had established the kingdome by his owne power therein he sinned against God Gen. 37 8. Also the sonnes of Iacob weighed with themselues that Ioseph was beloued of his parents that he had diuine dreames put into him by God this was a good thought for we must behold the works of God euen in others much more in our owne selues If they had rightlie vsed that cogitation they should haue giuen thanks to God but they turned it to enuie they deuised how to rid him awaie and to sell him Vndoubtedlie God who suggesteth these good things séeing he knoweth of the dooing of them he dooth not there let the occasions of euils he suffereth them to be doone for he is at hand with his prouidence and gouerneth them Wherefore by Pharao he would be glorified by Nabuchadnezar he would punish the Israelites by the brothers selling of Ioseph he would haue him to be honored with great benefits in Aegypt and to féed the houshold of Iacob 2. Sa. 16 10. Semei sawe Dauid to be cast foorth and the kingdome to be giuen vnto Absalom he said These be the iudgements of God That cogitation was good it fell into an euill mind he abused the same he spake contumeliouslie against Dauid he followed his owne wrath and reuenge 2. Sa. 16 20. Absalom hauing gotten the kingdome was put in mind that he should harken vnto the counsel of the wise that manie eies doo sée more than one eie The cogitation was good but it fell into an ill mind and he iudged that counsels so they be profitable though otherwise they be wicked and dishonest should be harkened vnto The first suggestion that was good he vsed naughtilie God suffered it he would not let it he ruled it that the sinne of Dauid might be punished and that the hatred of God towards sinne might be shewed Now I thinke that the matter is euident Whie God suggesteth those things which he knoweth that men will abuse 15 But it is demanded that Séeing God knoweth that wicked men will abuse these inward and outward motions although they be good wherefore dooth he suggest them The reasons of his owne counsels are knowen to himselfe but yet two reasons are set before vs. The first is that his iustice may appeare the more for to behold the iustice of God we are blind But by making cōparison it is knowen namelie by vnrighteousnes whereof in God there can be none séene but in diuels and corrupt men we sée it The second is that the boldnes of men may be restraind for manie would saie If God should put into our minds good cogitations we should haue a will and power to doo good things Behold good cogitations are giuen the which while they fall into a corrupt nature except it be restrained sinne through our owne fault dooth arise euen of things be they neuer so good of occasions I meane taken but not giuen And so I vnderstand the words Augustine which Augustine hath in his booke of Grace and Frée-will namelie that God dooth sometime incline our wils either vnto good or vnto euill bicause if the things which he suggesteth doo light vpon good men they are inclined vnto good but if they fall into ill men they are inclined vnto euill And so I vnderstand that which he writeth against Iulianus the fift booke and 3. chapter that God worketh not onlie in the bodies of men but also in their minds So likewise I vnderstand those things which Zuinglius of godlie memorie a learned and constant man Zuinglius did sometimes write that Men are otherwhiles by Gods prouidence prouoked to sinne and that one and the selfe-same action commeth both from God and from wicked men iustlie from him and vniustlie from them And thus I vnderstand those places of the scriptures Rom. 1 28. wherein it is said that God gaue them vp to a reprobate sense that He stirred them vp Of permission 16 Certeinlie a permission is there but some thing that is more ample is shewed by these effectuall spéeches And we grant that there is a permission for if God would resist these things should not be doone therefore he permitteth howbeit we must vnderstand that permission is a certeine kind of will In déed it is not the efficient will but yet it is a kind of will For as Augustine saith in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium Augustine God permitteth either willinglie or vnwillinglie doubtles vnwillinglie he dooth not for that should be with gréefe and there should be a power greater than himselfe if it be with his will he permitteth permission is a certeine kind of will But thou demandest that If he will it anie waie wherefore dooth he forbid it On the other part I would demand If he would it not at all how commeth it to passe that it is doone For the will of God is inuincible Paule saith Who can resist his will Rom. 9 19. God willeth and that which he willeth he willeth iustlie They which sinne doo will vniustlie that which they will That same Iulianus against whom Augustine disputeth held that there was a bare permission in those things to the intent we might vnderstand that God dooth nothing at all and he said that God dooth rather suffer and that this belongeth to his patience Augustine answereth Not onelie to his patience but also to his power bicause he ruleth sinne and thereof he worketh what he will And he alledgeth a place vnto the Romans If God Rom. 9 21. willing to shew his wrath and make his power manifest did suffer with great lenitie the vessels of wrath c. Héereby indéed we sée that he suffereth but that mention is also made of his power In the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter it is written 1. Pet. 4 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules vnto him So that he attributeth the afflictions of the Christians to the will of God But they cannot suffer vnlesse there be a dooer If he would the suffering he would the dooing for suffering procéedeth from a dooer This will is a permission but yet such as belongeth also vnto the will This did Augustine shew in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium the 100. chapter where he treateth vpon that place of the psalme Psal 111 2 Great are the works of God searched out vpon all the wils of them He followeth the Gréeke translation The hebrue text hath Vnto all the will of them He writeth that So farre as belonged to them he intreateth of sinners they did that which God would not This could they not by anie meanes bring to passe as touching his power for euen in this that they did against his will his will was wrought vpon them therefore great are the works of the Lord. He addeth that by a maruellous and vnspekeable means euen that which is doone against his will is not doone without his will for vnlesse he
vndoubtedlie good or euill as it sufficeth that they be named for they be foorthwith either chosen or refused such are felicitie infelicitie life death and whatsoeuer is of the like sort But there be certeine other more obscure or indifferent vpon which things men are woont to deliberate That God is to be worshipped all men confesse without anie doubting but after what maner and with what rites and ceremonies he must be worshipped therein is great doubt That it is profitable for men to be togither in cities and to mainteine fellowship all men doo knowe but by what lawes they must be ruled or what kind of Common-weale ought to be vsed In what things free will consisteth there men manie times doo doubt verie much In these and such other like things is frée will occupied Definition of free will 2 I define frée will after this sort Frée will is a facultie or power whereby we either take or refuse as we lust our selues those things which be iudged by reason But whether such a kind of power be in men or no or how it is in them cannot with one answer be defined First we must of necessitie distinguish the state and condition of man There be verelie found in man foure differences of state at the least In man are foure differences of state for the state of Adam when he was created in the beginning was farre differing from the state after his fall such as is now also the state of all his posteritie Moreouer they which be regenerated in Christ be in farre better state than they which liue without Christ for we shall become most happie and most frée when we haue put off this mortall bodie wherefore we will make answer vnto the proposed question Adam was free in his first state Three kinds of works in man according to these foure states We must beléeue that Adam in his first creation had frée will which thing before I shall declare thrée kinds of works that be in vs are to be noted Of the which some doo apperteine vnto nature as to be sicke to be in health to be nourished to digest our meate and such other like in the which things albeit the first man was a great deale more happie than we be at this present yet he was subiect vnto some necessitie for it behooued him both to eate to be nourished and to take meate Neuertheles he was frée from all calamities which might bring death There are other works also which after a ciuill or morall consideration be either iust or vniust The third kind is of those works which be liking and acceptable to God As concerning all these man was frée from the beginning for He was created vnto the image of God vnto whom nothing dooth better agrée Gen. 1 27. than true perfect libertie And of him it is thus written Psalm 8 6. God hath crowned him with glorie honor and againe When he was in honor Psal 49 13. he knew it not And what honour can there be where libertie wanteth Lastlie God made subiect vnto him all things which he had created Gen. 1 28. the which out of doubt he could not trulie and according to right reason haue gouerned if he himselfe had béene created a slaue vnto affections and lusts But in what sort that state was séeing there wanteth scripture to shew vs there can nothing be defined for certeintie Augustine in his booke De correptione gratia The grace that wee haue by Christ is preferred before Adams grace in paradise saith that The helpe of the grace of God was bestowed vpon Adam such an helpe it was as both he might forsake it when he would and therein might remaine if he would but not that it should be as he would And as touching this thing Augustine dareth preferre the grace which we enioie by Christ aboue that grace which Adam had in paradise for now by the grace of Christ not onelie we abide if we will Phil. 2 13. but also as Paule saith We haue both to will and to performe for the hart of beléeuers is changed so as of not willing they be made willing And this same To will was in the verie choise of the first man neither was it the grace of God that wrought this in him But why God gaue frée will vnto Adam in his first creation Augustine bringeth this reason in his second booke De libero arbitrio for that God had decréed to declare vnto him both his goodnes his iustice And he would haue declared towards him his goodnes if he had doone well which thing vndoubtedlie he could not haue doone if he had not béene frée Why God at the creation gaue free will But if so be he should behaue himselfe dishonestlie and naughtilie God was to vse towards him the seueritie of his iustice But he when he was frée fell miserablie And euen as Christ describeth the man comming downe from Ierusalem to Iericho Luk. 10 30 to haue fallen among théeues to be ill intreated of them so he to wit Adam not onlie hauing his garment taken awaie lost all his ornaments but also hauing receiued manie wounds was left for halfe dead and destitute of hope 3 Wherefore we saie as concerning this second state of man when we are strangers from Christ Little freedome remaineth to them that be not regenerate there is but a little fréedome remaining vnto vs for both we be subiect to the necessities of nature and are afflicted with diseases will we or no and last of all we are striken with death Howbeit there is some fréedome left as concerning woorks that be ciuill and morall What freedome is left to the not regenerate for these things are both subiect vnto our naturall knowledge and also they excéed not the powers of our will and yet in them also men haue experience of great difficultie bicause licentious lusts doo resist morall honestie Entisements and pleasures doo alwaies hurt our senses and these are set forward by wicked persuaders sathan also dooth continuallie vrge vs and driue vs forward For he enuieng mans commoditie and perceiuing that ciuill discipline by such kind of works is still retaind he coueteth by all meanes to ouerthrowe them But that mans power maie doo much in these ciuill matters at the leastwise in respect of iudgement manie good lawes set foorth by Lycurgus Solon Numa and by diuers other doo sufficientlie declare And Paule to the Romanes Rom. 2 3. Doost thou thinke saith he ô man that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God when thou doost the selfe same things that thou iudgest Moreouer in these things there be two points which must not be passed ouer God vseth the wils of men to his owne ends The first is that God vseth the will of man to those ends which he hath appointed The second is which dependeth also of the first that those euents followe not
said Rom. 5 20. that The lawe entred in that sinne should abound might séeme to make somewhat for the Manicheis As also that to the Galathians Gala. 3 19. that The lawe was giuen bicause of transgressions And that in the 7. chapter of the epistle to the Romans that Sinne through the commandement killeth Rom. 7 11. And that which is said in the second epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 3 7. that The lawe is the ministerie of death All these séeme to confirme the error of the Manicheis But there must a choise diligentlie be made of those things which of themselues belong to the lawe from those which followe it by reason of another thing and by accidentall means for sinne death damnation and other things of this sort doo spring out of the lawe by reason of the corruption of our nature But if thou compare not the lawe with our nature but consider the same by it selfe or if thou referre it to a sound and vncorrupt nature thou canst not otherwise pronounce of it than that which Paule saith Rom. 7 12. that It is spirituall holie good and that it was ordeined for life and that rather it must be said to declare than to worke sinne Wherefore A similitude if deformed men lieng hidden in the darke should saie vnto one which by chance bringeth a light Get thée awaie hence least thou make vs deformed by this thy light certeinlie we would not gather by their words that the power and nature of the light is such as it can make men deformed but this rather that those things which of themselues be deformed are by the light discouered and shewed what they be Euen so fareth it altogither with the lawe for after a sort it bringeth in light bringeth foorth to our knowledge the sinnes which before laie hidden Why men doo hate the lawe But some man will saie If the lawe be good and holie whie are men so discontented therewith and haue it in hatred Euen bicause it calleth men backe from those things wherevnto by nature they are inclined for it gréeueth them to be forbidden those things And when we looke in the lawe we sée the things which we ought to doo and by reason of the pride which is naturallie planted and ingraffed in vs we would not be restrained by anie rules Moreouer we perceiue that our actions be wrested from that vprightnesse which is set foorth in the lawe and that which is more gréeuous we féele our selues to be so weake that we cannot correct them and reuoke them to the rule prescribed But in the meane time we looke vpon the punishments and vpon the wrath of God which for sinne we doo incurre We be not angrie as it shuld be with our selues but with the lawe and with God All these things so offend our mind as we be angrie not with our selues and our sinnes as méet it were but with the lawe that is giuen by God whereas otherwise the same is most perfect and most holie Howbeit this discommoditie may be remedied and it may be brought to passe that that which before displeased may please vs afterward and this will come to passe if we ioine the lawe togither with Christ A similitude Exod. 15 25 For as the waters of Marath were most bitter to the children of Israel in the wildernes yet the verie same by casting in the wood which God had appointed were made swéete euen so although the lawe of it selfe be bitter yet if Christ whom God hath set foorth vnto vs to be an onelie sauior and the verie iust end of the lawe be added therevnto then shall we féele it to be swéet The which thing that it happened vnto Dauid verse 11. The praises of the lawe in the Psalms Iere. 31 33. it is manifestlie perceiued by the 19. Psal wherein the praises of Gods lawe are woonderfullie set foorth for it is called pleasant swéet aboue honie and the honie combe And this is it which is promised vs in the prophet that GOD would write a lawe in our harts which is nothing else than that he would giue vnto vs the spirit of Christ by whom we should be inclined to those things which the lawe hath commanded to be doone that at the least-wise the commandements of GOD may be pleasant vnto our harts Which thing the apostle also teacheth when he saith Rom. 7 25. I serue the lawe of God in my mind Wherof the regenerate haue experience who though they be not able to performe a perfect obedience vnto the commandements of God yet doo they loue them and excéedinglie desire them and imbrace them as the chiefe God and doo continuallie praie vnto God that they maie drawe most néere to the perfection of them By these things it appéereth how the commoditie and righteousnesse of the lawe is defended against the Manicheis 3 But on the other side The Pelagians iudge the lawe to be sufficient to saluation the Pelagians are no lesse to be shunned which attribute more vnto the lawe than is conuenient for they iudge the same to be sufficient vnto saluation and saie that men if they haue once vnderstood what is to be doone may be able by the verie strength of nature easilie to performe the same Wherefore Pelagius for feare least he should haue béen condemned by the bishops of Palestine as one which vtterlie denied the grace of God confessed the same grace in word for he affirmed that it is néedfull to haue the grace of God vnto saluation But by grace he ment no other thing By grace he ment nothing else but nature and the lawe but nature it selfe fréelie granted vnto vs by God insomuch as God hath made vs reasonable and indued vs with frée will Moreouer he called grace a lawe or a doctrine bicause of our selues we be ignorant what is to be doone or what to be beléeued vnlesse God doo reueale those things vnto vs. Wherevpon Augustine in his booke De gratia Christi against Caelestinus writeth that They affirme the possibilitie of nature to be holpen by grace But he addeth that If their meanings be examined and thoroughlie sifted we shall perceiue that by grace doctrine and lawe they meane nothing else but that a man hauing onelie receiued the knowledge of the lawe hath power enough of himselfe to doo the commandements Vnto which error the Schoole-diuines drawe verie néere when they teach that A man Wherein the schoolemen come neere to the Pelagians by the verie power of nature is able to kéepe the commandements of GOD as touching the substance of the worke although not according to the intent of him that commandeth By which words this they signifie that we be able to performe the verie works although not in such sort as GOD hath commanded them to be doone namelie in charitie and in the spirit which latter part I suppose they added that they might be séene in some
16 that he had chosen his disciples to go and to bring foorth fruit and that their fruit should remaine and yet togither therewithall He commandeth them to be of good comfort Luk. 10 20. for that their names were written in heauen There is therefore betwéene these elections a great difference and there is also betwéene them a great coniunction so that oftentimes the one is taken for the other So Paule by his woonderfull wisedome transferred vnto spirituall things those temporall things Rom. 9 10. Gen. 25 21. Mala 1 2. which séeme to be prophesied of Iacob Esau in Genesis and Malachie The reasons of them which saie that predestination should not be disputed of Prosperus Hilarius 2 Now as touching this latter election I sée there haue béene manie that haue iudged this disputation is not méet to be touched whose reasons Prosperus and Hilarius bishop of Orleans sometimes disciple vnto Augustine doo plainelie declare in the two epistles which are prefixed vnto the bookes of the predestination of saints which epistles were vpon this occasion written that when Augustine writing against the Pelagians touching the grace of Christ had oft in his books vrged manie things of predestination manie of the brethren in France and not of the meanest sort were sore troubled and woonderfullie offended For they affirmed that by this doctrine is taken awaie from such as are fallen an indeuour to rise againe and to such as stand is brought a slouthfulnes For that they iudged that diligence should be in vaine to either part when as by the predestination of God it was alreadie determined of them that they being reprobate could not be restored againe and that they being elect could by no meanes fall awaie and yet could not kéepe a constant and firme course for as much as they were vncerteine of their predestination Therefore séeing by this doctrine industrie is taken awaie and onelie a certeine fatall necessitie dooth remaine it is much better that this matter be left vnspoken of They adde moreouer that it is superfluous to dispute of that which cannot be comprehended For it is written Who hath knowne the mind of the Lord Esaie 4 13. Rom. 11 34. Or who hath beene his counseller So that their iudgements was that it should be taught that God of his goodnes would haue all men to be saued but in that all men are not saued it hereof commeth bicause all men will not be saued this saie they is a safe doctrine But on the other side this doctrine of predestination taketh awaie all the force and vse both of preachings and also of admonitions and corrections For if there be appointed a certeine number of the elect which can neither be diminished nor increased then shall preachers labour in vaine For if the determination of God be immooueable then shall there be an vnserchable confusion betwéene the elect and the reprobate so that none of this sort can go to the other nor none of these other passe ouer to them so in vaine and vnprofitable shall be all the labour and trauell of such as are teachers This doctrine also séemed vnto them new bicause the old fathers had written as touching this matter either nothing at all or verie little or else intreated of it after another sort And for as much as euen vnto Augustines time the church had without this doctrine defended the doctrins of faith against heretikes they also could euen then be content to want it for they affirme that such as teach this doo nothing else but call men backe to an vncerteintie of Gods will which is nothing else but to driue men vnto desperation All these things were obiected vnto Augustine which if they were true then should we rashlie and without aduisement take in hand the treatise of this matter But the reasons The reasons whereby Augustine defended his tretises and disputations of predestination with which Augustine defendeth himselfe may also mainteine our purpose wherefore those things which we intend in this place to speake of we will bréefelie gather out of two bookes of his the one wherof is intituled De bono perseuerantiae in which booke in the 14. 15. and 20. chapters he confuteth those obiections which we haue now made mention of the other is intituled De correptione gratia where in the 5. 14. 15. 16. chapters he intreateth of the selfe-same thing 3 First of all he maruelleth Paule doth oftentimes inculcate the doctrine of predestination Rom. 8 9 10 11. Ephe. 1. 2. Tim. 2 19. Acts. 13 48. Christ and the Acts of the apostles haue made mention of it Iohn 10 20. Mat. 20 16. Matt. 25 34. that those men should thinke that the doctrine of predestination should subuert the profit and commodities of preaching especiallie séeing Paule the teacher of the gentils and preacher of the whole world dooth in his epistles both oftentimes and also plainelie and purposelie vrge that doctrine as in the epistle vnto the Romans vnto the Ephesians and vnto Timothie yea and he saith that Luke also in the Acts of the apostles and Christ himselfe in his sermons maketh mention thereof For Christ saith Whom my father hath giuen me those can no man take out of my hand and that Manie are called and few are elected And in the last day he saith that He will answer vnto the godlie Come ye blessed of my father possesse yee the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world And Matt. 11 25. He giueth thanks vnto the father for that he had hidden those things from the wise men reueled them vnto babes bicause it was his pleasure so to doo In another place also Iohn 13 18. I knowe saith he whom I haue chosen Againe Ye haue not chosen me Iohn 15 16. but I haue chosen you And if Christ and the apostles haue in their sermons oftentimes made mention hereof This doctrine is not against the fruit of preaching no man saith he ought to doubt that this doctrine is against the fruit and commoditie of preaching He affirmeth also that It followeth not that although our will saluation and good works Saluation and good works depend of God and yet we must not cast awaie all care of liuing well Phil. 2 13. Philip. 1 6. depend of the will and appointment of God therefore we should cast awaie all our diligence endeuour and care For Paule when he had said that God worketh in vs both to will and to performe yet ceased not to giue good counsell And when he had written vnto the Philippians that God who had begun in them would accomplish the worke which he had begun that they might be blamelesse in the daie of the Lord in which words he attributeth vnto God both the beginning and successe of good works yet in the selfe-same epistle he woonderfullie exhorteth them vnto holines Christ also commanded his apostles to beléeue and yet on the
into the sonne of God To be regenerate To be indued with grace To liue well and last of all To come vnto glorie Wherefore we doo not saie that brute beasts are predestinate Brute beasts are not predestinate for they are not capable of this supernaturall end neither are angels now predestinate for they haue alredie atteined vnto their end But predestination hath a respect vnto things to come Whereas we said that prouidence perteines to all things that may thus be prooued Why the prouidence of God is said to be common to all things bicause nothing is hidden from God otherwise he should not be most wise And if he knowe all things either he gouerneth all those things or else he abiecteth the care of manie of them If he abiect the care of anie thing he therfore dooth it either bicause he cannot or bicause he will not take vpon him the care of those things If he cannot then is not he most mightie if he will not then is he not most good But to denie that God is most wise most mightie and most good were plainelie to denie him to be God So then it remaineth that Gods prouidence is ouer all things which the scriptures in infinite places most manifestlie testifie For they teach that the care of God extendeth euen vnto the leaues of trées euen vnto the heares of the head Matt. 6 28. Mat. 10 29. and 30. euen vnto sparowes Prouidence may thus by the waie be defined Prouidence is Gods appointed A definition of prouidence vnmooueable and perpetuall administration of all things When I speake of God I meane that he is indued with great authoritie and that he is mightie Administration signifieth The gouernment of God is not tyrannous that his gouernment is not tyrannous but quiet gentle fatherlie For tyrants violentlie oppresse their subiects and refer all things to their owne commoditie and lust But God violentlie presseth no man neither by this gouernment getteth anie commoditie vnto himselfe but onlie communicateth his goodnes vnto creatures And this administration extendeth vnto all things Administration extendeth to all things for there is nothing frée from it neither can indure without it It is called appointed bicause it is ioined with most excellent wisedome so that it admitteth no confusion It is vnmooueable bicause the knowledge of this gouernor is not deceiued neither can his power be made frustrate Prouidence is vnmoueable and why It is also perpetuall bicause God him selfe is present with the things for neither did he when he had created things leaue them vnto themselues naie rather he himselfe is in them and perpetuallie moueth them For in him we liue Acts. 17 28. we mooue and haue our being And thus much of prouidence Vnto these things fate is also like which word if as we haue before said it be taken for a certeine ineuitable necessitie which depends of the power of stars the fathers haue not without iust cause absteined But if it signifie nothing else but a certeine connexion of second causes which is not carried rashlie or by chance but is gouerned by the prouidence of God and may at his will be changed I sée no cause why the thing it selfe should be of anie man reiected Howbeit bicause there is danger that error might sometimes créepe in Augustine thinketh best that we vtterlie refraine from that word We ought also to remember that the loue Loue election and predestination how they are ioined togither election and predestination of God are so ordered in themselues that they followe one another in a certeine course First to the knowledge of God are offered all men not being in happie estate yea rather being néedie and miserable whome God of his pure and singular mercie loueth those he careth for and putteth apart from other whome he ouerpasseth and embraceth not with his beneuolence and they by this separation are said to be elected and those so elected are appointed to an end 11 Augustine in his booke De praedestinatione sanctorum How Augustine defineth predestination the twelfe chapter thus defineth predestination that It is a preparation of grace And in the twelfe chapter he saith that The same is a foreknowledge and a preparation of the gifts of God whereby they are certeinlie deliuered which are deliuered but the rest are left in the masse or lumpe of perdition In another place he called it The purpose of mercie The maister of the sentences in the first booke distinction 40 defineth it to be a preparation of grace in this world and of glorie in the world to come These definitions I reiect not howbeit bicause they comprehend not the whole matter I will as nigh as I can bring another definition more full I saie therefore A more full definition of predestination that predestination is the most wise purpose of God whereby he hath from the beginning constantlie decréed to call all those whome he hath loued in Christ to the adoption of his children to iustification by faith and at the length to glorie through good works that they may be made like vnto the image of the son of God and that in them may be declared the glorie and mercie of the creator This definition as I thinke comprehendeth all things that perteine to the nature of predestination and all the parts thereof may be prooued by the holie scriptures Purpose is common to reprobation and predestination First we take purpose for the generall word for that word is common both to predestination and reprobation Ephes 1 5. Rom. 9 11. Paule vnto the Ephesians saith that We are predestinate according to the purpose of God And in the epistle to the Romanes he saith that The purpose might abide according to election But what this purpose is we vnderstand by the first chapter vnto the Ephesians For there it is thus written that God hath predestinate vs according to his good pleasure By these words it is manifest The purpose of God is his good pleasure Purpose perteineth to the will that that is called his good pleasure which Paule afterward called purpose And that this purpose perteineth vnto the will those things which afterward followe doo declare By whose power saith he God worketh all things according to the counsell of his will The mightie will of God But by this will wée ought to vnderstand that will which is effectuall which they call consequent whereby is brought to passe that the predestination of God is not frustrate This purpose we call most wise bicause God doth nothing rashlie or by chance but all things with most great wisdome Therefore the Apostle ioined predestination togither with fore-knowledge saieng Rom. 8 28. Whome he hath foreknowne those hath he predestinate The purpose of God from the beginning This is therefore added Predestination is no new thing bicause predestination is no new thing neither such as manie faine that goeth not before things
Simon would receiue it and earnestlie repent But this subtill shift nothing helpeth them Repentance is the gift of God 2. Timot. 2. 25 and 26. for as the apostle teacheth vs vnto Timothie Euen repentance also is the gift of God For he admonisheth a bishop to hold fast sound doctrine to reprooue them that resist if peraduenture God giue vnto them to repent Whereby is concluded that it lieth not in the hands of all men to returne into the waie vnles it be giuen them of God Moreouer Mat. 12 31. some sinne against the holie ghost Who are not pardoned neither in this world nor in the world to come So as it is manifest that vnto these men grace is no more offered nor common Acts. 16 14. And in the Acts of the Apostles God is said to haue opened the heart of the woman that sold silkes to giue heed vnto those things which Paule spake which is spoken as a certeine thing peculiarlie giuen to that woman And this place maketh that plaine which is written in the Apocalypse Apoc. 3 20. Behold I stand at the doore knocke if anie man open vnto me c. For we are said to open in as much as God worketh that in vs for he maketh vs to open it is he which giueth vnto vs to worke our saluation Phili. 2 12. as it is said vnto the Philippians And in the Gospell it is manie times written that Manie are called Matt. 20 16 and 22 14. but few are chosen Paule also declareth the libertie of the spirit in distributing his gifts when he saith vnto the Corinthians 1. Cor. 12 11 that One and the selfe-same spirit distributeth vnto all men as pleaseth him Which sentence although it be meant of graces frée gifts as they terme them yet maie it no lesse be transferred vnto the grace whereby we are renewed vnto saluation séeing God is alike frée in the one and the other 40 Lastlie whilest these men thus make grace common vnto all men Grace is not to be put as nature they conuert it into nature which in no wise agréeth with the doctrine of the holie scriptures And how much they are deceiued hereby it maie easilie bée prooued for that they séeke of these things to inferre that it lieth in euerie mans power to receiue grace when it is offered vnto them Which in no case agréeth with the holie scriptures 2. Cor. 3 5. for Paule saith that We are not able to thinke anie thing of our selues and that all our sufficiencie is of God And vnto the Philippians he writeth Phil. 2 13. that God worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will And vnto the Corinthians when hée had said that he had labored much 1. Co. 15 10 he added Not I but the grace of God which is in me To the Romans he writeth It is not in our power to receiue grace offered Rom. 9 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercie Which could not be true if it lie in our will to receiue grace when it is offered Touching which place Augustine to Simplicianus in his first booke and second question saith that The meaning of those words is not as though it were sufficient for vs to will vnlesse God aid vs with his grace for by that meanes he might contrariwise haue said It is not of God that hath mercie but of man that willeth But the sense is as it is written vnto the Philippians Phil. 2 13. that It is God which worketh in vs to will and to performe and it is true that we in vaine will vnles God haue mercie help But who will saie that God in vaine hath mercie if we will not In Ezechiel the prophet it is said that God himselfe would change our harts Ezec. 11 49 in steed of stonie harts giue vs fleshie harts And Dauid in the psalme singeth Incline my hart Psal 116 36 ô God vnto thy testimonies to declare that it perteineth vnto God to bow our wils Which he in another place ment when he said Psal 51 10. A cleane hart create in me ô God And in the booke of Wisdome it is written that No man can haue a chast hart but he vnto whom God shall giue it And Christ most manifestlie taught Mat. 7 18. that An euill tree cannot bring forth good fruits Wherefore so long as men are not regenerate they cannot bring foorth so good fruit that they shuld assent vnto grace when it knocketh So that first it is necessarie that they be changed from the same and that of euill plants they bée made good As in the generation of the flesh A similitude no man which is procreated helpeth anie thing thereto euen so is it in regeneration for that there also we are borne againe through Christ and in Christ Moreouer if we should giue place vnto the opinion of these men all boasting should not be excluded for euerie man might boast of that his owne act whereby hée receiued grace when it was offered Furthermore séeing that this apprehension according to our mind is doone by faith but as they thinke by charitie what will they doo Will they denie that faith and charitie are the gifts of God Augustine also reasoneth that As in Christ the diuine nature tooke humane nature fréelie not waiting for the consent thereof so they which are iustified are not iustified by their owne will or assent The same father also noteth that Eternall life is in the scriptures sometimes called by the name of a reward for that good works go before it Grace and righteousnes are neuer called a reward But grace saith he and righteousnesse are neuer in the holie scriptures called by the name of a reward for that before it goeth no good worke acceptable vnto God And vnto the Romanes Paule writeth I knowe that in me Rom. 7 18. that is in my flesh dwelleth no good where by flesh he vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is in a man not yet regenerate How flesh is vnderstood in the holie scriptures And dare they notwithstanding attribute vnto man being yet in the flesh that is not yet regenerate so much good that he is able to applie saluation vnto him selfe And vnto the Corinthians What hast thou saith he which thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4. 7. And if thou hast receiued why boastest thou as though thou hadst not receiued Neither will we suffer these men to runne vnto creation for héere we speake not of the soule or of the powers thereof that is of will or vnderstanding which we had of God by creation but of that action or worke which these men séeke to picke out of frée will to the receiuing of grace And forsomuch as they saie that they haue this of themselues they manifestlie speake against the apostle For the Corinthians might haue
