lavve describeth it in these vvords Leu. 18.5 Ex. 20.11 Gal. 3.12 that he which performeth the things vvhich the law cōmaundeth shall liue by them contrariwise pronouncing them accursed which contitinue not in all things that are vvritten in the booke of the lawe de 30.12 But vvhen the same Moyses treateth of the righteousnesse that springeth of faith he speketh after this maner Say not in thy harte vvho shall go vp into heauen for that is as muche as to fetche or call dovvne Christ the sonne of god out of heauen Neither say in thy minde who shall go dovvne into the deepe for that is as much as to rayse or fetche vp agayn the same Christ from the dead R. What is it then that Moyses concludeth P. The worde sayth he is neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hart de 32.41 and that is the vvord of faith vvhich we Apostles of Christ do preach R. Now I see plainly that euen the auncient fathers of the old testament had the same marke set afore them for the fayth of the beleeuers alwayes to ame at which we haue namely Gods euerlasting worde very God and very man the Sauiour the Messias and the foundation of true righteousnesse and innocencie to whom whosoeuer cleaueth shal out of all doubt be saued Therefore no neede at all haue the Israelites muche lesse we to go on pilgrimage to passe ouer the sea to climbe vp into heauen and to attempt things aboue our power to become rightuous For it is sufficient to beleeue the Gospell to imbrace Christe the fathers worde and to be made one with him by the spirite of regeneration P. You hit the matter in deede For if you confesse the Lorde Iesus with your mouth and beleeue in your hart that God hath raysed him vp from death you shall be saued For the beleefe of the harte maketh righteous and the confession of the mouthe saueth Neither is this doctrine nevve or deuised by vs that beleeue in Christe but is continually repeated and set foorth by the holy prophets For to let passe others The Prophet Esay sayth Esa 18.20 whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed nor deceyued R. You say truth But the Iewes restrayne this generall distribution onely to the Israelites and are of suche opinion as to beleeue that the Gentiles are shut out from that promise P. Surely they be vtterly ouerseen◠For in this behalf there is no difference betweene Greeke and Iewe. God created them all alike and made them all able to receiue him so they haue fayth As for deseruings there are none at all neither in the one nor in the other their saluation consisteth in gods only goodnes And bicause he is the onely Lorde of all riche and welwilling to do good to all that beleeue and call vpon him hartily seeke al their help welfare of him alone therfore according to the sayings of the prophets whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be safe R. I remēber I haue read this sentēce in the sermons of the prophet Ioel. Ioel. 2.32 But there is a certen doubt which greueth my 〈◊〉 very much For if it be true as you say that god is the creator of al men and that be createth men able to receiue blessednes how hapneth it that the most part of the worlde abideth in ignorance of the truth and that a great sort euen of those that heere the truth do not beleeue it and obey it For to the intent we may speake first of the Heathen folke and Gentiles how can they call vpon him on whome they beleeue not and how can they belee◠e in him of whō they haue not herd and how shal they heare without a preacher and how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent euen of god the only author of saluation P. Surely you reason sharply For to the same purpose the prophet Esay said How beautifull and fine are the feete of such as bring glad tidings of peace Esa 52.7 and bring newes of good things R. Ye see also that not all the Iewes obeyed the Gospell Esa 53.1 For the same Esay complayneth of their vnbeleefe in these words Ioel. 12.31 Lord who hath beleued our sayings Heerevpon I conclude that the cause of damnation commeth of God who denieth to some men the degrees wherby they might come to the true worshipping of him and so consequently to saluation P. Nay rather you must gather hereof that true and liuely fayth commeth of hearing and that the true and inwarde hearing is inough by gods word and by the holy Ghost mouing mens harts and making their mindes cleane and holy by his operation R. I doubt not at all of that matter The thing that I demaund is this whether the nations to whom the preaching of the gospell came not at all are vtterly reiected of god or whether they may alledge any excuse for not hearing gods voyce I say I would fayne know whether they haue hard any thing or no that might quicken them and stirre them vp to the knowing and worshipping of the euerliuing God P. Yea out of doubt haue they For as the princely Prophet witnesseth treating of Gods schoole namely of his creatures wherein he shevveth his godhead and power to all Adams posterity Psa 19.5 Their sound sayth he vvent forth into all landes and their words into the vttermost partes of the world Rom. 1.16 Therefore looke what can be knowen of God is firste manifest in themselues that is to say in their ovvne minds For God hath manifested himselfe to them by a certeine inwarde lavv Againe concerning his inuisible things such as are his euer lasting povver and Godheade they be perceiued in the workemanship of the woorlde by considerning them in his workes And therfore they make themselues vnexcusable bycause that when they knew God they yeelded him not glory and thanks meete for God but wandered in vaine imaginations and their folishe mynde became dim And whereas they professe themselues wyse they become the more fooles Therupō it commeth that they turne the glory of the incorruptible God into an image fashioned to the shape of a mortall man of byrds of fourefoted beasts and of wormes And therfore for a punishment of this vvickednesse God giueth them vp to the lusts of their owne hartes into vncleannesse to defile their bodies among themselues for turning Gods truth into a lye and for vvorshipping and seruing the creatures passing ouer and neglecting the creator vvho is to be praised for euer Amen Hereuppon sprang the mischeefe the damnation and the destructiō of those whom you spake of R. You haue ynoughe and more than ynough satisfied my doubte with these your woordes Now I desire to knowe whether the doctrine that you set downe concerning the reiecting of the Iewes the calling of the Gentyles were knowen to the Prophets of old tyme I meane whether the Israelites did euer knowe Gods eternall
