they maye beare the bell and haue preheminence amonge men they passe not for the bondes of Christen charity which else they extoll with wondrous commendacions R. Call you this a seruing of the belly I promise you I thoughte nothing lesse Now I see there are not a few teachers of this stamp among vs. But you say they may be discerned by fayre speech and flattery I pray you what call you fayre speech P. I vse here two termes which paint out the nature of hipocrites and counterfets verie plainly for they be full of faire speech The Greekes call him faire spokē which promiseth much in words and performeth nothing in deede and also such a one as if you heere him you would say he is more carefull of you your welfare than of his owne when in the meane while all his seeking is but to pleasure himselfe With this vertue are these belly flatterers garnished if I may so terme them to you after the greeke fashion which are to be shunned more thā a dog or a Snake Also I vse another worde whiche signifieth wel speaking vvhich these coūterfetters are vvōt to vse to set forth the prayses of ther fauorers so as they ought not to be called teachers of the gospell but rather soothers of Princes great men By this meanes are they wont to deceiue men that otherwise are not of euill disposition and to bring them to their lures or to speake more rightly to snare thē in their nettes R. Thinke you vs to be so dulwitted that we espie not the natures and dispositions of these falspackers P. I know you be wise neuerthelesse that forewardnes of yours in hearing obeying for I vvill not terme it simplicity I say that readinesse of yours to receiue vvhatsoeuer is put vnto you is verie vvell knovven to all men Whiche vertue I make great account of so it be matched with discretion I am glad that you be indued vvith suche obedientnesse But I am vvonderfull desirous that you should be wyse and sharpwitted in good things simple harmelesse in euill thinges And although I vse these vvarninges tovvardes you by vertue of myne office yet doo I not doubt but that god the prince of peace vvill treade dovvne Satan vnder your feet that shortly as I hope For surely that moste mercyfull father hathe a care of hys children and vvill not suffer them to be led out of the path of godlinesse by the Serpentes deuices And therefore I besech God that the grace fauour and protection of our Lord Iesus Christ may be vvith you to defende you alvvayes from the snares of vvycked men Amen R. Also there are peculiar cōmendacions to vs frō Timothie that helper and workefellow of yours from Lucius Iason and Sosipater your kinsemen Furthermore Tertius your clerke and secretary which wrote this Epistle from your mouth woulde not in any wise let passe his most louing salutatiōs Moreouer there is mention made of your host Gaius and of the whole churche and finally of Erastus the chamberleine of the citie and of his brother Quartus All these we know almost by syght therfore we receyued their commendacions the wyllinglier P. This maner of dealing am I wont to vse not onely to maintaine mutuall alyance betvveene the Greeke churches and yours but also too the intent that this myne Epistle beeing confirmed with so many as it were vvryters myght beare the more sway vvith you For I make so greate account of the cōsent of my brethren in my writinges that I do also desyre to haue my doctrine allovved by their recorde and subscription For it beseemerh not the meeldnesse of an Apostle to seeke but his ovvne fame onely and as it vvere to hold skorne of his other help fellowes Hovvbeit for asmuch as there is greate peril in the right performāce of al these thinges which I desire to haue you warned of therfore I pray that the grace fauour of our god may be with you all For trust me the intents of the old serpent are very secret mans wisedome without Gods spirit is not able to serch them and much lesse to discouer them and escape them For this cause I do alwaies in my prayers besech him which is able to stablish you that he will strēgthen you accordinge to my Gospell which I preach among the Gentyles according to the vttering of Iesus christ the heauenly teacher whom the father hath giuen vs to dioselse vnto all men the secret whiche had bin vnspoken of from euerlasting but is now made manifest both by the preaching of Christ our sauiour and also by the writings of the prophets and that by the commaūdement and euerlasting ordinance of the euerliuing God which would haue that most holy mistery set forth to all men to the ende that all men should obey the faith acknowledge the onely one God the creator and imbrace hys onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ whō the most mercifull father sent into the world of purpose to set open the goodnesse and mercy of God vnto all men To this onely vvise God be euerlasting glory by the same Iesus Christ for euer and euer Amen R. Excellēt surely is this thāksgiuing of yours wherby you commend Gods power wisedome Which vertues euen as they shew themselues most wonderfully in all Gods works so shyne they forth most cheefly in the calling of vs of all the Gentyles by the preaching of the Gospel But herken when this Epistle was brought vnto vs frō Corinth by Phebe one of the ministers of the Church of Chenchrie oure Alderman Burgesses seeing so meane a messenger dd very greatly disable your Apostolicall authoritie bycause you had no better pursiuants nor more honorable messengers to sende your letters by which yee write to the Churches as our Byshops haue P. Brother all these thinges are but vvoorldly visors vvherof superstitious doctrine stands in nede bycause it hath no substantiall grounde to rest vppon But Christes Gospell needeth not the helpes of this woorlde nother doo the preachers therof seeke other cariers or ministers thā such as are indued vvith the feare of God these do they vse to spread abrode the glory of the gospell Therfore to make an end at lēgth shak ye off the statelinesse of this vncleane world imbrace ye the crosse of christ be not ashamed to be the disciples of him vvho vvhereas he was Lorde of all things made himselfe a seruāt for your sakes And I thanke you peculiarly for this your visiting of me and I pray god to increase the giftes of his spirite more morein you for this frendly courtesie which you haue shevved tovvards me If you visit me any tyme hereafter you shal be hartely vvelcome R. I will come when I can and I for my part beseche our most mercifull God lykewise to be alwaies with you in this your imprisonment and to strengthen your mind with the power of his spirit Fare you well
