controuersye touching the ceremonies of the law Some haue by reason of these thinges takē occasion to withdraw men from studieng of this epistle and haue said that from the .xii. chapiter to the end it is worthy to be red for that there is set forth an excellent institucion touching maners But vnto that chapiter forasmuche as say they there is nothing entreted of but only striues and contencions concerning the ceremonies of the law it serueth litle to our vse to know them for that they of conduce not to our times wherein are vtterly remoued away the ceremonies of the Iewes But these men are farre deceaned themselues and seke also to deceaue others For the whole epistle doubtles is a golden epistle and most worthy to be red It contayneth places touching naturall knowledge and ciuill offices touching the law of Moses and touching the Gospell it expliraceth iustification and original sinne it setteth forth grace it entreateth of election predestination the execution of the Iewes and of the restoring of them agayne From the twelfth chapites it contayneth what kind of sacrifice we ought to offer and entreateth touching the magestrate and touching bearing with the weake and remouing away offence And who seeth not that these are great matters and most The question being moued touching ceremonies is reduced to the generalitie profitable to be knowen But whereas they obiect vnto vs that as touching the first part is entreated of ceremonies I graunt indede that by the meanes of them the question began first which Paul seking to dissolue reduced it to the genus or generall word And to declare that we can not be iustified by the ceremonies of the law he proueth generally that iustification can not come of any our workes And so when he had taken away the genus the species or parts could by no meanes consist For it followeth We are iustified by no workes therefore neyther by ceremoniall workes nor by morall workes nor by iudiciall workes And that the reasons of Paul extend so farre I will proue by these arguments Argumēts to proue that here are entreated of works generally and not of ceremonyall workes only following First he teacheth that we are iustified by sayth and by the mercy of God that the promise might be firme But that promise is not firme if it depend eyther of the execution of ceremonies or of the obseruation of the ten commaundements for that we are as touching ech part a like weake Moreouer he sayth that we are iustified freely which word Freely is of no effect vnles we exclude morall workes For he which worketh vnto him reward is rendred according to debt and not according to grace Afterward he entreateth of the obseruation of that law by which we haue the knowledge of sinne which thing belongeth rather to morall precepts then to ceremonies This is the law whirh worketh anger neyther doubt we but that God is more prouoked to anger if we transgresse the ten commaundements then if we offend in certayne rites and ceremonies And more ouer Paul putteth our iustification to consist of the grace and mercy of God to the end our boasting should be excluded But if thou remoue away ceremonies only and say that we are iustified by morall works boasting is not taken away for we may at the least boast of them Farther it is certayne that the ceremonies of Moses pertayned to the first table where the worshipping of God is commaunded Neyther were the elders any lesse bound to these ceremonies then we are at this daye bounde to receaue baptisme and the Eucharist And if Paul proue that we are not iustified by those thinges which pertayn to that first cable much more then is it proued that we can not attayne vnto righteousnes by the workes of the latter table Paul when he had declared that we are now by the benefit of Christ free from the law obiecteth vnto himselfe Let vs sinne more freely and abide in sinne that grace may the more abound If the question had bene moued touching ceremonies only he mought haue answered ye are not deliuered but only from ceremonies ye are still bound to the morall law But he maketh no such answere but sayth that we ought to sinne no more for that we are now dead vnto sin and grafted into Christ and buried together with him And the same Paul when he wrote that by the fauor of Christ we are deliuered and absolued from those thinges which in our flesh resist the law of God expressedly declared of what law he entreated For he made mencion of that commaundement Thou shalt not lust Lastly in the epistle to the Galathians where he entreateth of the selfe same matter be pronounceth him accursed which abideth not in all the thinges which are written in the booke of the law When he saith all doubtles he excludeth not morall workes Wherefore this disputacion of the Apostle is not superfluous Yea rather vnles he had taken it in hand the liberty of the Church had bene put in great danger which the deuill sought to bring vnder the law as though Christ of himselfe were not sufficient to iustifye men And the reasons which are perticularly brought in touching ceremonies are A sure reason wherby is proued y◠no man is iustified by the ceremonies of mē not superfluous For by the selfe same reasons we may proue that mens tradicions and the rites which men haue appoynted vnto vs are not such worshippinges of God as can not be changed nor omitted if they shall seme not to conduce to saluation For these thinges much les pertayne to the obteyning of righteousnes then do the ceremonies instituted by God himselfe Wherefore if these auayle not to righteousnes then can not those of necessity be required vnto it Thou wilt demaund paraduenture whether bicause of these reasons of the Apostle we ought to thinke our selues losed from all maner of law Not so vndoubtedly Whether we be free from the law neyther doth this follow of his sayinges vnles thou vnderstand that we are free and loosed from the law in respect that we can not be iustified by it Otherwise we ought to obey it and to the vttermost of our power to labour to execute it but yet not with this purpose to seke thereby to be iustifyed And as touching the ceremonies of the old law two extreme errors are to be takē hede of the one is of the Ebionites and others which Iewishly sought to ioyne of necessity Two errors to be taken hed ▪ of ▪ as touching the olde law the ceremonies of Moses to Christ Contrariwise the other extreme error is of the Marcionites which affirmed that the old law was not geuen of a good God but of an euil gouerner the maker of this world We saile in that middest betwene these extremities and affirme that now after Christ the ceremonies of the law are not still to be kept when as theyr time is now expired Howbeit we commend them as
when we are demaunded whether the workes of the law iustify we aunswere if a man vnderstand thē as they are vnperfect and mayned they haue no strength to iustify But if a Workes iustify not because they procede of iustification man vnderstand the workes of the law as they are whole and perfect so are they not strange from iustification because they haue faith ioyned with them whereunto they cleaue as vnto the roote Yet will we not graunt that good workes being taken euen after this maner do iustify for that they proceede of iustification do of necessity require iustification to go before them and therefore Why Paule calleth those workes the workes of the lawe which are mained and vnperfect are they not strange from it because they depend of it Thou wilt say peraduenture why doth Paule by the workes of the law vnderstand those mayned and vnperfecte workes Because he taketh them as the aduersaries did which had a respect only vnto them and were strangers both from Christ and also from fayth in him And that Paule did not thinke those to be in very deede the workes of the lawe it manifestly appeareth by that which is before written He is not a Iew which is only a Iew outward neyther is that circumcision which is in the flesh only Where a man may manifestly see that he taketh away the nature of the Iewish religion and of circumcision from the obseruation which is only outward And vndoubtedly the Images of good thinges if they haue only a shewe be in themselues vayne and ought to be counted among thinges A similitude worthy of disprayse As the art of Sophistry forasmuch as it hath a shewe of knowledge and wanteth it in very deede is condemned Hipocrisy also is to be detested which although it set forth a shew of holynes yet is it most farre of from it Wherefore if a man should agaynst the proper and true workes of the lawe vse those testimonies which Paule now alleageth and which to the like purpose he writeth in an other place vndoubtedly he should abuse them As if Another similitude a man should impute vnto true nobility those reproches which are iustly imputed vnto them which hauing had excellent noble pregenitors haue degenerated from them into most filthy vices Or if a man shoulde reproue eloquence after the selfe same maner that we are wont iustly to reproue those which only with fine and eloquent wordes do poynt out foolishe matter when as they are vtterly ignorant of the sound truth But as touching this matter let thys suffice at this present Now is this to be expounded