to be throweÌ„ downe froÌ„ the highest step of his faith For after that maner did AbrahaÌ„ triumph gloriously ouer his owne flesh by subduing and ouerthrowing the wisdome thereof that it durst not atteÌ„pt any thing at al against Gods promises But I pray you ascribed he the glory of this his victorie to him selfe or to God P. He yeelded all the whole glory vnto God For he that abateth any whit of Gods power abateth also his glory Therefore he gaue the glory to God both bicause he acknowledged the victorie to come from God also bicause he beleeued that God bothe can and colde doo all things R. It is a most euident token and record of a very true faith when we ascribe the happy falling out the luckie succes of things to Gods prouidence Otherwise the faith if it be to be called faith which chalengeth ought to a mans own power glorieth in his owne strength is scarsely pure and voide of suspition of light beliefe and vnconstancie P. But wey you throughly how lightly it was to be estemed that he through vnwauering fayth beleeued that God was vtterly able to performe whatsoeuer he had promised R. Two things are chiefly to be considered in God his good will whiche is seene in his promises and his power of performing bringing things to passe Vpon which two I see that Abrahams fayth was grounded and setled But I long to heare what he obteyned by this so great fayth P. That fayth of his say I vvas imâ—â—ted to him for righteousnesse or if â—â— u will haue it more playne he was â— unted righteous for his faithes sake 〈◊〉 that from thencefoorth he assured â—â— m selfe throughly that God was merâ—â— full louing friendly towards him â—â— d all humaine doubting and distrust â— f it was dispatched away R. It is a wonderfull force of faythe â—hich you shew me wherwith if a man 〈◊〉 fenced and furnished he may certenâ—â— warrant him selfe that God is louing â—â—d mercifull to him and be bolde to apâ—eare before his iudgement seate But â—hinke you that God will voutsafe the â—â—me benefite vpon all other men which â—e bestowed vpon Abraham P. Yea verily For it is not for his sake â— nly that the holy Scripture sayth that â—â— is faith was reckened to him for righâ—â— uousnesse but it is for our sakes also â— hat by his example wee also may beâ— eeue that the like shall bee reckened â— nto vs if we beleeue in him that raised â— p our Lorde Iesus from the dead who â— as both deliuered for the cleÌ„sing away of our sinnes and raysed agein for the iustifying of vs that the sinne of distruâ—â— might be dispatched out of our hartes by the minding of his death and the indeuer of righteosnes and newnesse of life be stablished and increaced in vs by the mynding of his resurrection R. O treble and tentimes happy mankind if at leastwise he happen to hauâ— some desire to inioy so great a benifyte For to what purpose were this example vnlesse we might fare somewhat the better by it that is to say vnlesse AbrahaÌ„ example incouraged vs to settle assured trust in Gods goodnesse Seeing theâ— that that is the amingpoynt of those sâ— notable promises and that they belonâ— to all men who can now dispaire Specially seeing that our fayth hath Christâ— set afore it as a visible marke to ame at who by his death hath reconciled vs tâ— God and takeÌ„ away sin the welsprinâ— of sin that is to say the naturall stubbornesse and wickednesse of our harteâ— matched with distrust and by his resurrection hath called vs agayne to life that vppon assurance of Gods fauouâ— through faith we might become righteous and acceptable in Gods sight and giue our selues to newnes of life But to rehearse in few words what hath bene saide afore you haue sufficiently shewed and declared what righteousnes god requireth at mens hands and also whiche is the right way therunto and finally what is the power of faith which taketh holde of that righteousnes And I can not maruell inough how those so great things should be so lightly esteemed among men Therfore I demaunde nowe what profite and fruit he that is indued with faith reapeth of al the foresaid things at the time that he becoÌ„meth righteous P. First of all Chap. 5.1 as soone as we be iustified by faith by and by we be at peace with god through our lord Iesus Christ R. O most pleasant and precious fruit of so noble a tree For once take away sinne and the welspring of sinne and distrust which stinketh before God and is a deadly enimie to him hath an euill opinion of his goodnes there remaineth no more grudge nor enmity betwen god vs mortall wretches but rather a certein incredible assurednesse of good will insomuch that mans minde beeing indewed with faith may bee frre from all vnquietnesse and inioy safely continuall peace For as you sayde of sinners wee be made righteous throughe fayth and by that righteousnes wee be accepted into Gods fauour and consequently rest in his frendship Otherwise if we be bereft of this fayth and of the trust of Gods good will we be hatefull to God and subiect to damnation and our mindes are alwayes troubled and vnquiet P. The seconde fruite of faith beeing linked with a very straite bande vnto the former is that by the same Iesus Christ Eph. 2.23 and by faith in him we haue an entrance set open for vs into the grace wherein wee stande without quayling in our hartes R. Who woulde not bee amased and wonder at gods so great mercifulnesse towards men that he can not finde in his harte to forbid them his presence as vnholy but rather of his owne accorde allureth them to him that they shoulde come freely and boldly vnto him For we haue free passage vnto God and it is lawfull for all beleeuers to goo vnto God that is to say to serue him to worship him and to call vpon him in the bottome of their harts without ceasing P. Lo heere one other frute of faith that we also being so iustified notwithstanding that we be but sillie wretched soules doo glory in the hope and longing for Gods glorie R. What a word is that Thinke you it to be the point of a christiaÌ„ to glory so Vnlesse you meane perchance that bycause this lyfe is accloyed with so many misteries trubles and aduersities therfore mens mindes are to be cheered vp with a most sure hope of the quietnes felicitie to come which who so hopeth to obtaine may iustly glory in that behalfe But is there any more P. Yea. For we not only receiue the foremencioned commodities but also which you may wonder more at we glorie reioyce euen in the very troubles aduersities themselues Jam. 1.3 therefore much rather do beare them oute with a cheerefull and glad hart R. What can be said more wonderfull sith that