FINIS The Articles of the Catholike fayth which Anthonie Coranus Spaniarde Student of Diuinitie professeth and alwayes hath professed Nowe set out in Print for their sakes which haue not bene present at his Readings To the Christian Reader 1. Pet. 1.15 THe Apostle Peter exhorteth the faythful in these words To be readie to yeelde an account of their faith Be ye always readie to answere euery man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in you with mildnesse and reuerence hauing a good conscience that they which slaunder your good conuersation in Christ may be ashamed of their misreporting of you as euil doers Beeing warned by this counsel an eight yeeres agoe when I taught at Andwerp in the French tung I wrate a confession of my fayth in the same language which by Gods grace shall within a while come foorth in Latin and Englishe also Afterwarde I wrate at London certeyne Tables concerning Gods works which were printed in fower Languages Latin Frenth Dutche and English In the short Articles of those Tables I indeuered to comprehende as it were in propositions the holy doctrine of bothe the Testamentes And I beleeue assuredly that in that writing I haue sette foorth the true the right meaning and the very pure truthe of the Christian Religion drawen oute of the fountaynes of the holye Scriptures and that in suche orderlye methode and apparante playnnesse as my conscience vpbraydeth mee not withe any errour Howe beit that soome reporte otherwise eyther peraduenture bicause they perceyue not my meaning at all or else bicause they looke but slightly vppon the articles them selues Now therefore for their sakes which haue not read those writings I will set downe certen shorte articles concerning the chief points of our christian religion which I imbrace with all my hart Farewell gentle reader and hereafter neither thinke nor speake euill of any man for the reports that are spred abrode of him but first giue him eare and heare his reasons Of Gods written worde I receyue and imbrace the Canonicall scriptures both of the olde testament and of the new and I thanke our God for raysing vp that light vnto vs that wee might haue it euer before our eyes least we should be led away to errours or fables eyther by deceiptfulnesse of men or by the wilinesse of deuils I beleeue that they be heauenly voyces whereby God hath vttred his wil vnto vs That mens minds can haue no rest but onely in them That in them as Origen Austin Chrisostome and Cyril haue taught all things are conteyned abundantly and fully which are needfull for our saluatioÌ„ That they be the power and might of God vnto saluation That they be the foundation of the Prophets Apostles whervpon Gods Church is buylded That they be the most certen rule wherunto the Churche may bee inforced if it swarue or go astray and wherevnto all the doctrine of the Churche ought to be â—alled backe And that against them there â—s no lawe no tradition no custome to be â—eard no not although Paule him selfe or an Angell from heauen should come and teache otherwise Of the mysterie of the holy Trinitie Therfore I beleeue that there is one certen nature and diuine power whiche we call God and that the same is distinguished into three equall persons the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost al of one selfe same power of one selfesame maiestie of one selfsame euerlastingnes of one selfsame Godhead of one selfsame substaunce And that althoughe those three persons be so distincte that neyther the Father is the Sonne nor the Sonne is the holy Ghoste or the father yet they bee all three one God and that the same one created heauen and earth and all thinges that are conteyned in the compasse of the heauen whether they be seene or vnseene Of Christe the Mediator betweene God and man I beleeue that Iesus Christ the onely sonne of the euerlasting father toke flesh and mans whole nature vpon him of the blessed and pure virgin when the fuâ— time was come according as had bin determined long ago before all worlds to shew vnto men the secret and hidden wiâ— of his father whiche had bin kept close from al ages and generations and to accomplish the miserie of our redemption in humane body and to nayle to hys crosse our sinnes and the handwriting that was written agaynst vs. Of the holy Ghost I beleeue that the holy Ghost whiche is the thirde person in the holy Trinity is the very true god not made not created not begotten but proceding froÌ„ both that is to wit from the father the sonâ— by an vnutterable meanes vnknowen to men and that it belongeth to him to soften the hardnes of maÌ„s hart and that when he is receiued into their brests eyther by the preaching of the gospell or by any other meane he inlighteneth them and leadeth them vnto the knowing of God into the way of all truthe into newnesse of the whole lyfe and into hope of euerlasting saluation Of the Catholike Church I beleeue that there is but one church and that the same is not now shet vp into any one corner or kingdom as it was in times past among the Iewes but that it is Catholike and vniuersall spred abrode through the whole worlde so as there is now no Nation that can iustly complayn that it is excluded and can not belong to the Church and people of god That the same Church is the kingdome the body and the bridâ—e of Christ that of that kingdome only Christ is the king that of that body only christ is the head that of that bride only Christ is the bride grome That there are diuers orders of ministerie in the Churche some Deacons some Elders some Bishops to whom the teaching of the people and the care of ordering of Religion is committed and that no one eyther is or can be ouerruler of the whole forsomuche as Christe is euer present in his church and needeth not a lieuetenante to supply his roome in the whole and no man is able to comprehend in mind the whole Churche that is to say all partes of the earth muche lesse to set them in order to rule theÌ„ rightly handsomly Thaâ— the Apostles as Cyprian sayth were aâ— of like power amoÌ„g theÌ„selues that thâ— residue were the same that Peter was 〈◊〉 That it was said alike to them all feedâ— yee That it was sayd alike to them all â–ª Go ye into the whole world That it was sayd alike to them al Teach the Gospel â–ª and that as Ierome sayth all Bishops whersoeuer they be ether at Rome or aâ— Eugubium or at Constantinople or aâ— RhegiuÌ„ are all of one desert all of onâ— Priesthood and that as Cyprian saythâ— there is but one Bishoprick that euerâ— Bishop holdeth a part of it as the whole and that according to the Councel of Niceâ— the bishop of Rome hath no more poweâ— ouer the church of Christ
ground-worke of this Gospell P The sonne of God who was made of the seede of Dauid only as perteyning to the fleshe and in respect of his manhod and therwithall was shewed to be the sonne of God with singular power through the sanctifying spirite R. Wherin appeared this Godhead of Gods sonne or by what meanes P. In the raysing vp of the dead from their graues or by the rising agayne of our Lord Iesus Christ who both rose agayne himselfe from the dead and also called other men agayne vnto life R. I acknowledge here a wonderfull description of the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is bothe very man and the very sonne of God Now I pray you shew who called you to this office of preaching the Gospell R. The very same Christ our sauiour by whose goodnesse I obteyned the office of Apostle R. I pray you what is the end of this function P. To cause the people of all countreys to submit themselues and to be obedient to the faith which we preach eueriwher in the name of our said lord Into the which number coÌ„pany you Romanes also are admitted called by Iesus christ Therfore vnto you al which dwel at Rome which ar both derebe loued of god choseÌ„ to liue in godlines and holynesse I wishe peace and euerlasting happinesse from God him selfe the heauenly father and from our lord Iesus Christ his only begotten sonne ¶ The entraunce into the Epistle R. Hitherto ye haue layde foorth the title of your Epistle wherein you haue shewed vs who you are to whome you write and finally what you intende to set downe vnto vs namely the Gospell concerning the sonne of God Nowe remayneth that we come to she whole body of the Epistle and first if it please you set downe the state and grounde of the whole Epistle in fewe words that I may the easlyer conceiue the whole matter and beare it in remembraunce P. To be shorte the