferre the safety thereof before theyr owne safety for thys one vice sake that is for the loue of prayse and keping vnder the gredy desire of money and many other vices Here the ambitioÌ„ of the Romanes he calleth vice Who then can say that God truly or properly rewardeth sinnes wherefore it remayneth God is not sayd properly to reward sinnes that this rewarding be taken in that sence that we before spake of namely that it followeth by the order of thinges appoynted of God and that of them vpon whome it is bestowed it is counted as a reward and fruite of theyr labors For this kinde of speach the scripture also not seldome vseth of the scribes and hipocrites the Lord sayd Verily I say vnto you they haue receaued theyr reward And Paul touching them which when they knewe God worshiped him not as God but being deliuered vp vnto filthy desires polluted theyr bodies with ignominy and shame They receaued in them selues sayth he theyr reward as it was meete And Ezechiell in his 29. chapiter sayth That God would geue a reward vnto Nabucadnezar for that he had serued him in the ouerthrowing of Tire and for a reward promised vnto him the spoyle and distruction of Egipt And there is no doubt but yâ— the works of hipocrites which couloured theyr faces that they mought seme vnto men to fast and that the superstitious and detestable worshippinges of idolaters and those cruell factes which Nabucadnezar did to satisfy his ambition were sins and that greauous sinnes And yet we reade that all these thinges had theyr reward And that God in appoyntinge of kingdomes had a respect vnto an other Why God by his prouideÌ„ce so transferreth kingdomes from nation to nation end then to pay vnto those men a reward euen Augustine playnly declareth in his 5.
of God neither are their hartes changed What good treasure then can there be in them whereout may budde forth workes acceptable vnto God But because we will not go from their similitude for as much as they say that they are plants which bring forth bowes and leaues although they haue no fruite they should haue remembred that Christ as we before said accursed such trées and when in the figge trée he had sought fruit found only leaues he smote it with so a vehement curse that it withered away We doo not denye but that of men may be done some moral and ciuil good thing which is brought forth by that power of God whereby all thinges are preserued For as the Ethnikes also confesse In hym we lyue are moued and haue our being But that power wherby God gouerneth and moueth al thinges nothing helpeth vnto eternall life men not regenerate But the issue of our cause is whether they which be aleants from Christ can do any thing which is allowed and accepted of God Which thing we deny and they affirme And how much the place which we haue brought of the euill trée which can bring forth no good fruite maketh on our side we haue sufficiently declared Now let vs examine the other place which our aduersaries go about to wrest from vs namely whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne This place Augustine alwayes in a manner obiected vnto Pelagius Augustine obiected vnto â—â—lagius that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Pelagius made aunswere that that is only a perticular reason which was spoken only of meates for that cause ought not to be extended vnto other works and especially vnto the works of infidels We confesse in déede that that question sprang first by reason of meates But after what maner that reason is alleadged let vs consider by the wordes of Paul He whiche iudgeth saith he that is whiche putteth doubt in ech part and eateth is condemned This was to be proued The reason which he gaue was for that it is not of faith But because this saying is but particular neither could that which he had spoken haue bene reduced to a Silogismus vnles there shoulde be added an vniuersall proposition therefore he added We must be assured that that which we do is acceptable vnto God whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne By which sentence Pauls meaning is that so often as we attempt any thing we should be thoroughly assured that the same is pleasing vnto God and is of him required by some commaundemeÌ„t of the law Which certainty if it want whatsoeuer we do saith he is sinne And Pauls firme argument may thus be knit together Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne to eate meates prohibited in the lawe with a doubtinge whether the same be lawefull or no is not of faith wherefore it is sinne The Apostle although he proueth Paul by an vniuersall proposition proueth a perticuâ—er proposition a perticular proposition yet he vseth an vniuersall reason Which as it is applied vnto meates so maye it also be applied vnto all other actions so that all those actions what so euer they be which want this faith are sinnes Wherefore nether we nor Augustine abuse that sentence when we applie it vnto the workes of infidels But now a dayes many cry out that faith in this place signifieth a perswasion of the conscience and that Paul had not a respect vnto that faith which we say iustifieth vs. But these men take too large a scope which bring in a new signification of faith without any testimony of the holy scriptures Wherefore we moughte wel denie vnto them this But for that although we graunt vnto them that which they would haue yet are they still coÌ„pelled to returne to our sentence therefore therein we will not much contende with them Be it so as they would haue it Suppose that fayth be the conscience But how ought the conscience to be perswaded of woorkes to vnderstande whiche are good and whiche are euill Verelye if we bee godlye we can haue no other rule but the lawe of God For The law of God is the rule of the coÌ„science it is the rule wherebye good and euill oughte to be iudged Therehence oughte to come the perswasion of our conscience that by faith it vnderstand that that worke which it taketh in hand is good and contrariwise that it is euill if it be agaynst the lawe of God And this is nothing els but that which we before spake of faith Wherefore let vs leue these men which when as they will be sene to speake thinges differing from vs do vnwares fall into one and the same sentence with vs. But we are here tought that whatsoeuer we take in hand we oughte chiefely to sée vnto that we be assured of the will of God And yâ— same thing tought Paul when he saide Let vs trye what is the good will of God And as the same Paul writeth vnto the EphesiaÌ„s let vs not walke as vnskilful which vnderstaÌ„d not what is the will of God And the thou shouldest not thinke geÌ„tle reader yâ— this interpretacioÌ„ is of our own deuising looke vpoÌ„ Origen Primasius yâ— disciple of Augustine those commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome And thou shalt finde that they are The commentaries ascribed vnto Ierome of the same iudgement when they interprete that place which we haue now alleaged For they acknowledge no other faith then that faith which all men acknowledge But when we shall come to that place we will declare what the rest of the fathers haue taught and held touching it But now to come to the principal point of this controuersie we thinke that we haue aboundantly out of yâ— holy scriptures confirmed That all the workes of infidels are sinnes Of whiche sentence is not only Augustine against Iulianus but also Ambrose in his booke de vocatione Ambrose saith that the workes of infidels are sinnes Basilius of the same mind gentium the 3. chap. For he saith That wythout the worshippyng of the true God the thynges that seeme to be vertues are sinnes Basilius in his 2. booke de baptismo the 7. chap. of purpose moueth this question and maketh on our side And he citeth places out of the scriptures As out of Esay A sinner when he sacrificeth it is all one as if he should offer vp a dogge and when he offreth swete cakes it is all one as if he should offer vp swines flesh And moreouer He which doth commit sinne is the seruant of sinne and serueth it onely Againe No man can serue two lordes God and Mammon And againe What fellowship hath lyght wyth darkenes God wyth Beliall Finally he citeth also that testimonye whereof we before largely entreated An euill tree can not bryng forth good fruites Of all these testimonies he concludeth the same thing which we teach By these things I thinke it is now plaine what is to be thought of the state of
the Gosple Dauid Manasses and Peter repented So long saith he as thys affection shall so remayne it can not be subiect vnto the lawe of God but forasmuch as it may be changed all hope is not to be cast away In writing thus he teacheth nothing but that which is sound But this is to be noted that this chaunge consisteth not in our strengthes For it is altogether of the spirite of Christ and of grace For as longe as we be as we were before we our selues caÌ„ neuer change our selues But afterward Chrisostome addeth that peraduenture this affection of the fleshe signifieth a wicked action and that Paul ment nothyng els but that an euill worke can neuer be good And in the same sence thinketh he is to be taken this sentence of the Gospell where it is sayde That an euill tree can not brynge forth good fruytes This interpretation I can in no wise allow for that I sée that Paul here speaketh not of any action or worke but speaketh of the affect féeling and corruption of nature Neither can I be perswaded that the Romanes were so blockish that they neded to be taught that an euill action could not be good But that Christ by the euill trée vnderstoode not workes but man those thinges doo manifestly declare which are in that place by Mathew rehersed For he had warned them to beware of false prophets which come in shepes clothing but within are rauening wolues By their fruites saith he ye shall knowe them Doe men of thornes gather grapes or of briers figges Either make the tree good c. And farther that we may be chaunged which thing we deny not he goeth about to proue by the parable â—â— tares Tares saith he are made wheate and chaunged into it And therefore the goodman of the house would not haue them weeded out But we finde not in the Gospell that tares ar chaunged into wheat Only the lord would not haue the tares plucked vp lest perhaps yâ— wheat being mixed with theÌ„ bicause peradueÌ„ture yâ— rootes of yâ— wheat and of yâ— tares being intricated together should be together plucked vp But herein as we haue said coÌ„sisteth not the coÌ„trouersy For we know yâ— such affects may be changed and broken But he afterward sayth that that is done by the spirite and grace of God which thing is both most true we also haue oftentimes affirmed the same Howbeit as Chrisostome is alwaies to much prone to defend frée wil humane streÌ„gth he addeth That this lyeth in our power to receaue the spirite and grace so that euerye Chrisostom thinketh that euery one of vs can do what he will him selfe and that it lieth in our power to haue the spirite grace An other hard place of Chrisostome Motions contrary vnto the law are in the regenerate dayly made more remisse man may do what he will Which thing we vtterly deny For if a maÌ„ can of himself receiue the grace of God when it is offred vndoubtedly such a worke should bâ— both good and also could not but please God which yet should be done of a man not yet regenerate and so a trée being yet euill should bring forth good fruites which according to the sentence of the Lord is not possible For vnles our stony hart be taken from vs and in stede therof a fleshy hart be geuen vs we shall continually abide the selfe same that before we were Farther he addeth that the law of the members doth no more rebell against the law of the mynde neither doth it leade vs captiues vnto the law of sinne And that this is not so I doubt not but that euery man hathe experience in himselfe And we haue before by most manifest reasons declared yâ— those thinges which Paul writeth in the 7. chap. of this epistle doo pertaine vnto men regenerate Vnles peraduenture this be Chrisostomes meaning that these motions in the regenerate ar daily made more remisse But he vndoubtedly hereunto had not a regard as those thinges which follow do plainly declare And it séemeth that he spake generally of this our tyme which is since Christ offred himself vnto the father and suffred death Augustine hath of this place a sound interpretation One and the selfe same soule saith he may be subiecte both vnto the affecte of the fleshe and also vnto the affecte of the spirite as one and the selfe same water is bothe made warm â–ª and is also by cold congeled and made I se So that then if thou wilt say that I se is not whote thou saist truly and if thou wilt say moreouer that I se can not be whote this also is true for I se so long as it is I se can not be whote But it is possible that heat may be put to it the I se may be resolued made whote But that I se should both keepe still his own nature yet in the mean tyme be whote it is vtterly vnpossible After this maner the affect of the flesh may either be taken away or be broken and a spirituall affecte succede in his place But that a carnall affect should be made spirituall it is by no meanes possible If thou demaund whither spirituall obseruings of the commaundements of God ar vnpossible or no I aunswer that in the oldenes of the flesh they are vnpossible but if the spirite and regeneration be added they are not vtterly vnpossible although the law of God cannot in this life be performed no not eueÌ„ of the most holiest For it pertaineth to the spirite of Christ to tame the frowardnes of yâ— flesh and when we are once come to death vtterly to extinguish it Now yâ— these things are thus expounded there remaine two errors to confute wherof one is of the Maniches An error of the Manichies which therfore thought the flesh to be called enmity against God bicause it was created of an euill God which continually resisteth the true and good God But the matter is farre otherwise For here is not entreated of the hypostasis or substaÌ„ce of the flesh but of the fault or corruptioÌ„ which by reason of the fal of the first man is alwaies ioyned with it An other error is of yâ— PelagiaÌ„s which wer not ashamed An error of the Pelagians to say yâ— man by yâ— streÌ„gths of nature is able to kepe yâ— coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of God From whome the scholemen at this day differ not much For they affirme that a man without the grace of Christ is able to kepe the Law of God as touching the substance of workes although not according to the meaning of the Law for they which are of that sort whatsoeuer they worke it caÌ„ not be done of charity And so they are not afrayd to say that a man caÌ„ loue God aboue all things though he want the grace of God Nether in the meane time marke they that the Apostle here sayth that the wisedome of the flesh is enmity agaynst God If an Ethnike
plough his fower acres of ground Let them remember that Valerius Publicola after he had excellently executed his coÌ„sulship died so poore that he left not wherwithall to bury himselfe but was buried at the common charge of the citie And Fabritius so little repented him of his pouertie that he despised the gold of Pyrrhus the king These so great and notable actes did thâ—se men only as I said to get the praises of men and to preserue that erthly publike welth But we if we thrust our selues into any dangers haue God himselfe our inheritance and our reward and shal be fellow heires with Christ Before vs as a price or reward is set the kingdome of heauen eternal fellowship with the aungels Wherfore it is manifest that their notable factes farre passed yâ— endes and rewardes which were set before them but the reward which is set before vs infinitely excelleth our workes I graunt in déede their factes are not to be numbred amongst true vertues for they were rather shadowes and images of The Ethnikes were not endued with true vertuâ—s Before God they were glorious sinnes vertues and their workes although they were excellent if we consider them after a ciuile manner yet before God they were nothing els but glorious and shinyng sinnes for they were not either by faith or by the loue of God moued to worke neither also directed they their workes to a iust ende Wherfore Augustine in hys 5. boke de ciuitate Dei and 18. chapter when he had made mencion of these and of other such lyke thinges wisely added Eyther we perceyue these thynges to be in vs or els we feele our selues to be voyde of theÌ„ If at any tyme we do the selfe same thynges there is no cause why we should be puffed vp for they for lesser rewards haue done the lyke But if we know our selues to be so weake and infirme that we dare not enterprise anye suche thynges our myndes ought excedingly to be moued and touched especially seyng we are God regardeth not the greatenes heape of workes What God chiefly regardeth God hath made our lot far better then the Ethnikes found weaker then were euen the Ethnikes Farther those comparisons declare that God hath not a regard vnto the greatnes or heap of works for otherwise he should render vnto them the rewardes which he promiseth vnto vs. But this thing God chiefly regardeth whether we are by faith ioyned together with Christ and whether whatsoeuer we do we direct it to the prayse and glory of his name But the power and facultye to do excellente factes he of his mercye when he iudgeth it opportune aboundantlye ministreth vnto vs. Let vs in the meane tyme geue hym thankes for that he hath made our lot farre better then theyrs For the feruent desire of the creature wayteth for the reuelation of the sonnes of God bicause the creature is subiect vnto vanitie not of hys owne wyll but by reason of hym which hath subdued it vnder hope For the feruent desire c. The excellency of the blessednes to come he hereby coÌ„firmeth for that it is wayted for of euery creature and that not after any coÌ„mon sort but with great anxiety care For so signifieth this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the etimology wherof hereof coÌ„meth for that when we earnestly looke for any thing we vse to thrust forth the head and to looke about to sée and if we can espy it comming Chrisostome sayth that that worde signifieth a vehement wayting for Ambrose interpretateth it a continuall and often wayting for This reason is grounded vpon the definitioÌ„ of that which is called Summum bonum that is the chiefest goodnes For if that good thing be it as Aristotle hath defined it which all thinges Definition of the chiefe good thing Euery creature wayteth for the reuelation of our glory The creatures for our sake trauaile eueÌ„ to the time of our full redemptioÌ„ desire that vndoubtedly which is of all creatures earnestly waited for must of necessity be the chiefest goodnes And the cause why of all creatures our reuelation is wayted for is for that so long as it is differred euery creature is subiect vnto vanitie This place in dede is some what hard howbeit I thinke this sence to be plaine inough That euery creature is in a greuous estate and vntill the time of our full redemptioÌ„ is with troublesome labours ouerweried For the earth is for our sake subiect vnto the curse â–ª bringeth forth briers thornes to nourish vs ofteÌ„times bringeth forth fruites which still decay and is compelled for our sins to suffer destructions and ruines â–ª The aâ—â—e is made pestilent sometimes it is frosen with cold sometimes enflamed with heate sometymes couered ouer with cloudes and sometymes with rayne All kinde of liuing creatures are brought forth and dye to our helpe and comfort the celestiall orbes are continually moued they go downe they arise they suffer Ecclipses the Moone waneth increaseth in the death of Christe the light of the sunne was darkened and when Christ shall come to iudge as the Euangelistes declare the powers of heauen shall trauaile Farther all creatures are compelled to serue the wicked and to be subiect vnto their abuses which thing Ose the prophet in his 2. chap. declareth The Israelites ascribed the good thinges of this world in which they abounded not vnto the true God as they should haue done but vnto Baal vnto him gaue they thankes and vpon him only did they cal Wherfore God being angry said I wyll take away my corne my wyne and my oyle and wyll set at liberty my wooll and my linnen that they should not couer thy shame By which wordes the prophet declareth that when creatures are takeÌ„ away from the vngodly they are set at liberty that they shuld not be compelled any more to serue the wicked Augustine in his 83. booke of Questions and 67. Question interpretateth this place somewhat otherwise For by euery creature he vnderstandeth men euen as it is also taken in the Gospell For so Christ sayth Preach the Gospell to euery creature And this therfore séemeth most conuenient vnto man for that in In man are comprehended all kindes of thinges We muste not thinke that the Moone Sunne Aungels do properly sighe The aungels are neyther subiect vnto vanity nor vnto corruption The Maniches vngodly and vnaptly fained many thynges touchinge the mourning of creatures Two kindes of men him as in a certaine little world are comprehended all kinde of thinges Although the same Augustine denieth not but that these wordes may also be expounded otherwise But here of this thing he warneth vs to beware that we folishly thinke not that the Sunne Moone and Starres and the aungels that are on high do sigh grone which thing some were not ashamed to affirme We must confesse saith he that the holy Aungels doo seruice vnto vs at the commaundement of God But forasmuch
of the Sentences confuted this matter For I know yâ— he in his 3. booke teacheth yâ— our hope leneth not only vnto yâ— mercy of God but also vnto our merites And therefore saith he to hope without merites is no hope but a presumption Thys sentence is not to be receaued For it addeth vnto hope a condition when as fayth without any condition apprehendeth that which is to be hoped for out of the word of God Farther when a these or any other wicked man is sodenly conuerted vnto God hath he not hope Vndoubtedly he hath for if he dispaired of saluation he would not fly vnto Christ And how can any man say that such a hope leneth to any merites when as he hath alwayes before liued wickedly But as we haue before sayd these men thinke they haue here a trimme place of refuge if they answere that thys hope of a man namely conuerted vnto Christ dependeth of merites not in dede past but to come newely that he hopeth he shal obteyne the rewardes of felicity when he hath done workes which he trusteth to doo But here they committe a double fault first bycause if he which is conuerted vnto Christ doo hope that by merites he shall haue eternal life he hath no true hope for he resisteth the true fayth For it apprehendeth the chiefe felicity offred frely Secondly vnawares they auouch that yâ— which hath not as yet his being is the cause of yâ— vertue which in acte and very dede they confesse to be in the minde of the repentaÌ„t And if they meane that he hopeth for felicitie when he hath liued well but yet in such sort that he hath no confidence that he caÌ„ by committing of sinne attaine Workes ar not the cause of hope vnto it then speake they no other thing then we do But so are not workes the cause of hope but light betwene it and the laste end as certayne meanes and first beginnings of felicity that men forasmuch as they hope that eternall blessednes shal be geuen vnto them freelye shoulde also hope that God if they liue wyll freely also geue vnto them good workes For the holy scripture teacheth â—arre otherwise then do these men For Dauid when he sayd If thou Lord shalt loke streightly vnto iniquities who shall be able to abide it And when he saw that the sinnes wherewith our workes are contaminated auocate vs from hope added The cause of our hope My soul hath hoped in his word And by the word he vnderstandeth the promise of which promise he rendreth a cause Bycause with the Lorde is mercye and with hym is plentifull redemption These are the true and proper causes of our hope The promise of God and his aboundant mercy The same Dauid in an other place sayth Why art thou sad o my soule and why dost thou trouble me Hope in God for I will still confesse vnto hym Here some obiect that we ar not iustified by fayth only for Paul sayth that we are saued by hope But these men ought to haue considered that the Apostle in this place entreateth not of Iustification For touching We are saued by hope but we are not iustified by it it he before wrote that by fayth the spirite we are deliuered from the lawe of sinne and of death and adopted into sonnes and heyres and made the fellow heyres of Christ But here he speaketh of the perfect redemption which is still to be wayted for This we also confesse to be holdeÌ„ by hope when yet notwithstanding we haue alredy by fayth obteyned iustification and remission of sinnes Farther I haue oftentimes admonished that when the scripture semeth to attribute iustification ether vnto hope or vnto charity or vnto our woorkes those places are so to be vnderstanded that iustification is there taught not by the causes but by the effectes And we ought to vnderstand that whatsoeuer is The consideration of iustification is sometymes declared by the causes and sometimes by the effectes attributed vnto works the same is wholy done by reason of fayth which is annexed vnto them Wherefore as in a wall we haue a consideration vnto the fouÌ„dation and in the fruites of trées to the roote so whatsoeuer semeth at the first sight to be ascribed vnto works is to be assigned vnto faith as vnto the mother of all good workes Which thinge Augustine hath in many places excellentlye taught Others to proue that hope depeÌ„deth of our workes cite that which Paul before sayd Tribulation worketh patience patience worketh experience and experience hope Here say they it is playne that of patience springeth hope I heare in dede the wordes of Paul but I doo not by them acknowledge that patience is the cause of hope For first it is playne inough to him that will consider it that Paul in thys connexion compareth not causes with effectes For who will say that tribulation is the cause of patience For it bringeth many to desperation and to horrible blasphemies But those thinges which Paul knitteth together in this chayne are instruments by which the holy ghost vseth to stir vp in vs these vertues But graunt that there be some consideratioÌ„ of cause betwene these things yet should it not thereof follow that patience is the cause of hope but contrariwise Patience springeth of hope that hope is the cause of patience For no man with a quiet mind patiently suffereth any thing vnles by that patience he hope to attayne vnto some thing Vndoubtedly Martirs are by hope confirmed in theyr tormentes patiently to beare them And the marchant if he had not a hope to gayn would kepe himselfe at home nether would he wander about the world And the shipmaster vnles he hoped that he could ariue at the porte would not lose out into the depe nether striue agaynst the windes and waues I confesse in dede that here is somewhat encreased by patience For when we se that vnto vs is geuen of Christ for hys Hope is somewhat encreased by patience sake with a quiet minde to suffer many thinges we more and more haue confidence that those thinges also which are remayning and which we wayte for shall one day be geuen vs. But to beleue that hope wholy dependeth of patience I can not be perswaded For as we haue before sayd by hope rather we come vnto patience And in very dede the holy ghost is the author and cause of these vertues And he goeth orderly to worke of one to produce an other Agaynst this certainty which we sayd dependeth of yâ— promise of God Pighius vseth trifling reasons that the promises are generall nether is in them mencion made either of me or of thee and therefore there is still remayning a doubt when we must discend to the application of these promises Thys man semeth to me to make the promises of God to hange in the ayre when as he will haue them to be so Euery faithfull man knoweth that the promises ar properly
who do not only deceiue others but also chiefly thēselues That is the true faith which Paul describeth to the Galath which worketh through loue For alwaies of true fayth springeth charity For it is not possible the the true and chiefe good thing being certainly known should not be beloued and earnestly desired He that séeth not the connexion and order of these vertues séeth nothyng for so straightly are they knit together that euen as of true faith of necessity followeth charity so againe on the other side he which wanteth faith must of necessity abhorre God and hate him so far is it of that he can loue him But this is not to be passed ouer the euen the most holiest men so long as they liue here haue a very slender loue towardes God For oftentimes they be drawen backeward by lustes of the flesh and that is the cause why iustification can not be ascribed vnto it For if we should leane vnto our loue forasmuch as it is very weak we should continually stagger But God will haue his promise to be firme and sure But thou wilt obiect that our faith also is weake I graunt it is so and therfore we leane not vnto faith as it is a worke but we haue an eye vnto the mercy of God his promise which by faith we embrace and so our iustification hangeth not of the worke of faith but of his obiect Howbeit in this infirmity of our loue towardes God thys thing haue the godly which the vngodly haue not that as soone as they haue fallen they straightway run vnto God They are sory they repent by y◠meanes prefer Christ only before all thinges so that for his sake they offer themselues to suffer all maner of thinges But the vngodly alwayes sticke in the mire they returne not earnestly vnto God but become euery day worse worse When Paul writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is we know he meaneth not a slight or slēder knowledge but a firme certaine and sound knowledge For none that is a Christian ought to be in doubt of the last ende of his state The state of the godly is to the better but the state of the vngodly is to destruction We after a sort are as players in a commedie where in although the beginning middle part be troublesome yet it is with a ioyfull pleasaunt ende concluded But the vngodly are as players in a Tragedy which although at the beginning it seme godly and gorgious yet hath it an horrible and lamentable ende This diuersity noted Abraham in the Gospell for vnto the A testimony of Abraham riche man burning in the flames of fire he sayd Remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuedst good thynges but Lazarus euill Wherefore it is no meruayle if thinges do now go otherwise Which are called accordyng to purpose These wordes declare who they be which loue God And he bringeth a reason why vnto them all things turne vnto good for that it is mete and conuenient that all things do seruice vnto the counsell predestination and election of God that whomsoeuer he hath decréed to saue All thinges ought to be seruisable vnto the counsell of predestination him must all creatures whatsoeuer they be of necessity helpe He vseth this word purpose which at other times also in this matter he oftē vseth For in the next chapter he saith That the election mought abyde according to the purpose of God And vnto the Ephe. the 1. chap. Which hath predestinated vs accordyng to purpose and grace by the force wherof he worketh all thynges accordyng to the councell of hys wyll And in the latter to Tim. the first chap. Which hath called vs wyth hys holy calling not according to our works but according to purpose and grace And by these words he semeth to note Two manner of callinges Here is vnderstand a mighty and constant calling a certain distinction of callings For the one is outward which is by the holy scriptures sermons the other inward wherby the mind is moued by y◠instinct of God which in wardcalling also is not of one sort For there is one during but for a time an other of efficacy and abiding The Apostle whē he saith accordyng to purpose defineth callyng and contracteth it to that strong and constant impulsion Chrisostome in this place thinketh that this worde purpose is not to be referred vnto God but vnto the will and counsell of them which are called that the Apostle should not séeme to attribute so much vnto the election of God The Iewes saith he and Ethnikes whē they An error of Chrisostom hard these things made a stirre and demaunded what should let but that they also might be saued Chrisostome séemeth as often as he entreated of the election or predestination of God to haue bene somewhat afeard lest some occasion should be geuen vnto Whereof Chrisostom was afeard men to liue idly and wickedly or to lay the faulte of their wicked actes vpō God although he sometimes goeth plainly inough to worke ascribeth all our good thinges whatsoeuer they be vnto the grace of God And this place he thus goeth about to extenuate as though God in dede calleth and electeth men but yet those only which either already haue or hereafter shall haue a purpose and will to obey but herein he excedingly erreth in that he denieth that this is the purpose of God For the wordes which follow plainly teach that this is wholy to be referred vnto Purpose in this place ought to be referred vnto God predestination For it followeth Whome he foreknew those also hath he predestinated And in the next chapiter it is written According to election that the purpose of God should abide By which wordes we sée y◠predestination dependeth not of our wil but of the purpose Predestination depēdeth not of our wil but of the purpose of God of God Which selfe thing is declared vnto the Ephe. where it is written That we are predestinate accordynge to purpose by the force whereof God woorketh all things accordyng to his counsell and wyll In which place it cannot be denied but that he vnderstādeth the purpose of God and much lesse can that be denied in the first chap. vnto Tim. where it is thus written God hath called vs wyth hys holy calling not by our workes but by his purpose and by grace Which selfe thing Paul teacheth in the first chap. vnto the Ephe. For he sayth That we are predestinate into the adoption of the sonnes of God accordyng to his good pleasure And Christ saith I geue thankes vnto thee O holy father for that thou hast hidden these thynges from the wyse and hast reueled them to infantes because it hath so pleased thee And Paul vseth this word purpose to declare a certaintie for that the thinges which God by his prouidence hath decréed are stable and firme But his minde is to proue that men ought not to
afflict The purpose of God noteth firmnes themselues or to take it in ill part if they haue tribulations layd vpon them for that it shall turne vnto them vnto good especially to theÌ„ that be predestinate vnto euerlasting saluation Wherfore it is very plaine both by the wordes which follow by the entent of Paul that purpose is in this place to be referred vnto God not vnto those which are called Ambrose in dede denieth not but that it is yâ— purpose Ambrose flieth vnto workes â—oresent of God Howbeit being moued as I thinke with the same reasoÌ„ yâ— Chrisostom was he saith yâ— God calleth predestinateth whoÌ„ he knoweth shal beleue shal be apt for him and deuoute But we ought not to thinke that the election and predestination of God depend of workes forsene It is in déede certaine neither can we deny it that those whom God hath predestinate shall one day if age permitte beleue and be deuoute and apt For God shall geue it vnto them for he predestinateth God predestinateth not onely the end but also the meanes A similitude Foure thinges to be noâ—ed also the meanes whereby we shall at the length come vnto the ende So we also after that we haue determined to vse any pece of timber to some vse of an house do fashion and hew it to that forme which may best serue for the accomplishing of the worke which we haue to do But here are fower things diligently to be noted of vs first that the will of beleuing and the purpose and counsell of liuing holily which shall at the length be in those which are elected neither springeth of themselues nor also naturally is cleauing vnto them For they are the giftes of God and not the endowmentes of nature Neither can any man of his owne accord attaine vnto them For what hast thou saith Paul that thou hast not receaued But if thou haue receaued it why boastest thou as though thou haddest not receaued it But if they be geuen of God as vndoubtedly they are then followeth The good meanes are not geuen of God by 〈…〉 ce but bâ— predestination it of necessity that they are not done by chaunce or rashely but by the counsel and predestination of God Wherfore these thinges also are pertaining vnto predestination For euen as God predestinateth his to eternall life so also predestinateth he them to good counsels vnto holy workes and vnto the right vse of the giftes of God And hereof followeth that which is secondly to be noted that our good purpose or faith or good workes forsene can not be the causes of predestination for so should we neuer come to an end For sithen those thinges as we haue sayd are of predestination and not of our selues it may againe be demaunded why God would geue them vnto this man rather then to that man Where if thou answere as many do because God foreséeth that this man will vse those good giftes well and the other not againe will arise as waighty a question touching the selfe same Good workes foreseene are not causes of predestination good vse For seing that also is a gift of God why should it by the predestinatioÌ„ of God more be geuen to this man then to that And by this meanes there shal be no end of enquiring vnles we will at the last fayne that there is some good thing found in vs which we haue not of God which thing to affirme is not only absurd but also impious Thirdly of this thing we ought to be fully perswaded that euen as good workes forsene can not be the causes of predestination so also are they by Good workes are not causes of eternall felicitie predestination not geuen vnto men to be causes of the chiefe good thing that is of the felicity whereunto we are predestinate they are in déede meanes whereby God bringeth vs vnto eternall life but therefore are they not causes for that blessednes is geuen fréely and we are by the mere mercy of God predestinate vnto it Lastly we ought to hold that these works are not alwayes forsene in the predestination Good works cannot alwayes be foreseene of God in them that shal be saued The foreknowledge of good workes cannot be the cause of predestination of God For many infants being taken away before they come to ripe age by the predestination of God attaine vnto eternall life who yet should neuer haue had any good workes For God foresaw that they should dye being infants Which thing very euidently proueth that the foreknowledge of good workes is not to be put as the cause of predestinatioÌ„ for a iust and sure effect can neuer want his true cause Augustine entreating of this place expressedly sayth that purpose in thys place is not to be referred vnto the elect but vnto God And which is more diligently to be noted writing against the two epistles of the Pelagians in his 2. booke to Bonifacius towardes the ende he saith That the Pelagians at the length confessed that the grace of God is necessary whereby may be holpen our good purpose but they denied The Pelagians at the length confessed that our purpose is holpen by grace Whether grace be geuen vnto theÌ„ that resist it The Pelagians tooke this word purpose as Chrisostome did Chrisostome defended froÌ„ suspition of the heresâ—e of the Pelagians Good endeuors and purposes are sent vnto vs of God that the helpe of that grace is geuen vnto them that resist which is farre wyde from the truth For at the beginnyng euery one of vs resist the pleasure wyll of God neither should we euer assent to hym when he calleth vs vnles he should come and helpe vs wyth hys grace And he addeth that the Pelagians in thys place which we haue now in hand referred not Purpose vnto God but vnto those which are called Howbeit I dare not therefore accuse Chrisostome to be a Pelagian for he at other times as Iohn sayd ascribed whatsoeuer good thing we haue vnto the grace of God and plainly confesseth originall sinne both which things the Pelagians denied Howbeit it is manifest by the wordes of Augustine that the Pelagians and Chrisostome agréed in the exposition of this place Augustine in the selfe same booke confesseth that our purpose is holpen by the grace of God But yet not in such sort as though it were of our selues and not geuen of God And for confirmation of this sentence he citeth that which is written in the latter to the Corrinthyans the 8. chapter I geue thankes vnto God which hath geuen the same endeuour for you in the harte of Titus These wordes sufficiently declare that the good endeuors and purposes which we fele in our mynds are sent of God He citeth also the 77. Psalme I sayd I haue now begonne and thys chaunging commeth of the ryght hande of the hyghest But I do not much trust vnto this testimony for out of the Hebrew
faineth two children to be borne of vngodly parentes and strangers from Christ both of them are cast forthe and set to daunger of death And the one of them in deede dieth but the other being of somewhat more stronger nature is by a Christian by chance comming by preserued and brought to the Church and baptised and is with other of the faythfull made a partaker of Christ Verely touching the saluation of the one childe we haue nothing that we can certainly affirme but of the other if the childe dye we can skarsely put any doubt And if the matter be so we affirme that one of them was elected and the other reiected Wherevnto then had the election of God a regarde Thou canst not say vnto workes foresene when as those thinges which shall neuer come to passe can not be foresene For the prouidence of God prouideth those thinges which shall come to passe and not those thinges which shall not be yea rather he forseeth that those thinges shall not come to passe Wherefore we see that that deuise touching workes foreseene can not in all cases satisfy humane reason Wherefore we must rather beleue Paul who leadeth vs to the highest cause namely to the wyll of God whereunto doubtles we do iniury if we thinke that there is any cause aboue it What shoulde we flye vnto the workes of men when as All men are by nature of one and the selfe same disposition and prones to euill This opinion makâ—th Paul very blockish duâ—â—itted â–ª we all are of one the selfe same nature of one the selfe same propriety and of one and the same disposition For that lompe of Adam wherehence we are deriued is vitiated and corrupted whereunto if peraduenture there be added any thing that is good the same it hath of the mere and only goodnes of God Farther they which so teach seeme to make Paul very blockishe and dull witted which could not see that which these men so easely vnderstand For he of the election of God bryngeth no other cause but the purpose and wyll of God And at the last also he crieth out O the depth of the riches c. But these sharpâ— witted men doo euen easely rid themselues of this greated difficulty euen I say by one pore word Augustine being yet a priest and newly baptised expounding this place although he saw that God could not haue a respect vnto our workes to come as causes of predestination wherby he embraseth vs yet he thought fayth foresene to be the cause of his loue towardes vs. And of this his sentence as touching ether part he bringeth this reason It is certayne that good workes are deriued into vs from the holy ghost for thorough him God worketh all in all and the same God geueth vnto vs the holy ghost Wherefore â–ª good workes sayth he forasmuch as they procede from God caÌ„ not any thing moue to his electioÌ„ or predestinatioÌ„ But he thought that God had a respect vnto our fayth and electeth them whome he foreséeth should beleue for that he thought that fayth is of our selues For although we rede sayth he that God worketh all in all yet we rede not that God beleueth all in all Wherfore Augustine erred whilest he was yet a priesâ— he thought it is of our selues to beleue but to work wel he thought to come of God These thinges wrote he being yet rude following as it should appeare to me the doctrine of his father Ambrose For he vpon this selfe same place teacheth the selfe same thing namely that God electeth them whome he knoweth shall afterward beleue But Augustine when his iudgement was now thorough Augustine reuoked his error age excercise more ripe and of deeper consideratioÌ„ reuoked this sentence as it is euident by his first boke of Retractations the. 33. chapiter in which place he thus writeth of him selfe These things had I not writteÌ„ if that I had vnderstode that Faith is no lesse the gift of God then good workes fayth is no les the gift of God then good workes And that fayth is geuen of God he gathereth by that which is written to the Ephesians in the 6. chapiter Charitye and fayth from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ And in the same epistle the 2. chapiter By grace ye are made safe thorough faith that not of your selues For it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast And vnto Timothe I obteyned sayth he mercy that I might be faithfull but he saith not for that I was faith full To this purpose mought be brought a greate many other sentences but for this present I thought these should suffice And as touching the wordes of Paul Purpose electioÌ„ why they are attributed vnto God no man ought to wonder that the Apostle when he speaketh of these things at tributeth vnto God purpose and election For the holy scriptures euery where frame themselues to our infirmity and speake vnto men after the maner of men By those wordes we vnderstand the constancy and immutability of the will of God For euen as men are wont as touching thinges whiche they haue rashly appoynted afterward when they haue better considered the matter to alter them but those thinges which they haue decréed with good consideration and deliberation they will haue to be firme and to continew so also thinke they of God For that cause Paul calleth his will purpose and electioÌ„ An oracle was geuen to Rebecka That the elder of these two brethern should serue the yonger for she had asked counsell of God what the brethern striuinge together in her wombe signified By this oracle we se that it is God which putteth a difference God putteth a difference betwene those yâ— are borne betwene those which are borne when as otherwise by nature they are equall And promises made to this or that stocke and to this or that posterity signifie nothing else but yâ— of that stocke or posterity shall some be elected but who they be it lieth not in vs to iudge We ought rather to haue a respect vnto the effects and whom we se to be called to beleue to geue themselues to good works those Forasmuch as prebestination is a thing hâ—dden vnto what thinges we ought to haue a respect A similitude to count for elect and alwayes in this matter to haue a regard vnto the commaundementes and vnto the promises that is vnto the outward word of God But concerning the hidden counsell of God as touching euery perticular man we haue nothing reueled vnto vs. But Chrisostome semeth to be against this First â—e sayth That there arose greate offence touching the reiection of the Iewes and the election of the Gentiles especially seing that the Gentiles had alwayes bene vncleane but the Iewes had moste playne promises For it is all one sayth he as if the sonne of a king vnto whome the kingdome semeth to be by
inheritaunce due should be reiected and in his place should be put some vile man taken out of the common people and but newly deliuered out of prison Which kinde of fact doubtles would cause greate offence to rise For if any man would finde fault that the kinges sonne is therfore reiected for that he had behaued himselfe ill he would say that there ought in his place to haue bene put one better then he and not one as wicked and as ill as he Wherefore seing the Gentiles were no better then the Iewes â–ª they ought both of them to haue bene in like sort ether punished or aduanced And that the Gentils were as great sinners as the Iewes therfore were vnworthy of the kingdom of God it is by that euident which was before spoken in the first chapter and moreouer in the third All haue sinned and want the glory of God and it is wonderfully to be meruayled at that God would promise that thing vnto the Iewes which he would not performe For man indede forasmuch as he iâ— ignorant of thinges to come if sometimes he change his minde may after a sort be excused but it is not so of God when as be most plainlye forseeth all thinges that shall come to passe whatsoeuer they be How Note the methode interpretatioÌ„ of Chrisostome sayth he doth Paul dissolue these thinges Thâ—â— he now addeth to declare who is the true Israell vnto whome are made the promises And his minde is vtterly that those thinges which are here spoken of Paul pertayne to the calling of the Gentiles for that they are the true Israell Farther he sayth that the dissolution of the question herein consisteth that the Gentiles came vnto Christ thorough fayth but the Iewes resisted fayth reiected the gospel being beÌ„t only to the workes of the law And this he sayth we must not thinke to come thorough Gods default when as his will is that al men should be saued Howbeit he plainly confesseth that Paul sayth not so For he thinketh that he dissolueth not the question but only increaseth the difficulty as he had done in the 5 chapiter when he entended to proue yâ— the rightousnes of Christ saueth vs and that he sayth semeth farre from the truth that the righteousnes of Christ should redound vnto vs. Wherefore he should haue proued this which yet he did not but rather thus wrote If we be coÌ„taminated thorough the sinne of one maÌ„ Adam how shall we not be made cleane thorough the righteousnes of one man Christ Here sayth he is brought an other doubt how the sinne of Adam could hurt vs which doubt yet is not dissolued of Paul But that he thus left these questions vndiscussed he thinketh is for this cause done for that Paul would euen at the first brunt stop the mouthe of the Iewes agaynst whome be then had to doo These examples sayth he which he bringeth he of purpose discusseth not but only seketh this to make his owne matter more perspicuous vnto theÌ„ As if he should haue sayd doth this O ye Hebrues offend you for that ye se your selues reiected the Gentils brought to the kingdome of God do ye not se that the selfe same thing hapned in your patriarkes also for they were reiected vnto whoÌ„ pertayned the inheritaÌ„ce For God waiteth not for the succes but streight way seeth this man to be good that man to be euill And touching the selfe same matter when as in the time of Moses they were all obnoxious vnto deth by reasoÌ„ of the idolatry which they had coÌ„mitted in the golden calfe yet notwithstanding some of theÌ„ were punished and other some were by the mercy of God preserued I haue mercy sayth God one whome I haue mercy and I shew compassion on whome I shew compassion Pharao was stirred vp that in him the power of God mought be declared but why was â—e more then other stirred vp What for disobedience and obstinacy As though others also were not as disobediente and as obstinate as he And seing that the promises seme to be made vnto the Israelites and they had now so increased that they were in nomber as the sand of the sea why only shall the remnaÌ„tes be saued All these questions sayth he Paul moueth but yet he disolueth them not For neyther is it expedient that thou shouldest to quickelye dissolue thy question when as thyne aduersarye sticketh in the same myre For it is labor loste that thou shouldest take all the paynes when as thyne aduersarye shoulde take as muche paynes as thy selfe Which thing if thou shouldest attempt thine aduersary would triumphe as though he had in his question put thee to the foyle Dissolue first saith he O thou Hebrew these selfe same questions which I haue put forth vnto thee out of the law Which if thou canst not do why then triumphest thou ouer me as though thou haddest gotten the victorye Wherfore Chrisostomes minde is that these thinges are of Paul put forth in that maner as we haue said but he afterward dissolueth them when he saith that the Gentiles were therfore grafted in for that they came through faith and yâ— Iewes were reiected for that they casting away faith did put their confidence onely in workes He addeth moreouer That God knoweth all thinges before they are done and forseeth who shall be good and who euill and therfore we must stande to his iudgement â–ª neither muste we enquire of him reasons of his election But the iudgementes of men are oftentimes deceaued and therefore we see that those oftentimes are greeuouslye punished of God whome otherwise we thinke to be of the beste kinde of men and those whome we abhorre as the worst kinde of men are oftentimes crowned of him He knoweth and seeth the hartes of all men we consider onely outward signes and follow the iudgement of other men Of this thinge God hath no neede for he seeth the causes of thinges wherefore we must content our selues with hys iudgement These wordes of Chrisostome may not be vniuersally allowed for they conteine many thinges whiche are straunge from The words of Chrisostome before alleged are examiâ—ed The things that are here spoken pertaineth not to the calling of the Gentils We must not faine vnto Paul that which he neuer spake Paul in this selfe same â—hap dissolueth the questioÌ„ which he dyd put forth Paul proued that we are defiled by the sinne of AdaÌ„ yâ— scope of Paul First this dissenteth that he draweth those thinges which are here spoken of Paul to the calling of the Gentiles secondly that he affirmeth that God electeth those whome he knoweth shall beleue whiche sentence we haue before at large confuted Farther why presumeth he himselfe to assigne a cause of the election of God which he plainly confesseth is no where put of Paul But how it is true that God willeth that all men shoulde be saued we haue in other places declared neither is it needefull now to repeate the