eyther the infirmitie or else the frowardnesse of men is so greate that they hate nothing worse than the miseries and aduersities of this world the crosse which Christ hath layd vppon his seruantes to beare dayly And yet notwithstanding it cōmeth to passe through Gods singular goodnes towardes hys rightuous ones and through his power sheaded into their mindes from heauen that they be no whit at all discoraged with aduersitie but doo conceaue euen a speciall pleasure and cheerefulnes at it in their harts Nother is the burthē of the crosse not greuous to our senses But yet is it eased by the softnes of his fatherly loue and tender hartednes which layd the crosse vpon our shoulders cōforteth our minds with his power P. But there is yet one thing more to quicken you vp withall For we sustain and swallowe vp all troubbles cheerefully bycause we are sure that of tribulatiō is engendred patience of patience experience or triall of experience hope and hope hath suche power of it self giueth such power to a man that neuer deceaueth him ne disapoynteth him of the things that he looketh for R. I like very wel of this witty moūting by degrees specially for asmuch as it concludeth confirmeth oure present matter namely that afflictions are not only not bitter or slaūdrouse to the faithfull but also are matched with great praise glory But by your saying no mā is vtterly ignorant of afflictions As for tryall or experience I referre it eyther to our selues or to God For there our constancie corage strength are tryed good men shew a warrāt of a noble mind Heere the softnes the louing kyndns most of all the faithfulnes of our most mercifull father are felt in that he neuer faileth his childrē in their aduersities Therout issueth springeth hope which resteth vpō the goodnes of our most gracious almighty God But by what reason proue you that the ende of hope is alwaies happie P. I auovve that hope can neuer drope nor be ouerthrowē euen in this respecte for that Gods loue is sheade into our harts from heauen by the holy Ghost whome he hathe gyuen vnto vs. R. To my seeming you place hope in the strongest hold that can be namely in the spirit of God For inasmuchas he is the strength power and myghte of the most high God and communicateth his helthfull force to the man that is indued with rightuousnesse finally breatheth and sheadeth Gods fauour loue good lyking into his hart so as he cannot by any meanes doubt of Gods good wyll it is impossible that hope being walled in with so great strength should be beaten out shaken downe thrust out or disapoynted of his expectation But seeing that man is such a louer of him selfe and that he esteemeth and measureth God by his owne nature howe can he perswade himselfe that he is deere and welbeloued of God and that freely and for no deserts of his owne P. You shall easely vnderstande the meane and reason thereof if you often and throughly consider in your mind the tyme when Christ vndertoke to die for vs moost forlorne sinners Heb. 9.5 1. Pe 3. 18 yea euen then cheefly when wee were moost vnworthie of so greate a benefite For in very deede I thinke there is scarcely any that wil die for an honest mā scarcely I say for I deny not vtterly but it may be so For heere may be some one perchance that will finde in his hart to die for a good mans sake But to die for a lewd man for an vnthankfull man for an vniust man vndoubtedly no man will do that And yet Christ did it who sustayned the whipping of his bodie the terrour of his mynde and the sheading of his bloud for vs vnrightuous and vnkynde persones yea and euen his enemies R. Heereby it appeareth sufficiently howe muche Gods loue is excellenter than mans loue For men loue their louers and praysers But God a wonderfull thing to be spoken and right harde to be beleeued did cast so great a fauour to his enemies defyled with all sinfulnesse that he gaue his most dearely beloued sonne to death for them Than the which I see not that there can be desired any greater or surer warrant of loue P. Now then if God shewed his loue in such wise towardes vs vvhen we were yet at deadly food with him how much more boldly becommeth it vs to hope that we shal be saued frō his wrath now that wee be reconcyled too him by the bloude of Christ and iustifyed by hys goodnesse For seeing that when vve were enemies vnto God wee were brought into his fauour againe by the death of his son therefore muche more shall we be preserued by his lyfe novve that we be beloued and saued of God R. Surely my hart hoppeth for ioy at the cheerefull reporte of so many and so great benefits P. And now being so broughte into Gods fauour as I saide and inriched vvith so great riches vve haue moreouer certen boldnesse to glory howbeit onely in God and that by our Lord Iesus Christ by vvhome that attonement of ours is made most stedfast certen R. As though it were a small thing too reioyce in oure hartes for the hope of Gods glorie conceaued in our minds you add also that it is lawfull for vs too do it with boldnes and with any dowting by the lord say you who is the onlye foundacion of true hope Therefore henceforth I will comfort my mind with these musings studyings as oft as it shal be put to incounter with aduersitie as one that knoweth certenly by the great nomber of examples of his vnmeasurable goodnes shewed vppon me that my most mercifull Lord is on my syde and fauoureth me And to knit vp the things in short roome which you haue hitherto sayde I do nowe vnderstande by what meanes mens sins are forgiuen thē also how they conceiue hope of eternal life But yet for all that I am vtterly ignorant why it commeth to passe that men are clothed with Christs rightuousnes and how it is communicated to them P. By a cōparison the matter will be made very playn For like as by one mā that is to wit by our first forefather Adam sin entred into the woorld and death by the same sin so as it reigned ouer all mankind in asmuch as al men haue sinned so also the manne Christ or the second Adam doth by sheading fayth into vs make vs sure and certen of the forgiuenesse of oure sinnes power ryghtuousnesse into vs and gyue vs the spirituall and euerlasting lyfe the aduersarie and vanquisher of death R. How proue you that sinne entred into the worlde sith it seemeth to be against reason that there could be any sin without a law as is saide afore P. But you must vnderstand that sin was longe ago and that it vttered hys force among men euen before the lawe was set foorth and published R. I scarcely