drifte of the whole Epistle is this to shewe all men indifferently the two cheefe poynts of ReligioÌ„ namely the doctrine of fayth and the doctrine of good conuersation proceeding out of fayth bycause that all the thinges which are conteyned in the holie scriptures may easly be referred too those two And furthermore I take him not to be the worst learned man which hath learned the true maner bothe of beleeuing rightly and of dooing well R. In what order handle you these thinges P. First I teache what is to be beleeued and afterwarde by what deedes godlinesse is to be shewed and exercised For the works that are called good beeing destitute voyde of true faith notwithstanding that to outward shew they be excellent and prayseworthie haue nothing in them but a fading glosse of glittering brightnesse But God the sercher of the inward thoughtes laugheth them to scorne setteth light by them as things that proceede not of fayth R. What order keepe you afterwarde in laying foorth the fayth P. Euen this that I deuide it as it were into two places Whereof the one sheweth the way whereby men knowing themselues to bee giltie and enemies to God may neuerthelesse recouer his fauour and repayre his good will as it were after banishment which place if you thinke good we will call the place of IustificatioÌ„ And afterward I shew that all mankinde may without difference inioy this benefite of attonement and Gods fauor by the force of faith which the Lorde bestowed vpon men from heaueÌ„ whether they be GeÌ„tiles or Iewes Whiche place let vs call the treatise of Gods election or of the calling of the Gentiles R. I like very well of this kind of teaching Therfore it is to be wished that all the professers of true religion should set aside the manifolde intanglings and great windlasses of curious questions and specially the great number of mens forgeries and inuentions and imploy their whole minde about these so needefull things But now let vs come to the entraunce of the first treatise P. In this entraunce I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christe for you all vvhose fayth is blazed abrode ouer all the vvorlde vvith so greate prayse For God vvhome I serue in preaching the Gospell of his sonne is my witnesse that I make mention of â—ou without ceassing and haue alwayes mynded you in my prayers that by Gods leaue I myght one tyme or other happen to haue a prosperous iourney vnto you R. All men for the most part are wont to visite this Citie eyther to beholde the greatnesse of it and the beautie of our buildings or else to seeke gayne But I hope that some other honest cause brought you hither P. Yea in deede For mine onely desire was to see you that I might impart some spiritual gifts vnto you to strengthen you withall R. As who should say Paul that you knowe not how there are no smal number heere indewed with Gods spirite which were able though you were away not onely to lay the foundation of oure faythe by their exhortations but also to increase it and to buylde it vppe too the roofe by their teaching P. I know that welinough Therfore my meaning was not more to strengthen you than to take comfort among you through mutual fayth both yours and mine R. But the necessitie of these bondes seemeth rather to haue brought you hither by force than your owne good wil specially forasmuche as ye coulde finde in your harte to trauell so long in other places P. Nay rather my brother I would yee shoulde be well assured that I oftentymes purposed vpon this iourney vnto you that I might I say reape some frute among you as well as I haue done among the rest of the Gentyles but stayed by reason of lettes and hinderances vnto this day R. But wheruppon springeth this your so greate earnestnesse and desyre to publish the Gospell P. Euen of myne office For inasmuche as I am appoynted to be an Apostle it is my duetie to think my selfe a detter of all that I can doo bothe to the Greekes and to the Barbarous and both to the wise and to the vnwise alike For this cause I was desirous and still am desirous with all my harte to preache the Gospell with a readie and cherefull minde to you also that dwell at Rome R. Yet am I wont to maruell that you will teache the Gospell in these bondes and forlorne prison seeing that euery man of power and wisdome dothe so stifly gaynsay it and cheefly seeing that so fewe followers of this learning are to be found in this most renowmed citie P. Other men may for mee through vnskilfulnesse ignorance set lesse by the Gospell than they ought to doo But I who am well acquainted with the excellencie of so great a thing am no whit at all ashamed of it For out of all doubt the Gospel is the power of God that bringeth saluation to all beleuers first to the Iewes after to the grekes R.
such a sort that Gods glory was shed from them into Gods people as from a most plentifull storehouse For so doth that worde of God by taking fleshe vpon him not onely shrewd vs from the curse of the law but also sheeld vs defend vs from it and giueth vs most certeine assurance of Gods louing kyndnes if we put our trust in his blud For he is succeeded as our souerein king and euerlasting preest in sted of Moyses and Aaron But shew me wherfore God did cast so great good will to mankind P. Doubtlesse euen for this cause that hee had determined to shew his ryghtuousnesse more bryght than the daylight to mortall men in tyme too come both in forgyuing all mens offences which almightie God hath of his owne incredible mercifulnesse eyther discountenanced or borne wyth vnto this day and also in pardoning wyping away of their sinnes which are still yet alyue or shall heereafter draw this common breth that therby it may appeare openly to all men that God is ryghtuous not onelye bycause hee himselfe is indewed with rightuousnes but also bycause he sheadeth oute his ryghtuousnesse into the minds of them that put and settle their whole trust in his Christ R. I beleeue it to be verely so Therefore it behoueth that so great a benefite to be borne alwaies in remembrance of those too whome Gods goodnesse hath graunted to inioy Christ as their prophet to teache them the wyll of the heauenly father as their high preest which hath with his owne bloud sealed vp the couenant made betweene the father and vs and as their moost mighty King to sit in our mynds and to gouerne vs by his spirit P. You see then what are the causes of mans saluation Now therefore if a man shoulde aske a Iew whether he thought that there were any thing left him wherein he eyther could or should glorie what myght he answere Nay rather if it please you answere you for him and vtter what you thinke R. Nothing so God help me I se nothing why he should be loftyminded or boast himself or his prerogatiue For all cause of boasting is shut out P. Againe if I shoulde aske him whether the Israelites haue any such vauntage by the law it selfe the rule of good deedes that they shoulde thinke themselues better than all other nations or whether the glittering woorkes of the Iewes can haue so great force as iustly to set them in such a iollitie I pray you what would he say to it R. I beleeue he woulde be more dum than a fishe as the prouerbe sayth For how can any doinges of men eyther he or seeme to be so muche worthie before God P. Therefore it is meete that all mankinde should be ridde of all selfe weening pryde stubbornesse and boasting by the doctrine of fayth and be driuen of necssitie to yeeld the whole glory of all things vnto God alone R. Doubtlesse I thinke that to be out of all controuersie