and another that maketh men acceptable For all grace must be fréelie giuen for otherwise as Paule saith Grace should be no grace And whereas by grace that maketh acceptable they meane as I haue taught an habit We are not by gifts and habits made acceptable vnto God but by his meere grace and mercie they iudge wickedlie in affirming that men are by such gifts made acceptable vnto God for with him we are receiued into grace by his onelie mercie and for Christ his sake And it is not méet to attribute that vnto other creatures which belongeth vnto Christ and vnto the goodnes of God onelie Besides this we are first acceptable vnto God by his owne frée election before that anie such gifts be granted vnto vs. I grant indéed that there be manie frée gifts There be manie free gifts by which the godlie cannot be discerned from the wicked by which the godlie cannot be discerned from the vngodlie such are the gifts of toongs prophesieng the gifts of healing and other such like which things doo no lesse happen vnto the euill than vnto the good On the other side faith hope and charitie belong onelie to the saints Also naturall gifts as pregnancie of wit strength of bodie and such like are sometimes called graces Naturall gifts are somtime called graces What grace the Pelagians ment And on this wise the Pelagians crâ—ftilie confessed that to lead a good life men had néed of grace but by grace they ment frée will reason will We denie not but that these things are fréelie granted by God howbeit we denie them to be graces which happen vnto the elect through the redemption of Christ And when the church had confuted the error of Pelagius it spake not of this kind of grace but of that grace wherewith we be regenerated and iustified without the which no man is accepted of God or can liue well Sometime the will of man is compared with a horsse A comparison and grace with him that sitteth therevpon which comparison in respect of manie properties I mislike not but this must speciallie be considered that in what sort soeuer we vnderstand grace we must alwaies assure our selues that the same is giuen fréelie and not through works Neither dooth it by anie meanes make a man acceptable but so far foorth as it is taken for the good will of God And thus much haue wée spoken concerning grace How grace and works are vnto eternall life 15 Now let vs especiallie consider in what sort grace and works are as touching eternall life And so much as may be gathered In Rom. 6 at the end either out of the holie scriptures or out of those things which Augustine hath left in writing as touching that matter we will plainlie declare so that it shall be made manifest how much our aduersaries disagrée from vs in this point As touching the first if by grace we vnderstand the fauour and mercie of God then is it the onelie cause through Iesus Christ why we obteine eternall life For our works can by no meanes be the causes of our felicitie howbeit they are certeine meanes whereby God bringeth vs vnto felicitie The difference betweene the cause and the means As the waie is not the cause of the end thereof nor the running place the cause of the gole or marke and yet by them men are led both vnto the end of the waie and vnto the marke so God by good works bringeth vs vnto eternall life when as yet the onelie cause thereof is the election of God as Paule most manifestlie teacheth in his epistle to the Romans Against merit Rom. 8 30. Whom he hath predestinated saith he those also hath he called whom he hath called those also hath he iustified and whom he hath iustified those also hath he glorified This declareth that all these things doo so come from the grace of God that they consequentlie followe the one the other and God which giueth the one will also fréelie and liberallie giue the other Wherefore the whole respect of merit ought to be vtterlie taken awaie All respect of merit must be taken awaie for that which properlie meriteth anie thing must of necessitie haue in it a frée offering neither ought it to be due for anie other cause Wherefore forsomuch as we owe of dutie vnto God all things that we haue vndoubtedlie whatsoeuer we doo it can merit nothing Moreouer those things whereby we will merit anie thing ought to be our owne but good works are not our owne but are of God Besides this also all imperfection and vncleanesse must of necessitie be remooued awaie otherwise our works are defiled neither can they be leuelled to the rule which is prescribed by God Wherefore we ought rather to craue pardon than once to thinke vpon price or reward Further betwéene merit and reward there ought to be some proportion There can be no proportion betweene ouer works and eternal life but there can be no proportion betwéene our works and eternall felicitie wherefore they cannot properlie be called merits Moreouer God would that there should be taken from vs all matter of glorieng which thing were not possible if by our works we should deserue eternall life And forsomuch as Paule describeth eternall life Rom. 6 23. by the name of grace vndoubtedlie it cannot be of works Let this suffice as touching the first 16 Now will I bréefelie declare what Augustine hath written as touching this place In his Enchiridion to Laurence the 107. chapter A stipend saith he is paid in warfare as a debt and not giuen as a gift Rom. 6 23 therefore Paule saith The stipend of sinne is death to declare that death is rendred vnto sinne not without desert but as due but grace vnlesse it be frée it is not grace When eternall life is giuen after works it is grace for grace Augustine Iohn 1 16. Wherefore as touching the good works of man forsomuch as they are the gifts of God vnto which eternall life is rendred grace is recompensed for grace The same Augustine in his booke De gratia libero arbitrio the 9. chapter In the Gospell of Iohn saith he it is written that We all haue receiued of his fulnes and grace for grace Rom. 12 3. euery man as God hath diuided vnto him the measure of faith For euerie man hath receiued a proper gift from God one thus and another thus Wherefore when eternall life is rendred grace is rendred for grace But so is it not of death bicause that is rendred as due vnto the warfare of the diuell Therefore wheras the apostle might haue said that rightlie The stipend of righteousnes is eternal life he would rather saie Why the apostle would not saie The stipend of righteousnes is eternall life verse 4. But the grace of God is eternall life that therby we might vnderstand that God bringeth vs vnto eternall life not for our owne
righteousnesse he vnderstood the works of men regenerated forsomuch as with those works the merits of Christ are ioined for so it might be true that eternall life is the stipend of such a righteousnes Origin Further Origin goeth on and sheweth that Men are so iustified fréelie that good works are not required to go before For expounding this sentence Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen Psal 32 1. The soule saith he whose sinnes are forgiuen must néeds now be in good state for it is called blessed Wherefore it hath the righteousnes which God imputeth vnto it although it haue not yet doone anie works of righteousnes but onelie for that it hath beléeued in him which iustifieth the vngodlie Out of these words we gather manie things first that God for works sake is not made debtor vnto anie man secondlie that not onelie iustification but also eternall life is giuen fréelie lastlie that righteousnes is imputed vnto the minds of them that beléeue although no good works went before in them Basilius Basil verse 7. vpon these words of the .116 Psalme Turne thou vnto thy rest ô my soule for the Lord hath rewarded thee For saith he eternall rest is set foorth vnto them which in this life haue wrestled lawfullie which yet is not rendred according to the merits of works but is giuen according to the grace of the most liberall God vnto them which haue hoped in him Seeing these things are spoken of the works of men alreadie iustified as touching eternall felicitie then are they to be counted much more true if they be referred vnto the works of them which are yet strangers from Christ Wherefore euen as those doo not merit an eternall reward no more can these merit iustification for both these things are giuen fréelie 41 Augustine in his booke De dogmatibus ecclesiasticis the .48 chapter Augustine Gala. 2 21. If by the lawe saith he commeth righteousnes then died Christ in vaine so also maie we saie If by nature come righteousnes Christ died in vaine This spake he against the Pelagians who affirmed that The libertie of man was so great that by nature onelie it could doo things acceptable vnto God And Augustine warelie transferreth that vnto nature which Paule spake of the lawe Augustine transferreth vnto nature that which Paule spake of the lawe concerning iustification and sheweth that the selfe-same absurditie followeth both the one and other namelie that the death of Christ is made in vaine For in verie déede there is no cause why the lawe bringeth not righteousnes but onelie bicause nature is corrupt and weake wherefore that which is spoken of the one maie rightlie agrée with the other the same Augustine vpon the first chapter of Iohn expounding these words Iohn 1 16. Grace for grace What is grace saith he He answereth Euen that which is fréelie giuen What is grace fréelie giuen That which is not rendred saith he as due for if it were due vnto thée then it is a reward rendred if it were due thou wast good before And also in his booke De praedestinatione sanctorum the seuenth chapter Let no man extoll himselfe as it is customablie said Therfore deserued he to beléeue because he was a good man and that before he beléeued which thing séemeth to be written of Cornelius sith that he had faith when he did good works These words are so plaine that they haue no néed of declaration Chrysost Chrysostome in his second homilie vpon the first epistle vnto the Corinthians Where grace saith he is there are no works and where works are there is no grace wherefore if it be grace why are ye proud By what reason are ye puffed vp Chrysostome according to the maner of Paule dooth so oppose grace against works that the one excludeth the other so farre it is off that he will haue grace to be giuen for works Ierome vpon the epistle to Philemon It is grace saith he whereby ye are saued that by no merits or works The same Ierome vpon the epistle vnto the Ephesians expounding these words By grace ye are made safe through faith Ephe. 2 8. and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God Paule saith he therefore spake this least that some secret thought should créepe in vnto vs if by our works we be not saued yet vndoubtedlie by faith we are saued so that in another kind it is our owne as it were commeth of our selues that we are saued All these testimonies sufficientlie declare that iustification is giuen fréelie neither can it be gotten by anie merits or works going before Now resteth to declare out of the Fathers how good works are to be estéemed Vndoubtedlie they followe iustification as the fruites thereof which spring and bud foorth out of a true faith Wherefore Origin saith in the same place which we before cited expounding these words vnto the Romans Rom. 8 4. But vnto him that worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt Wherefore saith he the root of righteousnes commeth not out of works but works growe out of the root of righteousnes Which self-same thing Augustine affirmeth vnto Honoratus saieng From hence spring good works because we are iustified and not bicause good works went before therefore are we iustified And in his first booke and second question Ad Simplicianum Yea and works saith he if there be anie that be good doo followe that grace as it is said and go not before it And therefore he addeth If there be anie good bicause euen the works of the regenerate haue in them much imperfection and vnlesse the righteousnes of Christ which is imputed vnto the beléeuers were ioined with those works certeinlie they should not be good The same father in his .26 chapter De spiritu litera at large handleth that place to the Romans Not the hearers of the lawe shal be iustified Rom. 2 13. but the dooers and by manie reasons he prooueth that good works followe iustification and go not before To this also tendeth that which Basilius writeth in his second booke De spiritu sancto the .7 chapter out of the words of the Lord Matt 7 17. Luk. 6 43. that First it behoueth that the tree be good and then his fruits to be good and that the Pharisies were to be reprooued which in their dishes and cups made cleane that which was without Matt. 23 27. Make ye cleane saith he that which is within and that which is without will be cleane otherwise ye shal be compared vnto painted sepulchres which in deed without seeme beautifull but within are vncleane and full of dead mens bones 42 Now let vs come to the Councels What Councel◠are to be harkned vnto which neuertheles must be heard with choise iudgement We ought to receiue and reuerence those councels onlie which haue framed their doctrine to the rule of the holie scriptures
Gospell of Luke he saith that Peter wept not Luke 22 61. vntill the Lord had looked backe vpon him and he addeth that the Lord brought foorth in him both repentance and the power to wéepe 81 But Augustine Augustine when he intreateth of this matter séemeth to be in his owne field so that to hunt in him for testimonies touching this controuersie is as the common saieng is to séeke water in the sea Howbeit it shall not be from our purpose to picke somewhat out of him also In the sermon of the Lord vpon the mount touching the words of the gospel in Matthew in his 7. sermon towards the end If thou presume of thine owne worke a reward saith he is rendered vnto thée and not grace giuen thée I demand now Beléeuest thou O sinner I beléeue What Beléeuest thou that thy sinnes may be by him fréelie forgiuen thée Then hast thou that which thou beléeuest In his preface vpon the 31. psalme Thou hast done no good and yet remission of sinnes is giuen thée Thy works are considered and they are all found naught If God should render vnto those works that which is due doubtles he should condemne thée And in his booke De spiritu litera the 12. chap. We gather that a man is not iustified by the rules of good life but by the faith of Iesus Christ And in his booke against the two epistles of the Pelagians in his 3. booke 5. chapter Our faith saith he that is the catholike faith discerneth the iust from the vniust not by the lawe of works but euen by the lawe of faith And Augustine and Alipius in the 106. epistle Righteousnesse is of faith whereby we beléeue that we are iustified that is that we are made iust by the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. The same father against Pelagius and Coelestinus in his 1. booke Note diligentlie what grace we ought to confesse 10. chapter It is not inough saith he to confesse what grace thou wilt but that grace whereby we are persuaded whereby we are drawen and whereby that which is good it selfe is giuen vs. This maketh plainlie against them which appoint I wot not what generall grace and will haue it to lie in euerie mans power either to admit or to refuse the same But this grace whereby we are so persuaded is nothing els but faith which faith in déed is necessarie to iustifie But those works which are done before we be iustified doo nothing auaile for the same Augustine Works which seme good are turned into sinnes against the second epistle of the Pelagians the 3. booke 5. chapter Euen as works saith he which séeme good are vnto the vngodlie turned into sinnes c. And in his booke De spiritu litera the 28. chapter Euen as saith he there are certeine veniall sinnes without which the verie iust man cannot liue and yet they hinder vs not from saluation so are there certeine good works without which euen the most wicked men can verie hardlie liue which works yet nothing profit them vnto saluation And that we should not thinke that this faith wherby we are iustified is a thing common and straieng at pleasure he addeth afterward in the 3. chapter An answer why one man is persuaded and another is not Rom. 11 33 Rom. 9 14. Why is this man so instructed that he is vtterlie persuaded and another not so There are onlie two things which I thinke good to answer O the depth of the riches c Also What Is there iniquitie with God He that is displeased with this answer let him séeke saith he men better learned but let him beware of presumptuous persons If we should giue credit to our aduersaries this had béene a verie rude and blind doubt for they would straitwaie haue answered at one word that the one was persuaded bicause he would and the other was not persuaded bicause he would not But Augustine considering the matter more déeplie namelie that It is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe Phil. 2 13. according to his good will and perceiuing that Paule himselfe being ouercome with the admiration of this thing made such exclamation thought it most méet rather to refer the whole matter vnto God who distributeth vnto euerie man that which séemeth to him good and that without doubt iustlie although we sée not the reasons of his iustice yea neither is it méet for vs to search them out vnlesse we will haue that to happen vnto vs which commonlie happeneth vnto a certeine kind of flies which being allured by the light of the candle A similitude and flieng too nigh vnto it are oftentimes burnt with the flame thereof The grace which the Pelagians feined to be set foorth to all the saints was no other but nature The same Augustine De praedestinatione sanctorum in his fift chapter reprooueth Pelagius for that he had feigned that common grace vnto all the saints which he would haue to be nothing else but nature The verie which thing our aduersaries also at this daie doo when as they crie out that that grace is set foorth as it were openlie vnto all men and that it lieth in euerie mans power to receiue it if so be that he will The same author Ad Vitalem Grace is giuen vnto some and not giuen vnto other some in his 207. epistle Vnto them saith he whose cause is like to theirs vnto whom grace is giuen yet to them it is not giuen that they vnto whom it is giuen may vnderstand how fréelie it was giuen to them And in the selfe-same place he plainlie declareth that it is God which of vnwilling maketh vs willing and taketh awaie our stonie hart and giueth vs a fleshie hart This manfestlie declareth that it is faith whereby we are iustified and that God distributeth it according to his good will The same father De dogmatibus ecclesiasticis in the fourth chapter for that booke whosoeuer was the author therof beareth the name of Augustine To be purged from sinnes saith he God tarieth not for our will And in the 44. chapter The holie Ghost maketh vs to choose thinke and consent vnto euerie good thing perteining vnto saluation And in his 13. booke and 17. chapter De trinitate The word of the sonne of God saith he tooke vpon him the nature of man without anie maner of merit after the self-same maner also is the grace of God giuen vnto vs. This comparison is taken of the greater for if that man which was made the son of God obteined it without anie merit much more are we without anie merit either of congruitie or of woorthines receiued into adoption The same Augustine to Simplicianus in the first booke and second question Who saith he can liue vprightlie worke iustlie except he be iustified by faith Who can beléeue except he be toucht by some calling that is by some
Onelie is thought of vs a word most méet to confute the errors of those which would haue iustification to come of works Moreouer Gardiner bishop of Winchester Gardiner counted this our proposition to be absurd and against it amongst other arguments he vsed this the which to me doubtlesse is verie strange that it is so greatlie estéemed of some of his parasites The righteousnes saith he that is giuen vs of God whereby we are iustified perteineth to all the faculties and powers of the mind or rather to the whole man Therefore we are not iustified by faith onelie for that perteineth onelie vnto the higher part of the soule Here gentle reader that thou be not deceiued lieth hidden a double fallacie or deceit For first grant that that righteousnes which is giuen vnto vs perteineth vnto the whole man and vnto all the powers and faculties of the mind shall it therfore followe that that righteousnes which is offered of God is not apprehended by faith onelie Vndoubtedlie the meate which we eate A similitude is distributed into all the members and into the whole bodie and yet it is receiued with the mouth onlie and not with the whole bodie Further the disputation is not about anie righteousnes which is fastened and sticketh in vs which in verie déed is dispersed in the whole man but about iustification The righteousnes whereby we are iustified is in God not in vs. which is the forgiuenes of sinnes But this righteousnes hath no place nor seate in our minds but in GOD alone by whose will onelie our sinnes are forgiuen vs. 90 But now forsomuch as this article hath béene sufficientlie defended against the cauillations of importunate men we will omit this and bréeflie declare that the ancient fathers did not mislike of this word Onelie the which our aduersaries so greatlie shun Origin Origin vpon the epistle vnto the Romans vpon these words Thy glorieng is excluded By what lawe Rom 3 27. By the lawe of deeds No but by the lawe of faith For we suppose that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the lawe The iustification saith he of faith onelie is sufficient that a man onelie beléeuing should be iustified although he haue doone no good worke at all And for example he bringeth foorth that théefe Luke 22 43. which was crucified togither with Christ and that woman vnto whom Christ answered Matth. 9 22. Thy faith hath made thee saie Afterward he obiecteth vnto himselfe that a man hearing these same things might be made secure contemne good works But he answereth that he which after iustification liueth not vprightlie casteth awaie the grace of iustification for no man saith he receiueth forgiuenes of sinnes to vse licence to sinne for pardon is giuen not of faults to come but of sinnes past Than which sentence nothing can be said more conformable vnto our doctrine Cyprian to Quirinus Cyprian in his 42. chapter Faith saith he onelie profiteth and looke how much we beléeue so much are we able to doo Basilius Basilius in his sermon De humilitate writeth that A man is iustified by faith onelie Hilarius also vpon Matthew Hilarie Ambrose the .8 chapter Faith saith he onelie iustifieth Ambrose vpon the .5 chapter vnto the Romans vpon these words Being iustified freelie Bicause saith he they working nothing nor rendring turne for turne are by faith onelie iustified by the gift of GOD. The same author vpon these words According to the purpose of the grace of God So Paule saith he saith It was decreed of God that the lawe ceasing onelie faith should be required vnto saluation And straitwaie after God hath ordeined that men should by faith onelie without labour and anie obseruation be iustified before God The same father vpon the first chapter of the second epistle vnto the Corinthians It is appointed saith he by God that he which beléeueth in Christ shall be saued without works by faith onelie And he hath the like sentences in his booke De vocatione gentium Chrysost Out of Chrysostome I could bring a great manie places to confirme this sentence but of them I will picke out onelie a few Vpon the third chapter vnto the Romans vpon these words Rom. 3 27. Thy glorie is excluded In this saith he is set foorth the might and power of God in that he hath saued iustified and wrought our reioising by faith onelie without works And at the beginning of the fourth chapter That a man being destitute of works should be iustified by faith peraduenture it maie appeare to be well but that a man being adorned with vertues and good works is not for all that iustified by them but by faith onelie this assuredlie is woonderfull Hereby our aduersaries maie vnderstand that although faith haue as companions hope charitie and other good works which cannot be doubted of but that they were in Abraham yet they doo serue nothing to the comprehending of righteousnes And on the 10. chapter Rom. 10 3. vpon these words They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to establish their owne righteousnes were not subiect to the righteousnes of God He calleth saith he the righteousnes of God that righteousnes which is of faith bicause we without labour are by faith onelie iustified through the gift of GOD. Of Augustine I will speake nothing for he is full of this matter against the Pelagians and euerie man maie easilie by his writings confirme it Hesychius vpon Leuiticus Hesychius in his first booke and second chapter Grace saith he is apprehended by faith onelie not by works The verie which thing he in a maner hath in his 4. booke and 14. chapter Theophilactus Theophil vpon the third chapter vnto the Galathians expounding these words Bicause by the lawe Gala. 2 16 no man is iustified before God Now saith he Paule plainlie declareth that faith euen alone hath in it the power to iustifie Phocius Phocius vpon the fift chapter vnto the Romans Iustification saith he consisteth of faith onelie Acacius in Oecumenius Acacius vpon the first chapter vnto the Romans He hath onelie saith he by faith raised vp and quickened vs being mortified by sinnes Barnard Barnard in his 22. sermon vpon the Canticles By faith onelie saith he he that is iustified shall haue peace And in the selfe-same sermon That wanteth saith he of grace whatsoeuer thou ascribest vnto merits Grace maketh me iustified fréelie Whome these things suffice not let them read Gennadius vpon the fift chapter vnto the Romans Cyrillus in his ninth booke third chapter vpon Iohn Theodoretus vpon the fift chapter to the Romans Didymus vpon the second chapter of Iames Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall historie the third booke and 27. chapter Cyprian or whatsoeuer he were in his exposition of the articles of our faith Lyranus vpon the third to the Galathians The ordinarie Glose vpon the epistle vnto
beléeue that the ascension happened vpon a thursdaie We must not attribute ouermuch to traditions Wherefore let the Papists take héed how much credit they would haue to be giuen vnto their traditions for there be manie of them which the Papists them selues cannot denie but that they be ridiculous and vaine I knowe in déed that there be traditions which are necessarilie gathered out of the holie scriptures and for that cause they ought not to be abrogated But other traditions which be indifferent must not be augmented in number lest the church shuld be oppressed neither must they be thought so necessarie as though they may not be abolished And we must beware that the seruice of God be not thought to rest in them But as for those which are against the word of God they must not in anie wise be admitted In the distinction 76. in the first chapter Why the ember daies were inuented are added the ember daies or the foure quarterlie fasts The cause whie these haue béene distributed on this sort can hardlie be perceiued They cite Ierom vpon Zacharie who maketh mention of the fourth moneth the fift the seuenth and the tenth And they séeme to be mooued of a naughtie zeale to distribute these fasts into foure parts of the yéere And the fasts which the Iewes receiued euerie yéere for the calamities which they had suffered those also haue our men made yéerelie fasts But others haue inuented an other cause namelie bicause in those foure times of the yéere bishops are woont to promote Clerks vnto the ministerie and orders wherefore they saie that the people ought then most of all to fast and praie that God would grant them good pastors Fasting and praiers should be vsed at the time of ordering of ministers But I would demand of the bishops whie they ordeine ministers onlie at these foure times of the yéere Vndoubtedlie they can not shew anie certeine and iust cause whie 14 Augustine in his booke De haeresibus saith Augustine that Arrius contemned oblations for the dead Arrius the heretike and ordinarie times of fast bicause Christians were not vnder the lawe but vnder grace but he would that euerie man should fast at his owne pleasure when he himselfe would Certeinlie I allow not Arrius in that he was an Arrian but as concerning oblations and sacrifices for the dead he held that which is good and godlie Also touching ordinarie times of fasting I sée not whie he should be blamed vnlesse peraduenture he thought that fasts might not be proclaimed by the magistrate and by the church according as the danger of the time required The reason also which he vseth that Christians are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace is weake for we are not so deliuered from the lawe that we be fréed from all order Augustine also writeth Iouinian the heretike that Iouinian contemned abstinences and fasts as things vaine and vnprofitable wherein if he spake of bare fasts onelie and such as were appointed at certeine daies and certeine times of the yéere he iudged not ill For vnlesse they be adioined with faith and repentance and also with vehement praiers they nothing at all profit In the 58. chapter of Esaie the people complained We haue fasted verse 3. and thou hast not looked vpon vs. Which words doo shew that fasts without those circumstances which be requisite are not acceptable vnto God but if they be ioined with such things as are incident to them they be not vnprofitable Liberius By the decrée of Liberius who liued in the time of Constantius it may be perceiued that when the aire was vntemperat or when there was anie famine or pestilence or warre then they assembled togither to denounce a fast thereby to mitigate the wrath of God Augustine Augustine when he sawe his citie besieged by the Vandals gaue himselfe vnto fasting and praiers and in that siege died as Possidonius testifieth And generallie when we attempt anie great weightie matter as when we denounce war create Magistrates or ordeine Ministers of the church we haue most néed of feruent praiers for the feruentnesse whereof Matt. 4 2. fasting verie much auaileth Christ when he was to beginne his preaching went into the wildernesse and fasted A widow when hir husband is dead is left in a dangerous state therfore praiers fastings are verie méet for hir Luk. 2 36. Anna the daughter of Phanuel lead hir life in the temple where she gaue hir self to praier fasting 1. Tim. 5 5. Paule to Timothie saith A widow which is a true widow and desolate putteth hir confidence in the Lord and daie and night applieth hir selfe to praiers and fastings Acts. 10 3. Cornelius when as he was not sufficientlie instructed of Christ and was disquieted with a sorrowfull and heauie mind was in fasting and praiers at the ninth houre Acts. 3 10. to whom as we read in the Acts of the apostles the angell of the Lord appeared Whether fastings rightlie denounced must be obeied 15 But it maie be demanded that when fasts are commanded by princes and by the church whether men are bound to obey them or no Vndoubtedlie they are bound by the lawe of faith and by obedience For when fasts are set foorth which be agréeable vnto the word of God how can he that beléeueth in God refuse to doo them Assuredlie he cannot Howbeit this is to be vnderstood touching them which be of that state and condition that they be able to fast for if a man be hindred either by age or disease or labours Osc 6 6. The Gangrense councell in such a case that ought to be of force which the scripture saith I will haue mercie and not sacrifice But they which are not hindered ought to obeie In the Gangrense councell chapter 30. It is ordeined that if a man obeie not the fasts which are commanded him by the church hauing no bodilie necessitie howsoeuer he boast of perfection and proudlie contemneth the decrées of the church The canons of the apostles let him be accursed In the Canons of the apostles although they be Apocryphall conteine certeine strange things neither is the number of them sufficientlie agréed vpon I saie in the 86. Canon it is commanded that the clergie which fast not hauing no bodilie necessitie should be deposed Let infants in no wise be vrged and compelled to fast for that would be a hurt to their health Ioel. 2 16. Yet Ioel saith Sanctifie a fast gather togither old men and sucking children Iohn 3 7. And the Niniuits at the preaching of Ionas compelled beasts and infants to fast These were extraordinarie things neither are they set foorth to that end that we should imitate them 16 As for priuate fasts Augustine most men will haue them to be frée Wherefore saith Augustine to Cassulanus We knowe that we must fast when we are commanded but what daies we should fast