as an argument the reason vvhy these most excellent effects are vvrought in my mind is this that the lavv of the quickning spirite in Iesus Christe hath set me free from the lavv of sinne death insomuch that by the gift of faith the recorde of gods spirit I feele my selfe discharged of the feare of damnation And I thinke the same thing to haue befalne to all the true members of Christ R. I pray you let vs fifte out the first part of my question and shewe me more playnly gods drift and maner of dealing in the case of our iustification without the righteousnesse of the lawe P. Haue here the summe of the whole matter in few words The law was giuen of god as a rule of true holines How be it looke what could not be done by the law nother as it was naturally printed in our mindes nor as it was set foorth plainly by Moses namely that we shuld be set free from sin death become righteous bicause the law was weake feeble without power howbeit not of it owne nature but by reason of our flesh for we be fleshly do striue and wrestle against the law that say I did God bring to passe by sending his own son in a body like to the bodies of sinners For he cōdemned sin of sin in the flesh of his sonne by that meanes did vvipe out clense avvay abolish sin that did he to the ende that the righteousnes of the lavv as the lavv it selfe requireth it might be vvrought fulfilled in vs that beleue I say to the end it should be fulfilled in vs novv regenerated which obey not the corruptnesse lusts and lykings of the vnsatiable flesh but the holy inspiration of the spirite whereupon it commeth to passe that our dooinges are acceptable to God though they be not fully in all poyntes answerable to his law vvhich otherwise requyreth most perfect purenesse R. If it be true as you say as I beleeue it to be most true in deed in any opinion few are at this day become ryghtuous and holy For the number of them is exceading small that thinke vppon newnesse of lyfe or which are carefull to obey Gods wyll and muche lesse which bestyrre themselues in makyng warre against their owne naturall and new incomme sinfulnesse P. But beleeue me brother so longe as men hold with flesh they wil care for things belonging to the flesh and sinne shall execute his tyranny ouer them Contrariwyse they that holde with the spirit wil be spirituall minded and bycause Gods spirit reigneth in thē they will also delight in spirituall thinges as whose intentes and indeuers are all guyded by the holy Ghost and therfore tende to Gods glory which thing cannot happen to such as follow the flesh bycause they do rather purchace Gods displeasure and consequently endelesse destruction to thēselues by their naughtinesse and wicked deeds R. Moost miserable is the state of the vngodly which you tel me of But wherfore ascribe you so muche euill to the louing and obeying of the flesh P. Bycause the entent the indeuer the desire to vse myne owne words the wisedōe of the flesh is deadly or to speake more rightly very death it selfe as which is contrary to God who is our lyfe But on the contrarie parte the entent affection and wisedome of the spirite is verie lyfe and peace And if you aske me the reason why it is ready shapen For the wisedome of the flesh is enemy against God of whom forasmuch as it hath an ill opnion taking him for hir vtter aduersary and imagining him to be a most cruell tormenter how is it possible that she should be vvylling to commit hir selfe to his care and prouidence And therfore much lesse will she passe for his will and cōmaundements For how should she haue any mynd to obey his commaundement whom she beleueth to be hir so This as I thinke is the reason why the flesh nother will no nor can obey Gods law so long as it is nothing els but fleshe Heereuppon then it followeth that they which liue after the liking of the flesh cānot please God R. O most miserable wretches as we be which are compelled to keepe continuall wrestling with the vntrusty wisedome of our owne fleshe so long as we be inclosed with the bulke of this body P. Be of good cheer This wrestling may rather win you a crowne than destruction and damnation For you so doth charitie teach me to think of such as beleue in christ you I say are by faith greffed into Christ as true signes of saluation You be iustified and regenerated and therfore you be not now carnall but spirituall for somuch as Gods spirit dwelleth in you R. Heerein is all the cunning and maistrie Paule P. Surely if any of you haue not Christs spirite he is none of his marke wel what I say I say he is none of Christs he is no member of his he is no brother of his he is no heire of eternall felicitie with him R. I beleeue that with all my harte But the thing that I thought with my selfe was this that there are a great sort now a dayes which boast of the receyuing of Gods spirit whose lyfe is notwithstanding no more like the holines most pure exāple of Christs lyfe than an apple as they say is lyke an Oyster Wherefore I pray you tell me by what markes I may discerne such as haue Gods spirit in very deed For it will do me good also to perceiue the presēce of Gods spirit in my self P. Let this be the aunswere to the other part of your demaund and beare you well in minde the true and sure tokens of regeneration of which the one consisteth in lyfe death the other in the inward motions of Gods spirit R. In lyfe and death say you What is that to say P. Herken you shall vnderstande If Christ and his spirite be in you the old man that is to say the flesh is dead as in respect of sin and the vnruly and vnstayed deedes of vvickednesse And this is the death of the old man vppon putting avvay on the contrarye parte reigneth the spirite of God and executeth his power vppon man and liueth as in respect of rightuousnesse R. Surely a verye notable marke of regeneration or newbirth For the spirit of Christ into whome we be greffed not onely gyueth vs lyfe by inspyring vs to goo vnto God our lyfe as meete is we should but also is himselfe our spirituall lyfe But to confesse vnto you plainely my thoughts or I wote not whether I may better say temptations in that behalfe when I looked vppon myne owne naughtinesse and the tyrannie of sin ouer me I haue oftymes doubted of the power of Gods spirite in vs and whether the working therof do kill the old Adam and plucke vp the roots of that euill tree or no. And vpō such maner of thoughts being sorowfull to say the