P. Therefore it is too be beleeued than the whiche nothinge can be sayde or deuised more holie or true that menne are counted and made ryghtuous and adopted of the heauenly father into the number of his children by fayth without the woorks of the law or without desertes that spring of mens deeds R. If the way to ryghtuousnesse too saluation and to euerlasting lyfe be opened vnto men by fayth and not by the law there is no cause why the Iewes should repyne at the Gentyles or enuy them P. None at all For which of them is so blockishe or ignorant of things belonging to God as to imagin in his mind that God is the God of the Iewes onely and not of all other nations also Out of doubt god is the god of al people and nations and will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowing of him 1. Ti. 2.4 R. Then doth it follow that there is no odds betweene circumcision and vncircūcision as in respect of saluation P. Surely they be both in one cace or both alyke bycause that for asmuch as God is but one and the onely creator of all men alyke he doth also kepe one selfe same maner of sauyng mankynde For he iustifieth the circumcised by fayth and accepteth the vncircumcised for rightuous by fayth taketh them for his owne R. But heere is a doubt greeueth me that you seeme to pull downe vtterly the law and the dignitie thereof by the doctrine of fayth P. It is nothing so For we be so far of from purposing to ouerthrow the law by fayth that we indeuer to strengthen vphold and stablish it most of all thereby which thing I will shew moost euidently in conuenient place For seeing that Christ is the ende the performing and the vtmost poynt of the law and that the law is as a certeine scholing and trayning of men vnto Christ as the which yeeldeth not wherewith to fulfill Gods commaundements but only sheweth the necessitie of fulfilling them I beseech you how greatly is the law beautified and aduanced by fayth when by the doctrine of faith we shew the way to performe the lawe by the spirit of Christ R. Syr Cha. 4.1 you haue spoken ynough of the law more truely in myne opynion than men will well lyke of But we will say more of this heereafter You knowe of how greate authoritie Abraham was alwayes among the Israelites for his good workes sakes And yet notwithstanding all that dignitie shall seeme to fall to the ground if he obteined no rightuousnesse and innocencie by his owne procurement Or else poynt you me oute some fruite of those good workes wherwith he was adorned P. I graunt that Abraham had gotten no small glorie and commendacion of ryghtuousnesse to himselfe by hys good Godly and well ordered doinges if he had become ryghtuous by his woorkes But yet then shoulde this prayse haue rested eyther in him selfe or haue taken place alonely amonge men but not at all before God R. I pray you shew by what meanes that came to passe P. Truely the holie scriptures shew it inough and more than inough Ge. 15.9 Gal. 3.6 Ja. 2.23 For thus is it written Abraham beleeued God and that true fayth of hys vvas reckened to hym for ryghtuousnesse R. I acknowledge the recorde of the old testament and imbrace it with both my handes But whereto tendeth it P. You shal heare Consider the state and circumstance of that tyme. For as yet the lawe was not whiche was afterwarde gyuen by Moyses in somuche that what soeuer Abraham dyd at that tyme he ought not to father it vppon the law written Therfore he could not glorie of the performyng of the lawe And for that cause God by that saying of hys affirmeth that Abraham was iustified at his hand by fayth R. Thinke you the whole matter to be dispatched with this one argument P. No But you shall vnderstande the whole cace the better if we compare the wages wyth the gyfte For
vnto hym that woorketh wages is gyuen of duetie and not of revvarde But too hym that woorketh not but beleeueth in hym that maketh the offender gyltlesse hys firme and stedfaste fayth is imputed for innocencie For if a manne haue deserued and earned a thing by his owne labour trauell and paynes taking his obteyning of it is not a rewarde or free gyfte but a ryght and duety But if a man do not the things wherby he may deserue which is most truely verefied of man but doth so perceiue tast feele Gods goodnesse and louing kindnesse that he beleeueth himselfe to be taken for giltlesse before him through his meere mercy without any worke of his owne vnto him is innocency gyuen freely as a rewarde and not as a duety and hys stedfast trusting to the iustifier is reckened to him for ryghtuousnesse and innocency R. I agree fully to this reason For the thing that is freely bestowed vppon any man is not to be taken for a wages or desert but must be ascribed to Gods goodnesse Moreouer the same fayth for the which God rewardeth vs with rightuousnesse is sheaded into our harts by God himselfe and that of his owne mere free liberallitie and good wyll withoute respect of any desert at all whereof the wretched sinners might by any meanes brag or boast But haue you any more to say yet of the same matter P. Behold moreouer the euident authoritie of the kingly Prophet whiche shevveth the blessednesse of the man whose sinnes God forgiueth giueth him his owne righteousnes Psa 32.1 Blessed are they saith he whose iniquities are released and the filthines of whose sinnes are couered Blessed I say is he to whō God imputeth not his sinnes As for the residue conteyned in that Psalme you your selfe shall wey it aduisedly and apply it to this matter R. How fowlly then are they ouersene which surmise so many kindes of happinesse and blessednesse and write so sundrie sawes of it And to let passe the Philosophers how wicked ought those godly and how foolish ought those wise mē to seeme who vpon a conceite of I wot not what a kind of blessednesse refuse no paynes too make satisfacion for their sinnes whereas notwithstanding the said diuine Prophet protesteth that they be released forgiuen men of gods only meere goodnesse And not onely that but also to the intēt that mens drooping harts should be chered vp more more he affirmeth that they be after a sort concealed and hidden and ouerpassed least they myght at any tyme come into the sight of the angry iudge And how farre doth this maner of hyding sinnes differ from the maner that Adam vsed Gen. 3.2 when he would haue hidden his wickednesse from God with fig leaues if it had bene possible For he would haue hidden him self with things that grew in the fields But God clotheth his with Christes rightuousnesse Rom. 13.14 which is a most glorious garment or rather with Christ him self And if your leysure would suffer you to open all the other parts of that Psalme O how great comfort would it bring to mens minds For they that are to be registred in the number of those blessed men must be voide of al guile disceite and flee to Gods mercy whereby they hauing the filthinesse of their sinnes wiped away and hauing gotten the righteousnes of faith must apply al their indeuer to leade a godly righteous conuersation among men I let passe the residue of the notable things there Nowe that our talke may returne to our purpose this is to be cōsidered whether the saide blessednes befel vnto Abrahā before circumcisiō And againe whether this blessednes belong only to the circumcised or may be offered to the vncircumcised also seing you haue auouched that Abrahams faith was accepted for righteousnes Tel also plainly whether the said imputation and iustification were done in vncircumcision or in circumcision P. Surely he receiued not that benefite