same againe This only now I lay that that proposition is not altogether so simplye to be vnderstanded Farther this also is not true which he taketh as a ground when he saith that Paul in this place dissolueth not the question which he did put forth â–ª For Paul most plainely sayth that the election of God is the cause of our saluation And of the election of God he putteth none other cause but the purpose of God and his mere loue and good will towards vs. Neither is he any thinge holpen by that similitude whiche he bringeth out of the fiueth chapter of this Epistle For there Paul sayth that it is not absurd to say that we in such sort haue the fruicion of the righteousnes of Christ that by it we are iustified forasmuch as by the offence and dissobedience of one man many are condemned This sayth he he ought to haue proued that we are infected by the sinne that we haue drawen from Adam which yet he did not but left it vndissolued Yea rather Paul proued that we are pertakers of that corruption euen by this that we die And they die also whiche haue not sinned after the likenes of the transgression of Adam Wherefore by death as by the effect he sufficiently proued original sinne For in yâ— Paul afterward sayth when he entreateth of the calling of That the Gentiles by fayth caâ—â— vnto Christ is not the cause of predestinatioÌ„ but the effect God gâ—ueâ—h not faith vnto his râ—shly but of puâ—pose the Gentils and of the reiecting of the Iewes that the Gentils came by faith but the Iewes sought saluation by the works of the law he putteth not that as a cause but onely as an effect of predestination For it may straightwaye be demaunded wherhence the Gentils had theyr fayth And if they had it of God as doubtles they had why did God geue it vnto them Surelye for no other cause but because he would Wherfore let vs leue those thinges as not agreable with the wordes of the Apostle and this rather let vs consider how the Apostle in this place confuteth iij. The Maniches confuted of Paul errors First he stoppeth the mouth of the Manichies which attributed much vnto the houre of the natiuitie as though we should by the power of the starres iudge of the life death and other chaunces that happen vnto men For Paul sayth that Iacob and Esau were borne both at one time in whome yet we see that in theyr The Pelagiâ—â—s confuted whole life was great diuersitie He confuteth also the Pelagians which taught that the will is so frée that euery one is according to his merites foresene of God which error is also in other places confuted of Paul by most strong reasons For to the Ephesians he saith Which hath elected vs in him before the constitucion of the world that we should be holy He saith not that he elected vs for that we were holy but that we should be holy And vnto Titus He hath saued vs not by the woorkes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy And to Timothe Which hath called vs by his holy calling not according to our woorkes but according to his purpose and grace which is geuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus before the times of the world By which wordes we see that the election of God consisteth of Grace whiche we haue had from eternally Farther by these woordes of Paul is also confuted Origen as we haue sayde Origene coÌ„futed For Paul saith that these two had done neither good nor euell The elder shall serue the younger This seemeth to be a temporall promise What is the groundâ—ele of earthly promises But we haue before oftentimes admonished that the foundation and groundsell of these earthly promises is the promise touching Christ and touching the obteynement of saluation through him And this maye hereby be gathered for if we haue a respecte vnto the principallitie of the first birth we shall not finde that Iacob atteined to it For he neuer bare dominion ouer his brother Esau so longe as he liued yea rather when he returned out of Mesopotamia he came humblye vnto him and desired that he mought obteyne mercy at his handes and it vndoubtedly Iacob had the possessioÌ„ of the first birth not in himself but in his posterity seemeth that Esau was farre mightier then he Althoughe touching the posteritie of eche it is not to be doubted but that the promise tooke place For in the time of Dauid and of Salomon the Iewes obteined the dominioÌ„ ouer the Edumites If these thinges be well applied to the purpose of the Apostle then muste it needes be that that they be vnderstanded of the promise of Christ and of eternall felicity For this is it that Paul endeuoreth that it shoulde not séeme to be againste the promise of God â–ª that few of the Iewes are receaued vnto the Gospell séeing that the greatest part of them were excluded And when he had brought this testimony of Iacob and Esau that the elder should serue the yonger of that oracle he bringeth this reason that the election mought abide according to purpose Which thinge for that it séemed hard vnto humane reason he confirmeth by an oracle of Malachy As it is written Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated This sentence of Scripture which is here cited is the reason and cause of the other sentence The latter oracle is cause of the first A place of Malachie declared which he before alleadged namely That the elder should serue the yonger Which is herebye confirmed for that it is written Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated These wordes are written in Malachy aboute the beginning of the first chapter in which place God thus vpbraydeth vnto the people their ingratitude I haue loued you And they are sayd thus to haue answered Wherein hast thou loued vs TheÌ„ sayth the Lord Iacob and Esau were they not brethern And yet haue I loued Iacob hated Esau And this he hereby proueth for that they beinge bretherne yet he preferred Iacob before Esau And vnto Esau he gaue a waste and solitary land suffered not the Edumites to be deliuered from theyr captiuitie yea rather he threateneth that if they should enterprise to reedifie theyr countrey being ouerthrowen he would then destroy it But vnto the Israelites he gaue a good fertile land who if peradueÌ„ture they should for theyr sins be led away into captiuitie yet he promised From the loue of God commeth eternall lyfe and froÌ„ hâ—s hatred eternal destruction yâ— he would bring theÌ„ home again fully restore again vnto theÌ„ theyr old kingdom But these things forasmuch as they are earthly we do not at this preseÌ„t meddle wt. This thing onely I thinke is diligently to be weighed yâ— of the loue of God coÌ„meth eternall life and from his hatred eternall destruction Some in this place with great curiosity enquire
if they should be receaued he saith Grace can no more be grace And thus much touching Chrisostome Now let vs sée what Ieromes minde is touching this matter He in his 10. question to Hedibia The opinioÌ„ of Ierome beginneth doubtles in my iudgement not very souÌ„dly For he saith that this is a most obscure place when as otherwise in the wordes of the Apostle as touching the question there is no ambiguity at all But he and other such like make the thing obscure whilest they labour to eschew more theÌ„ is nedeful the offence of humane We must not pretend any obscurenes in this chapter reason For Paul if a man haue a regard to the grammaticall sence if in any other place then moste of all in this place obserued both in his interrogation and answere and prospiâ—uous placing of his wordes whatsoeuer mought seme requisite And should be not a litle contumelius against the holy ghost if he would of purpose haue so obscured the doctrine concerning the principall ground of our saluation so that we should not be able to vnderstand it For in this place is entreated Here is entreated of the chiefe promise of our saluatioÌ„ of a matter which is of all other of most waight namely to what thing we ought to attribute our saluation and election whether to our workes foresens or to the frée mercy of God Ierome vsing this for his preface turneth himselfe afterward to reproue Origen howbeit he leueth his name vnexpressed For Origen labouring to iustify God as touching the loue of Iacob and hatred of Esau which as yet had done neither good nor euil sayth yâ— that came to passe by reason of those Plato Pithagoras things which their soules had done before they came into their bodies For of those merites it coÌ„meth yâ— meÌ„ in this life are of diuers estates These things Ierome worthely reproueth For they pertain not to Christian piety but to the doctrine of Plato and of Pithagoras For they fayned sondry courses departures returnes of the soules Why do we not rather saith Ierome confesse our own ignorance This sentence as I commend so also se I that it is not alwayes kept of him which spake it For if he would haue bene content with a godly ignorance he had not fained imagined those questions and suppositioÌ„s of Paul which in very déede are none at all But he would not that the Apostle should seme to haue tought these thinges contrary to common sence For when Paul had said Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated and afterward had added What is there iniquity wyth God and had made answere Ieromes discourse vpon this place God forbid proued by testemonies of the scriptures that God tempereth and moderateth his election according to his wil mercy and power Ierome sought to bow and to wrest those thinges which Paul had most simply spoken as if they were importunatly obiected vnto Paul by way of interrogation as though when Paul had answered God forbid the importunate caueler should go on and say If God sayd vnto Moses I wyll haue mercy on whome I wyll haue mercy and wyll shew compassion on whome I wyll shew compassion then shall it not now be neither of hym that wylleth nor of hym that runneth but of God that hath mercy And if he to thys ende raysed vp Pharao to declare in him hys power what could he then do wythall And if we be as clay in the hand of the potter why do we yet complayne Who can resist hys wyll Shall there be nothing remayning of free wyll Let Paul make answere to these impudent obiections what art thou o man which thus reasonest wyth God Euen by thyne owne malepertnes thou mayst sufficiently vnderstand that thou art not as clay in the hand of the potter For the clay complayneth not of hys maker but thou I wyll not say greuously complaynest but also powrest out blasphemy agaynst the creator and callest hym vniust and euen in thys thou declarest that thou hast free wyll when as thou speakest what thou list yea euen agaynst God himselfe And if God woulde by his greate patience long suffer Pharao and declare his mercy towardes others he is not therefore to be accused of thee the faulte is rather to be layde vppon the sinnes of men For euen as by one and the selfe same heate of the sunne clay is made hard and waxe made soft so by one and the selfe same goodnes of God some are made more obstinate and other some returne to health And therefore were the Gentles admitted into saluation for that they receaued the fayth of Christ and the Iewes were for saken and reiected for that they resisted that fayth Wherefore not the men themselues but theyr wylles are elected Wherfore by these thinges it is euident that Ierome also was of that mynde that the election of God dependeth of the wyll and workes of men And toward the An interpretation of an author not named end of this tenth question he sayth that he had red in a certaine author whose name yet he kepeth in silence that the Apostle doth not only not dissolue the question but also maketh it more intricate by testimonies of the scriptures and reproueth the curious inquisitor after this maner O man what art thou forsoth clay in the hand of the potter Wherefore kepe downe this thy malepertnes with eternall silence and be mindfull of the infirmity which is in man As touching This question caÌ„ not so be dissolued to satisfie humane reason Ierome vpon Malachy yâ— dissolution of the question if Ierome meane of that wherin humane wisdome may be satisfied we also do graunt that the question is not dissolued but if he speake of that kind of solution which ought to be sufficient vnto Christian piety and which may be had in this life there is nothing wanting to this dissolution Of the selfe same matter Ierome vpon Malachy expounding the place which we are now in hand with writeth after this maner The loue and hatred of God is either of foreknowledge or of workes For those God loueth whome he seeth to be haters of sinne and those he hateth whome he seeth wyll build vp those thynges which he wyll haue to be ouerthrowen Finally he saith that God is sayde to loue or to hate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª that is after the maner of men euen as he is sayde to be angry to be sory to reioyce and therefore is he sayd to hate the wicked that we shoulde eschew those thinges whiche we know he hateth I know also that the Rabines of the Hebrues and especially Chimhi when they expound this place of Malachy do runne vnto workes But although in properties phrases of wordes I iudge those men worthy som what to be estemed yet as touching the sence of scripture and doctrine I do not geue much credit vnto them For they are vtterly blinded neither will they
the foreknowledge of merites For acception of persons is when contrary to iustice distributiue we haue a A similitude respect vnto the conditions which make not a man worthy either of y◠gifte which is distributed or of the office which is committed to his charge as if a bishoppricke should be geuen vnto a man bycause he is beawtifull and of a tall stature or for that he is a stout warrior neglecting in the meane time other men more worthy and méete But of this fault God cannot iustly be accused For he findeth in vs no persons or qualities or conditions For we come all equally of the corrupte Masse of Adam Wherefore whatsoeuer afterward commeth either as touching giftes or worthines the same we haue not of our selues but of the goodnes of God But to returne to Ambrose who thinketh that some are elected for that God knoweth that they shall beleue and others are reiected for that he knoweth that they wil be enemies vnto the truth It appeareth also that Augustine beinge yet rude nor as a then a Bishop followed this sentence of his father Howbeit afterward when he had better examined the matter he reuoked it And Ambrose minde is that the loue and hatred of God springeth of faith or infidelitye foreséene Therefore he addeth Wherefore God foreknowing that they should be endued wyth an euyll wyll counted thē not in the nomber of the good although Christ said vnto the. 72. disciples whiche afterward fell awaye from hym as it is written in the 6. chapter of Iohn Reioyse and be glad for your names are written in heauen For they are sayde to be written accordinge to a certayne present iustice and not accordinge to foreknowledge And God forasmuche as he is a iust iudge iudgeth according to present iustice and not according to foreknowledge Wherefore that which the Lorde sayth to Moses in Exodus the 23. chapter If any man sinne against me I wyll blot him out of my booke is so to be vnderstanded that according to the righteousnes of the iudge he seemeth then to be blotted out when he sinneth but according to the foreknowledge of God he was neuer writen in the boke of life For Iohn sayth they wente out from vs for that they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they had doubtles abiden with vs. Afterward Ambrose defineth the foreknowledge Definitiō of the foreknowledge of God after Ambrose of God and sayth that it is that whereby God hath certainelye appoynted what manner of will euery mans will shal be wherein he shall abide and whereby he shall ether be condemned or crowned wherefore there is no acceptation of persons in the foreknowledge of God And he saith that it is possible that they which shall be good to the end become sometimes euill as it came to passe in Dauid contrariwyse that they which shall at the last become euill and shal be condemned yet notwithstandinge sometimes seeme good as Saul Iudas Salomon and Ioas as long as Ioiada the priest liued We sée that Ambrose in this his sentence was brought to that pointe that to auoyde the acceptacion of persons he referred the election of God to the foreknowledge of workes least God should séeme vniust But we haue already declared that the equitye and The iustice and equitye of God is not here put in any danger iustice of God is nothing put in daunger if we rightly vnderstande wherein consisteth the fault of the acception of persons But amongst the new writers Phocius whose sentence is rehearsed amongst the Gréeke Scholies by purpose vnderstādeth as other do foreknowledge of woorkes and thereof he affirmeth springeth election when as by it is put a difference betwene men But election cannot be vnles there be put some difference in those things which ought to be elected But we Election cā not be but when there is differēce of thinges The difference of things to be lected is not taken of the nature of the thinges themselues but of the purpose of God say that this difference is not to be considered by the thinges themselues which are elected but by the sondrye purpose of God towardes them For whatsoeuer good thing is founde in men the same commeth from the méere mercye and goodnes of God Neither can God foreknow that any thing shal come to passe but that which he willeth to be For forasmuche as all thinges that are haue by his will that that they be whatsoeuer he foreknoweth shal be it is of necessitye y◠he willeth the same to be Wherfore God found no difference in men but he himselfe putteth differēce in thē The same Phocius addeth Although there were no other reason of the election of God but his will yet ought we therewithal to be contēt But there is an other namely his foreknowledge of workes But we haue alredy declared what deceiued this mā namely for that he thinketh y◠the difference which must of necessity be in election is alwayes taken of the thinges that are to be elected when oftentimes they come of the méere will of him that electeth But nowe will I come to Augustine who in his questions to Simplicianus in his first booke and 2. question at large entreateth of this matter He demaundeth in that place why the mercye of God which was present with Iacob was wanting in Esau And he maketh answere that it cannot be sayd because that the one should beleue the other should not beleue for that fayth it self is the gift of God which thing others also sayth he do confesse but therfore they say the one beleued for that he woulde receaue that when it was offred and y◠other beleued not for that he would not receaue it But this aunswere is not sufficient For then mought euery man ascribe his faith Our faith is not an effect of our will to his owne will and thus say Therfore haue I beleued for that I woulde And by that meanes he should haue wherof he might glory and the grace of God and our fayth should be of workes Farther vnto the Phillippiās Paul writeth that it is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will Wherefore no man can haue a will to beleue vnles God geue vnto him that will Moreouer A good wil is the gift of God it should then not be of God that hath mercye but of man that willeth runneth And it is meruaile sayth Augustine if these men were demaunded whether a good will be the gift of God if they durst deny it but peraduenture they wil say God in vayne hath mercy if man will not Which is imprudently spoken For euery man hath a will vpon whome God hath mercy But if thou demaunde what maketh in vs this good wil we answer the calling of God But that séemeth to be The calling of God of two sortes against this which we reade in the Gospel That many are called but fewe
yet complayne Who can resist his will is gathered a most firme argument that Pauls minde was that both election and also reiection depend of the mere will of God For otherwise there was no occasion to obiect these thinges For if only the worthy should be elected and the vnworthy reiected what cause should there be of murmuring For then should be confirmed that kinde of iustice which humane reason most of all alloweth neither shoulde there be any place left to these offences Wherfore I do not a litle meruayle that Pigghius and other such like shold vse these things which Paul in this place obiecteth vnto himself confuteth to confirme their opinion as most sure argumentes For Pigghius saith if God should harden men Pharao should not be the cause of his sinne when as he could not resist the will of God And if God saith he should not deale according to workes foresene he should in his election be vniust and sinne agaynst iustice distributiue But these selfe same things Paul obiecteth vnto himself not to the entēt to satisfie thē thought he it nedeful to fly vnto the fond deuises of these Mortificatiō of faith men Herein doubles is most of all declared the mortification of fayth to geue all the glory vnto God and to beleue that the thinges which otherwise shoulde seme vniust are of him most iustly done By that comparison of the clay and of the potter Paul declareth that it is lawfull for God by most good right to do vnto men whatsoeuer he will and that men ought patiently and humbly to obey his will And that God can according to his right and at his pleasure either make men to honour or els leue them in contumely hereby he proueth God hath more right ouer men then the potter hath ouer the clay for that a potter hath the selfe same power ouer the vessels which he maketh Yea rather God hath much more right ouer mē thē hath the potter ouer y◠clay For man is infinitly more distant from God then is the vessell from the potter For the potter forasmuch as he is a man is taken out of the earth and the clay whether the potter will or no must nedes be clay But God if he wil can turne man into any thing yea if it please him he can also reduce him to nothing Wherefore that which is graunted vnto the potter by what right can it be denied vnto GOD And if men bee clay being compared vnto the will of God why are they not content therewith why do they so importunately murmure agaynst it And forasmuch as Paul sayth that the potter hath power to make By this cōparison is proued that God hath not a regard to workes vessels as he wil thereby he sufficiently declareth that God hath not a regard to workes For if it were so that power shoulde be no power and the potter should be able to do more then God For the potter may at his pleasure make what vessels he wil but God must follow the merites of men and our deedes shoulde be vnto him a rule of his election But we manifestly sée that the Apostle laboureth chiefely to proue that it lieth not in our power in what sort God ought to make vs. But against these things writeth Erasmus in his booke called Hyperaspistes that it is not to be merueled that y◠power is takē away frō God which he hath takē away frō himself For he would not y◠it shoulde be lawfull for him to do y◠which should be repugnāt to his iustice To this obiectiō we answer that Paul plainly saith that y◠potter hath this power which power doubtles we se is not takē away frō him Wherfore it is mete y◠the selfe same power be geuē also vnto God But wheras he saith y◠God hath takē away frō himself this power y◠is not true I grant in dede y◠God wil not haue y◠thing to be lawful vnto him which is repugnant vnto his iustice But here is nothing which is repugnāt vnto iustice Yea rather this we adde that here is not spokē of iustice but of mercy freely to be bestowed or not to be bestowed For God oweth vnto no man his first mercy therfore it foloweth y◠he may haue mercy on whō he wil not haue mercy on whō he wil not Erasmus also thinketh it absurd y◠we affirme that the respect of merites is repugnāt vnto the liberty power of God as touching electiō or reprobatiō For it were wicked saith he if a mā should be condēned with out euil deserts of sin That indede do we cōfesse but we adde that in this place is not entreated of damnation but only of reprobation as it is opposite to election or to predestination And with the Apostle we say that God Here is not entreated of damnation but of reprobation hath mercy on whome he will and hath not mercy on whome he will not And although God condemne not or deliuer not to eternall destruction but only those which haue bene contaminated with sinne yet he doth not by reason of any euill desert ouerhippe those one whome he hath decreed not to haue mercy Note the difference betwene damnation and reprobation And yet doth he not therefore deale vniustly for he oweth nothing to any man But when we say that if God should haue mercy or not haue mercy according to the merites of mē his power should be nothing at all which Paul here in this place so much commendeth Erasmus maketh answer that if he haue not a respect vnto workes his constāt and vnmoueable iustice should be nothing at all But we haue oftentimes declared that here is not entreated of iustice distributiue whereby God in predestination and reprobation is bound to render like vnto like For forasmuch as all are borne being drowned in the corruption of sinne he may as pleaseth him haue mercye on some and others agayne he may by the selfe same pleasure ouerhippe and leue them as he found them which is not to haue mercy vpon thē Erasmus also laboureth moreouer to proue y◠the power of God is after a sort contracted and made definite by his promises For when God had sworne eyther vnto Abraham or vnto Dauid vnles he would breake his fayth he was bound vtterly to performe his promises Wherefore sayth he it is not altogether so absurd if the power of God whereof is now entreated be not put vtterly fre from the respect of workes But Erasmus shold haue considered that this similitude touching the promises is not hereunto rightly applied For we neuer rede that there was any promise made to any man touching predestination Yea rather the promises alwayes follow predestination For it is the Predestination is the original of all promises originall of all promises Further Paul playnly maketh this power free from all respect of workes when he compareth it with the power of the potter For he in making of
of the potter and therfore it lay in him to do with them what he would forasmuch as this sentence mought diminish the preaching of the Prophets for straightway so soone as they should promise any good or threaten any euill the hearers mought say If we be in the handes of God as clay is in the hand of the potter what can we do or what remedy can we get against the will of God For God will vndoubtedly do that whiche he hath decréed the holy Ghost thought it good to remedy this incoÌ„uenience Wherfore he teacheth God doth not always make open his whole will that God in these threatninges and promises doth not alwayes reueale his hiddeÌ„ and vnchaungeable will whereby he hath most firmely decréed what he will do but onely his will which they call the antecedent will or the will of the signe that is of admonition for that theyr presente estate requireth that But Paul in this place and the Prophet in the beginning of the chapter entreate of that will and power of God whereby he by most good righte both maketh and maketh nâ—w all thinges as pleaseth him Farther Pighius thinketh that the solution of this question is had in the 27. chapter of Ecclesiasticus where it is thus written The fornaâ—e trieth the vessels of the potter and so doth teÌ„ptacion the iust men Hereof he gathereth A place of Ecclesiasticus that they which constantly and valiantly abide in temptacions thereby get to be vessels to honor but they which abide not but are broken are made vessels to dishonor But this man in his reasoning considereth not that if he will néedes prosecute this metaphore he shal be compelled to confesse that as well vessels to honor which serue for the table as also pottes and vrinals which we vse to vile ministeries must néedes abide the assay of the fier For euen the most vilest vessels if they be broken should now be no vessels yea neither doubtles not apte for any vile ministery Wherfore his arguing is here in vaine and he gathereth more of the Metaphore then he oughte For this was onely the meaning of the wise man that by temptacion men are tried what maner of ones they are and not that they by that triall attaine to their condition or estate but that condition which they before had then at the length they make manifest and bring to light Touchinge the place to By patieÌ„ce in teâ—ptations we are not prede 〈…〉 ated Timothe where it is written that in a great house are many kinds of vessells we haue entreated and haue declared Origens minde therein from whome this man hath borowed whatsoeuer he hath said The Prophet Esay also hath certaine woordes which serâ—e somewhat to the declaration of these woordes of Paul For in his 4â— chapter he thus writeth Wo be vnto him that striueth with his maker the potsheard with the potsheardes of the earth Doth the clay say vnto him that facioned it what dâ—st thou Thy woorke hath no handes that is thou hast so vnskilfully and rudely made thy worke as if thou haddest no handes The meaning of this place is very large for it reproueth all those which accuse the woorkes of God of what kinde so euer they be and therefore Paul aptly transferred that sentence to his purpose thereby to beate downe those which complaine of the power of God and take it in ill part that God hath mercy on whome he will and hath not mercy on whom he will not Although there are many which thinke that Paul cited not these testimonies of the Prophets but rather alluded vnto them And so thinke they that he in an other place when he writeth do ye not know that a little leuen sowreth the whole dow alluded vnto those wordes of Christ wherein he commaunded the Apostles to beware of the leuen of the Scribes and Pharifies But hereabout I will not contende for whether he alluded to the sentences of these Prophets or whether he cited them as touching the matter it is all one Neither ought it to séeme strange if Paul wheÌ„ WheÌ„ Paul vseth scripture he doth not always câ—te it he vseth the testimony of the scriptures do not expresse the same for althoughe he be wont sometimes to adde As it is written yet obserueth he not that manner alwayes For towardes the end of the. 11 chapter he simply and without any citation thus writeth Who hath knowen the minde of the Lord or who was his counseller And that clause we reade with the selfe same nomber of woordes in Esay But it is certaine that Paul in this whole discourse retaineth the meaning of eche place both Paul folowâ—th the meaning both oâ— Ieremy of Esay of Ieremy that we are as clay in the hand of the potter which maketh and maketh againe whatsoeuer he will and also of Esay that it is not lawfull for the clay to coÌ„tende with his maker or to reproue him for his woorke And to this place serueth very well that which is reade in Ecclesiasticus the. 33. chapter if that booke be reaceaued And men come out of the earth whereout Adam was created But the Lord by his manifold knowledge hath deuided them hath altered their conditions Some of theÌ„ hath he blessed and exalted and some of them hath he sanctified and appropriated vnto himselfe and some of them hath he cursed and broughte lowe and hath put them out of theyr estate as clay is in the hand of the potter to forme and order it Wherefore Paul when he thus writeth deliuereth not thinges new and vnheard of but alredy receaued and set forth in the scriptures whome if teachers would follow they should not néede to flie to the respect of merites especially séeing that the scriptures when they entreat of election or reprobation acknowledge not that doctrine Ambrose expounding these wordes first saith that the Apostle did put forth this out of Esay as his own And he confesseth that it is in the power of the maker to make what creature he will But he addeth Forasmuch as we are all of one and the selfe same Masse in substance and ar all sinners God hath mercy vpon one not without iustice dispiseth an other For in the potter is only a wil but in God is a wil with iustice for God knoweth vpon whome he ought to haue mercy Thus much Ambrose In which wordes where The wil of God is â—lwayes ioyned with iustice The consideration of iustice â—n elecâ—â—oÌ„ is not to be sought for in our workes as he saith that iustice is ioyned with the will of God when he hath mercy or reiecteth we will not deny that so that it be rightly vnderstaÌ„ded For we know that in God is vtterly no iniustice for he doth iniurie vnto no man But herein we agrée not for that these men thinke that the consideration of the iustice of God is to be sought for of the works and merites of men for we iudge
scope and natiue sence of the wordes Euen vs whome he hath called not only of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles As he sayth also in Osea I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloued which was not beloued And it shall be in the place where it was sayd vnto them Ye are not my people that there they shal be called the children of the liuing God Euen vs vvhome he hath called Now is dissolued the principall poynt of The methode of the question also of the solution the question which the Apostle hath hetherto entreated of And that the methode of this question may yet the better be perceaued it shal be good somewhat more depely to consider of it The Apostle had now concluded that righteousnes coÌ„meth not of workes but of fayth Of this sentence semed to folow two absurdities the one was that the promises of God wherin he bound himselfe vnto the posterity of Abraham semed for that the Iews reiected Christ and his doctrine to be made voyde the other was that those workes touching ceremonies and sacrifices which semed so goodly to shew are nothing worth before God But this latter question shall afterward be entreated of in the 10. chapter Touching the first the Apostle hath here at large entreated and hath declared that the promises are not made of none effect although there were many of the Iewes which were not saued For although the promises are set forth indefinitely and vniuersally yet are they not of efficacy but only in the elect God promised saluation vnto the posterity of Abraham But that was to be vnderstanded of that posterity which should haue election ioyned with it And that election he declareth to be free and not bound vnto carnal propagation For Ismaell and Esau were reiected who yet as touching flesh pertained to the posterity of AbrahaÌ„ And that the Apostle might the more confirme this liberty of the election of God he dischargeth it also froÌ„ al respect of workes And therfore he thus writeth of those twines Which being not yet born wheÌ„ they had done nether good nor euil it was said of theÌ„ Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated not of workes but of him that calleth That election mought abide according to purpose And this discourse the Apostle hath hitherto vsed Now that he hath thus proued and established this liberty of election he declareth how it contayned not it selfe amongst the Iewes only but also spread abrode vnto the Gentiles yea it tooke greater frute amongst the Gentiles then it did amongst the Iewes Which thing forasmuch as it was odious to be spoken and mought easely offend the Iewes the Apostle would not pronounce it vnder his own person but thought it good rather to to vse the oracles of the prophetes which most manifestly foretold that this thing should so come to passe By this methode being as I suppose playne and perspicuous it manifestly The Apostle in the beginnyng of this chapiter began not to entreat of the calling of the GeÌ„tles appeareth that the Apostle at the beginning of this chapter began not to entreate of the calling of the Gentiles as many thinke For this thing only he tought that the promises of God are not made voyde although many of the Iewes be condemned for that the execution of the promises depeÌ„deth of the fre election of God Now from this liberty of the election of God which is bound nether to bloud nor to workes the Apostle notably discendeth to the calling of the Gentiles Wherefore he sayth VVhome he hath called not only of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles In some Greke bookes is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vs so that the relatiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is whome must be referred to the pronoune for if this pronoune should wante it mought seme that the Apostle kept not the gender of the aâ—tecedent For otherwise it semeth that he should rather haue sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vessels is in the neuter gender But in that he vseth a relatiue of the masculine gender he passeth from the metaphore vnto the thing it selfe which was entreated of namely vnto men that are called as wel Gentiles as Iewes When he sayth vvhome he hath called by the effectes he declareth that predestination pertayneth not only to the Iewes but also to the Gentiles By vocation in thys place I vnderstand that calling whiche is of efficacye whiche Augustine after Pauls phrase calleth According to purpose namely that vocation whereby the elect are draweÌ„ vnto saluatioÌ„ And that is an effect of the predestination of God Vocation of efficacy is an effect of predestination We must pronounce nothing touching predestinatioÌ„ but so far forth as â—t vttereth it selfe by the effectes For otherwise the common vocation is set forth also vnto the reprobate and therefore it can not be an assured signe of election Wherefore we are admonished not to take vpon vs to pronounce any thing of the predestination of God but so farre forth as it vttereth it selfe by the effectes For so Paul heare proueth that the Gentiles pertayne to election for that they are called together with the Iewes vnto Christ But this we ought to note that Paul at the beginning to put forth the matter more gently spake not altogether so much as he would afterward proue For he proueth that few of the Iewes were called and that by a testimony of Esay But first he dispatcheth yâ— which he first pronounced namely that the Gentiles should be called vnto Christ And of that thing he reciteth a testimony of Osea saying As he sayth in Osea By these words he declareth that God gaue this oracle and that by Osea the prophet And he alludeth to the beginning of the prophecy of Osea where it is thus written The beginning where in the Lord spake in Osea I vvill call them my people vvhich vvere not my people and her my beloued vvhich vvas not my beloued And it shal be in the place vvhere it vvas sayd vnto them â–ª Ye are not my people that there they shal be called the children of the liuing God How these wordes may be applied to the Gentiles the interpreters take greate paynes But this semeth to be the opinion of the soundest sort of expositors as well of the old writers as also of the new For as much as the Iewes being by reason of theyr idolatry and other theyr wicked actes put from the dignity of being the people of God are yet notwithstanding sayd that they shal be agayne restored into the selfe same estate and shall be made pertakers of the mercy of God it semeth not strange that the Gentiles also which before were not the people of God should be admitted to the selfe same dignity For the Israelites being by reason of theyr impiety reiected of God were now nothing els but
draue his Apostles out of their borders And in that the Prophet saith that the Lord had left remnantes thereby we vnderstand that our preseruation dependeth of him and not of our selues He electeth vs he prouideth that we The preseruatioÌ„ of the godly dependeth wholy of God What the God of Sabaoth signifieth fall not he stirreth vs vp to liue holily he gouerneth vs he geueth vnto vs perseuerance Wherefore seing that those are his giftes let vs count to haue receaued theÌ„ at his hands But why God is called the Lord of Sabaoth sondry reasons are geuen Some say that by hostes ouer whome God is the chiefe are vnderstanded the starres which being worshipped of the Ethnikes for Gods by this title it is verye plaine how farre the God which the Iewes worshipped surmounted them For by that worde is declared that he is the moderator and gouerner of all the celestiall orbes and ornamentes Some thinke that God was so called by reason of the hostes of the Israelites in the midst of which hostes was caried the Arke of the couenant as often as they should pitche going thorow the desert Others againe will haue All creatures are the hostes of God this word to pertaine vnto yâ— angels who are yâ— hostes of God But as I iudge he was so called because al creatures are as it wer his hosts For they are instrumeÌ„ts of his power wil do no les obey him then souldiers do theyr captaine yea also wicked men and the Deuils vnawares and vnwitting do seruice vnto his counsell And although those thinges which Esay the Prophet prophesied of the fewnes of those which should be saued happened in the time of king Ezechias at what time the city of Ierusalem was deliuered from the siege of Sennacherib and also in the restitution of the captiuity of Babilon from whence very few returned yet came they more truly to passe in the time of Christ when by Titus and Vespasian Ierusalem with the whole common wealth of the Iewes was vtterly ouerthrown Chrisostome weighing this which is written that it is God which left séede confesseth that these few were not of themselues preserued but of God which I suppose he vnderstandeth as he hath oftentimes declared in comparison of that whiche we bring For that if it be compared vnto that which is geuen vs of God he saith is very small and to be counted for nothing But we say with Ieremy It commeth of the mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed What shal we say then That the Gentiles which followed not righteousnes haue attayned vnto righteousnes euen the righteousnes which is of fayth But Israell which followed the law of righteousnes attayned not to the law of righteousnes Wherefore bycause they sought it not by fayth but as it were by the workes of the law for they haue stombled at the stumbling stone As it is writen Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a rocke to make men fall and euery one that beleueth in hym shal not be ashamed What shal we say then That the Gentils which followed not righteousnes haue attained vnto righteousnes euen the rightousnes which is of faith But Israell which followed the law of righteousnes attained not to the lawe of righteousnes The Apostle in the beginning of this chapter beganne to entreat of the groundes of our saluation that is of election and of reprobation After that he declared the endes namely that the elect are predestinated to saluation and do attaine vnto it but the reprobate are left in damnation and are reiected of God Nowe he entreateth of the meanes whereby the elect are brought to saluation and the reprobate to destruction and those meanes he sayth are faythe and vnbeliefe Vnto the electe is geuen fayth whereby they apprehende righteousnes that is saluation the other are left voyde of faith and therefore obtayne not righteousnes to saluation Those thinges which the Apostle in the beginning of the chapiter entreated of had place in vs without any our assent namely before the foundacions of the world were layde But faith and incredulity whereof is now entreated are brought forth in vs but yet not after one and the same maner For fayth is not of our selues but is breathed into vs of Incredulity bursteth forth out of original sin We feele faith and in credulity in our selues God for it is the gift of God But incredulity of it selfe bursteth forth out of originall sinne These two thinges may easely be perceaued of vs for euery one hath experience in himselfe whether he doth beleue or not beleue But those two first namely election and reprobation forasmuch as they pertayne vnto the hidden will of God we can not attayne vnto the knowledge of them either by sence or by reason Touching them we are certified only by the spirite and by the scriptures And by the methode of the Apostle we plainely see how vtterly they peruert this order which wil haue predestination and reprobation to depend of our workes They should haue considered that Paul at this present maketh mencion of these thinges as the effectes of these groundes although they depend not of them after one and the selfe same maner as it is euident by these thinges which we haue oftentimes before spoken For he will haue these to be meanes whereby some are brought to saluation and other some to condemnation â–ª Those thinges also which the Apostle now teacheth conduce to the solution of the other question For of that that iustificatioÌ„ commeth only by faith semed to follow two absurdityes First that the promises of God are made Two doubtes which ariâ—â— against iufication by faith voyde for that the Israelites vnto whome those promises semed to be made were strangers from saluation The Apostle hereunto answereth that the promises are firme for they are by election contracted â–ª and as for election he sayth is frée and not onely extendeth vnto the Iewes and vnto Gentiles but also comprehendeth many mo of the Ethnikes theÌ„ of the Iewes The other doubt was for that amongst the Iewes were many goodly and shining workes which semed to pertayne vnto righteousnes â–ª And that mought seme absurde if they should be dissalowed of God which yet must needes be sayd if iustification should consist of fayth This doubt the Apostle dissolueth and sayth that it is no meruayle if this kynde of workes be reiected of God forasmuch as it waÌ„teth fayth without which can not consist the righteousnes which we haue before Goodly workes why they are sometymes reiected of God How great the might of predestination is God And although this matter be much more entreated of in the next chapter yet here he beginneth to make an entrance vnto it And forasmuch as the Apostle sayth that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnes attained vnto righteousnes but the Iewes attained not vnto the lawe of righteousnes which they followed thereby may be vnderstand how mighty the
ioyned wyth foreknowledge and what it differeth from it Now let vs see what it hath common or diuerse with prouidence This it hath common with prouidence that either of them requireth a knowledge and is referred vnto the will and that either of them hath a consideration to thinges to come But herein they differ for that prouidence comprehendeth all creatures but predestination as we spake of it pertayneth onely to the sainctes and vnto the elect Farther prouidence directeth things to their naturall endes but predestination leadeth to those endes which are aboue nature as is this to be adopted into the sonne of God to be regenerate to be endued with grace whereby to liue vprightly and last of all to come vnto glory Wherefore we do not say that brute beastes are predestinate Brute beastes are not predestinate for they are not able to receaue this supernaturall ende Neyther are Angels now predestinate for they haue already attayned vnto their ende but predestination hath a respect vnto thinges to come Whereas we sayde Why the prouidence of God is said to be common to all thinges that prouidence pertayneth to all thynges that may thus be proued because nothyng is hydden from God otherwyse he shoulde not be most wyse And if he know all things eyther he gouerneth all those thinges or els he abiecteth the care of many of them If he abiecte the care of any thing he therefore doth it eyther because he can not or bycause he will not take vpon him the care of those thinges If he can not then is he not most mighty if he will not then is he not most good But to deny that God is most wise most mighty and most good were playnly to deny him to be God Wherefore it remaineth that Gods prouidence is ouer all thinges which thing the scriptures in infinite places most manifestly testefie For they teach that the care of God extendeth euen to the leaues of trées euen vnto the heares of the hed euen vnto sparrowes Prouidence may thus by the way be defined prouidence is Gods appoynted vnmoueable and perpetuall administration of all thinges When I say God I Dâ—finition of prouideÌ„ce The gouernment of God is not tyrannous say that he is endewed with greate authority and that he is mighty AdministratioÌ„ signifieth that his gouerment is not tiraÌ„nious but quiet gently and fatherly For tirannes violently oppresse theyr subiects and referre all thinges to to theyr owne commodity and lust But God violently presseth no man neither by this gouerment getteth any commodity vnto himselfe but only communicateth his goodnes vnto creatures And this administration extendeth vnto all thinges For there is nothing free from it neyther can without it indure It is called appoynted bycause it is ioyned with most excellent wisedome so that it Why prouidence is vn vnmoueable admitteth no confusioÌ„ It is vnmoueable bicause yâ— knowledge of this gouernor is not deceaued neyther can his power be made frustrate It is also perpetuall bycause God himselfe is present with the thinges For neyther did he when he had created thinges leue them vnto them selues yea rather he him selfe is in them and perpetually moueth theÌ„ For in him we liue we moue and haue our being And thus much of prouidence Vnto these thinges also is fate or desteny of very nigh affinity From which word if as we haue before sayd it be taken for a certaine ireuitable necessity which dependeth of yâ— power of stars the fathers haue not without iust cause absteined But if it signifie nothing ells but a certayne connextion of second causes which is not caried rashely or by chance but is gouerned by the prouidence of God and may at his wil be changed I se no cause why the thing it selfe should be of any man reiected Howbeit bicause there is danger that error might sometimes crepe in Augustine thinketh it best that we vtterly refrayne from that worde We ought also to remember that which we haue in an other place taught namely that the loue election and predestination of God are so ordered together that they follow one an other in a certaine Loue election predestination how they are ioyned together course First vnto the knowledge of God are offred all men not being in happy estate yea rather being nedy and miserable whome God of his pure and singular mercy loueth those he careth for and putteth a parte from other whome he ouerpasseth and embraseth not with his beneuolence and they by this seperation are sayd to be elected And those so elected are destinied or appoynted vnto an end Augustine in his booke de predestinatione sanctorum the 10. chapter thus defineth predestination that it is a preparation of Grace and and in the 12. chapter How Augustine defineth predestination he sayth it is foreknowledge and a preparatioÌ„ of the gifts of God by which they are certainly deliuered which are deliuered but the rest are left in the masse or lompe of perdition In an other place he called it the purpose of hauing mercy The Master of the sentences in the first booke distinction 40 defineth it to be a preparation of grace in this present time of glory in time to come These definitions I reiect not howbeit bicause they compreheÌ„d not the whole matter I will bring an other definition more full as nigh as I can I say therefore that predestination is the most wise purpose of God whereby he hath before al A full definition of predestination eternity constantly decreed to call those whome he hath loued in Christ to the adoption of his children to iustification by fayth and at the length to glorye through good workes that they may be made like vnto the image of the sonne of God and that in them should be declared the glory and mercy of the creator Thys definition as I thinke comprehendeth all thinges that pertayne vnto the nature of predestination And all the partes thereof may be proued by the holye scriptures First we take purpose for the generall word For that word is common both to predestination and vnto reprobation Paul vnto the Ephesians sayth Purpose is common to predestination vnto reprobation That we are predestinate according to the purpose of God And in this Epistle to the Romanes he sayth That the purpose might abide according to election But what thys purpose is we vnderstand by the first chapter vnto the EphesiaÌ„s For there thus it is written That God hath predestinate vs according to his good pleasure By The purpose of God is his good pleasure Purpose pertayneth vnto yâ— wil. these wordes it is manifest that that is called his good pleasure which Paul afterward called purpose And that this purpose pertayneth vnto the will those thinges whiche afterward followe doo declare By whose power sayth he God woorketh all thinges accordinge to the counsell of hys will But by thys will we ought to vnderstand that will whiche is of