why he addeth this particle Before God Vndoubtedly therefore that by the contrary we myght know that certayne may sometymes be iustified before men by the workes of the law Because forasmuch as the sight of man can not perce into the inward partes of the hart men do geue sentence by the workes But God as Augustine Before men we may be iustified by workes of the law writeth in his booke De spiritu litera beholdeth the hart and sometymes beholdeth them which outwardly kepe the lawe and inwardly desire rather to do otherwise were not eyther that punishementes hang ouer theyr heds or that they thinke that they should thereby lose their estimation when as in very dede they want both fayth and charity Neyther is this to be passed ouer that by the What is to be vnderstand by the name of flesh name of fleshe is vnderstand the whole man Which phrase of speach is much vsed in the scriptures The word was made fleshe All fleshe had corrupted his way All fleshe shall see the saluation of God And a greate many other such lyke And therefore is man so called that he might be continually admonished of his miserable and weake estate and that he should vnderstand that vnles the spirite of God should resist it he should vtterly be caried away with the appetite of the fleshe To iustify as we haue before said is taken three maner of wayes Sometymes To iustify taken three maner of wayes it is to obtayne a righteousnes which sticketh and abideth in our minds But such righteousnes Paule meaneth not in this place Otherwise we deny not but that of true workes of the law by continuall exercise of them are ingenerated good and holy habites or qualities To be iustified also is to be pronounced or to be counted iust Which thinges also may be gotten by workes For so one is sayd to iustifye an other when he beholdeth his good dedes God also in the last iudgement shall geue sentence according to workes and shall pronounce good men iust by those thinges which they vprightly haue done Thirdly to iustifye is as much to say as to forgeue sinnes to absolue a man and to impute vnto him the righteousnes of Christ which thing works by their deserte can not obtayne And in this sense are those thinges to be taken which the Apostle here writeth It followeth For by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne This is the reason why we are not iustified by the workes of the lawe Because the office of the lawe is farre other then to iustifie There are some which thinke that these wordes are spoken by preuention as though the Iewes should obiect and say If the law iustifye not why then was it geuen Haue we in vayne receaued it We haue not Although the lawe iustifie not yet was it not geuen in vayne The propriety to declar sinnes is cōmon to all lawes in vayne receaued it sayth Paule the office thereof is to shew sinnes If a man demaund of what lawe these thinges are spoken we aunswere that Paule doth priuately entreate of the law of Moses but the propriety which he bringeth is common to all lawes to the law of nature the lawe of Moses to ciuill lawes which we vse in our publike wealthes As touching the law of Moses and ours there is no doubt to be put As concerning the lawe of nature the booke of Genesis doth most manifestly teach that by it was sinne knowen Which thing Ambrose vpon this place alleadgeth out of the history of Ioseph And Paule also wyll afterward declare the same when he sayth For euen vnto the law sinne was in the world but it was not so counted namely because the law of nature was dayly more and more obfuscated Wherefore it was necessary that by the law of Moses and other lawes it should be agayne illustrated And that syn was before Moses time he thereby declareth because death raigned all that time ouer all mankind And in this place in the Greke is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in latine a man may call Agnitio that is an acknowledging which is when a thinge being alreadye knowne is againe called to knowledge But after what sorte the lawe is sayd to woorke the acknowledginge of sinnes he hath before taughte whē as by many testemonies of the
scriptures he accused all mankind Wherefore seinge by those woordes and such like we are accused of the law the knowledge of sinne must needes follow Whiche thing also happeneth an other waye namely when we beholde the law of God For sythen it commaundeth thinges vpright and prohibiteth thinges vnhonest it sufficiently declareth vnto vs how and when we sinne in our doinges The scripturs also conteineth the threateninges forespoken by the Prophetes and the punishmentes whiche God hath euer more inflicted vpon transgressors All whiche thinges not a little conduce to the acknowledging of sinne But this is to be meruailed at that seing the lawe Why the law is not said to shew honeste and good thinges doth set before our eyes not onely our sinnes but also thinges honeste and iuste For those thinges also doth it commaunde and therefore they pertayne to one and the selfe same knowledge euen as it belongeth to one artificer as to a Geometrician to declare what is a right line and what is a crooked line it is to be meruailed at I say what moued the Apostle to make mencion onely of sinne Whereunto may be aunswered that Paule so wrote partly because the Iewes whiche had refused Christ and his fayth had no more any parte with the righteousnes and vprightnes of the law partly also which is most likely because that other parte pertayned not vnto the purpose of Paule For hys purpose was to proue that the woorkes of the law iustify not Because forasmuch as it both accuseth and condemneth it is not to be looked for that it should iustefy when as these thinges are both contrary and also muche repugnaunte one to the other Neither commeth it to the law by chaunce to declare sinne but it is such a propriety so annexed vnto it which cannot be plucked away frō it But here ariseth What law geuers haue a regard vnto in geuing of lawes a doubt for lawgeuers seme not when they geue lawes to haue a regard to thys thing onely to make vs to vnderstand offences or things well done but this rather entend they by theyr lawes to make theyr citezens good Which thing if it be ascribed vnto men much more oughte it to be attributed vnto God But we A difference betwene the lawes of mā and the lawes of God aunswere that there is a difference betwene the lawes of God and the lawes of man because mans lawes require nothinge of vs but that whiche lieth in our power to do For as touching the affections of the minde they are not carefull they correct onely outward thinges But the lawes of God do cōmaunde those thinges also which we being as we are weake are not able to performe Wherfore the similitude which they bring concludeth nothinge Farther this is to be considered that humane lawes also by declaring what thinges are to be done by promising and by threatninge may inuite and stirre vp men vnto righteousnes But to change the mind they cannot Wherfore we ought not to attribut◠more vnto them then vnto the lawes of God And that whiche is sayde of the entent and purpose of the humane lawgeuer we graunte of God also that his entente also in geuinge his law was to saue men by it namely as wherein he did not onely shew sinnes but also Christe whiche is the ende thereof And therefore The law is profitable vnto saluation we deny not but that the lawe is profitable to men vnto saluatiō And yet can it not iustefy because the office thereof is not to poure into our harts either faith or charitye Wherefore the wonderfull wilines of Sathan is to be taken heede oft whereby he goeth about to plucke away from men the fruites of the lawe And vndoubtedly besides the knowledge of sinne it brought two other excellent good Besides the knowledge of sinne two commodities of the lawe The deuill hath bene an enemy vnto the law of God The law aggrauateth sinne thinges First it shewed vnto vs our sauiour farther it prescribed vnto vs what was best to be done As touching the first the deuell hath obscured the hartes of men that they should not behold Christ whiche is the ende of the law puttinge a vayle before theyr hartes And as touchinge the execution of good woorkes he hath hindred them by trieflinge questions genealogies and vayne bablinges so that they beinge bent vnto them onely and vnto outwarde ceremonies had no farther regard In wordes forsooth they confessed that they knew God but in deedes they denied him Farther forasmuch as by the law sinne is known it followeth that by it sinnes are after a sorte aggrauated Whiche thing the Apostle declared when he wrote that the law is the power of synne And in this Epistle the vii chapter it is written That synne mighte be out of measure synfull throughe the commaundemente By the law sayth he is the knowledge of sinne This is to certaine that The groūd o◠all lawes is a deuine minde Vniust lawes are not lawes the deuine minde is the beginning and ground of all lawes For in any decree◠whatsoeuer is found either iust or honest that altogether there hence proceedeth So that we may rightly say that all lawes are nothing els but the ordinances of the deuine minde Whereby is concluded that such lawes which are not iust ought not to be counted