in circūcision but when he was yet vncircūcised then did the moste deere father vtter his good will mercy fauor towards him bestowed righteousnes vpō him Gen. 17.11 For so doo the holy scriptures most plainly shewe which tell vs that circūcisiō was appointed to Abraham in stede of a cognisance or badge as a pledge of the righteousnesse of faith wherewith he was indued euen at such time as he was yet vncircumcised that he might be counted the father of all beleeuers and euery vncircumcised person might by his example hope that his owne faith shall be reckened to him for righteousnesse R. Forasmuche then as Abraham was iustified fowrteene yeeres before he was circumcised it appereth that circumcision was not the cause of his iustifying for it followed his iustifying but rather the seale of it so that the Israelites may easely espie their owne errour in attributing so muche to the cutting off of a little peece of fleshe Esa 1. Psal 50. as who should say that God did set so muche store by the Ceremonies though he him selfe ordeyned them when they be voyde of true and liuely fayth And yet notwithstanding me thinks that some Christians do fondly follow the same errour who haue no Christianitie in them sauing that they were dipped in the clenzing water in the name of Christ Furthermore if Abraham when he was yet vncircumcised was so dearely beloued and accepted of God for his only faith howe cheerefull mindes and how assured hope ought all the vncircumcised Gentiles to haue if almightie God voutchsafe of his infinite mercie to bestowe the most excellent gift of righteousnesse vpon them Nay rather euen heereby it appeareth that the pride of the Iewes is in no wise blerable who standing vpon the reputation of their onely circumcision disdaine the poore Gentiles and would keepe them off from entring into euerlasting saluation For it is nowe more euident than the daylight that saluation belongeth no lesse to the Gentiles than to the Iewes inasmuche as Abraham was iustified that is to say was taken into the number of Gods children when he was yet a Gentile P. But by the way you must remember that Abraham is the father of all beleuers And forasmuch as he is so he is to be counted the father of the Israelites also yea of the circūcised howbeit but of those which not only are borne of him by fleshly discent but also do followe the footesteps of his fayth which he had before he was circumcized R. Hereby doth gods wōderful goodnes louingkindnes towards all mankinde shine forth most of al in that it imbraceth both Iewes Gentiles setting all as a certen pattern for eyther of them to fashyon their mynds vnto by following both his beliefe giuen to gods promises and also his singular awfulnesse and obedience togither with his contempt of all worldly things and all other his excellent vertues betokened by the signe of circumcision But yet me thinkes I sticke in the mire forasmuche as I am
fully persuaded that God gaue not his lawe to the Iewes for naught but rather that it might be a certen sure way to saluation and a certaine gaine way vnto righteousnesse P. As for Abraham himself the notable Patriark of the Iews what promises soeuer he obtened of possessing the heritage of the world nother he nor his ofspring obteyned it for anie lawe or for anie works of the lawe but for the same faith wherby he was iustified or for the righteousnesse of fayth if you had leuer so to terme it For bee you sure that Abraham was taken into gods fauour and adorned with the prayse of righteousnesse not for that he had deserued it by his singular vertues but bicause he had beleeued Gods vvordes stedfastly R. I beleue it to be so But by the way I would fayne be taught at your hande whether you thinke it to be a discommoditie or hinderaunce to vs to seeke righteousnesse saluation and fauour at gods hande by keping the commaundements of his Lawe as the thing wherein his will is expressed P. Vndoubtedly very much For if the right of inheritance should belong to none but the folowers keepers of the law then there were no vse nor profit of faith and so might the promises iustly be counted vaine and of none effect R. It were rather to be wished that beleefe should be giuen still to the promises and that we should go right foorth to saluation by the guiding thereof But what if we should adde the law as a cōpanion vnto faith so as our righteousnesse might consist of both P. Nothing were more to be wished on mans behalfe if he eyther would or could fulfill Gods lawe Howbeit forasmuche as mans nature is of suche a mould that it is loth to bee bownd to anie lawe insomuche that it stryueth ageinst the thing that is forbidden and foloweth the worser things what other thing can the law worke in a man but the flinging of Gods wrath vppon him for his despising of god Verely euen by certifying thē that a sure plague is prepared for thē that shal haue brokē gods comaundements not obeyed his wil. R. Then like as gods fauour is seene by his promises so also his vengeance vseth the law as a weapō agaynst mens sinnes For euen so doo I my selfe feele in my conscience when I looke vpon the Law Wretch that I am me thinkes I am set at gods iudgementseate where my sinnes are set afore me as in a glasse whereat I am wholly both body and soule striken in feare by reason of the most greeuous and deadly wrath of the Iudge kindled agaynst me Heerevpon there is kindled a wonderfull hatred of the law in my hart notwithstāding that euen spite of my teeth I acknowledge my sinnes to be iustly punished bicause I haue not obeyed god P. Surely the lawe is so farre of from giuing any rightuousnesse that there woulde scarsly be any feeling of sin but for the law For sin is then committed when the lusts or bownds of ryghtfulnes are passed and those bownds doth the law appoint Therefore take away the law the bounds of the law and there shal be nothing to transgresse But contrariwise set me downe the law and publishe it and by and by there is transgressiō through the wilfulnesse of men R. Surely this seemeth worthie of carefull loking too For by this saying you shew the infirmitie of mans disposition or rather the corruptnesse I wyll not saye the vtter marrednesse of the whole man whiche is full contrarie to the innocencie that God requireth By meanes whereof it cōmes to passe that whereas Gods law requyreth such perfection and soundnesse of vs as no man eyther will or can performe wee being priuy to our owne weakenesse and frowardnesse can hardly by any meanes put our trust in the meeldnesse and mercie of God who is the author of the lawe For the law maketh none ende of vrging compelling threatening tormenting P. Therefore euerlasting thanks are to be giuen vnto God that he woulde haue all such as are nūbred in the seede of Abraham to attaine to the eternall inheritāce not by the law but by faith that the same fayth resting vpō the foūdacion of Gods grace free fauour myght neuer be moued but continew stedfast substantiall and euerlasting R. What mean you by this word sede P. As many mē of al natiōs all places as are by true faith become the childrē of Abrahā the father of al beleuers not onely thē that haue receiued the words of the law and are called the disciples of Moyses For it is left in writing that God himself named the said Abrahā the father of many natiōs people R. Nowe I perceiue whereto these thinges tende For that is the cause why he was called Abraham whereas hys name was Abram before to the intent that he might from tyme to tyme be put in mynd of Gods promise as oft as that name