Genesis anie let vnto this renewing where God said vnto Noah that All the daies of the earth shall be sowing and haruest cold and heate summer and winter daie and night for these things he saith shall come to passe in the daies of the earth but those daies shall be the daies of heauen Esaie 66 23 and as Esaie saith A sabboth of sabboths Also Ieremie in the 33. verse 20. chapter saith Can the couenant be made void which I haue made with day night As though he would saie It cannot be made void So saith he shall the couenant be established which I haue made with the house of Iuda and with the house of Dauid The couenant whereof the prophet now speaketh as touching the sending of Messias in his time appointed must not be drawne beyond the time of the present state But Christ when he saith in the Gospell that Heauen and earth shall passe awaie Matt. 24 35. but my word shall not passe awaie How the heauen and earth shall passe away meaneth not Passing awaie for destruction but foretelleth that a certeine change shall one daie come Which yet shall neuer happen vnto his words for they shall alwaies abide vnmooueable and the truth of them shall neuer be peruerted Of this interpretation Dauid is author in the 102. psalme verse 26. The heauens saith he are the works of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure as a garment shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Herevnto also agréeth Peter for when he had said that The heauens shall perish 2. Pet. 3 12. and the elements shall melt awaie with heate he added that We according to the promise shall haue a new heauen and a new earth Esaie 65 17 And Ierom expounding the 65. chapter of Esaie vnto this sense alledgeth a sentence of Paule out of the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7 31. the seuenth chapter For he saith that The figure of this world passeth awaie as though he would not saie that the nature of things or the world it selfe shall perish but onelie the figure that is the state and forme of this time And that the same renewing which we affirme signifieth not a destroieng of nature he prooueth it by a similitude taken of the degrées of our age A similitude For when of children we are made yoong men and of yoong men men and of men old men we are not as touching the nature of man destroied but by those changes we are transferred from a lower estate vnto that which is more excellent Wherefore when that last burning shall come which the scriptures plainlie teach shall come the whole world shall be set on fire A similitude And as gold and siluer when they are melted in the fire perish not but are made more pure so the world shall not by that fire be destroied but be renewed Of this mind also were some of the Ethnike writers as Heraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Siculus and others who peraduenture had receiued these things of their elders but had corrupted them with wicked opinions An opinion of the heretiks called Millenarij 21 There haue béene also manie of the christians in ancient time which thought that the creatures shall remaine after the comming of the Lord and that they shall serue vnto some vse for the elect For they thought that when Christ shall returne there shal be then onlie the resurrection of the godlie which also they called the first resurrection betwéene which the latter wherein the wicked shall be raised vp there shall be the space of a thousand yéeres and during this time shall Christ wholie reigne in this world togither with the saints and all this space the diuell shall be bound as it is described in the booke of the Apocalypse Apoc. 20 3. And they séeme to haue taken an occasion of their opinion not onelie out of the Reuelation of Iohn but also out of the prophets For they when they prophesie of the kingdome of Christ make mention of manie things which séeme to perteine to the kingdoms of this world and vnto pleasures and delights And they which were in this error were of the Graecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Latins Millenarij Neither doubtlesse were there onelie of the common sort patrones of this opinion but euen the principall and most ancient men in the church Certeine principall men of the church were of this opinion as Papias Irenaeus Iustinus Martyr Victorinus Lactantius Tertullian and manie other famous Ecclesiasticall writers Whom I ioine not with Cerynthus for he sowed manie other errors as touching our Sauiour for vnto that which we said that these fathers held he added a double impietie First that the saints shall so reigne in this life with Christ as they shall abundantlie enioie all the pleasures of the bodie which is nothing else but againe with lusts droonkennes gluttonie and such other filthines to contaminate nature being renewed by the resurrection Another error of his was that in that kingdome of Christ the ceremonies of the lawe and sacrifices of Moses should be reuoked which errors none of those fathers whom we spake of did followe 22 Neither should it be anie hard matter to confute that madnes by the scriptures but bicause we haue doon this else-where at large we will now cease to speake thereof Onelie this I will adde that Augustine in the twentieth booke De ciuitate Dei the seuenth chapter writeth If these men had said that Christ in that space of a thousand yéeres will bestowe vpon his saints some celestiall graces their saieng should haue béene the more tollerable In which place he signifieth that he also was sometime of the same mind Howbeit afterward weihing things better he iudged that place of the Apocalypse A place of the Apocalypse diuerslie expounded from whence all that suspicion séemed to flowe must be otherwise expounded namelie by these thousand yéeres to vnderstand all the time which passeth from the ascension of Christ vnto his last iudgment Neither ought the number of a thousand yéers anie thing to offend vs for it is common to the holie scriptures by a number certeine and definite to signifie another number vncerteine and not definite Which thing although it may by manie other places be prooued yet here it shall be sufficient to note onelie two Christ said vnto his apostles Matt. 19 29. He that forsaketh his house or father or mother or children or wife or brethren c. shall receiue a hundred fold where by An hundred fold we vnderstand a certeine great and in a maner infinite recompense So God promiseth in the lawe that He would doo good to them that serue him Exod. 20 6. vnto a thousand generations which signifieth nothing else but to their posteritie for a verie long time Wherefore Christ as thinketh Augustine reigneth with his saints all this time which is signified
vs which be giuen to earthlie lusts louing after the maner of brute beasts those things onelie which be present vnto vs while by the reuelation of wisedome he stirreth vp our amazed will to the loue of God while he persuadeth vs to all things that are good which thing thou fearest not else-where to denie c. But in the same tenth chapter Augustine confuteth him in these words Yet we doo not principallie desire that outward but this inward grace he must néeds at length confesse whereby the greatnesse of the glorie to come is not onelie promised but also beléeued and hoped for and is not onelie reuealed in wisedome but is also euen loued and whereby euerie good thing is not onelie suggested 2. Thes 3 2. but also throughlie persuaded for all men haue not faith The same Augustine in his booke of grace and frée will the 16. chapter For it is certeine that we doo kéepe the commandements if we will but bicause the will is prepared by the Lord we must make petition vnto him that we may will so much as is sufficient and in willing we may doo it Certeine it is that we will when we be willing but he it is that causeth vs to will that which is good Of whom it is said which a little before I affirmed that the will is prepared by the Lord. Psal 37 23. Of whom it is said His steps shall be directed by the Lord and hee shall order his waie Phil. 2 13. Of whom it is said It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to doo Certeine it is that when we doo we doo it but he causeth that we doo by giuing most effectuall strength to the will Who said Eze. 36 27 I will cause that ye shall walke in my commandements c. The same Augustine against the two epistles of Pelagius to Boniface the third booke the ninth chapter What is it then saith he that they conclude where they rehearse those things which themselues hold They saie that they confesse that grace also helpeth euerie good purpose but yet that it dooth not put an indeuour of vertue into him that resisteth c. This also would Augustine haue caused the Pelagians to grant that God putteth an indeuour of good things euen into them that resist the which cannot be doone vnlesse our mind be conuerted and that of an euill and corrupted will it become good This is that change which the holie Ghost worketh in vs. Hereby are we mollified when we be hard and stubborne The same father said that when God hardeneth it is nothing else but that he will not mollifie bicause vnlesse it be doone by him that we be mollified we continue still in our hardnesse The holie Ghost bringeth it to passe that we are made readie scholers of GOD when of our selues we are vncapable of diuine things Salomon 3. King 3 6. as we haue it in the third booke of the Kings the third chapter desired of God an vnderstanding hart or such a hart as would easilie be taught This is it which is said in the Gospels that We be taught of GOD Iohn 6 45. Esaie 54 13 which thing was promised by the prophets God is the true master who not onelie instructeth and teacheth but also bringeth to passe that we doo learne but that are not outward masters able to doo for God giueth eares to heare eies to sée an hart to vnderstand Wherefore Christ in the Gospell said He that hath eares to heare let him heare Matth. 13 9 Vnlesse this be doone in vs we séeing shall not sée nor hearing shall not heare neither shall we perceiue with the hart It is written in Deuteronomie the 29. chapter Deut. 29 4. He hath not giuen you eies to see not eares to heare nor a hart to perceiue namelie those things which in the wildernesse GOD did among you and the words which he spake And why this ought to be doone in vs the excellencie of diuine things doo declare vnto vs. For as the apostle Paule saith 1. Cor. 2 9. The eie hath not seene the eare hath not hard neither yet haue entered into the hart of man the things which GOD hath prepared for them that loue him Wherefore it is written in the 1. to the Corinthians Ibidem 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things which be of the spirit of God neither can he knowe them for they be foolishnesse vnto him The reason is afterward added why a naturall man cannot vnderstand or desire these things bicause they be spirituall things And if they be spirituall things they are onelie iudged by the spirit And in the second epistle to the Corinthians he saith 2. Cor. 3 5. that We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues bicause our sufficiencie is of God But if so be we cannot so much as thinke of those things how shall we be able to vnderstand or desire them which is a far greater and more difficult matter than to thinke Wherefore if the spirit of God shall propound vnto vs either the lawe or the promises or the words of the holie scripture and that no change commeth we will not be mooued bicause we are neither sufficient nor apt vnto those things It behooueth that a conuersion go before which may be called a certeine disposition The same doo the Papists attribute vnto humane strength and vnto our owne power as though we can dispose it vnto grace and vnto faith Our conuersion and disposition must be attributed to the spirit of God Howbeit this must be vtterlie ascribed vnto the spirit of God not vnto mans strength and will as we haue declared Also it might rightlie be called the health of the mind of which healing Augustine in his booke De spiritu litera hath oftentimes made mention As touching sinnes we first of all affirme that the nature of man is corrupted and defiled Further we perceiue that euill acts doo breake out So on the other side we must affirme that there is first some healing of the mind that goeth before afterward that there followeth a consent of faith a confidence and loue towards God and an imbracing of his word But and if such a conuersion or medicine haue not gone before we will flie from GOD. This was verie well shewed in Adam the first man Gen. 3 8. as in a certeine type or figure who when he was fallen after the breach of Gods commandement into corruption and spirituall death he hiding himselfe fled from God And the apostle Paule although he had heard and read manie things in the prophets concerning Christ yet neuerthelesse was he turned from him and made hauocke of the church Acts. 9 1. bicause as he himselfe said vnto the Romans The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God Rom. 8 7. and is not subiect to the lawe of GOD neither yet can it be And bicause
the spirit of wisedome the spirit of counsell the spirit of fortitude and other such like Yea and Augustine Augustine in his booke of grace and frée will the 17. chapter thus wrote Therfore that we may will he worketh without vs but when we will and that we so will as we doo execute he worketh togither with vs but yet without him either working that we may will or working togither when we do will we are able to doo nothing towards the good works of godlinesse Of him which worketh that we will it is said It is God that worketh in vs Philip. 2 13 euen to will Of him working togither with vs when we now will and we in willing doo execute Rom. 8 28. We knowe saith he that all things worke togither for the best vnto them that loue God But while we be thus prepared and healed by God he dooth not take awaie from vs the power to will but he granteth vs to will well neither taketh he awaie the power to vnderstand but granteth vs to vnderstand rightlie And vndoubtedlie it is the will it selfe that bringeth foorth the act of willing howbeit God giueth it strength that it may bring foorth the same Wherefore Augustine in his treatise De spiritu litera the third chapter thus writeth But we saie that mans will is so holpen to doo righteousnesse as besides that man is created with a fréedome of will and besides the doctrine wherin it is commanded him how he should liue he may receiue the holie Ghost by which there may be in his mind a delight and a loue of that chéefe and vnchangeable goodnesse which is God euen now when a man walketh by faith and not yet in glorie that as it were by this earnest pennie of a frée gift giuen vnto him he may wax more feruent in cleauing to the Creator and be inflamed to come vnto the participation of that true light that through him of whom he hath his being it may happen well vnto him For neither can frée will auaile anie thing except to sinne if the waie of truth be vnknowne And when that which is to be doone and wherein we ought to indeuour beginneth to be knowne vnlesse it is also delight and be beloued it is not doone it is not taken in hand we doo not liue well But that it may be beloued the loue of God is powred into our hearts not by the frée will which riseth of vs but by the holie Ghost which is giuen vnto vs c. By these words he sheweth that of vs ariseth not frée will for as touching the health of the mind it cōmeth actiuelie but that it is wrought by the holie Ghost that we afterward doo well by louing of God and liuing vprightlie Grace dooth not expect our will bicause if it should expect it we might thinke in our selues that we had strength before to desire spirituall supernaturall good things The Arausican Councell The Arausican Councel in the 4. canon condemned that opinion whereby is beléeued that the diuine grace expecteth mans will In verie déed it preuenteth and yet for all that it causeth no violence For the plainer expressing whereof a similitude of the resurrection of the Lord verie much serueth He was raised vp from the dead as concerning his humanitie to the which raising vp from the dead the humane nature behaued it selfe onelie passiuelie Now is it expounded how in things that be outward and subiected to mans capacitie some fréedome is to be attributed to our will which afterward as touching celestiall and supernaturall things is denied vnto it vnlesse it be conuerted and prepared by God Of the state of free will in them that be regenerate 17 Now must we consider of the state of them that be regenerate vnto whom a fréedome as touching celestiall and supernaturall things is granted so far foorth as the infirmitie of this life will suffer Of that matter wrote Prosper in an epistle to Ruffinus concerning frée will which they will haue to belong vnto all men labouring in the vncerteintie of this life and loden with sinnes so that they which will imitate the méekenesse and gentlenesse of our Sauior and submit themselues vnder the yoke of his commandements may find rest to their soules and hope of eternall life But they which will not doo this are by their owne default void of saluation which if they would they might haue obteined But let them heare what is said by the Lord Iohn 15 5 to them that vse frée will Without me ye can doo nothing Iohn 6 44. Againe No man commeth vnto me except my father which sent me drawe him Ibidem 65. Againe No man can come vnto me except it shall be giuen him of my father Againe Iohn 5 21. As the father quickeneth them that be dead so also the sonne quickeneth whom he will Matt. 11 27 Againe No man knoweth the sonne but the father neither knoweth anie man the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reueale him All which saiengs séeing they be vnchangeable and cannot by anie interpretation be wrested to anie other sense who doubteth but that this frée will dooth obeie the exhortation of him that calleth séeing in him the grace of God hath ingendered an effect of beléeuing and obeieng Otherwise it should be sufficient for a man to be warned not that the will also should be made new in him according as it is written The will is prepared by the Lord. And as the apostle saith Phil. 2 13. It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe euen according to his good will According vnto which good will No other but that which GOD wrought in them that he which gaue to will might also giue to performe c. 18 Of the verie which thing the same Prosper in the place now alleged thus writeth Prosper Neuerthelesse if we behold with a godlie consideration that part of the children of God which is reserued to the works of godlinesse shall we not find in them a frée will not destroied but renewed Which doubtlesse when it was alone and left to it selfe was not mooued but to his owne destruction for it had blinded it selfe but it could not lighten it selfe But now the same will is changed not destroied and vnto it is giuen to will otherwise to perceiue otherwise and to doo otherwise and to repose the safetie thereof not in it selfe but in the physician bicause neither as yet dooth it enioie so perfect a health that those things which did hurt it before cannot now hurt it or else that it is now able of his owne strength to temper it selfe from those things which be vnwholesome for it Therefore man which in frée will was euill in the same frée will is become good howbeit he is euill by himselfe good by God who according to that originall honour so renewed him with another beginning as he
no doubt but euerie one would haue fauoured his owne tribe and béeing so manie tribes as there were they would hardlie haue agréed all vpon one man And wheras Saule was of the least tribe of lowe degrée of base parentage if he should haue béene chosen by anie other means the matter might haue béen greatlie stomached of all sorts Num. 16 2. Core Dathan Abiram and others of their felowes stirred vp sedition against Moses and Aaron bicause they supposed them to haue vsurped the principalitie and preesthood by fraud and collusion Sundrie waies were the lots in old time Kimhi thinketh that all the people stood before the Lord for in deliberation and counsell of great matters it behooued the magistrate or prince to stand before the high préest So we sée in the book of Numbers Num. 27 22 that when Iosua was appointed to be captaine of the people he stood before Eleazar and the préest vsed to make answere through Vrim and Thumim So dooth Kimhi thinke that Samuel stood before the high préest and receiued the oracle of Vrim and Thumim that is to saie by those letters which were ingrauen in the pretious stones of the Ephod He saith moreouer that the arke perhaps was brought thither howbeit these things be vncertaine For there is here no mention made either of the préest or yet of the arke Rab. Shelomo thinketh that such was the maner of lots as that the names of euerie of the tribes were written in seuerall scrols which béeing throwne into a pot were afterward drawne by the chéefe préest It maketh for Kimhi that there is no mention made of lots Shelomo followeth the common opinion which is that Saules election was doone by lots which thing was not strange from the vse custome of the Iewes For of two hée goats Looke in Iudg. 20 8. Much vse of lots among the Iewes Leuit. 16 8. Iosua 13 6. 1. Par. 24 31 1 Sam. 14 41 Ionas 1 7. Acts. 1 26. it was chosen by lots which of them should scape By lots the land of Canaan was diuided among the tribes by lots the préesthood was appointed by lots Ionas Ionathas were found out and by lots Matthias was taken into the apostleship as we read in the first of the Acts. Wherfore séeing lots were in such sort vsed commonlie among the Iewes it should appeare that Shelomo did not thinke amisse in saieng that Saule was chosen by lots And whereas Kimhi saith that the high préest the arke of the Lord and the Ephod were present me thinketh it is not agréeable to truth For the arke at that time was in Kiriathiarim And if so be that the Ephod were there yet it followeth not of necessitie that therefore the arke was also there for we may sée how often those things were a sunder 1. Sam. 30◠For when Dauid fled and came to Ceila he had Abiathar the préest to put on the Ephod and yet the arke was not carried with him in that flight The same thing was afterward doone in Siceleg when as yet the arke was present with him But thou wilt saie that in the text lots are not named I grant but yet there is another word there of the same signification For Lachad signifieth To get to laie hold on and to attaine by coniecture 3 But what lots those were I knowe not for as I said there were manie kinds of lots Cicero in his booke De diuinatione saith Many kinds of lots that When one Numerius Suffecius had cut in sunder a flint stone the lots made in an oke leaped out that at the same time an Oliue trée bid sweat honie and that therefore a little chest was made of the same trée into which the lots were cast these were called Praenestine lots which were verie famous in times past In Plautus we read of lots made of firre and poplar trées which were cast into a vessell of water and according as euerie lot arose first or last from the bottom so the matter was decréed Pausanias saith that lots were woont to be doone out of a pot made of claie and that one Cresphon in the diuision that was made of Peloponnesus to handle the matter that the field of Missena might fall out to his share he corrupted the préest Temenus for he dried others lots by the sun but Cresphons by the fier and therefore Cresphons lots béeing longer before they were made wet he obtained the féeld of Missena Darius the king of Persia in stead of lots vsed the neighing of a horsse And some haue obserued the first arising of the sun To vse lots is nothing else What is to vse lots but to doo something through which we may come by the knowledge of a thing that we knowe not Three kinds of lots But all kinds of lots may be reduced to thrée sorts For either we doubt to whom a thing should be adiudged as in the diuision that is made of féelds and possessions these lots are called lots of diuision either we doubt what is to be doone and such be called consulting lots or else we would faine knowe what should come to passe and this is called diuination by lots But it behooueth verie much to knowe Vpon what principle lots depend vpon what principle lots doo depend For to saie that they be ordered by fortune that were a vaine thing by diuels that is superstitious by heauen and the stars that is plaine ridiculous wherefore they are ruled by God For as saith Salomon Lots are put into the bosome Pro. 16 33. but they are tempered by the Lord. And Augustine vpon the 30. psalme sheweth that lots are nothing else but a signifieng of Gods will when man standeth in doubt And digressing from hence he saith Lots a token of the will of God that predestination and grace may be called lots bicause they depend not vpon our merits but vpon the mercies of God For with God predestination is eternall and certaine though it séeme to come to passe by lots And to Honoratus he saith that In a great persecution all ministers ought not to flie awaie nor yet all abandon themselues vnto perill but those must be retained which shall be sufficient for the present vse and the rest to be sent awaie that they may be reserued till a better season But here what maner of choosing shall be had Those must be retained saith he whom we shall thinke to be the more profitable and better for the people which remaine But if all shall be alike and all shall saie that they would tarie and die then saith he the matter must be committed vnto lots And in his booke De doctrina christiana he saith If there happen to méet with thée two poore men whose néed presentlie is alike and thou hast not then wherewith to helpe them both but one thou canst helpe there is no better waie than to deale by lots How and when lots must be vsed 4 But
which they appoint that applie themselues to ciuill works for oftentimes things doo farre otherwise happen than they did euer imagine could be And hereof it cometh to passe that Ethnike men are woont verie often to be troubled Pompeie Cato and Cicero thought to themselues that they had intended excellent counsell but when the same was come to naught there remained nothing but desperation vnto the authors for they being disappointed of their purposes did attribute all vnto fortune and chance Ier. 10 23. But Ieremie declareth that the successe and euent of things is in the hands of God The successe of things is gouerned by the will of God not by our will The waie of man saith he is not in his owne power neither lieth it in man to direct his owne steps Which place the Hebrues expound of Nabuchadnezar who they saie went foorth of his house not against the Iewes but to make warre vpon the Ammonits as we reade in the 21. chapter of Ezechiel verse 20. but when he came into a waie that had two turnings he began to deliberate and to take counsell of the entrails of beasts of idols and of lots by the brightnesse of a sword and hauing aduertisement he set vpon Iurie and leauing the Ammonites he besieged Ierusalem These two things are not hidden vnto the godlie namelie that God is the authour of counsell God is the author of counsels and giueth successe as he will and giueth such a successe to things as he will And therefore they determine nothing with themselues but they adde this condition If God will which thing Iames warned vs to doo And Paule in his epistle to the Romanes saith The godlie determine alwaies with this condition if God will Iames. 4 15. Rom. 1 10. that He desireth to haue a prosperous iornie vnto them but yet by the will of God Wherefore if the thing happen otherwise than they looked for they are comforted in themselues bicause they knowe that God their most louing father better prouideth both for his owne kingdome and their saluation than they could haue prouided for themselues And they haue alwaies in their mouth that which Dauid sang Vnles the Lord build the house in vaine doo they labour which build it Psal 127 1. Therefore it is their care that they maie frame and applie their counsels vnto the word of God and the euent they commit vnto GOD and so they worke surelie on euerie part 4 But in those workes which be acceptable and gratefull vnto God In works acceptable vnto God strangers from Christ haue no freedome such men as are strangers from God haue no fréedome at all wherevpon came that saieng of Augustine in his Enchiridion that Man abusing his fréewill hath lost both himselfe and also the libertie of his will for when sinne gat the vpper hand in battell it brought man into bondage I know there be some which thus interpret this sentence of Augustine that Adam lost fréewill as touching grace and glorie wherewith he was adorned but not as touching nature Verelie I will not much labour here Nature indeed was left after sinne but yet vnperfect and wounded to denie that the reason and will which belong vnto nature were left vnto man after his fall but that the same nature is vnperfect and wounded they themselues cannot denie For this the Maister of the sentences also affirmeth in his second booke and 25. distinction for he saith that A man now after his fall is in such a case as he maie sinne and that it so fareth with him as he cannot but sinne And although Augustine and others did not so affirme A reason why men cannot chuse but sinne yet most sound reason might teach it vs for holie works depend vpon two principles namelie of knowledge and of appetite Concerning knowledge Paule saith The naturall man dooth not vnderstand those things which be of the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2 14 yea verelie no more he cannot for they be foolishnesse vnto him But now if we knowe not what is to be doone and what is pleasing vnto GOD by what meanes may we shew the same in our worke Moreouer in what sort our appetite and cogitations are toward those holie works it appéereth by the sixt chapter of Genesis My spirit saith God shall not striue in man for euer Gen 2. 3 5 bicause he is flesh And a little after God sawe that the malice of man was great and all the imagination of the thought of his hart was onlie vnto euill euerie daie verse 21. Touching our strength our owne creator must be best beleeued verse 12. And in the eight chapter The imagination of mans hart is euill euen from his infancie And those things dooth God himselfe speake and there is none to be beléeued better than him that made vs when he giueth a testimonie of his owne worke In the 18. chapter of Ieremie the people said We will followe our owne imaginations Which place Ierom expounding writeth thus Where is therfore the power of fréewill and the iudgement of mans owne will Without the grace of God we be bondmen Iohn 8 34. without the grace of God séeing it is a great offense vnto God for a man is followe his owne thoughts and to do the will of his wicked hart That we be subiect vnto seruitude Christ teacheth vs in Iohn saieng He that dooth sinne is the seruant of sinne Wherefore séeing we commit manie things and haue sinnes cleauing vnto vs from our mothers wombe we must of necessitie grant that we be seruants verse 36. Rom. 7 14. 18. 23. But then we shall be free indeed if the sonne shall set vs at libertie otherwise we serue in a most bitter bondage Whervpon Paule said that he was sold vnder sinne and so sold as in his flesh he confessed that there dwelt no good thing and that he did the things which he would not and which he hated and that he felt another lawe in his members resisting the lawe of the mind and leading him awaie captiue to the lawe of sinne And vnto the Galathians he saith that The flesh dooth striue against the spirit Gal. 5 18. and the spirit against the flesh so that we cannot doo what we would Which things being true touching so woorthie an apostle and touching holie men regenerated by Christ what shall be thought of the wicked which belong not vnto Christ And vnto him they cannot come vnlesse they be drawne Iohn 6 44. None can come vnto Christ vnlesse he be drawne for Christ saith None can come vnto me vnlesse my father shall drawe him He which would go before of his owne accord is not drawne as Augustine saith but is led If therefore we must be drawne vnto Christ in that we would not before the same is a most gréeuous sinne and therefore we will not bicause The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God Rom. 8
7. for it is not subiect vnto the lawe of God no verelie nor cannot be And as manie as are not set at libertie by Christ doo liue vnder the lawe and as Paule addeth to the Galathians are vnder the cursse Gal. 3 10. Places to prooue that before regeneration we be not free Which thing should not be true if they could fulfill the lawe of God for they incurre not the danger of the cursse vnlesse they transgresse the lawe Further Paule expressedlie saith It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Rom 9 16. but of GOD that hath mercie For our saluation is his worke and not the worke of our strength It is he that worketh in vs both to will and to perfourme Before he doo that whatsoeuer he dooth with vs either by the lawe or by the instruction of his word he dealeth with stones for our harts be stonie vnlesse God doo change them into fleshie harts which he promiseth in Ezechiel that he would doo Eze. 11 12. and would bring to passe that we should walke in his waies And surelie if we might liue well and rightlie without grace we might also be iustified by our owne works which doctrine is vtterlie condemned both by Paule and all the holie scripture Ieremie saith Conuert me ô Lord Iere. 31 11. and I shall be conuerted And Dauid saith Psal 51 18. A pure hart create in me ô God The which thing that it commeth not to passe in all men we perceiue by the 29. chapter of Deuteronomie verse 4. where it is thus written The Lord hath not giuen vnto you eies to see nor an eare to heare nor an hart to vnderstand And in the thirtie chapter God promised that he would circumcise their harts and the harts of their séed that they shuld walke in his commandements For he both beginneth finisheth our saluation for this Paule saieth to the Philippians Phil. 1 6. I hope that he who hath begun in you will perfourme it euen vnto the daie of Christ This thing the holie men right well vnderstanding doo praie with Dauid Psa 119 36. Incline my hart vnto thy testimonies and with Salomon The Lord shall incline our harts that we may walke in his waies with Paule vnto the Thessalonians 2. Thes 3 5. The Lord direct your harts in patience and in the expectation of Christ And Salomon in his prouerbs saith The hart of the king is in the hand of God and he inclineth it to what end he will Prou. 21 1. It is the worke of God not our owne that we be conuerted vnto God The end vse of the lawe Esaie 1 19. These testimonies doo sufficientlie declare that it is Gods worke and not ours to be conuerted vnto him and to doo vprightlie 5 Here some obiect vnto vs the commandements which are set foorth vnto vs in the holie scriptures for they séeme to signifie that it lieth in our selues to obserue those things which we be commanded For Esaie saith If ye will and will hearken vnto me ye shall eate the good things of the land And the Lord oftentimes commandeth vs that we should conuert our selues vnto him Be ye conuerted saith he vnto me I will not the death of a sinner Eze. 18 30 and 32. I had rather that he conuerted and liue And when he had published the lawe he said that He had set before them life and death blessing and cursing Deu. 30 15. And an infinite sort of other such like testimonies might be brought But here it must be considered that these things in verie déed are commanded vnto men Lawes indeed are Lawes indeed are giuen but it is not taught that mans strength is able to performe them but we are no where taught that a man is able to performe them of his owne proper strength Neither is it méet that we measure the greatnesse of our owne strength by the precepts of Gods lawe as though so much can be doone of our owne accord as Gods lawe hath commanded naie rather our infirmitie is to be measured hereby that when we sée the excellencie and woorthines of Gods cōmandements to excell our strength by innumerable degrées By the law of God we may measure our infirmitie but not our strength we may remember that the lawe hath a certeine other end than that it should be performed of vs. Paule sheweth that end to be manifold By the lawe saith he commeth the knowledge of sin Rom. 3 30. Rom. 7 13. which he saith was therefore made that the number of transgressions might be increased For by this meanes The lawe is become a schoole-maister to lead men vnto Christ that when they sée themselues ouercharged with the heauie burthen of the commandements and the greatnes of their sinnes they may perceiue their saluation to consist onelie in the mercie of God and redemption of Christ For the weakenes and vnwoorthines of our selues being considered we foorthwith begin to praie vnto God that both he will for Christs sake pardon our sinnes and giue vs sufficiencie of his spirit that we may indeuour to followe his will Giue what thou commandest saith Augustine and command what thou wilt Further another vse of the lawe is that we should sée wherevnto we must applie our selues Also it may be that if through the grace of God there be an accesse of obedience begun men may applie themselues vnto the lawe Lastlie though in this life it be not giuen vnto vs that men can in euerie condition satisfie the lawe yet we shall fullie obteine the same in another life when we shall cast awaie all this corruption Yet God ought not to be accused of iniustice by reason hereof for he is not in fault that men be not able to kéepe his commandements Neither can anie of vs be excused Why God is not to be accused of iniustice bicause that willinglie and gréedilie we doo breake the lawe that is appointed vnto vs. The same was giuen in such sort as it might best agrée with our nature when the same was first instituted for the image of God could not by anie other meanes more plainelie and effectuallie be expressed But and if by reason of sinne we be not able to accomplish the lawe yet this at the least-wise we sée namelie what maner of persons we ought to be Looke In 1. King 16. at the beginning and in the booke De votis pag. 279. put foorth at Basil 6 But that sentence which is commonlie obiected that Nothing is to be counted sinne which dependeth not of election must be vnderstood as Augustine dooth interpret it of that kind of sinne which is not the punishment of sinne for otherwise originall sinne is neither voluntarie nor receiued by election But thou wilt saie Séeing the matter standeth thus we shall séeme of necessitie to sticke fast in sinne which thing indéed I denie not Necessitie of sinning is without