reprobate are condemned because of their sinnes Sinnes foresene are noâ— the cause why a man is reprobate And yet we ought not hereby to inferre that sinnes foreséene are the cause why any man is reprobate For they cause not that GOD purposeth that he will not haue mercye Howbeit they are the cause of damnation whiche followeth in the last time but not of reprobation which was from eternally The laste ende of reprobation is the declaration of the mightye iustice of God as Paul hath taughte namely that these vessels are prepared vnto wrath because God woulde shew in them his power And God aunswereth of Pharao Euen vnto this end haue I raysed thee vp that I might shew in thee my power The farthest ende is damnation whiche as it is iust so also is it allowed of God But the niest ende are sinnes For God coÌ„maunded that the people should be made blinde that they should not vnderstand that they should not heare Lest peraduenture saith he they should be conuerted and I should heale them For sins although as they are sins they are by God in his lawes condemned yet as they are iuste punishmentes they are by him imposed for the wicked desertes of the vngodly But we muste not stay in these néerer endes We must go farther that we may at the length come to that ende which Paul hath set foorth namely that the iustice of God should be declared And thus muche hitherto as touching the first article Now let vs come to the second wherein is to be sought the cause of predestination Of the cause of predestination Forasmuch as predestination is the purpose or will of God and the same wil is the first cause of all thinges which is one and the selfe same with the substance of God it is not possible that there should be any cause thereof Howbeit we do not Of the will of God may sometimes be geuen a reason but neuer any cause especially an efficient cause We cannot geue any reasonâ— of the 〈◊〉 of God â–ª but those which the holâ— scriptures haue set forth vnto vs. Predestination may haue a final cause The material cause is after a sorte found in predestination The â—nd is considered two maner of wayes therfore deny but that sometimes may be shewed some reasons of the wil of God which although they may be called reasons yet ought they not to be called causes especially efficient causes But that in the scriptures are sometimes assigned reasons of the will of God may by many places be gathered The Lord sayth that he therefore did leade aboute the children of Israell throughe the deserte rather then through shorter passages through which he could haue lead them that they should not sodenlye méete with theyr enemies Adam also was placed in Paradise to husband it and to kéepe it And God testifieth that he woulde not as yet expell the Cananites out of the land of Chanaan because they had not yet as filled yâ— measure of their sinnes Howbeit althoughe as we haue sayde the scripture vse sometimes to bring reasons of the wil of God yet no maÌ„ ought to take vpon him to râ—der a certain reason of it but that which he hath gathered out of the scriptures For so as we are dull of vnderstanding we should easely vsurpe our owne dreames in stede of true reasons But that there are finall causes of the predestination of God we deny not For they are expressedly put of Paul and especially when he citeth yâ— of Pharaoâ—euen o this end haue I stirred thee vp that I mighte shewe in thee my power and of the elect he sayth that God would in them shew forth hys glorye The materiall cause also may after a sorte be assigned For men which are predestinate and those thinges which God hath decreed by predestination to geue vnto the elect as are these vocation iustification and glorification may be called the matter about which predestination is occupied This moreouer is to be noted that the end may sometimes be taken as it is of vs in minde and desire conceaued and then it hath the consideration of an efficient cause for being so conceaued in the minde it forceth men to worke Sometimes also it is taken as it is in the thinges and as we attayne vnto it after our laboures And then properly it is called the end bycause the worke is then finished and we are at quiet as now hauing obteyned the end of our purpose But we therefore put this distinction It may be both true false that we are predestinate by workes that if at any time we should be asked whether God do predestinate men for workes or no we should not rashly eyther by affirming or by beniinge geue hasty sentence For the ambiguity is in this word for how it is to be vnderstand For if good workes be taken as they are in very dede are wrought bycause God predestinateth vs to this end that we should liue vprightly as we rede in the Epistle vnto the Ephesians namely that we are elected to be holye and immaculate and that God hath prepared good workes that we shoulde walke in them as touching this sentence or meaning the proposition is to be affirmed But if that worde for he referred vnto the efficient cause as thoughe the good workes which God foresaw we should do are as certayne merites and causes which should moue God to predestinate vs this sence is by no meanes to One effect of predestination may be the cause of an other effect but they cannot be causes of the purpose of God be admitted It is possible indede that the effectes of predestination may so be compared together that one may be the cause of the other But they can not be causes of the purpose of God For vocation which is the effect of predestination is the cause that we are iustified Iustification also is the cause of good works and good workes although they be not causes yet are they meanes by which God â–ª 〈…〉 ngeth vs vnto eternall life Howbeit none of all these is the cause or the meane why we are choseÌ„ of God as contrariwise sins indede are yâ— causes why we are damned but yet not why we are reprobate of God For if they should Iâ— sinnes were the causes of reprobation no man should be elected The purpose of God not to haue mercy is as free as the purpose to haue mercy Why good workes foresene are not the causes of predestination A place out of the first epistle to Timothie be the cause of reprobation no man could be elected For the condition estate of all men is a like For we are all borne in sinne And when at any time Augustine sayth that men are iustly reprobate for theyr sins he vnderstandeth together with reprobation the last effect thereof namely damnation But we may not so speake if by reprobation we vnderstand the purpose of God not to haue mercy For that purpose is no lesse
free then y◠other purpose of shewing mercy These thinges being now thus declared we will assigne reasons why we deny that good workes foresene are the causes of predestination The first is because the scriptures no where soteach But of so weighty a matter we ought to affirme nothing without the holy scriptures Howbeit I know that certain haue gone aboute to gather this sentence out of the first epistle to Timothe where it is thus written In a greate house are vessells of gold siluer and wood And if a man shall clense him selfe from these he shal be an honorable vessell of God and mete for euery good worke Hereby they conclude that certayne are therefore destinied to be vessels of honour bycause they haue clensed them selues from the filthines of sinne and frō corrupt doctrine And bicause they are here sayd to haue power to performe this they say that it lieth in euery man to be predestinate of God vnto felicity But these men make no good collection For the sentence of Paul in that place is thus to be taken He had sayd before The foundation standeth firme The Lord knoweth who are his As if he should haue sayd mē may sometims be deceaued for they oftentimes iudge those to be goodly which are most farre from godlines In which wordes he reproued Himeneus and Philetus For a litle before he had spoken of theyr peruerse doctrine For they taught that the resurrection was done alredy wherefore Paul would not that men should be iudged as they appeare to be at the first sight For God hath in this world as it were in a greate house vessells some of golde some of siluer some of woode and some of claye And he knoweth beste whiche of these are honorable and whiche are made vnto contumely But we which know not nor vnderstād the secret of his will can iudge of them but only by the effectes that whosoeuer is cleane from corrupt doctrine and liueth godly the same is a vessell vnto honour Neither doth this place proue that men can clense themselues or make themselues vessels of honor For as Paul hath tought vs in this epistle it is God onely which bringeth this to passe For he as it were a potter hath power of one and the selfe same masse or lompe to make one vessel to honor and an other to contumely Wherefore this place enterpretateth the other And therefore we ought not to gather more of those wordes of Paul then that such clensing is a token whereby we iudge of the worthines or of the vnworthines of the vessels in the Church It is God which knoweth truly what maner of one euery man is and his foundation standeth firme for it can not be deceaued But we can not iudge of others but only by certayne tokens and effects And this is it which Christ admonisheth By their fruites ye shall know them Neither do they rightly vnderstand Man cānot by himselfe make himselfe a vessel of honour Free wil is not proued by propositions hypotheticall the Apostle which by these words If a man keepe himselfe cleane form these thinges teach that it lieth in our will to make our selues vessels of honour For the strengthes of our frée will are not proued by propositions hipotheticall or hauing conditions that we should thus inferre the holy scriptures teach that if ye shall do this or that or if ye shall beleue ye shall haue saluation Wherefore we can of selues beleue or liue holily Suche conclusions are weake for God in another place teacheth that he will make vs able to walke in his wayes Preceptes therefore and exhortations and conditions are to that end added that we should vnderstand what is required at our handes and what maner ones they shal be which pertaine vnto God and shall obtaine eternall life Wherefore we ought not out of these places to gather what our owne strengthes are able to do But it is easy to declare why men that are purged of God are notwithstanding said to purge themselues For God worketh not in men as stockes and stones for stones are moued without sense and will But God when he regenerateth men so cleanseth God maketh the godly clene they are said to make themselues cleane and reneweth thē that they themselues both vnderstand those things which they do and also aboue all things desire and will the same after they haue once receaued a fleshy hart for their stony hart Wherefore after they are once regenerate they are made workers together with God and of their owne accord they bend themselues vnto holynes and vnto purenes of life God by Moses commaunded the Israelites to sanctify themselues And yet in an other place he manifestly testifieth that it is he which sanctifieth the people And Paul vnto the Corrinthians sayth that Christ was made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes redemption and sanctification God also commaundeth vs to beleue and yet the scriptures in an other place testify that faith is the gift of God By all these things therefore it is very manifest how little this place maketh for our aduersaries which way soeuer they turne thēselues Besides al this the scriptures do not only teach y◠predestination is not of works foresene but also plainly teach y◠contrary For Paul as The scripture teacheth that predestination is not of workes foresene we sée in this epistle pronoūceth of those twines before they were borne or had done eyther any good or any euill it was sayd The elder shall serue the yonger also Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated that it should not be of workes but of him that calleth Wherefore he denieth that either the loue or hatred of God commeth of works But they are worthy to be laughed at which after this sort cauill that Paul in déede excludeth works already done but not those which are to be done For they sée not that Paul in this place goeth about to remoue all maner of difference from those two brethern that we might fully vnderstand that they were A cauillatiō ouerthrown vtterly like as touching their persons For when he declared that they were borne of one and the selfe same father and of one and the selfe same mother y◠they were brought forth also both at one burthen his meaning tended to no other end but vnto this by their equality to shew that the election of God is frée so that it laye in him to elect the one and to reiect the other But if there had ben only this differēce left as touching workes foresene then should Paul in vayne haue put so great an equality Wherefore Paul sayth vniuersally not of workes in which words he comprehendeth as well works to be done as works already done And that we mought the more surely vnderstand this he addeth But of him that calleth Wherfore Paul sendeth vs vnto God and not vnto works And if a man diligently consider Vnto what principall pointes the predestination of God
is reduced all those things which follow in this chap. he shall sée that the Apostle draweth those thinges which he teacheth of predestination to these principall pointes namely vnto power For he saith Hath not the potter power Vnto purpose or good pleasure for vnto the Ephesians he vseth both words Vnto will for he saith He hath mercy on whome he will and whome he will he hardeneth Vnto mercy or loue for he saith It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy Also Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Seing Paul what cause soeuer he eyther here or in any other place geueth of predestination reduceth them to these fower principall pointes can we doubt of his meaning or shall we take vpon vs to geue sentence otherwise But as touching works he speaketh not so much as one worde wheresoeuer he entreateth of this matter but onely to exclude them Farther consider this that there is nothing more against the scope and meaning of Paul then to put workes foreséene to be the causes of predestination IustificatioÌ„ should come by workes if election should depende of workes forsene For by that meanes woorkes shoulde be the causes of iustification But that doctrine the Apostle hath in this Epistle by all manner of meanes oppugned And I hereby proue this reason to be firme because the Apostle maketh predestination to be the cause of vocation and vocation the cause of iustification Wherefore if workes be causes of predestination they shall also be causes of iustification For this is a firme rule among the Logicians whatsoeuer is the cause of any cause is also the cause of the effect Farther no man can deny but that good workes procéede of predestination For we are sayd to be predestinate that we shoulde be holye and blameles And God by predestination hath prepared good woorkes in whiche we should walke And Paul himselfe confesseth that he obteined mercy to be faithful Good workes are the effectes of predestination Against the good vse of of free wil. Wherfore if workes be the effectes of predestination howe can we then say that they are the causes thereof and chiefly those kinde of causes which are called efficient causes For that vse of frée will is nothing worth which they so often boast of as though we haue it of our selues and not of the mercye of God For Paul sayth that it is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe And God in Ezechiell sayth I will take away from them theyr stony hart and wil geue vnto them a fleshy hart We can not saith Paul thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues And if we had in our selues that good vse which they speake of what shoulde let but that we mighte glory thereof Vndoubtedly the Lord sayth No man commeth vnto me vnles my father draw him And Ierome against the Pelagians excelleÌ„tly wel writeth that those which are sayd to be drawen are by that woord signified to haue bene before withstanding He which is drawen was before vnwillyng resisting and vnwilling but afterward God so worketh that he chaungeth them This selfe same thing also doth the nature of grace proue For Paul sayth That the remnantes might be saued according to the election of grace yâ— is according to gracious or frée electioÌ„ For so is the genetiue case after yâ— Hebrue phrase to be resolued Farther in the definition of predestinatioÌ„ in yâ— first place we haue put this word purpose which seing it signifieth nothing els as we haue declared out of the Epistle vnto the Ephe. but the good pleasure of God thereby it euidentlye appeareth that from no other where must we séeke the cause of predestinatioÌ„ More Workes caÌ„not be the causes of our calling ouer workes can not be the causes of our vocation and much les of our predestination for predestination goeth before vocation And that woorkes are not the causes of vocation is declared by the Epistle vnto Timothy God hath called vs sayth Paul with his holy calling not by our works but according to his purpose and the grace which we haue in Christ before the times of the world Hereby it most manifestly appeareth that works are not the causes of our calling Yea neither also are works the causes of our saluation whiche yet were farre more likely for by good woorkes If we should be predestinate by workes thâ— exclamatioÌ„ of Paul were to no purpose God bringeth vs to felicity But Paul to Titus sayth that God hath saued vs not by the workes of righteousnes but according to his mercy Farther what néeded Paul after this disputation to cry out O the depth of the riches of the wisedom knowledge of God how vnsearcheable are his iudgementes and how vnaccessable are his waies For if he would haue followed these mens opinion he might with one poore word haue dispatched the whole matter and haue sayd that some are predestinate and other some reiected because of the works which God foresaw should be in both of them Those men Augustine in mockage called sharpe witted men which so trimly and so easly saw those things which Paul could not sée But say they the Apostle in thys place assoileth not the questioÌ„ But it is absurd so to say especially seing yâ— he broght it in of purpose the solucioÌ„ therof serued very much vnto yâ— which he had in hand And how in Gods name can he seme not to haue assoyled the question when he The question is assoyled when it is reduced to the highest cause reduced that euen vnto the highest cause namely vnto the will of God And therewithall sheweth that we ought not to go any farther when God had appointed limities at the fote of the mounte Sina if any man had gone beyond those limites he was by the law punished Wherefore let these men beware with what boldnes they presume to go further then Paul would they should But they say that the Apostle here rebuketh the impudent Be it so But yet is this rebuking a most true solution of the question For Paul by this reprehension prohibiteth vs not to enquire any thing beyond the mercy and will of God If these men meane such a solution which may satisfye humane reason I will How the questioÌ„ may be said to be assâ—yled not to be assoyled easely graunt that the question is not in such sorte assoyled But if they seke yâ— solution which fayth ought to embrace and to reste therein they are blind if they se not the solution But let vs se what moued these men to say that workes foresene are the causes of predestination Vndoubtedly that was nothing ells but to satisfy humane iudgement which thing yet they haue not attayned vnto For they haue The aduersaries satisfie not humane reason nothing to answere touching an infante which being grafted into Christ dieth in his infancy For if they will haue him to
be saued they must nedes confesse that he was predestinated But forasmuch as in him followed no good workes God doubtles could not foresee them Yea rather this he forsaw that he should by his free will doo nothing But y◠is more absurd which they obiect that God foresaw what he would haue done if he had happened to liue longer For humane reason will not so be satisfied For reason will complayne for some that are ouerhipped and reiected for those sinnes which they haue not done and especially therefore for that they should haue committed those sinnes if they had liued For ciuill iudges punishe not any man for those sinnes which they would haue committed if they had not bene letted And that God is nothing moued with those workes which men would haue done Christ playnly declareth whē he entreateth of Corosaim and Bethsayda and Capernaum If sayth he the thinges which haue benedone in thee had bene done in Tire and in Sydon they had doubtles repēted and those cities had bene at this day remayning Behold God foresaw that these nations would haue repented if they had sene and heard those things which were graunted and preached vnto these cities Seing therefore that they perished it is manifest that God in predestinating followeth not those workes which men would haue done if they had liued Neyther yet ought any man to gather out of this sentēce of Christ that they by themselues euen by the strēgth of free will could haue repented For as we haue in other places taught repentaunce God vnto some addeth not such means whiche mought moue thē to saluation As touching nature there is no difference minē is the gifte of God But the meaning of that place is that God added not those means to conuert these men wherby they mought haue bene moued These men suppose y◠euen by nature is a distinction in men which the election of God foloweth Neither consider they y◠all men are borne the sonnes of wrath so that as touching the masse or lompe wherout they are takē there can not be put in thē any difference at all for whatsoeuer good cōmeth vnto vs y◠same with out al doubt cōmeth frō God from grace And the in the nature of mē is not to be put any difference the Apostle declareth euē in this selfe same chap. For when he would declare that the one of the two brethern was taken and the other reiected only by the frée will of God First he vsed an example of Isaac and Ismael But when in these two it mought be obiected that there was some difference for that the one was borne of a free woman and the other of a handmaydē afterward he brought two brethren that were twines Iacob and Esau which had not onely one and the selfe same parentes but also were brought for the both at one and the selfe same tyme and in one and the selfe same trauaile And as touching workes there was no difference at all betwene them For as the Apostle sayth Before they had done eyther good or euill it was sayd The elder should serue the younger Agayne Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated What nede was there that Paul should so diligently alledge these thinges but to make those two brethern equall in all poyntes as touching nature Which doubtles had bene to no purpose if still there had remained so much difference in works foresene Wherfore it foloweth that whatsoeuer difference is in men the same dependeth only of the will of God For we all otherwise are borne obnoxius vnto sin Further if there should be any thing of our selues which mought moue God to predestinate vs that should chiefely be fayth For Augustine also when he was yet young neither so greatly nor thorowly acquainted with this question thought that God in predestination and reprobation hath a respect vnto faith and vnto infidelitye whiche sentence Ambrose before him and Chrisostome had embraced But in very deede neither also can it be attibuted vnto faith For faith also cōmeth of predestination For it is not of our selues but is geuen of God and that Faith foresene can not moue God to predestinate vs. not rashly but by his appoynted counsel which may easely be proued by many places of the scriptures For Paul vnto the Ephesians writeth By grace ye are saued through fayth and that not of your selues for it i◠the gifte of God leaste anye man should boast And againe in the selfe same Epistle Charity and fayth from God the father through Iesus Christ. And in this Epistle vnto the Romanes As God hath deuided By the scriptures it is proued that faith is of God vnto euery man the measure of fayth And vnto Timothy I haue obteyned mercy that I might be faythfull Vnto the Phillppians Vnto you it is geuen not only to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake In the Actes God opened the hart of the woman that sold silkes that she mought geue hede to those things which wer spoken of Paul And in the 13. chapiter They beleued as manye as were ordeyned vnto eternall lyfe Christ also sayth in the Gospel I confesse vnto thee O father of heauen and earth that thou hast hidden these thinges from the wise and prudent and hast reueled them vnto infantes Euen so father bycause it hath so pleased thee And in an other place Vnto them sayth he I speak in parables that when they feare they should not heare and when they se they should not se But vnto you it is geuen to vnderstand And vnto Peter he sayd Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled thys vnto thee And there are many other testimonies in the holy scriptures wherby is proued that fayth is geuen and destributed of God only Wherefore it can not be the cause of predestination And if fayth can not thē doubtles much les can works Moreouer no man can deny but that the predestination of God is eternal For If faith be not the cause of predestination much les other works Paul to Timothe sayth That God hath elected vs before the times of the world And vnto the Ephesians Before the foundacions of the world were layd But our works are temporall wherefore that which is eternall can not come of them But they vse to cauell that those workes in whose respect we are predestinated are so to be takē as they are foresene of God and by this meanes they can not seme to be temporall Graunt that it were so let them be taken after that maner Yet can it not be denied but that they are after predestination for they depend of it and are the effectes thereof as we haue before taught Wherefore after these mens doctrine that which commeth after should be the efficiente cause of that which went before Which thing how absurd it is euery man may easely vnderstand Further the efficient cause is of his owne nature more worthy and of
going about to stablish their owne righteousnes are not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God Brethern mine hartes desire and prayer to God c. Forasmuch as in the ninth chapiter he had declared that the promises were not proper vnto the The suÌ„mâ— of this chapiter Iewes which perished and therefore their distruction was no derogation either to the certainty of Gods promises or to the doctrine of iustification by faith which he had before tought for they to whome the promises pertaine do by faith come vnto Christ now in the 10. chapter he remoueth an other doubt and ouerthroweth a strong hold wherewith the Iewes were wont proudly to defend themselues who without end boasted of ceremonies works and outward righteousnes and he declareth that they being ignorant of the true righteousnes which is called the righteousnes of God in vayne went about to establishe their owne righteousnes And for that he vnderstoode that it would be â–ª vnto them a thing very hard and sharpe to be not only spoyled of the promises but that also the righteousnes of works which they chiefly embrased should be abrogated first by a preuention he lenifieth their mindes in testifiing his good wil towardes them After that for that they were infected with ignorance he enstructeth them with a plaine and euident distinction of righteousnes And least he should seme of his owne hed to haue deuised the righteousnes of faith he confirmeth it by a testimony of Moses and of Osea the Prophet which righteousnes he saith God would haue to be brought euen vnto the Gentles which were farre and wide dispersed abroade But so that it should not be hid from the Iewes when as it was first manifested vnto that people Which thing Esay testifieth when he writeth that God all the day long holdeth abroad his handes to a nacion which perpetually resisted hym This is the summe of the doctrine of this chapiter He testifieth that he â—â—ueth the Iewes and hateth theÌ„ not And in the first part thereof to comfort the Iewes he taketh in hand to proue this proposition I beare a singular good will towards you neither am I led by hatred to write these things And this he thereby proueth for that he with a certaine perpetuall desire had then alwayes in mynde and was so carefull for their saluation that he continually by prayers desired it Vnto them that geue admonitions Necessary preparatioÌ„s of the hearers A similitude and also vnto them that preach the Gospell these are necessary preparations of mens minds For oftentimes the things that are spoken skarsly profit vnles the hearers féele or perceaue that they are beloued of him that speaketh vnto them For euen as phisitions when they mind to minister strong purgations to bring forth hurtfull humors out of the sicke body do first loose the body by certaine drinks so also their mindes with whom we deale are first to be lenified with gentle speach before we come to the bitternes of reprouing So did Paul wheÌ„ he wrote vnto other Churches and especially vnto the Corrinthians whom at the beginning he commendeth as holy and elected instructed in all wisdome and knowledge and finally adorned of God with all good gifts But afterward he vehemently and sharply accuseth euen the selfe same men of most haynous crimes that they had sects and contentions amongst themselues and that by humane wisdome they obscured the Gospell that they punished not most horrible incest that they disturbed the supper of the Lord and that they did iniuries and prosecuted matters of contencion before infidels and many such other like haynous facts he reproueth that Church of to yâ— end they should correct them Wherefore it is no meruayle if in this place he vse the selfe same maner and do say that he writeth not those things with a hatefull mynde Alwayes in his epistles after gentle and louing preuentions follow gréeuous and sharpe reprehensions which maner we ought also to follow that those things which we entend to admonishe may the more profit Rhetoricians vse this pollicy neuer to speake any thing that An example of Rhetoricians is sharpe or vnpleasant but first do mollefy it by some colour And forasmuch as the Scorpion that deadly stinging beast embraseth with her fore clawes that he may the better strike with his tayle and sticke in his venemous sting why do not we also most ernestly with loue and charity embrace our neigh bour that we maye heale hym The Apostle to proue his loue towardes the Iewes sayth that in his harte he had a vehemente desire and an incredible redines whiche he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards their saluation wherof sprong prayers These are aâ—sured tokens of Christian loue And this is worthy to be noted that Paul ioyneth What prayers are feruent and of efficacy these two things together for prayers are neuer liuely nor feruent vnles in the hart go before a most ferueÌ„t desire of the things which are to be prayed for Some desire of God that they mought abstaine from sinnes but because they desire it not with feruency their prayers are faint Others pray that they may not be vnworthy ministers of the Church but forasmuch as they are but lightly touched with this desire their prayers are cold And therefore it is no meruaile if they be Preachers must auoidâ— offences so rarely hard Wherfore Paul to declare that his prayers were no slender prayers said that there went before them a feruent desire Hereby moreouer we learne that they which preach the Gospel must auoyde offences geueÌ„ out of time and if offences must néedes be geuen the same ought to be lenified and made soft vnles paraduenture the saluation of the hearers be past all hope or that they are so obstinate and peruerse that they can not be moued to God but by most sharpe WheÌ„ sharp reprehensions are to be vsed reprehensions So Christ somtimes said of the Phariseis Let them alone they are blind and leders of the blind This wicked and adultrous generation seketh a signe but none shall be geuen vnto it Of Herode also Christ sayd Go and tell that foxe Iohn Baptist also said vnto the selfe same men Ye generation of vipers who hath tought you to flye from the wrath to come Our Paul also when he was striken as he stoode before the iudge sayd God strike thee thou paynted wall And vnto Elimas who was also called Barieu he sayd Thou sonne of the deuill full of all guile how long continuest thou to peruert the straight wayes of the Lord Behold the hand of the Lord is vpon thee and thou shalt be blind and shalt not see But when we come to this poynt The spirite is to be examined we must examine the spirit wherewith we are moued least paraduenture we be deceaued and vnder a godly pretence serue a wicked affect And we must take héede that our brethern be not rashly turned away from the doctrine of the
muste not be turned into a father In euery commaundement of the law two thinges to be considered and commaunded These wordes of the Apostle teach that this is the principal office of the lawe to direct vs vnto Christ wherefore vnto the Galathians it is called a scholemaster Wherefore they are worthely to be reproued which of a scholemaster make it a father seking rightousnes at the lawes hād which ought to be looked for at Christes hand onely Let vs therefore hereby learne in euery precept of the lawe to consider two things namely our sinnes and Christ our deliuerer whome al the commaundementes shewe forth for otherwise we shal vnprofitably consider of the lawe And the Iewes for that they excluded Christ in vayne boasted of the lawe as they which had not the lawe but only a shadow thereof And when that is added Vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Paul putteth vs in mynde of the calling of the Gentiles affirming that al kinde of men so that they beleue shal be pertakers of this ende of the lawe Farther let vs for a certainty know that of this proposition dependeth the summe of Christian religion For The sūme of Christian religion the Iewes in vrging the lawe of Moses and the Ethnikes in following the law of nature mought paraduenture boast of some righteousnes but that righteousnes is straight way reproued when as we heare that Christ is the ende of euery If frō actions be takē away theyr iust ende they are not vpright iust lawe And I thinke no man is ignoraunt that if from vertues and humane actions be taken away their due ende all the vprightnes of them fayleth Wherefore this place moreouer proueth y◠all the workes of infidels are sinnes for that they want their end They which are endued with the righteousnes of fayth attaine also vnto the righteousnes of the lawe For being The works of infidels are sinnes They whiche are endued wyth the righteousnes of faith attaine also vnto the righteousnes of the law but not contrariwise The righteousnes of faith and of the law in what sort they are opposite The righteousnesse of faith may be ioyned together with that righteousnes of the lawe whiche followeth iustification A similitude taken out of Logike They whiche are not regenerate cā not haue good motions of the minde Hereout is gathered a consolation of the Iues iustified they labour with all industry and diligence to obey the will of God And contrariwise they which haue not the righteousnes of faith vtterly want the righteousnes of the lawe For the thinges which they do they can not make to frame whē as they want their end But if these ▪ two rightousnesses be so ioyned together how are they by an antithesis opposite the one to the other We aunswere that the righteousnes of faith and that righteousnes which followeth iustification are not opposite as contraries for although the one be not the other yet are they both one But the antithesis is contrary betwene the righteousnes of faith and that which goeth before iustification And the endeuor to obtayne iustification by this or by that hath such a contrary oppositiō that the one can not stand with the other And Chrisostome is in this place warely to be read when he saith that the righteousnes of faith and the righteousnes of the law differ not in very dede but are one the selfe same for he is deceaued for it is not possible y◠it should be so for y◠the righteousnes of God as we haue said is the absolution from sinnes but the righteousnes of the lawe or oures consisteth of good workes done after regeneration or before regeneration But peraduēture he mēt y◠which we now teach namely that y◠righteousnes of faith is ioyned together with y◠righteousnes which followeth iustificatiō We may by a similitude not vnaptly sée in what sort this twofold righteousnes is vnto iustification namely as differentia that is difference and proprium that propre is in Logike For as differentia maketh the nature or kinde so the righteousnes of God maketh our iustification for that when we are by him absolued from sinne wee are iustified And as proprium followeth the nature already made so the righteousnes of good works followeth iustification now obteyned and receaueth his force of it and not of the lawe For although the Lawe of God doo labour to make vs iust yet by reason of the prones to euill which is grafted in vs by nature euen from our infancy it looseth his labour for that the lawe amongest other thinges requireth good and spirituall motions which they that are not yet regenerate can in no wise haue And the Apostle by this his doctrine semeth not a little to comfort the weaker sort of the Iewes They were somewhat afeard lest by comming vnto Christ imbrasing the righteousnes of fayth they should be excluded from the true righteousnes of the law but he saith be not aferd y◠by comming vnto Christ ye shall transgresse the lawe for through Christ ye shall both fulfyll it and also be made partakers of the righteousnes of God And that he might not séeme to bring in a new or fayned distinction of righteousnes he alledgeth Moses who maketh mention of either righteousnes Fyrst of the righteousnes of the law he entreateth in Leuiticus in the. 18. chap. the woordes are these Keepe my commaundements and do myne ordinaunces which if a man doo bee shall lyue in them The selfe same sentence also we reade in the .xx. chapiter They The law requireth a moste pertect obedience haue cast away my commaundements which commaundemants who so kepeth shal liue in them But we must remember that when lyfe is promised to them that doo or kéepe the commaundementes that is not to be vnderstanded of a certaine lyght and sclender obedience but of a most perfect for suche an obedience the law requireth But this obedience can no man performe And where as vnto the obseruers of the law is promised life some haue vnderstand thereby thys corporall and temporall life For the transgressers of the law of Moses were put to death What maner of life the law promiseth For it is commaunded He which curseth father or mother let him be slayne Blasphemers also adulterers and breakers of the Sabaoth daye were put to death but they which obeyed remayned on lyue And hereunto it séemeth that the epistle to the Hebrues had a respect in the. 10. chapter where we reade He whych The lyfe whiche is promised is not only tēporall but also eternal maketh frustrate the law of Moses perisheth without any mercy This sentence although it be Augustines and certayne others yet I can not easely admit for that I sée that the life which God promised was not onely temporall but also eternal For there is no doubt but that they pertaine vnto God which doo his will Neither is it conuenient that God should geue vnto them
whose God he is a saluation which endureth but for a tyme for this thing haue brute beasts at his hand and the wicked also Moreouer Christ the most true interpreter of the law teacheth the selfe same thing For a young man demaunding of him what shall I doo to possesse eternall lyfe He made aunswere Keepe the commaundementes if thou wilt enter into lyfe This place moste plainly proueth that the talke was of eternall lyfe Neither is it anye meruaile that the Lawe is the woorde of God whose propriety is to bring lyfe with it so that it be receaued Although the Law The law the Gospell are diuersly receiued The worde of God bringeth lyfe and the Gospell are not receaued after one and the selfe same maner For the Lawe is receaued by doing and moste exactly performyng that whiche is commaunded But the Gospell is receaued by a lyuely and effectuall assent of fayth And that the propriety of the woorde of GOD is to bryng life it is manifest by the creation of thinges wherin God called those thinges whiche were not and streight way they had being And Christ also many tymes said y◠his wordes are life which thing the Apostels also ment when they sayd Thou hast the wordes of life c. And Paul most manifestly before in this selfe same Epistle in y◠7. chap. writeth of the Lawe that it is spirituall And of the commaundement of God he affirmeth that it is iust holy and good and ordayned vnto lyfe Moses also in the 30. chapiter of Deut. writeth of the selfe same lawe that he had set before the people lyfe and death manifestly declaring that if the Lawe were receaued and fulfilled The promises of the law art by supposition The promises of the law were vnto the trāsgressors of the law turned 〈…〉 o a cu 〈…〉 e. The promises of the law freely follow the good work◠of thē that are iustified it would bring with it lyfe and that eternall lyfe But for that wee are debarred of this commoditye our mercifull God hath prouided an other woorde namely the word of fayth which if by assenting vnto it it be receaued hath with it lyfe By this place it is euident that the promises of the Lawe are giuen by supposition or condition of workes going before So that if these workes be not performed the promises are made voyde yea rather in stede of them succeedeth a curse which thing was declared in Deutero when vpon Mount Garizim and Hebal were recited the blessinges and cursinges But in the Gospell if vnto promises be annexed workes they are not to be taken either as desertes or as causes of those promises but we must thus thinke that those giftes of God which are promised follow after workes although those workes be not perfect and absolute as they are commaunded in the Law But the righteousnes which is of faith speaketh on this wyse Saye not in thine hart who shall ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue c. As the fyrst righteousnes is sayd to consist in doing so this all whole standeth in beleuing For if thou haue the word nere thee that is if thou beleue in thine hart thou shalt obtaine saluation The Apostle séemeth by the figure Prosopopaeia to bryng in the ryghteousnes of fayth thus speakyng as though it should say Say not in thine hart c. Although we may reade it other wyse namely that Paule putteth forth this sentence absolutely But the righteousnes which is of faith And straight way he addeth this he sayth as though Moses should speake of it But which way so euer we reade it it is no great matter But this is certain that he declareth the nature of faith What is that fayth which engēdreth righteousnes by the propertie thereof that we should not thinke that euery kinde of faith bringeth righteousnes but onelye an assured and constant fayth For this is the nature of fayth to exclude all ambiguitie and doubtes For if we should with feare and suspition geue our assent that assent should be but an opinion and not faith Seing therefore that there are two principall thinges set forth vnto vs to be beleued namely that Christ perpetually obtaineth of the father grace and reconciliation for vs and that by hys death he hath ouercome eternall death Of these two humaine reason doubteth and therefore it is brought in of Paul as though Incredulity of mans hart it should say And who shall ascend vp into heauen to see that God is pacified towards vs through Christ Or who shall go downe into the deepe to see that eternall death is by hym broken and extinguished After this sorte is the vnbeleuing mynde woont to wauer which thing Paule by the figure Mimesis expresseth These cogitacions ought fayth to driue away and onely to looke vpon the goodnes and power An example of Abraham of God Which thing our Apostle before did notably teache that Abraham did for when he had sayd that Abraham beleued it was imputed vnto him to righteousnes he declared how his fayth resisted such reasoninges He considered no◠saith he his body now in a maner dead nor the wombe of Sara now past child bearing The property of faith is to mortifye the assaults of reason but gaue glory to God most fully knowing that he was able to performe the things which he had promised And so in hope he beleued against hope Wherfore the propertye of fayth is to mortifie these assaultes of reason Say not in thine hart The Apostle therfore wrote this for that althoughe these cogitaciōs of reason be not expressed by the mouth or by the wordes yet they We can not let but that euil motiōs of the mind will aryse Paul was accused as an enemy to Moses wander abrode in the harte Neyther doubtles can we let but that such cogitations will assault our minde howbeit we are taught to resist them For he which geueth place to these thinges both denieth Christ and also despayreth of saluation Paul not without iust cause cited Moses For he was accused as though he were an enemy to Moses and preached that men should fall away from him Wherefore his meaning is to declare that he is not agaynst Moses but rather teacheth the selfe same thinges that he taught wherefore we may say that he turneth y◠argument of the aduersaries agaynst themselues They sayd We will not receaue the righteousnes of fayth for that we beleue Moses Yea rather sayth Paul forasmuch as ye beleue Moses ye ought to follow thys The ministery of Moses and the ministery of the Gospell in what sort they differ righteousnes But if Moses preach the righteousnes of fayth how is his ministery distinguished from the ministery of Christ and of the Gospell Iohn sayth The law was geuen by Moses but grace by Iesus Christ And if he preached the righteousnes of fayth he also brought grace Vnto this question we answere That Moses
to speake of his doctrine did not generally preach yâ— law without Christ For in that he chiefely vrged the Law it was of necessity that therewithal also he taught Christ vnto whome the law as a scholemaister led them But because his trauayle was to this thing chiefely bent to set forth and eâ—pound the law therefore was he peculiarly called the teacher thereof As Christ and the Apostles in preaching repentaunce taught also the Law howbeit bycause that they chiefely hereunto endeuored themselues to publishe abrode grace and the Gospel therefore they are called ministers not of the law but of grace and of fayth But Paul in alledging the wordes of Moses semeth not a litle to disagrée both from his meaning and also from his wordes For in Deut. yâ— 30. chapiter it semeth that the discourse of Moses talke was of the commaundemente of God For he sayth My coÌ„maundement is not wonderfully aboue thee that thou shouldest say who shall ascend vp into heauen to bring it vnto vs that we maye heare it and doo it Neyther is it beyond the sea that thou shouldst say which of vs shall go beyond the sea and bring it vnto vs that we may heare and do it But the woorde is very neare vnto thee in thy mouth and in thyne harte that thou maist heare it and doo it But this we must know that the Apostle considered the matter more depely then the wordes shew at the first brunt For he DeclaratioÌ„ of the words of Moses sawe that Moses althoughe before he gaue the lawe in the name of God yet in this place he simply entreated not of the commaundement but as it was now easy to be obserued by grace and by fayth and the spirite grafted in the harte which workes can not be workes of the law For when the law is set forth the commaundementes are not therefore made easy to be obserued yea rather we labour agaynst that which is forbidden vs and we fly away and leap backe froÌ„ the gouernment of God so farre is it of that his commaundementes should be grafted in our harte Those are the thinges which Paul had a respect vnto And for that he saw that those thinges come vnto vs thorough Christ and the righteousnes of fayth therefore he gaue that sence which is proper and natiue He considered moreouer that in the selfe same chapter at the beginning are such thinges set forth which can not be ascribed but vnto Christ only and vnto his spirite For God sayd that he would conuerte them vnto him that they should loue him with all theyr soule with all theyr hart and with all theyr strengths and that also he would circumcise theyr hartes and the hartes of theyr sede and cause that they should heare and doo his commaundementes And seing that streight way after these thinges are added these wordes which Paul citeth who seeth not but that they pertayne vnto the Gospel Wherefore the commaundemente whereof Moses speaketh is takeÌ„ eyther according to the bare and simple knowledge thereof or ells according to the mighty and effectuall power of driuing men to the obedience thereof The discourse of Moses will not suffer that we should take it in the first sence when as the simple and playne vnderstanding the commaundement is not made easy to be done neither is it grafted into our hartes and bowells Wherefore we must nedes vnderstand an effectuall and mighty knowledge which forasmuch as it is not had but by fayth by Christ therefore Paul erred not from the true sence wheÌ„ he thus interpretateth Moses The Sillogisme or argument is thus to be framed together Moses speaketh of the word which is in our hart and maketh vs apt to performe the commauÌ„dementes We preach the selfe same thing when we set forth the iustification of fayth Wherefore we speake the selfe same thing that Moses did And in verye dede if a man consider that chap. of Deut. he shall see that God most manifestly promiseth vnto the people his gouernment not indede outward which he had The nature of humane wisedome set forth in Sina but inward which in very dede pertayneth to the ministery of fayth and of the Gospell And the Apostle by these wordes of Moses notably declareth what is the nature of humane wisedome namely perpetually to resist fayth Vnto whose reasons they that geue place do as much as lieth in them diminishe the strengths of God and of Christ as though he can not performe the thinges which he is sayd to haue done and promised For as fayth extolleth the power of God so incredulity weakeneth it And this is it which Esay sayd vnto Achaz Is it a small matter for you to be troublesome vnto men but that ye will also greue God And at the least thorough your opinion or rather incredulity make him weake When the vnbeleuers heare that Christ after his resurrection ascended vp into heauen and there hath pacefied the father towardes vs and ministreth eternall life vnto the beleuers streight way they saye with them selues Who shall ascend vp into heauen to see if it be so Which is nothing ells but to fetche downe Christ from aboue and to abrogate his power Likewise when it is preached that by dieng he hath ouercome death sinne damnation and hell they say who shall descend downe into the deape that we may be made sure of these victories whiche is nothing ells but to make voyde the benefite of Christe These wordes may paraduenture be applied vnto other formes of doubtinges of the harte of man but yâ— skilleth not much This we ought without all doubâ— to thinke that it was so sure that the things which Paul cited out of Moses are to be vnderstanded of Christ that at that time the Iewes theÌ„selues durst not haue denied them for theyr Rabines which we haue now in vse most manifestly apply those thinges which are written in the beginning of this chap. of Deut. vnto the times of the Messias Paul also weighed that although Moses had before put this word commaundement yet afterward when he sayth that it is nighe vnto vs in the hart he calleth it Dabar the is word which word serued Pauls purpose wheÌ„ he sayth This is the word of fayth which we preach And the Apostle so alledgeth the sentence of Moses yâ— he excelleÌ„tly wel alludeth to his wordes which he not only amplifieth and by exposition maketh perspicuous but also interpreteth For when he sayth To ascend into heauen which Moses also hath he addeth that it To bring downe Christ from aboue So that those things which Moses spake generally of distrust and doubting Paul applieth to those doubtinges whiche most of all hinder the iustifieng fayth And for that it was a thing very requisite that the Iewes should be perswaded that the righteousnes of fayth is not repugnant vnto Moses therefore would Paul the more largely set forth this place and tary the longer in it When he addeth But what sayth It may