fellowes and not only partakers of this crosse but also formost in the aray For not onely the very nature of things which is inferiour to man dothe suffer beare with him but euen vve Apostles vvho haue the first fruits of the spirit yea that in great abundāce are notwithstāding so opressed with labor that we sigh at our harts lōging for the adoptiō of gods childrē til it be shewed openly as it shall be in the life to come and for the setting of our bodies free from destruction vvhich shall come to passe when we rise againe R. Art you the cheefe blasers abroad of the Gospell subiect to sufferings aswell as other men P. See you not how I am cast into this pryson for the Gospels sake neither is there any cause why you should eyther be offended or wonder at it For wee be not yet come to the possessing of oure happinesse but by hope For onely in hope are we now safe But when we bee once in heauen we shall see God not any more by fayth but openly face to face and then we shall be without both labour and hope For the hope that is seene is no hope For hope is a wayting for an absent good thing that is longed for For how is it possible that a man should hope for the thing that he seeth hath Then if we hope for the thing which we see not it is to be confessed that we possesse not the thing as yet but by faith but that we wait for it through patience and that hope feedeth vs. R. To confesse the truth the aduersities which the professors of Christes religion suffer seeme to me to passe oure strength and therefore I thinke wee be scarse able to beare them P. You haue a very present remedie prepared for this weaknesse For the spirite helpeth our infirmitie specially in asking and obteyning the gift of patience and vprightnesse of minde at Gods hande For although we be regenerated and indued with Christes spirite yet notwithstanding vve be so oppressed vvith sorrovv vvhen vve be afflicted after that maner that vve vvote not hovv to pray as vve should do But the spirite prayeth for vs with vnutterable sighes R. I thinke that by the name of spirite you meane that part which beeing renewed in vs by Christ inforceth it selfe to the glory of God For out of that by the working of the holy Ghost in vs there proceedeth a certen inwarde and secrete desirousnesse of Gods glory which supplieth the roome of supplication before God and therefore it is true that after this maner the spirite prayeth for vs though we diuers times perceiue it not P. It is inough that God vvhich searcheth mēs harts knovveth allovveth the secret meaning of our spirit vvhich prayeth for Christes holy true members at Gods appoyntment R. Surely a moste excellent comforte of the godly sithe they knowe that their saluation can not in any wise be letted or hindered by the aduersities of this worlde P. Nay rather vnto such as loue god al things turne to their benefite vvhether prosperity or aluersitie befall them R. Most excellent as you reporte is the desert of such as loue God P. Avvay vvith all mention of mans desert in Gods sight For by Gods grace are vve vvhatsoeuer vve be by vvhose purpose and appoyntment they be called foorth as many as loue god through the vvorking of Christes spirite For to the intent you may knovv vvhom God hath foreknovven he hath also appointed them to be like to the image of his sonne that Christ him self might be the first begotten the principall and the chiefe among many brethrē Herevpon springeth beleefe in God herevpon springeth loue tovvards god herevpō springeth hope of euerlasting life and finally hereevpon springeth the calmnesse of mind the long sufferāce the chereful patiēce of the elect in their aduersities R. Nowe I plainely vnderstande the cause why many being strikē with feare of the crosse leape backe from the Christian religion and will not holde out to the ende For they want the foundation of true godlines namely gods election calling by reason of their wickednesse P. You haue hit the nayle on the head For whō God hath predestinated after the maner aforesaid them hath he also called from heauen And whom he hath so called them hath he also iustified not onely by not imputing their sins to them by releasing forgiuing their wicked dedes by couering their iniquities but also by imparting the spirit of righteousnes vnto them he hath takē them to him to be his friends and children garnished thē with vertues and giftes of grace And vvhom he hath so made rightuous and giltlesse them also hath he glorified in this life in hope and in the other lyfe in very deede R. Surely I am rauished with great admiration to heare you discoursing of these matters For what can we say to these things what can the wisdome or to speake more rightly the distrustfulnesse of our fleshe obiect For if God who hath chosen called iustified glorified vs be on our side who shall be agaynst vs who can eyther shut vs out or plucke vs backe from saluation P. In good sooth no man Specially seeing that God hath loued vs so greatly that he hath not spared his ovvne sonne but hathe giuen him vp to the Crosse for vs all And sith the case standeth so my brother hovve shall he not giue vs all other things vvith him For hovv is it possible that he vvhich giueth the chiefe things should not giue the appurtenances also R. These reasons of yours Paule are most playne and full of comfort For by them it appeareth that your foresayde grownd is true wherein you auow that they which are truely greffed into Christ are not in daunger of any damnation P. Who is he that maye accuse Gods chosen when God himself who is both almighty and a most louing father acquiteth them Who shall condemne vs seeing that Christ Iesus hath dyed for vs and clensed our sinnes and moreouer is risen agein and triumphing ouer sinne and death hath conueied his rightuousnesse vnto vs and ascending vp into heauen sitteth at Gods right hand and being indued with full power defendeth vs Who shall plucke vs from Gods loue Who say I shall cause vs to doubt or not beleeue that God loueth vs Ps 43 2◠or that we being possessed with such misbeleefe shoulde not loue him Can aduersitie do it Can nakednesse Can perill Can sword My brother answere you nothing to this geere Se you not the same thinge to be fulfilled in vs which is wtitten and that we may truely say as oure forefathers cryed vnto God namely that vve as vvell as they that vvent before vs are dayly put to death for our Gods sake and are in case as sheepe appoynted to the slaugther and yet want nother fayth nor loue for all that Nay rather both in these and in all other aduersities vve get the