was rehersed And that custome was conueied ouer to his posterity from their forefather who were wont to giue their children their names at the circūcising of them that they might remember the couenaunt when they hearde their owne names that were giuen them at that tyme. But to let this matter passe me thinkes you teache scarce agreeable things in referring promises which as it shoulde seeme were but transitorie worldly yea and alredy performed vnto spirituall matters as namely to the adoption that is made by faith to suche other thinges For the scriptures beare witnesse that God performed his promises abundantly vnto Abraham whom he so appoynted to be the father of many nations first when he raysed vp twelue noble and mightie tribes of his sonne Ismael whom he begat of Agar and secōdly whē he incresed other twelue most florishing houses out of Iacob the son of Isaac Besids these what an infinite ofspring was ther of the Edomits moreouer what a nūber of successors begat he of Choetura Thus it seemeth not needefull to extend the bownds of Gods promise any wider or further out vnlesse ye meane perchance to ad some secreter and sutle◠allegories P. Not so But the eyes of mēs minds must be lifted vp to heauen or rather vnto God himselfe and not be fastned only vppon this earth For when I say that Abraham was appointed of God to be the father of many nations and people I loke not vpon the world but vppon God I say vppon the almightie God whome Abraham beleeued in all things and which is able to raise vp the dead from their graues which dooth as certeinly and by name set before him selfe the things that haue not yet bin as the things that are already present In so much that as there cannot be any thing which commeth not of him so is there not any thing which may not come of him R. If I be not deceaued you seeme to betoken two things vnto mee The one is how great difference there is
truth distrusting and despayring of victory against my fleshe I am wont diuers tymes to quayle P. These doutinges of the power of Gods spirit are dauÌ„gerous Thinke you that the tyranny of sin is greater than the myght efficacie and inwardwoorking power of the holy Ghost No but assure your selues of this that if the spirit of him which raysed vp Christ from deathe be in you he vvhiche raysed vp Christ from death vvill also call againe your mortall bodyes into a lyfe beseeming your regeneration by his spirite vvhich dvvelleth in you Wherefore as many of you as professe your selues to be Christians I beseche you all lay vp these things deeply in your minds that whaÌ„ vve be once iustified sanctified regenerated indued vvith Christes spirit we are altogether detters not to the flesh to liue after the liking of the flesh to obey the corruptnes thereof but rather to the spirite to indeuer to obey him in all things R. Is there so greate perill in the not knowing in the omitting of the thing P. Yea yerely and of all perills it is the greatest For if ye liue after the lyking of the fleshe you shall surely die But if that by the spirite you vanquishe the doings works deuices desires in deuers of the flesh fyght against the lusts therof out of all doubt you shall liue you shall coÌ„tinue in the life that you haue receiued by the benefite of Christ who is the life of the faithfull euen in whose minds the quickning spirit vttereth his power R. Hereafter I will bid suche doubtinges farewell and sift better both my selfe and my doings and not yelde mine eares so open to such as do lessen and diminish the effectualnes of the holy ghost who also to th' intent their maners may answere their doctrine are wonte oftentimes to brag of the presence of Gods spirite in their hartes when as they be drowned in the filthynes of sin and wicked doings P. Let others alone stand to thine owne tackling and keepe this rule in examining thy self that as many as are led moued ruled not by their owne vnbrydled lusts but by Gods spirit they be Gods children And beleeue me he that is not sure of this being Gods child can nother be sayd to be regenerated nor in any wise satisfy the accusations of the law as which requyreth an absolute and perfect rightuousnes in all points at our haÌ„d which we be neuer able to perform except the power of the holy ghost do worke fulfill the thing in vs which he requireth in his law R. Surely it is an ouerhard thing for vs to giue our selues continually to the keeping of Gods lawe specially sith we be trenched in with so greate sinfulnesse of our fleshe wherunto the purenesse of Gods law is quite contrary P. What haue you novv to do vvith the lavv or vvith the condeÌ„nation therof For seing you be greffed into Christ and indued vvith his spirit you receiue no more the spirit of boÌ„dage that you shoulde haue to deale vvith the lavv as you had in times past but you haue receiued the spirite of adoption of Gods children I meane the spirit of fredoÌ„e of the loue of God wherby we perceiue Gods goodnesse to be so great that vve not onely call vppon him but also crie vnto him with invvarde familiaritie boldnesse and with earnest loue as vnto our father Nowe hee that hath this spirite of adoption applieth himself to the keeping of the law not as a hireling in hope of rewarde or for feare of punishment but willingly as a sonne R. I am of opinion that wee can not call God father so safely so boldly and so swetely but by the breathing of his spirite vpon vs whose recorde is moste certen as the whiche is greater than all recorde of man But I pray you whiche are the other marks of our regeneratioÌ„ P. Surely euen the inward motions of Gods spirite wil be no doubtfull signes of our regeneration in Christ For gods spirit witnesseth inwardly to our spirit that we be gods children by grace and adoption as who are partakers of his diuine nature by the same spirite in Christ R. You tell me of a great dignitie P. Truly so is it And if we be childreÌ„ then must it needes bee confessed that we shall be heires also verily the heires of God bicause we be his children and fellow heires with Christ bicause we be his brethren R. He that hath suche a recorde in him selfe neither wauereth nor staggereth in his minde But what other inwarde motions require you in the regenerated P. That they should knowe theÌ„selues to be the true members of Christ and enter into the way of the crosse armed with the remembraunce thereof For sith it behoued Christe to suffer and so to enter into his glory it is meete also that his members should not shun the state of their head specially considering how many and how great commodities spring vnto vs therof R. What commodities I pray you P. The first is that if we suffer with Christ we shall also reigne with Christ R. Truely this promise is very swete but the waye to attayne to it is very sower P. But I am of opinion that the aduersities which we suffer in this worlde are not equall or coÌ„parable to the glory that shall be vttered vpon vs in time to come R. Vnhappy certesse is the state of maÌ„kinde For only man feeleth sorrowes and troubles only man beareth all thinges onely man groweth only man is vexed and pineth away P. Nay rather if you beholde this frame of the whole worlde aduisedly you shall see that all kinde of thinges yea euen of the senslesse creatures doo with very great thoughtfull and vehement desire long for the discouerie of Gods children bicause that being very neere of kin to vs they desire our full and perfect glory and also bicause that day they themselues also shal be repaired and made immortall R. Why so P. Bicause the nature of thinges is subiect to vanitie and corruption not willingly for that is against their naturall liking but for his sake by whom they be so made subiect to decay For God is contented that they shall decâ—y to doo vs seruice withall howbeit in hope that they shall come muche more beautifull and lesse subiect to decay Else the desire of an euerlasting state vvere bred in them in vayne Therfore they themselues also shall be set free froÌ„ the thraldome of destruction and bee made likewise immortall and inioy like libertie in that they shall be from perishing when the glory of Gods children appeareth For we know how al things grone and mourne with vs vnto this day and shall doo till the day of iudgement Therefore we haue no cause to complayne R. Surely the state of the godly is miserable notwithstanding that all creatures be fellowes of their afflictions P. Nay verily the faithfull haue also euen the chiefe pillers of godlines to be their