for lawes The knowledge of sinne which is had by the law is of two sortes one whiche is vtterly of no efficacy and weake whereby The knowledge of sin two sortes mens mindes are not made afrayd nor the consciences deiected as sometimes we se dronkardes which euen in the middest of theyr cuppes condemne the vice of dronkennes The Poets also in theyr verses and meeters most openly reproued sinnes but yet they themselues refrayned not from them any more then others But that knowledge of sin which terrefieth doth not alwayes bringe saluation Because if it be frustrated of hope of remedye it is hurtefull as it happened in Iudas Esau and Caine who when they knewe theyr wickendes fell into dispayre But as touchinge the electe vnto the knowledge of sinnes is alwayes ioyned as a companion hope of obteyning saluation by Christ The sins whiche How manifold sinne is whiche is knowne by the law are knowne by the lawe if we rehearse them by theyr partes are these firste the sinne which from our birth cleaueth vnto vs which is called originall sinne and it is the vice and corruption of our whole nature of whiche we are toughte in the psalme In iniquity was I conceaued and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me secondly the motions and vehement impulsions which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do continuallye flowe out of that corruption and resiste the lawe of God Of which Paule writeth that he felt an other law in his members repugnaunte vnto the law of his minde and leading hym a way captyue into the law of sinne Then thirdelye commeth the consent of the
one of vs perticularly For he wayteth long that we should repent vs. Which thing if we do not we heape vnto our selues wrath in the day of wrath of the reuelation of the iust iudgement of God And by this pacience of God we knowe that that is true whiche Ezechiel sayth that God will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be coÌ„uerted and liue Neither here ought We must iudge by the will of God reueled and not by hys secret will we to haue a respect vnto the secret will of God whiche vnto vs is vnknowne obscure For we oughte to iudge of it as by the holye scriptures and by daylye experieÌ„ce it is setforth vnto vs and may be known For he suffreth long and by scriptures sermons scourges and finally by all manner of meanes and wayes calleth backe sinners vnto him At this present time Chrisostome interpreteth this of the coÌ„ming of Christ in the flesh For that then was he most chiefly geuen the pacience of God was declared to be so muche the greater for that then all manner of vices were rife and when men séemed to haue deserued to be moste gréeuouslye punished euen then did the mercye of God most chieflye shine vpon them And it seemeth that When sins semed most worthy to be punished then most of all shined forth the mercy of God The fâ—lnes of time Paule euery where wonderfully extolleth this time wherein God so singularly declared his beneuolence toward men that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for our saluation And that time wherein God came vnto vs he calleth the fulnes of times That he might be iuste and a iustifier of him vvhiche is of the fayth of Iesus Christ Here is touched the reason why God appoynted after thys manner to forgeue sinnes namelye that his righteousnes moughte the more appeare we vse to say that in a manne there is a notable qualitye when as out of the same fountayne others are pertakers thereof But there is an Emphasis or strength in this forme of speaking That he might be iust Wherby we vnderstaÌ„d that he is of himselfe iust neither ought we to presume to chalenge the same to our selues And he addeth Of the fayth of Iesus Christ because by that meanes the righteousnes of God doth better appeare then if we shoulde clayme it vnto our selues by workes Where is then thy glorying It is excluded By what law By the lawe of workes No but by the lawe of fayth Therefore we conclude that a man is iustified by fayth without the workes of the law God is he the God of the Iewes only and not of the GeÌ„tiles also Yes euen of the Gentiles also For it is one God who shall iustifie circumcision by faith vncircumcision through fayth Do we then make the lawof none effect God forbid yea rather we establishe the law VVherefore thy glorying is excluded By what lawe By the lawe of workes No but by the lawe of fayth After that he had declared his proposition now Epiphonema as it were by a conclusion he geueth a definitiue sentence of that which he put forth at the beginning of the chapiter when he sayd what is then the preferment of the Iewe or what is the profite of circumcision In this place he maketh answere that as touching iustification the Iewes had nothing aboue others whereof they might glory for that by those thinges which haue bene now spoken their glorying is excluded In the Greke booke is not reade this woord thy And Ambrose thinketh that these thinges are spoken against the Iewes For against theÌ„ peculiarly conteÌ„ded he now So farre is it of that the law of works excludeth glorying that rather it ministreth matter to glory of And by this woorde lawe the Apostle vnderstandeth doctrine for it hath the power to moderate and The Law of woorkes ministreth matter of boasting What this woord law signifieth gouerne our strengthes and willes to the executing of any thing as touching knowledge doctrine or instruction And in other places he applieth this worde lawe to diuers thinges as The lawe of the spirite The law of the fleshe the lawe of the members the lawe of the minde and such other like The lawe of workes is that which decreeth that righteousnes oughte to be gotten by workes But the lawe of fayth teacheth that it is to be hoped for of the mercy of God And Chrisostome sayth that the lawe of fayth is that by grace we are saued and he thinketh that the Apostle vseth the name of the lawe to the ende he would the lesse offend the Iewes which much delighted in that worde For by that meanes he semed to attribute some honour vnto the lawe which had not ill deserued of What glorieng is The contrariety betwene the law of faith and the law of workes Where merites are there is glorieng men Glorying according to the definition thereof is a boasting of some good thing And how repugnaÌ„t these two lawes are one to the other we ar manifestly tought in the Gospel where the Pharisey speaketh thus to God I geue thankes vnto thee that I am not as other men I fast twise in the weake c. Here he maketh mencion of workes only ouerhipping the grace of God as much as lay in him But the other namely the Publicane prayd with fayth God be mercifull vnto me a sinner In which words he maketh no mencion at all of works And seeing that God will haue all glorying excluded it is manifest how they erre which defend merites For where they haue place there wanteth not glorying They which glory thinke that both saluation and righteousnes and eternall life are dew vnto them But he which leneth vnto the lawe of fayth ought not in any Debte may be taken two maner of wayes wyse to perswade himselfe of any such thing Although we mought make such a distinction that debt may sometymes be taken as it is referred vnto our labours and so it hath a respect vnto reward as the Apostle will playnly afterward declare when he sayth that vnto hym which worketh are ward is imputed not according to grace but according to debt and debt may be taken an other way as it hath a respect vnto a promise when a thing is dew vnto a man not that he hath deserued it but because by our promise we haue bound our selues to geue it vnto hym Of which thing we haue an example in those giftes which are confirmed by contractes and hand writinges And agaynst this kinde of debt the lawe of fayth is not But of it springeth no glorying but our aduersaryes doo not vndoubtedly exclude glorying when they say that vnto the repentaunte is graunted remission of sinnes so that she repentaunce be mete and as they call it sufficient In this their saying they of purpose resiste the will of God which vtterly tendeth to this that all glorying should be excluded from vs. Yea Chrisostome affirmeth that