cōming to your sermōs But you now be com to vs howbeit not in such time nor with such liberty as you wished For now as you se imprisōmēt Iaylers fetters manacles cheines are that triūphes of your Apostleship that the crosse of Christe maye retayne still his glorye in this preaching among vs. I am not ignorant howe there are a great nomber of our citizens which woulde willingly heere your Sermons if you myghte preach the Gospell openlye who being now offended at your bondes voutsafe not somuch as to come at you But what for that Farewell worldly wysedome with all his ambitiousnes and let Christ reigne euen with his crosse which is too the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Gentyles foolishnes but vnto vs that beleeue it is Christ crucifyed the power and wisedome of God P. Surely you cheere my harte with this speech of yours full of the feling of godlinesse And I beseche God the author and gyuer of all good thinges to gyue grace peace and all kynde of prosperity to you for this your courtesy or rather kyndnesse towardes me and too all that imbrace the Gospell of Christ R. Amen P. The last part of mine Epistle conteyneth commendaciōs and greetings Chap. 16. First of all I commended to you our sister Phoebe a minister of the church of Chenchry that you shoulde receiue hyr in the Lord and fauour hir as it becommeth Saintes in any matter wherin she needed your helpe For she hath helped many yea and euen me my selfe R. I saw the woman surely very honest and worthy of your commendacion And it is not for naughte that you giue hir those notable tytles For you call hir sister that is as I take it a fellow of your owne religion But I vnderstande not why you call hir a minister P. Perhaps you haue not yet ordeyned any such ministery in your church But whersoeuer I preach the Gospell set order in the church there I looke if there be any widowe that is childlesse free from cares of houshoulde keeping and such a one as bycause she is old and hath led an honest holy lyfe semeth not that any suspicion of euill can light vppon hir If I finde such a one for asmuch as she is a very rare bird I admit hir into the publik seruis of the church to minister to the necessityes of the Saintes Such a one was the sayd woman whome I decked with those tytles of commendacions And I exhorted you to shew courtesie towardes hir grounding my reason vppon your duetie For you that of woorshippers of Idolls are become professers of the Gospell must interteine all folkes gently and specially those that haue deserued wel of the Church R. We did for hir sake whatsoeuer she requyred of vs so farre as oure abilitye would stretch P. But the intent of my commending this vvoman vnto you was not only that you should be a helpe to hir But I ment also that your matrons of Rome whiche vvere become Chistians shoulde learne both godlinesse and honestie by hir example and also diligent seale to serue the whole Churche and to doo good to the poore comfortlesse and diseased vvhich haue neede of the seruice of vvomen R. This your intent Paule was not altogither vaine vneffectuall For that vertuous weldisposed woman dyd by hir exāple and cōmunication bring many of our country womē from their worldly superfluitie and from pleasures delights of this citie which in mine opinion is most giuen to pleasure of all the cities in the world P Also I greeted Prisca and hir husbande Aquila sometime my helpers in Christ Iesu whiche haue offered their ovvne necks for my lyfe and that with so great louingnesse that they counted my lyfe of more valevv than their own both to Gods honor and to other mens saluation And therfore they vvillingly offered therir lyfe to the death to saue mine and refused not to put ther heads in deaunger to saue mine R. We haue heard muche heere of the godlinesse and holy conuersation of this couple And your freende Luke hathe in his storye wrytten of their seale in furthering the Gospell Act. 8. and of their loue towardes the Sayntes and in what wyse they lodged you when you came to Corinth Truely both we and all the Churches of the Gentiles which professe the Gospell are muche bounde to them For seing that you are peculiarly apointed of God to be our Apostle he that saued your life did vs also a gret benefit which attaine the true life saluation of the soule by your preaching Also you saluted Epinoctus surely a verye excellent man and mooste constant in maynetayning the truth But I know not why you call hym the first fruites of Achaia P. It is no maruell For you Romanes are not much acquainted with the Hebrew phrases when I called hym the first fruits of Achaia I alluded to the sacrifices which are made of the first fruits in the law of Moyses wherunto I lykē suche as are the first conuerted vnto Christ Novve this Epenetus a perfect man as you knovv vvas the first in Achaia that imbraced Christ and suffered himselfe to be offered vp and dedicated to God as a most acceptable sacrifice vnto hym These are my sacrifices my Brother and the sacrifices of all other preestes of the newe Testament I vvoulde that all Christians and speciallye Gods ministers shoulde applye them selues to the offering vp of suche kynde of sacrifises Moreouer I desyred you too doo my commendacions to Marie whiche had taken muche paynes for me and that ye should salute Andronicus and Iunias my kinsfolke and fellowprisoners who are renowmed among the Apostles and were before me in Christ R. Yea doo you register them in the musterbooke of the Apostles But there are a great sorte in our Churche whiche thinke this office of Apostleship to belong only vnto you and that it shal indure but for a time P. I giue the name of Apostle generally to all suche as are sent of God to preach the gospell of his sonne And I pray god that as long as there shall be any christian Churche there maye bee store of true Apostles that is too saye Messengers sent of God to teache it R. Also you greeted Amplias youre welbeloued in the Lorde and Vrbane whome you call your helpefellowe in Christe and Stachis your beloued and also Apelles whome you terme tried in Christe P. It is true For I haue proofe of his godlynes by often tryals Furthermore I desired yee to commende me to those of the house of Aristobulus and to Herodian my kinsman and to them that are of the house of Narcissus and his friendes and acquayntaunce in the Lorde Neither forgate I Tryphenas and Tryphosa whom I heard too take peynes in the Lordes behalfe Besides these I greeted the beloued Persis whome I vnderstoode too take greate peines in the Lorde Also I remembred Rufus a chosen man in the Lorde and his mother who
vs for ryghtuousnesse Furthermore the Apostle doth very apparently deryue loue from fayth 2. Tim. 2 saying the ende of the commaundement is loue from a pure harte good conscience and vnfeyned fayth Therefore in this cace I speake not of a feyned empty ydle or dead fayth but of a lyuely and quickening fayth which for Christs sake who is our lyfe and quickeneth vs whom it taketh hold of both is and is sayde to be lyuely so sheweth it selfe to be by lyuely workes No whit at all therefore is S. Iames contrary to this doctrine Jam. 2. forsomuch as he speaketh of an empty and dead fayth which some men did boast of whereas they had not Christ lyuing in theÌ„ by fayth The same Iames in saying that workes iustify is not contrary to Paule for then were he to be reiected but he sheweth that Abraham vttered a liuely and iustifying faith by his works which thing all the godly do who notwithstanding trust all only vnto Christ and to no woorkes of their owne For the Apostle hath sayd againe Now doo not I lyue but Christe lyueth in me The lyfe that I nowe lyue in the fleshe I lyue by beleeuing