vpper hande and that not by oure ovvne wit nor vppon truste of oure ovvne strength nor puffed vp vvith opinion of our ovvne vertue or deseruings but through him vvho of his ovvne meere goodnesse grace and fauour hath loued vs in his Christ R. These proofes of true faith do so moue my mynde that henceforth I wyll not set a strawe by the threatninges and scaringes of oure Emperours or too speake more ryghtly of oure tyrantes as whose power may shewe crueltie to the body but not plucke the mynde from fayth and the loue of God P. Novv to make an ende of thys treatise of iustification I am fully persvvaded that vve whiche are borne a nevv and greffed into Christe are neuer ouercome nother by death nor by lyfe nor by anye other thing that can happen to vs alyue or deade yea I am fully perswaded that nother Angels nor Principates nor potestates nor things present nor things to come nor highnes nor lowdnesse nor any other of all the things that are in nature is able to plucke vs from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesus our Lord and muche lesse that any tormentes of tyrantes be they neuer so cruell can dryue vs avvaye from the professing of Christ R. By thys youre discourse Paule I perceiue well not onely the loue that God beareth vs but also the constancie stedfastnesse and stablenesse thereof in somuch that I am sure it cannot by any meanes be brought too passe that God shoulde not loue vs in Christ Iesus as his members or that we shoulde not alwayes loue him againe How be it as I perceiue by the order which you haue set downe you haue hytherto treated of Christen ryghtuousnesse and you haue shewed playnely that nother the Gentyles can becomme cleere by keepinge of the lawe of nature nor the Iewes by the workes of the law written bycause none of both them performeth the cōmaundements of Gods will to the full which require to be kept to the vttermost tittle And therfore there is offered vs a most present remedy by the preaching of the Gospel namely that we may becomme rightuous by beleeuing in Christ being indued with his spirit giue our selues wholly to the dueties of obedience so as at length we may attaine euerlasting happines with Christ the head of all the faithfull But now remayneth the greatest hardenesse of this Epistle For if men be iustified by fayth and Christ belong but onely to the beleuers vndoubtedly then is the seed of Abraham cast of For as you your self see very few of Abrahams seed receiue Christs doctrine Wherupō it cōmeth to passe that some saye flatly that this Iesus of Nazareth is not the true Messias that was promised to the people of Israell and othersome affirme that he is the true Messias but that God abydeth not by his promises but reiecteth it at his pleasure Now for asmuch as none of both these thinges as I thinke is true I would fayne vnderstande the doubts of this treatise which you intitled of election or of the calling of the Gentyles P. As for the casting of or to speake more ryghtly the vnbeleefe of myne owne countreymen Cha. 9. I cannot speake of it vvithout greefe of mind For I say the truth in Christ vvithout lying and my conscience beareth me witnesse of it by the holy ghost Act. 9.1 1. Co. 15.7 that I am stricken vvith great greefe and continuall sorrovv of mynde to remember and beholde the blindnes and destruction of the Iewes For I coulde fynde in my harte to be a straunger vnto Christ for my brethrens sake vvhich are my kinsfolke as in respect of humane nature So gret so earnest and so vnfained loue doo I beare them For the Israelites come of Gods sholed and chosen people Ro. 2.18 Epi. 2. 12. to whom belong the adoption and couenaunts to whom the lavv seruice of God were giuen to vvhom the promises vvere giuen and finally of whose fathers Christ came as concerning his manhod For in that he is the coeternall and coessentiall sonne of God he is God to be praysed aboue all things for euer Amen He is the true Messias the verie Sauiour the very mediator betwene God and man euē in spyte of the powers of hell Therfore there is no cause why anye man should call it in question whether Iesus of Nazareth be the very same Messias that was promised to the children of Israell And wheras you say there are others that blame God of vnconstancy surely I am sory for it For that errour springeth of the not knowing of Gods determination vvhereby he did once decree in his ovvne mynde that none should be saued but the beleuers And wheras the Iewes surmise the saide promise to belong only to themselues they vtterly mistake their marke as they say Nother can their vnbeleefe blame god of vnconstancy Ro. 2. 16. as though hys woord had falne to the grounde For not all they which are borne of Israel by fleshly descent are true and chosen Israelites nother follovveth it that by cause they be Abrahams ofspring therefore they are all Abrahams true and natural children that is to say faithfull descended of the father of the faithfull But of Isaac sayth God to Abraham shall thy ofspring take their name Ge. 21.12 He. 11.25 whiche is all one as if he should say they shall not be called Abrahams children which shall come of thee by Ismael thy fleshly son But the children whiche are thine in deede and whiche shall be called the children of God are they that shall cōuey their pedegree from Isaac the son of the spirit rather than of the flesh To conclude at a vvoorde they be not the true Israetites vvhich are the children of Abrahams body Gal. 4.28 but they that are his childrē by promise are counted the children of Abraham and of God R. Truly this your saying of gods promise semeth new straūge to the Iewes P. Vndoubtedly their owne blyndnesse is the cause of this errour and not my true interpreting of thē which they diffame with nouelty for the prophesies sermōs of the prophets do cōtinually teach inforce this decre of the euerlasting god But least my coūtrimen may cōplaine of my sayings let vs loke narrowlyer vppon Gods sayinges The vvords of the promises are these Ge. 17.10 I wyll visit thee at this tyme sayth God vnto Abraham and Sara shall by my fauour haue a sonne notwithstanding that she be barren and both of you be stryken in yeares Therefore ye see that vnder this figure of Isaac Ismaell God did shadow and shevv aloofe his free chosing of all beleeuers whether they were Iewes or Gentyles that by that meanes he might make it knowen that he is the God of all men both Ievves and Gentyles Joh. 1.12 Joh. 3.15 and that he gathereth his chosen indifferently out of both peoples not by fleshly generation but by beleeefe of the promise and by acceptation R.