constraint although such is this necessitie as it hath no compulsion ioined therewith God is of necessitie good and cannot sinne by anie meanes and yet is he not driuen by force to be good Which thing Augustine in his 22. booke De ciuitate Dei and thirtie chapter dooth verie well declare Bicause God himselfe saith he cannot sinne therefore shall we denie that he hath frée will Ambrose in his second booke and third chapter De fide vnto Gratian the Emperour testifieth that God is frée when he saith 1. Co. 12 11 that One and the same spirit worketh all things diuiding vnto all as pleaseth him according to the choise of his frée will and not for to obeie necessitie In these sentences of these fathers frée will is so taken Freedome is contrarie vnto compulsion not vnto necessitie that it is contrarie vnto violence and compulsion not that it is equallie bent to either part Whervpon Ierom in his homilie of the prodigall sonne which he wrote vnto Damasus bicause he tooke frée will in another sense therefore he wrote otherwise It is onelie God saith he on whom sinne falleth not nor can fall but others forsomuch as they haue frée will may be bowed euerie waie Also it is agréeable vnto blessed spirits and angels that they cannot sinne séeing their felicitie is alreadie confirmed Wherefore Augustine in his 22. booke De ciuitate Dei and thirtie chapter saith A similitude Euen as the first immortalitie which Adam through sinne lost was that it was possible he should not die euen so the first frée will was that it was possible he should not sinne but the last frée will shall be that he shall not possiblie sinne Yet neuertheles there is granted a certeine kind of libertie vnto them not wherby they can be bowed to either part but such as although that which they doo is of necessitie yet thereby they be not compelled or violentlie driuen For euen as there be certeine true things so manifest as the mind cannot but consent vnto them Why the blessed cannot sinne so the presence of God now reuealed and made manifest is so good a thing as the saints cannot faile or forsake the same So likewise although we of necessitie doo sinne before we be regenerated in Christ yet are not therefore the powers of the will violated for whatsoeuer we doo both we doo it willinglie and also we are led to doo it vpon some hope And yet we must not be therefore accounted to differ nothing from brute beasts for they The not regenerate differ from brute beasts notwithstanding they be moued with a certeine kind of iudgement yet it is not by a frée iudgement But in men although they be not yet renewed there is as we haue said much libertie remaining as touching ciuill morall works Further among the verie sinnes wherein they be of necessitie conuersant they haue a choise to choose one and refuse an other though they cannot atteine vnto those things which please God These things doo not accord with brute beasts for they be rather driuen by the force of nature than that they can doo anie thing by anie libertie or frée choise Men may be said to be frée Three maner of freedoms either in respect of compulsion or in respect of sinne or in respect of miserie The first libertie from compulsion is giuen vnto all men howbeit vnto sinne and miserie all men which haue not atteined vnto Christ are altogether subiect But after what sort men which be regenerate be subiect either to sinne or to miserie while they liue here I will afterward declare In the meane time we ought to be sure that the will is not constrained to sinne through this necessitie which we speake of 7 But that we may with the more perspicuitie and plainenesse declare all this whole matter it must be first determined what these words Free Violent and Willing doo signifie We call that Frée What is Free Violent and Willing which hauing two or more things set before it can choose as it lusteth what it will And therefore we denie that the will of men not regenerate is vniuersallie frée A definition of Free for it cannot choose those things which doo belong to saluation The will of the not regenerate is greatlie restrained Violent is that which is so mooued of an outward beginning that it of it selfe nothing helpeth vnto that motion but rather resisteth it as when a stone is cast on high That is said to worke of his owne accord or willinglie What they cannot choose which hath an inward beginning inclining to that motion wherby it is driuen By these things it is manifest that to doo of his owne accord and to doo of necessitie are not contrarie one to another for they may be ioined together as it is plaine in our will which of necessitie embraceth felicitie yet it embraceth it not against his will or by compulsion but of his owne accord and gladlie Neither is it possible The will cannot be compelled that the will should be compelled to will that which it will not Yea Augustine thinketh it to be so absurd that a man should will that which he will not as if one should say that anie thing can be hot without heate The necessitie of sinning is not absolute in the wicked But yet that necessitie whereby the wicked are said to sinne is not absolute and perfect so as it cannot be otherwise for so soone as the grace and spirit of Christ commeth that necessitie is straitwaie loosed Wherefore Augustine saith Augustine saith that it is of nature to be able to haue faith that it is of nature to be able to haue faith hope and charitie but to haue them indéed is altogether the gift of grace for that power or abilitie breaketh not foorth into act vnlesse grace be giuen from God Herein Augustine agréed with the Pelagians that To be able is of nature The opinion of Augustine compared with the Pelagians But this Augustine added which Pelagius did not allow that To will well and to liue vprightlie is to be attributed vnto grace onelie But I thinke that as touching this power of nature there must be made a distinction for if they meane this that our nature is so made of God as neither faith nor hope nor charitie doo striue with the same if they be giuen of God but rather accomplish it make it perfect and adorne it I confesse it to be true that they saie What manner of power vnto faith is in nature but if they will haue the power of nature to signifie some strength of the same whereby it can challenge to it selfe these things I yéeld not to them in anie wise for it is a wicked and damnable opinion We saie therefore that the will of man hath respect both vnto good and vnto euill How the will of man hath respect vnto good and euill but after
a sundrie fashion for it may embrace euill of his owne accord but it cannot embrace good vnlesse it be restored by the grace of God For we haue néed of a certeine diuine inspiration to performe those things which are good which thing indéed the verie Ethnike writers also being forced by the truth haue sometimes declared For Aristotle Aristotles definition of felicitie in his first booke of Ethiks saith If there be anie gift of God we must verelie thinke that it is felicitie And Felicitie he defineth to be nothing else but a most excellent action procéeding from the chéefest power of the mind by a most notable vertue And Plato confesseth in a certeine place that vertues are ingendred in men by diuine inspiration The Schoole-men also if there were anie somewhat sounder than the rest confessed that the grace of God is necessarie to assist mans strength vnto euerie good worke Howbeit afterward they forgetting themselues I wot not how decréed that a man not being renewed may doo some good déeds which may please God and which may merit the grace of Christ of congruitie as they terme it 8 That they call congruitie What they call congruitie which we may call méete and good which is when the rigour and sharpnes of the lawe is remitted but condignitie they call that which is of right due What condignitie But they which first inuented these termes considered not that those goodlie ciuill works though in shew they séeme good vnto men yet before God they be sinne as Augustine by most certein reasons prooueth For before we be conuerted vnto God we be the children of wrath Ephe. 2 3. And Iohn saith He that beleeueth not in the sonne of God hath not life euerlasting Iohn 3 36. but the wrath of God abideth vpon him And what can be offered vnto God by his enimies and by such as hate him that may be acceptable vnto him Paule to the Ephesians saith that We Ephe. 2 1. before we did come vnto Christ were dead in our offenses and sinnes But the dead as they féele nothing so can they bring nothing to passe whereby they should be called backe vnto life Paule vnto the Philippians counted all things Philip. 3 8. Before regeneration we can doo nothing that should please God Esaie 1 12. Esai 64 6. Iohn 15 1. and 5. whatsoeuer he did before he was conuerted vnto Christ but losse and doong so farre off was he from placing any merit in them God in the first chapter of Esaie testifieth that he did abhor detest and counted abhominable those oblations which the Iewes offered without faith and godlinesse The same prophet compareth all our righteousnesse vnto most vile and filthie rags And our sauiour Christ saith I am the vine and ye are the branches And euen as the branch cannot beare fruit vnlesse it abideth in the vine so ye can bring foorth no fruit vnlesse ye abide in me And straitwaie he addeth Without me ye can doo nothing And in an other place he saith Matt. 7 18. that An euill tree cannot beare good fruit for the root must first be good before anie good fruit can be hoped to come from it but good trées we cannot be before we be graffed in Christ Rom. 6 5. This ingraffing in the holie scriptures is called regeneration And euen as no man helpeth anie thing to the generation of himselfe so no man can helpe anie thing to the regeneration of himselfe Rom. 14 23. Paule also saith that Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Séeing therfore the wicked be without faith whatsoeuer they doo Matt. 6 22. is to be reckoned for sinne If so be thine eie be single thy whole bodie shal be single but if thy light be darkenesse how great shall that darkenesse be Vnlesse faith be present we be conuersant in darknesse and of necessitie doo cleaue vnto sinne Moreouer if we followe the opinion of these men Rom. 11 6. we vtterlie ouerthrowe the nature of grace For grace if it should be of works as Paule saith it now ceaseth to be grace Paule also addeth That the Israelits following after the lawe of righteousnes atteined not vnto righteousnesse for that they sought it by works Colos 1. and not by faith Also vnto the Colossians he teacheth plainelie what we be before we are iustified We be alienated saith he from God enimies in mind Rom. 11 17. and conuersant in euill works And in the epistle to the Romans men not yet ingraffed in Christ he calleth wild oliue trées and we knowe that wild oliue trées be barren neither can beare anie fruit Besides this works cannot be good vnlesse they either satisfie the lawe or els if they straie anie thing from the lawe it is not imputed vnto them bicause of Christ But men that be not renewed cannot satisfie the lawe for euen the regenerate cannot doo it For séeing they be not ioined vnto Christ by faith they cannot atteine vnto the benefit of Christ whereby these imperfections be made whole and sound And he that teacheth that a man is able without the grace of God to doo works which be acceptable vnto GOD must also of necessitie teach that Christ is not the redéemer of the whole man For he which teacheth that we without the grace of Christ doo worke well and liue vprightlie the same ascribeth vnto our nature no small part of saluation without Christ Rom. 6 20. Paule also in the epistle to the Romans saith When we were seruants vnto sinne we were free vnto righteousnes which is nothing else verse 19. but that we had no trade nor acquaintance with righteousnesse Furthermore he exhorteth vs that Euen as we haue serued sinne so we will be now seruants vnto righteousnes And he also teacheth that we should now altogether serue righteousnesse without any sinne forsomuch as we serued sinne before altogether without righteousnesse Lastlie he hath left no meane at all betwéene the seruitude of sinne and righteousnesse But these men contrariwise faine a sort I knowe not who which although they be not yet iustified yet notwithstanding doo good iust works which may be acceptable vnto God All these things sufficientlie teach how absurd fond these mens opinion is 9 Yet in the meane time they crie out that we be blasphemous which auouch the whole nature of man to be euill Vnder the praises of nature lurke the enimies of grace But as Augustine dooth prudentlie write Vnder the praises of nature â—e hidden the enimies of grace It were méet that they should consider vnto what ground we referre that euill whereof we complaine for we ascribe not the same either to nature as it was created or vnto God but vnto sinne wherevnto there was an entrance laid open by the first man For we by all maner of meanes doo disagrée from the Manicheis for they dreamed that both our nature is euill and that it was created euill
by God But we confesse and acknowledge that man was created frée and in that he hath now lost his fréedome we ascribe not God to be the authour thereof but mans owne fault They which denie fréewill haue bin called heretiks by the church Why they are called heretiks which denie freewill But this must be vnderstood concerning the first creation of our nature for otherwise there is not one of the fathers which if the truth be well weighed bewaileth not the calamitie of man whereinto he fell through sinne Our aduersaries rather come néere vnto the Manicheis which affirme Our aduersaries come somewhat nigh vnto the Manicheis that Our corrupt affects as they are now were so created by God for so they affirme that he created them euill But we forsomuch as we perceiue that these troublesome affections be not void of sinne denie that they were so created by God but that through our owne default they are become vnbridled and be repugnant to the word of God Certeine it is that man at the beginning was made vnto the image of God and there is nothing more beséeming vnto it than libertie But séeing that image was in a maner blotted out in vs so as there was néed to haue the same restored by Christ what maruell is it if our libertie be also for the most part taken awaie from it When they reason that man is frée A similitude they doo euen as if they should saie that man is a two-footed creature and therefore he is able to go vpright But if they would so conclude of a lame man it should easilie appeere how much they be deceiued for the properties of man which would be agréeable vnto his nature being perfect when they be applied vnto the same nature being corrupt doo not agrée A comparison of our aduersaries with the Pelagians Neither be the opinions of our aduersaries much dissenting from the Pelagians for they taught that nature being holpen by the grace of creation and doctrine of the lawe may liue vprightlie And these men saie that nature being holpen by grace preuenting and knocking is able to doo good works which may please God The catholike church resisted the Pelagians neither did it contend about the grace of creation or of the lawe neither about the grace preuenting but it taught that without the grace of Christ wherewith we be iustified none is able to worke aright To be with out faith in Christ and without grace in Augustines iudgement is all one thing And by the iudgement of Augustine who vehementlie contended against these men there is no difference betwéene dooing rightlie without grace and dooing rightlie without the faith of Christ He vpon the 31. psalme to shew that there is no good worke without faith writeth thus A good intent maketh the worke good but faith guideth that intent wherefore consider not what a man dooth but what he hath respect vnto while he is dooing 10 And whereas in all the holie scriptures there is not one sentence repugnant to our doctrine yet they continuallie obiect vnto vs the example of Cornelius Acts. 10 2 and 3 4 who being not yet as they thinke regenerate neither beléeuing in Christ yet did such works as were acceptable vnto GOD. Of Cornelius and his works Indéed we grant that both the almes and praiers of Cornelius were pleasing vnto God for the angel affirmed the same But these men adde of their owne Cornelius beleeued before baptisme that Cornelius when he did these things was not yet iustified nor yet beléeued in Christ But they marke not that the scripture in that place called him religious and one that feared God wherefore Cornelius beléeued and in Messias beléeued he being instructed in the Iewes learning but whether IESVS of Nazareth were that Messias he knew not for a certeintie and therefore Peter was sent to instruct him more fullie But here to bleare our eies verse 23. they saie that Paule in the 17. of the Acts attributeth some godlines vnto the people of Athens when as notwithstanding they were idolaters for thus he saith Ye men of Athens I shew vnto you that God whom you ignorantlie worship But euen as if a man that can handsomlie drawe some one letter A similitude shall not therefore be straitwaie counted a good writer neither he that can sing one or two verses shall for that cause be taken for a singing man for these names require consideration and art and it may come to passe by chance that a man may drawe well or sing well once or twise euen so none is to be counted verelie and out of doubt good which setteth foorth one good worke or two that haue some shew of godlines But Paule called not the Atheniens godlie without adding some termes of spéech which should diminish godlines True godlines cannot be ioined with ignorance Whom ye ignorantlie saith he worship But what pietie can that be which is ioined with the ignorance of the true GOD Moreouer a little before he had called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Verie superstitious by these two words hée much diminished their pietie verse 22. But Luke absolutelie calleth Cornelius religious and addeth that He feared God Iob. 1 1. which addition is of so great force How great a dignitie it is to feare God that in the booke of Iob a man fearing God is translated of the seuentie interpretors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A true and religious man And Dauid saith Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Psal 112 1. And if so be he be blessed which feareth God how is not the same man also iustified But besides these things which after a sort by the causes declare the iustification of Cornelius Acts. 10. we haue also another testimonie of the effects The effects are a testimonie of Cornelius iustification for that he gaue almes which were acceptable vnto God But we haue alreadie by manie reasons prooued that none can doo works acceptable vnto God but he which is iustified and regenerate Further he distributed these almes vpon the people of the Iewes as of whom he hauing béene instructed in the skill of godlines would impart vnto them in like maner some of his temporall goods For It is meet as Paule saith vnto the Galathians that he which is instructed Galat. 6 6. should communicate vnto him which dooth instruct him in all good things Moreouer that soldier which was sent vnto Peter declareth Acts. 10 22. that he had a good testimonie of all the Iewes All which things doo sufficientlie shew that although we read not that he was circumcised yet he came so néere vnto the doctrine of the people of God as that all men commended his pietie verse 30. He praie◠continuallie It is written besides that he praied and that continuallie And if so be we diligentlie weigh the whole historie we shall find that he
obserued the same houre which the Iewes had appointed for common praier for it saith that At the ninth houre he sawe an angel standing by him which gaue him to vnderstand that his praier was heard But out of the first chapter of Esaie and 15. of Prouerbs and manie other places we be taught that The vngodlie and sinfull sort be not heard of God How it is to be vnderstood that sinners are not heard of God Which neuertheles must be vnderstood so long as they would be sinners and reteine with them a will to sinne 11 Neither is that which Augustine writeth against the Donatists repugnant to this doctrine namelie that The praiers of wicked priests be heard of God Why God heareth the the praiers of ill ministers for he addeth that it so commeth to passe by reason of the peoples deuotion But Cornelius when he praid was holpen by his owne faith and not through the faith of others which stood by And Augustine in his epistle vnto Sixtus saith that God in iustifieng of a man is woont to giue his spirit whereby he may pray for those things which be profitable for saluation Rom. 12 14 And séeing Cornelius praid for those things there can be no doubt but he was iustified Herevnto adde that no man can rightlie praie vnto God vnlesse he haue faith And that we be iustified by faith it hath bin sufficientlie testified and declared alreadie Peter also before he began to preach vnto him saith that He perceiued in verie truth that God is no accepter of persons Acts. 10 34. but that he is accepted by him of what nation so euer he be which worketh righteousnesse which words teach vs plainelie enough that Cornelius was euen alreadie accepted of God before Peter came vnto him But I maruell that there be anie which dare affirme that he had not the faith of Christ when as Christ himselfe in the eight chapter of Iohn saith that He knoweth not God which beleeueth not in the sonne of God Iohn 14 1. And in the 14. chapter he admonisheth his disciples If ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me Iohn 5 46. and if so be ye beleeued Moses ye would also beleeue in me These things assure vs that Cornelius beléeued verelie in God and therefore did also beléeue in the Messias which should come euen as he had bin instructed by the Iewes although he knew not that he was alreadie come and that IESVS of Nazareth whom the Iewes had crucified was the same Messias He had the same faith Cornelius had the faith of the fathers in the old testament Iohn 1 48. The example of Nathaniel wherewith the fathers beléeued that Christ should come wherefore séeing they were iustifie◠by the same faith how dare we be so bold as denie the verie same vnto Cornelius Nathaniel which beléeued that Messias should come and thought that he was not yet come is by Christ pronounced to be a true Israelit in whom there was no guile which two things cannot concurre in a man not yet iustified But Peter was therefore sent to Cornelius that he might more plainelie and expressedlie knowe that thing which he had before intricatlie beléeued of Christ Of this mind was Gregorie in his 19. homilie vpon Ezechiel A similitude for he saith that Faith is the entrie whereby we come to good works but not contrariwise that by good works we can come vnto faith And so he concludeth that Cornelius did first beléeue before he could bring foorth anie laudable workes And he citeth that place vnto the Hebrues It is vnpossible without faith to please God Which sentence Heb. 11 6. as it appeareth by the selfe-same place cannot be otherwise vnderstood than of faith iustifieng Beda expounding the third chapter of the acts is of the same mind and citeth the words of Gregorie Neither is the Maister of the sentences of anie other iudgement in his second booke and 25. distinction But our aduersaries obiect vnto vs Augustine in his 7. chapter De praedestinatione sanctorum where he reasoneth against those which taught that faith is of our selues when yet in the meane time they confessed that the works which followe be of God but yet obteined by faith Indéed Augustine confesseth that the works Faith is not of our selues Ephe. 2 8. which followe faith be of God but denieth that faith is of our selues For he saith that Paule writeth to the Ephesians By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God But that is a hard saieng which he addeth namelie that the praiers and almes of Cornelius were accepted of God before he beléeued in Christ But we must here weigh the things which followe for he addeth And yet praied he not neither gaue he almes without some faith for how did he call vpon him in whom he beléeued not Cornelius had faith in Christ but not distinct and vnfolden These words doo plainelie declare that Augustine tooke not awaie from Cornelius all maner of faith in Christ but onelie an vnfolden and distinct faith Which thing that place chéeflie declareth which is cited out of the epistle to the Romans verse 13. How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued For those words be written of the faith and inuocation of men regenerate as the next sentence following plainelie declareth Euerie one which calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued for we cannot attribute saluation but to them which be iustified Peter was sent to edifie Cornelius not to laie the ground of his faith But Peter was sent vnto Cornelius to build vp and not to laie the foundation for the foundations of faith were laid in him before 12 But those things which Augustine addeth séeme to bring a greater difficultie for he saith But if he could without the faith namelie of Christ be saued that singular workeman the apostle should not haue béene sent to edifie him But séeing he alreadie before attributed vnto him faith and inuocation after which of necessitie followeth saluation whereof the apostle speaketh in the epistle to the Romans The saluation which we haue in this life is not perfect how can he take saluation from him vnlesse we peraduenture vnderstand that faith and saluation in men iustified is not perfect while they liue here For our saluation commeth not in this life to that degrée nor to that quantitie which Christ requireth in his elect for no man maie doubt but that we shall not atteine to perfect saluation before the resurrection and eternall saluation although we haue begun to enioie the same alreadie after a sort Paule to the Ephesians affirmeth Ephes 2 8. that We be now saued by faith And yet vnto the Philippians he exhorteth vs With feare and trembling to worke our owne saluation Phil. 2 12. Which places cannot be brought to one consent Saluation begun by iustification is
to be made perfect euerie daie vnles we saie that the saluation begun in vs through iustification is dailie to be made perfect in vs for we are alwais more and more renewed and faith is made more full more expressed of more efficacie These words of Augustine vnles we interpret them on this sort either of necessitie they must be none of his or else he is repugnant to himselfe That the booke is Augustines we cannot denie but that he is repugnant vnto himselfe that is not likelie But if thou saie that these things may agrée well enough togither if we grant that Cornelius was not yet iustified when as neuertheles he did some works well pleasing and acceptable vnto God I answer that this can by no meanes agrée with Augustines meaning For he in his 801. treatise vpon Iohn and in his fourth booke and third chapter against Iulian and vpon the 31. psalme dooth prooue by most sure reasons that all works doone before we be iustified be sinne But that faith is more expressedlie set foorth and made perfect in them that are iustified we may easilie perceiue by that which Christ said vnto his apostles Manie kings and prophets desired to see the things Matt. 13 17. which ye see and sawe them not Yet notwithstanding those kings and prophets were men godlie and iustified although they knew not so expressedlie all the mysteries of Christ as the apostles did And Christ when he praied thus spake concerning the apostles themselues The words which thou gauest me Iohn 17 8. haue I giuen vnto them those haue they receiued and haue knowne that I came foorth from thee and that thou hast sent me These things doo shew that the apostles beléeued in Christ and therefore were iustified Yet the verie historie of the Gospell sufficientlie declareth that they were ignorant of manie things Luke 24 16 Matt. 16 9. Luke 18 34 for it is shewed oftentimes that either they had their eies closed that they should not sée or else that they vnderstood not those things which were spoken Note the interpretation of the words of Augustine Wherefore Augustine denieth that Cornelius had saluation before Peter was sent vnto him yet not altogither but that he had no perfect and absolute saluation 13 But they further obiect the same Augustine in his questions vnto Simplicianus in the second booke and second question where he plainlie teacheth that faith goeth before works After that he putteth a certeine meane betwéen graâ—e and the celebration of the sacraments for he saith that it may be that Catechumenus or one newlie conuerted vnto christian religion and that he which is conuersant among the Catechumeni may beléeue and haue grace and yet the same man is not yet washed by baptisme Moreouer he saith that grace is more plentifullie powred in after the sacraments By which words he signifieth that it is one and the selfe-same grace but is afterward made more abundant And that thou maist knowe he intreateth of a iustifieng faith he citeth a place out of the epistle to the Ephesians Ephes 2 8. By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God Whether grace and a weake faith haue the power to iustifie But our aduersaries will saie that they also teach that grace goeth before good works and that by this grace some faith is bestowed vpon men But this at the beginning is so weake as it cannot haue the power to iustifie howbeit there may some works be doon which may be acceptable to God But we will call to mind what Augustine writeth of Pelagius A historie of Pelagius in his hundred and fift epistle vnto Innocentius bishop of Rome he saith that Pelagius in the councell of Palestine to the end he would not be accurssed himselfe did cursse all those which should saie that they could liue vprightlie without grace But he by grace ment no other thing than the gift bestowed vpon vs in our creation as frée choise reason will and the doctrine of the lawe The Palestine bishops being beguiled by this colorable craft did absolue him Augustine excuseth them bicause they dealt plainlie and simplie for when they heard that Pelagius confessed the grace of God they could not vnderstand it to be other than that grace which the holie scriptures doo set foorth namelie the same whereby we are regenerate and ingraffed in Christ Wherefore it appéereth that they which feigne vnto themselues another grace than that whereby we are iustified and ingraffed in Christ doo thrust vpon vs a thing imagined by man or rather a Pelagian refuge which the holie scriptures acknowledge not Moreouer Augustine in the same place which we now spake of dooth affirme that the Catechumeni and such as beléeue though they be not baptised yet neuertheles be conceiued Who be Catechumeni and conceiued sonnes of God but they which are now conceiued to be the sonnes of God cannot be strangers from him or enimies vnto him wherefore it followeth that they also be alreadie iustified though not in such perfect sort And this also is manifest Grace following is all one with the first but differeth in degree and quantitie in that Augustine calleth the grace following a more full grace as that which differeth not from the first in kind and nature but onelie in degrée and quantitie and séeing it is of the selfe-same kind that the other is the same shall also iustifie had their reward But that God in appointing of kingdoms had respect to some other end than to paie a reward to those men Augustine himselfe sheweth vs sufficientlie in his fift booke De ciuitate Dei and twelfe chapter which we before cited Why God by his prouidence so transferreth kingdoms from nation to nation for he saith that Séeing the empire had first béene in the east God would at length that the kingdome of the Romans shuld beare the chéefe dominion to tame the wicked dooings of other nations 16 But manie suspect that by this doctrine is opened a windowe vnto manie vices for if all the dooings of ciuill men while they séeme to worke vpon vertue be sinnes they may easilie be pulled awaie from those goodlie works Ciuill discipline must not be pretermitted of infidels I answer that we teach not that ciuill discipline is to be let go for the same by Gods prouidence is as it were a bond wherewith ciuill societie is preserued God can suffer cities and Common-weales so long as in them flourisheth integritie of maners and honestie but when those things be altogither vitiate and corrupt then God is so prouoked vnto wrath as he will punish those things The Ethniks sinne lesse by keeping of ciuill discipline than by reiecting of it All sinnes are not alike which long before he had winked at So long as men be without Christ they sinne euen when they shew foorth notable works but yet they sinne farre lesse than
God But he which pleaseth God must out of all doubt haue faith for vnto the Hebrues it is written Without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11 6. But these men by this their heresie will obtrude vnto vs that which the same epistle denieth can be doone But a man saie they in that he is a man is no euill trée But Augustine saith If the respect be vnto nature no tree is euill Natures must not be weighed as they were made by God but according to the state that coms to them afterward If we consider the natures onelie then shall there be no where anie euill trée for both angell and man were created by God and receiued good natures But these natures must not be measured by vs according to that which they were made by God but according to the state which came vnto them afterward A man indued with a good will shall be called a good trée but an euill trée shall be the man which is indued with an euill will And we saie that after the fall of Adam and the first ruine of our kind men be such as they are not mooued with a good will but with an euill But to returne to the almes of an infidell Mercie doone to a neighbour without faith is faithlesse whereof we began to speake we may demand whether this mercie which is shewed be of faith or be faithlesse And forsomuch as it is doone without faith it must néeds be faithlesse wherefore it cannot be without vice sinne It is not sufficient to haue mercie of our neighbour Mercie of it selfe is not good vnlesse the same be also doone faithfullie and rightlie for mercie is not of it selfe alone good For God hath dissalowed manie benefits bestowed vpon our neighbours as when the king of Israell spared the king of Syria and Saule 1. kin 20 35. 1. Sam. 15 verse 16. Agag the king of Amaleck But faith which woorketh by loue God disallowed certeine works of mercie is alwaies good and can neuer be euill But forsomuch as mercie is not of that kind therefore it is necessarie that there be vsed an vprightnes whereby it may be doone faithfullie to receiue commendation The wicked abuse naturall affections They crie out that this naturall affection of shewing mercie is good which thing peraduenture we will not denie But they should haue â—onsidered that men not regenerate abuse the good thing when as they direct it not to God who is the onelie end of all our actions neither surelie dooth he commit a slight sinne which peruerslie abuseth so great a gift of God 21 Furthermore the same Augustine affirmeth that Whatsoeuer good thing can be perceiued to be in the worke of an infidell the same is wholie of God Wherefore in that our neighbour is holpen and some ordinance of reason obserued and some ciuill honestie reteined that commeth not anie otherwise than of God but so farre foorth as it procéedeth from an infidell and a man corrupt it is sinne and displeaseth God By these and such other reasons Pelagius was led to confesse that these men which so by nature behaue themselues aright are good indéed but yet without fruit Augustine againe replieth against them saieng that Such is the nature of barren trées that either they bring foorth no fruit at all or else euill fruit But Pelagius still endeuoureth to cleare himselfe and therefore he saith that these men are to be called barren for that although those things which they doo be good yet helpe they nothing to the atteinement of the kingdome of heauen But in saieng thus Pelagius and the Schoolemen affirme good works but not such as further to the kingdome of heauen he saith nothing naie rather he hindereth his owne selfe Truelie the Schoolemen of our time haue euen the verie same opinion the which thing Augustine withstandeth by all the might he can for he saith By this means the Lord which is good shall cut downe and cast into the fier a good trée bringing foorth as ye say good fruit What maner of iustice is this which ye so seuerelie defend eueriewhere Vpon this opinion of yours there followe manie vaine and absurd things Thus much hitherto out of Augustine A grace preuenting and knocking But our men boast that they differ much from Pelagius for we put saie they a certeine grace preuenting and knocking whereby in the harts of men may be inclosed some good treasure by which they may worke some good thing wherefore they are not plants vtterlie dead A similitude for after a sort they bring foorth fruit And although that which they doo bring foorth cannot bud foorth into flowers and into tried fruit yet are there boughes which may and doo come foorth of some sappe of the grace of God whereof euen they which be strangers vnto the grace of God be altogether destitute But Pelagius confessed euen the verie same things for he misliked not the name of grace when as neuerthelesse by the same name as Augustine dooth prudentlie discouer him he vnderstood what he listed rather than what he ought and a farre other matter than that word signifieth among the catholike writers or in the church of Christ or in the holie scriptures But these men in their similitude Against the former similitude haue small consideration for they remember not that the Lord in the gospell did curse the trée which onelie bare leaues without fruit and also commanded that the same should be cut off Mat. 21 1â— Luk. 13 6. and cast into the fier But there is nothing in the danger of Gods curse and of hell-fier but sinne But they haue yet an other colour whereby they would auoid this place for they saie that these trées indéed be euill but yet not vtterlie dead for in them there is found out sappe of grace For they affirme that there is in man a certeine grace which knocketh and preuenteth whereby in the harts of men not regenerate some good treasure may be inclosed out of which may spring some blossoms from a man not penitent For although they be not able to make that which they bring foorth prosper vnto a perfect and ripe fruit or to beare flowers yet at the least wise they bring foorth boughes and leaues which doubtlesse be a token of secret grace and life It is a woonder to sée how these men stand in their owne conceit concerning this knocking and preuenting grace whereof we haue declared before what is to be thought But they which speake and iudge after this sort are too much without consideration for they marke not that this grace of theirs is no other but a certeine inuiting vnto Christ but yet not of efficacie for men therewithall are left vnder the wrath of God neither are their harts changed What good treasure then can be in them from whence may bud foorth woorks acceptable vnto God But because we will not flie from their