seme doubtfull whether it ought to be referred vnto Moses whome he had before cited or vnto the righteousnes of faith which is brought in as if it should speake But thys is no matter of wayght and there are some greke exēplers wherin is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y◠is But what saith the scriptures Nether is this to be passed ouer y◠in the Hebrue is had not only nigh or next but there is also added this aduerbe Meod which signifieth very whereby is noted a very nigh inward néerenes The Seuenty intepreters haue in their translation not onely in the hart and in the mouth but haue added in the handes But that is not had in the Hebrue and Paul hath left it out Augustine in his questions vppō Deut. who readeth after the translation of the Seuenty diligently noteth that But if it be added it nothing hindreth yea rather it helpeth the interpretacion of the Apostle whereby is declared that in that place is entreated of the commaundement of God as it is grafted in the hart as it is confirmed by the mouth and as it is expressed in worke But all these thinges are to be referred vnto Christe and How great the strēgth of fayth is vnto faith for that is it which causeth our mind and harte to be opened and made able to receiue those thinges which are vtterly repugnant vnto reason iudgemēt and sence and so is that made nigh vnto vs which is by nature most farre of from vs. And that the scripture by name mencioneth the hart it wanteth not a mistery for although faith pertaine vnto the assent of the minde yet notwithstandinge hath it most nighly ioyned with it the affect of the will which is by the hart described for that if vnto our vnderstanding or minde be offred those thinges which are most manifest and plaine it is so ouercome that it straight way geueth assent nether The minde when it assēteth vnto thinges very manifest waiteth not for the consent of the will How the vnderstanding will are vnto faith waiteth it for the commaundement or consent of the will as it is euident in the first principles of all sciences and in mathematicall demonstrations But whē thinges doubtfull are set foorth and that the reasons on either side are obscure and many thinges are agaynst the proposition set foorth the minde and vnderstanding geue not assent but by the commaundement and consent of the will which in that case peiseth and examineth the ambiguity Wherfore when faith is engendred in vs the holy ghost therein vseth two workes The one is so to illustrate the minde that it may be made certaine of the thing set before it although it be not very euident The other is that the will be so strengthned that by the affect therof it may ouercome whatsoeuer sence or reason do set foorth which is repugnante vnto the word of God geuen vnto vs. For in the worke of faith vnto our will is ioyned the holy Ghost for the assente whiche by beleuing we geue vnto the oracles of God is firme and of efficacy for the spirite chaungeth the will and maketh it of hys owne accorde vtterly to will those thinges which it before refused Wherfore God whē he geueth vnto vs faith gouerneth ech power of the soule as is agreable vnto their nature And forasmuch as this pertaineth to the wil not to iudge any thing of it self but to follow the iudgemente of vnderstanding the minde is by the spirite of God made assured of the thinges which are to be beleued and vnto it therewithall it is made plaine that we must wholy be obedient vnto God Therof it commeth that the wil resisteth not but represseth all thinges which otherwise shoulde be a let to this assent required at our hands He calleth the Gospel y◠word of faith for none other cause but for that by faith it is apprehended whereby a figuratiue kinde of speach the obiect is illustrated and described by the vertue which apprehendeth it This is the worde of faith which we preach This is not spoken that we should beleue that the Gospell is not ioyned with the law for how then could repētance be preached But therfore it is written for that the chiefest parte of the ministery of the Apostles is occupied about the righteousnes of faith And when it is said This is the word of fayth which we preach by a certaine Emphasis is declared that the doctrine of the Gospell is in no wise repugnant vnto the lawe of Moses yea rather it excellently well agréeth with it It is not onely sayd that the woorde is nigh in the hart but also in the mouth Which thing Paul weying moste aptly applied it to his purpose for this he saith belōgeth to confessiō which euer straight way foloweth a true effectuall faith Some of the Iewes vnderstood this place as though Moses should say now the word is in your mouth y◠is ye haue it in sight before you for this woorde Pi disagréeth not from this signification for it is sayde Keephi lephi which signifieth hard by and nighe Others also haue not vnaptlye by in the mouthe vnderstanded expressing or rehersing for the lawe being geuen and written the Iewes mought repeat and recite with themselues the woordes thereof And the Leuites daylye repeated it in the Tabernacle or in the temple of God and in this wise it was said to be had in the mouth But this is to be considered that it was for no other cause had in handes and sighte or recited either of the Leuites or of any of the people but to bring men vnto Christe and to stirre them Why the law was oftentimes repeted vp to faith in him and to prouoke the godly to confesse to praise and to allowe that which the Lord had spoken If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the lord Iesus and shalt beleue in thine harte that God hath raised him vp from the deade thou shalt be saued For with the hart mā beleueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made vnto saluation For the scripture saith whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall not be made ashamed For there is no difference betwene the Iew and the Grecian For there is one lorde ouer all who is riche vnto all them that call vpon him For whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the lord shal be saued If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleue in thine hart that God hath raysed him vp from the deade Althoughe Paul séemeth not here to obserue a right order for first we beleue before we make confession The fayth of an other mā is knowen onely by confession In the resurrectiō is accomplished our saluation yet because that we cannot iudge concerning our brother whether he beleue vnles we heare him first confesse for this cause the Apostle putteth the effect before the cause And amongst other thinges which are to be beleued he
doth not without good consideration setfoorth vnto vs the resurrection of Christ for that doubtles in the resurrection is accomplished our saluatioÌ„ For that which is now begonne in vs we shall haue absolute and perfect when we shall be pertakers of that life which Christ in his resurrection hath gotten not onely for himselfe but also for vs. Farther if Christ had not risen again from the dead he should not now be with the father obteining by his intercession grace spirite life for vs. And as Augustine teacheth the faith whereby we beleue that Christ arose againe from the dead is proper vnto christians for that he died the Iewes also and the Ethnikes The fayth of the resurrection of Christ is proper vnto christiaÌ„s The article of the resurrection is a knitting together of al the rest of the articles and all infidels beleue but that he arose againe onelye the members of Christ are persuaded thereof Lastly the resurrection of the lord is after a sorte a knitting together and a bond whereby the articles going before and the articles following concerning the faith of our saluation are very well knit together For if Christ rose againe it followeth that he died for our sinnes and that his sacrifice was acceptable vnto God neither could these thinges haue bene done vnles he had for the redemption of mankinde taken vpon hym flesh and had in very dede become man Moreouer if he rose againe he hath eternall life he is ascended vp vnto the father neither is he in vaine with him in heauen yea there he is as he hath promised at hand to helpe vs and prepareth a place for vs. For with the hart man beleueth to righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made to saluation With a certayne exclamation and that doubtles very profitable he concludeth the entreaty of the place which hee alledged out of Moses wherein he attributeth righteousnes vnto fayth onely and ioyneth coÌ„fession thereunto because a man should not thinke that hee speaketh of a weake dead fayth but of such a fayth as bryngeth forth confession And although there are a great many good woorkes which followe fayth yet Paule mencioneth that which is the chiefest and may easeliest be gathered out of the woordes of Moses before alledged for he as we haue heard vnto the hart ioyned the mouth And Christ sayth Of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh How be it this is to be noted and that noâ— negligently that Paule in this place attributeth iustification vnto fayth but some saluation he attributeth vnto confession And by saluation he here vnderstaÌ„deth not the chiefest saluation that is our reconciliation wyth God or absolution from sinnes as he before dyd when he sayd If thou beleue that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saued And afterward Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued But by saluation he vnderstandeth a farther perfection which is geuen vnto them whych are now iustified for dayly the powers of their mynde and the instrumentes or members of theyr body are made perfect by doyng good woorkes And wythout doubt when wee confesse the Lord by this laudable and holy worke we get much profit So ment Paule vnto the Philippians when he sayd Woorke your saluation with feare and with trembling And if thou contend that in this place by saluatioÌ„ is vnderstanded iustification that we wyl not sticke to graunt so it be vnderstanded onely as touchyng the effect and a posteriori as they vse to speake that is by that which followeth namely yâ— a maÌ„ may hereby iudge that such a one is iustified â–ª This place also maketh very much against certaine Libertines whych renew againe the errour Against Libertines of the Carpocraâ—ians and say that we must not confesse the â—eâ—â—ye of fayth before the iudgement seates of persecuters From whych errour the Nicodemites of our time are not very farre of whych say that it is mought to thinke we in the hart although outwardly true pietye be dissembled and although men gâ— to the rites and ceremonies of the Papistes We must in deede sake héede that we doo not rashly cast our selues into daungers but when God â—ath brought vs into them and that wee are examined touching the truth wee must remember that they which are ashamed of Christ before men he at the length wyll he ashamed Faith consisteth not without good works of them before the father Let our aduersaries go noâ— and obiect vnto vs that fayth can consist without good workes The Apostle when he entreateth of iustification describeth alwayes such a faith which of necessity hath confession and good woorkes ioyned with it For the scripture â—ayth Whosoeuer beleueth in him shall not be ashamed Now is it manifest why the Iewes could not complaine of theyr reâ—ection namely for that they were vnbeleuers And it is euident that righteousnes if we speake of the true righteousnes whych is before God can not be had but by fayth onely Whereof we may inferre that wheresoeuer fayth is there also is iustification and contrary The complaint of the Iewes stopped wyse where it wanteth iustification can in no wyse haue place Wherefore the Iewes haue nothing whereof to complaine For euen as the chiefest cause of our saluation namely the election or predestination of God is not contracted vnto the Iewes but is also poured abroade amongest the Gentiles as it hath bene declared in the. 9. chapter so faith which is the next cause of saluation is not shut vp amongest the Iewes onely yea rather but fewe of them beleued therefore the Iewes ought not to haue bene displeased for the conuersion of the Gentiles Hereunto the Apostle now endeuoreth him self to proue the the sentence which he had before spoken indifinitly namely with the hart man beleueth vnto righteousnes is to be vnderstanded vniuersally Lest the Iewes paraduenture should say It is true in deede that thou sayest but yet in our stocke onely and in the seede of Abraham It is not so sayeth Paule when as the Prophet Esay in hys 28. chapiter speaketh it by this word of vniuersality whosoeuer for hee sayeth who soeuer beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed To bee made ashamed in this place is nothing els but to be frustrated of the successe which was loked for For What is to be made ashamed when men are deceaued they are ashamed of vayne confidence This testimony of Esay the Prophet is in the. 28 thapiter which Paule also before vsed towards the end of the 9. chapiter But forasmuch as we haue there declared how it is written in the Hebrew and haue by the exposition of the Hebrew verity and of the translation of the 70. interpreters which Paule followed shewed the natiue and proper sense thereof wee will now ommitte to speake any more touching it For there is one Lord ouer all This sentence firmely proueth that as toothing saluation there is not to be put
is due throughe the worthines of the good worke but because it followeth good workes by a disposition and order instituted of God And after good workes followeth the reward of felicity and after euill the rewarde of eternall death althoughe hell fire be in verye déede due to the desertes of sinnes Grace saith he is not grace For that it is turned into a recompense due to workes And worke should not be worke if that which is geuen and rendred vnto works should be counted to be geuen by grace for it is the nature of worke to claime the ende of duetye and not fréelye Some cauell that we are not saued and iustified by the workes which we our selues haue done but if they be the workes of God which are done in vs by them we are iustified herebye entendinge that by the receiuing of the sacramentes is conferred grace as the terme it but they are farre deceaued For no man in receiuinge the sacramentes receaueth any grace but that which he receiued by faith When as we receaue the sacramentes as sealinges The sacramentes do not thorow the worke wrought coÌ„ferre grace Wherunto the receauing of the sacraments â—s an helpe of grace and of the giftes already obteyned neither is any thing gotten by them by vertue and strength of the worke wrought as they vse to speake For he which receaueth the sacramentes commeth either worthely or vnworthely if vnworthely he thereby getteth nothing but hurt and losse if worthely then bringeth he a liuely faith wherby he receaueth grace represented by the wordes of God and the sacramentes The woorke it selfe is an helpe whereby faith being somewhat weake is thorough the holy ghost stirred vp and forasmuch as there is celebrated the memory of the Lord and his name is called vpon therfore many good things are obtained and by those obsignations and seales the mindes of the beleuers are confirmed but that the worke it selfe conferreth grace we can in no wise graunt They say also that workes which follow iustification forasmuche as they are not An other â—â—â—llatioâ— ours but come of grace do merite many thinges But althoughe that the grace of God do helpe vs in doing good workes and the thinges which we do are therefore acceptable vnto God and that he will reward those workes yet notwithstanding therein is neither duety nor merite as we haue tought but onely an order and a certaine consequence by the institution and goodnes of God And in summe according to Pauls doctrine where mencion is of grace there muste woorkes néedes be banished as touching that they should be causes eyther of saluation or of iustification And although the proposition which is now proued do pertaine as well vnto the Gentils as vnto the Iewes yet notwithstanding therein are chiefly reproued the Iewes who peraduenture would easely haue graunted that the Gentils grafted into Christ were saued by grace when as before they had liued wickedly and in ydolatry But they which were Israelites and were as they boasted obseruers of the lawe craked that saluation came vnto them throughe the merite of workes Which opinion as it was erronious and iniurious vnto Christ so is it euery where confuted by the Apostle What then Israell hath not obtained that he sought but election hath obteined it and the rest haue bene made blinde According as it is written God hath geuen vnto them the spirite of pricking that when they see they shoulde not see and when they heare they should not heare vnto this day And Dauid saith let theyr table be made a snare and a net and a stomblinge blocke euen for a recompense vnto them Let theyr eyes be darkened that they see not and bow downe theyr backe alwayes What then Israel hath not obteyned that he sought but the election hath obteyned it He concludeth his argument thus that not all the Iewes are The Iues sought not rightly saued but those onely whome God foreknew the elect I meane If they sought how found they not because they sought not rightely They sought a Messias which in glory and pompe should raigne ouer the whole world which should enriche them and subdue all nations vnto their Empire They sought their owne aduauntages namely to be féede with bread at Christs hand They sought to worshippe Messias and God otherwise then was prescribed in the holy scriptures They sought Christ to kill him as it is written in Iohn the 7. chapiter Yet a litle while I am with you and I go vnto my Father ye shall seeke me and shall not finde me Wherfore seing that they sought not rightly it is no meruaile if they found not Wherfore Christ also when he sayth Seke ye shall finde aske and ye shal receaue knocke and it shal be opened vnto you we must adde thereunto this aduerbe rightly namely that we aske rightly that we seke rightly that we knock rightly otherwise we shall do all in vayne The Iewes sought saluation preposterously when as they sought to get it by workes That they sought saluatioÌ„ it is not to be doubted when as Paul attributeth vnto them zele although he take away from them vpright iudgement and true knowledge They applied them selues to sacrifices and ceremonies for no other cause but by them to be saued But forasmuch as that was not to seke a right they attayned not to their purpose Chrisostome truly saith that they therfore were frustrated for that they stroue agaynst them selues For in seeking of saluation they repelled it being offred vnto them frealy by Christ but to seke a thing â–ª and to reiect it when it is offred is manifestly for a maÌ„ to resist that which he purposeth Election sayth he hath obteined it Here he toucheth the true cause yea The chiefest cause of saluation and the chiefest and the assured cause of saluation otherwise they which are saued had by nature nothing of more excellency or woorthines then those which perish Election according to the Hebrue phrase signifieth the elect as circumcision doth What election is after the Hebrew phrase the circumcised And Israel is called the sanctification of God for that it was sanctified by him They are also called Gods possession for that he possesseth them And this kind of speache not a litle furthereth the purpose of Paul for he ment to drawe vs agayne to the consideration of the very cause that we might with the more attentiuenes consider of it But the rest are made blind Here he deuideth Israell into two partes into â—srael is deuided into two partes the elect I say and into the reprobate And affirmeth that the promises are accomplished in the elect which were indefinitly set forth vnto all men Wherefore this proposition is to be proued that the rest which are not comprehended vnder election are by God made blind the cause of which blinding if a man enquire some aunsweres wickednes or sinne But thereby is not the question dissolued What is the efficient cause of excecation
Neither in this place as I haue admonished is to be imagined any other holines in y◠roote or in the first fruites then the blessing What holines in the first fruites is here mēt Holines of the roote originall sin let not one the other of the couenant made betwene God and the fathers Neither is the holynes of the roote or first fruites any thing against originall sinne for by nature we incurre that sinne which nature we draw corrupted from our parents But by the promise and force of the couenaunt it is forgeuen which forgeuenes when God worketh we can not learne by the testimony of the scriptures Paraduenture it is forgeuen vnto infantes when they are yet in the wombe or when they are borne or straight way after their birth neither is it paraduenture geuen vnto all men at one and the same time And such a forgeuenes is nothing els but not to impute that sinne vnto them although in very déede it be in them Wherefore we putting our confidence in the constancy of the couenaunt and truth of the promise of God do baptise our infants This allegory of Paul of the holines of the rootes and of the first fruites might at the first sight seme to be against a saying of Ezechiell Whether Paul be against Ezechiel in the 18. chapiter wherein he saith If the father be godly innocent and adorned with vertues the sonne which is borne of him if he be vngodly and an oppressor and defiled with wicked facts shall dye the death the holines of his parent shall nothing profite him And Christ séemed to declare the selfe same thing when he sayd If ye be the children of Abraham do his workes But in very déede obseruing the exposition which we before brought in those sayinges there is no contrariety for we do not affirme y◠the generation or propagation of the flesh is the whole perfect absolute The propagatiō of the fleshe is not the cause of holines cause of grace or of holynes for God can without it geue grace and in very déede he geueth it vnto many which were the children of infidels and many of those which are the posterity of holy parēts are excluded from it but the promise which is y◠cause of holines is in this manner forme set forth offred vnto vs of God y◠he will be our God and y◠God of our séede Which promise y◠childrē of the godly whē they come to age ought by faith to take hold of and to assent vnto it and y◠with an effectuall assent which hath ioyned with it the fruits of good workes otherwise they should not haue saluation the piety of their parēts elders should nothing profite thē Neither must we say as some say y◠Paul now speaketh not of actual holines as they call it but of holines in power for the children of the wicked also maye as touching power be saued for they are created vnto the image of God whereunto is not repugnant so that it please God but that they may be brought to saluation Howbeit they vse to say that the childrē of the faithful haue a more nigher power But this also is not inough for that in this sorte to be nigh in power what thing is it Doubtles they can assigne none other thing but this promise and couenante made with God Howebeit Ambrose laboureth thus to declare it Forasmuch as saith he they haue had faithfull elders they also are not vnworthy to be called vnto the fayth But he séemeth to write ambiguously For if he take worthines for merite Iustificatiō cosisteth not of merites his wordes ought in no wise to be admitted For there is none which meriteth or deserueth to be brought vnto iustification But if by woorthines he vnderstande that they by reason of the promise and couenant of God are somewhat more apte then others this is to come to that exposition which we firste gaue Let vs in the We as touchyng our childrē haue the fruicion of the same priuiledges that the Iewes had meane time hereof gather that the Iewes are not to be reiected as Paul concludeth Let vs also constantly beleue y◠we are in such sort brought into theyr society that as touching our children we haue the fruition of the self same blessinges and priuileges that they had And therfore is not their saluation past all hope whiche now both in the east parts and also vnder the tyranny of the Papistes liue in sondry supersticions séeing that they haue discended from faithfull elders for it maye easly come to passe that the blessing and vertue of the couenant may spring forth againe in them and that they may be drawen to saluation And though some of the braunches be broken of and thou being a wilde oliue tree was grafted in them and made pertaker of the roote and of the fatnes of the oliue tree boast not thy selfe againste the braunches And if thou boast thy selfe thou bearest not the rote but the roote thee And though some of the braunches be broken of When the Apostle had now proued that the fall of the Iewes was not so horrible but that manye of them were saued and shall hereafter be saued and had added that y◠fall was such that it brought no small commoditye vnto the Gentils and after that had by the holines of the roote and of the first fruites proued the excellēcy of the Iewes now he concludeth that we ought not to despise them nor to reproche them And he vseth the figure occupatio that is a preuention for the Gentils moughte haue sayde what profite haue they by the holines of the roote and of the first fruites when as they are cut of from the holy stocke of their godly parentes The Apostle aunswereth now indéede they are cut of but ye haue bene long time wilde oliue trées vnfruitfull The calling to minde of a mans olde estate much conduceth to modesty and straungers from God He putteth them in minde of their old estate which thing much conduceth vnto modesty Men should plucke the wallet whiche hangeth at theyr backe before them and looke vpon it and beginne firste of all to wéede their owne fieldes and then they should not easly skorne at other mens infirmities misfortunes and chaunces In this sorte doth Paul now deale with the Gentils The braunches saith he are broken of but ye haue bene longe time vnfruitefull they are cut of but they were in the stocke we are grafted in but they before obteined the naturall sappe and proper fatnes when the Gentils are sayde to haue bene wild oliue trées without fruit he entreateth not of any Ethnikes perticulerly which thoroughe faith obteined saluation but as I before admonished these things are spoken of the people of the Gentils generally which are worthely called a fruiteles wild oliue trée for that they had not publikely the profession of true piety as the Iewes had Some thinke it straunge that Paul
although they haue still a certaine print of the image of God do certayne works Why strangers from Christ are called wâ—lde oliue trees What the grafting into the good oliue tâ—e is which are goodly to the shew yet notwithstanding they are not acceptable before God and the things which they do are barren yea rather they are sinnes before God Farther the grafting into the good trée whereof is now made mencion semeth to be nothing els but the communion of the Saintes which in the article of our faith we confesse For this we ought to know that whatsoeuer grace and good gifts are geuen vnto vs are not geuen only for our owne sakes but to helpe to the saluation and edification of others Which thing if Christians would in these dayes diligently weigh with themselues there should be les selfe loue and misery in the Church Neither is this to be passed ouer that in this place is reproued the In this allegory are reproued the Iewes wickednes of the Iewes which were not by their holy first fruits chaunged as a whole lompe of dough is commonly chaunged by leuen though it be neuer so litle and they would not imitate their roote but miserably degenerated from it We may when we heare that the braunches are broken of thereby gather that the The promise is not bound vnto any kinred nor to the fleshe election and promise of God is not so bound to any stocke or to the flesh that none can be damned which come of godly parents which thing also was before declared in Esau Ismaell which were borne of Abraham of Isaack And when the Apostle saith that the Gentles were wild oliue trées he not only putteth down their pride and arrogancy but his words also are of great force to prouoke the Hebrues to emulation when they heare that the good fat and fertile iuyce of their oliue trée is participated vnto wild oliue trées that is vnto the Gentiles which had before bene filthy idolaters This I say mought haue stirred vp the Iewes to repentaÌ„ce if they had had any consideration And he thought it not inough to say Thou art grafted into the good oliue tree but he also addeth and art made pertaker of the fatnes of the oliue tree that the Gentles Gould vnderstand that they were not only in name made the people of God but were in very déede made partakers of grace and of the spirit and of heauenly gifts Let vs moreouer consider that this grafting in which the Apostle now entreateth of is contrary as Ambrose noteth to to the maner of naturall husbandry wherein a good science or graft is taken and grafted into a barren and wild tree namely that by the fatte and fruitfull sappe of the good graft might be ameÌ„ded the barenes and wildnes of that stocke whereinto it is grafted But here it is contrary The tree that is the body of the Church and the society of the godly is good but the graftes are vnfruitfull This grafting in is contrary to naturall grafting barren and wild oliue trees Neither could it be otherwise for whatsoeuer is found without Christ and his body how glorious so euer it be can not but be wicked and vncleane And to boast against the braunches is to reioyce in their fall If God thereby bring commodity then in that respect we may reioyce but to reioyce for the fall of any man we can not lawfully vnles rashly and per accidens as they speake that is by chaunce Thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee They which fight against their roote can not stand loÌ„g themselues This place of the Apostle also teacheth An argumeÌ„t against iustification by workes vs that vnto our iustification are not required merites of workes and naturall endeuors for the wild oliue tree can by no meanes graft it selfe in Wherefore as we are begotten of an other without any our help and as trees are grafted of others so we are through Christ iustified of God without any merites Moreouer by those words is declared as we also before sayde that we had not bene grafted in vnles the Iewes had first fallen as graftes are not grafted in vnles first be cut away somewhat from the tree Farther Origen noteth that by thys doctrine is confuted Valentinus and his disciples who thought that the soules An error or the Valentinian heretikes are in kind distinct and that some of them are so good and as they spake golden that they can by no meanes be damned howsoeuer they liue and whatsoeuer they do Other soules they thought to be by nature euill so that they could by no meanes attaine vnto felicity but yet by their labours and good workes they might at the length so profite that they might be brought to a midle estate where should be some refreshing but not the chiefe felicity Wherfore they sayd that they were spirituall perfect and mere gold so that although they committed many vncleane and absurd thinges yet they sayd they lost not their holines for gold though it be neuer so much couered with durt ceasseth A similitude not to be gold But they exhorted others to do good workes namely for that they should nede them if at yâ— least they would attayne vnto the middle estate And of this pestilente doctrine Iereneus maketh mencion in his first booke Paul now contrary to this pestiferous doctrine saith yâ— branches cut of froÌ„ a wild oliue tre may be grafted into a good oliue tre Origen after yâ— he had confuted these men doubteth that forasmuch as we affirme yâ— the nature of the soules is one the selfe same how we can as Paul now teacheth defend the double tree the good oliue tree I say the wild oliue tree He answereth vnto this question by a similitude A similitude All the bodyes saith he that are in the worlde as touching that they are a body communicate in nature neither differ they one from an other but out of euery nature of them arise and spring many properties and conditions whereby they beginne to differ from others and do indeede much differ from them And in this maner the celestiall bodyes are distinguished from the elementes and the elements from corruptible liuing creatures and agayne those liuing creatures from the plants so saith he happeneth it as touching the soules all are endued with one and the selfe same faculty of free will where out wheÌ„ some bring forth faith vertues good works they make a good tre when as coÌ„trariwise some out of the liberty of the will wherewith they are endued do bring forth impiety sins euill works therby they are made wild oliue trees and by this meanes he ascribeth the whole diuersity distinctioÌ„ of trees yâ— one froÌ„ the other vnto fre wil. And to confirme his senteÌ„ce he bringeth that saying of Christ out of the Gospel Eyther make the tree good and his fruites good or the tree euill
and his fruites euill But in the braunches he noteth an other diuersity That euen as in naturall bodyes there are some which longe kepe still theyr proprieties and qualities as the heauenly bodyes which shall in one and the selfe same estate abide euen vnto the end of the world and there are others which are more easely changed yea also come to corruption as herbes plantes and sensible creatures So there are some brāches which perpetually adide in that tree or doubtles very long but other some soone fall away At the length he writteth that although some thinke that Abraham and the holy fathers are the good tree and the root yet he thinketh that we ought to put Christ to be that good tree and roote as into whō we are by fayth grafted Touching these thinges out of him alledged we may allow the former part which was brought first agaynst Valentinus for they are well and profitably noted of him But that difference of the two trees is farre The whole lompe of our corrupt nature may be called a wild oliue tree I tlieth not in our power to make our selues good trees otherwise to be put And first we ought to know that the whole lompe of our nature is corrupted with originall sinne wherefore it might well be called a wild oliue tree Neyther should we haue had from any elsewhere a good tree vnles by the mercy of God Christ had bene both promised and geuē into whom the elect by beleuing are altered transplanted and grafted as into a fruitfull and fat tree But that they shoulde beleue commeth not by the power of free will for fayth is the gifte of God and not a worke of our strengths and therefore it lieth not in vs to make the tree good And if Origen thinke that Christ so sayth the error springeth of the misvnderstanding of this worde Make ye for in that place it signifieth not a working but a supposition As though he should haue sayd Thinke and be assured that that tree ought to be good which should bring forth good fruites that tree euill which should bring forth euil fruites And that this is the sence of those words that which went before declareth For the lord had sayd Forasmuch as ye are euill ye can not speake good thinges And in the 7. chapiter of Mathew it most manifestly appeareth that the tree ought first to be good before that good fruites can follow but Origen contrariwise imagineth that by the workes of free will the tree is made fruitfull And as touching the plant and roote we also affirme that the fathers with whome was made the couenaunt and who led in it an holy life are that plant and roote although we are not ignoraunt that in other places of the scripture Christ calleth himself the vine tree and vs the branches yea and in this selfe same epistle it is written that by baptisme we are grafted into Christ into the similitude of his death Neyther doth any man doubt but that Christ is the only foundation besides which no man can put any other But Paul now tendeth not that way but only hath a consideration vnto the kinred of the Hebrues and holines of the fathers which is here by gathered for that he calleth the Iewes the naturall braunches of the good oliue tree which can not otherwise be vnderstanded but for that they came of holy parentes And streight way he expressedly sayth There are enemies for your sakes but elect for the fathers sakes Neither doth this which is added any thing let Thou standest by fayth which fayth hath a respect vnto Christ as vnto the obiect thereof for we also when we affirme that the holy fathers are the plant and root doo not exclude Christ for the roote and tree are not here taken but in as much The fathers are called the roote the plant in as muche as they ar rooted inchrist as they are holy but the fathers had not of them selues naturall and inward holynes but as we haue before sayd they by fayth drew it from Christ Thou wilt say then The braunches are brokē of that I might be grafted in Thou sayest well Thorough vnbelefe they are brokē of and thou standest by fayth Be not high minded but feare For if God spared not the naturall braunches take heede that he also spare not thee Thou wilt say then The braunches are broken of that I might be grafted in Thou sayest well Thorough vnbeliefe they are broken of and thou standeste by fayth The Apostle continueth still to represse the arrogancy of the Gentiles which extolled themselues against the Iewes And he vseth a conterfeate speach vnder the person of the Gentiles so that it is a preuention The Gentiles paraduenture mought haue said we glory for that we are both better and more worthy then the Iewes which is hereby proued for that they were brokē of for our saluation sake that we should be grafted in but he is of much more worthines for whose sake a thing is done then is y◠which is done for his sake The Apostle answereth Thou sayst well that the Iewes are broken of that thou shouldest be grafted in this I deny not but thē remember thou that thy grafting in commeth not of merites or workes but of fayth which is mere and pure grace and hath a respect vnto the mercy of God only It is the practise of Sathan to make vs to glory of that thing which we haue not of our selues but is the pure and simple gift of God I will not speake how that the Iewes mought by the like kinde of reasoning say we are of more excellency then thou when as thou wert to this end called that we by thy conuersion might receaue fruit and by emulation be prouoked vnto saluation Chrisostom sayth that here are touched the true and proper causes of the destruction of the Iewes and of the grafting in of the Gentiles incredulity I say and fayth And therfore he continueth in that mind which he was of before that the Apostle comforteth the Iewes in wordes onely and with cōmendations which in very dede were no commēdations But in thus speaking he considereth not that which was before sayd that the counsell of God in the execation of the Iewes stayed not there as though he willed that blindnes in respect of it self only but had a respect vnto the calling of the Gentiles which he would should therof follow And I wonder he saw not y◠the Apostle here approueth the argument of the Gentils wherin they sayd They are broken of that we should bee grafted in He mought doubtles haue sayd this is not true frō which saying he is so farre of that he rather auoutched graunted and approued that which they alledged Wherfore it is not to be doubted but that the blinding of the Iewes was appoynted of God as a meane whereby the saluation of the Gentiles should follow Wherfore Paul calleth backe the Gentiles to the consideration of this
end and willeth them to weigh with themselues that they stād by fayth whereof they can not glory for that they haue freely receaued it at Gods handes In the first to the Corrinthians the 1. chapiter he sayth likewise that the beleuers stand by fayth Neyther is that hereunto repugnaunt which is written in the selfe same epistle in the 15. chapiter That the Corrinthians stoode in the Gospell for fayth is referred vnto the Gospell as to his proper obiect yea rather after a sorte it thereof springeth as we haue before hard Neyther is in this place entreated of men perticularly but of the congregation body of the beleuers And therefore he not without iust cause addeth Be not high minded but feare For euen as the Church of the Iewes is now extinguished and Affrike likwise and Grecia and Asia haue lost many churches The comparison is declared No perticuler mā oght to stand in doubt of his saluation So long as we liue here we cannot vtterly shake of all feare so is it to be feared lest the self same thing happē now vnto the Churches which seme to stand Wherefore let them not puffe themselues vp But no man of the member of the faythfull ought to be in doubt of his own saluation For the nature of fayth is to make men assured of the promise of God Howebeit thys is to be knowen that it is not possible that so long as we liue here we should vtterlye shake of all feare For we are continuallye tossed betwene two cogitations the one of the goodnes fayth and constancye of GOD the other of our corruption infirmitye and prones to euill For when we consider howe weake we are and prone to euill and consider also the filthines and imperfection of our workes thoughe they be neuer so good there with all the seuerity of the lawe in requiring euen to the vttermost the thinges which it commaundeth This consideration I say if it be vehement can not but excedingly make a feard the minde and deiect it But on the other syde when we consider the clemency goodnes and mercy of God and his constancy in his promises and therewithall also remember that all the merites of Christ are communicated vnto vs we are refreshed and recreated and the feare is eyther lenified or els sometymes vtterly layd away And these affectes where they are perfect vehement doo succede the one the other for they can not be both at one tyme or if they be both at one tyme then are eyther of them remisse and not vehement But in what maner they geue place the one to the other we may by daylye experience vnderstand For if any man be set vpon the toppe of an highe toure and if being there his mind runne vpon nothing els but vpon the heigth of the tower and what a déepe way he should fall so that he can not fall without daunger of death it is not possible but that his mind being still vpon this he should be altogether smitten with an horrour But if he turne his eyes a syde to the barres or battlements which stay him vp so that he can not fall then will he plucke vp hys spirites agayne and put away all feare Neither ought it to seme vnto any man straunge that we say that fayth expelleth that feare which is ioyned with doubting Faith doth no lesse expell feare then doth charity of saluation when as in Iohn it is sayd that charity dryueth feare out of doores For it is most certaine that that which the scripture attributeth vnto charity ought much more to be attributed vnto faith for charity springeth of it But as we haue alredy sayd Paul in this place entreateth not of men perticularly but of the publique profession of Christ and of the preaching of the Gospel and of his religion receaued in any whole nation or prouince And that which is here spoken ought to stirre vp godly men to most feruent prayers for the preseruation of the churches After that he addeth a reason of his sentence For if God spared not the naturall branches take hede that he also spare not thee He reasoneth à minori that is of the lesse for it séemed les likely that the naturall branches should be broken of then they which are agaynst nature Now if they be broken of thē is it much more to be feared lest others also should be cut of But let vs sée what is to be vnderstanded by the natural branches or by the brāches of nature which phrase Paul a litle afterward also vseth Chrisostome sayth Forasmuch as in things natural is found necessity in this place can not be put that necessity for that holynes and these gifees of God whereof we now entreat may both be in vs and also be remoued away from vs. Wherfore he thinketh that here is rather to be vnderstanded a certayne likelines of truth and consequence as we commonly saye that that is naturall whiche reason iudgeth probable and agreable Ambrose expressedly writeth these woordes For if they which throughe the prerogatiue of the fathers were woorthye vnto whome also was made the promise and which were adopted of God into childrē were for theyr incredulity sake made blind what shall become of them which are without any commendation exalted on high and which being of no dignity at all are brought to honour But Origen by nature vnderstandeth frée will as though this whole dignity should depende of frée will which opinion we haue a litle before confuted Wherfore Ambrose commeth nerer vnto the truth who referreth this dignity or worthines to the promise of God althoughe none of them haue properly declared why mencion is made of nature And Paul in my iudgement therfore maketh mencion of nature for that the children of the saints were so borne that they came out of a good trée and out of an holy roote The etimology of this worde nature And verely the etimologie of this woord nature is deriued of this woord nasci that is to be borne And yet is not this so to be taken as though they should haue in themselues the beginning of holynes for that dependeth of the goodnes promise and will of God For there is no part of the blessing of God to be attributed vnto the stocke of the fleshe being considered apart by it selfe but so far forth as vnto the stocke or propagation is ioyned the promise which is a thing of great efficacy which promise if we will know of how great force it is let vs looke vpon How the blessing of God in towardes the stocke and propagatiō of the flesh the nation of the Iewes which was in déede sinfull and contaminated with many kinds of sinnes and yet it cessed not to be the people of God vntill they had publiquely denied and reiected Christ although euen then also remnants of them were saued Howbeit that people was first corrected with the rodde and with afflictions and sometymes sent into captiuity
but was not altogether reiected And that this benefite was bestowed vpon the fathers the Scripture in many places mencioneth There were other nations which in déede receaued the Gospel but yet kéept it but for a while skarce aboue one age or two It is true that we haue succeded in the place of the Iewes and are made pertakers of the selfesame priuiledges with them yet notwithstanding the Iewes were before vs abode the long tyme before in possession Wherefore if they be nowe broken of we ought more to bee afeard if they for their pride were smitten with blindnes were for their incredulity cut of what is to be thought of vs wild oliue trées and barren vnfruitfull branches Thorough incredulity were they broken of sayth Ambrose not for thy sake but by reason of their owne defaulte whiche thing I meruayle he should write If this Preposition propter that is For do signifie the cause efficient I graunt that our saluation was not the cause of their cutting of They had Our saluatiō was the small cause of the reiection of the Iewes in themselues the sinne of incredulity which GOD minding to punishe in this sort by his iustice reiected them But that our calling was not the finall cause which God in their reiection had a regard vnto I can in no wise deny seing that Paul affirmeth it wherefore I thinke rather we may say that they were broken of from their fruitefull trée both for theyr owne default and for our sakes Be not high minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is which is otherwise sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vice is opposite vnto the pouerty of the spirite which Christ so commended that he called them which were endewed with it blessed But they are to be laughed at which by this saying of the Apostle labour to defend ignoraunce to feare away men from knowledge Noli altum sapere say they that is Be not ouer wise Whiche exposition how strang it is from the skope of the Apostle I suppose now euery man plainly séeth But to close vp the exposition of this place I thinke that betwéene the degrées whereby we come to saluation the meanes which bring vs hedlong to destruction this order is to bee put As touching them The degrees to saluation and the degrees to destruction which shal be saued first is election or predestination Thereout burst forth grace the spirite and fayth strayght way follow good workes then haue they geuen vnto them perseueraunce and at the last is rendred the crowne of felicitie But vnto destruction the first degrée is the corruption of the lompe of mākind thorough originall sinne that God would not haue mercy thereof followe many sinnes which we by liuing wickedly afterward adde after them followeth blindnes they are infected with incredulity moreouer the harte is hardened and at the last followeth eternall damnation See therfore the bountefulnes seuerity of God Towards thē whiche haue fallen into seuerity but towards thee bountefulnes if thou continue in his bountefulnes or els thou also shalt be cut of And they also if they abide not still in vnbeliefe shal be grafted in For God is able to graft them in agayne For if thou wast cut out of the oliue tree which wast wild by nature and wast grafted contrary to nature into a right oliue tree how much more shall they that are by nature be grafted into their owne oliue tree Se therfore the goodnes and seuerity of God c. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greke the is See some turne Ecce y◠is Behold for in signification it is somtimes all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle cōtinueth stil in one the self same matter For this treatise was very necessary to put away the discord which in the primitiue sprang betwene the Gentiles the Iewes He exhorteth thē to set two things before their eyes the goodnes of God his seuerity Goodnes he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth clemency a redines of mind to do a man good to do him pleasure Seueritye he calleth in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is then when thinges are done with extremitie and that men are delt with euen according to the rigor of iustice The singuler bountefulnes of God towardes the Gētiles Against the Maniches and Marcionites The scripture euery where inuiteth vs to consider the seuerity an◠goodnes of God Towardes thee saith he goodnes For that was a singuler bountifulnes that when as the Gentils were contaminated with idolatry and mought iustly worthely haue bene left in their infidelity they were yet notwithstanding called adopted and adorned with so many ornamentes and giftes By these woordes are confuted the Manichies Marcionites which affirmed that there are two Gods one good gentle and mercifull the other seuere yea and cruell when yet the Apostle in this place attributeth the selfe same proprieties vnto one and the self same true God It is manifest also that they which are cut of are by the iust seuerity of God broken of and fall away so that they are without excuse Moreouer not onely Paul in this place but also the whole scripture in infinite places in a maner prouoke vs to the consideration of those two thinges And that not without iust cause for in the consideratiō of the goodnes of God we are prouoked vnto faith and vnto loue towards him also to geue him thanks for y◠benefits receiued at his hands But when we consider y◠seueritie iudgements of God it maketh vs to pity those which fall and to be fearefull of our owne estate Chrisostome expounding this sentence See the goodnes It is not saide saith he See thy merites and thy laboures for it commeth all whole of grace from aboue I woulde to GOD he had alwayes spoken after this manner and that he had abode still in that whiche he here teacheth The entent of the Apostle in the consideratiō of the seuerity of God is that we beholding other mens dangers and falles should be made more ware Which selfe thing he in an other place meaneth when he sayth in the first to the Corrinth He which standeth let him take heede that he fall not and vnto the Galathians Considering Two kinds of feare thy self least thou also be tempted Wherfore this is to be known that feare is of two sortes the one is which abateth nothinge of confidence but onely engendreth a greater diligence and bringeth more effectuall endeuors The other is which excéedingly diminisheth yea rather taketh away confidence pulleth away endeuor and bringeth sluggishnes The latter commeth of infidelity the other cōmeth of diligence and of fayth By this kind of feare are the churches moued more and more to apply themselues vnto God and to praye instantlye for their preseruation What prayer is vaine namely that the kingdome of God shoulde not be transferred from them