Christ for no other cause so long tyme differred his comming in the flesh but to kepe downe mans proude Pecoks tayle For if he had come straight way at the beginning vnto vs men would easely haue sayd that Why the sonne of god diffeâ—red his comming so long they had not then so great neede of hym that without him they could not be saued wherefore he would that mankinde should so long tyme be oppressed with the seruitude of sinnes and burthen of the lawe vntill they should vnderstand that they had vtterly nede of a redemer But why God so much laboreth to destroy our glory the holy scriptures aboundantly inough declare namely that Why God will haue our glory to be repressed his glory might the more brightly sinne forth Wherefore it is manifest that whatsoeuer glory we claime vnto our selues all that do we robbe from the glory of God Neyther nedeth it any greate exposition what Paule meaneth by the lawe of workes For by that word he vnderstandeth as well the lawe of nature as the lawe of Moses and also mans lawe For that all these lawes do engender glory if a man can vaunt that he can fulfill them VVe conclude therefore that man is iustefied by faith without the vvoorkes of the lavve Those thinges which he before sayd he confirmeth with a briefe conclusion which by a reason thereunto annexed he will afterward proue And where as he sayth Arbitramur that is we think in Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not to thinke or to suppose but in this place it is to conclude to inferre and certaynly to demonstrate namily of those thinges which before were spoken In which signification it is taken in the 6. chapter when the Apostle sayth So thynke ye also that ye are dead vnto sinne but are alyue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Where this word thinke ye is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is thereby signified is to haue for certayne And as touching this thyng Ambrose is of our mind and he vnderstandeth these words man is iustified without works of the Gentiles But Chrisostome contrary wyse thinketh that by this word man is ment nature to make the seÌ„tence of the Apostle more ample and large whose iudgement I mislike not for it agreeth as well with the Iewes as with the Gentiles not to attayne vnto sound righteousnes by workes but by fayth Further seing the Apostle so expressedly sayth that man is iustified without the workes of the lawe hâ—reof is inferred that which we before also tought namely that it is fayth only which iustifieth which thing not only Origine vpon this place but also Chrisostome acknowledgeth who fayth that fayth only Faith only iustifieth as OrigeÌ„ and ChrisostoÌ„e vpon thys place confesse is required to obtayne this righteousnes But I heare our aduersaries say that wheÌ„ we reade in the fathers That fayth only iustifieth that word only is to be vnderstanded principally for that it hath in iustification the chiefest partes And they bringe a place or two where this word only so signifieth But vndoubtedly if a maÌ„ weigh Pauls words well they wil not agree with this interpretatioÌ„ For he putteth righteousnes without the works of the law which is not true if works do so follow fayth that with it they bring forth iustification in the elect of God An obiectioÌ„ of the aduersaries Simple men sometimes herein gaue place vnto the papists but when they vnderstood theyr guile they returned againe into the rightway Dangers may be anoyded by an vprighte interpretation The aduersaries cry out that if we teach meÌ„ after this sorte we then open a window vnto sluggishnes and flouthfulnes Vnto which their coloured preteÌ„ces some of our men haue sometimes simply and without guile consented who when they saw that true faith whiche iustifieth hath alwayes ioyned with it good works absteyned in their sermons from that worde Onely But afterward when they vnderstoode the fraude of the aduersaries whiche obtruded this deuise to the ende they might at the length teach the people according to their owne fayned inuentions that men are not onely by faith but also by workes iustified they returned vnto their olde forme of speaking that the people should not be any more deceiued And seyng Paule most warely alwayes eschued flaunders and offences of the hearers so much as he might by the truth of the scriptures and we sée that he most manifestly teacheth those things wherof most plainely followeth That fayth onely iustifieth we ought not to be afeard of such daungers which may easily be auoyded if we aptly adde an vpright interpretation of that which we speake They agayne obiect vnto vs that workes of the law in this place signifie ceremonies Vnto whoÌ„ we aunswer as we haue before already said that the question in dede began about ceremonies but Paule dissolueth it vniuersally and answereth in suche sorte that he concludeth of all kinde of workes Wherfore the reason which he bringeth in in the first place That God is the God not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles hath a respecte vnto ceremonies For the Ethnikes had not receiued the ceremonies of It is proued that here is entreated also of morall workes the Iewes But afterward when he addeth that by faith the lawe is not abolished but rather established he declareth that his exposition is chiefly to be vnderstanded touchyng morall workes which faith abolisheth not but rather confirmeth Which thing we cannot affirme of ceremonies whiche we sée are by Christ and his fayth taken away Farther in that he before sayd that all men haue sinned and were destitute of the glory of God and by that meanes euery mouth is stopped and the whole world made guilty vnto God it sufficiently declareth of what law he speaketh And so doth that also where he sayth that the law sheweth sinne and that also which he citeth out of Dauid No liuing creature shall be iustified in thy sight and many other thynges which afterward in their places we shall sée do sufficiently shew that the wordes of the Apostle comprehend also morall preceptes Wherfore workes are excluded Woorkes ar excluded from the cause of iustification but not froÌ„ the effect therof but they are excluded as from the cause of iustification but not as from the effect And Christe to declare this to be true in Luke sayde When ye haue done all these thinges say ye we are vnprofitable seruantes vnto whom neither is this in deede due to haue thankes geuen vnto vs. But if by workes we should attayne vnto iustification then should we not be vnprofitable in doyng well and vnto vs should be farre greater things due then geuing of thankes God is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentles also Yes euen of the Gentles also He proueth now his proposition namely that men are iustified without the workes of the law For if righteousnes should depende of them
moughte haue proued his argument by that which we haue a litle before made mencion of that none of vs is able to kepe the law But he omitteth that at this present And to conclude the more euidently he addeth that the lawe worketh anger As if he shoulde haue sayde So farre is it of that the lawe bringeth the inheritance that it rather maketh vs guilty and subiect vnto the wrath of God And if thou demaund why the law doth in such sort bring vnto vs anger we may answere because we are not able to kepe it For by anger Paule vnderstandeth nothing els but the vengeance of God and that by the figure Metonymia For men when they are angry are accustomed to auenge whiche thinge God also doth although he be not moued with humane affections This selfe same thinge hath Paule to the Galathyans in other words expressed saying Cursed be he that abideth not in all the thinges that are written in the boke of the law And a curse in the holy scriptures signifieth nothing els but calamity affliction and misery I meruayle that Origen vnderstandeth this saying of Paule of the lawe of the members for that vndoubtedly is to farre wide from the purpose For the Iewes gloried not of the concupiscence which was in them by nature which is called of Paul the lawe of the members but they boasted of the lawe of God which was geuen them of God by Moses Wherefore that the Apostle mought with some fruite deale agaynst them it behoued him to write of that lawe whereof they boasted Howbeit by Origenes wordes our aduersaryes may see what he thought of naturall concupisence Vndoubtedly seing he sayth it worketh anger it followeth that he iudged that the first motions which are deriued out of it are of necessity sinnes and transgressions I know there haue bene some which haue taken anger in this place not for the anger of God but for our owne anger For forasmuch as we are by nature prone vnto vices and the lawe when it commeth forbiddeth them we beginne to hate God the author of the lawe and so it worketh in vs anger But the first exposition is bothe plainer and also better agréeth with the sentence followyng For where no law is there is no transgression By these wordes it is manifest that the Apostlement to signifis this that the wrath of GOD is kindled against transgressions But how transgression is brought in by the law the nature How the law and transgression follow one the other of relatiues teacheth which is such that the one of them beyng taken away the other also is taken away On the one side is put the law on the other side is set eyther the obseruation or transgression therof And forasmuch as the obseruation of the law can not be perfect there remayneth onely transgressiō which Paul in this place inferreth But those thinges which are here spoken are to be vnderstande of the law written and whiche was geuen by Moses For otherwise there is none which wanteth a law at the least vndoubtedly the law of nature Wherfore there can none be found without sinne no not an infant of a day olde when as vnto him the image of God is in stede of a law vnto which image for that he answereth not The law of children is the image of God as Augustine declareth in his booke of confessions vndoubtedly he can not be with out sinne As touching the letter the Greke worde worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with aspiration so it is turned in Latine cuius that is of whome But the vulger interpreter séemeth to haue