faith by the benefit of the holie Ghost springeth in vs The holie Ghost as well goeth before as after faith by which faith is increased the abundance of the selfe-same spirit whose increase the former faith hath preuented and of a greater faith is still made a greater increase of the spirit But yet neuerthelesse we constantlie affirme that there is but one thing chéeflie from whence all these good things flowe to wit the holie Ghost Secondlie saith Augustine the lawe by the helpe of faith is otherwise confirmed bicause by faith we praie and calling vpon God with praiers we doo not onelie obteine remission of sinnes but also a great portion of the spirit and of grace so that we haue strength to obeie the lawe Doubtlesse the lawe The lawe maketh vs vncerteine of the will of God if it be taken by it selfe maketh vs both vncerteine of the good will of God and after a sort bringeth desperation vnles faith come and helpe which both maketh vs assured that God is pacified and mercifull towards vs and also by grace obteineth the renewing of strength And the apostles phrase whereby he saith that by faith he established the lawe is to be noted For thereby he signifieth that the lawe if it be left vnto it selfe and without faith is weake so that it cannot firmelie stand And therefore vnlesse it be holden vp by faith it will easilie fall And this is the point of a singular artificer not onelie to repell from him that which is obiected but also to declare that the selfe-same maketh most of all for his purpose The lawe and faith helpe one another The lawe and faith helpe one another and as the common saieng is giue hands each to other For the lawe dooth as a schoolemaister bring men vnto the faith of Christ And on the other side faith bringeth this to passe that it maketh them after a sort able to accomplish the lawe For straitwaie so soone as a man beléeueth in Christ he obteineth iustification and is liberallie indued with abundance of the spirit with grace The intent and purpose of the lawe was that man should both be made good and also saued But this it was not able to performe Then succéeded faith and did helpe it for through it a man is renewed so that he is able to obeie God and his commandements Chrysostome saith that Paule prooueth héere thrée things first that a man may be iustified without the lawe secondlie that the lawe cannot iustifie thirdlie that faith and the lawe are not repugnant one to the other 25 Ambrose teacheth that therefore by faith is the lawe stablished bicause that those things which by the lawe are commanded to be doone are by faith declared to be doone And we knowe that this righteousnesse which Paule here commendeth hath testimonies both of the lawe and of the prophets And if anie man obiect that therfore the lawe is made void by faith bicause thorough it ceremonies are abolished he answereth that this therefore so happeneth bicause the lawe it selfe would haue it so and foreshewed that it would so come to passe In Daniel we read that after the comming of Christ Dani. 9 27. and after the slaieng of him the dailie sacrifices should be taken awaie and so also should be the holie annointing such like kind of ceremonies Wherfore Christ did not without cause saie Matt. 11 13 The lawe the prophets endured vnto the time of Iohn Baptist Ieremie also manifestlie said Ier. 31 33. that another couenant should be made far differing frō that which was made in old time The epistle to the Hebrues thereby concludeth Heb. 10 16. that that which was the old couenant and so was called should one daie be abolished Zach. 2 4 Zacharie the prophet in his second chapter saith that The citie of Ierusalem should be inhabited without wals Which signifieth that the church of the beléeuers should be so spred abroad and dispersed through the whole world that it should not be closed in by any bounds and limits Esaie 2 ◠Which selfe-same thing Esaie séemeth to testifie when he saith that Mount Sion and the house of the Lord should be on the top of the hils so that the Gentils should come vnto it out of all places And Malachie the prophet pronounceth Malac. 1 11. that The name of God should be called vpon from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same so that to God euerie where should be offered Mincha which manie haue transferred vnto the Eucharist as though it were a sacrifice when as yet the prophet thereby vnderstandeth praiers and the offering vp euen of our selues as Tertullian testifieth in his booke against the Iewes and also Ierom when he interpreteth that place Wherefore when the prophets séeme to affirme that ceremonies should be transferred vnto the Ethniks they are so to be vnderstood as though by the signes they ment the things themselues The Ethniks being conuerted vnto Christ receiued that which was represented by the ceremonies of the Hebrues But they reiected the outward signes and this was by faith to confirme the lawe And forsomuch as the prophets foretold that ceremonies should be abolished the same is to be taken as if it had béene spoken of the lawe sith that the prophets were interpretors of the lawe And that Christ when he should come should change the ceremonies the Iewes themselues doubted not Which is manifest by the historie of Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 2. 6. Iohn Baptist shewed that the ceremonies should be abrogated which we read in the Gospell For when he would purge men being conuerted vnto God he sent them not vnto sacrifices and vnto the ceremonies of Moses whereby sinnes were said to be purged but baptised them into repentance to the forgiuenesse of sinnes adioining doctrine therevnto wherein he made mention of the father the sonne and the holie Ghost Which doctrine vndoubtedlie the high Priests Scribes Pharisies could in no case abide that he reiecting the ceremonies which were receiued should put in their stéed an other kind of waie Wherefore they sent a messenger to him to aske him whether he were the Messias or Elias or the prophet as it were confessing that vnder Messias it wold come to pas that the ceremonies of the lawe should be altered which should not be lawfull for others to doo 26 And if thou demand why God gaue ceremonies which should be afterward abolished Chrysostome hath thereof a proper similitude If a man haue a wife prone to lasciuiousnesse A similitude he shutteth hir vp in certeine places I meane in chambers or parlours so that she may not wander abroad at hir pleasure He moreouer appointeth for hir Eunuchs waiting maids and handmaids to haue a most diligent eie to hir So delt God with the Iewes he tooke them to him at the beginning as a spouse as it is said by the prophet Ose 2 19. I haue
other side he saith Iohn 14 1. Iohn 6 44. that No man can com vnto him but he whom the father shall drawe Matt. 13 9. He also saith He which hath eares to heare let him heare And yet God saith in the scriptures Deut. 30 6. that He would giue them an hart from aboue to vnderstand eies to see eares to heare Wherefore these things are not repugnant one to the other namelie that the appointment of good works lieth in God and that the gift of them is to be hoped for at Gods hands onelie and that we also must put our care and endeuor to liue vprightlie and godlie for as we haue before said the holie scriptures teach both Moreouer As well the fore-knowlege of God as predestination is certeine if for this cause we should denie predestination séeing after the selfe-same maner the fore-knowledge of God is certeine and can not be deceiued shall we therefore denie that God fore-knoweth all things if peraduenture there be some which may be offended with this doctrine An example brought by Augustine And in his booke De bono perseuerantiae the 15. chapter he bringeth an example which happened in his time He saith that in the same monasterie that he was in was a certeine man of a loose life who when he was admonished of his fault was accustomed to saie Such a one shall I be as God hath fore-knowne me And when he so spake saith Augustine he spake indéed the truth but although his iudgement was true yet became he euerie daie woorse woorse at the last also he saith that he returned to his old vomit howbeit saith he what maner of one he shall in time to come be God onelie knoweth Though this man abused the truth A thing is not made euill by the abuse thereof yet will not therefore anie godlie man denie that God fore-knoweth all things And that this fore-knowledge of God is no let vnto good works Christ declared when he commanded his disciples to praie Matth. 6 9. when as yet in the meane time he plainlie told them Ibidem 32. that God knew right well what they had néed of So then The fore-knowledge of GOD ought not to call vs backe from the indeuor of praieng fore-knowledge of God dooth not call vs backe from desire to praie for the things profitable and necessarie which God hath decréed to giue vs he hath decréed to giue them by this meane They also are deceiued which thinke that this doctrine is an vnprofitable doctrine yea their sight is but small and they vnderstand not the profite thereof Vnto the godlie it is verie profitable to the end they should not put anie confidence either in themselues or in anie other men but should fixe all their whole hart and confidence in God alone Which thing vndoubtedlie none can trulie and from the hart doo but those which are fullie persuaded both that their saluation and also their good works depend not vpon themselues but of God No We cannot acknowlege the gifts of God without wee knowe frō whence they spring we cannot acknowledge the gifts of God except we vnderstand from what fountaine they spring But that fountaine is the frée purpose and mercie of God giuen vnto them whom he hath elected before the constitution of the world He which séeth not this séeth not the goodnes of God towards him By this doctrine may men be brought What that fountaine is not to glorie in themselues but in the Lord which they cannot doo that ascribe vnto their owne frée will that little whatsoeuer it be for the which they saie they are chosen of God for they haue in themselues whereof to glorie Ouer this the scriptures will haue vs to be mortified and to behaue our selues lowelie which thing nothing more easilie bringeth to passe than dooth this doctrine The certeintie also of saluation which we defend is by no other means made more manifest And in the latter epistle to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2 13 Paule willeth vs for this cause to giue thanks vnto GOD We are willed to giue thanks for our election that we are elected of God but this can we not doo vnlesse this also be wholie made plaine and knowne vnto vs. Neither without this doctrine can the grace of God be sufficientlie defended against the Pelagians for they taught that the election of God commeth by our merits Predestination confirmeth the doctrine of iustification It is no new doctrine seeing it is set foorth in the holie scriptures Heresies the cause why doctrines were the more diligentlie searched out Frée iustification also should perish except we be rightlie taught of predestination Séeing therefore this doctrine being soundlie vnderstood is vnto so manie things so profitable no man ought to count it vnfruitfull and sithence it is set foorth in the holie scriptures it cannot vndoubtedlie be called a new doctrine 4 But if the fathers before Augustines time haue not so diligentlie spoken of it it ought not to be maruelled at for the occasions wherefore doctrines were the more diligentlie discussed and searched out were new heresies which often sproong vp in the church And for that before Pelagius time no man had spoken against the grace of God there was no néed that anie man should defend it but when there arose vp a new error it was necessarie that this doctrine should the more diligentlie be examined And yet did not the fathers which were before Augustine alwaies leaue this thing vnspoken of The Fathers before Augustines time taught this doctrine For Augustine himselfe prooueth that in the 19. chapter of his booke De bono perseuerantiae Ambrose vpon Luke saith that God could if he would of vndeuout persons make deuout And againe he saith that God calleth them whom he vouchsafeth and whom he will he maketh religious These things writeth he vpon that place wherein it is written that the Samaritans would not receiue Christ He citeth also Gregorius Nazianzenus who saith that God granteth that the faithfull both beléeue the blessed trinitie and also confesse it But whereas they quarell that this doctrine is verie obscure and cannot be vnderstood but rather bringeth men to be vncerteine of the will of God he answereth that indéed it is an obscurenes vnserchable How predestination is obscure and how not obscure if anie man go about to séeke out reasons of the iudgements of God why other men being reiected this or that man is chosen But if so much be taught of predestination as the holie scriptures doo set foorth vnto vs those things are not so obscure but that they might be manifest inough vnto our faith When we will do anie thing we must not haue an eie to predestination but to the scripture The certeine number of the elect hindreth not preaching Neither counsell we that when a man dooth anie thing he should deliberate with himselfe of predestination but rather
fréelie bestowed by God not thorough works or for anie woorthines of the receiuers On the other part men are woont to doubt whether themselues by the election of God be excluded from these promises or no héere must they teach that it is the part of faithfull people to receiue the promises of God generallie as they be taught vs in the holie scriptures by the spirit of God and that they ought not to be verie inquisitiue of the secret will of God For vndoubtedlie he would haue reuealed declared who be the chosen reprobate if he had knowne that the same should be profitable to saluation Wherefore séeing the scriptures reiect none particularlie from the promises euerie man ought so to harken vnto them as if they should particularlie perteine to himselfe And certeinlie togither with faith there will be a persuasion of the spirit giuen vnto the beléeuers so as they shall not be in anie doubt but that they verelie perteine vnto the elect By this meanes the ministerie of the church dooth seruice vnto God and worketh with him for our saluation not that the goodnes and power of God cannot without it both offer his promises vnto vs and also incline our minds to receiue the same For the grace of God is not necessarilie bound either to the ministerie The grace of God is not necessarilie bound to outward things or to the sacraments or else to the outward word But we now speake of the vsuall meanes whereby God dooth lead men vnto saluation And when as we haue once admitted the promises of God we which before were dead in sinne begin foorthwith to reuiue againe and being so restored vnto life in some part we obeie the lawe of God vndoubtedlie not in perfect wise but onelie by an entrance into obedience Further against our enimies the flesh and the diuell we haue the present helpe of God and in afflictions a woonderfull comfort and we haue the strengths and faculties of the mind and bodie restored And to speake at one word the grace of God which we haue described is the well-spring of all good things 11 But this one thing we séeme to haue affirmed which as yet is not prooued by the scriptures namelie that God dooth not onelie by his méere grace and good will offer the promises which we haue now spoken of but that he also by his spirit bendeth our hart to receiue them The first part was allowed euen of the Pelagians What maner of grace the Pelagians granted to wit that there is required a grace of doctrine and illustration But the other thing namelie that the hart should either receiue or refuse the promises offered they thought did stand in frée will But the scripture teacheth far otherwise for Ezechiel saith in the 11. chapter Ezec. 11 19 God dooth not onelie offer the promises but he also bendeth the hart to imbrace them The meaning of the fathers that God would giue to his faithfull a new hart and a new spirit and that he would take awaie from them their stonie hart would giue them a fleshie hart These things doo teach most manifestly that there must be a change made in our minds Wherefore when as we read either in Augustine or in other of the fathers that grace dooth first come which our will dooth accompanie as a handmaiden that must not so be vnderstood as if our will followeth of hir owne power It is not sufficient that the will be stirred vp but that it be also mooued being onelie stirred vp and admonished by grace Vnles the will should bée changed it would neuer followe wherefore it is first required that the will be changed then that it should obeie Chrysostome also must be heard with discretion who in his sermon De inuentione crucis saith that Neither the grace of God can do any thing without our will nor our will without grace for it is not generallie true that grace can doo nothing without our will vnles ye so vnderstand will to be that about which grace worketh Grace is not to expect the consent of the will but that grace must expect the consent of the will that is not true for grace changeth the will before the same be able to giue anie consent Wherefore Dauid praieth A cleane hart create in me ô God And Salomon Incline Lord Psal 51 11. the hart of this people to execute thy commandements And Dauid againe 1. Kin. 1 58. Psa 118 36. Incline my hart vnto thy testimonies The Pelagians taught The opinion of the Pelagians that the beginning of good works commeth from vs that is to saie from frée will and that grace dooth helpe forward vnto the easier and readier performance of them 12 But the latter Diuines and Sophisters The opinion of the Schoole-men least they should séeme altogither to agrée with Pelagius haue thus decréed that Grace dooth indéed come first but that it is our part either to receiue it or to denie it But this hath no more truth in it than had that opinion of Pelagius for how haue we wherewithall to admit the same grace If this were true saluation should come from our selues But Paule saith What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4 7. And if thou hast receiued why doost thou glorie as though thou hadst not receiued And against these Augustine citeth the words of Paule It is not in him that willeth Rom. 9 16. nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie If the sentence saith he of these men were true the apostle with like reason might haue said It is not in God that sheweth mercie but in him that willeth and runneth For as these men teach the worke séemes to be distributed so as the one part is ascribed vnto God and the other is left vnto vs and so that the grace of God is not sufficient vnlesse that we also put to our helpe and that we doo will and run But far otherwise the apostle Rom. 9 16. It is neither saith he of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercie And in another place he saith of himselfe 1. Co. 15 10 I haue laboured more than all yet not I but the grace of God which is in me by which words he renounceth all in himselfe ascribeth it wholie to the grace of God And Augustine addeth We praie for our enimies which as yet be euill and will not obey God and doo refuse his promises Which thing when we doo what desire we but that God will change their wils Which vnlesse it were in Gods power to doo it should be craued of him in vaine 1. Cor. 3 5. And in another place Paule saith Not that we be fit to thinke anie thing of our selues as of our selues But and if we be not able so much as to thinke a thought certeinelie much lesse can we will for will followeth cogitation and knowledge
The will being changed of God is not idle The regenerate doo worke togither with God Neither doo I speake these things as though the will being changed by God should become idle and doo nothing for being restored it must worke togither with grace according to that which Barnard speaketh of frée will that the same which is begun by the one be perfourmed by both For then we are not onlie mere men or naked but are made also the sonnes of God and haue added vnto vs the motion of the holie Ghost And Paule saith vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 3 17. that The man of God taught in the holie scriptures is now apt and meet vnto all good things 13 But men are woont to saie and commonlie to boast Whether the grace of God be laid abroad to all men that the grace of God is laid foorth to all men wherefore if the same be not imbraced the fault is in our selues for that euerie man may atteine to it if he will This cloud we must rid awaie by some short discourse Indéed we may grant that after this sort grace is set abroad vnto all men bicause the generall promises of God are offered and preched indifferently to all men Neither doo the preachers which publish those promises sticke anie thing about the secret will of God or else thinke this with themselues Peraduenture this man is not predestinate or I shall further nothing by my trauell they imagine no such thing but they propound the word of God to all men generallie By this meanes the grace and calling of God may be said to be common vnto all men Howbeit when as anie man receiueth the promises of God offered When a man receiueth grace he dooth it not by the power of his owne will Acts. 16 15. A similitude he dooth it not by his owne power or will for of necessitie his hart must be opened which thing Luke in the Acts testifieth of the woman that sould purple For all men are not effectuallie called and according to the purpose of God But these men séeme to feigne to themselues a grace as it were some garment hanging in the aire which euerie man may put on that will But these be the deuises of mans wisedome the holie scriptures speake otherwise They be woont also to distinguish grace on this wise A grace working and a grace working togither Phil. 2 13. that there is grace working and a grace that worketh togither from which distinction Augustine differeth not for the same séemeth to be taken out of the words of the apostle It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe Wherefore working grace is that which at the beginning healeth the will and changeth it then afterward it bringeth to passe that the same being being changed and healed it dooth rightlie and first indéed it is called a working grace afterward a grace working togither And this is all one grace and not two graces A grace working working togither is all one grace but the distinction is taken from the effects of the same For first the will when it is healed it concurreth with grace passiuelie for the same is said to be changed and we are said to be regenerated but afterward it behaueth it selfe both actiuelie and passiuelie for when it is vrged forward by God it also willeth and chooseth And in this sense that is true which is written to the Hebrues Take heed that ye fall not awaie from the grace of God for being regenerate Heb. 14 15. we ought not to sit idle but to worke liue according to the grace which dooth accompanie vs. But those doo excéedinglie erre which iudge that the verie will it selfe can will good things The will of it selfe cannot will good things and that by grace the spirit is onlie wrought to will effectuallie and that those things which are willed may be obteined This as I haue alreadie shewed is contrarie vnto the scriptures They demand further whether we deserue anie thing by that first grace Indéed our aduersaries affirme that we do howbeit it we denie the same and altogither reiect the consideration of merit and for how iust causes we doo the same it shall be more fit to declare eleswhere We confesse doubtlesse that God is woont of his liberalitie and mercie to grant benefits after benefits but we grant not for all this that each first gift of God can deserue other latter gifts Each first gift of God deserueth not the latter gifts Matt. 25 29. Ibidem 35. And so much those places be vnderstood in the gospell To him that hath shall be giuen And Go to good seruant bicause thou hast been faithfull in few things I will set thee ouer manie things 14 Besides this they diuide grace into grace preuenting and grace after following which diuision Augustine séemeth to allow Grace preuenting and after following Psal 59 11. by the words of Dauid in the 59. psalme His mercie shall preuent me and his mercie shall followe me Howbeit this distinction must be so admitted as it is ment of one and the same grace and the diuersitie consisteth in the effects For there be manie and sundrie gifts It is one verie grace but it varieth in the effects The order of the effects of grace with the which the mercie of God dooth garnish vs for first our will is healed and the same being healed it beginneth to will well afterward those things that it willeth well it beginneth to execute finallie it continueth in dooing well and last of all it is crowned Wherefore grace preuenteth our will in healing of it the verie same followeth in bringing to passe that those things which be right may please It preuenteth that we may will it followeth in driuing vs to performe those things that we will it preuenteth by moouing vs to good works it followeth by giuing of perseuerance it preuenteth by giuing perseuerance it followeth after by crowning of the same And euen as it is one and the same light of the sunne A similitude which nourisheth and prepareth the earth to receiue séed and that maketh the same to growe when it is committed to the earth and being growne vp cherisheth them that they may beare fruit euen so it is all one grace of God which both commeth before the will and also which followeth after Also Augustine saith Grace preuenteth that we may be healed it followeth after that we may be quickened it preuenteth that we may be called it followeth that we may be glorified Wherefore they iudge amisse which thinke that grace preuenting is a certeine common motion wherewith God knocketh at the harts of men inuiting them to liue well as though it were in mans hand either to come or refuse when grace inuiteth No lesse doo they erre which iangle in the Schooles that it is one grace which is fréelie giuen It behooueth that all grace be giuen freelie Rom. 11 6.
merits but for his mercie Wherfore it is written in the 103. psalme Which crowneth thee in mercie and compassions bicause It is he that worketh in vs both to will and also to performe Phil. 2 13. The apostle had said before Worke your saluation with feare and trembling afterward least we should attribute this thing vnto our selues verse 12. he saith that God worketh these things in vs and that not for our merits but according to his owne good pleasure And in the same booke the eight chapter he saith that There is no small ambiguitie how eternall life is rendred vnto good works For the scripture saith that Euerie man shall haue according to his works 2. Cor. 5 10. Psal 62 12. Rom. 6 23. Rom. 4 4. And yet on the other side Paule calleth grace eternall life But the propertie of grace is to be rendred fréelie Paule also saith Vnto him which worketh not the reward is not imputed according to det but according to grace And he saith moreouer Rom. 11 6. Rom. 11 5. that Grace if it be of works is not grace Againe that The remnants through the election of grace shall be saued Againe vnto the Ephesians Ephes 2 8. By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues Againe Not of works least anie man should glorie Ibidem 9. This doubt saith Augustine cannot otherwise be dissolued An vpright and holie life is grace How eternall life is rendred vnto works Good works are giuen by grace therfore eternall life is giuen by grace Iam 2 13. vnlesse we grant that an vpright and holie life is grace for so either saieng may take place for eternall life is rendred vnto works But bicause works are fréelie giuen vs of God therefore also is eternall life called grace And in his booke De correctione gratia the 13. chapter he saith that Iames writeth that iudgement shall be without mercie vnto him which sheweth not mercie By which words saith he appéereth that they which liue well shall in the last iudgement be iudged with mercie they which haue liued wickedlie shall be iudged without mercie And if that in iudgment we haue néed of mercie then is it not now doone for merits And in the same sense he alledgeth the mother of the Machabeis who as it is written in the second booke and seuenth chapter thus speaketh vnto hir sonne verse 29. The daie of iudgement is called mercie Prou. 20 9. That I may in that mercie receiue thee with thy brethren in which place she calleth the daie of iudgement mercie And vndoubtedlie 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 hath a cleane hart That we shall haue need of mercie in the daie of iudgement Psal 32. Iam. 1 17. Wherfore mercie is there néedfull also whereby he may be made blessed vnto whom the Lord hath not imputed sinne 17 The same father in his 105. epistle to Sistus when the apostle had said The stipend of sinne is death who would not iudge that he should most aptlie and consequentlie haue added But the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life And it is true bicause euen as to the merit of sinne death is rendred for a stipend so also vnto the merit of righteousnes eternall life is rendred as a stipend But the blessed apostle most vigilantly warring against pride when he had said that the stipend of sinne is death least mans righteousnes should aduance it selfe said not contrariwise that the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life But the grace of God saith he is eternall life But it is not sufficient to thinke that these things are spoken for humilitie and moderation sake for the matter is so in verie déed For our works receiue not eternall life for a iust and deserued stipend and therfore he saith that mans righteousnesse is pride and which in name onelie is called righteousnes But that ought to be true righteousnesse vnto which eternall life is due which righteousnes if it be not of thée then is it from aboue Eternall life is the stipend of righteousnes but vnto man it is grace If righteousnes were of our owne selues we should haue eternall life as a dutie descending from the father of lights Wherefore O man if thou shalt receiue eternall life it is indéed the stipend of righteousnes but vnto thée it is grace vnto whom also euen righteousnes is grace for it should be rendered vnto thée as a debt if the righteousnes vnto whom it is due were of thy selfe By all these things it is gathered that with Augustine eternall life is therefore called grace bicause the works which go before it are giuen fréelie Further he confesseth that in the last iudgement when God shall reward these things we shall haue néed of mercie and compassion and that also we haue alwaies néed of mercie that our sinnes should not be imputed vnto vs. Lastlie that eternall life although that it may be the stipend of righteousnes being taken by it selfe yet vnto vs it is grace partlie bicause it is not of our selues and partlie also bicause it is vnperfect Hilarius in like maner writeth vpon the 50. Hilarius psalme My hope is in the mercie of God for euer and euer world without end For the works of righteousnes are not sufficient vnto the merit of perfect blessednes vnles in this will of righteousnes the mercie of God impute not the faults of humane changings and motions Ierom. Also Ierom vpon Esaie the 46. chapter If we should consider our owne merits we must néeds despaire Both we and our aduersaries grant that good works are giuen through grace but yet not after one sort Our aduersaries and we contend not whether by the grace of GOD good works are giuen to the regenerate although euen in this also we doo not vtterlie agrée with them For they thinke that it lieth in our power to receiue good works when they are offered but we saie that it is néedfull for our will to be changed by the grace and spirit of God otherwise as touching this point we cannot imbrace the gifts of God 18 But there is another thing about which there is at this daie a more weightie controuersie They that defend merits saie that good works are sufficient to obteine eternall life They which defend merits doo thinke that the good works which are giuen of God vnto men are sufficient vnto eternall life which thing we vtterlie denie And that maketh verie much on our side which a little before we alledged out of Augustine that in the last iudgement we shall néed the mercie of God not onelie bicause good works were giuen of him fréelie but bicause also that when the iust iudge shall sit in his throne no man can boast that he hath a chast hart or that he is cleane from sinne Wherefore it is néedfull that
woorthie to be crowned but findeth much woorthie to be condemned in whom he findeth no merits of good things but deserts of punishments Hereby we sée what is the nature of humane works before iustification The same father in his first booke and 30. question to Simplicianus saith that We are commanded to liue vprightlie and that by a reward set before vs that we may atteine to liue blessedlie for euer But who saith he can liue vprightlie and worke well vnlesse he be iustified by faith Here we are taught that in men there might be a merit and deseruing of happie and eternall life if they could accomplish that which is commanded but forsomuch as that is impossible for vs to doo therefore we fall awaie from merit The same Augustine in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium the 121. chapter The end saith he of the commandements 1. Tim. 1 5. is charitie out of a pure heart a good conscience and a faith vnfeined The end of euerie precept is charitie and hath relation vnto charitie whatsoeuer is done without such charitie is not done as it ought to be doone Wherefore if it be not done as it ought to be it cannot be denied but that it is sinne Chrysostome Rom. 10 4. 39 Chrysostome expounding these words of Paule The end of the lawe is Christ If the end of the lawe saith he be Christ if followeth that he which hath not Christ though he séeme to haue the righteousnes of the lawe yet hath he it not in verie déed By these words we gather that he which is without Christ may doubtlesse haue works séeming to be good which yet in verie déed cannot be iust And straitwaie he saith Whosoeuer hath faith the same also hath the end of the lawe and whosoeuer is without faith is farre from either of them Hereby we gather that they which haue not faith are strangers not onlie from Christ but also from the righteousnes of the lawe which herein consisteth euen to doo that which is commanded And straitwaie For what doth the lawe tend vnto To make a man iust But it cannot for no man hath fulfilled it But bicause a man might obiect Although a man not regenerate cannot fulfill the lawe yet if he take paines therein and indeuour and trauell he may atteine vnto righteousnes This obiection also Chrysostome excludeth And a little before when he expounded these words Rom. 10 3. Being ignorant of the righteousnes of God willing to establish their owne righteousnes they became not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God Thus saith he he calleth the righteousnes of God which is of faith bicause it is altogither of the heauenlie grace wherein we are iustified not by our labours but by the gift of God This selfe-same thing also writeth Ambrose Ambrose Psal 32 1. when he expoundeth these words of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered He calleth them blessed saith he of whom God hath decréed that without labour or anie obseruation shall be iustified by faith onelie And vpon these words of Paule Being iustified freelie by his grace Rom. 3 24. They are iustified fréelie saith he bicause by the gift of God they are iustified by faith onlie they themselues working nothing nor making anie recompense The same Ambrose also vpon these words of Paule Rom. 5 14. Wherefore death hath reigned vpon them which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam He wrote this saith he bicause it is impossible for a man not to sinne which thing séeing peraduenture he spake of men regenerate what is it to be thought of men that are strangers from Christ Cyprian also d A Quirinum Cyprian We ought saith he to boast in nothing bicause we haue nothing of our owne I suppose it sufficientlie now appéereth that the same which we affirme is true namelie that men before iustification can not frame their works to the prescript of the lawe therefore are they sinnes and cannot merit iustification But if our aduersaries will saie that they affirme not that those works which they call preparatorie doo merit iustification but onlie are certeine preparations whereby men are made apter to atteine to iustification we may thus answer them If they merit not why doo you falslie attribute to them that your merit of congruitie Further why call ye them good séeing as we haue taught they neither please God nor are doone according to the prescript of the lawe Lastlie forsomuch as they want their end and not onlie are but also are of good right called sinnes how teach ye that men by them are prepared vnto righteousnes when as they are much rather by them prepared vnto punishments Wherefore let them once at the length cease to adorne them with these goodlie titles For though peraduenture God sometimes by these works bringeth men to saluatiō he doth it bicause of his mercie towards them which mercie is so great that he will vse sinnes and works also which are euill vnto the benefit of them 40 Now let vs sée if iustification be not attributed vnto works how the same is then giuen It is giuen fréelie it wholie dependeth of the méere grace of God for it no maner of waie dependeth of merits Which thing Origin sawe for he Origin vpon the epistle to the Romans expounding these words Vnto him which worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace Rom. 4 4. but according to debt But I saith he when I desire excellencie of speach whereas he saith that vnto him that worketh is rendred a debt can scarselie persuade my selfe that there can be anie worke which can of dutie require a recompense of God forsomuch as euen this that we can doo or thinke or speake anie thing we doo it by his gift and liberalitie What debt then shall he owe vnto vs séeing his grace hath preuented vs A little afterward he rendreth a reason of his saieng which reason Augustine oftentimes vsed for he bringeth that place of Paule Rom. 6 23. The wages of sinne is death but the grace of God is eternall life For here the apostle said not But the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life which yet the nature of the Antithesis required How eternall life maie be called the stipend of righteousnes For Paules meaning was to declare that our wicked works doo of dutie deserue death and that euerlasting death but eternall life is not giuen but onelie by grace wherefore in the second part he left out the name of stipend and of righteousnesse and in stéed of them put in the name of grace Neither doo I greatlie passe that Augustine in another place writeth that Paule might haue said The stipend of righteousnesse is eternall life but yet would not saie so least he should haue giuen occasion of erring For vndoubtedlie I sée no cause why Augustine did thinke that Paule might haue said it vnlesse peraduenture by