of sacrifices washeth away sinnes How we are baptised into the remission of sinnes Faith must go before the receauing of the sacraments the faith of the elders wherby they had a respect vnto Christ and embrased him in the signification of those sacrifices iustified and obteyned remissiō of sinnes Doubtles the bloud of those sacrifices washeth not away the sinnes of the world but only the bloud of Christ as he sayd This cup is the new testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes But whereas we are sayd to be baptised into the remission of sinnes the meaning thereof is that in that sacrament is sealed vnto vs and signified the remission of sinnes which by the bloud of Christ we haue alredy obteyned which selfe thing also is done in the Eucharist and fayth ought alwayes to go before the receauing of the sacramētes if we receaue them rightly and the order be not inuerted for as without fayth men eate and drinke in the Euchariste vnworthely so also without faith baptisme is vnworthely receaued which yet is to be vnderstāded touching them that are of full age for touching infantes how it is with them we haue els where declared Wherfore if faith go before thē is it manifest that sinnes are forgeuen which thing the sacraments which follow seale vnto vs and confirm vs of the will of God and when they are set forth vnto vs they oftētimes stirre vp faith no otherwise then doth the word of God whē it is heard So that it is not possible but that faith being newly stirred vp iustificatiō is more and more taken hold of and our strengths are more and more renued to leade a newe life And therefore whereas Chrisostome when he enterpreteth these wordes saith When I shall take as way their sinnes they are not yet circumcised they do not yet offer whilest they do other thinges pertaining to the law their sinnes are taken away we muste not doubtles so vnderstād him as though the fathers in the old time when they did these things and by them excercised their faith for that they saw Christe signified in them had not thereby fruite as we haue but he so spake for that now after that Christ hath suffred these things are vnprofitable in the old time they did not of the worke it selfe conferre grace as the Iewes dreamed In which thing also in our dayes the sophistical diuines are deceiued as touching our sacramēts But as touching the other argument A place of Ieremy wheras in the epistle vnto y◠Hebrues it is said that the olde iestamēt is abolished made voide the new taking place wheras Ieremy saith that God wold make a new couenant not according to the couenant which he made with the fathers whē he brought them out of the land of Egipt We answer that there the couenant is taken for the law as it is distinguished from the Gospell whiche is hereby manifest for that he sayth that he will write his lawes in theyr hartes and will graue them in their inward partes Which thing is not agreable with the law whiche onely sheweth sinnes condemneth and accuseth neither geueth strengthes yea rather it after a sorte commaundeth infinite thinges and layeth vpon vs such a burthen as we are not able to beare and therfore the prophet there saith that they abode not in their Testament Wherfore this word couenant or testament is not there so takē as we now here take it for as we here entreate of it it comprehendeth both the law and the Gospell And this way there is no differēce betwene the old testamēt and the new but onely as we declared And if thou wilt say that the prophet there also vnderstandeth this woord Testament in such sorte as we now speake of it we may then graunte that by the comming of Christe is made some abrogation The figure Sinechdoche is vsed when the old Testament is said to be abrogated when as those accidences condicions and qualities which were in the olde testamente are now abrogated Wherefore therein is vsed the figure Sinechdoche wherby a thing is simply or absolutely sayd to be abolished or made voyde when it is taken away onely as touching some parte thereof The Iewes are wonderfully troubled with this sentence of the Prophet and can scarce tell what to saye for whilest they seke to defend the old law and so to defend it that nothing is therof to be chaunged and reproue vs for that we haue chaunged circumcision into baptisme and the day of the Sabaoth into the Lords day and haue reiected many other thinges how can they affirme that a new couenaunte shal be made and not according to that which was made when they were brought out of Egipte Here they can scarce tell whiche way to turne themselues Howbeit leaste they shoulde A startyng hole of the Iewes séeme to geue place they say that onely the manner shal be diuers and thinke that the couenaunte as touchinge the thinge shal be one and the same but that vnder Messias it shall more firmely and more surely be established But we may more truely saye that this was done at the beginning of the churche when so greate aboundance of the holy ghost was poured into the beleuers y◠they not onely spread abroad the Gospell throughout the whole world but also no persecutions nor torments were they neuer so horrible no nor death though it were most sharp could cause them to depart from the couenante which they had nowe thorough Christe made with God And as manye as are in very déede faithfull do willinglye and of their owne accord cleaue vnto the truth and vnto holines And forasmuch as here is mencion made of the couenant this is to be knowne that it is for the most part called of the lattines Testamentum of the Gréekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the Hebrues Bedith all which wordes very aptlye expresse it For a testamente is so called for that it is a testimony of the last will of him which disposeth his goods and for that By what words a testament is called this is done vpon sure consideration in iust order the Grecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a disposinge For the inheritaunce is ordered in deuiding it amongest the heires But with the Hebrues Bedith signifieth a league or couenant which here had great force for in this leage was appoynted that God should be their God and I testamēt why it i◠so called they his people And the form and strength of this couenant leage and testament herein chiefly consisteth that our sinnes should be forgeuen vs and that by Christ And when the Prophet writeth that out of Sion shall come a redeemer vnto Iacob Christ shall not come again to redeme mankind it is not so to be vnderstanded as though Christ shall come againe into the worlde to redeme them for it is sufficient
scripture entreat speake of him by the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he is described as one stirred vp by affects for that he doth those things which men stirred vp by affects vse to do He God is not moued with affects is said to be angry because he auengeth as mē ouercome with anger do although he thereby suffer no perturbation He is sayde also to repent for that althoughe he be not sory yet he chaungeth the thinges which he had before done He had appointed Saul to be king whome he afterward reiected and he had appointed man vpon the earth to be encreased in number whome he afterward destroyed by the flood and therefore he is sayd to haue bene moued by repentaunce But here thou wilt say I speake not of the perturbation of God admitte that he be quiet but forasmuch The things which are geuen by predestination are not chaunged as he can chaunge the thinges which he hath done he can also chaunge his vocation and can take away the giftes from them vnto whome he before gaue them This we deny not but this is to be knowen that Paul here speaketh not of all kinde of gifts or callings but of those only which according to his eternall predestination he geueth for they are most constant and vnchaungeable as it was before sayd in this self same epistle Whome he foreknewe those hath he predestinated whome he hath predestinated those also hath he called whome he hath called those also hath he iustified and whome he hath iustified those also hath he glorified this gradatiō is vnmoueable and this chayne is indissoluble But to make the thing yet more playne we will make this distinction they which receaue the giftes or calling of God are either predestinated or els are not of the number of the elect If they be not predestinated they haue oftentimes certaine gifts of God but those are slender gifts which do not perfectly chaunge thē so that in temptacions and persecutions they fall away and are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men during but for Giftes bestowed vpō them that are not predestinated are taken away from them a time and they easely lose theyr gifts not that God repenteth him or that he is chaunged but the chaunging is in them which withdraw themselues from the truth and God appointed to geue vnto them gifts not perpetually but for a time But they which are predestinated do as touching vocation to saluation and touching the gift of the fauor of God abide in the state of saluation without any repentaunce and chaunging of the purpose of God And although for a tyme be taken away from them the spirite consolation and some certayne grace as from Peter when he denied Christ and from Dauid when he fell into adultery yet are they restored againe and so the gift of election and their calling abideth perpetually The calling saluation of the predestinated is not chaunged and God repenteth him not thereof But the Apostle at this present speaof the nation of the Iewes generally and not as touching euery singular persons And this is worthy to be considered that in the threatnings which the Prophetes vse against the Iewes is alwayes in a manner towards the ende added a consolation of the pacifiyng of God to come and that they shal be restored and called The threatonings of y◠prophetes oftentimes end in consolations home agayne to their olde estate In Deut. the 30. chapiter it is sayd Though thou be dispersed thoroughout the fower corners of the worlde yet will I gather thee together agayn into thyne owne land Howbeit although those things are spoken of that nation and of the couenaunt made with it yet can it not be chosē but that they must nedes helpe also our confidence namely that we which beleue in Christ should not be in doubt of our saluation But thou wilt say what if my calling and giftes should be temporall and should thorough my default and not through the inconstancy of God be chaunged We ought to aunswere that in déede our fleshe and Whereby we are confirmed touching the certaynty of saluation corrupt nature is so made that it may goe backe woulde easely of it selfe fall away but faith when it is a true faith perswadeth to the cōtrary on Gods behalfe namely that he will not suffer that when we fall we should for euer fall away from him For how is it possible that we should confesse and beleue that God is in very dede our father and yet in the meane tyme be in doubt of his faith Those thinges hang not together Wherefore although as touching vs there is no let but that we may be destroyed and we haue in our selues the causes of damnatiō yet notwithstanding faith bringeth with it a contrary perswasion that God is our father and wil be our God and sauior And that which the Apostle now saith is in a maner all one with that which he before sayd What if some of them haue not beleued shall their incredulity make voyde the faith of God God forbid Let God be true and euery man a lyar Ambrose semeth to interprete those things vtterly wide from the text as we also before sayd for he will haue this sentence the giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce to be referred vnto baptisme namely that they which are baptised haue fréely the forgeuenes of sinnes neither are they compelled to any repentaunce And this he thus goeth about to apply vnto thys place That it mought seme wonderfull that the Iewes being such vnbeleuers obstinate persons wicked and vngodly men should one day be receaued agayne of God into fauor this saith he is not to be wondred at forasmuch as that receauing by baptisme is done without repentaunce But it is most manifest that Paul at this present ment no such thing but onely would declare that they by reason of election and for the couenaunt sake made with the fathers are beloued For confirmation of which reason he bringeth that God repenteth him not neither chaungeth he his purpose Further the Greke wordes suffer not this interpretacion for it is sayde that the calling and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is giftes or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is these are the things which are without repentance But if Ambroses exposition should be true not the gifts but the sinnes before cōmitted should be without repentaunce so that they which are baptised should not repent them of theyr sinnes Moreouer it is not true that in baptisme is not as touching them that are of full age required repētaunce For Peter in the Actes of the Apostles sayth Repent ye and be baptised In the baptisme of them that are of full age is required repētaunce with a true faith is ioyned repentaunce euery one of you Neither auaileth this any thing if thou say y◠this repentance is takē for fighing and morning such workes which are called satisfactions For
although we graūt y◠vnto thē which were baptised were not enioyned such ecclesiasticall satisfactiōs yet if it be a true effectual faith how cā it not haue ioyned with it a vehement repētance and mourning and most plentifull teares Read the conuersion of saint Austin and thou shal easely see with how vehemēt gronings and strifes he before he was baptised lamēted and bewayled his lyfe before led Wherfore let vs kepe still the former exposition as simple and more true And this selfe thing let vs obserue towardes our neighbours namely to loue them constantly and without repentaunce Now therefore we see y◠the proposition of A repeticiō of three arguments Paul is confirmed by three reasōs namely by his owne prophesy by the oracles of the prophets and by the nature of the purpose and counsell of God which is not to be changed nor to be altered by repentaunce Now is behind the fourth persuasion wherein he sheweth that the consideration in vs and in them is all one and that the like euēt is to be looked for in them that was in vs and he saith For euen as ye in times past haue not beleued God yet haue now obteyned The fourth reason mercy thorough theyr vnbeliefe euen so now they haue not beleued by the mercy shewed vnto you that they also may obteyne mercy As ye were from incredulity brought vnto fayth so they which are now enfected with the selfe same incredulity shal be brought agayne to saluation And euen as ye were not forsaken of God when ye were vnbeleuers so they shall not be forsaken in theyr excecation especially seing that they are for the fathers sake elected which benefite ye had not The workes of God are of that nature that they helpe the one the other and by no meanes hinder the one the other Therefore the excecation of the Iewes although in them it be sinne yet bycause it is the worke of God had The workes of god do help the one the other a good end namely the conuersion of the Gentiles and the conuersion of the Gentiles shall helpe towards the saluation which shal be geuen vnto the Iewes for as it hath bene declared it shall prouoke them to emulation And in y◠meane time vntill this thing come to passe let vs consider with our selues the wonderfull worke of God they still in such greate aduersities and in so diuers and greauous a captiuity and dispersion cōtinew and are preserued they hold still theyr It is a singular work of God that the Iewes continue euen to this tyme. religiō as much as they may they excercise themselues in the holy scriptures although they vnderstand all thinges corruptly Doubtles no auncient Troiās Lombards Hunes or Vandales haue so held still theyr owne that they were in ciuill life and religion steyned from all other nations and could shew theyr originall and history set forth in most sure writing and being euery where dispersed forsooke not theyr ordinaunces Which thing forasmuch as it so contineweth amongest the Iewes is without doubt a singular worke of God and bringeth vnto vs no small commodity For they are witnesses of our bookes The Iewes are our witnes do cary them aboute with them as theyrs and of greate authority which thing Augustine also noted For vnles that people were still yet remayning the Ethnike Philosophers mought suspect that these thinges are of our owne inuenting which we beleue and preache of the creation of the world of Adam of Noha of Abraham of the Patriarches kinges and Prophets Wherefore they are vndoubtedly all this while perpetually preserued of God to some saluatiō to come Paul ascribeth vnto either part the sinne of incredulity to the end that both the Gentiles should not puffe themselues vp when as they heare that they were in that state once and also that the Iewes should not refuse to come vnto Christ nor be past all hope of pardon when as they se that the Gentiles which were before enfected with the selfe same sinne are brought to saluation Erasmus noteth that when it is sayd So they haue not beleued by the mercy shewed vnto you the sence may be not only that the Iewes were made blind that the Gentiles should obteyne mercy but also that euen therefore for that we are called and receaued of God into fauor they are more irritated and more and more goo Our saluation is called by the name of mercy back from God and from fayth in him which thing Chrisostome also before noted when he interpreted that place they are enemies for your sakes as though he had sayd by reason of your fayth and saluation they are made more contentious and rebellious Neither is this to be passed ouer that Paul calleth our saluation and the saluation of the Iewes to come by the name of mercy that we might know that nothing is attributed vnto merites or workes These courses alteracions of thinges are so to be taken that yet we go not on infinitely For when the Iewes shal be conuerted the Gentiles shall not agayne be made blind or reiected but there shall the stay be After that let vs looke for nothing els but the end and consummation of the world And the thinges which Paul now writeth are partly admonitions whereby the Gentiles are put downe from theyr pride and whereby the Iewes are pacefied by the cōsolation of the Apostle and partly they are foretellinges and prophesies of thinges to come And this is to be The difference betwene the foretellings of the saints and of the prophets betwene the foretellings of deuiners noted that herein the prophesies of the Prophets and of the holy scripture differ from the fortellinges of curious Mathematicians and of diuiners for that in them is a respect had to vanity only but here the end is edification namely that men should eyther be conuerted and cease of from some sinne or ells that they should profite and be confirmed in the way of God God hath shut vp all vnder vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy on all Here he speaketh of two nacions namely of the Gentiles of the Hebrewes of which eche were shut vp vnder vnbeliefe that the glory of God might be made the They whiche are called are brought frō incredulity Paul manifestly saith that God smiteth with vnbeliefe more manifest In Osea it is sayd I will call a people that is not my people my people and that is not beloued beloued The state from whence we are called is incredulitye vnder whiche none of the people of God remayne Beholde the Apostle moste manifestly affirmeth that GOD punisheth men wyth incredulitye wherewith when he hathe smitten them there can none but himselfe illuminate agayne theyr mind And although vnto humane reason it seme very hard and absurd that so greate a multitude haue perished in vnbeliefe God both suffring and willing the same yet ought we not to speake any thing agaynst him but rather
oftener expressed hope confidence but in the new testameÌ„t fayth both to fayth and to trust For euen as it is sayd The iust man liueth by fayth Also He which beleueth in him shall not be confounded And in the new Testament He which beleueth in the sonne hath eternall lyfe Agayne We thinke that a man is iustified by fayth So also is it written in the Psalme Blessed are all they which put their trust in him And in Esay the 26. chapiter He shall keepe peace because they hoped in him And in the new Testament Hope confoundeth not To Titus also the 3. chap. That we may be heyres according to the hope of eternall lyfe Althoughe in the old Testament we finde the promises are oftener made vnto hope then to fayth yet in the new Testament it is contrariwyse whereof this may be the reason because in the old tyme the Hebrues erred not in the beliefe that there was but one God yea they professed the worshippinge of hym onely but this was not well amongst them that they had not a liuely fayth which draweth with it a trust but onely by education had conceaued eyther a certayne opinion or els a certayne knowledge and therfore vnto this the Scripture exhorteth them to beleue truly and with efficacy which is expressed by the affecte vnder the name of trust But in the new Testament they erred in the meaning both the GeÌ„tiles which were worshippers of Idoles and of many goddes and also the Iewes as touching the conditions of Messias for they looked that he should come in glorious pompe like a kinge and magnifical in worldly gouernement wherfore faith was oftentymes beaten into them whereby they myght obteyne the promises of God For it was very necessary that they should rightly be instructed of the chief point of the thing that they should beleue And of this Hebrue verbe A man is deriued this nowne Emunah Faith signâ—fieth firmenes which signifieth fayth And it sometymes signifieth certaynty and constauncy of wordes and promises Wherfore God is in the holy scriptures oftentymes called faythfull and his workes are called faythful because they are firme and constantly coÌ„tinue And we read before in this Epistle What if some of them haue not beleued hath their incredulity made vayne the fayth of God Yea and this latten word Fides that is fayth if we may beleue Cicero is deriued of Fio because that thing is done in dede which was spoken And sometymes it signifieth the assent of our mynd whereby we receaue words which are set forth vnto vs as it is sayd of Abraham How fayth is taken in this disputation He beleued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes And forasmuch as is this disputation nowe we take fayth after this maner it shall not be from the purpose to define what fayth is wherefore fayth is a firme and an assured assent of the mynd vnto the words of God which assent is inspired by the holy ghost The definitioÌ„ of fayth vnto the saluation of the beleuers And therfore it consisteth in the mynd and is occupied about the words of God from whence we haue the matter thereof Of the forme also we neede not to doubt because it is defined to be an assent The efficient cause is here to be the inspiration of the holy ghost And the ende is declared in the last place when as we say that this assent is inspired of the holy ghost The definition of faith which is written in the 11. to the Hebrues is declared What hypostasis signifieth to the saluation of the beleuers Not much vnlike vnto this definition are those thinges which are written concerning fayth vnto the Hebrues the 11 chapiter namely that fayth is a substance of thinges to be hoped for and an argument of thinges that appeare not Where that which the Latine interpretor hath turned substantia â–ª that is substance in Greke is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word Budeus most lernedly turneth in his commentaries boldnes strength or valiantnes of mynd And it is deriued of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to susteyne to receaue not to geue place to one that rusheth vpon a man Hereof a souldier is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is trusty and turneth not his backe vnto his enemies but goeth agaynst them and resisteth them And vndoubtedly in beleuing we haue neede of this strength and patience by reason of the greate fyght of which there we haue In beleuyng we haue nede of strength experience For we must resist the fleshe reason must be ouercome whiche very much striueth agaynst fayth we must also resist the condemnation of our owne conscience synne and the anger of God and there are many thinges besydes by which a faythfull assent is both letted and resisted Very well are compared together betweene them selues these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a substance and those thinges that are hoped for For God promiseth resurrection but yet vnto the dead he promiseth eternal lyfe but yet to them that are rotten He calleth men blessed but yet those which aboundantly thyrst and hunger and are on euery side oppressed He pronounceth men to be iustified but yet such as ar couered with sinnes and filthines Wherefore seing these thinges seeme to be so farre of from vs it is needfull that we haue boldenes strength and the assuraunce of a most firme assent which may make these thinges to abide and to consiste vnto vs as thinges most assured With such a shield of defence ought we to be armed whereby we may quenche all the fyrie dartes of the deuill when they are cast agaynst vs that we may also ouercome euen the world For as Iohn testifieth This is the victorye which ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Further we must note that this word Argumentum that is argument which in Greke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned of some demonstratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a declaration because by fayth are shewed and declared those thinges which appeare not but me thinketh Augustine althoughe peraduenture not so Latine like yet very faithfully turned it conuictio that is an ouercoming For by fayth our mynd is ouercome to graunt that those thinges are true whiche God eyther speaketh or promiseth But Hostiensis in his booke De summa Trinitate fide Catholica laboureth by two reasons to shewe that fayth is not by these wordes of the apostle defined because that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance agreeth also with hope Wherfore forasmuch as it is not proper to fayth it can not be applied to the definition therof Further because fayth hath not a regard onely to thinges to come and those thinges which are hoped for but also is referred vnto things past For we beleue that GOD created heauen and earth that Christ was borne of a Virgin that he suffred for vs and was raysed from the dead but all these
feruentnes of persecution shal waxe hot they fal away from it and therfore they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men hauing faith for a ceason Wherfore leauing all these significations in this disputacion by faith we vnderstand that firme assent which is of so great force and efficacye that it draweth with it the affect of trust hope charity lastly al good works as much as the infirmity of this present life will suffer Therefore Smithe whiche wrote a Smith an EnglishmaÌ„ an impudeÌ„t Sophister booke agaynst me of Iustification although he set it out before agaynst Luther agaynst Melancthon and speaketh much against others and seldome maketh mencion of me is herein excedingly deceaued in that he iudgeth that those are sharpely to be reproued which say that faith is a trust And he bringeth a place out of A place to the Ephe. declared the Epistle to the Ephesians the 3. chapiter where it is written By whome namely by Christ Iesus we haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is boldnes to speake and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an accesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in trust which commeth by fayth Seing therfore trust sayth he is by fayth it is not fayth Oh trimme man I promise you and a sharpe diuine which alone sawe that these two thinges namely faith and trust are two things separated What other thing in a maner ment Philip Melancthon and other our faithfull teachers when they call that fayth whereby we are iustified trust but that it is not dead that is not slouthfull that it is not a humane persuasion but so vehement an assent that it hath euen trust it selfe most inwardly nighly ioyned vnto it But I mynd not much to contend with this man All that he bableth he scrapeth out only of Eccius Pighius and other beastes of the Antichrist A dead faith iustifieth not but driueth into desperatioÌ„ This word Amen sealeth praiers of Rome and setteth them abrode as thoughe they were his owne That faith which draweth not with it trust and other holy mocions of the mind driueth men into desperation so farre is it of that it can iustifie which thing the miserable endes of Cain and Iudas do plainly testifie But that which is a firme faith continually trusteth yea it sealeth our prayers in the Church by this common and receaued word Amen among other words vsed of the faythfull Which word is deriued of this Hebrue worde Aman which I before spake of as Dauid Chimhi They whiche pray without faith do lose their labor A similitude testifieth it signifieth It shal be ratified and firme so shal the Lord bringe to passe They which pray without such a faith do lose their labour In this fayth vndoubtedly men do quiet themselues in tranquillity and vnspeakeable peace and are like vnto him which found a most ample treasure and precious pearle wherein he so contented himself that he sold all that he had to buy it Hereof came it that in the 7. Chapiter of Esay the Prophet sayd vnto the wicked king Achaz exhorting him to the true fayth Hischamar Vehischakat that is Take hede and be quiet for the Prophet would that the king should beware of incredulity and stay himself What is the property of fayth â–ª A distinctioÌ„ of workes with the word of God which is the proprietye and nature of fayth as contrariwise the nature of infidelity is to wauer and to be vnconstant For they which beleue not are caryed about with euery wynd of doctrine and opinions and are always wauering and vnconstant Wherfore in Iosua the 17. chapiter the people are reproued because their hart flowed as water and that vndoubtedly happened only by reason of their incredulity Wherefore forasmuch as hereby it now appeareth what we vnderstand by fayth and what signification of this word among many significations we followe in this question we must now speake somewhat of workes There is one kynd of worke which after the action and motion remayneth outwardly and appeareth after it is finished as the Image whiche Phidias made is called a worke and the temple at Ierusalem was called the work of Workes inward outward Salomon And after an other sort actions of men their motions depending of will and reason are called workes after this maner do we now take workes which are also soundry wayes distinct the one fromt he other For there are some which are inward as to beleue to loue to fauour to feare and to pitye other some are outward as to trauaill abrode to geue almes to preache to teache and such like Workes morall and ceremonial And of both these kinds of workes is our question ment They deuide also works into such which pertayne vnto ceremonies into such which as they call them are Workes ether go before or els follâ—w iustification morall both which kinds also doth this question comprehend Further the tyme wherein workes are wrought is to be distincted for some are done before we are iustified and haue obteyned the benefite of regeneration and other some followe and are counted as the fruites of a new lyfe and of righteousnes begon And forasmuch as we can not entreate of these latter workes as such which followe iustification we will speake only of the first for this onely is called into controuersie whether workes iustifie vs for those which follow iustification can not bring forth In thre propositions this questioÌ„ is comprehended iustification because it is alredy had These suppositions being thus set we will dissolue this whole question by three propositions which are these Iustification is not of workes Iustification is had by faith Iustification is geueÌ„ by fayth only These three thinges when we haue confirmed by reasons taken out of the holy scriptures and haue defended them from the obiections and cauillations of our aduersaries we suppose that then we haue sufficiently answered the questioÌ„ God If good workes iustefy not it commeth not thorow their default graunt and worke with vs to bring this to such effect as we desire As touchinge the first proposition when we saye that men are not iustified by workes it is not to be thought that the same happeneth thorough the default of good workes For if they coulde so be performed of vs as the law commaundeth them then should we be iustified by them for God for that he is iust as he acquiteth not the wicked so should he by his sentence iustifie such as satisfie the lawe But there is no man which can thoroughly accomplishe such workes as the lawe commaundeth As if a man should owe a thousand crownes of gold and had toward the payment therof but onely a thousand pieces of leade or brasse money vndoubtedly he shoulde not be discharged of the debte neither can he bee pronounced cleare or quitte whiche thing shoulde not happen thorough the default of the crownes of golde but through the defaulte
man should say y◠we take our argumēt only of the which happeneth thorough the slouthfulnes of men when as the disputacion is of that which may be done if mē would put to theyr good will for many are not iustified by theyr good workes when as yet they might be iustified by them if they The 〈◊〉 would hereunto we answere with the Apostle in the 8. chapiter who sayth For that which the law could not performe in as much as it was weake bycause of the fleshe that performed God by his owne sonne being sent vnder the similitude of flesh subiect vnto sinne and by sinne condemned sinne through flesh This place admonisheth vs that the iustice of God which is commaunded in the commaundementes could not be performed by the helpe of the law by reason of the vice and infirmity of the flesh and for that cause was Christ sent of the father to performe that whiche The 20. could not be accomplished of vs. The same thing also teacheth he a litle after for when he had sayd that the lust of the flesh is death he addeth moreouer That it is enmity agaynst God for it is not subiect vnto the law of God neither indede can be Wherefore whatsoeuer we do by our naturall strengths which is called flesh the same resisteth God for our corrupted nature can not be subdued vnder the law of God And forasmuch as it is so thē can we not be iustified by y◠dedes therof In the same chapiter also we read Vnto those that loue God all thinges worke to The 21. good vnto those I say which are called of purpose In which wordes the Apostle touched the beginning and chiefe poynte of all our goodnesse namely the purpose of God whiche is so the cause of our saluation that all our other goodnes dependeth thereof but it is not moued by any of our goodnesse But the very causes of mans felicity are afterward orderly and distinctly described amonge which there is no mencion at all of our good workes Those which he knew before he also predestinated and whome he hath predestinated those hath he also called And whome he hath called them also hath he iustified and whome he hath iustified them also will he glorify This chayne is lincked together with all the meanes and helpes by which God bringeth vs to saluation But seing there is no mencion made of the workes of the law and of merites it sufficiently appeareth that by them we are not iustified Farther when it is sayd Who shall accuse against the elect of God The 22. It is God which iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which dyed yea which also is risen agayn which also sitteth at the right hand of God which also maketh intercessiō for vs If by the iudgment of God we should be iustified by workes it had bene sufficient to haue sayd the elect shal be accused in dayne forasmuch as they haue good merites and seing by theyr vertuous and holy workes they shall obtayne absolution He sayth not so But saith he it is God which iustifieth And it mought haue bene answered No man shall condemne the elect when as theyr workes ar such that they deserue both absolutiō and a reward But he maketh no such answere but sayth It is Christ which dyed c. Why then should we take vpon vs to mingle our woorkes therewithall when as the scripture willeth vs in no case so to doo Now come we to the ninth chapiter wherein is entreated of the prouidence of God which directeth and ordreth all thinges not for any other cause vndoubtedly but that we should thinke that the nature of it and of iustification is all one for either of them is geuē fréely and not of works For the Apostle writeth that of two brethern which were not yet borne and when they had done neither good nor The 23. euill to the end the election of God shoulde abide according to purpose not of workes but of the caller it was sayd The elder shall serue the yonger as it is written Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Here as we se are workes most manifestly excluded Also vnto Moses it was answered I will shew mercy to whomsoeuer I shew mercy The 24. and will haue compassion on whomesoeuer I haue compassion These wordes also declare y◠the forgeuenes of sinnes the meanes whereby men are receaued into fauor depend not of theyr workes but of y◠mere merciful beneuolēce of God And y◠same thing also do the wordes following declare It is not of him that willeth The 25. nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy Againe He hath mercy on whō he will and whome he will he hardeneth But if iustification might be gotten by our will or by workes then should it be both of him that willeth and of him that runneth neither should they be conuerted on whome God hath compassion but they which should chiefely haue compassion vpon themselues neither also should God harden any man when as all men might promptly easely and at their pleasure by good workes be reconciled vnto God and also be iustified But it is farre otherwise for they which put their confidence in workes do to farre erre from the true righteousnes whereof we now speake Toward the end of the 9. chapiter the Apostle sayth Israell which followed the lawe of righteousnes attayned not to the law of The 26. righteousnes And why euen because they sought it not by fayth but as it were by the workes of the lawe And if the works of the lawe were a let vnto the Iewes for the obtainment of iustification what should we then hope for thereby This selfe The 27. same thing the Apostle although in other wordes declareth in the 10. chapiter They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and goyng about to establishe their own righteousnes are not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God These wordes signify nothing els but that they fal from the righteousnes of God which attribute to much to their owne righteousnes namely to workes And so great is the contrariety betwene grace and workes that the effect which procedeth from the one can not The 28. procéede from the other For Paul sayth There is a remnaunt left according to the election of grace If it be of grace then is it not now of workes for then grace is no more grace and if it be of workes then is it not of grace For this is the property of grace to be geuen fréely and of a mere liberality but the property of a worke is that the reward should be geuen of duty and euen by very right Lastly what shal we say The 29. when the Apostle crieth out Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God Vndoubtedly Paul by this affection declareth that it is a thing most hard to be knowen whether God deale iustly which predestinateth whome he will and
ye not heare what the lawe saith For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one of an handemayden an other of a free woman and he whyche came of the handemayden was borne accordynge to the fleshe but hee which came of the free woman was borne acoording to promise which thinges are spoken by an allegorye for these are two testamentes the one from the mounte Sina which gendreth vnto bondage which is Agar for Agar is mount Sina in Arabia is ioyned vnto the city which is now called Ierusalem and is in bondage with her children But Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all In these words this thing is chiefly to be noted yâ— the law gendreth not but as Agar did vnto boÌ„dage But if by the workes therof it could iustifie it should gender to liberty for what thing els is iustification then a certain liberty from sinne But forasmuch as it is both called a seruant and gendreth to bondage we ought not then by it to looke for iustification In the .v. chapter it is written If ye be circumcised Christe shall nothing profite The 39. you And he bringeth a reason of the said sentence For saith he he which is circumcised is debter to kepe the whole law So much doth Paul take iustification from circumcision and woorkes that he saith that Christe nothing profiteth them if in case after they beleue they will be circumcised And still he more stronglye confirmeth that which was said Christ is become in vaine vnto you for if ye haue iustification as the fruite of your woorkes then the comming death and bloudsheding of Christe should not haue bene necessary And I if I yet preach circumcisiom why do I suffer persecution Then is the offence of the crosse abolished the offeÌ„ce and slaunder of the crosse The 40. is that meÌ„ being wicked and otherwise sinners are counted of God iust throughe Christ crucified and faith in him here the flesh is offended here doth reason vtterly resiste whiche thing happeneth not when iustification is preached to come of workes whether they be ceremonial or morall But God would haue this offence The 41. to remaine bicause it pleased him by the foolishenes of preaching to saue them that beleue Vnto the Ephesians the. 2. chapter it is written And ye when ye were deade to trespasses and sinnes in whiche in time passed ye walked accordinge to the course of thys world euen after the gouernor that ruleth the ayre and the spirite that now woorketh in the children of vnbelief among whome also we all had our conuersation in time past in the lusts of our flesh and fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our thoughts and as it is in the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were by nature the children of wrath euen as others are Let vs note in these woordes yâ— men at the beginning before they come to Christ are dead in sinnes and therfore are not able to moue themselues to this that they should liue and be iustified who euer saw that a deade man coulde helpe himselfe Further by those wordes is shewed that they were in the power of the Prince of darkenes which worketh and is of efficacy in the children of vnbelief Seing therfore they are gouerned by him how then can they by their workes tende to iustification And because we shoulde not thinke that he spake onely of some other certaine vngodly persons he addeth All we comprehending also the Apostles a 〈…〉 them saith he were we And what did we then we were conuersante in the lustes of our flesh And to the end we might vnderstand that these lustes were not onely the wicked affections of the grosser part of the soule it foloweth we doing the will of the flesh and of the minde or of reason did follow also the thoughtes or inuentions of humane reason If we were all such from whence then commeth saluation and iustification But God which is riche in mercy for his exceeding loue sake wherwith he loued vs yea euen when we were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs together with Christ But The 42. what instrumente vsed he to geue vnto vs our saluation For by grace saith he were ye saued through faith and that not of your selues For it is the gifte of God not of workes least any man should boast Could workes be more manifestly excluded In what place then shall we put them Certeinely they follow iustification For the Apostle addeth For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath prepared that we should walke in them but before they could not be The 43. in vs which thing is very well thus described Ye were at that time without Christe being alienated from the common wealth of Israell straungers from the testamentes of promise hauing no hope and being without God in this world Who can in this state faine vnto himselfe good woorkes by which men may merite iustification And to the Phillippians the. 3. chapter If any other man maye seeme that he hath whereof he The 44. might trust in the flesh I haue more being circumcised the eight day of the kinred of Israell of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrue borne of the Hebrues as concerning the law a Pharisey as touching feruentnes I persecuted the church of God as touching the righteousnes which is of the law I was vnrebukeable Seing that Paul had so manye and so great thinges before his conuersion and that he had whereof to â—rust and boast in the flesh let vs heare what he at the lenth pronounceth of all these thinges These thinges saith he if they be compared vnto the true righteousnes whiche is throughe the faith of Christ I count losse vile and dounge If we should thereby obteine righteousnes should so profitable thinges be counted for losses so precious and holy things for vile thinges and thinges acceptable and pleasaunte vnto God for donge Let Paul take héede what he saith here or rather let the readers take héede that they beleue not Sophisters rather then Paul And to the Colossians the first chapter And The 45. you which were sometimes farre of and through euill workes enemies in your harts hath he yet now reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Here ought euery word diligently to be noted that we may sée that they which are farre of from God ought not to haue a regarde to those thinges thereby to come into fauor Peace which is ioyned with iustification can not be obteined of those which are enemies in mind there can not come good woorkes from those whiche before they be chaunged are saide to be full of euil workes But what manner of workes those were is described in the ii chapter when as it is there written And ye when ye wer dead through sinnes and through the vncircumcisioÌ„ of your flesh hath he quickned together with him The 46. forgeuing all your sinnes and hath
put out the handwriting that was against vs. In the The 47. 2. to Timothy the i. chapter Who hath called vs with an holy callinge not accordinge to our workes but according to his purpose and grace which is geuen vs through Christ Iesus Here he speaketh of a calling ful of efficacy by which men are iustified and not of the common calling as touching the preaching of the word of God which is set forth vnto all men And forasmuch as this consisteth not as Paul saith of merites or woorkes neither can iustification also come of them Vnto Titus it is written The 48. The goodnes and loue of God our Sauiour towardes vs hath appeared not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercy hath he saued vs. Also vnto the Hebrues is but one onely sacrifice and one oblation namely the death The 49. of Christ by which sinnes are wiped away and satisfaction made for men Wherfore iustification is not to be loked for of workes and it ought to suffice vs that the good workes which we do after iustification are sacrifices of thankesgeuing and let vs not make them sacrifices propiciatory by which meanes we should do great iniury vnto Christe But settinge a side the Epistles of Paul let vs séeke testimonies also out of other places of the holy scriptures Christe in the vii of Mathew saith Euery good tree bringeth forth good fruites but a noughty tree bringeth foorth euell The 50. fruites And to the end the nature of those which are not regenerate mighte be the better declared he addeth A good tree cannot bring forth euill frutes nether can an euill tree bring forth good fruits Wherfore seing Christ saith y◠that canot so be how dare these men affirme that it may be for they say that by workes men may be iustified Christ vseth the selfe same reason in the 12. chapiter of Mathew Ether The 51. make the tree good and his fruite good or make the tree euil and his fruite euill for by the fruite is the tree knowen O ye generation of vipers how can ye speake good thinges whē as ye your selues are euill for of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of the harte bringeth forth good thinges and an euill man out of an euill treasure bringeth forth euill thinges These wordes of Christ do declare that men which are not yet regenerate are euill trees which neither do bring forth good fruite nor can do ▪ and they testify that the wicked cā not speake good thinges and much les can they worke good thinges and that out of an euill treasure of the harte are euer euill thinges to be looked for And seing the matter is so consider I pray you whither they which are alienated frō Christ ought to be called euill or no Vndoubtedly vnles they be euil none of vs y◠cleaneth vnto Christ can be called good Also in Luke the 17. chapiter But which of you hauing a The 52. seruaunt that goeth to plough or fedeth your cattell that will streight way say vnto hym when he commeth from the field Go and fitte downe and sayth not rather vnto him prepare that I may suppe gyrd vp thy selfe and serue me till I haue eaten and dronken and afterward eate thou and drinke thou doth he thanke his seruaunt bycause he hath done those thinges which he hath commaunded him I trow not So likewise ye when ye haue done all those thinges that are commaunded you say We are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue done that which we ought to haue done These words spake Christ vnto his disciples vnto his Apostles I say and which were now cōuerted to saluation who if they worke vnprofitable works what shall we thē iudge of those which haue not yet receaued the fayth of Christ But the Sophisters haue made the world such fooles that they say that workes before iustification do after a sorte merite it and those workes which follow they say are most profitable wherefore they would now haue men after a sort to make accompt with God and with beades to nomber how many prayers they haue said For what other thing ment they by thē then y◠they would by a certayne nomber recite so many Pater nosters or so many Aue Marias thinking by y◠recital to haue God most assuredly boūd The 53. vnto thē In y◠15. of Iohn Christ is compared vnto a vine tree we to the branches therof wherfore he sayth Euen as the branche can not bring forth fruit of it self vnles it abide in the vine no more also cā ye vnles ye abide in me I am the vine ye are the branches he which abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruite And whosoeuer shal not abide in me they are cast out of the dores euē as the braunches or cuttings of frō the vine they shal gather thē and cast thē into the fire Now that we haue recited these wordes of the lord how agreeth it that men being straungers from Christ not yet regenerate can worke good works by which they may be iustified when as they are called dry braunches which shal be cast into the fire and it is sayd that they only can bring forth fruite which cleane vnto Christ as braunches cleane to the vine And that we should the better vnderstand the will The 54. of Christ there is added Without me ye can do nothing Which sentence some go aboute to darken saying that nothing can be done without Christ in respect that he is God forasmuch as he is the first cause of all thinges as though the Lord disputed then of the generall conseruation of naturall thinges and of that power whereby God bringeth forth all thinges vniuersally Christ came not into the world to teach this philosophye he vndoubtedly entreated of the fruite of saluation and of eternall life and spake of those whiche should cleane vnto hys doctrine or ells should be strangers from it Moreouer the sonne of God commaunded The 55. that the faythfull should in theyr prayers saye Forgeue vs our trespasses Signifieng thereby y◠the faythfull also haue nede of forgeuenes in those things which they do for our workes are vnperfect neyther are they able to satisfye Wherefore if our workes which we doo after our regeneration nede expiation by the merite of Christ And for as much as we pray for the same how can they be propitiatory Much more les then can we thinke of those workes which are done before regeneration that they should be acceptable and pleasāt vnto God Moreouer no man can iustly say that he is out of the nomber of such when as God hath commaunded all men to pray in that maner and his will is not that any man should make a lye in his prayer Yea and Iohn also writeth If we shall The 56. say that we haue no sinne we deceaue