red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfore turned it vbi that is where But as touching the sence there is no difference whether it be this or that Howbeit let vs not thinke that these thinges are to be ascribed vnto the lawe as it is taken by it selfe alone The law of his owne nature worketh not these things A similitude but as it lighteth vppon our mynde being corrupt and vitiate We haue of thys thing an example although grosse in gonne pouder wherwith is mingled either salt nitre or salt peter which is by nature very cold And thereof it commeth that when the fire is receiued in the brimstone against which striueth the coldnes of the salt nitre or of the salt peter it conceiueth so great a violence that the pellet beyng driuen out with an incredible force shaketh and ouerthroweth whatsoeuer is in the way So the heate of our lust when it findeth the law repugnaunt agaynst it is with a greater violēce strēgthned so that it enforceth men to most haynous wycked actes For as the common saying is We endeuour our selues to that whiche is forbidden vs and we haue alwayes a desire to thinges denied vs. Howbeit to the godly and to the elect this force of the law is not vnprofitable For it leadeth them euen as a scholemaister vnto Christ And for that cause Christ is iustly and worthely called the ende of the law not for that the law is by him abrogated but bicause it directeth men vnto him Finally Christ hath performed and accomplished y◠law Christ the end of the law not onely in himselfe but also in them that beleue in hym for he hath geuen them strengthes to obey it Neyther is it any maruell that the law bryngeth men vnto Christ especially seyng he himself was the author therof For by the Sonne it was Christ the author of the law reuealed vnto Moses And for this ende he gaue it by it to drawe men vnto hym Here are we admonished of the peruersenes of our nature whiche is so greate that although we be taughte the wyll of GOD by the lawe yet we neuer cease to striue agaynste it Some goe aboute by this place to inferre that they do ill whiche set for the lawes especiallye seyng they serue verye muche to increase Whether it be lawfull to make lawes transgressions But if their argument were of any strengthe then shoulde they inferre that GOD also oughte not to haue made any lawe Wherefore we say that those lawes whiche are made are either iust or vniust If they be vniust then are they not to be counted for lawes For who will call the violent affectes of tyrantes lawes But if they be iust then are they interpretations of the lawes of God And by them we vnderstande the will of God that by that meanes we Good lawes are interpretacions of the lawes of God Names attributed vnto the law may be broughte to Christe that by him we may obteine strengthes to do them This selfe same sentence also is had in the epistle to the Galathians That the lawe was put because of transgressions namely to shew forth thē to accuse them to condemne them So in the latter epistle to the Corinthians the law is called the ministery of deathe and in the first to the Cor. it is called the power efficacy of sinne
to be harkened vnto We ought to receaue and reuerence those Counsels only which haue framed theyr doctrine to the rule of the holy scriptures Demosthenes in an oration against Androtion sayth that decrees of the senate ought not to be made but according to the prescript of those thinges which are alredy determined in the lawes So in ecclesiastical counsells ought not new decrées to be made as touching doctrine but of those things only which are either had expressedly in yâ— word of God or ells may assuredly and euidently be gathered out of it First we will begin with the Counsell of Aphricke in which in the 80. chapiter a curse is pronounced Concilium AphricanuÌ„ agaynst the Pelagians who sayd that the grace of iustification is therfore geuen that by grace we may the easelyer fullfill that which we are commaunded to doo as though also with out grace although with more difficulty we might by our frée will fullfill the commaundementes of God when as yet the Lord speaking of the fruites of the commaundementes sayde not Without me ye can hardlye doo anye thing but with out me ye can vtterly doo nothing By these wordes are reproued the Papistes of our time which are not ashamed to say that a man before iustification can do yâ— workes which are commauÌ„ded in the law and which do please God and prepare a man to regeneration For what thing ells is this then with the Pelagians to say that a man may indede also before iustification performe the law although not so fully and easely as after he is iustified And that is nothing which they say namely that they put a certayne grace preuenting whereby men not yet regenerate may doo those workes which they call preparatory For in thus saying they differ in name only from the Pelagians For they also taught no les then these men doo that there goeth before a certayne grace of the law and of the knowledge of the will of God and of illumination wherby a man vnderstandeth what he ought to doo But as for the rest they attributed it vnto frée will which thing these men also do And that the Pelagians were of that opinion the counsel Mileuitanum declareth wherin it is thus written in the 4. chap. We curse all them which say that the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord helpeth vs onely for that Concilium Mileuitanum by it is reueled and opened vnto vs the vnderstanding of the commaundements of God that we may know what we ought to desire what to auoyd and that by it is not geuen vs also to loue to be able to do that which we know ought to be done For forasmuch as the Apostle sayth knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth it is very wicked to beleue that we should haue that grace of Christ which puffeth vp and not that grace which edifieth especially seyng it is written in the 4. chapter of the 1. epistle of Iohn Loue is of God In the second counsel also of Arausicanum the 4 chap. it is thus writen That Concilium Arausicanum they resist the holy ghost which say that the Lord wayteth for our will when as SalomoÌ„ sayth The will is prepared of the Lord and also when as Paul saith vnto the Philippians It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will And in the 5. chapter are reproued those which affirmed that of the grace of Christ is geuen an increase of faith not the beginning For the beginning also of faith commeth of the inspiration of the holy gost which correcteth our infidelitie bringing it from infidelitie to faith and from vngodlines to godlines And the proofe hereof is brought out of sundry places of the scriptures For Paul sayth vnto the Philippians I trust that he which hath begonne the good worke in you shall accomplish it euen to the day of the Lord. And againe in the same epistle Vnto you it is geueÌ„ not onely to beleue in hym but also to suffer for him And vnto the Ephes By grace ye are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues For it is the gift of God Moreouer they are there subiect vnto the curse which would say That the mercy and grace of God is geuen vnto the willing vnto the beleuers vnto them that are desirous vnto them that go about it vnto them that labour vnto them that watche vnto them that study vnto them that aske vnto them that séeke vnto them yâ— knocke but confessed not that by the infusion and inspiration of the holy ghost and by the gift of God is geuen vnto vs to haue a will to beleue to endeuour our selues and to labour They cite these testimonies out of the scriptures What hast thou â—that thou hast not receaued And if thou hast receiued why boastest thou as though thou hast not receaued And the Apostle writeth of himselfe By the grace of God I am that I am In the 7. chap. are condemned those which thinke that by the strengths we can thinke or attaine vnto any thinge that serueth to saluation or that we can without the illumination of the spirite geue credite vnto the worde of GOD preached This may be confirmed by the scriptures For Paul saith that we cannot thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God Christ also saith Without me ye can do nothing Also blessed art thou Simon Bariona for flesh and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee They also are cursed which graunt that frée will is in dede in some maner weakened and hurt but yet not so but that men by it may be conuerted vnto saluation The scriptures are apertly repugnant vnto that sentence For the Lord saith No man commeth vnto me vnles my father shall draw hym Paul also vnto the Corinthians No man can say the Lord Iesus but in the spirite of God This is an excellent sentence God loueth vs beyng such as we shall be by his gift and not such as we are by our owne merite And in the 13. chapter it is thus written Free will beyng lost in the first man cannot be repayred and because it is lost it cannot be restored but by him by whome it was geuen at the beginning Wherfore the truth it selfe sayth If the sonne shall make you fre then are ye truly free Farther in the 17. chapter is decréed that the strength of the Ethnikes commeth of worldly lust which wordes declare that their vertues as we haue before shewed out of Augustine and other Fathers were not true vertues chiefly forasmuch as they sprang out of an euill ground But humane lust comprehendeth whatsoeuer is possible to be found in men not regenerate It followeth in the selfe same chap. that the loue of God maketh the force and strength of Christians which loue is poured into our hartes not by frée wil but by the holy gost which is geuen vs wheras no merites go