most assured that he cannot be iustified But the holie scriptures teach far otherwise for they set foorth vnto vs the example of Abraham Rom. 4 18. A man being iustified doubteth not of his iustification how that He contrarie to hope beleeued in hope and that he when now he was well-néere an hundred yéeres of age had no regard either to the barrenesse of his owne bodie or else vnto the wombe of Sara being past child-bearing that he stood not in a mamering through distrust but was by faith confirmed and most certeinelie persuaded that God was able to performe whatsoeuer he had promised This example teacheth vs that we ought not to haue regard vnto those things which either may or séeme to hinder our iustification but out faith ought vtterlie to be fixed in the words and promises of GOD. But contrariwise these men will call vs backe to our owne indispositions as they call them and will haue vs therefore alwaies to be in doubt of our iustification Indéed we ought not to dissemble whatsoeuer imperfection or fault is in vs and that bicause it may be daily corrected amended yet ought we not therefore to be in doubt and wauering touching our iustification and the grace of God 47 Now haue we to prooue the second proposition A confirmation that we are iustified by faith namelie that a man is iustified by faith which we intend first to prooue by testimonies of the holie scriptures Paule in the 1. chapter of the epistle to the Romans defineth the Gospell that It is the power of GOD to saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom 1 16. In these words is touched the efficient cause of our iustification namelie The power of God and the end which is Our saluation and also the instrument whereby it is receiued namelie Faith for he addeth Vnto euerie one that beleeueth And this he confirmeth by a testimonie of Abacuke the prophet Abac. 2 4. in which sentence he was so much delighted that he vseth it both to the Galathians Gala. 3 11. Heb. 10 38. and also to the Hebrues in the selfe-same sense He addeth moreouer The wrath of God was reuealed from heauen Rom. 1 18. by reason of the knowledge of the philosophers which did with-hold the truth of God in vnrighteousnes and who at such time as they knew God glorified him not as God but fell to the worshipping of idols But contrariwise Ibid. 17. in the Gospell is reuealed the righteousnes of God namelie that righteousnes whereby men are iustified from faith to faith which phrase of speach we haue in his due place sufficientlie expounded Vpon the third chapter Now is the righteousnesse of God saith he made manifest without the lawe Rom. 3 21. the righteousnesse I saie of God by the faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon all them which beleeue in him And a little afterward Wherefore being iustified freelie by his grace Ibid. 24. by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Here also is not onelie shewed the grace by which God fréelie iustifieth vs but also Christ and his death is set foorth that it may manifestlie appéere that he is the reconciliator and the mediator Wherevnto is added faith whereby we receiue the fruit of his redemption for the setting foorth also of his righteousnes in this time that he himselfe might be iust iustifieng him which is of the faith of Iesus Christ If men could by their works get vnto themselues righteousnes the righteousnes of God should not then in such sort be declared but séeing we perceiue it is communicated to vs by faith without anie preparation of works it must néeds séeme vnto vs verie great And amongst other things which God requireth of men this is the chéefest that they should not anie thing glorie of themselues But if iustificatiō consist of works men might boast of their own trauell indeuor but seing we are fréelie iustified by faith there is no place left for boasting Wherfore Paule saith Thy boasting is excluded By what lawe Rom. 3 27. By the lawe of works No but by the lawe of faith Wherefore he concludeth after this maner verse 28. We iudge that a man is iustified by faith without works And that we should not thinke that proposition to be particular he declareth that it is vniuersall verse 29. God saith he is he the God of the Iewes onlie Is he not also the God of the Gentils Yes of the Gentils 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 waie Rom. 4. 48 And in the fourth chapter he saith But vnto him that worketh not but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked faith is imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes By this sentence both works are excluded and also faith is set foorth by which is imputed righteousnes vnto men And straitwaie he addeth of Abraham that He is the father of all them that beleeue Ibid. 11. being vncircumcised that it might also be imputed vnto them and that he is the father of circumcision not onelie 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 promise he sheweth that iustification is by faith Ibid. 13. for he saith By the lawe was not the promise made vnto Abraham and vnto his seed to be the heire of the world but by the righteousnes of faith for if those which are of the lawe should be heires then should faith be abolished and the promise made void In these words are two excellent things to be noted The first is that the promise is frée neither it is ioined with the condition of works and therefore séeing faith as a correlatiue is referred vnto the promise it must néeds followe that it is such as the promise is and therefore it hath a respect vnto the promise by it selfe and not to the condition of our vntowardnesse or indisposition as the holie Fathers of Trent doo teach The second is that if the inheritance and righteousnes should depend of that condition of works then had there béene no néed of the promise for men might haue said Why is that fréelie promised vnto vs which we maie claime vnto our selues by our owne endeuour and labour Or why is it so necessarie that we should beléeue séeing by our owne works we can atteine vnto righteousnes Afterward Paule addeth the finall cause why iustification commeth by faith By grace saith he that the promise might be firme verse 17. for if by our owne works and preparations we could be iustified the promise should alwaies be vnstedfast neither could we appoint anie certeintie of it Afterward
testification of things Who hath in his owne power It is not in our owne will to be touched with that sight wherby our will should be mooued to faith to haue his mind touched with such a sight whereby the will may be mooued vnto faith And in his 61. sermon vpon Iohn All sinnes saith he are comprehended vnder the name of infidelitie And he addeth that Faith cannot be without hope and charitie which thing also he most plainlie teacheth vpon the 31. psalme The same father in his first booke and 19. chapter against the two epistles of the Pelagians at large intreateth after what maner we are drawne of God and amongst other things he saith that the Pelagians would too much triumph ouer the christians if they had not the word of drawing in the holie scriptures But forsomuch as that word is expressed in the verie Gospell they haue vtterlie no place to flie vnto Iohn 6 44. There are infinite other places in Augustine which doo confirme this opinion which now for breuitie sake I thinke good to ouerpasse 82 Cyrillus against Iulianus in his first booke Cyrill and 14. page saith The faith of Abraham and our faith is vtterlie one and the same And the same author vpon Iohn in the third booke and 31. chapter expounding this sentence Iohn 6 29. This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom he hath sent For faith saith he bringeth saluation and grace iustifieth but the commandements of the lawe rather condemne wherefore faith in Christ is the worke of GOD. In these words we ought to note that faith is it whereby is brought saluation and that we are iustified by grace And he declareth these things more plainlie vpon Iohn in his ninth booke and 32. chapter vpon these words And whither I go Iohn 14 4. ye knowe and ye knowe the waie For we are iustified by faith and are made partakers of the diuine nature by the participation of the holie Ghost Leo. Leo in his 13. sermon of the passion of the Lord The fathers saith he beléeued togither with vs that the bloud of the sonne of God should be shed The fathers were iustified by the faith of the same promises which we beleeue Wherfore there is nothing déerlie beloued strange in christian religion from the things which were of old signified neither was saluation hoped for at any time of the righteous men who haue liued before vs but by the Lord Iesus Christ for whom they did looke This and manie other like testimonies doo confute those chéeflie which dare saie that Abraham was indéed iustified yet not through faith in Christ but by faith touching earthlie promises Albeit this author may séeme to make against vs in that we saie that true faith is not found without charitie for in his sermon De collectione eleemosyna he thus writeth of sathan He knowing that God is denied not onelie in words but also in déeds hath taken awaie charitie from many from whom he could not take awaie faith possessing the féeld of their hart with the roots of couetousnes he hath spoiled of the fruit of good works those whom he hath not depriued of the confession of their lips These words if they be déepelie considered make nothing at all against vs for we speake of a true sound and liuelie faith But Leo vnderstandeth onelie a certeine outward profession of faith for when he would render a reason whereby it might appéere that faith was not taken from them he mentioneth onelie an outward confession of the lips which we also grant may consist without charitie and be oftentimes boasted of of manie men which neuerthelesse are most wicked And after this maner I suppose are to be expounded such like testimonies if anie happen in the fathers Gregorie Gregorie Bishop of Rome in his 19. homilie vpon Ezechiel We come not saith he to faith by works but by faith we atteine vnto vertues for Cornelius the Centurian came not by works vnto faith but by faith he came vnto works Acts. 10 4. for it is said Thy praiers and almes But how praied he if he beléeued not But now because he knew not that the mediatour was incarnate by workes he came vnto a more full knowledge Hereby I would haue our aduersaries to know that faith necessarilie goeth before all good works for they affirme that morall works which arâ—â—oone of Ethniks and of men not yet beléeuing in Christ are good which thing is in this place of Gregorie confuted The same author in his second booke and 25. chapter of his morals speaking of the same matter thus writeth Vnlesse faith be first gotten in our harts all other things whatsoeuer they be cannot indéed be good Beda although they séeme good Beda vpon the 2. chapter of Iames He onelie beléeueth trulie which by working exerciseth that which he beléeueth for faith and charitie cannot be separated asunder And this shall suffice as touching the fathers But what the African Mileuitan and Arausican councell doo teach concerning iustification faith grace and works we haue before at large declared in the former article This onelie I will now adde that our aduersaries when they saie that GOD offereth his grace vnto all men and giueth his gifts vnto men that desire them and take hold of them and forgiueth sinnes to them that doo that which they ought to doo for so much as in the meane time they omit the inspiration of the holie Ghost and the power of God which draweth vs and the inward persuasion of the mind and also those things which are most chéeflie required in this matter they are most manifestlie against those councels which we haue now cited Howbeit I cannot leaue vnspoken that in the councell of Mentz which was celebrated vnder Carolus Magnus in the first chapter is cited Gregorie who thus writeth He beléeueth trulie which by working exerciseth that which he beléeueth 83 Forsomuch therefore as we haue now hitherto spoken as touching this article namelie that men are iustified by faith in Christ and haue confirmed the same by scriptures and haue ouerthrowne the obiections of our aduersaries and alleadged testimonies of the Fathers to confirme our saieng let vs now come to the third article Wherefore we saie The third article that iustification consisteth by faith onelie Which saieng all those places of scripture doo prooue We are not iustified by faith onelie which teach that we are iustified fréelie and those which affirme that iustification commeth without works and those also which put an Antithesis or contrarietie betwéen grace and works all these places I say most trulie conclude that we are iustified by faith onelie although this word Onelie be not read in the holie scripture But that is not so much to be weighed for the signification of that word is of necessitie gathered out of them Further this also is to be noted euen as we haue alreadie before taught that we
to iustification and that onlie they are profitable to iustification if they be present But this is woorthie to be laughed at for we haue before most plainlie taught that all works which are done before iustification are sinnes so far is it off that they can serue anie thing vnto iustification And if they should by anie means profit vnto iustification our glorieng should not then be excluded for wée might glorie that we had done these things by whose helpe and aid we were iustified But of this saith he we cannot boast for that they were done by a certeine grace of God preuenting vs. But this is the chiefest thing to be marked that these men attribute a great part of such works vnto frée will and therefore in that behalfe at the least we may glorie Neither also shall that be true which the apostle saith What hast thou that thou hast not receiued and againe 1. Cor. 4 7. Why dooest thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued Here some of them answer that we cannot glorie of this libertie of will for that we haue it not of our owne for it is God which hath indued vs with this facultie gaue vs frée will when he created vs. But this is not sufficient to take awaie glorieng first for that this were to flie vnto the common grace of creation which thing the Pelagians did The Pelagians fled vnto the common grace of creation and by that means there should at the least waie be left vnto vs a good vse of frée will whereof we might glorie For although we haue the same of God by creation yet the right vse thereof is ours namelie to assent vnto God when he calleth vs to applie our selues to good works which of God are set forth to vs. And therfore vtterlie to take awaie all glorieng it is néedfull that we euer beare this in mind which Augustine doth admonish vs in his booke De spiritu litera the 24. chap. that The will election of well doing is of God not onlie bicause he hath by creation giuen choise and frée will but also for that by the persuasion of things he hath made vs both to will and to beléeue and that not onlie by the outward preaching of the gospell but also by inward persuasion For he doth not onlie stirre vp the hart but also persuadeth draweth and boweth it to beléeue I grant in déed that it is the office of the will to will and to embrace that which God offreth for we doo not will by vnderstanding or by memorie but by will And yet for all that I doubt not but that it is God which maketh vs to will and to followe good things 85 Further our aduersaries thinke that although works concurre vnto iustification Whether free iustifieng may concur with works yet is that notwithstanding true which the holie scriptures teach that we be iustified fréelie bicause saie they those works are giuen of God and are done by grace If this refuge might helpe then had not Paule done well when as he tooke awaie from ceremoniall works the power of iustifieng for a Iew might saie Our fathers which in the old time were circumcised and performed other obseruations of the lawe did not the same by their owne naturall strength but by the grace of God both helping them and stirring them vp therevnto Wherefore if other works which were commanded in the law could profit vnto iustification to merit it as you speake of congruitie why could not ceremoniall works doo the same Neither will this anie thing helpe to saie that Paule taketh not awaie from them the power of iustifieng but onlie after the comming of Christ For he manifestlie speaketh of Abraham Rom. 4 ver 1. 6. which was iustified by faith and not by circumcision and he vseth a testimonie of Dauid of whom it is well knowne that he liued vnder the lawe But whereas this man saith that charitie and hope cannot be excluded I would gladlie knowe of him whether the works of these vertues be iust or no I know he will grant that they are iust What will he then answer vnto Paule who vnto Titus saith Tit. 3 5. Not by the works of righteousnesse which we haue done But I know these mens fond deuises they answer that such works are excluded if they be done by the law and by frée will without grace But what néedeth to exclude that which cannot be for who will either loue God or hope in him without grace Further in what maner so euer they be done they cannot serue to iustification for we are iustified by grace as it plainlie appeareth by the holie scriptures But betwéene grace works is so great contrarietie that Paule saith If of grace Rom. 11. 6. then it is not now of works and if of works then it is not of grace Neither ought these men to be so much displeased for that we vse this word Onelie A strong reason to prooue that onlie faith iustifieth Rom. 3 28. for we necessarilie conclude it of that which Paule saith first that We are iustified by faith and afterward addeth Without works How aptlie we thus conclude I will declare by a similitude In the sixt chapter of Deuteronomie if we followe the truth of the Hebrue it is thus written Deut. 6 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and him thou shalt serue Here as you sée wanteth this particle Onelie yet bicause it there followeth Thou shalt not go after strange gods the seuentie interpretours haue thus turned that place Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and him onelie thou shalt serue These men of the first proposition being affirmatiue that God is to be worshipped and of the other being negatiue that strange gods are not to be worshipped concluded that God only is to be serued Whose authoritie should not be of so great weight with me but that Christ himselfe hath cited that place in that sort for thus he rebuked the diuell Depart from me sathan for it is written Matt. 4 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him Onlie shalt thou serue Here we sée that to disprooue the worshipping which is giuen vnto a creature this particle Onelie is necessarie which although it be not had in the Hebrue yet it is necessarilie gathered out of it Now when as we also reason after this maner why should these men be so much offended The fathers vsed this word Onlie Smith 86 Let them consider also that the best and the most ancient fathers did not mislike that word It is a thing ridiculous to sée with how cold toies and poore shifts Smith goeth about to preuent and answer them First he saith that they ment nothing else but to represse men that they should not waxe insolent But let Smith in one word according to his good wisedome answer me Whether the fathers spake this trulie or falselie If they spake
gathered of the former words Augustine The same Augustine De sancta virginitate 42. chapter Whosoeuer remaineth chast from the beginning is directed by God He which of an vnchast man becommeth chast is amended by him and whosoeuer is vnchast vnto the end is forsaken of him That which he may doo by his secret iudgement he cannot do vniustlie Againe Chastitie is commanded both in matrimonie and out of matrimonie And that sentence of Augustine is throughlie well knowen Giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt Also The lawe commandeth grace bestoweth Augustine also in his booke De adulterinis coniugijs the 18. chapter He that can receiue let him receiue Wherefore he that can let him receiue that which all men receiue not but those can receiue vpon whom the secret yet not the vniust mercie of God doth bestowe it Hereby it also appeareth that it is God which by his secret but yet by his iust iudgement distributeth vnto some not vnto others And the same Augustine against Iulian Augustine in the 5. booke and seuenth chapter when an aduersarie of his had said that in our election God estéemeth continence bicause it is said To say that we haue sole life in election is Pelagianisme Ierom. All men receiue not this saieng answereth Thou shouldest haue noted that which is said before But they to whom it is giuen Wherein thou shalt note that to saie wée haue sole life in our choise is Pelagian heresie 16 Ierom might be alledged who in expounding the 19. chapter of Matthew saith that We must throughlie examine our owne strength And he vseth these words to declare that it is no ordinarie strength which can performe this vocation Gregorie Gregorie also in his Pastorall plainlie saith that this is not euerie mans worke And he that will gather more places of the Fathers touching these things let him read the plaine sincere Bucer against the bishop of Winchester Some of the fathers seeme to iudge otherwise An excusing of the Fathers and godlie answer of D. Bucer vnto the bishop of Winchester I grant that there be some of the Fathers which séeme to be of another iudgement that virginitie I meane and sole life is in their power which be willing therevnto who I thinke should be thus vnderstood that it behooueth that our will and choise should exercise themselues in the gift of grace receiued least that men should be thought to be led as stocks and stones They meane also that such a gift bestowed should be nourished with desire praiers That the authoritie of the fathers must not remoue vs from the doctrine of the scriptures An obiection other such godlie indeuours for when we haue receiued grace after regeneration and haue béene adorned by God with some gifts wée be workers togither with him And if the Fathers ment otherwise the authoritie of them must not remooue vs from that which the holie scriptures doo most manifestlie teach 17 They which be against vs doo obiect that Paule writeth 1. Cor. 7 1. It is good for a man not to touch a woman Ibidem I would that all men were as I my selfe am Wherefore saie they would he praise and set foorth these things vnto men vnles they should be conuenient for all men He might séeme in verie déed to trifle in vaine to warne vs hereof And it is most repugnant vnto the bountie of God that he should not giue vnto all men those things which be good yea and in granting that vnto one which he giueth not to another can hardlie be auoided the respecting of persons But these men should haue marked that those words which Paule hath An answer concerning the praises of sole life are neuer put absolutelie But bicause we should not erre he alwaies restraineth them verse 2. Let euerie man saith he haue his owne wife and euerie woman hir owne husband for auoiding of fornication verse 3. Let the man render due beneuolence vnto his wife verse 9. If they cannot conteine let them marrie It is better to marrie than to burne Euerie one hath his proper gift of God one after this maner and another after that Wherfore the words which be spoken of Paule must euen so be vnderstood as they be written of him Doubtlesse we are greatlie bound to the holie Ghost which hath so exactlie declared these things which if they were not expressed How much we are bound to the holie Ghost for speaking so plainlie of these things Paule also saith I would haue you all to speake with toongs 1. Cor. 14 5. in such sort as they be we should not be able to open our mouths against so impudent aduersaries Albeit reason would require that although the words had béen spoken absolutelie yet that they should haue béen restrained by other places of the scripture least there might appeare a contrarietie in the words of the holie Ghost For in the same epistle he saith absolutelie and plainelie I would haue you all to speake with toongs which vnles thou vnderstand For mine owne part reseruing the distribution of the holie Ghost it were verie ridiculous Also he saith fréelie and absolutelie I would that yoong widowes should marie and beare children 1. Tim. 5 14 and gouerne their households wherein neuertheles must be vnderstood If there be anie imminent danger of their falling or If so be they growe wanton Neither must the apostle be so expounded as that he would plucke from them the power of abiding in widowhood if they were able so to do He saith also Rom. 9 3. He wished to be accursed from Christ that He wisheth to be accursed from Christ for them that were his brethren according to the flesh wherein thou must vnderstand If it were possible But these things which be now intreated of are determined and defined by the same apostle himselfe Neither is there anie cause why wée should complaine of Gods liberalitie The bountifulnes of God cannot be accused and bountifulnes if he giue not all maner of things vnto all men That is bountifull inough that whatsoeuer good thing is in vs all that hath he of his méere mercie powred vpon vs. Certeinlie I for my part will neuer complaine of God that he hath not made me a prophet or else that he hath not bestowed vpon me the gift of toongs so much hath he giuen me as séemed good vnto him Neither doo kings of the earth A similitude how liberall soeuer they be giue so much vnto Gentlemen as they doo vnto Senators or Counsellers they giue according as they shall thinke méet to euerie man Respecting of persons is not where dutie hath no place Respecting of persons as the Schoolemen themselues testifie is not found where dutie or bond hath no place which we may not thinke of God séeing he is bound to no man nor oweth anie dutie to anie man Neither is he persuaded by the
also for that it is a greater power to blot out a multitude yea an innumerable sort of sinnes by iustification than it was to spred one sinne ouer all men And this reason did Paule touch in the fift chapter of the epistle to the Romans Wherefore when it is said verse 19. All as well on the one part as on the other the spéech must be referred vnto such a generalitie as is not one and the same but which is proper to both of them Christ hath his generalitie as Adam hath his For euen as Adam hath his bodie of all the posteritie which is deriued from him so doubtlesse Christ hath his bodie of all beléeuers and iustified persons And verie well dooth the exposition which Augustine vseth agrée with this place namelie that By Christ all shall be made aliue euen as manie as come to the blessed resurrection which they shall atteine by the grace of Christ That all mens glorie in heauen shall be alike 8 The fathers when they interpret the place of Paule In 1. Cor. 14 vers 41. wherein it is said There is another glorie of the sunne and an other of the moone they expound the same as though it should concerne the diuersitie of rewards so that after the blessed resurrection some should become more excellent than others Howbeit if a man in this place weigh well the matter this is not ment which thing the conclusion brought in dooth manifestlie declare For thus Paule inferreth It is sowen in corruption it riseth againe in incorruption 1. Co. 15 43 it is sowen in dishonour it riseth againe in glorie it is sowen in infirmitie it riseth againe in power it is sowen a naturall bodie it riseth againe a spirituall bodie Where it appéereth that this diuersitie is onelie to be vnderstood betwéene the bodie which we shall put off at our death and that bodie which shall be restored in the resurrection neither is there anie thing concluded of a difference to be betwéene the bodies of the blessed The effect of that which is to be considered in this comparison is betwéene the bodie put off and the bodie restored Christ spake no otherwise than generallie concerning this matter to wit that in the euerlasting habitation Matt. 22 30 we should be like vnto angels wherein neither men shall marrie wiues nor yet women be giuen in marriage These things are not spoken of me Of the diuersitie or equalitie of rewards in the heauenlie countrie to the intent I would prooue that there is altogither equalitie in that place but I affirme that neither of both can be confirmed out of the holie scriptures Both opinions are probable neither doo I thinke it of necessitie to saluation which of these two be true Probable perchance it is that there is some difference among the saints but I doo not thinke that this can be shewed by the scriptures The which thing that it may appéere let vs sée what places they bring in The first reason Rom 2 6. 1. Cor. 5 10. Dan. 1◠3. The 2. reason First they saie Vnto euerie man shall be giuen according to his works and euerie one shall haue a reward according to his labour In Daniel it is written They which teach others shall be as the light of the firmament and they which instruct others vnto righteousnes shall shine as the starres The 3. reason They reason also by contraries Séeing there is a diuersitie in punishments the same must be granted as touching rewards Matt. 11 21. The 4. reason Iohn 14 2. The 5. reason Matt. 22 30. The 6. reason Matth. 13 8. and 25. Matth. 25. The 7. reason And that punishments are not alike they prooue by the words of Christ wherein he said that It shall be easier for the men of Tyre and Sidon than for Corasim and Bethsaida and also for the men of Sodome than for Capernaum Further it is written In the house of my Father there be manie mansions And besides this if We shall be like vnto the angels they haue sundrie orders among them Moreouer the séed being cast into the earth bringeth foorth fruit thirtie fold sixtie fold or a hundred fold And in the parable of the talents according as there be more or fewer restored vnto the Lord by his seruants the diuersitie of the gaine is recompensed with sundrie rewards And in the Apocalypse The 8. reason Apoc. 14 4. The 9. reason Matt. 5 19. Some doo followe the Lambe wheresoeuer he shall go which séemeth not to be granted vnto others He that shall obserue and teach the commandements that man shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen Againe he saith The 10. reason Matt. 20 27. The 11. reason 2. Cor. 9 6. The 12. reason The 13. reason He that desireth to be the greater among you let him be made the lest of all And in the latter epistle to the Corinthians He that soweth sparinglie shall reape sparinglie and he that soweth in blessings shall also reape of blessings All the Fathers agrée vnto this opinion And it séemeth that by this meanes is stirred vp the studie and indeuour of liuing well These and such other things they be which are woont to be brought for this part 9 Now on the other side let vs heare them Reasons for the equalitie of rewards Matt. 20 13. The 1. reason which affirme rather an equalitie in the rewards of eternall life First vnto them which laboured not alike in the vineyard a penie is giuen indifferentlie and the good man of the house withstandeth the murmurers and sheweth that he dooth iustlie neither dooth he excuse himselfe by a distinction of reward substantiall and accidentall which the aduersaries haue deuised The 2. reason Further out of the apostle Paule in an other place we heare that God shal be all in all The 3. reason 1. Co. 15 28 Matt. 13 43. And Christ speaking of the reward of iust men The iust saith he shall shine as the sunne in the sight of God But no greater light there is than that wherewith the sunne is indued And no man except he be iust shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Wherefore all shall haue the light of the sunne that is the high glorie alike The 4. reason Matt. 22 30 And againe Christ disputing with the Saduces as touching the resurrection said that we shal be like to the angels neither dooth he procéed anie further to appoint sundrie diuersities Furthermore The 5. reason wheras there be sundrie differences of the saints in this life that happeneth by reason of the flesh which they carrie about with them wherevnto according as some be more or lesse addicted they profit more or lesse in regeneration But in the kingdome of heauen when all blemishes of the flesh shal be excluded we shal be perfect neither will there be cause whie one man should be let more than an other from perception of the present good