Which thing if he do not vndoubtedly he beleueth not faythfully and truly This doth Augustine write of him selfe in his booke of confessions And in the actes of the Apostles the Ephesiās when they had geuen themselues ouer vnto Christ did not only confesse theyr sinnes but also burnt those bookes which before they had vsed vnto supersticion But I will declare vnto you what hath deceaued these men They read paraduenture in the Fathers that they attributed much vnto teares fastinges almes and other godly workes of the penitent But these men vnderstand In what sence the fathers haue attributed so much vnto prayers fastinges teares not what the Fathers ment in those places For they intreated of ecclesiastical satisfactions and not of our workes by which God should be pacified or the forgeuenes of sinnes deserued For the Church forasmuch as it saw not the inward fayth of thē y◠fal and there were many which not abiding the shame of excōmunication sometimes dissembled some shew of conuersion and repentaunce thereby the rather to be reconciled and receiued vnto the cōmunion of the other brethern the Church I say to the end this should not happen would haue a proofe of theyr fayth and conuersion neyther would it admitte them that fell vnto the fellowship of the faythfull before they had declared teares fastinges confessions and almes as witnesses of a true and perfect chāging And bycause these men marke not this they confound all thinges and build thereupon most detestable hipocrisye But they haue yet an other shift for they say that the workes of infidels are not sinnes although they be done without the fayth of Christ For they imagine that there Whether the workes of infidels be sinnes or no. is a certayne generall and confused fayth towardes God which fayth they which haue althoughe they beleue not in Christ yet may they worke many excellent workes which euen for that selfe same fayth sake may please God and after a sort deserue iustification They geue say they large almes they honor theyr parents they excedingly loue their countrey if they haue cōmitted any thing y◠is euil they are sory for it they liue moderately and do a greate many other such like thinges and that not rashly but bycause they beleue there is a God which delighteth in such workes Therefore they apply them selues vnto them to make themselues acceptable vnto him Farther they paynt out and colour theyr fayned lye with a trime similitude A stake say or a post being put into the earth although oftētimes A similitude it take not roote or life yet draweth it some iuyce out of the erth so bringeth forth some leaues and buddeth as if it liued in very dede So mē say they that are strāge from Christ although they liue not by the celestiall spirite yet by some inspiratiō of the spirite they worke those excellent workes which we haue described But we We please God with no faith but with that which is in Christ that are instructed by the holy scriptures doo acknowledge no other fayth whereby we can please God but only that which is in Christ Iesus For there is no other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men whereby we cā be saued but only the name of Christe our sauiour And Paul as often as he maketh mencion of fayth whiche iustifyeth alwayes declareth it to be that faythe whereby we are godlye affected towardes Christe and hys Gospell But leaste Paul shoulde seme to teach this thing peculiarly and alone I will a little more déepely repeate the whole matter Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him vnto righteousnes Abraham was iustified b◠faith in Christ But what beleued he Forsooth this that he shoulde haue séede geuen him namely that onely séede as Paul interpreteth it wherein all nations shoulde be blessed which is Christ Iesus This testament was confirmed of God vnto him in Christ yea the Lord himselfe when he spake of him said He saw my day and reioysed Iob also in the xix chap. I saith he do know that my redemer liueth which shall also rise in the last day ouer them that lye in the dust And after the wormes shall destroy this body I shall see the Lord in my flesh Whome I my selfe shall see and mine owne eyes shall behold and none other for me This faith expressed in those words is in no wise generall or confused For in it are plainly described the principall pointes whiche pertain vnto Christ For first he is called a redéemer wherein is published the forgeuenes of sinnes Further his comming to iudgement is set forth and also the resurrection of the deade in whiche resurrection not other bodies but euen the selfe same which they had before shal be restored vnto men There also put the humane nature of Christ which may be seene with corporall eies Further what manner A true faith draweth with it all good motions of the mynde They whiche be strāgers from Christ may haue a credulity but not a true faith The Turkes haue not a true fayth although they beleue many true things that we beleue of faith I beséech you is that faith which these men affirme infidels to haue For a true and firme persuasion and a constant and an assured assent vnto the promises of God draweth with it as I said at the beginning all good motions of the minde How then can they say that these men haue faith which lie still weltering in idolatry and in most filthy and grosse sinnes They may indéede haue some certaine credulitye either by education or by humane persuasion or by an opinion after a sorte rooted in them but to haue a true faith so long as they lead such a kind of life it is by no meanes possible vnles they will graunte that the Turkes haue also faith for they assente vnto many thinges whiche we professe and beleue But this place of Paul out of the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing this place I saye they will haue to be vnderstande not onely of the true faith but they also saye that the same faith may be seperated from charitie howbeit they graunte that if it so come to passe the same fayth can profite nothing Seing therfore they after that sorte expound that place how agrée they with Paul when they say that a generall and cōfused faith which is in men that are yet straunge from Christe can bring foorth good workes which of congruity may merite iustification and please God when as Paul saith that euen the true faith also as they interprete it doth nothing profite without charitie But that similitude which they bring of a stake or post fastened into the earth vtterly ouerthroweth their opinion For although being deade it séemeth to liue yet in very déede it liueth not And a wise husbandman séeth that that budding forth is vnprofitable and
miracles and séeme to obserue the commaundements of God and his iustifications if they appoynt theyr minde and end to any other thing then they ought to do are said to sinne namely because they follow not the precept of God published by the Apostle Paul Whether ye eate or drinke or whether ye do any thing els do all thinges to the glory of God And it is moste certaine that this cannot be done without faith and charity Which faith and charity forasmuch as men not yet regenerate do want it necessarily followeth by the woordes of Basilius that their workes are sinnes Of which selfe same sentence he writeth in his 2. boke de Baptismo the 7. question And of purpose he demaundeth whether any man so long as he abideth in sinne can do any thinge that is acceptable before God Whiche thing he affirmeth to be vnpossible and that by reasons both manye in nomber and also taken out of the holy scriptures First saith he the holy ghost testifieth that he whiche worketh sinne is the seruaunte of sinne further Christ saith ye cannot serue God and Mammon for no man can serue two masters Paul also saith that light hath no fellowship with darkenes neither hath God any agreemente with Beliall Which thing also he proueth out of the booke of Genesis althoughe he follow the interpretacion of the seuenty Thus saith he spake God vnto Cain if thou offer well and deuidest ill thou hast sinned be content The sence saith he is if thou offer sacrifice as touching the outward shew and thy minde be not right neither regardest thou the end which thou oughtest to do then is thy oblation sinne With which saying agreeth that also which Esay writeth in the. 66. chapt He whiche killeth an oxe is as if he shoulde kill a man and he which sacrificeth a beast as if he should kill a dogge It is not inoughe to do a worke which is goodly and a beautifull to the eye but it behoueth also that thou apply it vnto the prescript of the law of God which is that whatsoeuer thou doost it be doone in such manner and in such condition as the lawe requireth And therefore saith he Paul sayd None shal be crowned but he which hath wrestled lawfully And it is not sufficient to wrestle vnles thou wrestle lawfully Christ also in the Gospel saith Blessed is that seruant which when his lord commeth shall finde him thus doing By which wordes it appeareth that it is not sufficient to do but behoueth also to do after such for namelye as be hath commaunded Moreouer he sheweth out of the old testamente that he committed sinne which did sacrifice vnto the true God out of the temple or not in that place where the tabernacle was For although that were sacrificed which was cōmaunded in the law yet was the condition of the place absent which the law also required And if any man had either in the temple or in that place where the tabernacle was killed an offring whiche had any spot the same man also had committed sinne because he neglected a necessary condition He citeth that also out of the Gospell which is taken out of the Prophet This people honoureth me with their lippes but their hart is farre from me And he thinketh that to the same ende tendeth that which Paule writeth in this Epistle they haue indeede the zeale of God but not accordinge to knowledge and that which he writeth of himself vnto the Phillippians That he counted for outcastes and dounge and losses all those his woorkes which he did when he liued vnder the law yea and that without blame When as therfore the affect and scope is taken away from workes which oughte to be in them what then resteth but that they are sinnes and are displeasaunt vnto God And to this ende he thinketh serueth that which Paul writeth vnto the Corinthians If I deliuer my body to be burnt and if I destribute all my goodes vnto the pore yet if I haue not charity I am nothing Wherefore vnles these men will ascribe vnto men not yet regenerate faith and charity they must of necessity graunt that they can do nothing which is not sinne or is not displeasaunte vnto God And thus farre out of Basilius Gregorius Nazianzenus in that oration which he made after he returned out Gregorius Nazianzenus of the campe and when those thinges were finished whiche were done againste Maximus saith That there is no worke accepted or allowed before God without fayth whether it be done through the desire of vayne glory or by the instinct of nature for that a man iudgeth it to be honest Here is this worthy to be noted that he sayth that the worke which is done by the instinct of nature that is in that respect because it séemeth to be honest is dead neither can it please God The selfe same sentence hath he in his oration de sancto Lauacro toward the end And in both places he addeth Euen as faith without workes is dead so is a worke also without faith dead And if it be dead how can it as these men woulde haue it merite iustification By this we sée that these two fathers although otherwise they were greate iustifiers by workes and patrons of frée will yet as touching this thing they were wholye of the same minde that we are of But Augustine most manifestly of all teacheth the same in his fourth booke against Augustine Iulianus in the. 3 chapter In which place he entreateth vpon these words of Apostle The Gentiles which haue not the law do by nature those thinges which are of the law These wordes saith he are to be vnderstand either of the Gentils conuerted vnto Christ who now fulfilled the law by the grace of the Gospel so that which he saith by nature is no otherwise to be vnderstand thē that the law is excluded but he meaneth such a nature as is now corrected and amēded by the spirit which regenerateth Or saith he if thou wilt haue those woordes to be vnderstand of the Gentils being yet vnbeleuers thou must say that they by nature fulfilled the law not in deede so muche as it required but after a sort neither did that outward ciuill righteousnes any farther profite them but to be more tollerably punished then others which vtterly casting away all discipline liued wickedly and filthely for we iudge that Fabritius is lesse punished then Catcline vnles peraduenture saith he the Pelagians haue prepared for the Fabritians Regulists Fabians Cauelistes and Scipios some middle place betwene the kingdome of heauen and the hell of the damned such a place as they haue framed for yong infants which depart without Christ. In summe he concludeth that forasmuch as without fayth it is impossible to please God infidels can by no meanes haue true vertues Which sentence the Pelagians so derided that they said if the chastitie of infidels be not true chastitie neither are theyr bodies true bodies neither is
to be harkened vnto We ought to receaue and reuerence those Counsels only which haue framed theyr doctrine to the rule of the holy scriptures Demosthenes in an oration against Androtion sayth that decrees of the senate ought not to be made but according to the prescript of those thinges which are alredy determined in the lawes So in ecclesiastical counsells ought not new decrées to be made as touching doctrine but of those things only which are either had expressedly in yâ— word of God or ells may assuredly and euidently be gathered out of it First we will begin with the Counsell of Aphricke in which in the 80. chapiter a curse is pronounced Concilium AphricanuÌ„ agaynst the Pelagians who sayd that the grace of iustification is therfore geuen that by grace we may the easelyer fullfill that which we are commaunded to doo as though also with out grace although with more difficulty we might by our frée will fullfill the commaundementes of God when as yet the Lord speaking of the fruites of the commaundementes sayde not Without me ye can hardlye doo anye thing but with out me ye can vtterly doo nothing By these wordes are reproued the Papistes of our time which are not ashamed to say that a man before iustification can do yâ— workes which are commauÌ„ded in the law and which do please God and prepare a man to regeneration For what thing ells is this then with the Pelagians to say that a man may indede also before iustification performe the law although not so fully and easely as after he is iustified And that is nothing which they say namely that they put a certayne grace preuenting whereby men not yet regenerate may doo those workes which they call preparatory For in thus saying they differ in name only from the Pelagians For they also taught no les then these men doo that there goeth before a certayne grace of the law and of the knowledge of the will of God and of illumination wherby a man vnderstandeth what he ought to doo But as for the rest they attributed it vnto frée will which thing these men also do And that the Pelagians were of that opinion the counsel Mileuitanum declareth wherin it is thus written in the 4. chap. We curse all them which say that the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord helpeth vs onely for that Concilium Mileuitanum by it is reueled and opened vnto vs the vnderstanding of the commaundements of God that we may know what we ought to desire what to auoyd and that by it is not geuen vs also to loue to be able to do that which we know ought to be done For forasmuch as the Apostle sayth knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth it is very wicked to beleue that we should haue that grace of Christ which puffeth vp and not that grace which edifieth especially seyng it is written in the 4. chapter of the 1. epistle of Iohn Loue is of God In the second counsel also of Arausicanum the 4 chap. it is thus writen That Concilium Arausicanum they resist the holy ghost which say that the Lord wayteth for our will when as SalomoÌ„ sayth The will is prepared of the Lord and also when as Paul saith vnto the Philippians It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will And in the 5. chapter are reproued those which affirmed that of the grace of Christ is geuen an increase of faith not the beginning For the beginning also of faith commeth of the inspiration of the holy gost which correcteth our infidelitie bringing it from infidelitie to faith and from vngodlines to godlines And the proofe hereof is brought out of sundry places of the scriptures For Paul sayth vnto the Philippians I trust that he which hath begonne the good worke in you shall accomplish it euen to the day of the Lord. And againe in the same epistle Vnto you it is geueÌ„ not onely to beleue in hym but also to suffer for him And vnto the Ephes By grace ye are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues For it is the gift of God Moreouer they are there subiect vnto the curse which would say That the mercy and grace of God is geuen vnto the willing vnto the beleuers vnto them that are desirous vnto them that go about it vnto them that labour vnto them that watche vnto them that study vnto them that aske vnto them that séeke vnto them yâ— knocke but confessed not that by the infusion and inspiration of the holy ghost and by the gift of God is geuen vnto vs to haue a will to beleue to endeuour our selues and to labour They cite these testimonies out of the scriptures What hast thou â—that thou hast not receaued And if thou hast receiued why boastest thou as though thou hast not receaued And the Apostle writeth of himselfe By the grace of God I am that I am In the 7. chap. are condemned those which thinke that by the strengths we can thinke or attaine vnto any thinge that serueth to saluation or that we can without the illumination of the spirite geue credite vnto the worde of GOD preached This may be confirmed by the scriptures For Paul saith that we cannot thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God Christ also saith Without me ye can do nothing Also blessed art thou Simon Bariona for flesh and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee They also are cursed which graunt that frée will is in dede in some maner weakened and hurt but yet not so but that men by it may be conuerted vnto saluation The scriptures are apertly repugnant vnto that sentence For the Lord saith No man commeth vnto me vnles my father shall draw hym Paul also vnto the Corinthians No man can say the Lord Iesus but in the spirite of God This is an excellent sentence God loueth vs beyng such as we shall be by his gift and not such as we are by our owne merite And in the 13. chapter it is thus written Free will beyng lost in the first man cannot be repayred and because it is lost it cannot be restored but by him by whome it was geuen at the beginning Wherfore the truth it selfe sayth If the sonne shall make you fre then are ye truly free Farther in the 17. chapter is decréed that the strength of the Ethnikes commeth of worldly lust which wordes declare that their vertues as we haue before shewed out of Augustine and other Fathers were not true vertues chiefly forasmuch as they sprang out of an euill ground But humane lust comprehendeth whatsoeuer is possible to be found in men not regenerate It followeth in the selfe same chap. that the loue of God maketh the force and strength of Christians which loue is poured into our hartes not by frée wil but by the holy gost which is geuen vs wheras no merites go
nothing and vncircumcision is nothing but onely fayth which worketh thorough loue Of this only dependeth iustification of this faith I say not being dead but liuing and of force And for that cause Paul added which worketh by loue Which yet ought not so to be vnderstand as though fayth should depend of loue or hath of it as they vse to speake his forme but for that when it bursteth forth into act and will shew forth it selfe it must of necessity doo it by loue So the knowledge of a man dependeth not hereof for that he teacheth other men but therin is it most of all declared But if any perfection of these actions of louing and teaching redound vnto fayth and knowledge that commeth of an other cause and not for that that they depend of it or therof haue theyr forme as many Sophisters dreame In the Epistle to the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is thus written By Grace ye are made safe thorough fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And moreouer in the third Chapiter That according to the riches of his glory he would graunt you that ye may be strengthned with might in the inward man by the spirit that Christ may dwell in your harte by fayth He y◠hath Christ in him the same hath without all doubt righteousnes For of him Paul thus writeth vnto the Corrinthians in the first Epistle and second chapiter Who is made vnto vs wisedome ▪ righteousnes holines redemptiō Here therfore is shewed by what meanes Christ dwelleth in our harts namely by fayth Agayne Paul in the third chapiter to the Phillippians That I might be found saith he in him not hauing mine own righteousnes which is of the law but that which is of the fayth of Iesus Christ Here that righteousnes which is of workes and of the law he calleth his but that which is of fayth and which he most of all desireth he calleth the righteousnes of Iesus Christ Vnto the Hebrues also it is written in the 11. chapter The saynts by fayth haue ouercome kingdomes haue wrought righteousnes and haue obteyned the promises These wordes declare how much is to be attributed vnto fayth for by it the saints are sayd not only to haue possessed outward kingdomes but also to haue excercised the workes of righteousnes namely to haue liued holily and without blame and to haue obteyned the promises of God And Peter in his first epistle and first chapiter In the power of God sayth he are ye kept vnto saluation by fayth In these wordes are signified two principal grounds of our saluation The one is the might and power of God which is wholy necessary for vs to attayne saluation The other is fayth wherby as by an instrument is saluation applied vnto vs. Iohn in his first epistle and 5. chapiter Euery one sayth he which beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God But to be borne of God is nothing els then to be iustified or to be borne agayne in Christ It followeth in the same chapiter This is the victory which ouercommeth the world our fayth By which testimony is declared that the tiranny of the Deuill of sinne of death of hell is by no other thing driuē away from vs but by faith only And toward the end of the selfe same chapiter it is sayd And these things haue I writen vnto you which beleue in the name of the sonne of God that ye might know that ye haue eternall life and that ye should beleue in the name of the sonne of God Now let vs gather also out of y◠Euangelists as much as shall serue for this presēt questiō Mathew in his 8. chap. sayth That Christ excedingly wondred at the faith of y◠Centurian and confessed that he had not found such fayth in Israell And turning vnto him sayd Euen as thou hast beleued so be it vnto thee Here some replye that this history and such other like entreat not of iustificatiō but only of the outward benefits of the body geuen by God But these men ought to consider that sinnes which are in vs are the causes of the griefes and afflictions of the body For only Christ except who vtterly died an innocent all other for as much as they are obnoxious vnto sinne doe suffer no aduersitie without iust desert and although God in inflicting of calamities vpon vs hath not alwayes a regarde hereunto for oftētimes he sendeth aduersities to shewe forth his glory and to the triall of all those that are his yet none whilest he is so vexed can complaine that he is vniustly dealt with for there is none so holy but that he hath in himselfe sinnes which are worthy of suche like or else of greater punishmentes And where the cause is not taken away neither the effect is nor can be taken away Wherfore Christ forasmuch as he deliuered men from diseases of the bodies manifestly declared y◠it was he which should iustify thē from sinnes And that this is true the self same Euangelist teacheth in the. 9. chapter For when he that was sicke of the Palsey was brought vnto Christ to be healed he saith y◠Christ answered Arise my sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee At which saying when as the Scribes and Phariseis were offended to the ende they should vnderstand that the cause of euils being taken away euen the euils themselues also are taken away he commaunded him that was sicke of the Palsey to arise and to take vp his bed and to walke Wherfore it manifestly appeareth that Christ by the healings of the body declared that he was he which should forgeue sinnes and euen as those healings were receiued by faith euen so also by the same faith are men iustified and receiue the forgeuenesse of sinnes And in the selfe same .ix. Chapter is declared that Christe answered vnto two blinde men which were very importunate and most earnestly desired to be healed Doe ye beleue that I can doe this for you And when they had made answer that they beleued he sayd Euen as you haue beleued so be it vnto you And when our Sauior was going to the house of the ruler of the sinagoge to raise vp his daughter from death there followed him a woman which had an issue of bloud which woman was endued with so great a faith that she thought thus with her selfe that if she might but touche the hemme of his garment she should straight way be made whole Wherefore Christ answered her be of good confidēce daughter thy faith hath made thee whole But why Christ adioyneth confidence vnto faith we haue before declared in the beginning of this question whē we declared the nature of faith For we taught that that assent wherwith we take holde of the promises of God is so strong so vehement that the rest of the motions of the minde which are agreable vnto it doe of necessitie follow In Luke also is set forth the history of that sinnefull
woman vnto whome the Lord thus answered thy faith hath made thee safe signifiyng that he for her fayth sake had forgeuen her her sinnes And that the faith of this woman was very feruent she declared by the effectes in that she loued much in that she kissed his féete in that she washed them with her teares and wiped them with her haire In the Gospel of Iohn the .iij. chapter Christ sayd vnto Nicodemus So God loned the world that he gaue his only begotteÌ„ sonne that he which beleueth in him should not pearish but haue eternall life And in the selfe same Chapter Ihon Baptist thus speaketh of Christ He that beleueth in the sonne hath eternall life but he that beleueth not hath not life but the wrath of God abideth ouer him Out of which place we gather not only that we presently entreat of but also this that they are strangers Here is prâ—ued that they which are straungers from Christ can do no good thyng that may please God from Christ and those which beleue not can doe nothing that may please God and therfore they can not merite of congruitie as they call it and as our aduersaries affirme the grace of God And in the .vj. chapter Christ saith This is the will of him which sent me that he which seeth the sonne and beleueth in him hath eternall life And I sayth he will raise him vp in the last day And when as he had before said No man commeth vnto me vnles my father draw him Also He that hath heard of my father and hath learned commeth vnto me afterward he addeth And he which beleueth in me hath eternal life In the .xj. chapter when Christ should raise vp Lazarus he said vnto Martha He which beleueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue and he which liueth and beleueth in me shall not die for euer And in the .xvij. chapter this is eternall life that they acknowledge thee the only true God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ But this is to be noted that here he speaketh not of a cold knowledge but of a mighty and strong faith Wherefore if it be eternal life then shal it also be iustificatioÌ„ For as we haue before taught wheÌ„ we expounded this sentence of Abacuk the Prophet The iust maÌ„ shall lyue by fayth Iustification and life are so ioyned together that the one is oftentimes taken for the other And in very déede Iustification is nothing els then eternall life now already begonne in vs. And in the. 20. chapiter Those things saith he are written that ye should beleue that Christ is Iesus and that in beleuing ye should haue eternall life In the Actes of the Apostles the 15. chapiter it is thus written by faith purifying their hearts In which place Peter speaketh of the Gentiles that they should not be compelled vnto the works of the lawe of Moses for Christ had without them geuen vnto them the holy Ghost and had by faith made cleane their hearts from sinnes Paule also in his Oration to king Agrippa said that he was called of Christ to be sent vnto the Gentiles which should by his ministery be illuminated and by faith receiue remission of sinnes and lot amongst the saintes And these testimonies hitherto we haue gathered out of the Newe testament But if I should out of the old testament reherse all that which maketh to this purpose I should then be ouer tedious And if there be any of so obstinate a heart that those things which we haue alredy spoken can not vrge them to confesse the truthe neither should it any thing profite suche men if we should bring many testimonies Wherfore a few shall suffice and besides those testimonies which Paule hathe cited out of the. 15. Chapiter of Genesis Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse out of Abacucke The iuste man shall liue by his faith out of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeueÌ„ out of Esay Euery one that beleueth in him shall not be confounded and a fewe others suche like besides these testimonies I say I will cite the. 53. chapter of Esay wherein Christ is by most expresse wordes painted forth For there he is sayd to haue taken vpon him our sorowes and to haue borne our infirmities to haue geuen his soule a sacrifice for sinne and many such other things which are so plaine that they can be applied vnto none other but only vnto Christ Iesus our sauioure And it is sayde moreouer and by the knowledge of hym shall my righteous seruaunt iustifye many and he shall beare their iniquities These words teache that Christ iustifieth many namely the elect by the science and knowledge of him which knowledge vndoubtedly is nothing else but a true faith And that he in suche sort iustifieth them that he taketh vpon himselfe and beareth their iniquities And Ieremy in the. 15. chapter wryteth O God haue not thine eyes a regarde vnto faith vndoubtedly they haue As if he should haue said Although thou séest al things and there is nothing pertaining vnto man hidden from thée yet hast thou chiefly a regarde vnto faith as vnto the roote and foundation of all good actions And as touching the oracles of the scriptures this shall suffice Now will I answere vnto such obiections which are commonly brought agaynst this second proposition And we will heginne first with Pigghius because our aduersaries count him for their Achilles or chief champion and thinke that he only by his subtil sharp wit hath persed euen into the inward misteries of the truth And this man vseth this cauillation we are not iustified by that from which this iustification may be seperated For it is not possible that the causes should be pulled away or seperated from their effects But faith is seperated from iustification for many that beleue do notwithstanding liue most filthely so farre is it of Whether iustification may be seperated from faith that they should be iustified But because he thinketh that this may be denied he bringeth a reason to proue that it is not against the nature and definition of faith but that iustification may be seperated from it And he maketh an obiection out of the 13. chapiter of the epistle to the Corrinthyans If I haue all fayth so that I can remoue mountaynes and haue not charity I am nothing By these words he concludeth that faith may be seperated from charity and therefore from all good works He citeth this also out of Mathew many shall come in that day and shall say Lorde in thy name we haue prophesied and haue cast out deuils and haue wrought signes But vnto them shall answere bee made I know you not These signes sayth Pigghius can not be done without fayth wherefore seing that they are shut forth from the kingdome of heauen which yet do these things it is cleare that they were not iustified Wherefore in them faith was seperated from righteousnes But this he
thinketh is much more plainly confirmed by Iohn For he saith that many rulers of the priestes beleued in Christ whiche yet durst not openly professe hym But they which abhorre from the confession of the name of Christ ar farre from saluation For Christ himselfe sayth he that is ashamed of me before men of hym will I be ashamed before my father These arguments although at the first sight they séeme to haue some shew yet if a man more narrowly examine them he shall sée that The iudgement of Epictetus touching hys own bokes A similitude that very wel agréeth with them whiche Epictetus pronounceth of his bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yâ— is these are but sights or ghosts of the dreames of hell Wherefore we must diligently ponder these reasons and not iudge of them by the first sight And euen as in coynes of mony we vse not so much to haue a regard vnto the inscriptions or Images as to the goodnes and waight of the matter so also in arguments ought we to weigh and regard not so much the shew and coulour of them as the thing it selfe and the strength of them We first deny that fayth can be seperated from iustification And whereas Pigghius sayth that that is not repugnaunt vnto the nature and definition of fayth we in no wise admit it For agaynst that sentence are all the holy scriptures and the true sense of the definition of fayth and also the fathers For as touching the scriptures Iohn saith he that beleueth that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God is borne of God And he which is borne of God sinneth not For so long as faith beareth sway in our hart we commit not those sinnes which destroy the conscience and alienate vs from God How theÌ„ sayth Pigghius that it is not agaynst the nature of fayth to be seperated from iustification and from good workes especially seing Iohn sayth he which sinneth knoweth not God This thing also saw the fathers For Ciprian de Simplicitate Prelatorum where he complayneth of the infelicity of his tyme for that charity feare good workes and such like things were waxen very cold thus writeth No man thinketh vpon the feare of things to come no man considereth the day of the Lord and the wrath of God and that vpon the vnbeleuers shall come punishments and that euerlasting tormeÌ„ts are appointed for the vnfaythfull Of which things our conscience would be aferd if it beleued because it beleueth not therfore is it vtterly without feare but if it beleued then also would it beware and if it did beware then also shoulde it eschape These words declare that with true fayth is ioyned the feare of God and the eschewing of eternal punishments and auoyding of sinnes Now let Piggbius go say that true faith can be seperated from holy motions of the mind and from good workes This self same thing together doth Ierome with Ciprian affirme agaynst the Luciferians And if sayth he I beleued truely I would clense that hart wherewith God is sene I would with my hands knock my brest I would with teares water my chekes I would in my body haue a horror I would in mouth waxe pale I would lye at the feete of my Lord and would washe them wyth weeping and wipe them with my heares I would vndoubtedly cleue fast vnto the stocke of the crosse neither would I let go my hold thereof before I had obtayned mercy Hereby also it is manifest that with true faith The definition of faith declareth that it can not be separated from iustificatioÌ„ A similitude are ioyned good workes and repentaunce But as touching the definition and nature of fayth it may easely be proued that it can not be seperated from iustification and from good workes that is from his effects For fayth is no common but a firme and vehement assent and that proceding from the holy ghost And if in case a poore miser being condemned to â—y should receaue a promise only at the hand of a maÌ„ that he should be deliuered and should geue credit vnto those words straight way his mynde would wholy be chaunged to mirth and would begin to loue him that promised hym such things and would pleasure him in what thing so euer lay in his power How much more is to be attributed vnto the true faith which is geuen vnto the word of God and is inspired by the spirit of God Wherfore if that human fayth do draw with it wonderfull motions of the mynd how can we say that the true and Christian fayth is naked without good works and destitute alone Wherefore we now playnly sée both by the holy scriptures and by the Fathers and by the definition and nature of fayth that it can not be seperated from righteousnes and from holy workes Now let vs come vnto Paul He sayth If I haue all fayth c. But how knoweth Pighius that Paul there speaketh of that generall fayth which cleaueth vnto the promises of God and iustifieth and not rather of a perticular fath wherby are wrought miracles and which is a fre or gracious gift of the holy ghost This faith is not applied vnto all thinges which are found in the holy scriptures but only is a certayne vehement confidence wherby we certaynly beleue that God will doo this miracle or that miracle Of this sayth Chrisostome interpreteth Paul in thys The fayth of doctrine the faith of miracles â–ª place And to the end of this distinction either part should haue a distinct name the one calleth the fayth of doctrine the other the fayth of signes And vnto this latter fayth Chrisostome applieth those wordes If ye haue of fayth as a grayne of mustard seede and shall say vnto this mountayne Get thee hence and hurle thy selfe into the sea it shal be done Neyther vndoubtedly can it be denied but that there is such a kind of fayth For Paul in the 12. chapter of the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians wheÌ„ he reherseth vp the frée gifts which the holy ghost distributeth vnto euery man as it pleaseth him thus writeth Vnto one is by the spirite geuen the word of wisedome and to an other the word of knowledge by the same spirite and vnto an other is geueÌ„ faith by the same spirit and vnto an other the gifts of healing by the same spirit Here we sée that amongst the frée gifts of the holy ghost is reckoned fayth and that in the third place bicause Paul spake not there of the generall fayth wherby we are iustified And if we diligently peyse thinges we shall sée that Paul kepeth the selfe same order in the 13. chapter of the first to the Corrinthians For as here in the first place he putteth the woord of wisedome so there he putteth prophesieng and as here in the second place he putteth knowledge so there also in the selfe same place he putteth knowledge and as here so also there he putteth faith in the third
place and as here the gift of healinges and of miracles followeth fayth so doth there the remouing of mountaines wherfore those thinges which Paul hath spoken of a perticular fayth ought not to be wrested to the vniuersal and iustifieng fayth For that is to make a false argument A secunduÌ„ quid ad simpliciter As if a man should say this fayth may be seperated from iustification which is called fayth secundum quid ergo the true fayth and the iustifieng faith which is called fayth simpliciter that is to say absolutely may be seperated from iustification If a man should so compare two seuerall kindes that he will ascribe one and the selfe same propriety vnto either of them he shall soone be deceaued But Pigghius saw that by this easy and playne exposition all his reasoning may be ouerthrowen and therfore went he about by violence to take it from vs forgetting in the meane time that the author and patrone therof is Chrisostome And to infring it he vseth this argument Vniuersall propositioÌ„s are to be drawen vnto thâ— matter wherof is at that tyme entrâ—ated Paul manifestly sayth All fayth Wherfore we may not vnderstand it of any singular faith For the Apostle maketh an vniuersall propositioÌ„ But this man ought to remember that vniuersall propositions are to be contracted or draweÌ„ vnto that matter wherof is at that time entreated And although this might be declared by many examples yet at this present only one shall suffice vs. Paul in that selfe same epistle vnto the Corrinthians the first chapiter sayth that he geueth thankes vnto God for them for that they were enriched in all kind of speach and in all knowledge And yet it is not very likely that they were by the spirite of Christ endewed with naturall philosophy with Metaphisicall and Mathemathematicall knowledge with knowledge of the law and with other liberall sciences but only with all knowledge which perttayned vnto piety and vnto the Gospell Neyther is it likely that they by the power of the holy ghost were adorned with all kind of Rhetorical Logicall Poeticall and historicall speaches but onely with those which pertayned vnto the edification of the church with sounde doctrine and godly admonitions Wherfore propositions although they be vniuersall yet are not alwayes to be vnderstanded simply but ought sometimes to be drawen vnto the matter wherof is at that time entreated Wherfore that which Paul sayth If I haue all faith we vnderstand of all that faith which serueth vnto the working of miracles And that this contraction is of necessitie the wordes which followe do declare For Paul straight way addeth So that I can remoue mountaynes Chrisostome also saith that he in that vniuersalitie saw that this perticuler sentence is of necessity to be vnderstand For he saith that it may be doubted how Christ saith that to remoue mouÌ„taines a little faith is sufficient which in his smalnes of quantitie resembleth a grain of mustard sede wheÌ„ as Paul saith If I haue all faith so that I caÌ„ remoue mountains as though to bring that to passe is required a woÌ„derful great faith He thus dissolueth the question and saith that Christ spake of the truth nature of the thing for the gift of faith though it be neuer so small is sufficient to worke miracles be they neuer so great but Paul had a respect vnto the common opinion and iudgement of men for they when they looke vpon the greatnes and hugenes of a mountaine thinke that it cannot be remoued without a certaine incredible efficacy and greatnes of faith Neither helpeth it much Pighius cause that Erasmus makyng Erasmus opinion aunswer vnto the Sorbonicall doctors reiecteth this our interpretation For first his reason is very weake and secondly false for he saith that the purpose of the Apostle was to prayse charity by comparison But what prayse should that be saith he if it should be compared with faith which is one of the frée giftes of the holy ghost and may light as wel vpon the wicked as vpon the godly For he should but coldly prayse a man which should say that he is better theÌ„ a dogge or a beare First this is false that Paul compareth not charity with frée gifts of God For he maketh mencion of prophesâ—eng of knowledge and of the gifte of tounges and preferreth Charity before them Secondly it is weake that he sayth that if our interpretation be receaued the Apostle shoulde compare Charity onely with frée gifts For we confesse that toward the end he coÌ„pareth it with the true fayth For Paule saith there are thre things faith hope and charitie but the chiefest is charitie And he bringeth a reason why for it abideth and the other shall cease Farther it is a full comparison if as we haue sayd we begin at the frée gifts and so afterwarde come in order to the vertues Theological yea rather by that that Paule towarde the ende of the chapiter compareth charitie with true faith it is most likely that he did not so before But if we should fully graunt this vnto Pighius that that faith wherof Paul speaketh is yâ— vniuersal faith wherby men are iustified yet neither so vndoubtedly should he obtain his purpose For yâ— Apostle going about by al maner Figurâ— fictionis â–ª of meanes to set forthe charitie thought to amplifie yâ— same by a fiction or faining which is a figure of Rhetorike knowen euen vnto children And yet doth not Paul therfore bring a false proposition for he vseth a conditional proposition which we may not resolue into a categoricall proposition yet notwithstanding is the truth in the meane time kept As if I should say vnto a man if thou haddest the life or vse of the reasonable soule without the life or vse of the sensible soule thou shouldest not be affected with pertâ—rbations of minde no man coulde reproue this kinde of speache to be false And yet it is not possible that in a man the reasonable life should be seperated from the animall life Such kinde of speaches also are fouÌ„d in the holy scriptures As for example If I shall ascend vp into heauen thou art there if I shall desceÌ„d down into hell thou art present And if I take the fethers of the morning and dwell in the vttermost endes of the sea thither shall thy right hand leade me These sentences are true and yet is it not possible that a man should take vnto him the fethers of the morning After the same manner we say if a man should seperate faith from charitie he should make it vnprofitable although in very déede it can not be seperated from charitie And that Paule in that place vsed suche an Hyperbole or fiction that manifestly declareth which he a little before spake Though I should speake with the tongues of men and of Angels and haue not charitie I am made as a sounding brasse or a tingling cimball But we knowe that Angels haue neyther bodyes nor
tonges And yet notwithstanding Paul speaketh truth that if they had tonges and I should speake with them yet that shold nothing profite me without charitie And this exposition Basilius confirmeth in an Epistle aâ— Neocaesarienses For hâ— saith that the Apostle minded in this place to commend charitie and he saith that he vseth those reasons not that al those things which he here maketh mention of can be seperated from charitie Wherfore of the former interpretation we haue Chrysostome for an author and the latter interpretation Basilius confirmeth Let Pighius goe now and of this saying of the Apostle conclude if he can that which he so much contendeth for But as touching those words of Mathew Lord haue we not in thy name prophesied and in thy name cast out Deuils c. which things Pighius denieth can be done without faith and yet they which haue done them are not iustified when as they are excluded from the kingdome of heauen we may answere with the selfe same solution which we haue now brought namely yâ— they whoÌ„ Mathew maketh meÌ„tion of had the faith of signes or a deade faith but not a true and iustifying faith moreouer I sée not how true this is that miracles can not be done without faith For God sometimes worketh miracles not for his faiths sake by whoÌ„ they are Miracles are not always done for fayth sake done but either to illustrate his glory or to beare testimony vnto true Doctrine Vndoubtedly Moses and Aaron when they strake water out of the rocke of strife wauered in faith And yet God to the ende he would stand to his promesse with a great miracle gaue water vnto the people and reproued Moses and Aaron of infidelitie And Naaman the Syrian doubted of recouering his health in the waters of Iordane yea also he would haue gone his way for that he sayd that the riuers of his countrey were muche better then Iordane And yet notwithstanding God left not his miracle vndone And when the dead body was cast into the sepulchrâ— of Elizeus by a great miracle it came to passe that at yâ— touching of the dead bones of the Prophet life was restored vnto it But there was no faith there neither in the dead corps nor in the bones of the Prophet nor in them which brought the dead man thither And yet not alwayes when faith is absent is graunted vnto theÌ„ that aske to doe miracles For in the Actes we read that when the sonnes of the high priest Skeua the exorcist would haue cast out Deuils in the name of Christe whome Paule preached the Deuill answeared Iesus I know and Paule I knowe but who are ye And straight way ran vpon them Here we sée that God woulde not geue a miracle when it was asked as it is most likely of wicked and vnbeleuyng men Howbeit contrariwise we haue in Marke the 9. chap. that a certayne man did cast out Deuils in the name of Christ who yet followed not Christ and when Iohn would haue reproued him Christ alowed him not By this Pighius myght haue séene that to the working of miracles is not alwayes required â—aith And yet if I should graunt him that faith is of necessitie required thereunto were sufficient either the faith of signes or also a dead faith Wherfore Pighius in his second confirmation proueth nothing for it hath nothing in it that is sincere Now let vs examine his thirde proue Iohn saith many of the princes beleued in him But they confessed him not for feare they should haue bene cast out of the sinagâ—ge Wherfore they were not iustified by faith This reason is but a watrish reason not so stroÌ„g as he thinketh it to be For we deny yâ— they had the true faith truly For yâ— asseÌ„t of theirs was nothing but an humane asseÌ„t For wheÌ„ they saw yâ— by Christ wer wrought woÌ„derful works that his doctrine was confirmed by most euident signs they began by a certayne humane perswasion to geue credit vnto hym The There is a certaine saith which is humane and is not in 〈…〉 led of God deuil also for yâ— he certainly knoweth of many things done by God asseÌ„teth vnto yâ— truth and beleueth it And yet it is not to be thought that he is by a true fayth induced to beleue And that these rulers had not the true and liuely fayth hereby it is manifest for that Christ sayde vnto them How can ye beleue when as ye seke for glory at mans hand By which words we vnderstand that that they which more esteme humane glory then piety can not beleue truly in God And those Princes were to be numbred amongst them for they so much did set by their estimations and the iudgement of men that rather then they would be cast out of the Sinagoge and be noted of any infamy with the people they would forsake the confession of the name of Christ Wherefore when as the Lord saith that such could not beleue and Iohn affirmeth that they did beleue it is manifest that they spake of a Two places conciliated which seme at the first sight to be repugnaunt diuers and sundry fayth vnles we will say that two contradictories may both at one and the selfe same tyme be true Wherefore Iohn spake of an humane fayth but Christ of the sincere and true fayth Which true fayth ought to be ioyned with confession as Paul declareth saying with the hart we beleue vnto righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made vnto saluation He which séeth the connexion bebetwene righteousnes and saluation must nedes also sée the coniunction which ought to be betwene fayth and profession Wherefore we say that their faith was a dead fayth But a dead fayth is not fayth no more then a dead man is a man Although A dead faith is not faith D. Smith one Smith in a certayne litle booke of his Iustification which he wrote agaynst me contendeth that a dead fayth is fayth which he proueth chiefly by this argument for that the body of a dead man although it be dead is notwithstanding a body And this good wise man wonderfully delighted in this his similitude In which yet he hath vttered a sophistical argument not vnméete for his diligeÌ„ce and wit For let vs a litle examyne this notable similitude I would haue him to answer me whether a carkase be the body of a dead man or simply the body of a maÌ„ I thinke he will not answer that it is the body of a man for the body of a man a dead carkase differ much the one from the other and that in very déede more theÌ„ two formes of one and the selfe same general word for that they are contayned vnder diuerse generall wordes being next together I graunt that the carkase of a dead man is a body in the generall word of substaunce as are stones stockes and Whether a karkase be the body of a man such other like But that
terrible But suffer not thy selfe gentle reader to be deceiued with a vaine shew Examine it wel and try it diligently and thou shalt finde that it is a weak and ridiculous argument We graunt that a man that is by sinnes and wicked factes alienated from God may assent vnto the articles of the faith and beleue that there is a God But this good man should haue taught farther that the same is done by the motion and impulsion Faith abideth with such sinnes as are most greuouâ—s and do wast the conscience on of true faith There may in déede be left to a wicked man a certaine humaine persuasion either by education or by opinion bicause he thinketh it to be most likely But lest any man should thinke yâ— this that I say is of mine owne inuenting namely that a man which greuously sinneth is destitute of the true and iustifying faith let him rather consider what Paul saith For he vnto Timothe saith He which hath not a care ouer his owne and especiall ouer his houshold hath renounced faith and is worse then an infidell Doubtlesse he which hath renounced faith hath not faith And vnto Titus he saith They coÌ„fesse that they know God but in dedes they deny him To confesse and to deny are things contrary wherefore it must néedes be that forasmuch as bothe are spoken of one and the selfe same men they are to be taken in a diuers sense Wherfore they may haue faith that is a certaine humaine opinion such as it is but yet not that firme and mighty assent inspired by the holy Ghost wherof we now intreat Iohn saith in his first Epistle and seconde chapter he which saith that he knoweth God and kepeth not his commaundements is a lier and the truthe is not in him Wherfore the true faith wherby we beleue truely in God is not without good workes Neither ought it to séeme vnto any man absurd that one and the self same thing may be known diuers wayes For the deuil also as well as we both knoweth and confesseth many things touching Christe The deuill is not endued with true faith A similitude whome yet neither Pighius doubtlesse as I suppose will graunt to be endewed with the true faith whereby we are persuaded to beleue those thinges which we confesse of Christ It is possible also that one skilful in the Mathematical sciences may assent vnto some one conclusion confirmed proued by demoÌ„stration which demonstration if he chaunce afterward as oftentimes it happeneth by reason of age or of some disease to forget he wil not yet for al the cease to affirme yâ— propositioÌ„ which he before knew but this doth he by opinioÌ„ or some probable argumeÌ„t not as before he did by demonstration Therfore the knowledge of one the self same thing doth not of necessity infer yâ— self same grouÌ„d of knowledge And those things suppose to be spoken only by supposition vpoÌ„ that sentence which holdeth yâ— after a man hath committed any great haynous wicked fact true fayth is lost which yet in the elect is afterward by the benefite of God again recouered otherwise it may be sayd that in men iustified and appointed of God vnto saluation fayth can not thorough the committing of any haynous crime be vtterly extinguished but is as it were in dead sléepe and lieth hidden neither bursteth it forth into act vnles it be agayne stirred by the holy ghost for in such men that haue so fallen the séede of God still abideth although for that tyme it bringeth not forth fruit But Pigghius goeth on and sayth Fayth is the foundation therefore it is farre from the perfection of the building wherfore it iustifieth not For vnto iustificatimany other preparations are required If by this perfection of the building he vnderstand Faith is very far from the last perfection the blessed resurrection and chief felicity wherein we shall sée God face to face we graunt that fayth is very farre from it For we must by many tribulations aduersities and gréeuous labours come vnto the kingdome of heauen But after the self same maner we may say yâ— iustification also is only the foundation of that eternal saluation and that it also is farre from that blessednes which we looke for For the first degrée vnto saluation is to be receaued of God into fauor and to be regenerated through Christ And afterward follow other degrées by which we come vnto that chief goodnes which we looke for But where this man found that fayth is only the foundation he can not teach out of the holy scriptures except paraduenture he wil bring that out of the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Faith is the substance of thinges that are hoped for But by those words is nothing els meÌ„t but that those thinges which we hope for are by fayth vpholden and confirmed in our minds which would otherwise wauer neither should they by any meanes stand fast But this maketh nothing at all to this purpose And if in case he will cite this also That he which will come vnto God ought to beleue we haue already before answered therunto peraduenture we wil afterward in due place speake somewhat more as touching that But goe to séeing he by so many meanes goeth about to ouerthrowe our sentence let vs heare what he himselfe at the length affirmeth and vnto what thing he attributeth the power of iustifying There are sayth he many preparations Pighius sentence and dispositions required in vs to be iustified First saith he we beleue the words of God afterward we are afeard of his wrath after yâ— we hope for mercy then we detest sinnes To be briefe he reckeneth vp all those things which we before declared vnder the name of the Synode of Trent but in the last place he sayth succedeth a sincere pure loue of God which altogether beareth dominion in our heartes and vnto this he saith is ascribed iustification I can not inough meruaile at the deuise of this man For he affirmeth that a man is in a manner perfecte before he can be iustified For he which beleueth feareth hopeth repenteth and sincerely loueth God what wanteth he to perfection But this man holdeth that a man without Christ a straunger from God and not yet iustified is able to accoÌ„plish those things which vndoubtedly in no wise agréeth with yâ— holy scriptures For they teach that a man before he is iustified is occupied in euil works wandreth in the hatred of God as it is manifest in the Epistle to the Colossians the first chapiter and to the Ephesians the seconde chapiter But how can they by whome are wrought so excellent workes as this man maketh mention of be the children of wrath how can they be sinners how caÌ„ they as it is written vnto the Romaines be the enemies of God But omitting those things let vs sée what are the groundes of this opinion First he citeth that out of Iohn he which loueth not