in the sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me I hold no skorne of Gods grace For if ryghtuousnesse come by the lawe then hath Christ dyed in vaine Of Gods predestinating and chosing of the Saints God from euerlasting hathe freely of his owne meere goodnesse without any respect of men Eph. 1. predestinated or chosen the Saintes whom he intendeth to saue in Christ according to this saying of the Apostle God chose vs in him before the foundations of the worlde were layde And againe Which saued vs and called vs with a holy calling 2. Tim. 1 not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and free fauour which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before all tymes but disclosed nowe by the appearing of oure Sauiour Iesus Christ So then Gods choosing of vs is not withoute a meane though it be not for any desert of ours but in Christ and for Christ so that they whiche are now greffed into Christ by fayth are the selfe same also whiche are chosen and the reprobates or castawayes are those that are out of Christe according to this saying of the Apostle Try your selues whether you be in the fayth or no. Knowe ye not your selues 2. Cor. 13 how that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse perhappes you be castawayes Finally God hath chosen the Sayntes in Christe to a certen ende which the Apostle declareth in that he sayth Ephe. 12. he hath chosen vs in him to the ende we shoulde be holy and vnrebukable through loue before hym which did predestinate vs afore hande in himselfe to adopte vs to be his children through Iesus Christ to the glory of his grace And although God know whiche are his and that in some places mention is made of the fewenesse of the chosen yet oughte we to hope well of all men Phl. 1 and not to be rash in reckening any man to be a reprobate Surely Paule to the Philippians saith I thank God for you all he speaketh of the whole churche of the Philippians that you are come to the communion of the Gospell assuring my self that he which hath begon the good worke in you will also go through with it and meete it is that I should so thinke of you all And in the xiij of Luke when the Lord was asked whither few should be saued he answereth not that there shal be few or many saued or daÌ„ned but rather counseleth euery of them to stryue to get in at the narrow gate as if he had sayde it is not for you to be curious in serching of these things but rather to indeuer to go into heauen by the narrowe way Therefore I lyke not the vngodly speeches of some meÌ„ which say that few be chosen and sith I am not sure whether I be of that noÌ„ber or no I will not refrayne myne owne pleasures Othersome say if I be predestinated or chosen of God nothing shall put me from saluation which is certenly appointed for me what so euer I do And if I be of the nomber of the castawayes no fayth or repentance can helpe me bycause Gods determination cannot be chaunged and therefore all teaching and warninges are to no purpose For the Apostle fyghteth againste suche folke saying Gods seruant muste be ready to teache and instruct suche as stande against him 2. Tim. 2 if God at any tyme wyll gyue them repentance to know the truth But Saint Austin in the .xiiii. chapter of his booke de bono perseuerantiae and in the chapters following sheweth that both of them be to be preached that is to wit booth the grace of Gods free choosing and predestinating and also wholesome warnings and teachings Therefore I mislyke of suche as seeke without Christe whether they be chosen from euerlasting or no and what God hath determined of them before all tyme. For we must giue eare to the preaching of the Gospell and beleeue the same and take it to be oute of all doubt that if we beleue and be in Iesus Christ we be chosen For the father hath vttered vnto vs in Christe the euerlasting sentence of his predestination as I declared euen now from oute of the firste chapter of Paules second Epistle to Timothie Therefore we must teache and consyder aboue all thinges how greate the loue of the father is reueled to be towards vs in Christ We must dayly herken what the Lord himselfe telleth vs in the Gospel how he calleth vs and saith Mar. 11. come vnto me all ye that are wearie and ouerloden and I will refresh you God so loued the world John 3. that he gaue his only begotten sonne for the worlde to the intent that euery one whiche beleeueth in him shoulde not die but haue euerlasting lyfe Math. 18 Also it is not the will of the father that any of these little ones shoulde perishe Therfore let Christ be our loking-glasse wherin to behold our predestination We haue euident and substantiall recorde ynough that we be written in the booke of lyfe if we communicate with Christ so as he be ours and we be hys through true fayth In the temptation of predestination than the whiche there is not a more daungerous let this be oure comforte Luke 11. that Gods promises are vniuersall to all beleeuers that he sayth ask and ye shall receiue for euery one that asketh receyueth and finally that we pray togither with the vniuersall churche of God Our father which arte in heauen and that we be greffed into Christes bodye by baptim and are often fed in his Churche with his fleshe and bloud vnto eternall lyfe Beeing confirmed with these thinges we be willed to worke out our owne saluation in feare and trembling according to S. Paules counsell FINIS These articles of the ryght beleeuing fayth I ment to adde to the ende of my dialoge to disproue the vntowarde dealings of such men as slaunder me of Pelagiamin without any iust occasion only bycause I do often exhort my heerers to good workes Whiche thing I deny not but I do very diligentlye howbeit not for that I thinke the children of Adam to be able to attaine saluation by their owne strength withoute the grace of God for I impute the beginning Rom. 8. the increase and the accomplishment of our saluation and happinesse to the only free fauour grace of God But for asmuch as I see mans nature forewarde ynough of it selfe to imbrace vaine carelesnesse fleshly liberty I minded that my sayings shuld rather hold them in awe Act. 13. and lead them away from the pleasures and delyghtes of this worlde as it were by casting a brydle vpon them than put spurs to them running already of their owne accord to do euill Therefore as for those that lyke not of my maner of teaching it is fre for them to deuice apter and to put them forth to their heerers so they do it in the feare of God to the furtherance of his â—hurch and without disgracing of others that follow another trade of teaching Ephe. 2. But of these thinges I shall perchance speake more largely at another tyme. Our preseÌ„t age misdemeth things through spite The age to come wil iudge things more vpright