while in the meane time our own cōscience wauereth for the thing that is done against a mans owne cōscience cānot be dō without sin Therfore whē thou seest other men vse the libertye of the gospell cōsult with thine own faith before thou folow their exāple deale not with any thing which thou knowest not by the allowāce of thine own cōscience by the record of the holy Ghost to be throughly acceptable to God R. Now I see plainly how great daūger there is in setting out of christen liberty to the shew Chap. 15. when the foūdaciō of faith the feare of God is not layd afore frō whēce the seking of brotherly loue proceedeth But to say the truth Paule your coūtrymen do ouermuch hinder the course of the gospell in our church by holding fast the ordināces of the law and we thinke that suche weakelinges are not to be borne with all Heereupon spring braulinges stryfe and contentions among vs. P. But I thinke the contrary For we that are the stronger and stedfaster sort and are indued with a mightier faith must beare the infirmities of the weker sort charitably cary thē as you would say vppon our shoulders And we must not plese our selues but euery of vs must please other and serue his turne in all goodnesse and hs is bounde by the duetye of charitye to study for his edifying and instruction Whiche thing maye be gathered euen cheefly by Christes example who suffered all things to the intent to bring vnto his father not only the weaklings but also euen his cruellest enemies by ouercomming them with patience Therfore this mediator betwene God and man cockered not himself ne cared to please himselfe onlye but tooke vppon him all slaunder reproch Psa 69. and finally torment and infamie according to this saying which the Kingly prophet hath writtē of him the reuilings of them that reuyled thee are lyght vpon me R. Yea Thinke you that that saying of Dauids is a prophesie of the messias and that the Prophet incorageth vs too patience by his example P. Yea verely For whatsoeuer things are written in the books of our forefathers are written to oure learning that we myght haue hope through patience and comfort of the scriptures For in asmuch as they be the wordes of the holy Ghost we muste beleeue that they be not vnprofitable or vaine but that they make for our instruction R. It is straunge the we should alwaies be occupied in reading the holy scriptures and yet profite so little in these vertues For how many do know at this day that Gods giuing of strength to the stoute is not to the intent they should condemne the weake but to the intent they shuld help them Or who is he also which taketh so abundant comforte by reading the holy scriptures that he fainteth not in aduersity P. These vertues my brother depend not vpon the letters but vpon the spirit of gods word which lies hid in the letters vvhich if you haue not you shall euer stick stil in the bark of the letter And I pray god the author of patience cōfort to teach you by his spirit to graunt you to be al of one mind one towards another after the exāple of Iesus christ as his doctrine exāple require that you may by that meanes with one accorde one mouth glorifie god euē the father of our Lord Iesus christ Whose gentlenes I beseech you to follow in bearing one vvith another and to releeue the weake brethren like as Christ releeued vs bare with vs only to the end to glorifie his father and our glorious god I knowe you haue very many of my countrey men among you which are stil feble weak in the faith but you must haue a care of them after the example of Christ you must set before your eyes the footsteps of that heauenly master who notwithstanding that the Jewes were neuer so vnworthy did yet voutsafe thē such honor for the couenāts sake that was made vnto their fathers that he bare the roome euen of a seruant among them with incredible patiēce Now if the son of god estemed men so much then godlines requireth not only that you should not reiect thē or hold scorne of them but also that yee should be so kindled vvith the spirite of charitie as to receyue them to teache them and to further them more and more to the knovvledge of the libertie of the Gospell by your discrete dealyng For I am vvont too teache that Jesus Christ vvas a minister amonge the Circumcised too keepe the fathers credite in the things vvhiche he hadde promised to their forefathers Therefore Chryste perfourmed all thinges for Gods truthes sake and for the confirmation of his promises R. These things are true in dede howbeit their vnthankfulnes agaynst Gods so great goodnes is the cause that God hath shaken them off and taken vs to be his people P. In deede their sinnes are the cause of their shaking off but the receyuing of you dependeth vpon the incomprehensible goodnes of our most mercifull God And therfore you Romans must not become high minded but rather glorifie God for his mercy bestowed vpon you as you be taught in the holy Scriptures For ye see what the kingly Prophet hath said Ps 18.50 1. reg 21. Deu. 32. Ps 117.1 Therfore will I confesse thee among the Gentiles and sing vnto thy name And agayne he sayth Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people And agayne All nations prayse yee the Lord and all people prayse ye him together Also the prophet Esay confirming Gods eternall ordinance of the calling of the Gentiles saith thus Es 11.10 There shall be a roote of lesse and he whiche shall rise vp to reigne ouer the gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust Heerby you maye gather that your calling to the participation of the kingdome of heauen is not by reason of the sinnes of the Iewes and much lesse for your own deserts but bicause god of his goodnes wold haue it so Therfore like as he hath shewed his mercy towards vs so also on the other side it behoueth vs to be mercifull to others R. Would God that this lesson might take deepe roote among vs all P. And I also beseech god the author of hope and in whom the trust of all mē ought to be reposed to fill you with al spirituall ioy quietnesse of mind and peace of conscience in true fayth that by beleeuing you may abound in hope through the power of the holy ghost For there is none other way for men to attayne to these ornaments of christian godlines but by the meere benefite of god by the power of his spirite and by the working of fayth R. To the intent wee maye nowe at length make an ende of this our talke I can not maruell inough at this your so free maner of dealing with vs. For you are not ignoraunt how great the dignity and excellencie