God which if we take hold of by faith we shall obtaine both saluation and also remission of sinnes This is the true sense according to which the fathers must be vnderstood when they say that grace is the power of the sacramentes Which is al one as if they had said vnderstanding and sense is the force of speach and of wordes Of the schoolemens stay or let 16 And how vnsafely the schoolemen speak of their stay or let hereby it is manifest for that they say that he putteth not a staye or let which although he haue not the act either of louing or belieuing yet obiecteth nothing that is contrarie or opposite vnto grace namely the act of infidelitie or of hatred Then in such case say they the sacraments of the Gospel giue grace But this is nothing else than to attribute vnto creatures the cause of our saluation and to bind our selues too much to signes and elementes of this world This ought to be certaine and most assured that no more is to be attributed vnto the sacramentes as touching saluation than vnto the word of God No more must be attributed to the Sacraments than to the word of God In what respect our sacraments are better than those of the old Fathers Wherefore if sometimes we heare as Augustine also saith that our sacramentes are better than the sacramentes of the olde fathers this ought to be vnderstanded that it be referred vnto perspicuitie For we graunt that our sacramentes both speake and preach more plainely of Christ than did the sacramentes of the olde fathers Now then séeing we are more clearely and plainly instructed faith is more fuller and bringeth vnto vs more grace and spirit And we gladly admit that which the fame Augustine saith Sometime the Sacrament is receiued without the thing sometime the thing without the sacrament That sometimes it commeth to passe that the sacrament is receiued without the matter it self For so the wicked and infidels vsing the sacraments receaue only the outward signes and are vtterly voide of saluation and of grace Sometimes also it contrariwise happeneth that the godly being excluded by any necessitie from the vse of the sacraments yet are in no wise defrauded of the matter it self and of the thing signified Neither let any man here lay to our charge that we affirme that sacramentes depend of our faith for neither teach we any such thing yea rather we affirme that the sacramentes are sacramentes although thy faith be either weake or none at all And Augustines iudgement is very good concerning him which onely carnally receaueth the sacrament when he saith It doth not therefore cease to be spirituall but vnto them it is not spirituall And now at length to make an end Grace is not bounb vpon sacraments as it were in smal bags Looke In Gen. 17 we must neuer come to this point to thinke that grace and our saluation is conteined in the sacramentes as in bagges which may be powred out vppon the communicantes and receauers for the sacramentes are as certain messengers of our saluation which whoso giueth credite vnto obtaineth saluation And thus much hitherto haue I sufficiently spoken of sacramentes in generall As touching the proposterous vse of the Sacramēts looke part 4. pl. 16. Art 27. 28. in 2. Kings 5. Of Circumcision 17. Now remaineth for vs to speake somewhat of Circumcision For the better vnderstanding whereof we haue spoken these thinges the more largely and with more wordes What circumcision is saide to haue had remission of sinnes But here we shall not néede so long a treatise for if we remēber all those things which haue generally bin spoken of sacramentes it shall be no hard matter to vnderstand all that which may be spokē of circumcision Rom. 4. 11. And circumcision not to goe from the wordes of the Apostle was the seale of the righteousnesse of faith because it preached and confirmed the promise concerning righteousnesse which the olde fathers receiued by faith And hereof it followeth that the old fathers had by it remission of sinnes For séeing that righteousnes consisteth chiefly in the remission of sinnes whosoeuer beléeues the promise set foorth and by circumcision sealed it followeth of necessitie that he was partaker of the remission of sinnes Some demaund whether circumcision and baptisme which succéeded circumcision Whether remission be had of sinnes to come bring remission onely of those sinnes which are alreadie past or also of those which are afterward committed Let these men consider that the vse of circumcision and of baptisme is not for a time but perpetuall For as the faithfull oftentimes faile so when they forthwith come againe vnto thēselues they thinke vppon the promise of the Gospel which is as touching the remission of sinnes Wherein also euen for this cause they are confirmed for that they remember themselues to be either baptised or circumcised and so by putting too of faith they are deliuered from sinnes and are reconciled vnto God The error of them which wold not be rebaptized but at the houre of death Hereby it is manifest how they were in the olde time deceaued which would not be baptised but euen when death approched and that they were in a manner giuing vp the ghost Neither let any man thinke that this is repugnant vnto the kayes of the Church whereby the penitent are receiued For that they may the better vnderstand the matter this they must néedes graunt that those kaies of the Church are nothing else What the keies of the Church be but the preaching of the Gospell whereby the ministers doe perswade the beléeuers that their sinnes are forgiuen them But they which are to be perswaded are by the benefite of the holy ghost perswaded and their faith concerning the promise is also hereby confirmed for that they call to memorie the signe of baptisme or of circumcision which in times past they receiued And Paul when he sayd For the remission of sinnes going before meant that iustification when it is applied vnto vs alwayes putteth away those sinnes which we haue before cōmitted Yet that letteth nothing but that the promise of the remission of sinnes and sealing thereof may oftentimes with profit be called to our memorie But so oftentimes as sinne is so forgiuen it followeth of necessitie that the same sin went before Howbeit that which we speake of tendeth to this to declare that the vtilitie of sacramentes is not for a time but pertaineth to the whole course of our life Circumcision differed from our sacramentes for that it was the beginning first step and visible enterance to the couenant of God And what maner of men the vncircumcised were accounted to be the Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2. 11. Remember saith he that ye were sometimes Gentiles in the flesh which were called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with handes ye were
it Therefore faieth he it is a commaunding figure namely that we should swéetely profitably lay vp in memorie the flesh of Christ that was crucified and wounded for vs. In an Epistle vnto Boniface he said most plainely that sacramentes take their name of those things whereof they should be sacraments and he expressed by name the sacrament of the bodie of Christ And he addeth that the sacrament of the bloud of Christ is the bloud of Christ And all this he wrote to shew that baptisme is the Sacrament of faith and that therefore it may be said that it is faith and that young children being baptized haue faith because they receiue this sacrament And least that any should say that these be signes substantially as these men speake of the thing present let them consider of the similitudes which these men haue alleaged to wit that we say when we be néere vnto Easter that to morrow or the next day after shal be the Passion of the Lord and vpon Sundaie the Lord rose againe when as yet these things are not nowe present but were doone long before Further he here affirmeth that the baptisme of young children is faith which neuerthelesse yong children presently haue not Yea and the same father as we haue it De Consecratione distinct 2. in the Chapter Interrogo vos saieth that it is as sinfull a negligence to suffer the word which is preached to slip out of our mindes as it is for a part of the sacrament to fall vpon the earth Which if it were graunted this Transubstantiation would take but small place For it woulde séeme to be farre more absurd that the bodie it selfe of Christ should fall or be troden vnder foote than if any part of the holy wordes should be heard with small regard Moreouer vpon the 8. Psalme he saieth that Christ admitted Iudas in the supper when he commēded vnto vs the figure of his bodie They are accustomed to say that the figure or signe in this sacrament which is the bodie of Christ being hidden with accidents is his owne dead and vnbloudie bodie as he hung vpon the Crosse and that the bloud hidden vnder the accidents of wine is the figure of the bloud shed vpon the Aultar of the Crosse But who perceiueth not that the deuises of these men be vaine For there ought to be put a signe and figure which is sensible more knowen than the thing signified Therefore the Maister of the Sentences out of Augustine defined a sacrament to be a visible signe of an invisible grace A definition of the sacrament But the bodie of Christ being hidden vnder accidents as themselues affirme is no lesse obscure than is that which hung vpon the Crosse yea and if I may say the truth more vnknowen and obscure than the thing signified Which is against the nature of a signe and figure For more easily is the bodie knowen and considered of vs how it hung vpon the Crosse than as they make it in the Eucharist 28 Leo the Pope in an Epistle vnto the Clergie people of Constantinople wrote Leo. that this is a mysticall distribution a spirituall foode and a heauenly vertue That here we receiue it to the intent we may bée made the flesh of Christ who for our sakes tooke our flesh vppon him Cyrillus in the 4. Cyril Booke and 14. Chapter vpon Iohn On this wise he gaue vnto the beléeuing Disciples péeces of bread saying Take ye The same Father in an Epistle to Calosyrius Wherefore it became him after a sort to be vnited vnto our bodies by his holy flesh and by his precious bloud which we receiue in the liuely blessing in bread and wine Now will we alleage Theodoritus Bishop of Cyrus Theodoritus he liued in the time of Cyrillus and was in the Synode of Ephesus and Chalcedone and he was accounted most learned and eloquent And when in the Synode of Ephesus there had happened a discension betwéene Iohn the Patriarche of Antioch and Cyrillus the Patriache of Alexandria it séemed good to Theodoritus to cleaue vnto the Patriarche of Antioch howbeit the matter came to an agréement and in the Synode of Chalcedone Theodoritus was knowen for a verie learned man and holy member of the Church of Christ yea and in the bookes which he wrote he purposely withstandeth Nestor and by expresse wordes dealeth against him The Booke was printed at Rome And the Papistes perceiued that he is most manifestly against Transubstantiation and they haue excused him for two causes First for that the Church had not as yet pronounced as concerning that matter as though wée shoulde séeke what the Pope with his Cardinals decreed either at Constance or in the Synode where Berengarius was condemned and not rather what hath bin preached and beléeued in the olde Church Further they saide that this man in writing against Hereticks whē he intreated of those mysteries did ouermuch leane vnto the other part and so was against Transubstantiation to the intent the aduersaries might be the easilier confuted But how vaine an excuse this is it may appeare by the discourse of the writer where thou maiest perceiue that not one word hath escaped him but that the whole Argument and strength thereof is drawen from the nature of a sacrament so as if thou mingle therewithall Transubstantiation there can bée nothing concluded Yea rather the Heretickes will carrie away the victorie They adde that he in the selfe same booke speaketh sometime more reuerently of the Eucharist but all things being considered he speaketh no where so reuerently that he is against our opinion which we haue now affirmed He disputeth against them which denied that Christ had a true bodie and said that his bodie at the time of his Ascension was wholy turned into the diuine nature First he alleageth the prophesie of the Patriarch Iacob that he may prepare himselfe a waie to deriue an argument from the sacraments The wordes be these 29 ORTH. Doest thou know that God called bread his owne bodie SOD. I knowe it ORTH. And againe that at another time his flesh was called Corne SOD. This also I know for I haue heard him say that The houre commeth wherein the sonne of man shall be glorified Ioh. 12. 23. and vnlesse the graine of Corne be cast into the earth and die it remaineth alone but if it be dead it will bring foorth much fruite ORTH. He vndoubtedly in the deliuerie of the mysteries called bread his bodie the Cup mixed his bloud SOD. So in déede he named it ORTH. But it might also according to nature bée called a bodie yea euen his owne bodie and bloud SOD. It is graunted ORTH. Yea verilie our Sauiour himselfe chaunged the names and to the bodie he gaue the name of the signe and to the signe the name of the bodie Iohn 15. 1. After the same manner also when he said that he himselfe is the vine he called his bloud the
into question but a compounded word of these two Liberum arbitrium I said is not extant in Cicero And the same thing I now confirme And I might further adde that it was not vsed of Caesar nor of Terence nor of the men of that age And thus much shall suffice for a defense of those things which I spake in the beginning of this place Now I come vnto the matter and I search as touching a will not yet regenerate how it is towards diuine and celestiall things All men admit that those things cannot by themselues either be vnderstood or desired of them that be not regenerate And they affirme that it is néedfull that the spirit of God through the word be present admonish exhort and persuade For as the sense cannot apprehend vniuersall things so our mind while it is corrupted cannot atteine vnto supernaturall things But whether it suffice to haue them suggested vnto vs by the spirit of GOD the word and the promises some affirme it is I denie it For vnlesse these powers be amended we cannot by anie means vnderstand and imbrace diuine and celestiall things Neither is it in our power that those things which are set before vs should please Wherefore it is néedfull that certeine things should be set foorth vnto vs by a strength efficacie and power so that the vnderstanding may be thoroughlie lightened and the will strengthened that it yéeld not vnto naughtie desires and drawings aside whereby it is called awaie from spirituall things Which being doone it consenteth vnto the words and promises of God The will dealeth actiuelie and passiuelie whervpon followeth iustification towards which assent it dealeth actiuelie and it selfe willeth and consenteth vnto those things which are laid before it But towards that power of God vehemencie and efficacie whereby it is healed and changed it dealeth passiuelie for it receiueth these things and by him they be in it Neither should this séeme an absurd thing forsomuch as the scriptures saie that we are drawne the which noteth a certeine passion and disposition It is also said that God standeth at the doore and knocketh Wherefore those knocking 's and motions are receiued in the mind The sect of Enthusiasts Howbeit for all that we doo not make hereby a sect of beléeuing Enthusiasts For the Enthusiasts are reprooued who saie that they suffer I knowe not what inspirations and instigations vnto things euill and forbidden being repugnant to the word of God But we appoint such an efficacie of God as may incline minds vnto the promises and saiengs of God and may stand togither with the word of God although that in manie there is made onelie a lightening or an imitation and suggestion without a change séeing that efficacie and vehemencie of spirit is not giuen vnto all men neither can all men be made capable of heauenlie gifts the which God himselfe dispenseth distributeth and tempereth as it shall séeme good to him Wherevpon there arise two kinds of callings for one is common but the other is according to the determinate purpose of God wherof we will speake at large when the place serueth And those whom GOD indueth with his gift and strength he as it hath béene said constraineth not nor vseth violentlie so as he should corrupt his will or choise called Arbitrium but rather maketh it perfect euen as a forme adorneth and accomplisheth the matter but destroieth it not This power of God in our conuersion Huldricus Zuinglius a godlie and learned man and who deserueth well of the church hath noted vpon the epistle vnto the Romans Rom. 1 16. expounding these words It is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth And he saith For when we could by no means be saued by our owne power and strength it was needfull to be saued by the power of God This power he gaue vnto vs by Christ who restored vnto life all men that were dead in Adam This place taketh awaie the fréedome of the will and the power of mans strength c. Which saieng I vnderstand as touching supernaturall things which excéed our capacitie The same Zuinglius in his booke De vera falsa religione in the chapter De Deo thus writeth But the faithfull for so doo they commonlie vse to call the beléeuers or godlie or true worshippers of God in this one thing be faithfull for that they beléeue one true onelie and omnipotent God and him onelie doo trust Moreouer how it happeneth that the godlie doo in this wise iudge of God and doo not after the maner of the Gentils ascribe euerie vnknowne power vnto God it is easie for a godlie man to shew It is doone both by the power and grace of him in whom a man beléeueth For as touching the disposition and nature of man so farre foorth as he is a naturall man the godlie differeth nothing from the vngodlie Therefore in the error concerning gods that might happen to euerie man which happeneth to this or that man vnlesse there were a more certeine noble power which should call vnto it selfe and fast bind vnto it mans mind which in nature nothing differeth from them that doo erre most of all And here doo the first veines of faith and godlinesse open themselues 9 And certeinlie we must vnderstand The heresie of the Pelagians that the Pelagians séemed after a sort to grant the grace of God and they confessed those suggestions of the holie Ghost illuminations and such like but this gift and efficacie of the spirit changing our minds they neither acknowledged nor atteined vnto This dooth Augustine Augustine in his treatise of the grace of Christ against Pelagius and Coelestinus the seuenth chapter reprooue saieng But behold what he hath added vnto vs we being doubtfull in this expectation For God saith he aideth vs by his doctrine and reuelation while he openeth the eies of our hart while he sheweth vs of things to come that we should not be held of things present while he laieth open the sleights of the diuell while he lighteneth vs with the manifold and vnspeakable gift of the heauenlie grace Afterward finishing his sentence as it were with a certeine conclusion He that saith thus saith he dooth he séeme vnto shée to denie grace Or whether dooth he confesse the frée will of man and the grace of God Further in the eight chapter the same Augustine saith Hereby therefore it plainlie appeareth that he confesseth this grace whereby God sheweth and reuealeth what we ought to doo not whereby he giueth and aideth vs to doo séeing the knowledge of the lawe is rather a helpe vnto this if the helpe of grace be wanting by meanes whereof commeth a breach of the commandement c. Moreouer in the tenth chapter Pelagius is brought in speaking thus He worketh in vs to will that which is good to will that which is holie while by the greatnesse of the glorie to come and promise of rewards he kindleth
mooued vnto faith Who also will saie that the verie God omnipotent hath wanted a meanes whereby man also should be persuaded to beléeue c. Now it appeareth what Augustine thought as touching that place Rom. 9 16. It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth c. After these things I referre my selfe vnto that which Paule wrote Gala. 4 6. And bicause ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crieng Abba Father But if the spirit being sent foorth by God vnto men maketh them crie it maketh them also to beléeue and therewithall maketh them to liue well also Eze. 11 19. 37 26. For when it was said by the prophet I will take from them that stonie heart and will giue them a fleshie heart It is added And I will giue my spirit among them and will cause them to walke in my commandements c. Also to the Romans it is written Rom 8 14. As manie as are led by the spirit of God those be the sonnes of God Wherein is to be noted that the saints otherwhile are passiuelie subiect vnto certeine motions of the holie Ghost And if of some it be granted that our will is sometime onelie a subiect passiue when troubles and gréefes doo greatlie vrge vs looking for nothing else but death for the soule is then susteined by God least it should faint what let is there that we should not also be passiuelie subiect to this change whereof we now speake Wherefore I saie the will is the subiect of both conuersions as well of healing as of faith but as touching the first it onelie concurreth passiuelie and as touching the other both passiuelie and actiuelie bicause we beléeue willinglie In the first the spirit woorketh alone but in the other it worketh togither with vs. Vnto the Galathians it is written But when it seemed good vnto him Gal. 1 15. which had separated me from my mothers wombe But it is not said When it seemed good vnto me And vnto the Romans Rom. 12 3. God distributed to euerie one the measure of faith And of frée gifts it is written 1. Cor. 12 11. that Those the spirit of God distributeth to euerie one as he will And he is no lesse the Lord of regeneration and the GOD of our faith than he is of frée gifts and therefore he distributeth both kinds as it pleaseth him In the epistle to the Philippians we read Phil. 1 29. that To them it was giuen not onelie to beleeue but to suffer for Christ 2. Tim. 1 7. And in the 2. epist to Timothie it is written For God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power of loue and of sobrietie Mat. 13 11. Christ also said vnto the apostles that To others vnto whome he spake in parables it was not giuen that they should vnderstand but vnto them that were his apostles it was giuen And verie manie other testimonies of the holy scriptures might be alledged for this matter howbeit I will be contented with these but if there be anie which will not beléeue these verie manie alledged neither will they giue credit vnto more 11 But manie saie If thus the matter stand then shall we be as stocks and stones which are mooued of God The matter dooth not so stand bicause both stocks and stones while they be mooued doo neither perceiue nor vnderstand nor will Further if in anie thing we be mooued passiuelie as stocks and stones be yet should wée not so be called albeit in this change whereof we now speake we are not mooued violentlie as be stones and stocks but by a motion méet vnto our end and perfection Howbeit that which they obiect against vs is not well concluded for it is an argument in the second figure of propositions affirmatiue as if we should say Stones and stocks are mooued passiuelie Men in this change or conuersion are mooued passiuelie Therfore are they stones stocks Again we saie Stones stocks be bodies they be also substances In like maner men are bodies and substances Therefore they are stones stocks All men sée that the conclusions are not firme doo belong to the second figure of the affirmatiues Yet neuerthelesse of this our saieng which wee defend as touching the change in God or the healing of the mind before we can either beléeue or hope or expect celestiall things it followeth not that we make for Swenkfeldius for he séemeth to put faith before the word of God but we doo not so Bicause we affirme the word of God is as well an outward as an inward instrument of the holie Ghost wherewith he may persuade and shew what things are to be beléeued and doone and may declare and vtter his efficacie in the changing of vs. For we knowe that Faith is by hearing Rom. 10 17 Esaie 53 1. hearing by the word of God Paule saith How shall they beleeue in him whome they haue not heard And elsewhere it is written Lord Rom. 10 16. who hath beleeued our preaching Further Swenkfeldius séemeth to appoint the outward word to be as a certeine exercise of faithfull men and reiecteth the ministerie Which opinion we detest for we affirme that as well the outward word as the inward be instruments of the holie Ghost neither doo we doubt but that the word especiallie by nature goeth before faith séeing it is the subiect thereof 12 Wherefore we determine that the will or choise before regeneration can doo nothing by it selfe as touching diuine and spirituall things but that the spirit of God is necessarie bicause it propoundeth and teacheth neither that the same is anie thing except it worke a change of the mind The Pelagians said that the grace of 〈◊〉 is required but yet to this purpose onelie 〈◊〉 we may the easilier beléeue doo well The schoole-Diuines bicause they would differ from them haue affirmed a preuenting grace but we demand what maner of grace that is And we saie that it is not sufficient to answer that it is such a grace as thereby are propounded vnto vs the words of God and his promises either inwardlie or outwardlie but that there ought to be applied a change or conuersion and that it ought not to be put in our will or choise to follow or cleaue vnto the promises Augustine Augustine put vs in mind that vnder the praises of nature lie hidden the enimies of grace Wherefore Two kinds of calling now that we haue thus determined there appeare two kinds of callings one common an other effectuall Which distinction I first prooue out of the holie scriptures Rom. 8. 29. Paule saith Whome he hath called those also he hath iustified Wherfore it is some kind of calling wherevnto iustification is ioined for that is Paules chaine namelie to haue the linkes fast knit togither On the other part Mat. 20 16. it is said by
power What violent is Violent as Aristotle defineth it in his third booke of Ethiks is that which is mooued from an outward beginning and dooth not immediatelie bring anie thing at all howbeit such is not our will But that it may appeare what it bringeth we must vse a naturall similitude A similitude The first matter by transmutation taketh méere formes and is mooued by the efficient cause and it bringeth the subiect for it is subiect vnto those motions further it hath a certeine power or abilitie vnto these formes euen so mans mind is the passiue subiect of this conuersion and healing Againe it hath a certeine power or abilitie indéed not actiue but passiue and that while it is compared vnto God bicause it can be actiuelie changed by him For we are created reasonable according to the image and similitude of GOD. And certeinlie a passiue power of this kind may A power passiue and obedientiall after the maner of the Schoole-men be called an obedientiall power bicause we be capable of the diuine change when God shall be minded to worke the same Hereby may be well vnderstood that which is spoken of Augustine that to be able to haue faith hope and charitie is of nature but to haue them is of grace For of nature we haue it that we can passiuelie be changed of God but that we are changed in verie déed this is of grace Augustine Rightlie said Augustine in his booke De correptione gratia the eleuenth chapter that Frée will is but little vnles it be changed by the God omnipotent and that we haue no néed of power if there should onlie haue béene vsed a persuasion or shewing of good things Wherefore a power is required vnto this that the change might be counted woonderfull For which cause the same father in his treatise of the grace of Christ against Pelagius and Coelestinus the 24. chapter wrote verie well Therefore let them read and vnderstand let them behold and confesse that God worketh in the hearts of men not onelie true reuelations but also good wils not through the lawe and doctrine founding outwardlie but by the inward and hidden lawe by a maruellous and vnspeakeable power An obiection Iohn 1 12. But they obiect vnto vs out of Iohn God hath giuen them power to be made the sonnes of God Howbeit they saie nothing For Iohn speaketh there of the regenerate and of the beléeuers séeing it is foorthwith added Euen to them that beleeue in his name and straitwaie after They that be borne of God But if thou wilt vnderstand these things of them that be not renewed we may saie that they had that power by predestination before all eternitie although they doo not yet possesse the same in act This also séemeth to be a let Zach. 1 3. Ezec. 18 31 which is written in Zacharie Turne you vnto me And in Ezechiel the 18. chapter Make you a new heart Where we also our selues séeme to come togither actiuelie Neuertheles as I said at the first we must distinguish of the drawing if we weighthe end from whence beginneth the motion while we be vnwilling There dooth God conuert change and heale vs and of vnwilling maketh vs willing Howbeit sith for the time that we liue here we are not perfectlie turned vnto God neither are we so pliant tractable or obedient vnto his commandements as we ought to be therefore is it commanded vs that as being now workers togither with God we should more and more conuert vnto him and that we should euerie daie more and more make to our selues new hearts An obiection But there is an other cauillation of some men First they affirme that the lawe is the reuealed will of God they adde that the same is mightie inuincible and they demand whie all men may not performe the same If God saie they commanded the sea to abide within his bounds and to discouer it selfe that it was doone bicause so he would it to be likewise when he commanded the dead man that he should be raised vp his will was not in vaine but brake foorth into act whie then hath not his will which is in the lawe come to effect Doubtlesse not for anie infirmitie thereof but bicause it séemeth that God would so command these things as he might leaue them in vs to doo which himselfe would not doo I answer that God would his commandements to be kept yet not through the strength of frée will onelie but by grace whereby we are first healed and afterward are led vnto this obedience Moreouer when it is said that the lawe is the will of GOD I grant A distinction of the will of God but yet it is not euerie will of his It may be called the approouing will of God it is the will of his good pleasure also a preparing will but it is no working appointing decréeing and effectuall will towards all men but towards all those to whom it shall séeme good vnto God Euen as also we saie concerning sinne that he would it not bicause he forbiddeth it it displeaseth him and he punisheth it yet is not his will so towards it that he effectuallie and substantiallie by appointing and decréeing would it not otherwise he would not permit it but let it And there be no wils so peruerse which God cannot change But it is yet demanded whether we be able to resist the calling of GOD We may and especiallie the common and generall calling yea rather we flie awaie from the same when we be not yet regenerate as Adam at the beginning Gen. 3 8. Gal. 1 13. and Paule did it a great while Yea and afterward when we be healed and prepared we oftentimes fall Matt. 26 69. 2. Sam. 11 2 as we knowe that it happened vnto Peter and Dauid But if thou shalt aske that when the calling which is effectuall and according to the purpose is present whether it doo preuaile I grant it dooth for vnto Paule it was said in the verie houre of his conuersion Acts. 9 5. It is hard for thee to kicke against the pricks not that there is a violence brought vnto the will séeing that cannot be albeit in Luke the 14. chapter it is written Compell them to come in Luke 14 23 But there it is rather spoken of the goodnesse of God the which in calling them that he his is importunate and vseth if I may so speake a certeine improbitie or woonderfull diligence and dealeth not onelie by exhortations but also by rebukes and scourges Albeit Augustine wrested this to the Edicts of christian princes the which against heretiks appoint gréeuous punishments banishments prisonments penalties other such like And albeit that faith be voluntarie yet God driueth men to it by such waies means An obiection Mat. 23 37. Also this is obiected How often would I haue gathered thy children togither as the hen gathereth hir chickens But herevnto
Augustine answereth And yet those whom I would gather togither I gathered euen against thy will Yet the same father séemeth to haue spoken hardlie Obiections out of Augustine in his treatise against Adimantus the Manichei the 26. chapter where he wrote that It is in the power of man to change the will vnto better Herevnto notwithstanding he himselfe answereth in his first booke of refractations the 22. chapter where he saith But that power is nothing vnlesse it be giuen of God by whom it is said Iohn 1 12. He gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God For séeing this is in the power that when we will we doo nothing is so much in the power as is the will it selfe but the will is prepared of the Lord and by that meanes he giueth power So must that also be vnderstood that I said afterward it is in our power either that we be ingraffed by the goodnesse of God or by his seueritie be cut off bicause it is not in our power sauing for that he followeth our will which being prepared by the Lord to be mightie and strong that which before was hard and vnpossible is soone become a worke of godlines c. Wherefore let this rule and exposition be of force to answer all the places of Augustine in which he séemeth to attribute more than is méet vnto frée will as touching heauenlie and supernaturall things We must answer that this selfe power hath onlie place in willes alreadie prepared and healed This rule did this father neuer withdrawe but put it as firme and certeine in his retractations Yea and in the tenth chapter of the same booke he sheweth that those things which he wrote as touching frée will against the Manicheis were spoken to the intent he might declare that there is not a certeine first euill beginning contrarie vnto the good God from which euill beginning forsooth sinnes should flowe but that the beginning of sinnes was from the will Wherefore it was not agréeable to that drawing that he shuld speake much of the grace of God that prepareth and healeth which neuerthelesse he after some sort left not vntouched And of frée will he spake rather as it was in nature first instituted than as it is now found in nature defiled and corrupted How far foorth free will is granted It is also obiected vnto vs that we doo euill in denieng frée will and that we giue an occasion of bringing the same in question and that we offer an offense vnto the Papists Howbeit I take not awaie frée will in generall but I grant the same in outward things and in those things which are not aboue the capacitie of man Moreouer I grant the same in part vnto them that be prepared healed and conuerted by the grace of God as a little after shall be said Further we are not to passe much of the slander of the Pharisies They be blind and leaders of the blind and therefore they are not to be regarded Euerie plant Matt. 15 13. which the heauenlie father hath not planted shall be rooted vp Besides they aske whether God doo towards all men as much as sufficeth to their saluation Some saie he dooth But it séemeth not so vnto me for I knowe out of the holie scriptures Matt. 11 21. that they of Tyre and Sidon would haue beléeued if they had séene those things that were doone of Christ in Chorazim Bethsaida Capernaum And this also did Prosper ad caput Gallorum note when he answereth vnto the tenth chapter wherin they obiected against the doctrine of Augustine bicause he affirmed that the grace of the Gospell was by God withdrawne from some He writeth there after this maner Also he that saith that the preching of the Gospell is by the Lord withdrawne from some least by receiuing the preaching of the Gospell they might be saued may discharge himselfe of ill report by defense of our Sauiour himselfe who would not shew foorth his works among some which he saith would haue beléeued if they had séene his signes and miracles And he forbad his apostles to preach the Gospell vnto certeine people And yet still he suffereth some nations to liue without his grace when as neuerthelesse we beléeue it most certeinlie that the church shall be spred abroad into all the parts of the world c. Of the verie same matter also the same father Ad excerpta Genuensium the eight dout thus writeth As touching the men of Tyre and Sidon what thing else can we saie but that it was not vouchsafed vnto them to beléeue And yet neuerthelesse the truth it selfe reporteth that they would haue beléeued if they had séene such signes of powers as were doone among vs that beléeue But why this was denied vnto them let them that falselie accuse tell it if they can and let them shew why the Lord did maruellous things among them whom they should not profit Also we if we be not able to atteine vnto the cause of his dooing and to the déepenesse of his iudgement yet doo we most manifestlie knowe that both it is true which he said and iust which he did and that not onelie the men of Tyre and Sidon but also they of Chorazim and Bethsaida might haue béene conuerted and of infidels might haue become faithfull if the Lord would haue wrought this in them Neither can it séeme false to anie which the truth saith Iohn 6 44. None can come vnto me except it shall be giuen him of my father And Matt. 13 1. To you it is giuen to knowe the mysterie of the kingdome of heauen Againe No man knoweth the sonne Matt. 11 27. but the father nor the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reueale him Againe Iohn 5 21. As the father quickeneth the dead so the sonne quickeneth whom he will Againe 1. Cor. 12 3. No man can saie that IESVS is the Lord but by the holie Ghost The same Prosper also sheweth That all men haue not beene called by preaching that the preaching of the Gospell hath not alwaies béene giuen to all nations nor yet in all times and yet the same neuerthelesse is necessarie vnto saluation Ad capita Gallorum the fourth chapter wherein it was obiected against Augustine that according to his iudgement all men are not called vnto grace thus answereth Although it should appeare that the whole world had now in euerie nation and in all the ends of the earth receiued the Gospell Mat. 16 15. which in verie déed is most truelie pronounced that it shall come to passe yet were there no doubt but that since the time of the resurrection of the Lord vnto this present age there haue béene men which haue departed out of this life without knowledge of the Gospell of whome it may be said that they were not called bicause they not so much as heard of the hope of calling But if anie man affirme that