that that righteousnes which is geuen vnto vs pertayneth vnto the whole man and vnto all the faculties of the mind Shall it therefore follow that that righteousnes which is offred of God is not apprehended by fayth only Vndoubtedly the meate which we eate is destributed into all the members and into the whole body And yet is it receaued with the mouth only and not with the The righteousnesse wherby we are iustified is in God and not in vs. whole body Farther the disputation is not about any righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs which in very dede is dispersed into the whole man but about iustificatiō which is the forgeuenes of sinnes But this righteousnes hath no place or seate in our mindes but in God only by whose will only our sinnes are forgeuen vs. But now forasmuch as this article hath ben sufficiently defended agaynst the cauillations of importunate men we will omitt this and briefely declare that the auncient fathers abhorred not from thys woorde Only which our aduersaries so muche detest Origen vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes vpon these woordes Thy glorieng is excluded By what law by the law of dedes No. But by the law of fayth For we suppose that a man is iustified by fayth without the woorkes of the law The iustification sayth he of fayth only is sufficient that a mā only beleuing should be iustified although he haue done no good woorke at all and for example he bringeth forth that thiefe which was crucified together with Christ and that wooman vnto whome Christe answered Thy fayth hath made thee safe Afterward he obiecteth vnto him selfe that a man hearing these thinges mought be made secure and contemne good woorkes But he answereth that he which after iustification liueth not vprightly casteth away the grace of iustification For no man sayth he receaueth forgeuenes of sinnes to vse licence to sinne For pardon is geuen not of faultes to come but of sinnes past Then which sentence can nothing be sayd more conformable vnto our doctrine Ciprian to Quirinus in his 42. chapiter Fayth sayth he only profiteth and looke how much we beleue so much are we able to doo Basilius in his sermō de Humilitate writeth that a man is iustified by faith only Hilarius also vpon Mathew the 8. chapter Fayth sayth he only iustifieth Ambrose vpon the 3. chapter vnto the Romanes vpon these wordes Being iustified freely Because sayth he they woorking nothing nor rendring turne for turne are by faith onely iustified by the gift of God The same author vpon these wordes According to the purpose of the grace of God So Paul sayth he sayth it was decreed of God that the law ceasing onely faith should be required vnto saluation And straight way after God hath ordeyned that men should by faith onely without labour and any obseruation be iustified before God The same father vpon the. 1. chapter of the. 2. epistle vnto the Corrinthians It is appoynted sayth he by God that he which beleueth in Christ should be saued without workes by faith only And he hath the like sentences in his booke de vocatione Gentium Out of Chrisostome I could bring a greate many places to confirme this sentence but of them I will picke out onely a few Vpon the 3. chapter vnto the Romanes vpon these wordes Thy glory is excluded In this sayth he is set foorth the might and power of God in that he hath saued iustified and wroughte glorification by faith onely without workes And at the beginning of the 4. chapter That a man being destitute of workes should be iustified by faith peraduenture it may appeare to be well But that a man being adorned with vertues good workes is not for all iustified by thē but by faith only this assuredly is wonderfull Hereby our aduersaries may vnderstand that although faith haue as companions hope and charitie and other good workes which thing cannot be doubted of Abraham yet they serue nothing to the apprehending of righteousnes And vpon the. 10. chapter vpon these woordes They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going aboute to establish theyr owne righteousnes were not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God He calleth sayth he the righteousnes of God that righteousnes which is of fayth Bycause we are without labour by fayth only iustified thorough the gift of God Of Augustine I will speake nothing For he is full of this agaynst the Pelagians and any man may easely by his writings proue this sentence Hesichius vpon Leuiticus in his first booke and second chapiter Grace sayth he is comprehended by fayth only not of woorkes Which selfe thing in a maner he hath in his 4. booke and 14. chapiter Theophilactus vpon the 3. chapiter vnto the Galathians expoūdeth these words Bycause by the law no mā is iustified before God Now sayth he Paul playnly declareth that fayth euen alone hath in it the power to iustifie Phocius vpon the fift chapiter vnto the Romanes Iustification sayth he consisteth of fayth only Acacius in Oecumenius vpō the first chapiter vnto the Romanes He hath saith he by fayth onely raysed vp and quickened vs being mortified by sinnes Bernardus in his 22. Sermon vpon the Canticles By fayth only sayth he he that is iustified shall haue peace And in the selfe same sermon That wanteth sayth he of grace whatsoeuer thou ascribest vnto merites Grace maketh me iustified freely Whome these things suffice not let him reade Genuadius vpon the 5. chap. to the Romanes Cirillus in his 9. booke 3. chapiter vpon Iohn Theodoretus vpon the 5. chapiter to the Romanes Didimus vpon the 2. chapiter of Iames Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall history the 3. booke and 27. chap. Ciprian or whatsoeuer he were in his exposition of the simbole Liranus vpon the third to the Galathians The ordinary glosse vpon the epistle vnto Iames Haimo vpō the Gospell of Circumcision Sedulius vpon the 1. and 2. chapiters vnto the Romanes Thomas vpon the 3. to the Galathians Bruno vpon the 4. vnto the Romanes Arnobius vpon the 106. Psalme Now I thinke I haue spoken inough as touching this question Wherfore I will now returne to the exposition of the wordes of the Apostle The twelfth Chapiter I Besech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye offer vp your bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God whiche is your reasonable worshipping I besech you therefore brethren Phisitions are accustomed to clense a sore or wound of all matter and corruption and then to anoint it with soft and gentle medicens So Paul hath first by a sharp disputacion confuted the arrogancy of thē which had confidence to be iustified by the lawe or by philosophy and that through their owne strengthes now therefore he turneth himselfe to perswade to an holy life and to good workes whereby we are renewed and are made perfect by a righteousnes cleauing vnto vs. Wherefore first he establisheth the doctrine of iustification and then that being finished he
offred vnto vs are the holy scriptures which we ought alwais to haue in our hands as a present remedy For if we be enfected with ignorāce there shal we finde light to shake the same of if we be disturbed with sundry perturbations and languishing affectes of the mind and if also we be vexed with the conscience of most greuous sinnes in them are offred vnto vs remedies both easy redy if we be oppressed and in a maner ouerwhelmed with the troubles and greues of outward thinges there shall we find sound and firme consolation if we be sometymes in a perplexitye not knowinge in thinges doubtfull whiche way to turne our selues we can in no other place better then there finde good and faithfull counsell if we be tempted and be in daunger as it oftentimes happeneth of our saluation there we haue a most strong most sure place of refuge And doubtles our latter Dauid drue out from no els where but out of this scrippe most small stones of the word of God wherewith he smote the forehead of Goliah and felled to the ground Sathan by whome he was tempted in y◠desert Wherfore the first Dauid not without iust cause wrote that he considered wonderfull things touching the lawe that is touching the scriptures of God and that he had hidden in his hart the worde of God to the ende he might not sinne against him and this word he confessed to be his consolation in affliction for that the wordes of GOD quickened him What should a man seke farther here out doe flow the fountaines of our Sauiour and we are all inuited freelye to drawe water out of them whereby our intollerable thirste is quenched and satisfied with a singular desire to obtaine blessednes Here haue we a storehouse of GOD full stuffed with the plenty of all good things and set abrod wyde open for vs therout may euery man prouide for his owne want Here is layde for vs a table most plentifullye furnished where