helper But none can be helped but he which doth somewhat The Manichies bereeued man of all dooing and made him as a stocke or a stone Secondly I make that in the regenerated there remayneth infirmitie For asmuche as sin dwelleth in vs and the fleshe fyghteth againste the spirite in the regenerated euen to the ende of our lyfe the regenerated performe not their purposes altogyther withoute incomberance These thinges are confirmed by the Apostle in the seuenth to the Romanes and in the fift to the Galathians And therfore that freedome of oure wyll is weake by reason of the dregges of the olde Adam and of the corruption that is bred and borne with man and remayneth in vs euen to the ende of our lyfe Notwithstanding for asmuch as the strength of the fleshe and the remnants of the old man are not so effectuall as vtterly to quenche the working of Gods Spirite therefore the faithfull are saide to be free but yet so as they acknowledge their owne weakenesse and boast not at all of the freedome of their will For the faithfull must euer beare in minde this saying which Saint Austin harpeth vpon so muche out of the Apostle Mar. 11. what hast thou which thou hast not receyued and if thou haue receyued it why bostest thou as though thou haddest not receyued Moreouer the thing that I had determined doth not foorthwith come to passe For the fallings out of things are in gods hand And thervppon S. Paule prayeth the Lord to prosper his iourney Rom. 1. Therefore euen in that respect mans freewill is weake Neuerthelesse no man denieth but that bothe the regenerated and the vnregenerated haue freewill in outwarde things For man hath this propertie common to him with all other liuing things to whome he is not inferiour namely to will some things and to nill other some So can he speake or holde his peace and goe abrode or tarie at home howbeit that euen in this behalfe an eye must always be had to Gods power whiche caused that Balaam coulde not attayne to the mark that he shot at nor Zecharie speake as he woulde haue done when he came out of the Temple In this case I condemne the Manichees which denie that mans freewill when he was good was the beginning of euill vnto him Also I condemne the Pelagians which say that an euill man hath sufficient free will to do a good commaundement For they be disproued by the holy scripture which sayth vnto the one sort God made man righteous and vnto the other if the sonne make you free then are you free in deede Of the true iustification of the righteous By the worde Iustifie the Apostle in his discourse of iustification Rom. 8. betokeneth the forgiuing of sinnes the acquiting of men from gilt and punishment the receyuing of them into fauour and the pronouncing of them to be righteous For the Apostle sayth to the Romanes It is God that iustifieth who shal then condemne There Iustifying is matched agaynst Condemning Act. 13. And in the Acts of the Apostles the Apostle sayth By Christe the releasing of your sinnes is preached vnto you and of all the thinges from which you could not be iustified by the Lawe of Moyses by him is euery one that beleeueth iustified For in the Lawe and the Prophets also we reade in this wise Deu. 25. If variance rise betweene man and man and they come to iudgement let the iudges iudge them and let them iustify the ryghtuos and condemne the vngodly And in the fift of Esay it is sayde woo be to them that iustify the vngodly for rewardes Nowe it is most certeyne that by nature all of vs are sinners and vngodly and cast and conuicted of wickednesse and condemned to die before Gods iudgement seate and that we be iustifyed that is to say released or set free from sin and death by God the iudge onely for Christes sake and not for anye desert or respect of oure owne For what is more manifest than this saying of Saint Paules Rom. 3. All men haue sinned and are destitute of Gods glorie but are iustified freely through his grace by the redemption that is in Christe Iesus For Christ toke vppon him the sins of the worlde and toke them away and satisfied Gods Iustice God therfore only for Christes passion and resurrections sake is mercifull to oure sins and layeth them not to oure charge but imputeth Christs ryghtuousnesse vnto vs as oure owne so as henceforth we be not onely clensed and purged from oure sinnes or made holie but also rewarded withe Christes ryghtuousnesse 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 4. and so consequently set free from sin death or condemnation and finally made ryghtuous and heires of the endlesse lyfe Therefore to speak properly only God iustifieth vs and onely for Christes sake doth he iustifie vs not imputing our owne sins vnto vs but imputing vnto vs Christs rightuousnesse Rom. 3. And bycause we receiue this iustification not by any workes but by trust in Gods mercy and in Christ therfore I teache and beleeue with the Apostle that the sinner is iustifyed by onely fayth in Christ and not by the law or by any workes For the Apostle sayth Rom. 4. I am of opinion that a man is iustified by fayth without the deedes of the law Againe if Abraham were iustifyed by workes he hathe whereof to boast but not before God Gen. 15. For what sayeth the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was reckened vnto him for rightuousnesse Now vnto him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is imputed to him for rightuousnesse And againe you be saued by grace through fayth that not of yourselues but it is gods gift Not by works least any man shoulde glory Ephe. 2. For asmuche then as fayth receyueth Christ our righteousnesse and imputeth all things to Gods free fauour in Christ therfore is iustification fathered vpon fayth howebeit for Christes sake and not bicause it is our worke for it is the gifte of God But that we receyue Christ by fayth the Lorde himselfe sheweth by many words in the sixth of Iohn where he putteth eating for beleeuing and beleeuing for eating For like as we receiue foode by eating so doo wee participate of Christe by beleeuing Therefore I deuide not the benefite of Iustification partly to Gods grace or to Christ and partly to our selues or to our owne charitie and works or to our owne deseruing But I attribute it wholly to Gods free fauor in Christ by fayth Besides this our loue and works could not please God if they were done of vs beeing yet vnrighteous and therefore it behoueth vs to be first iustified before we can loue or doo good works But we be iustified as I sayde afore by fayth in Christe through the onely grace of God who imputeth Christes ryghtuousnesse to vs and not our owne sinnes and consequently imputeth oure beleeuing in Christ vnto