chapiter of Genesis where is described that excellent worke of Abraham that he refused not to slay his only sonne and to offer him vnto God And therefore God said vnto him from heauen Because thou hast done this thing I haue sworne by my selfe that in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seede that it shal be as the starres of heauen and as the sand of the sea it shall possesse the gates of his enemies and in thee shall all nations be blessed Behold here sayth he are promises geuen for workes sake and thereunto is added a most faithful oth but there is no mencion at al made of faith Wherefore saith he God hath more regard vnto workes then vnto fayth This speaketh he with a stout stomake but according to y◠Prouerbe The mountaynes would be brought to bed and out cōmeth a poore sely mouse Wherfore if a mā would demaund what I thinke as touching this thing I would answer that it is a notable and most excellēt history out of which yet can not be gathered that which this man exclaimeth First here is no mencion made of iustification What serueth it then to that matter whereof we now entreate So often as any thing is called in controuersy we must runne to such certayne and assured places in which is entreated of the selfe same thing and not vnto those places in which it may be answered that they entreat of an other matter Of this nature is that place whiche Paul citeth as touching this thing Abraham beleued in God and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes But as touching this history I willingly graunt that Abraham by that worke obteyned a certayne more ample benefite then he before had by fayth not indede either in substance or number or quantity of the promises but in a sound and firme certaynty For although he doubted not but that whatsoeuer thinges he beleued God would faithfully render vnto him yet afterward when he had done those excellent dedes he was more fully perswaded of the verity of his fayth and constancy of the promise and strength of the righteousnes imputed vnto him I deny not but that by that excellent worke Abraham obtayned these thinges What is there here that Pighius should boast of What new thing is here promised What couenant not heard of before or new oth is here set forth Nothing is here rehersed which was not before made mencion of For the couenant which is here made was before ordayned partly when Circumcision was apointed and partly in that sacrifice wherin was commaunded that y◠beasts shoulde be deuided partly on the right hand and partly on the left as though they which should swere and make the couenaunt should passe thorough the middest For that maner was also vsed amongst the men of Athenes as Demostenes declareth in his oration agaynst Aristocrates Farther we can not deny but that Abraham A maner amongst thē of Athens ▪ was iustified before For euen before it was sayd Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes And seing the matter is so although afterward were added some promise yet will that make nothing agaynst vs. For we deny not but that those workes which follow iustification are both good and also do please God and are recompensed of him although fréely yet with great ample giftes Now resteth only to declare an other way how to vnderstand this clause Because thou hast done these things c. And this pertayneth vnto the certaynty whereof we before made mencion which as we haue sayd is from the effectes and as they vse to speake a posteriori that is from the latter And that thou shouldest not thinke that this is of myne owne inuention go read Augustine in his questions vpō Genesis For he diligētly peiseth these words Now I know that thou fearest God was God saith he ignorant of this before Had he any néede of this triall when as he is the searcher of the raynes and of the heart Nothing les saith he For here this word I know is nothing else but I haue made thée to know or I haue made plaine and manifest Wherefore here is not rendred a reason of the promises by the cause but after the selfe same maner vndoubtedly by which it was said of the sinfull woman Many sinnes are forgiuen hir bicause she hathe loued much Of which place we haue so largely before entreated that now there is no néede at all of any repeticion Pighius hath framed an other obiection out of the. 18. chapiter of Ezechiel If the wicked man saith the Prophete vnder the person of God shall repent him of all his iniquities and shall doe all my commaundements I wil no more remember all his iniquities Here saith Pighius we sée that iustification which is the forgiuenesse of sinnes is not promised vnto faith but vnto perfect repentaunce and vnto the obseruation of the law of God And here his bristles so arise as though we must nedes now giue place But this argument if it be more narowly considered is bothe vayne and trifling For we easely graunt that if a man perfectly repent him of all his iniquities and doe all the commaundements of God he shall haue iustification by workes None of vs euer denied this But here is the payne this is the trauayle to finde such a one as being not yet iustified hath performed this And where I pray thée Pigghius is that thine interpretation wherein thou before saydst that God requireth not that we should performe all the commaundements but that he of his mercy remitteth many thinges For here thou hast brought a most manifest testimony agaynst thy selfe But to returne to the matter Forasmuch as mā neither performeth nor also cā performe those things which are set forth both of the Prophet of the law what resteth there then but that he should come humbly vnto Christ and hauing through fayth fréely receaued iustification of him should by grace and the spirite now giuen vnto him do perfect repentaunce so muche as this life will suffer and beginne by an obedience to obey the law of God Entreting of this argument there came to my remembrance the olde Philosopher Antisthenes For when a certaine glorious yong man which was one of his scholers boasted that he had a ship laden with excellent marchaundises and when it were arriued he would giue vnto him an excellent gifte and this song was euermore in his mouth so that he was irksome to the hearer Antisthenes brought him forth into the market place and in a certaine shop bought a few elles of cloth and hauing them in his hand when Antisthenes not hauing paid the money began to go his way the Marchaunt called him backe againe Hoo good fellow saith he before thou depart pay me my money Then Antisthenes shewing him the yonge man This man said he shal pay thée so soone as his ship is arriued So will I answers vnto
Pighius when thou she west me one which being not yet regenerate by his owne strengths repenteth him of all his iniquities obserueth al the commaundements of God we wil say that he is iustified by his works But when will this ship ariue wherfore let him cease to boast of the words of the law For those words what so euer they be whether they pertaine vnto promises or vnto proceptes we will after this maner interprete But he saith moreouer that Christ also sayd He that dothe the will of my father shall enter into the kingdome of heauen But the Lord saide not saith he He which beleueth Yea but I say that in an other place he did and maketh no mention of any worke For this saithe he is the will of my father that he which seeth the sonne and beleueth in him haue eternall life Let not Pighius then from henceforth deny that the Lord euer spake this But that no man should thinke that the scriptures speake things contrary I answere that these two sentences are not repugnant but agrée very well together Pighius by the will of the father vnderstandeth a great heape of good workes But Christ saith this is the work of God that ye beleue And after this action of beleuing follow many other good workes Wherefore the holy scriptures are not repugnant one to the other And Pighius argument is left weake and of no efficacie But bicause Pighius séeth himselfe vrged with the word of God for that so oftentimes is red in the holy scriptures that man is iustified by faith He saith that that is to be vnderstande of a liuely and strong faith which hathe ioyned with it other vertues As thoughe forsothe we euer spake of any other faith If he speake this from the heart he beleueth the self same thing that we beleue Wherfore lay aside the contention and the controuersie being ended let vs all agrée in one But Pighius cannot abide that this agréement should take place For afterward when he expoundeth how we are iustified fréely he saith that that is nothing else but that God will fréely impute vnto vs vnto righteousnesse the works of faith hope and charitie What haue we héere to do Doubtlesse it séemeth vnto me that this man doth not with a sound iudgment read the scriptures but doth with a corrupt affection wrest them at his pleasure For where workes are Paule denyeth that there is any frée imputation for these two are repugnaÌ„t one to the other Wherfore in that Pighius goeth about to ioyne them together doeth he not séeme most manifestly to be against the Apostle Thus muche of Pighius vnto whome our Smith the eight wise man of Gréece and the first wise man of Englande adioyneth himselfe a companion as Theseus did vnto Hercules But in very déede hâ— bringeth nothing else but that which he hath drawne out of the sinks of this man and other suche like First he saith that faith is not touching remission of sinnes and therefore we fondly faine that iustification is had by it For the faith saith he wherby Christians are discerned from no Christians is in Iesus Christ Which thing also as though it made much to the purpose he goeth about to proue by yâ— holy scriptures and by a testimony of Ierome But I would haue this man to answere me if euer he learned the Hebrew tongue what is the signification of this name Iesus Vndoubtedly amongst all the Hebrewes this word Iaschag signifieth to saue wherefore Iesus may in Latine rightly be turned Seruator that is a sauior But if which thing I thinke true he be ignorant of the Hebrew tongue yet he ought at yâ— least to haue beleued the Angel which so interpreted that name Thou shalt call his name saith he Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes How then can faith be in Christ Iesus vnlesse it be also touching the remission of sinnes through Christ Afterward he is not aferd to cite that also out of the Epistle of Peter Charitie couereth a multitude of sinnes Behold saith he forgeuenes of sinnes is here ascribed not vnto fayth but vnto charitie He that will haue a mete axe to cutt those knots a soâ—der let him attentiuely consider the holy scriptures and diligently sée from whence those places which are cited in the new testament are taken out of the old This sentence of Peter is had in a maner out of the 10. chap. of the Prouerbs For there it is thus written Hatred stirreth vp rebukes For whome a man hateth he vncouereth and publisheth abroad his faultes as much as in him lieth But contrariwise Charitie hideth and couereth the sinnes of his brother For they which truly loue one an other are wont to defend one and other and to couer one an others faults so much as they se by conscience they may And this is a most true sentence of Salomon Wherfore Peter going about to exhort Christians vnto Charity wisely and aptly borowed this sentence out of Salomon But Smith not vnderstanding nor considering this thinketh that Peter thought that remission of sinnes is gotten by Charity But he is most fowly deceaued as oftentimes he is wont to be But leauing these men aside let vs this remember that if any time the Fathers seme to attribute righteousnes vnto workes the same is not to be vnderstand of that righteousnes which God fréely imputeth vnto vs thorough Christ but of yâ— inward righteousnes cleauing vnto vs which we continually get and confirme by vpright life Or if those thinges which they speake doo manifestly pertayne vnto the righteousnes imputed that is vnto the remission of sinnes we must alwayes as we haue before taught run vnto the foundacion of good workes namely vnto a liuely fayth in Christ Which rules and such like if our aduersary would consider they would neuer so impudently obstinately defend so manifest lyes Although if I should speake any thing touching Pighius forasmuch as I sée that he is nether of dul wit nor vnlearned I can not say that he in earnest and from the hart wrot touching this matter but when he had once taken the matter in hand he counted these thinges for pastime and pleasure But now to prosecute that order which I haue appoynted let vs come vnto the Fathers and sée how muche they make on our side And vndoubtedly for thys matter shall we not nede any great nomber of testimonies For euen as to vnderstand of what tast the water of the sea is it is not nedeful yâ— a man drinke vp the whole sea so to vnderstand what the Fathers thinke touching this we shall not nede to go thorough all theyr sayings Ireneus a most auncient author in his 4. booke and 30. chapter agaynst Valentine writeth somewhat touching this matter although briefly And I suppose that he for this cause wrote so briefely of it for that this truth was in those first times so confessed and certayne that it was not of any
man called into doubt But yet by that litle which he hath may sufficiently be vnderstand what his iudgement was as the saying is that Protogenes knew Apelles by the draught of one line only Ireneus sayth that the old Fathers euē those also which were before the law were iustified by fayth For first when he had spoken of Abraham he ascēdeth from him vnto Loth them vnto Noe and vnto Enoch and afterward he addeth a reason why in these mens time the law was not written Bycause sayth he they were alredy iust vnto whome the law was not geuen For the iust haue the law written in theyr hartes But paraduenture thou wilt scarcely admitte this testimony bycause Ireneus in that place when he speaketh there of Enoch sayth that he was sent a legate vnto the Angells which may seme to be Apocriphall But I thinke that the same is cited not so much out of any booke which is counted apocriphall as out of some old tradition For many things were as it were by hand deliuered vnto the elders which indede are not to be riected so that they be not repugnant with the holy scriptures Otherwise if for that cause we reiect this testimony why do we not also reiect the epistle of Iudas For he also citeth a sentence of Enoch that God shall come with thousands vnto iudgement But wheras Ireneus sayth that Enoch was a Legate vnto the Angells I suppose that it may thus bee vnderstande to say that those Angells were men which were princes and great kinges or such as were borne of the famely of Seth. For so in Genesis the sonnes of God are sayd to haue sene the daughters of men that they were fayre Paraduenture Enoch was sent vnto them by God to reproue them And thus much out of Ireneus Tertullian in his booke of Baptisme sayth that a perfet fayth hath security of saluation Wherfore it is not we alone that haue brought in a perticular fayth touching the remission of sinnes Neyther ought it any thing to moue vs that in that booke he defendeth most manifest errors touching Baptisme and exhorteth men to differ Baptisme till they come to ripe age and not to make hast vnto it before they marry For although we allow not these things yet in y◠meane time whilest he entreateth hereof he hath many thinges which ought not to be contēned which were at that time receaued and confessed in the Church So Ciprian when he entreateth of rebaptising of heretikes when they returned vnto the Church hath in the meane time many true and weighty testimonies which we can not reiect although in the very state of the question we vtterly disagrée from him And what father I pray you is there amongest them all which in some one place defendeth not some sentence which is not to be allowed and yet ought not all theyr workes therfore to be contemned For there is no Pomegranet so fayre which hath not in it some rotten carnells Nowe let vs come vnto Origen He in his first booke vppon Iob if yet that be Origens worke thus writeth All thinges which men do whether it be in virginity or in abstinency or in chastity of the bodye or in burning of hys fleshe or in distribution of his goodes all these thinges I say they doo Gratis that is in vaine if they doo them not of fayth In this place whereas he sayth Gratis all men vnderstande in vaine Whiche thing doubtles Pigghius and his companions will not admitte For they will haue these thinges to be certaine preparations vnto iustification But that Origen is by expresse wordes against them those wordes which follow do more plainly declare For thus he writeth That all holines and righteousnes which a man doth without faith he doth it in vaine and to his owne destruction And he citeth this sentence of Paul whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne I am sure that neither Pigghius can deny but that Origen in this place maketh on our side that he in that sence vnderstoode these woordes of Paul whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne whiche wordes yet he crieth out that we are accustomed to abuse Althoughe not onely Origen but also Augustine Basilius and other fathers as we haue before taught expound those wordes after the selfe same manner Wherfore he doth vniustly and impudētly accuse vs but if he will say that we must not so much regard what interpretacion the fathers bring but must sée whether the place in the texte may so be taken therin we commend him For we gladly admit appealing from the Fathers vnto the word of God But he ought to haue remembred that it is not the point of a good man to reproue that in others which he doth himselfe Wherefore he should suffer vs also on the other side when the matter so requireth to appeale from the Fathers vnto the scriptures But as touching the very matter we haue els where declared that that sentence of Paul as it written in his Epistle is so to be expounded that of it may be inferred that the woorkes of men not regenerate are sinnes Origen afterward addeth Of whome shall he receaue a rewarde Of him thinke you whome he sought not for whome he hath not acknowledged in whom he hath not beleued He shall not sayth he receaue of him a rewarde but iudgement wrath and condemnation If these thinges be rendred vnto such woorkes who will denye but that they are sinnes Afterward he bringeth a similitude Euen as saith he he which buildeth without a foundation loseth his labour and hath onely trauaile and sorrow euen so it is with him which will build vp good workes without faith And euen as vnto him whiche beleueth all thinges are possible to finde refreshing at his handes in whome he hath beleued so vnto him that beleueth not nothing is possible Euen as the earth without the Sun bringeth not foorth fruites so except the truth of God do through faith shine forth in the hartes the fruite of good workes springeth not forth For so sayth he all that whole yeare wherin Noe was saued from the floud for that the Sunne shined not forth the earth could bring forth no fruite Thus much hath Origen in that place which we haue now cited by whiche we conclude that faith sormeth and maketh perfect al good workes which follow and not that it as these men I can not tell who haue fained taketh and boroweth his forme of them The same Origen vpon the. 4. chap. vnto the Romanes thus reasoneth If he which beleueth that Iesus is Christ be born of God he which is born of God sinneth not thē is it certain that he which beleueth in Christ Iesus sinneth not This kinde of argumēt is called Sorites is allowed of y◠Logicians For y◠Stoikes were wont oftētimes to vse it The assumptes of this argumēt cannot be denied For they are takē out of the holy scriptures But he addeth afterward And if in case he sinne
then is it certayne that he beleueth not This of necessitie followeth of the former conclusion For if euery one which beleueth sinneth not then doubtles whosoeuer sinneth beleueth not Let Pigghius now go laugh for that we say that by greuous sinnes true faith is lost or is in such a dead slepe that it hath not his act And let him aggrauate the matter as much as he can that he which sinneth greeuously neither beleueth that there is a God nor also the rest of the articles of the faith Origen both thinketh writeth the selfe same thing that we do And he saith moreouer that there is a tokē of true fayth where sinne is not committed as contrariwise where sinne is committed it is a token of infidelitie Again he addeth in the same chap. If peraduenture that which is said of the Apostle to be iustified by faith seme to be repugnant with that which is sayd that we are iustified freely For if fayth be offred first of the man he can not seme to be iustified frely we must remember that euen fayth it selfe is geuen of God and this he proueth by many testimonies But this thing our Pigghius can not abide For he derideth vs as often as we say that fayth is had by the breathing of the holy gost For he saith y◠it is wonderfull y◠the holy gost wil haue his abiding worke in thē which do not as yet beleue The same Origen vpon Leuiticus in his 3. boke 3. chap. The holy sicle sayth he representeth our fayth For if thou shalt offer fayth vnto Christ as a price vnto the imaculate ramme offred vp for a sacrifice thou shalt receiue remission of sinnes Here also we haue expressedly that remission of sinnes is obtayned by y◠fayth I say which is directed vnto Christ deliuered vnto death and sacrificed for vs. There can nothing be more manifest thē these testimonies which Origen hath brought for vs. But these mē are so obstinate that they wil not be led from y◠opiniō which they haue once take in hand to defēd although thou bring neuer so gret light with thē least they should séeme to any of theirs to haue defended an il cause Cyprian beside those thinges which we haue spoken of the coniunction of fayth with a good life writeth also in his 3. booke to Quirinus that fayth onely profiteth and that we are able so much to performe as we do beleue The first part of this sentēce pertayneth vnto the third article of this question but the latter serueth very much for that which we are now in hand with It is a wonderfull saying doubtles that so great is the force of fayth that by it we are able to do whatsoeuer we will And yet did not Ciprian thinke it sufficient absolutely to pronounce this but hath also confirmed it by many and sundry testimonyes of the scriptures As touching Basilius and Gregorius Nazianzenus that shal suffice which I haue before cited Chrisostome in his sermon which he hath entitled de fide lege naturae spiritu sayth that euen fayth is of it selfe able to saue a man And for an example he bringeth forth the thief who he sayth onely confessed and beleued But workes sayth he alone can not saue the workers without fayth After that he compareth workes done without fayth wyth the reliques of dead men For dead carkases sayth he although they be clothed wyth precious and excellent garments yet draw they no heat out of them So sayth he they which want fayth although they be decekd with excellent workes yet are they by them no thing holpen And the same father vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes vpon those wordes of Paul But the righteousnes which is of fayth Thou seest sayth he that this is chiefely peculiar vnto faith that we all treading vnder foote the complain◠of reasō should enquire after that which is aboue nature and that the infirmity of our cogitations being by the vertue and power of God caste away we shoulde embrace all the promises of GOD. Here we sée that by faith wee obtaine the promises of God and although by it we assent vnto all that whiche is contained in the holye Scriptures yet it peculiarly hath a regard vnto the promises of God This is also to be considered that he saith that the infirmity of our cogitacions in beleuing is by the vertue and power of God cast away For this maketh agaynst them which contend that this is done by humane strengthes as though we should haue fayth of our selues and that as though it goeth before iustification The same Chrisostome vpon the 29. chapiter of Genesis in his 54. homely This sayth he is the true fayth not to geue hede vnto those thinges which are seene although they seeme to be agaynst the promise but onely to consider the power of him that promiseth Let thē well consider this which will haue vs to haue a regard not onely to the power and promises of God but also chiefely to our own preparations And expounding these wordes in Genesis Abraham beleued God it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes let vs also saith he learne I besech you of the patriarch of God to beleue his sayinges and to trust vnto his promises not to serch them out by our owne cogitations but to shew a great gratitude For this can both make vs iust and also cause vs to obtayne the promises Here also are two thinges to be noted The one is that we are made iust by fayth the other that by the same we obtayne the promises which two things our aduersaries stoutly deny The same father vpon these wordes of Paul vnto Timothe Of whome is Himeneus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concerning fayth So sayth he he which once falleth away from the fayth hath no place to stay himselfe or whether to go For the hed Workes dead without faith being corrupted and lost what vse can there be of the rest of the body For if fayth with out works be dead much more are workes dead wythout fayth Here is to be noted that this is an argument a minori that is of the lesse For he sayth that workes are more dead without fayth then is fayth without workes The same author in his sermon de verbis Apostoli vppon these wordes of the Apostle Hauing one and the selfe same spirite of fayth For it is impossible sayth he it is doubtles vnpossible if thou liue vnpurely not to wauer in faith By this we sée how great Chrisostom thought y◠cōiunctiō to be betwen faith good works The same father expoūding these words of y◠Apostle do we thē destroy the law by faith God forbyd yea rather we confirme the law So soone as sayth he a man beleueth straight way he is iustified Wherfore fayth hath cōfirmed the will of the law whilst it hath brought to an end euē that for which the So sone as a man beleueth h◠is 〈◊〉
strangers In Exodus the 22. chap. he commaundeth the Israelites that they should not vexe strangers but should handle them curteously for that they them selues also were once strangers in Egipt Whereas he putteth them in minde of things past that may also be profitable vnto vs if we consider what may happeÌ„ hereafter For who is now so certayne of his home and habitation that he can be assured that he shall neuer be a straunger And in the 19. chapter of Leuiticus commaundement is geuen to the haruest folkes and to the grape gatherers that they gather not all but leaue somewhat for the poore and for straungers and God commaundeth his people to loue them euen as themselues And in the 10. chapiter of Deut. God affirmeth that he is the protector and auenger of Orphens widowes and straungers For these kindes of people are left to his care Vnto all such kind of men we owe our beneuolence and chiefely if they be of the household of fayth of whom Paul now presently entreateth Of this thing the Apostles Peter Ieames and Iohn had so great care that when they sent away Paul to the Gentles and they themselues were appointed to be ministers vnto the circumcision they commended vnto his care the poore which dwelt at Ierusalem And this office he testifieth to the Galathiaas that he with an earnest diligence accoÌ„plished That which is in the lattine booke Necessitatibus that is necessities is not well turned For the Sophisters abuse this word and teach that a Christian man is not bound by Whether in helping of the poore we ought to tary vntill they be in extreme necessity the commaundementes of GOD to helpe the miserable vnles they be in verye great or as they speake in extreame necessity But Paul willeth vs to communicate rather to their vses then to their necessities For to do good vnto thy neighbour thou must not tary vntill he be vrged with extreame necessity For no man would gladly so be dealt with Neither is this to be passed ouer in silence that some bookes in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vses or necessities haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is memories And of this reading Origen or rather his interpreter maketh mencion And Ambrose both so readeth it and also interpreteth it And so the sence is that we ought to do good not onely to the poore which are present but also to them that are absent For Thales milesius was wont to say that we ought to remember our frendes not onely which are present but also that are absent And the Apostle had a greate care to prouide that the Gentles shoulde minister almes vnto the We must haâ—â—â—â—mpassion not onâ—ly of â—heÌ„ that are present bâ—t also of thâ—m that are absent We must communicate vnto the vses and not to the pleasures of the poore In almes is a communicatyng A recompensing of almes Saintes which dwelt at Ierusalem Howbeit we will follow the accustomed reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say that we ought to communicate to the vses of the Saintes to their vses I say and not to their pleasures or delights For by that meanes men are oftentimes made worse And besides that also such superfluitie would serue to relieue other poore folkes also Neither saith he geuing or bestowing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is communicating For in almes geuing there is a certaine commâ—nicating For if we speake of the pore which were at Ierusalem the Gentiles had receiued at their hands spirituall things For the worde of the Lord came out of Sion and the law of God out of Ierusalem and saluation from the Hebrews For out of that nation were appoynted preachers of the Gospell to preache vnto the whole world Therfore Paul in the second to the Corinthians the. 8. chapter saith That your aboundaunce may relieue their want and that on the other side theyr aboundaunce may relieue your want But if we speakâ— of other pore folkes euen when we helpe them with our almes there redoundeth vnto vs no small commoditie or profite For Christ saith as we read in Luke Make you frends of the wicked Mammon that when you faile they may receiue you into your euerlasting Tabernacles But what if the pore be euil and they also excluded from the kingdom of heauâ— These things are to be vnderstanded not of the men but of the works But so also should follow an other absurditie that by the vertue of our workes we should obtain the kingdome of God I answere as we deny that workes are the causes of eternall life so also deny we not but that God rewardeth the good workes of the faithfull which are now regenerate by Christ For we know that he shal iudge euery man according to his workes For he will say I was hungry and ye fed me I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke I was a straunger and ye harbored me The kingdome of God is geuen for election and the promises sake which the saints receiue by faith But bicause those things are hidden from mannes eyes therfore are brought forth good workes whiche are the proper and manifest effectes bothe of our faith and of the election of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is geuing our selues saith he to hospitalitie This is not spoken without a great emphasis For it is a greater matter to apply and geue our selues to hospitalitie then only to kepe hospitalitie For Abraham waited not vntill straungers came home to him to desire to be receiued in and to require harborow but going of his owne accord out of his tabernacle he loked round about to sée if he could espy any straunger whom he might receiue into his house And if he saw any he ranne vnto him and prayed him not to passe his house If I haue founde fauoure sayth he in your eyes I beseeche you turne in vnto your seruaunt Hospitalitie is a worke of noble meÌ„ And the same diligence and minde was in Lothe and in a maner in all yâ— fathers Paule in these wordes chargeth vs not with any vile and vncomely workes but with works noble and of great excellency For there was neuer any noble man or notable Prince but that he was desirous to doe good vnto others and was carefull ouer straungers Titus Vespasian at night when he called to memory that he had that day done no benefite vnto any man wold with heauines say Friends we haue lost this day And Christ The kinges sayth he of the nations beare dominion ouer them and they which haue power ouer them are called gracious in Gréeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ethnikes also saw that God hath a care ouer straungers and therfore they worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Iupiter hospitalis This proprety of God Homere describeth in yâ— second boke of his Odisseas And Virgil aptly saith Iuppiter Iupiter hospitalis hospitibus nam te dare iura loquuntur that is For men say that thou
commeth of a manly and strong faith And therfore I thinke Iames sayd that patience hath a perfect worke vnles peraduenture a man will thus vnderstande it that perfection is not in any work vnles we perseuer in the same For when we leaue of we bring not the worke to his ende and so without patience it is left vnperfect And besides all this our enemies are by this meanes chiefly feared away from continuing to persecute vs For when they sée yâ— we are not moued by their iniuries they thinke that they lose their labour And therfore they take not so great pleasure of the reproches wherwith they reproched vs. But if they perceiue that we are out of quiet and take it in ill parte they will thinke that theyr iniuryes haue taken good successe and will afterward be more bolde in theyr wicked endeuors By this we may sée why the Lord sayd blessed are ye when they reuile you and persecute you and speake all maner of euill and make lies against you for my sake Reioyse and be glad for your rewarde is great in heauen This commaundement of Christ the Apostles executed For they returned from the presence of the Counsell reioysing that they were counted worthy to be reuiled for his name sake And Paule in the first to the Corinthians sayth we are euill spoken of and we blesse In Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paule alwayes wished not weâ— to his enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How be it this counsell Paul alwayes obserued not For to the Galathians he sayth I would to God they were cut of which trouble you And Dauid saythe let theyr table be made a snare before them let theyr eyes be made dimme that they may not see and bow downe theyr backe all wayes And other bookes of the Prophets are euery where ful of cursses and imprecations wherewith they cursse the enemies of the people of God Here doubtles as I iudge is it to be sayd that we ought so to deale as Paule now admonisheth so long as we haue a respecte to our owne iniuryes Whether it be lawful at any tyme to curse ouâ— enemies and that we walke the ordinary way and common course whereby we are of loue bound to wishe well to our neighbours But if God open vnto vs his hiddeÌ„ will and declare what shall without doubt come to passe of our enemyes and of those which persecute vs then if we sincerely and truely loue him we ought vndoubtedly to stay our selues in his will and counsell Howbeit this caution is added first to be fully assured whether those things which God hath opened vnto vs pertaine only to a threat or wholy to declare his determinate and assured wil. For where we suspecte that God threatneth only to bring vs to repentaunce we ought not to cease of from prayers euen for the wicked So did Moses when he made supplication to God for his people So did Abraham for the Sodomites so did Samuel for Saul and so did Ieremy for the people But when they are assured that it is the fixed and certaine will of God they doe not only pray against yâ— wicked in prophesying as Augustine thinketh against Faustus in his 16. booke and. 22. chapiter where he thus writeth But cursses when they are spoken by the way of prophesie come not of the euill desire of him that curseth but of the foreknowing spirite of him that denounceth them But also it is done with a minde now consenting vnto God and wishing the self same things that he wisheth Dauid when as otherwise he was so gentle and fauorable towards Semei Absolon Saul and other enemies yet sometime so cursseth and banneth the wicked that it driueth an horror into the readers Christ also first be wailed the infelicitie of the City of Ierusalem for that it knew not the time of his visitation and sayth how often would I haue gathered together thy children as a henne doth her chickens vnder her wings and thou wouldest not Howbeit euen the same Christ when he knew the assured and vnmoueable will of God did burst forth into these words I geue thanks vnto thee O father of heauen and of earth for that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent men and hast reueled them to infants Euen so Lord for that it hath so pleased in thy sight Moreouer men of God when they come to this poynt haue not a respecte to theyr owne cause neither doe regarde theyr owne iniuryes but consider that by the wicked workes of the vngodly the Church of God is hurt the spirituall procedings therof are letted the course of the Gospell is hindred And they moste ardently desire that the name of God might be sanctified his kingdome most amply spred abrode And hereof it commeth that wheÌ„ the godly pray against wicked men they persecute not theyr own enemyes but the enemies of God whom they desire might be most purely worshipped Dauid sawe that he was called of God to the kingdome and vnderstode that the enterprises of the wicked wer not so much repugnant to his honor as to the will of God Wherfore worthely in his prayers he wisheth rather that they should pearish and that most vily then that any iotte of the most iust will of God should be hindred Wherefore bothe in this place and in suche other like we are prohibited not only to cursse but also to speake euill when we are ouercome with the contumelies iniuryes of the wicked by which it is not méete that we shold suffer our mindes to be broken to be led away from the rule of charity Herein doubtles consisteth the noblenes of stomake of Christians their incredible valiantnes of courage not only not to cursse them that persecute them but also to speake well of them and to pray vnto God for them How be it I can not inough wonder that Aquinas should say that by these words of Wherin consisteth the noblenes of â—omacke of the Christians â—n erâ—our of Aquinas Paule Christians are not compelled by the force of the commaundement to shew singularly an affect of loue to theyr enemies or as they vse to speake to shewe signes of beneuolence vnto them except it be in case of necessity For it is inough if they exclude them not from the generall bond of loue wherewith we ought to loue our neighbours Neither sayth he is it necessary that we peculiarly pray for them But this is sufficient if we exclude them not from the common prayers which we make for all men And if any man sayth he besides the case of necessity doo shew vnto his enemy tokens of a singular loue or doo singularly make intercession for him that man followeth the counsell of Christ but obeyeth not the commaundement But Christ and Paul when they spake of these thinges taught not this distinction This doctrine doubtles cutteth in â–ª sonder the strings of Christian religion it abateth the vehemency of the spirite
that none can by good conscience denye tribute vnto Princes if it be required Nether ought Pope Bonifacius in any wise to haue taken vpon him to make that vnreasonable and outragious decrée It is already concluded of Paul that all owe subiection and obedience to publike powers Neither ought the godly sayth Chrysostome to take it in ill part to be subiect to magestrates although they themselues are the children of God and appoynted to the kingdome of heauen For theyr glory is not in the state of this life They wayt vntill Christ appeare in whome as yet is hidden theyr life But in yâ— meane time they ought not to count it a thing greuous if they rise vppe if they vncouer the head if they geue the vpper hande if they obey Magestrates Here is nothing vnméete or vncomely Yea rather what so euer is done of them accordynge to the prescript of the worde of God is full of all comelinesse and worthinesse Owe nothing to any man but this to loue one an other Paul will haue vs so perfectly and fully to render to euery man that which we owe vnto him that we should cease to be any more in debt Howbeit there is one certain thing which Charity is alwaâ—s tâ—e for that the cause of that det always remaineth can neuer be fully payd namely the debt of loue and charity For although thou both hast and dost loue thy neighbour yet notwistanding art thou still bound to loue him For there alwayes remayneth a cause why thou oughtest to loue him namely God whose image he is He made him he gaue him to thée to be thy neighbour he hath commaunded that thou shouldest loue him as thy selfe For he that loueth an other hath fulfilled the law Some referre this to that part of the law only which is here spoken of True it is that the discourse of thys treatise is of that part of the law which pertayneth to our neighbour So that the sence should be he which loueth an other hath fullfilled yâ— who le law as touching Our neyghbour is not rightly loued vnâ—es God be loued in him We haue God in our neighboure after a sort visible We must not hereby affirm that we can pâ—eforme the law the secoÌ„d table But I se no let but that we may simply vnderstaÌ„d yâ— who le law For we can not loue our neighbour well vnles we loue God in him For these are so knit together as the cause and the effect and therefore they can not be seperated the one from the other For the loue of our neighbour is a testimony of that loue wherwith we loue God If we loue not God being in a neighbour after a sort visible and present how do we boast that we loue him in himselfe whiche is not séene of vs but is of some thought to be very farre of from vs I would not that our aduersaries should here triumph as though Paul should say that we performe and fullfill the law Paul indede affirmeth that the law is fullfilled of him which loueth his neighbour but yet of such a one which in such sort loueth as the law coÌ„maundeth But this is no man able to performe For this thou shalt not committe adultery thou shalt not kill The proofe is hereof taken for that all those preceptes are summarily comprehended in that which is sayd Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And this commaundement as Chrisostome here noteth is sayd of Christ to be like that great commaundemeÌ„t Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy strengths For seing that we ought to loue our neighbours as our selues there waÌ„teth litle but that we ought to loue him as we loue God For we omitte nothing Why the commaundement of hanoring the parents is ouer hipped which may serue to our owne commodity or saluation He made no mencion of the loue towards our pareÌ„ts eyther bycause that precept as the Hebrews thinke pertayneth to the first table or ells for that he would not reckon vp all all the coÌ„maundements For therfore he added And if there be any other commaundement Or ells for that he had alredy before sufficiently spoken of the obedience due to magestrates in which order are parentes also to be placed Loue woorketh not euill to his neighbour This is easely gathered of that which haue bene spoken For in these commaundemeÌ„ts are prohibited all things whatsoeuer may offeÌ„ded our brother Wherfore Paul aptly added that such is the force of loue that it suffreth not any man to hurt his neighbour And that considering the season that it is nowe time that we should arise from slepe for now is our saluation nerer then when we beleued The night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the woorkes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light So that we may walke honestly as in the day not in glottonie and dronckenes neyther in chambring and waÌ„tonnes nor in strife and enuieng But put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christe and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lustes of it And that considering the season that it is now time that we shold arise from slepe After that Paul had now geuen many rules touching the dewties of loue and of an holy life lest paradueÌ„ture they should slippe out of our minds he thought it good to vrge them by an argument taken of time The summe is at this present all these thinges are diligently and with an earnest endeuor to be sene vnto for that oportunity serueth excedingly thereunto For so signifieth the Greke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paul vseth All this whole talke is metaphoricall â–ª For he maketh mencion of slepe of night of day of arising from slepe and of darkenes Waking Aristotle calleth a liberty of yâ— sences to execute theyr functioÌ„s contrariwise slepe is a bond of the sences Which commeth by the euaporation of the noorishements to the hed The meaning is this That before the fayth of Christ was reaceaued What waking is What â—â—â—pe is that is before regeneration men were conuersant in great darkenes of ignoraÌ„ce and therefore as it had bene men on sleepe they were hindred from all good works which mought be gratefull and acceptable to God But now after fayth and the grace of regeneration the bright knowledge of God hath shined forth as it were the day and therfore the strengths both of the soule and of the body are new after a sort losed and made frée to performe the woorkes of righteousnes Wherefore it is not mete that men should at this time be idle and senceles And therefore euery one ought to be awaked vp to execute the will of God seing that he séeth that he walketh in the light and in the day Paul vsed this selfe same forme of speach in yâ— first epistle to the Thes in the last chap. All ye sayth he are the children of
semeth by a certain preuention to answer to those which sayd they wold liue fréely and defende the faith which they had receiued Paule answereth haue thou thys fayth before God and kepe it to thy self Chrysostome thinketh that in this place is not to be vnderstanded that fayth wherby Of what faith Paul here speaketh we beleue the doctrines of fayth For Paul before sayd with the harte men beleue to righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made to saluation Wherfore it is not inough to beleue rightly before God vnles also thou profes thy faith before men But here to make profession of faith out of ceason is ioyned with a vice which thing pertaineth to oâ—tentacion But I sée not why this which Paul now entreateth of caÌ„not be a doctrine of faith For christiaÌ„ liberty is not the least of those things which Christian liberty pertayneth to the doctrine of fayth we ought to beleue which vnles it wer so the boÌ„dage of the law of Moses might easly returne agayne Neither doth Paul prohibite but that we may into our weake brethren instill the doctrine of our fayth For our moderation whereby we frame our selues to them hereto only tendeth that they mought one day at the length be brought vnto our faith and be made more strong therein Wherefore this is the meaning of Paul haue it before God and with thy selfe that is excercise not thy faith out of ceason So he prohibiteth vnto them only the vse of meates for a tyme which they beleue to be frée and not properly a true and apt declaration of their fayth And vnto a weake brother and to one that is not yet fully perswaded it shall for this tyme be sufficient if he haue fayth touching the principall poynts of religioÌ„ For it is not straight way required that he expressedly beleue all things which are to be beleued This sentence is no defence at all to those which contrary to the most manifest word of God winke at supersticious and idolatrous Masses and at the prophanations and abuses of the sacraments for that they wil not offend the litle ones but thinke it inough to haue faith in themselues and before God For here Paul speaketh only of such thinges which are meane and indifferent and not of thinges necessary or repugnant with the word of God Blessed is he which condemneth not himselfe in that thing vvhich he allovveth Least he should séeme to haue to much fauored the weake he now to defend the stronger sort declareth that the greatest felicity herein consisteth that euery A great felicity of christians one when he examineth and peyseth that which he alloweth or doth do not condemne the same but do assuredly sée that it agréeth with the word of God This is the greatest felicity of Christians that they neuer at any tyme be accused of theyr owne hart as though they had allowed or committed any thing which they iudged not to be vpright These thinges as sayth Chrisostome are not spoken of the wicked which delight altogether in whatsoeuer they themselues inuent but of the faithfull which whatsoeuer they thinke speake or do measure the same by the rule of a sound fayth and by the word of God And Chrisostome thinketh that these The conscience is not vpright vnles it be established by an vpright fayth wordes aunswere to those which were before spoken Hast thou fayth haue it with thy selfe and before God As if he should haue sayd Let not this séeme to thée a small thing herein art thou blessed for that thou hast a sound iudgement of things For this is a most ample gaine and better then the whole world For although al men accuse thée yet if thy fayth conscience accuse thée not thou art blessed and of this thine inwarde iudgement thou receiuest most great fruit But the iudgement of thy conscience can not be vpright vnles thy faith be vpright perfecte For otherwise many when they kill Christians and godly men thinke that they doe God high seruice Hereunto pertaineth that which Paul sayth in the second Epistle to yâ— Corinthians the. 1 chapiter This is our glory the testimony of our conscience And Iob in his 27. chapter For mine heart shall not reproue me so long as I liue But he which doubteth is condemned if he eate for that he eateth not of faith He which doubteth and eateth is coÌ„demned for that he is not persuaded with him self that that which he doth pleaseth God wherfore he caÌ„ not direct it to his glory when as he thinketh that it displeaseth him but euery worke what so euer it be that wanteth his ende is sinne Diiudicare which is turned to doubt here chiefly pertaineth to infidelity namely when the minde is tossed to and fro with reasoÌ„s neither is there in the minde any firme persuasion Wherfore Abraham is commended for that he without any such debatings beleued For that he eateth not of faith The cause why he is condemned commeth not of the vnclennes of the meat but for that he beleueth otherwise then he sheweth in acte This sentence is of great force to keepe vnder the strong in fayth not to compel the weake those that are not yet persuaded to eate those things which they thinke to be prohibited For vvhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne This is a generall cause whereout is gathered most excellent doctrine namely that God regardeth not the shewe pompe and outward glory of workes but weigheth inwardly whether they procéede from a true obedience And this is done when by the word of God we beleue that suche things are bothe required of God and also doe please him Wherefore This sentence of Paul is generall The good workes of heretikes are to them made sins whatsoeuer springeth not out of this fountaine is sinne Origen thinketh also that this sentence is generall And therefore he sayth that the workes of heretikes are turned into sinnes for that theyr faith is not a true fayth but a counterfaite and false faith euen as some knowledge is called a false knowledge And he citeth this sentence Let theyr prayer be turned into sinne The fiftenth Chapiter WE that are stroÌ„g ought to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please our selues For let euery man please his neighbour in that that is good to edification For Christe also pleased not himselfe But as it is written the rebukes of them which rebuke thee haue fallen vpon me For whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we through patience and conâ—olation of the scriptures might haue hope Now the god of pacience and consolation geue you that ye bee like minded one towardes an other according to Christ Iesus That ye with one mind with one mouth may praise God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christe Wherfore receiue ye one an other as Christ also receiued vs to the glory of God The Apostle still prosecuteth that which he tooke in