the wisedome of God hath mingled for vs most pleasant wyne wherewith euery man may most penltifully refreshe him Here is set forth for euery man a garden and paradise more pleasant then the garden of Alcinoes Salomon Wherfore let vs gather out of it things profitable not hurtful Let vs rather imitate y◠bees then y◠spiders in sucking out the most sweete iuyce and not the deadly poyson We vse commonly with an incredible study to embrace bookes set forth by any industry of man whereout yet we attayne nothing els but a meane how either to defend or to recouer health or a way to encrease thinges domesticall or rules to gouern a commonwealth or institutions of husbandry or of other artes or some entisements to pleasures how much more is it profitable for vs with our whole hart to apply our selues to the reading of the holy scriptures Forasmuch as in them speaketh not vnto vs humane wisedom but God himselfe vnto whome vndoubtedly if we harken geue hede we shall receaue a singular alacrity and chearfulnes of mynd we shall driue away heauy cogitacions we shal be eased and lightened with a most sweete consolation and shall put on strength aboue mans reach we shall now thinke nothing hard or difficill we shall thinke the yoke of the Lord and his crosse to be thinges most light and shall offer our selues most redy for his name sake to suffer any thing yea and being instructed with heauenly eloquence we shall talke vnto men not with the wordes of men but with the wordes of God himselfe Doubtles I know that there are many which beleue not these thinges and that there are not a few which deride them and thinke that we are out of our wits but I would gladly desire these men to vouchesafe once to make a profe besech them not to disdayne to reade I dare sweare and that vpon my greate perill that they shall at one tyme or other be taken They shal at the length feale how much these thinges diuine differ from humane thinges They shall feale I say if they reade attentiuely diligently that at the length thorough the mercy of God these scourges of feare and shame are encreased in their sences they shall feale them selues to be effectually perswaded once at the length to dye vnto death that they may liue to life they shall feele also themselues smitten with an horror of their sinnes and pleasures past when as before in them they thought themselues blessed happy They shal feele that the whole misery of this carnall life is heaped vp before their eyes and they being tormented with the bitter feeling therof it will cause to burst forth out of their eyes greate showers and mighty floods of teares for the oracles and words of GOD when they are earnestly read and deapely cōsidered do not slightly nippe the mind but do most deapely digge into the hart with most sharpe prickes and therout after a sort plucking vp by the rootes vices wicked actes do in their place plant peace of conscience and spirituall ioye they shal also at the length fele kindled in them the wonderfull and most pleasant loue of the swetenes goodnes of God Wherefore they being thus vtterly changed shal be compelled to say that which Dauid excellently well recordeth How swete are thy words made to my iawes they were sweter vnto my mouth then hony But of such an helpe then which can nothing be found more diuine and more heathfull are those men depriued whiche other will not read Gods bokes at all or els reade them with a certayne disdayne lothesommes and contempt so that they haue no zeale to the wordes of God but thorough theyr owne proper deuises their mind is vtterly caried to other matters Of which impiety and wickednes God in y◠Prophet Osea the 8. chapiter greauously accuseth Israell saying I haue written to them the greate things of my law but they were coūted as a strange thing Doubtles those children are to much degenerated which count that voyce wherewith theyr most louing parent calleth vpon them to liue godly and vertuously for a strange voyce and contrariwise do folow as theyr owne and proper voyce that which is in very dede a strang voyce and so it commeth to passe that after the maner of betels they refuse swete sauors and go to stinking donghils Wherefore it is not to be meruailed at if they waxe rottē in the filthy puddle of worldly pleasures if they be burnt vp wyth vnwoorthy and filthy cares If they dispayre in aduersities and if at the laste they perishe in sinnes and in a lyfe altogether corrupted In summe as touching the holy scriptures I may iustly pronounce although somewhat inuerted that which Demostenes affirmed of money namely that with the word of God ought al things to be done and with out the same can be done nothing that is good But what go I about Do I take vpon me to set forth the commendacions and prayses of
witnes bloude water and the spirite 79. b Herein is charity perfect in vs that in the day of iudgment we haue confidence 383. a Iude. ANd Enoch the seuenthe frō Adam prophesied of such saying beholde the Lorde commeth c. 403. a Apocalips CHrist shal raigne a thousand yeares with his saints 88 Behold I stand at the dore and knock And if any man open vnto me I will enter in and sup with him 384. a Take vengaunce vpon the earth for our bloud 345. b Vntill he put his enemies vnder his feete 360. b Holde faste that thou hast least an other receiue thy crowne 347. b ⧠Common places Of Iustification 367 Of Predestination 285 ⧠The first Chapter PAule the seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to the office of an Apostle put aparte to preach the Gospell of God which he before had promised by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures of hys son which was begotten of the seede of Dauid as touching the fleshe and declared to bee the sonne of God with power according to the spirite of sanctification in that Iesus Christ our Lord rose agayne frō the dead by whō we haue receaued grace and the office of an Apostle to be obedyent to fayth amonge all nations in hys name of the number of whome ye also are the called of Iesus Christ To all you which are at Rome the beloued of God called Sainctes grace and peace to you from God the father and from the Lord Iesus Christ As touchynge the saluation fyrste we muste note who it is that wryteth Three things to be considered in this salutation it secondlye to whome it is written lastly what maner of good thinges hee which saluteth wisheth vnto them It is Paule which saluteth the Romanes are they whom he saluteth and the good things which he wisheth thē are grace and peace indeede the chiefest thinges which of men can bee attayned vnto Rhethoriciās precepts concernyng Prohemes are here obserued Rhetoricians vse in theyr Prohemes to gette vnto them selues authoritie diligent hearing and beneuolence which thinge the holy Ghoste here fullye performeth For whilest that Paule doth adorne him selfe with these titles he winneth vnto him selfe authoritie and he also when he maketh mencion what are the thynges that hee will entreate of maketh the mindes of the readers attentiue And in wyshing vnto them such excellent good thinges and opening hys great loue towardes them he obteyneth theyr good will For by that meanes are they drawen to loue agayne such a man which so well wisheth vnto them Why he is so lōg in his salutation If any man thinke that thys salutation is more full of wordes then nedeth they must remember that Paul was greuously accused of false Apostles that he had fallen from the lawe and agreed not with the other Disciples of the Lorde and that hee was not to be counted for an Apostle which had not bene conuersant with the Lorde in the fleshe as the other Apostles were To all these false accusations it was necessary to aunswere euen in hys Proheme that he might haue the better eare geuen vnto hym As touching hys name I will nothing speake for I know that the elders dyd not rashlye geue names But because the holy Scripture testifieth not for what cause he was eyther called Saule in the Iewishe religion or Paule after hys conuersion I will omitte coniectures neither will Paule claimeth vnto himself thre titles The propriety of a seruaunt I stand about thys thing In hys superscription hee setteth forth three titles wherby he beautifieth hys name the fyrst is The seruaunt of Iesus Christ and that name is common vnto all the faythfull And the propertie of a seruant is thys not to bee hys owne man but to doe the busines of hys maister Wherfore if we be the seruauntes of Christ thys is required of vs that what soeuer we liue breath and thinke be directed vnto Christ And in these wordes are false Apostles reproued which sought their owne thinges to satisfie the bellye and to increase their gaine and they wanne not men to Christ but rather to Moyses or to them selues For as much as to be the seruauntes of Christ is as we haue sayde a thing cōmon vnto vs all let vs diligently consider the Metaphore wherby we are so called namely because we ought so to obey God as seruauntes do their maisters But we are farre of frō performing it For seruaūtes do spēd the Note wherein the most part of men differeth from the seruice of God least parte of the daye about theyr own busines and all the rest of the tyme they are occupyed about their maisters affayres