not onlie would forgiue him the fault of an euill will and action but also would giue him grace to will well to doo well and therin to continue Iam. 1 17. For euerie good gift saith the apostle Iames and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights c. By these things we sée that vnto Liberum arbitrium that is to will now reformed no small power must be attributed Therefore I affirme that the regenerate can knowe spirituall things that they can also make choise of them and after a sort can doo them bicause they are not now onelie méere and bare men but they are men of God they be ingraffed into Christ they be his members and therefore partakers of his fréedome To them it is said Phil. 2 15. Ephes 2 15. Iohn 15 15. Worke you your saluation with feare and trembling They be no longer the enimies of God but fréends of God and of Christ and therefore he hath made knowne vnto them those things which he heard of his father Iere. 31 33. Now they haue the lawes of God written in their harts and in their bowels They are not in the first point of the drawing from whence the motion beginneth but hauing procéeded further of vnwilling they are made willing A similitude Fitlie agréeth vnto them the similitude of Augustine vpon Iohn of the gréene bough shewed to the yoong shéepe and of the child vnto whom nuts are offered before they would not go afterward they are drawne with great delight Of them also this may be aptlie said If thou be not drawne praie that thou maiest be drawne When they be children they are now led by the spirit of God Rom. 8 14. and are so led as themselues doo those things that be right Of which matter wrot Prosper in an epistle to Ruffinus saieng thus For all men haue not faith neither doo all men beléeue the Gospell but they which beléeue are led by the spirit of God they which beléeue not are turned awaie by frée will Wherefore our conuersion vnto God is not of vs Ephe. 2 8. but of GOD as the apostle saith By grace ye are saued through faith and this not of your selues but it is the gift of GOD not of works least anie man should boast himselfe c. Also the regenerate can stir vp in themselues the gifts and grace of God as Paule wrot vnto Timothie the second epistle 2. Tim. 2 6. Also they applie themselues vnto the holie Ghost that they may possesse and vse the more excellent and profitable spirituall gifts 2. Cor. 12 1. as the Corinthians are admonished by Paule in the first epistle Again they that be renewed doo works which are pleasing vnto God Gen. 22 19. for Abraham is commended by God bicause he for Gods sake spared not his onelie begotten sonne And the almes of the Philippians were called an odour of a good smell before God Phil. 4 18. And vnto the Hebrues the 13. chapter it is written Hebr. 13 16. that Good turnes and hospitalitie are acceptable sacrifices to God Mat. 7 17. They are now good trées Mat. 25 35. and therefore no maruell if they doo bring foorth good fruits who euen of Christ himselfe being iudge shall at the last daie be allowed 2. Tim. 3 17. And herevnto doo the regenerate atteine that they be called perfect and prepared to euerie good worke who neuerthelesse in all things that are to be doone well haue alwaies néed of the speciall helpe of God And hereof wrote Prosper in the epistle so often alledged Therefore whomesoeuer the grace of God iustifieth it maketh not of good men better but of euill men it maketh good afterward by profiting it will make of good men better not by taking awaie of our frée will but by setting of it frée vnto righteousnesse But when it is lightened by the mercie of Christ it is deliuered from the kingdome of the diuell and is made the kingdome of God wherein also it may continue Neither doubtlesse is it strengthened sufficientlie by that power except it obteine thereby a perseuerance from whence it receiued an indeuour Yet for all this haue not they which be conuerted prepared and healed anie full fréedome of the will while they liue here but They perceiue an other lawe in their members rebelling against the lawe of the mind They doo not the good Rom. 7 23. Ibid. vers 19 which they would but the euill which they hate Neither are they able throughlie to fulfill the lawe verse 25. In their mind they serue the lawe of God but in their flesh the lawe of sinne Gal. 5. 7. The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit so as they doo not those things which they would Mat. 26 29. 2. Sam. 11 1. And sometime the euent dooth not answer to their determinations and horrible faults doo otherwhiles happen as it came to passe in Peter and Dauid Neither can they be without sinnes for Iohn said 1. Iohn 1 10 If we shall saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. Iam. 3 2. Also Iames wrote In manie things we sinne all 19 Howbeit there is a difference betwéene the wicked and the regenerate for those delight and reioise in sinnes but the godlie doo sorrowe and mourne and doo euerie daie praie Mat. 6 12. Rom. 8 24. Forgiue vs our debts c. They crie also O vnhappie man that I am Who shall deliuer mee And when they sée themselues vnperfect and to haue onelie the first fruits of the spirit they wish that their daie of death were present to wit that they may be made fullie perfect in the last regeneration And finallie they séeme to haue said rightlie which haue appointed thrée sorts of fréedome of the will One from necessitie constraining the which is common as well to the godlie as to the vngodlie for mans will cannot be constrained An other fréedome they haue appointed from sinne which the vngodlie in no wise haue but the regenerate doo in some part possesse it as it hath béene alreadie declared The third fréedome is from miserie which the wicked haue not but we after some sort haue it For although we be tossed with diuers misfortunes yet by hope we are saued both from sinne and from miserie When we shall come into the kingdome of heauen we shall be at full libertie And let these things suffice as touching frée will Certeine clauses or sentences concerning Free will Those things which are set foorth to be knowne as touching frée will are no light matters but they are of verie great importance For so manie of vs as are renewed by the grace of Christ well knowing the féeblenesse and infirmitie of fréewill will not become proud neither will we extoll our selues by the power thereof Nay rather we will be the more earnestlie
bodie is so called bicause it is now immortall with the spirit And a little after Therefore as a naturall bodie is not a soule but a bodie so we must thinke that a spirituall bodie is not a spirit but a bodie And in his treatise De ciuitate Dei the 13 booke and the 20. chapter Howbeit bicause it shall be subdued to the spirit by an excellent and woonderfull easinesse of obeieng euen to the accomplishing of the most assured will of immortalitie which cannot be dissolued And a litle after Euen as the spirit which serueth the flesh is not amisse called carnall so the flesh seruing the spirit is called spirituall not that it is changed into the spirit You heare what things are spoken of a spirituall bodie among the which we find not that it is in diuers places at one time For it is euen as repugnant to the nature of a bodie to be in diuers places at once as it is to be no bodie D. Tresham I denie your minor proposition that it is as repugnant to the nature of a bodie to be conuersant in manie places at once as it is to be no bodie for this latter includeth contradiction of the verie termes and so dooth not the former And more readilie may this be doone in a bodie which hath the properties of a glorious bodie D. Martyr I will prooue anon that it is against the bodie of Christ being definit and circumscribed by limits of place and a creature to be in manie places at once But as touching the glorie which he now hath I saie I doo not exclude the gifts of glorie Howbeit I will prosecute the argument in hand to wit that Augustine ment not that the soule of Christ was at one time both in hell and in heauen with the théefe much lesse therefore shall this be granted to the bodie which is not attributed to the soule Neither in that treatise dooth Augustine exclude the Eucharist D. Tresham Yes verelie he did exclude it D. Martyr Augustine made mention there of the Eucharist but intended a far other matter than to exclude the same from the truth determined For he disputed of the holie Ghost how he being one distributeth his gifts without diuision of himselfe that he maie adorne with his graces the mysticall bodie of the church which mysticall bodie of Christ he saith is set foorth in our sacrifice D. Tresham What if Augustine denie that the soule of Christ cannot be in diuers places therefore can it not be Shall the saieng of Augustine diminish the power of God that it shall not doo as it will No it shall not diminish it D. Martyr It shall now suffice at this present that we haue séene Augustines iudgement that Christ as touching his humanitie bicause of the quantitie of a true bodie is in heauen but as touching his diuinitie euerie where D. Tresham When Augustine saith Christ in that respect that he is man is in heauen vnderstandeth that to be true as touching visible forme for so he expoundeth himselfe in that place saieng If he shall come according to that voice of the angell euen in such wise as hée was séene go into heauen that is to vse his owne words in the same forme of flesh according to this forme he saith he must not be thought to be dispersed euerie where Afterward Augustine maketh mention there of our sacrifice And at that time no man doubted of the truth of the sacrament D. Martyr You shall neuer find there out of Augustine that the bodie of Christ by an inuisible forme may be in manie places at once this is of your owne deuise And I haue now shewed to what end he made mention there of the Eucharist Moreouer we doo not dispute here of the truth of the sacrament which we all confesse but we contend as touching the maner how Christ is there And I will shew most assuredlie that it is in God alone to be in manie places and euerie where at once and that it must not be granted vnto creatures For by this reason dooth Didymus in his first booke De spiritu sancto prooue the Godhead of the holie Ghost It is onelie God that can be in manie places at once bicause he was able to be in many places at one time which can be no condition of anie creature And the verie selfe-same reason made Basil in his booke De spiritu sancto chapter 22. Wherefore if these mens arguments should be of anie strength it would be concluded that the humane nature in Christ is the diuine nature séeing it is affirmed of you to be in manie places at once and so all things would be confounded But now let vs heare their words Didymus saith thus The holie Ghost himselfe if he were one of the creatures he should at the least-wise haue a substance circumscriptible or within limitation euen as haue all things that be made For albeit that the inuisible creatures are not limited within place and bounds yet are they bounded by the propertie of their substance But the holie Ghost sith he is in manie places hath no limited substance For Iesus sending foorth the Preachers of his doctrine replenished them with the spirit and breathing vpon them Receiue ye saith he the holie Ghost Iohn 20 22. and go yee foorth and teach all nations not as though he sent them all to euerie nation Neither in verie déed did the apostles trauell togither vnto all nations but some into Asia some into Scythia and others were dispersed into other nations according to the dispensation of that holie spirit which they had After what maner also we haue heard the Lord saie I am with you euen vntill the end of the world Héerewith all likewise agréeth that saieng Act. 1. 8. Ye shall receiue power of the holie Ghost when hee shall come on you and ye shall be witnesses vnto me both in Ierusalem and in all Iudaea and in Samaria and vnto the vttermost ends of the earth Now then if these apostles for the testimonie of the Lord being placed in the vttermost confines of the earth were distant in most far places one from an other yet that the holie Ghost dwelled in them hauing a substance which cannot be bounded or limited The angels cannot be in manie places at once it is an euident token that the power of angels is far other than this is séeing for example sake the angell which was present with the apostle when hée praied in Asia could not at the selfe-same time be present with others which were placed in other parts of the world But the holie Ghost not onelie is at hand with them which are separated one from an other but also remaineth an assistant to all particular angels principalities thrones dominations and as he sanctifieth men so is he of an other nature than men be of Basil in his booke De spiritu sancto the 22. chapter Therefore as touching the holie Ghost whom the world cannot
mouth D. Chadse It is euen the selfe-same saith Chrysostome D. Martyr Both the things which he saith must be ioined togither as well that It is euen the selfe-same as that which he addeth By commemoration D. Chadse If when we doo receiue the sacrament the selfe-same bodie is giuen which Christ offered it followeth that Christ is reallie and substantiallie in the sacrament D. Martyr I denie the argument for you passe from the substance vnto the accident And you make Quid what to be Quale after what maner That it is the verie same bodie as touching nature I haue granted it almost an hundred times but it followeth not as touching the maner of the bodilie presence either that he is there or that he is receiued of vs. D. Chadse Is he there D. Martyr He is but yet sacramentallie and by signification as our meaning is in our words or in our writings to wit that by these it is signified but it dooth not lie hidden vnder them D. Chadse Is it the verie bodie or no D. Martyr How often shall I tell you It is the verie bodie but yet it is not there except by a sacramentall signification D. Chadse I demand what is the substance of that sacrifice which is offered daie by daie You saie that if I shall offer it with the mind with faith it is the verie bodie of Christ Chrysostome hauing a respect not to my faith but to the substance of the sacrifice saith We offer not an other but the selfe-same sacrifice and so it appeareth that we deuise nothing but that which Chrysostome hath D. Martyr The substance of our sacrifice is a giuing of thanks for the bodie of Christ giuen vpon the crosse And by reason of this giuing of thanks faith and confession the fathers said that the bodie of Christ is offered in the supper Wherefore as touching the substance this bodie for the which we giue thanks differeth not from that which was crucified but yet to this end that it should be offered of vs is not required that he should be present corporallie neither that he should be held substantiallie in the hands of the communicants D. Chadse Chrysostome vpon Iohn homilie 〈◊〉 Paâ—ents oftentimes gaue their children to be nourished of others but I doo nourish them with my flesh my selfe I giue to them I â—auoâ—… all men I 〈◊〉 all men an excellent hope of things to come Your brother would I be and I haue part◠〈…〉 flesh and bloud for you 〈◊〉 I haue againe giâ—… you those things whereby 〈…〉 ioined vnto you Here Chrysostomâ—… sheweth that we be nourished by the time flesh of Christ He that is nourished by his mothers breasts is nourished by the flesh of his mother And Christ saith that he in like â—…reâ—â—oth nourish vs with his flesh and therfore he meaneth not this by signification for this should not be to nourish vs by his owne but by another flesh Wherfore it followeth that the flesh of Christ is present indéed D. Martyr That Christ dooth giue himselfe vnto vs and dooth nourish and mainteine vs by his flesh I grant But whereas you adde that we cannot be nourished vnlesse his flesh be present corporallie I denie it sith this meate and eating is performed by faith D. Chadse Yea but he saith Séeing he hath now giuen himselfe much more will hée giue himselfe hereafter therefore is it the selfe-same which is now giuen and which hereafter shall be giuen D. Martyr It is the selfe-same but here it is onelie receiued by faith and that it may the more effectuallie be receiued there be signes and sacraments giuen vnto vs. D. Chadse Shall not they then which be without faith receiue the bodie of Christ D. Martyr They shall not receiue it Euill men receiue not the bodie of Christ for they want the instrument whereby the bodie of Christ is receiued as I haue shewed before D. Chadse And is it there although it be not receiued of them D. Martyr Yea it is by a sacramentall signification in the elements bicause they signifie represent and giue vnto vs the bodie and bloud of Christ but yet they are not transubstantiated or the bodie lieth not hidden in them substantiallie and reallie or corporallie and carnallie to the granting wherof you would séeme to driue me by so manie your superfluous questions And when I affirme a sacramentall signification you must vnderstand such as is effectuall vnto beléeuers as may further the communicants and may stir them vp to imbrace Christ by faith the which can haue no place in them that be destitute of faith For I shewed that before when I opposed you that vnbeléeuers cannot receiue the bodie of Christ D. Chadse What then is a sacrament D. Martyr A sacrament What is a sacrament as the Schoole-diuines define it and is had out of Augustine is the signe of a holie thing or a visible signe of an inuisible grace And the holie Ghost vseth the sacraments that he may giue vnto vs Christ spirituallie to be imbraced with the mind and with faith euen as we are said to receiue saluation by the words of God not that saluation lieth hidden in those words or standeth in reall presence but is conteined by signification And this comparison of diuine words is verie agréeable with sacraments séeing by Augustines iudgement sacraments be visible words Wherfore by this answer you vnderstand what I meane by a sacrament D. Chadse By this means euerie thing may be a signe of the bodie of Christ D. Martyr Forsomuch as the Lord did not institute all things to this purpose That euerie thing cannot be a signe of the bodie of Christ as the Eucharist is nor that all things haue the word of God which in the sacraments is the chéefest part therfore all things cannot be called signes of the bodie of Christ after such a maner as now we take true and effectuall sacraments to be D. Chadse Augustine in his third booke De trinitate the fourth chapter is of my opinion For when he speaketh of the Eucharist he saith It is not sanctified to be so great a sacrament except the spirit of God doo worke inuisiblie Lo here you haue it that the holie Ghost and the worke of God is required to the making of a sacrament but there should be no néed of so manie things to bring but in a signification onelie D. Martyr I woonder that you cite that place of Augustine sith he there maketh speciallie against you Let vs sée what he saith there The apostle Paule might by signifieng haue preached the Lord Iesus one waie by his toong another waie by an epistle and another waie by a sacrament of his bodie and bloud The Lord Iesus by a sacrament of his bodie and bloud is signified Here you sée that the Lord Iesus Christ is signified by a sacrament of his bodie bloud the which you indeuor now to disprooue But let vs procéed Neither in verie déed doo we
doctrine touching woorkes which derogateth much thereof 2 264 b Howe and in what sort workes and it are as touching eternall life 3 52 b The order of the effectes of the same 3 51 b 52 a The Schoolemens opinion that it is in vs to receiue it or refuse it 3 50 b What kinde of Grace is giuen to the regenerate 1 2 b Whether a generall Grace depending of our owne will bee graunted vnto vs. 3 152 b 153 a 156 a 107 a 26 b 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. What grace wee ought to confesse in our iustification â— 152. Grace is not bound or tyed vnto sacraments 4 107 ab Why Grace is giuen vnto some and not to others 3 153 a Howe Grace is increased in receiuing of the Sacraments 4 121 b A reason why God sometimes taketh it away and that thereby we fall to sinne 1 181 b Augustine preferreth that which we haue by Christ aboue that which Adam had in Paradise 2 253 b Predestination and Grace may be called lots and why 1 60 a It cannot be powred from the fathers into the children 2 240 b Beeing withdrawen from man corruption followed of his owne accord 2 220 a Howe it preserueth and how free will is preserued according to Bernard 1 199 b Howe it is meant that it can doe nothing without our wil nor our will without grace 3 50 b Augustines meaning in saying that by the first Grace of God we are conceiued and borne by the latter 2 261 ab 262 a Howe the Schoolemen endeuour to affirme that Grace is a thing created 3 49 a Of a Grace preuenting knocking and the office of the same 2 268 ab Preuenting and after following 3 107a 51 b 52 a 2 261b Of Grace working and of grace working together graunted â— 51 ab Of the Grace of doctrine and illustration 3 50 a Freely giuen and which maketh men acceptable 3 52 a But one Grace and how it differeth in effects 3 51 b 52 a The Pelagian heresie touching Grace â— 107 a 50 b 1 155b 2 201b 299b How we must vnderstand this word Grace rightly 3 52 ab What it is to haue the Grace of God 3 48 b Howe we are iustified by Grace and not by grace 3 48 b Grace is not to bee put as nature 3 2â— a The Grace of God is more remisse in vs at one time than at another 3 47 a It is not to expect the consent of the will 3 50 b Grace is increased by Baptisme 2 â—62 ab It lieth not in euerie mans power to receiue Grace 3 28 ab What is to be iustified by Grace and by the grace of Christ 3 48b Two reasons why God giueth not his grace alwaies after one order and continuance 3 47 b Whether God giue to euerie man so much grace as is sufficient to mooue them 3 29 ab 32b Whether our nature as it is nowe corrupt can resist the grace of God 3 47 a The schoolemeÌ„s definition thereof 3 40 b 49 a Grace which seemeth to resist freewill doeth not take the same away 2 280 b Whether Gods grace be common to all men 3 26 b 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. ¶ Looke Fauour Graces Naturall giftes are sometimes called Graces 3 52 a Gracious Of the word Gracious and who are called gratious 3 48 a Wee are one way Gratious before God and another way before men 3 48 a Gratis Where Gratis signifieth in vaine 3 149 a Whether the worde Gratis and onelie be of one signification 3 155 a Graue Howe Christ sawe not the graue 3 343 a 344 b â—45 a Thou shalt not leaue my soule in the Graue expounded 3 343 a ¶ Looke Hell Graues Watches at the Graues of the dead 3 357 a ¶ Looke Sepulchre Greefe Two thinges requited in the feeling of greefe 3 298 a Of foure effectes which haue their original from it 2 411 ab Greefes Galens opinion of Greefes and pleasures in all the senses how 1 136 b 137 a They are an hinderance to excellent actions and hinder felicitie 1 163 a Grone Foure reasons why creatures are saide to Grone and mourne 2 250 b The Manichies did wickedlie fable many things of the groning of creatures and how euerie creature is saide to Grone for our sakes 2 248 b 248 a ¶ Looke Creatures Gu. Guile The name and definition of Guile 2 534 b Of two sortes good and bad 2 535 b 536 a 540 b It tieth periurie fast 2 549 a It proceedeth from a doublenesse of heart 2 535 a Whether it bee lawfull for the rooting out of Idolatrie and Heresie 2 539 b Whether to vse it in warre be lawfull 4 284 b Not forbidden against enemies 2 536 a The ciuill lawes allowe it 2 536b 537 a The Guile of the Thracians Romanes in warre 2 537 b 538a Of Constantine the Great in Religion 2 541 a Of the King of Denmarke for destroying of theeues 2 536 ab Of Dauid for the safetie of his life 3 292 b 293 a Howe it is meant that Nathaniell had no Guile in him sith euerie man is a lier 2 535 ab Howe it is meant that in the mouth of the 144000. Elders there was found no Guile 2 569 b Guiltinesse Of the Guiltinesse of sinne and whence the same ariseth 1 188 a Ha. Habit. The nature of an Habit and the definition thereof 1 151 ab If it be remooued priuation presentlie followeth of his owne accord 1 181 b Howe it doeth neuer bring in priuation prooued 1 181 a An Habite in the minde is no work though it come of frequented actions 1 4 b Habites What Habites are sooner abolished than others 1 161 b The nature of Habites is that they are hardlie to bee abolished 1 161b The good Habites of the minde may sometimes bee idle and vnprofitable prooued by scripture 1 153 b Haile The custome of the Cleons when they perceiued Haile readie to fall vppon their vines 1 84 a Haire Of letting the Haire growe and of clipping the same 3 178 ab Hands Of the laying on of Hands in making ministers 4 23 b Whether laying on of Hands bee necessarie in making of Ministers 4 16 ab ¶ Looke Laying on Ministers Happie Whether a man may bee counted Happie in this life 1 158 a That he may haue happinesse in himselfe while hee yet liueth 1 162 ab Howe stablenesse and mutablenesse may agree together in him 1 165 a Howe he may be Happie which is assailed by misfortunes 1 162 b Solons saying that none is Happie before death two maner of wayes vnderstoode 1 159 a 158 b A Happie man compared to a quadrate or square stone howe 1 165 b Whether it can be by any meanes that such a one may become miserable 1 165 a What the holie Scriptures determine of him and howe farre they agree with Aristotle 1 166 ab What hee should doe when by chaunce he is fallen into aduersities 1 163 b A certaine meane appointed of Aristotle
whence Musicke had originall 3 311 b The woonderfull effects thereof ouer the affections 3 312 b Whether it bee lawfull in Churches 3 313 a Cautions in the vsing thereof 3 314 a In the East and West Churches 3 313 ab When it and mitre shoulde be vsed of the Ethnicks 3 312 a Musician Elizeus called for a Musician to the ende he might recouer his right minde 1 22b My. Mysterie A Mysterie distinguished 4 17 a The general signification thereof 4 97 b Howe it and sacrament differ and agree 4 96 b Of that signified in matrimonie 3 211 b Mysteries Certeine Mysteries of God exempted from our iudgement 2 532 b Whereunto we cannot naturally attaine 1 10 b God rather reuealeth them vnto the simple than to the wise 1 37 b Vnto whom those of Christ were not knowne in the old lawe 3 346 ab Vnto them nothing must be added 4 97 a Mysteries of Ceres 4 96 b The Mysteries of the Ethniks were sumptuous 4 112 b 113 a ¶ Looke Sacrament Na. Naaman The example of Naaman falling before the idoll expounded 3 263 ab 264 ab Hee knewe his fact to be blameable and offensiue 2 319a Alledged for the defence of ydolatrie 2 318 b 319 a But a nouice in the true religion of God 2 319 a ¶ Looke Ydols and Ydolatrie Names Names of things are partly naturall and partly after the mind of the giuers 2 590 b 591 a Of certaine Names attributed vnto God and their signification 1 100. 101. ¶ Looke God Nature A definition of Nature and what the same is 1 57 a Diuerse significations thereof 4 175 a It is as the Philosophers affirme the originall of motion 2 133 a What it is able to doe about vertues and vices 1 55 a How Augustine vnderstandeth the word Nature 1 188 b The Nature of man doth mesiâ—semble God and howe 1 12 b Being destitute of Grace disturbed 3 94 ab Howe the Nature of men and of Christ doe differ 3 78 a Howe the Nature of man is good and not good 2 227 a Wee haue not the originals of a Nature perfect but of a nature corrupt which prooueth originall sinne 2 217 a The Manichers errour that both it is euill and that it was created euill by God 2 258 b Corrupt not onely by the fault of our first parents but also by the sinnes of all our progenitors 2 220 a Whether as it is now corrupt it can resist the grace of God 3 47 a As it was instituted it was without corruption 3 23 b 2 219 a The opinions of Ethnikes declaring the naughtinesse thereof 2 227 ab As touching Nature there is no difference in men 3 15 b 16 a By what kinde of Nature Eâ—ds precepts bee knowne to be iust 2 475b Pighius interpretation how wee be the children of wrath by Nature confuted 2 217 b 218 a His false imagination touching the integretie thereof in their first man 2 229 b Galens opinion that vertues and vices are not in men by Nature â— 54b 55 a The difference betwéene the first man and our Nature now corrupted 1 187b Howe our Nature must bee changed that Gods lawe may be pleasant vnto vs 3 46 b Two properties of our Nature to wir action and contemplation 1 150 a That men in punishing and rewarding respect not whether things be doone by industrie or by Nature 1 55 a Nazarites The summe of the Nazarits vowe 3 27 b Forbidden to drinke wine 3 171 a Caried some shewe of our Monks 4 7 a Ne. Necessarie What things are said to be Necessarie absolutely and conditionally 1 174 a How things may be called Necessarie and how casuall 1 174 b How things depending of chance do fall out to be Necessarie prooued 1 125 ab Necessitie fatall and in other senses A definition of Necessitie 3 34 b Of fatal Necessitie and what it is 3 4 b 5 a Against the erronious doctrine thereof 3 36 a Fauourers of fatall Necessitie and their reasons 3 38 ab 39 a 2 277 b 1 172 a 169 a 175 b The old writers iudge that those things which be doone are doone thereby and that God himselfe is helde therewith 2 276 a Whether Necessitie be a let vnto Gods proiudence 1 166 b Vnto the predictions of Astrologers a méere Necessitie must not be ascribed 2 279 b 280 a Whether things that be of Necessitie are vnder Gods prouidence 1 172 b Two sundrie respects to be marked in things touching their Necessitie 1 174 a Euerie thing while it is is of Necessitie 3 41 a That somthing though it be of Necessitie yet is voluntarie 1 198 b That some thinges done of Necessitie are not to bee allowed 2 273 b 274 a To doe voluntarily and to doe of Necessitie are not contrarie one to another 2 257 a Whether by predestination Necessitie be inferred 3 34 b A geometricall Necessitie 3 34 b Of certeintie and of coaction 3 35ab Of supposition and absolute 2 278 b Proofes of supposition 3 35 b 36 a 11 b 1 169 a 209 b â— 174 a 295 b 2 610 b 611 a It doeth not ouerthrowe our frée will 2 178 b It is in Gods foreknowledge 1 209 b Necessitie of certeintie or infalliblenesse 3 35 b 36 a 37 ab Of consequence and of the consequent 3 35 ab 2 278 b 279 a Of compulsion of nature 2 610 b 611 a Two sorts of Necessitie out of Augustine 3 39b Inward and outwarde Necessitie diuided 3 34 b What Necessitie is repugnant to the will 3 4â— a Of a Necessitie of sinning which hath no compulsion ioyned therewith 2 256 b It is not absolute in the wicked 2 257 a Necessitie taketh not away the nature of sinne 3 2â— b Manie things of Necessitie in the diuine nature 2 611 a As to bee good and yet he is not driuen by force to be good prooued 2 256 b His will bringeth not Necessitie to things 3 40 b What Necessitie belongeth to his foreknowledge 3 41 a He is not tyed to any Necessitie because all things to him are possible 2 276 a Necessitie maketh things vnlawfull lawfull 3 196 b 197 a 2 304 b 305 a Whether the poore must be holpen before their extreme Necessitie 2 521 b In a case of extreme Necessitie pouertie what is to be done 2 519 a The Saints of God are in more Necessitie than other 2 52â— a ¶ Looke Aduersitie Negligence A definitioÌ„ of Negligence 3 68 a Neighbour The worde Neighbour of a large signification how 2 519 b Who is our Neighbour and how such as are enimies one to another be neighbours notwithstanding 2 404 b The name of Neighbour pertaineth not to kinred or acquaintance onely 2 519 b Howe wee must deale with our Neighbour in a case of trespas 2 557 b How we may iudge of him 3 48 a We ought to spend our verie life for his sake 2 519 b Neighbours What we are to doe when we see our Neighbours
eternall life 3 56 a Gregories opinion that faith is the entrie whereby wee come to good workes but not contrariwise 2 260 ab Many ioyned with faith prooued 3 72 b Whether they are the cause of eternall life 3 35 b The Pelagians opinion that they come from our freewill c. 3 50 b Pelagius and the schoolemen affirme good workes but not such as further to the kingdome of heauen 2 268 a Why they that are foreseene be not the cause of predestination 3 13 a 15 b 16 b 17. 18 a 19 b Before regeneration there are none 3 118 a They are not sacrifices propitiatorie 3 101 a They are ingendred of faith 3 74 b Whether good workes auaile to the certainetie of hope 3 86 b They are meanes not causes to eternall life 3 13 a Sinnes are mingled euen with our best 3 54 b Good workes after iustification are sacrifices of thankesgiuing 3 101 a Whether good woorkes are giuen to the regenerate by grace 3 54 a What God hath respect vnto in our workes 3 278 a What kind of works are sinnes yea most grieuous sinnes 2 263 b Our workes by a good intent cannot be meritorious 1 93 b Whether free in iustification may concurre with them 3 156 b Why God promiseth many things vnto them 3 223 a How those of the penitent doe satisfie God 3 222 b Those of Christians are not better than the working of them and why 1 8 b Holie workes depend vppon two principles namely knoweledge and appetite 2 254b Augustine accuseth the meane workes which hee did before his conuersion 2 265 b In what respects woorkes may be saide to bee good 2 258 a Augustine confesseth that the works which followe faith bee of God but denieth that faith is of our selues as some hold opinion 2 260 b Blasphemie to say that without the grace of God wee can doe workes acceptable vnto GOD. 2 258 ab Why the libertie of the godlie to doe them is not perfect 2 270 b In such strangers from Christ haue no freedome at all 2 254 b What become christian Churches 4 66. â— In what respect God commendeth the workes of certaine men not good 2 572 b Howe God accepteth of them they being naturallie euill 2 567 b That neither before nor after iustification they doe make righteous 3 97 a They giue iudgement to vs who be saued who not 4 115 b Why faith rather than they iustifieth 3 137 a Whether works before iustification deserue 3 101 b Workes follow iustification 3 100 b Of their nature before regeneration 3 9â— b 97 a Howe God rendereth to euerie man according to them 3 113 a Augustines rule touching righteousnes of them 3 113 b Whether faith can consist without them 3 60 b By what sort some say righteousnesse is recouered 3 105 b Why Christ in the last iudgement will make mention of outwarde Workes 3 113 a Howe the Workes of men may please God 3 113 a God rewardeth those oâ— the faithfull 2 521 b Whether God hath respect to their worthinesse 3 390 b 391a They are no cause of our felicitie 3 52 b Augustines diuision of theÌ„ and of what works we may iudge and not iudge 2 533 a God refuseth them though they seeme godlie and deuout as how 2 265ab Workes be sinnes if they be destitute of their due end 2 265 a Whether those of charitie hope be iust 3 156 b Whereunto Workes without faith are compared and that they cannot saue 3 150 b Who seeke God by faith and who by them 3 142 b They cannot properlie be called merites 3 52 b 53 a In what respects good mens are good and euill 2 562 b Whether God attributeth more vnto them than vnto faith 3 146 a Of actions which followe after them alreadie brought to passe 1 4 b Without faith can neuer saue such as bee the woorkers of them 2 262 b Howe God by them bringeth vs vnto life eternall 3 â—2 b Whereupon the goodnesse of them dependeth 2 389 a Howe they make fayth perfect 3 75 a A distinction of them 3 93 a 55 b Of iudging men according to them â— 48a Whether they shal be called necessarie or contingent 3 35b 36 a Our saluation dependeth not of them 3 17 a The godlie can attaine vnto Workes acceptable vnto God proued 2 270 a 265 b 266 a Of Cornelius and his Workes and whether he were regenerate or no when he wrote them 2 259a 263 a The intent that men ought to haue in forbearing wicked Works 2 573 b Of the Works of the regenerate 3 46 a A distinction of them 3 55 b Of those before and after 3 â—6 b Whether Workes doe iustifie 3 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 117 b 155 b 156 a 143 b 103. 104. 105. Howe Iustification is granted vnto them 3 147 a How the Fathers are to be vnderstood when they attribute righteousnes vnto them 3 148 ab Why we take from them the power of iustifying 3 136 b Vnto what Workes the merits of congruitie and worthinesse are due 1 108 ab 119b 120 a Of Workes due and not due vnto God 3 236 b Howe those of dutie and those of supererogation doe differ 3 227 b Whether Workes ceremoniall doe iustifie 3 156b 157 b Of Workes morallie good and superstitious and whereto some ascribe iustification 3 102 b They iustifie in no case 3 103 ab 104 ab 105 a Euen they are signes and seales of righteousnes imputed 3 95b 96 a Though in shewe neuer so good before God they are sinne â— 257b How we ought to bethinke our selues considering the good morall Workes of men not regenerate 1 96 a Whether penall Workes iustifie 3 157 b Of Workes Preparatorie and in whom they bee 2 264 b 1 95. 3 121 b 141 ab Slenderlie prooued 3 111b 112. 113. 114. 115 116. 1â—7 Whether they doe merite 3 1â—… b 224 b Iustifie not 3 126 ab â— 556 b Woorkes of satisfaction reduced to three points 3 221 b Workes of Supererogation proued and disprooued 3 227. 228. 229. 230. 231. Answeres to the reasons brought for them 3 230b 231. 232. What maner of ones they be 3 230 a Whether Workes wrought doe iustifie 3 116 b Whether the Workes of Infidels bee sinnes 3 106 a 243 b 244 a 2 263 b How they please God 3 111 b That their Workes are sins 2 269 b Whereto Chrysostome compareth such 2 262 b Whether they please GOD. 3 299 a Counted glistering sinnes 3 277 ab Against them that say the wicked may doe good Workes and such as please God and through them can deserue as they say of congruitie 2 264 a Of the notable Workes of the Romanes recompensed of God inferred by way of obiection 2 263 a All the good Workes of the not regenerate are but a robberie to Gods grace 2 264 b How farre they are from them 2 267 a What those bee which the aduersaries so highlie