sacrifice 451 Almes are a blessing 452 Almes geuing what is to be sene vnto there in 453 Altares ought not to be vsed in this time 335 Allegoryes what they are 83. 327. 345 Amen what it signifieth 245 Anathema what it is 237. 238 239. 240. 241 Angels may not be prayed vnto 231 Angels some are good and some are euil 235 Angels are subiect to vanitie 213 Angels gouerne diuers regions 359 Anselme his saying vpon free will 28 Antithesis 74 Antiquitie of papisticall churches 244 Apostles and Bishops are not of like authoritie 3 Arguments of the deuinity of Christ 5 Arme of God what it is 325 Arrogancy is a pestileÌ„ce vnto brotherly loue 424 Artes of speaking are not to be condempned 232 Augustine vpon free will 26 Augustine vpon predestination 26 Augustine against Iulianus 27 Auntient fathers how they shold be read 76 Auriculer confession is wicked 382 B BAal what it signifieth 334. 337 Baptisme what it is 52. 86. 143. 145. 146. 147. 148 Beasts were worshipped 25 Beleuing what it is 38 Blasphemy what it is 46 47 Blessednes what it is 75 Blindenes of the heart is sinne 125 Blindenes of the minde 345 Boniface a proud and arrogant Pope 432 Brethren to praise them is profitable for vs. 446 C Câ—uses why Christ offred him selfe vnto death 210 Cerimonyes what they are 69. 70. 71. 152 Circumcision what it is 47. 48. 85. 86. 87. Charitie distinguisheth true faith from false 225 Chaunge of things in the ende of the world 216. 217 Children of wrath who they are 278 Christ excelleth philosophers 10 Christ to dwell in vs how it is to be vnderstand 199 Christ â–ª howe we receiue him and are ioyned vnto him 200 Christ is still the minister of oure saluation 230. 231 Christ is the ende of the law 90 Christ is the heyre of al the world 88 Christ why he is called Lord. 6 Christ had a true body 4 Christ is the head of the promises of God 18 Christe had not his soule from the virgine Mary 110 Christes church shal neuer pearish 235 Christes diuinitie 246 Christes fleshe eaten in the sacrament is not the cause of our resurrection 201. 202 Christs death why it was acceptable to his father 107 Christians what things ought to moue theÌ„ to loue one an other 454 Chrisostome is expounded 16 Chrisostome and Ambrose fail in memory 17 Churches ought to be shut when there is no congregation 31 Church what it is 236. 237. Commaundements of God expounded 46 Concupiscence is not lawful 32. 33. 150 Constantine the great 16 Contention what it is 40 Cornelius iustified 181 Creatures why they are said to mourne 214 215. 216 Creatures are signes that set forth God 21 Crosses are aduersities 209 D DEath is not naturall vnto man 112 Death hath no right wher sin is not 121 Deathe is improprely called a rewarde 157 Degrees to saluation 356 Deuell is a prince of this worlde 337 Differences betwene wryting and painting 30 Difference betwene Dulia and Latria 162 Difference betwene the law and the gospell 61 Dignity of almes 451 Dscord in the church of Rome 415 Disobedience what it is 113 Distinctions 346 Diuorcement vsed among the Iewes 160 Dumme Bishops 13 E EFfects of honour and of contempt 219 Egiptians Idolaters 25 Election what it is 229. 335 Election is the cause of saluation 246. 247. 248. 249. 250. 251. 252. Election of grace what it is 253 Election and reiection depend on the will of God 257 Election and reprobation how they differ 258. 274. 275 Enemy what he is 196 Epistle to the Romains when it was written 451 Epicures error 20 Error of the Maniches 197. 173 Error of the Pelagians 197 Eternal life is called a reward 157 Ethnickes vpbrayd the gospell 14 Ethnickes excel in sharpnes of iudgemeÌ„t 36 Execrations 345 F FAith chiefly glorifyeth God 23 Faith and the gospell may not be taken from Philosophy 19 Faith deâ—ined 20. 40 Faith may not be seperated froÌ„ the gospel 19 Faith is oures and also Gods 18 Faith what it is to liue by it 18. we are iustifyed by it 19 Faith compared with philosophy 98 Faith only iustifieth 63. 64. 75. 87 Faith hath a double signification 16 Faith what it is wherof is a large discourse from the. 62. leafe vnto the. 98. Faith hope are distinguished 220. 22â— 222. Faith is called obedyence 325. and is also called law ibidem Faith excelleth feare 355 Faith must goe before the receiuing of the Sacraments 362 Fire that shall consume the world in the last day 217 Figures are necessary in scriptures 198 Feare is defined 207. 208 Felicitie and blessednes what it is 15. 150 Freewil what it is 26. 171. 172 176. 177. 178. 254. 255. 361. Frendship is a necessary thing 343 Frustrate what the nature of that worde is 23 Fruit of almes 451 Fruit of preaching wherof it cometh 452 G GEneration what is the nature thereof 271 Gentiles conuerted to Christ are Israelites 282 Giftes of the holy ghost 223 Glory and glorifying of God what it is 23. 63. 211. 212 Glotony what it is 434 God is the searcher of our heartes and why it is so sayd 224 God of Sabaoth what it signifieth 283 Gods glory consisteth in all things 24 God suffereth long 37 God forbid what it signifyeth 53 God nedeth no aduocates 24 God tempteth not to euill 28 God willeth that is good 256. 257 God doth things contrary to his lawes 25â— God of coÌ„trary things worketh like effects 232 God is called a Lyon a Bear and a fire 274 God tempted the fathers 169 God seeth all men 55 God ought not to be expressed by images 30 God how he deceiueth 268 God hath not commaunded things vnpossible 194 God worketh in men 151 God worketh not by chaunce 278 God is faithful in his promises 106 God why he is called the God of hope 446 God is wise 456 God confirmeth his by the gospell 456 God is witnessed to be God by any thing in the world how vile so euer the same be 22 Gods reuengement for Idolatry 25 Gods gifts vnto men 13 Gods knowledge is attributed to the vngodly 22 Gods knowledge is speâ—ially knowne in two things 22 God is iudged of men 51 God in dede loueth and in dede hateth 252 God is not the author of sinne 28 God forsaketh the Ethnickes 19 Gods word is the foundation of faith 326 Good workes are not to be reiected 18. 90. 158. 159. Gospell per accidens is the instrumente of death 192 Gospell what it is 3 43. 61. 62 Gospell is no new doctrine 456 Gospel who are they that are ashamed there of 14 Gospel is preferred to al men indiffereÌ„tly 16 Gospel is not new and when it began 4 Gospel is more common then Philosophy 13 Grace what it is 115. 116. 117. 140. 141 Grace is not common vnto all men 335. 336 Grace and life cleaue together 139 Grace is not bound to the Sacraments 83 Grafting in of the GeÌ„tils â–ª truth had
place 445 Greuous vnto God what it is 37 Grief â–ª what it is 237 Grounds of the church what they are 236 H HAting of God what it is 333 258 Happye is he that foloweth the calling of God 13 Heauen and earth shal passe and after what maner 217 Heretikes vpbrayd the gospel 14 Holines what it is 5 Holy dayes 436 Honor what it signifyeth 219 Hope maketh glad â–ª and maketh sory 420 Hope springeth out of faith 446 Hope and faith haue one property 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. Hospitality is a worke of noble men 422 How we ought to pray for others 452 How we are made sure of the victory 455 I IAcob why he was called Israel 242 Iacob wrestleth with God 92 Iewes are preferâ—ed before yâ— gentiles 16 Iewes were Idolaters 25. 44. 45. 50 Idols and Idolatry 24. 25. 29 Idlenes is an image of death 412 Image of God what it is 124. 188 Image of Christ made of copper 30. 31. 32 Images how they began 24. 25. 30 Images of God sprang of infidelity 30 Images out of Temples are not to be contempned so they be not worshipped 30. 32 Images taken two maner of wayes 82 Imaginations of men 23 Immortality is the mere gift of God 219 Incredulity bursteth out of originall sinne Infants receiue not the Eucharist 202 Inheritaunce what it is 209. 210 Instruction for preachers 155 Inuocation of Sayntes 98 Isaac borne of the promes 247 It is not counted a lye except it be don with a minde to deceiue 452 Iustification what it is 15. 58. 64. 65. 68. 71. 75. 96. 107. 181. 185. 191. 193. And it is spetially and at large intreated vpon from the. 367. leafe vnto the. 410. leafe Iustice is ioyned with the wil of God 274 Iudges maye iudge the crimes of other though they them selues be giltye in the same crimes 36 Iudgement at the last day 38 K KEyes of the church are the worde and fayth 361 Knowledge is of two kindes 36 Knowledge of our sinne is profitable 109 L LAw what it is 58. 66. 70. 90. 114. 191. 192. 135. 136. 137. 138. 151. 155. Lawes are of diuers sortes 175 Law through Christe is no burden vnto vs. 445 Law grace differ 152. 153. 163. 164. 165. 166 Law and gospell differ 15 Law of nature is the law of God 34. 35 Lent abused 143. Letter killeth is expounded 163 Liberty of speche is necessary 330. Liberty is obtained but one way 174 Liberty hath thre kindes 179 Libertines 176. 321. 443 Life what it is 196 Life is a thing excellent 39 Life is of two sortes 111 Loue what it is 106. 258 Loue is the cause of grief 237 Loue of God and loue of men differ 5 Loue election and predestination what they are 258. 259. 260. 261. 262. 263 Lusts are of two sorts 29. 165. 166. 201 M MAnnes nature chiefly resembleth the diuinity of God 21 Man endued with grace may sin 28 Maniches opinion in fre wil. 28 Maniches confuted 250 Marcion reiecteth the two last Chapiters of this Epistle 456 Magistrate what he is 227. 228. 426 Martirdome what is requisite therunto 233 Matrimony what it is 161 Meates of themselues are not vncleane 438. 441 Mercy of it selfe is not good 185 Mercy with iustice 38 Mercy and truthe are ioyned together 445 Mercy what it is 159 Members of our body what they are 150 Meat what it is 157. 158 Messias is come 82 Methodes vsed by S. Paule that we can not be without some God 23 Millenarij 88 Ministers ought not to forsake their vocation 334. 349. 350 Miracles 323 Miracles that cause 449 Mistery what it is 358 359 Miserable is the state of the godlye in this world 453 Mortifying what it is 203 Mortification is of two kindes 211 Mortification of faith 271 N NAturall copulation betwene man and wife is good 33 Nature teacheth vs not all those things that appertaine to God 20 Necessity is to three kindes 270 Nobility wherin it chiefly coÌ„sisteth 243. 244 Nobility what it is 351 Notes by the which wickednes is knowne 34 O OBedience of faith 5 Obedience what it is 1â—8 Obedience to Magistrates 427 ObiectioÌ„s made in the defence of images 20 Obiections made by Iulianus to proue free will 27 Obsecrations or prayers 410. 411 Occasion is to be obserued 420 Office of deacones 418 Office of the Apostles 449 Olde testament and the new is all one 353 Originall sinne in infants 229 Originall sinne passeth not away 110. but is proper to euery man 118. 119. 127. 129. 130. 131. Origene confuted 250 P PAcience what it is 40. 100 Patience in temptations 273 Papists vpbraid the gospel 14 Papists ascribe trouble to the gospell 15 Papists what they are 36 Parable of the seede 267 Paule and the Pope agre not 3 Paule the teacher of the Gentiles 366 Paule whether he coulde truely praise the Romaines 447 Paule wrote boldly 447 Paule in excusing him selfe altereth not his wryting 447 Paules priesthode was to preache the gospell 447 Paules ministery and the Iewes compared together 442 Paule why he made suche hast to goe about the countrey 449 Paule why he went not to Rome at the beginning 449 Paule Moses and Aarons compared together 449 Paules ministring vnto tables whether it neglected the gospell 451 Paule to the Romains his saluation 1.6 Paule accuseth the Ethnickes 23 Paule aboue all the other Apostles why he was odious to the Iewes 453 Peace what it signified with the Hebrues 6 Peace â–ª what it is 96. 97 Peace passeth all sence 6 Pelagians error 32. confuted 250 Paena tallionis 26 Persons flye from causes 42 Pigghius opinion of originall sinne 120 Pharao why God stirred him vp 263. 264. 265. 266. 279. Philosophers filthy life 21 Phinâ—â—s work how it was imputed 73 Phebe what manner of ministerye in the church she had 453 Pithagoras opinion touching God 31 Plinie wrote to Traiane the Emperoure of the innocent life of the Christians 16 Popes and bishops ought to haue no sword 429 Popish priests 96 Punishment of God what it is 36. 37. 38 Porer more willing to geue then the richer 451 Pore are to be holpen 421. 422 Prayers what it is 223 Prayers consist not of the worthines of theÌ„ that pray 452 Preaching and almes alwayes was coÌ„mitted in charge to Paule 450 Preachers how they ought to vse theÌ„selues 237. 313 Predestination what it is 3. 37. 42. But it is specially intreated of and defined from the 285. leafe vnto the. 366. leafe Promises are of diuers sortes 243 Promises of the law and promises of the gopel differ 210 Purpose of God what it is 253. 259 R REasons why god wil iudge men 36 Reasons to proue that we are loued of God 234 Regeneration is not to be attributed vnto the water 247 Regeneration what it is 149. 154 Reioysing what it is 108 Repentaunce preached 19 Repentaunce of God and repentaunce of men 363 Resurrection is the only signe of the diuine nature of Christ 4 Resurrection of
thinke Augustine vnderstoode by good workes those workes which are done outwardly may be sene of men Do we then thorough faith make the law of none effect God forbid Yea rather we establishe the law Here is vsed the figure Occupatio or a preuenting For a man mought haue said If the law bring not righteousnes why then did God geue it Why may we not then liue losely and follow our lustes Not so vndoubtedly saith Paule For the law is not abolished by faith but rather confirmed He dispatcheth himselfe of this question briefly but afterward he entreateth of it more largely These men thought that Paule had made voide the law seing he had abrogated ceremonies But in abrogating them he exercised the liberty which was graunted him in the Gospell But vnto the lawe he did no iniury For God in God hymselfe abolished ceremonies and not Paule Paâ—alogismus accideÌ„tis Ceremonis are accidences of the Law very dede would not that the olde ceremonies should continue any longer And yet notwithstanding Paule lieth not when he sayth that he in no case by fayth maketh the law voyde And they which reason that it is abolished bicause ceremonies are made of none effect do make a false argument of the Accident For though the Accidences of any thing be taken away it doth not follow that the thing it selfe is also streight way abolished But that is counted accident vnto the law which hath not his force as touching all places and all tymes and all men And that ceremonies are so it is not to be doubted For when the people were in captiuitie they were not obserued Wherfore the Israelites being among the Chaldeans sayd That they could not sing their song in a strange land And Daniel complained that in that captiuity the people wanted both a captayne and sacrifice Circumcision all the whyle they were in the desert was not obserued and they fought on the Sabboth day as we rede in the bookes of the Machabées Which bokes if a maÌ„ reiect we haue again in the booke of Iosua that God commaunded the Israelites to go about the citie of Iericho by the space of seuen dayes and to cary aboute the arke with them and to sound with trompets Which workes could not be done seuen dayes together but that the Saboth day must nedes be one But if a man demaund if these be the accidences There was in ceremonis some principall thing which should alwayes abide God is in all thinges to be acknowledged of the law what was then the principall fyrme and perfect thing in these ceremonies which should alwayes abide To aunswer to euery perticuler thyng would now require too long a tyme. In summe this I say God would that men should not forget him And therfore by certaine outward signes he prouided that he might alwayes be set before their eies and come into their thoughtes that by that meanes they might euermore both worship him and call vpon him If they had loked vpon their body Circumcision was before their eies If they beheld their garment they had their hemmes to consider If they came to the table then had they to consider of the choyce of meates If they entred into their house their thresholds and postes had the commaundements of God writen in them If they had brought forth children they had to consider that the first borne should be redemed and that the woman was long tyme vncleane if they had turned themselues to their flocks or cattaile then were the first borne to be offred vnto God if they had gone into the fieldes the first fruites and tenthes should be gathered and offered If their fruites gathered should be layd vp then had they to celebrate the feast of the Tabernacles The reuolutions of euery wéeke of euery month of euery yere or seuen yeares or fifty yeares had certaine rites appointed vnto it Wherefore that which was the chiefest and principallest thing in the law was confirmed by faith and is now also retained of godly men namely in euery thing to remeÌ„ber God to thinke vpon him which now ought to be obserued without outward signes neyther is that abrogated either by Paule or by faith But that God would no longer haue these out Wherby he gathereth that God would not haue hys ceremonies any lenger obserued ward ceremonies obserued may therby be gathered that he hath ouerthrowen the publike wealth of the Iewes and hath caused the citie of Ierusalem to be cleane de faced so that now there is neither temple nor tabernacle standing neither is the propiciatory or mercy seat to be found from whence the voice of God was wonte to geue oracles and the brestplate is lost where were the precious stones out of which aunswere was geuen of thinges to come The annointyng also is cleane gone wherby he sometymes chaunged men when they were consecrated to execute any functions For Saule prophecied when he was now annointed Neyther is fire now had from heauen wherewith the sacrifices were consumed And Prophecies are now cleane out of vse which thing God would not haue permitted if his will had bene that the ceremonies of Moses should haue continued any longer And this chieflye is a let to the continuing of them that it was lawfull to exercise them no where but onely in the land promised vnto the fathers And when the Apostle affirmeth that by faith he establisheth the law this is chiefly to be vnderstanded as touching the morall partes therof For faith bringeth with it the obedience The Law can not be obserued without sayth of the law Wherfore of this thing our mindes ought to be setled the without faith the law cannot be obserued contrariwise that by faith an obedience begon maye bée accoÌ„plished which thing also may by reasons be coÌ„firmed The law coÌ„mauÌ„deth yâ— we should loue God that with all our hart with all our soule wyth al our streÌ„gths But who is able to performe this vnlesse he know God throughly whiche thyng can not be done without faith And if any man shall set God before him as a lawe geuer as a most seuere iudge and an auenger he will rather abhorre him flye from him of hatred as from a cruell slaughterman then that his minde can therby be induced to loue him But who caÌ„ without faith in Christ perswade himself that God is vnto him as a father or mercifull or louing Farther the lawe commaundeth that we should call vpon him which without faith we can neuer performe For it is sayde How shall they call vppon him in whom they haue not beleued Moreouer we are commaunded to loue our neighboures as our selues Whiche thing forasmuch as it is a most hard matter to be done we neuer accomplishe yea rather we oftentymes therin fayle From whence therfore shall we haue forgeuenes that yâ— which wanteth of our righteousnes may be imputed of the righteousnes of Christ vnles we vse the benefite of fayth Augustine iudgeth that
of death For forasmuch as death and sinne are so ioyned together that the one is alwayes engendred of the other therefore Paul when he had confuted the first obiection touching sin goeth to the other obiection concerning death For before he denied that the law was of it selfe the cause of sinne now he also denieth it to be the cause of death And euen as before he defended the Law by translation when as he sayd that As the law by it selfe is not the the cause of sinne so also is it not the cause of death the lust naturally grafted in vs is the true and proper cause of sinne So now also he vseth the selfe same translation and ascribeth death not vnto the Law but vnto the vice grafted into vs by nature If a man demaund what commodity hereof followeth that our lust beinge irritated by the Lawe committeth more haynouser wicked facts and bringeth death he answereth that we are thereby brought opēly to the knowledge of the malice of our naturall prauitye which prauity herein chiefely consisteth that it perniciously abuseth the most excellent Law of God so that y◠which was ordeyned to good doth now bring vnto vs destructiō And yet must we not sticke stay in this knowledge of our misery For the more we know that we are in perdition with so muche the greater endeuor We must not stay in the knowledge of our misery The scope of the whole scripture Why the law is not the cause of death ought we to flye vnto Christ at whose hands alone we must looke for saluation and who is the only remedy of our so greate misery And this is the skope of the whole scripture For euery where in it is ether declared our prauity or ells set forth the mercy of God thorough Christ The reason whereby Paul proueth that the Lawe is not the cause of death is this That whiche is spirituall and ordeyned vnto life can not bring death But the Law of God is spirituall and or deyned to life wherefore it can not properlye be the cause of death The Maior or first propositiō hath two parts the first is that the Law can not bring death for that it was ordeined vnto life This sentēce is proued by the nature of things contrarye For death and life forasmuche as they are thinges contrarye can not at one time be found in one and the selfe same subiect For it is not possible that of one and the same Law should in the selfe same men together at one and the same time be engendred both life and death The second part is that the law is spirituall and therefore can not bring death And that is hereby proued for that the nature of the spirite is to quicken and not to destroy VVas that then which vvas good made death vnto me Thys he therefore What is the nature of the spirite obiecteth vnto himself for y◠before he semed to speak things repugnant namely y◠the commaundemente was ordeyned vnto life but yet turned to him to death These thinges seme at the first sight not well to agree It semeth that he should rather thus haue sayd What then Is the Law which bringeth life made vnto me death But Paul to set forth the obiection more vehemently comprehendeth the Law vnder this word Good or this pronowne which is referred to y◠which was before spoken namely ordeyned to life For before he had affirmed both namely that the Law is both good and also ordeyned to life Wherefore he now not without cause obiecteth vnto himselfe Was that then which was good made vn to me death God forbid But Sinne here vnderstād vvas made vnto me death For so is the sentence to be made perfect Now he declareth what vtility the Lawe which was geuen broughte For he sayth that sinne abused it and by it slewe vs that sayth he it mought be knowen and appeare that sinne by that which was good wrought vnto me death God would haue vs to vnderstand that our corruption is greate that by the Law that is by a thing most good it bringeth death Paul speaketh not here chiefely of the death of the body althoughe it also What death Paul here meaneth doo follow but rather of that death whereinto we incurre when we ernestlye fele our sinne by the knowledge of the Law For hereby we see that we are obnoxious vnto the wrath of God adiudged to hell fire Which thinge when we A taste of ēternall condemnation A similitude with efficacy seriously consider we fele in our selues some tast of eternall condēnation By which meanes it commeth to passe that although in body we liue yer we are sayde to be slaine of sinne by the Lawe And as they which are kept in prison after that they know that sentence of death is geuē vpon thē although they are permitted to liue two or three dayes to take their leue of theyr frends yet are they filled with incredible heauines and horror and euery houre haue a tast of theyr death so that al that time they may seme rather to dye then to liue An other similitude And euē as they which are sure to be very shortly rewarded with a greate and looked for reward although in the meane time they take greate paynes yet do they nothing weighe that trouble for that euen in theyr labors they seme to thē selues to haue after a sort the fruition of theyr hoped for reward and to haue it in a maner in theyr hands So they which by the Lawe see fele that they are now condemned to eternall death take no pleasure at all in the delights of thys life For euen now they fele in themselues that those paynes are begon But many maruell that Paul should say that this came to passe in himselfe and especially when as he writeth vnto the Galathians that he had profited in the religion of the Iewes aboue all the men in his time And vnto the Phillippians That he had How Paul was decraned and slaine of sin bene conuersant in the righteousnes of the Law without blame And vnto Timothe That he had from his elders serued God with a pure conscience But Augustine in hys first booke agaynst the two epistles of the Pelagians in the 8. and 9. chapiters diligently dissolueth this doubt He mought sayth he be honestly conuersant in outward workes so that before men he mought without blame performe the righteousnes of the Lawe But before God and as touchinge the affectes of the minde he wa◠not free frō sinne For it mought be that he thorough feare of men or through feare of punishmentes which God threatneth vnto transgressors was moued to liue vprightly but as touching Paul acknowledged himself◠obnoxious vnto the lust grafted into him by nature lustes and inward motions agaynst which men would not that God had made any Law he also was obnoxious vnto vice sinne Nether was h◠by faith and charity as he
ought to haue bene stirred vp to the workes whiche he did And that he erred he hymselfe testifieth of himself in many places Vnto the Eph. the. 2. cha he sayth And you that wer dead in sins wherin in times past the walked according to the course of this world after the prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirite that now worketh in the children of distrust Among whome we also had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our fleshe in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of affections and we were by nature the children of wrath as well as others But GOD which is rich in mercye thorough hys greate loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together with Christ And vnto Titus For we also were once fooles disobedient straying out of the way seruing the desires and pleasures in maliciousnes and enuy one of vs hating an other Such a one was Paul before he was conuerted vnto Christ although he mought not vnworthely make great boast of his outward righteousnes And that thou shouldest not say that he was changed and deliuered frō these sinnes when he began earnestly to apply himselfe vnto the doctrine of the lawe wherein he so much profited that he coulde now be neither accused nor slayne of it he hymselfe in the selfe same epistle to Titus auoutcheth that he was Paul affirmeth that he was iustified by Christ only by Christ only iustified and by the benefite of the holy ghost acquited Wherefore before he was come to Christe the knowledge of the lawe coulde do nothing but kill him For thus he sayth but when the bountifulnes and loue of God our Sauiour towardes man appeared not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of regeneration and of the renuing of the holy ghost which he shed on vs most aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that being iustified by his grace we might be made heyres according to the hope of eternall life But vnto that which he writeth vnto Timothe that he had from his elders serued God with a pure conscience answere may thus be made That although he had not in him his conscience accusing him yet this acquited him not from sinne For there are many and haue bene many Scribes and Pharises which being instructed with an ill conscience had an ill iudgement of the law of God They which are not well instructed in the lawe ar not sometimes reproued of their conscience whome yet Christ manifestly reproueth Wherefore when as afterward came a more sounder knowledge of the lawe by it by reason of sinne now known were they slayne Farther we must see what it is that Paul goeth about in that place to perswade vnto Timothe he sayth that he geueth thankes vnto God that without ceassing he maketh mencion of him in his prayers and desireth to see him And that he should not think that he spake this after any common maner as though he did it only to flatter him but spake not from the hart he sayth that he had neuer bene accustomed to lye And although his conscience could not reproue hym of lying yet were there a greater many other thinges which the lawe being truely knowen mought reproue in him And that he had not the perfect knowledge of the lawe hereby it is manifest for that he persecuted Christ in hys Paul before his cōuersion knew not the law perfectly church who is the ende of the lawe In which thing he did nothing agaynst his conscience for it was then in no other sort enstructed And therfore he sayth be did it through ignorance and infidelity Neither hath the law of God that power to kill through sinne but when it is perfectly known And these thinges are spoken of Paul when he was yet of the Iewishe religion And how these thinges pertayned vnto him after he knew Christ and how they pertayne to vs shall afterward be declared Howbeit in the meane time these things ought to moue vs to detest the naturall sinne grafted in vs. That sinne might be out of measure sinfull by the commaundement Here the Apostle declareth that he entreateth not only of the knowledge of sinne which is perceaued by the lawe but also of the comming of that wickednes which is wrought by taking an occasion of the law For by y◠figure Hyperbole Why the Apostle vseth the figure Prosopopeia he saith that sinne is made sinfull aboue measure And vnto sinne by a figure he fayneth a person which sinneth deceaueth and slayeth Which he therefore did for that he considered that we are slow and blockishe and vnderstand not the pernicious blot of our originall sinne But because the lattin translatiō hath aboue measure sinfull Ambrose demaundeth whether paraduenture there be any measure of sinne granted by the lawe And he answereth that there is none for the lawe condemneth all sinnes vniuersally although he confesse that there is The law cōdemneth all sinnes a certayne measure as touching the seuerity of God aboue which measure God differreth not his punishements and vengeance As it may be sayd of the Chananites There is with God a certaine measure of sinnes aboue which they are not suffered to escape vnpunished Sodoma Gomorrha and other nations whome God suffered a longe while to escape vnpunished But afterward when they exceded that measure whiche God coulde no longer suffer to excede he vtterly ertinguished and destroyed them Although some say that sinne aboue measure encreased after the law was geuen if it be compared with that tyme wherein the lawe was not For then mought haue bene pretended some ignorance but that ignorance so soone as the lawe was geuen and published was taken away But I would rather expound this by the figure Hyperbole that is vnmeasurably For when lust waxeth of force we fall into all kindes of sinnes But the kindes of sinnes can not be expressed For euen as archers but one only way hit the marke but yet infinite wayes mysse it A similitude so vertue consisting in the middest as a marke we may infinite wayes erre from it but there is but one only way to attaine vnto it That which is in the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may thus be turned in Lattin Peccatum peccator that is sinne a sinner But because that soundeth not so well it may be turned sinne out of measure vicious Aristotle in his 3. of Ethikes sayth that of extreames the one is more vitious and the other lesse The lawe is spirituall but I am carnall being sold vnder sinne Here is rendred a reason why it is not to be imputed vnto the lawe that of the knowledge thereof followeth death For saith he the lawe is spirituall but the propriety of the spirite is to geue life And this thing experience well teacheth vs. For we sée that bodyes do so long liue how long there is in
â–ª mencioneth laboureth to wrest against the Christians for they saith he sacrifice in gardens for they haue their grene enclosed places hard by their temples wherein whilest they are abiding they boast that they there worship God they burne incense also vpon brickes for they haue their alters whereupon they sayâ— they do sacrifice and they dwell in graues for they runne from place to place to dead carkases and such other like thinges he obiecteth vnto vs. This Iew doubtles in my iudgement is to be commended not for that he wrongly interpreteth Esay and wresteth to the Gentiles those thinges which are spoken against 〈…〉 Iewes but for that he saw that those things are superstitious which are reâ—ayned still in the Papacy for a singular worshipping of God and perceaued that those thinges are in the scriptures reproued in his brethern the Iewes which ouâ— religious men and sacrificing priests count for most high holynes For they say come not nere to me I am holier then thou art For if a man come vnto them â–ª to admonish them out of the word of God they make him afeard and vtterly 〈…〉 him away neither wil they heare him This Hebrew word Sodar that is â—ebellious the 70. interpreters and Paul agreeing with them haue turned by 〈…〉 wordes namely by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnbeleuing and gainsaying For these two thinges are proper vnto them that fall from God not to beleue and to gaynesay his commaundementes as contrariwise they come vnto God and geue themselues vnto him which beleue his wordes and obey The summâ— of impiety â–ª his commaundementes In these two wordes is comprehended the summe of al impiety With which although the fathers of the Iewes were infected yet their childreÌ„ wheÌ„ they crucified Christ filled it vp vnto yâ— toppe for which cause they are most greuously punished loÌ„g time haue ben punished so yâ— Christ said truely That vpon you may come all the righteous bloud which hath bene shed from the bloud of Abell vnto the bloud of Zacharie the son of Barachias This place most manifestly teacheth that it is vtterly necessary that yâ— grace of God do preuent vs It is necessary that the grace of God do preuent vs. forasmuch as of our owne streÌ„gths we are not first able to seke to recouer saluatioÌ„ lost First we are sought of God who offreth himselfe vnto theÌ„ yâ— are in hand with other matters not only with other matters but also cleane contrary matters yea and to such which vtterly resist him Neither is it possible that of vs being corrupt should spring forth the beginninges of goodnes The shepherd seketh Examples the shepe gone astraye and not the shepe the shepherd The woman seketh the grote and not the grote the woman We are fallen into so deepe a pit that of our selues we can by no meanes get thereout And forasmuch as by reason of sinne we are now dead we are not able to rayse vp our selues I would gladly therefore demaunde of those which defend workes preparatory whether they Agaynsâ— workes of preparation will confesse that men by reason of sinne are dead or no If they wil not confesse this they haue Paul against them who saith that the stipend of sinne is death and they shal be thought to be of this iudgement that sinne is not so greuous an euil that it bringeth with it vtter destruction And if they confesse that they which sinne are dead before God then must there be looked for some streÌ„gth from els where whereby they may rise agayne and reuiue I woulde know of them also whether Abraham were moued of himselfe to depart out of his owne contrey and to forsake idolatry And whether the Israelites deliuered theÌ„selues out of Egipt or no And if the efficacy and goodnes of God were of force in all these why contend they that a man being now dead through sinne can prepare himselfe to grace he prepareth himselfe rather to greater corruptioÌ„ then to saluation But what nede we so many wordes in a matter not doubtful howbeit Sinners prepare theÌ„ selues to greater corruptioÌ„ â–ª anâ— not to sa 〈…〉 tion this I say that they which defend workes of preparation haue their feete so fast tâ—ed with testimonies of the scriptures that the more they stirre themselues the faster are they bound and lesse able are they to escape away Moreouer hereby it is manifest why the Ethnikes so long as they were strangres from God were called not a nation and fooles for that they sought not God nor asked after God The first and principall steppe to saluation is that God do declare The principall step to saluation himselfe vnto vs and that manifestly for vnles he manifestly and plainly reuele himself vnto vs our mind wil alwayes leape backe for that by reason of oâ— the corruption grafted in it it abhorreth from things diuine If GOD be found of him that seeke hym not and do appeare vnto them that aske not after â—im saluation then commeth vnto them by chance not that there is any fortune or chance as touching God but as touching them For they are in hand with â—ther deuises their purposes and ententes be farre diuers when they lighte â—ppon saluation yea oftentimes they manifestly labour to bryng themselues to destruction For Paul when he was taken persecuted the members of Christ and entended to put in prison and in bounds as many as he found addicted to that way Wherefore let vs acknowledge those thinges which are of God â—o â—ee Gods neither let vs attribute his giftes to our preparations But vnto Israell he sayth Thys proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth vnto may also aptly signifie agaynst and peraduenture also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is touching but thys is not of much waight Paule vseth here manifestly the figure Apostrophe which is when a man turneth hys speach to an other person when as in Esay â–ª as we haue sayd the person is couertly chaunged I haue stretched out myne handes all the day long By the gesture of the handes he declareth the beneâ—olence of God in what sorte it was euer towardes the Iewes They which call any man vnto theÌ„ do vse to stretch out theyr hand vnto hym and they also which What to stretche ouâ— the hande signifieth doe allure by giftes oftentymes shewe them forth in theyr handes Wherfore to stretch out the handes is by an allegorye nothyng ells then to call to allure by giftes although God also be sayd to stretch forth hys handes to worke miracles and wonders as it is written in the Actes Stretch forth thine hand to thys end that healynges wonders and signes may be wrought through the name of thy holy sonne Iesus Wherefore if after thys maner also we shoulde vnderstand that sentence the Apostle spake most aptly for there was neuer any tyme wherin God did not with great miracles and wonderfull workes call vnto hym
the Iewes Origene and Ambrose vnderstand thys of the maner wherby Christ being vppon the crosse had hys handes extended abroad but thys séemeth not to serue to the meanyng of thys place For the Prophet entreateth of the earnest care of God whereby he euen at the beginning called the Iewes vnto hym Yea Christ before he suffered vpon the crosse sayd How often would I haue gathered together thy children as a henne doth her chickens vnder her winges and thou wouldest not Whereby he declareth that before he was crucified he had hys handes stretched abroad to call By thys is taken away from the Iewes all excuse neyther could they say that they had not heard For as Chrysostome very well noteth vnto these callinges and giftes he at the length added an irritation which affecte is wont to moue many which yet through blockishnes or contempt otherwyse would not bée moued Which thyng we may perceaue euen in children for sometymes it commeth to passe that a litle childe when hys father calleth hym of a certayne stubborne stomacke refuseth to come but if he sée an other child made much of of hys father and louingly embraced of hym straight way being moued of zeale or enuye he also runneth to hys father so great is the affecte of zeale or enuie Wherefore God beganne to adorne the Gentiles with hys benefites that the Iewes being therwithall prouoked myght at the least through emulation or enuye returne vnto hym Thys diligent and earnest goodnes of God in callyng the Iewes is expressed vnto vs in Ieremie the 7. and ▪ 11. chapters where God testifieth that he had risen vp early and sent Prophets to styrre vp the people Which thyng Christ also in the parable of hys vineyarde very euidently declared Neyther wanted the people of God euer at any tyme euen frō theyr first father Abraham preachers and ministers of saluation sent from God but they alwayes continued vnbeleuing and gainsaying They sayd vnto Christ that in Belzebub he did cast out deuills And in Moses tyme they most manifestly resisted the worde of God wherfore Moses in Deut. sayd to theyr faces Ye haue alwayes delt contentiously We sée now that in Esay is contayned that which the Apostle before sayd that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnes attayned vnto the lawe of righteousnes but Israell which aspired vnto it could not attayne vnto it Wherefore the Iewes ought not to be offended if they heare that spoken of the Apostle which Esay had before prophecied Chrysostome vppon thys place first sayth that Paule woulde not say that the Gentiles drewe God vnto them namely by theyr sayth or godly affecte for that all whole is of God and he woulde not that they shoulde puffe vp them selues with pride But straight way he sayth that yet notwithstanding the Ethnickes were not emptie for of them selues they brought to take holde and to know It is wonderfull how he should speake such contradictions in one and the same place that al whole is of God and that they brought fayth of themselues For God is not by any other thing either taken ▪ hold of or knowen but by fayth Wherfore y◠first part of his sentence is without any doubt to be allowed namely that all is of God But that which followeth is to be reiected namely that we of our selues bring fayth The eleuenth Chapter I Demaund then hath God cast away his people God forbidde For I also am an Israelite of the sede of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin Wherfore God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew Know ye not what the scripture saith of Helias howe he maketh request vnto God against Israell saying Lord they haue killed thy Prophets and digged downe thine Altars and I am left alone they seke my life But what sayth the aunswere of God vnto hym I haue reserued vnto my self seuen thousand men which haue not bowed the knee to Baal I demaund then hath God cast away his people The summe of the doctrine The methode of this chapiter of this Chapiter may thus briefely be set forthe The Iewes haue not vtterly in such sort perished that there is no hope remayning of their saluation There yet remayne remnants whiche attayne to saluation which now in déede are but few in nomber but yet they are the salt of the worlde and in tyme to come they shal be a great multitude and y◠manifestly It the meane tyme certayne of y◠Iewes remayne blinde which thing they both deserue and also was foretold of them But by these fewe remnants which are saued shall saluation be communicated vnto the whole world for the Apostles and the other Euangelistes which come of the Iewes shall go thoroughout all the borders of the earth and preache Christe ▪ And that blinding of the Iewes shall be an occasion of saluation to the Gentiles And when the fulnes of the Gentiles shal be conuerted vnto Christ then also shall the Israelites come But God by his hidden and wonderfull counsell would haue all men for a tyme shut vp vnder sinne that he might haue mercy of all men The Gentiles all the whole tyme before the preaching of the Apostles lay in darkenes a few only excepted But as soone as the Gospell was preached the Iewes were forsaken And for that the reason of the purpose of God can not be comprehended of vs with a certayne religious exclamation he concludeth his doctrine saying Oh the deapth of the riches c. Affirming that no man is of Gods counsell touching these thinges Wherfore now that we haue declared the summe of the doctrine let vs séeke out the principall proposition of the first part of this Chapiter and the plainlier this to do let vs somwhat more deapely repete the things which haue bene before spoken Paul affirmed that the promises were made vnto the Iewes but not in such sort that they pertayned to all of them but only vnto the elect and predestinate And therfore for asmuch as many of the Iewes are not of the nomber of the elect which thing he proued in Esay and Ismaell there are manye therfore vnto whome the promises of God pertayne not and many haue perished in their incredulity Now he declareth that their fall is not vniuersal and he leuefieth mollifieth the thinges which before might haue offended namely that y◠nomber of the Iewes which beleued is so small that Esay sayd Lord who hath beleued our report And Moses sayth that the Iewes were stirred vp to enuy against a nation foolish and a nation that was not a nation and finally that God had stretched out his hands to a rebellious people not beleuing but gayne saying Vnles he had after this maner tempred his speache he mought haue séemed to haue spoken these thinges of hatred against his nation He putteth it by the waye of interrogation the more thorowly to moue them to make them attentiue And saith Hath God cast away his people As if it should
the end the promise should be firme as if he should haue sayd our mynde should continually wauer if the promise should depend vpon workes none could appoynt any certainty of his owne saluation for his conscience would euermore accuse him that he had not performed those workes vnto which the promise should be made to the end therefore we should not in such sort wauer God would that our iustification should consist of faith and grace that the promise might be firme The same thing also is gathered out of that which is declared of Abraham how that contrary The thirtenth to hope he beleued in hope He is sayd to beleue in hope contrary to hope which either in himselfe or in nature séeth or féeleth no maner of thing which might perswade him to hope As Abraham was an hundreth yeares of age his body was in a maner dead his wife an old woman and barren all which thinges naturally feared him away from hoping and yet preuailing against them all he hoped But we if we should haue merites or good workes by which we might obtaine righteousnes then should we not hope contrary to hope but in hope and accordyng to hope Wherefore our iustification is to be appointed no otherwise thē we read that it was in Abraham For he is the father of vs all as it was imputed vnto him so shall it also be imputed vnto vs. But now let vs come to the 5. chapter There The fourtenth agayne Paul plainly expresseth in what case men are before they be regenerate for he sayth For Christ when we were yet weake according to the consideration of the tyme dyed for vngodly ones And straight way But God setteth out his loue towardes ve in that that when we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs And he addeth For if when we were ennemies we were reconciled to God by the deathe of his sonne muche more being now reconciled shall we be saued by his life Hereby we gather that before regeneration men are weake sinners vngodly and the enemies of God Who then can ascribe vnto such men power to attayne vnto iustice when they will by bringing forth good workes Others may beleue it but the godly will neuer be so perswaded This is moreouer an other profe in that he setteth forth the cause of so greate The fiuetene an euill when he sayd Therfore euen as by one man synne entred into the world and by sinne death and so doath went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned as if he should haue sayd we were euen thē from the first beginning by the first man lost and condemned And lest thou shouldest thinke that infantes are to be excepted he sayth Yea death hath raigned from Adam euen to Moses ouer them also which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam The Masse or lompe of perdition comprehendeth all those that are borne from whiche corruption the holy scriptures teach that it is not possible for men to escape by their workes to claime vnto themselues iustification Afterwarde in the 6. chapter thus speaketh The sixtene our Apostle What fruite had ye then in those thinges whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of them is death But now being deliuered from sinne and made the seruantes of God ye haue your fruit to sanctification and the end euerlasting life What other thing meane these woordes then that all thinges whiche men do before they beleue in Christ deserue nothing els but ignominy and shame And there is no fruit of sanctification but that which followeth regeneration And who will say that we are The seuentene iustified of those thinges whiche are full of ignominy and shame But now let vs heare what is said in the beginning of the seuenth chapter Knowe ye not bretherne for I speake to them that know the lawe how that the lawe hath power ouer a man as long as it endureth For the woman which is in subiection to a man is bound by the law to the man as long as he liueth but if the man be deade she is loosed from the lawe of the man Wherfore if whilest the man liueth she coople herselfe with an other man she shal be counted a wedlocke breaker but if the man dead ▪ she is free from the lawe of the husband so that she is no wedlocke breaker though she coople her selfe with an other man Euen so ye also my bretherne are dead vnto the law by the body of Christ that ye should be coopled to an other namely to him which is risen againe from the deade that we shoulde bring foorth fruite vnto God Paul would by this reason declare that we before our faith in Christ were as it were to husbande 's coopled to the law and to the flesh of which copulation could come no fruites but those that are pernicious and deadly But now being deliuered by the grace of God we are coopled vnto Christ by the spirit vnto Christ I say being raysed from the dead by which copulation we shal now bring forth fruite vnto God and not any more to death and damnation And the selfe same thing he affirmeth or rather expoundeth when he addeth For when we were in the fleshe the lustes of sinnes which are by the law were of force in our members to bring forth fruite vnto death Here let vs note that so long as we were in the flesh we were subiect vnto wicked affections whiche by the lawe were of force in our members how then could we be iustified by our workes Further in the same chapter is written For that which I do I allow not For what I woulde that do I not The eightene but what I hate that do I. If now I do that which I would not then is it not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Here as it manifestlye appéereth is entreated of the bodies of men and although in interpreting these wordes I am assured that they are to be vnderstande of those workes which are done of the godly which haue already obteined iustification yet now I leaue it fre vnto the aduersaries to take whether part they wil and if they graunt that these things ought to be vnderstand of works done before iustification then forasmuch as they are neither allowed nor good how shall they deserue righteousnes for they are called euil no man is iustified by an euil actiō But if we vnderstād works which are here described to be the works of those that are iustified then wil I make mine argument a maiori that is frō the greater If those workes which rather séeme to be acceptable vnto God iust holy are called euil by the iudgement of reason now renued are not allowed howe can we affirme thē that those works which are done of sinners are such that they are able to iustifye And lest any