But we do farre otherwise We are a very short space or an houre of our time occupied about things pertaining to God but al the rest of the time that is graūted vs we spēd about thinges humaine and earthly A seruaunt hath nothyng of hys owne nor proper vnto hym selfe but we doo priuatly possesse many thynges whiche we will neither bestowe for Gods sake nor for Christes sake Seruauntes when they are beaten and strikē do humbly desire pardō and forgeuenes of their masters but we in aduersities resiste God murmure agaynst hym and blaspheme hys name Seruauntes do receaue onely meate and drinke and apparell and therewith are content but we neuer come to any ende or measure of heapyng vp of wealth and riches Seruaunts when they heare the threatnynges of their maisters do tremble frō top to toe but we are nothyng moued with the threatnynges of the Prophetes Apostles and holy Scriptures Seruauntes wil neither haue talke nor familiarity nor yet shewe any signes of amitye vnto their maisters enemyes but we are continually in fellowshyp with the deuill the fleshe and the world Wherfore We ought to serue God more then seruauntes ought to serue their maisters we are farre from that seruice whiche we owe vnto God whom yet we ought much more both to obey and to serue then our seruauntes ought to obey and serue vs. For God besides that hē both fedeth and nourisheth vs hath also brought vs forth hath geuē vs euē our being Farther what soeuer seruaunts do towardes vs all that is to our commoditie and nothyng helpeth them but we contrarywise when we serue God do bryng no profite or commoditie vnto him For thoughe we lyue iustly he is therby made neuer a whit the better or more blessed thē he was before Also we geue litle or nothyng vnto our seruaūts but God hath for vs geuen forth his onely sonne and together with hym hath geuen vs all thinges We promise vnto our seruantes a very small rewarde but God hath promised vnto vs the same felicity whiche Christ him selfe hath the fruition of Whereby appeareth how much more we are bounde to serue hym then are our seruauntes bounde vnto vs. But in that we haue sayd that this vocation is common to all to be the seruauntes of Christ it semeth not very
of the vocation of God which vocation was of so great force that he wrote in his first epistle vnto the Corrint Woo vnto me if I preach not the Gospel For now was that office cōmitted vnto him And by this saying he reproueth the Iewes which cauelled that he did not well in communicating the preaching of the Gospell vnto the Gentils But that ought not to be counted as a fault in him forasmuch as he was compelled thereunto by the office cōmitted to his charge And God had geuen him excellent giftes and among other to preach vnto all men He spake all maner of tonges These thinges ought they to weigh which Why God geueth gifts vnto men haue receaued any giftes at Gods hand For by them they are made debtters to helpe others For God will haue them to pay that which he hath decreed to geue And they are to be meruayled at which will be counted the successors of Peter and Paule as the bishoppes of Rome and other bishoppes how they see not that they are detters to preach Christ For euen from Gregory the great no man hath in a manner euer seene that a bishoppe of Rome did preach In Spayne in Italy and in Fraunce they are altogether dumme Here in England bishoppes do in deede preach sometime but yet not so often as they ought Domme bishops But let vs returne vnto Paule In that he sayth that he is debtour he meaneth not that he will bring any thing of his owne but will bestow those thinges which God had committed vnto him to participate vnto others And it is as if he should haue sayd What maner of men soeuer ye be whether ye be wise men princes mighty men or men obscure base or vnlearned God hath made me debtour vnto you And although I seeme abiect or vnworthy so great a vocation yet that which I will bring vnto you is not vnworthy to be receaued of you By these woordes he reproueth the Iewes which thought that the preaching of the Gospell was due to their nacion only But Paule sheweth here that same is due also vnto other nacions To the Greekes and Barbarous All they which were not Iewes were called by thys common word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Gentles But now they are deuided into Who were Greekes Who were Barbarous Greekes and Barbarous By the Greekes he vnderstandeth men that were more ciuil◠which were gouerned with good and ciuile lawes and therefore it was an easy matter to be conuersant with them But the Barbarous are the wilder sort which were saluage and fierce so that a man could not so easely deale with them Neyther were they excluded from the number of the Greekes which were not inhabiters of Grecia so that they vsed their lawes and institucions For there were many straunge nacions whiche vsed the lawes of the Greekes For the Romanes as we reade in Titus Liuius sent ten men into Grecia to bring vnto them the lawes of the Athenians out of which afterward Thre◠kindes of men with Paule they wrote ten tables Paule therefore seemeth in this place to make three kindes of men so that after the Iewes he putteth the Grekes and last of all the Barbarous wherefore the Grekes were in the middest betwene the Iewes and the Barbarous But in other places when he deuideth men into Iewes and Grekes by the Grekes he vnderstandeth all kinde of men besides the Hebrues so that vnder that word he comprehendeth the barbarous also And if the Gospell extend so amply that none are excluded from it then it manifestly appeareth that it farre excelleth philosophy for all men are not made for it It The Gosple more common then Philosophy and the law of Moses excelleth also the law of Moses which was obserued of one nacion onely But the Gospell was published euery where Hereby Chrisostome gathereth that for the admitting of the Gospel there is no neede neyther of sillogissimes of pholosophers nor preparacion of humane sciences And vndoubtedly we see that olde women rude men and old men are as apt thereunto as noble men rich men and Philosophers And in sum there is none so noble or excellente and agayne none so abiect and vnlearned but that by the Gospell he may attayne to saluation And Chrisostome also in this place to confirme the dignity of the Gospell Chrysostome An example of Plato bringeth Plato for an example who being a notable and most excellent philosopher came thrise into Sicilia to cure thinges that were then troubled and to perswade the tyranne to vse equal and iust lawes Which his perswasions had no successe at all For Dionisius became euery day worse and worse so that at the last he was depriued of his kingdome neyther was that kingdome any thing the better for Plato although Plato for that cause put his life in danger and being taken of Pirates was brought into bondage By whiche example appeareth how weake philosophie is to amend things So that as much as lyeth in me I am redy to preach the Gospell to you of Rome also when he sayth as much as is in me he signifieth vndoubtedly that there was some thing which letted him from comming to Rome And that is the calling of God which called him away to an other place Neyther entendeth he by this kinde of speach to exclude ether grace or free giftes or powers geuen him by the holy ghost as though he would preach the Gospell vnto the Romanes according to that onely which was in himself euen as some say that if men before grace or regeneration do that which lieth in them God will neuer forsake them But Paule speaketh not so but sayth In that I differ my comming vnto you it cōmeth not of myne owne purpose but of God which hath otherwise decreed For if I were left to myne owne iudgement I had bene with you long ere this neyther should any dangers haue stayed me He is happy vndoubtedly whiche with so chearefull and prompt mynde is redy to He is happy which promptly followeth the callinge of God follow the calling of God as Paule here affirmeth that he is The thyng which he had in hand made hym prompt namely the Gospell farther the noblenes of the city through which if they were once conuerted vnto Christ he saw that it would easely come to passe that other partes of the world would be the better wonne Among those thinges which commonly discourage men from What things are wont to feare men from any enterprise taking any enterprise in hand is the ignorance of the euent also daungers which oppose themselues paynes that are to be taken therein and because we haue not power and ability inough to execute that which is taken in hand But Paule agaynst the ignorance of the euent obiected the certenty of the promise whereby he knew that the heathen should be conuerted vnto Christ agaynst the dangers which honge ouer him he obiected the great aboundance of
haue good woorkes What Moses and the Prophets had a regarde vnto when in theyr prayers they made mencion of the names of certain of the electe thinges nothing let this sentence which was alleaged namely that before God there is no acception of persons And as often as we read in the prayers of Moses or of the Prophets that mention is made of the Patriarkes whereby they endeuoured themselues to prouoke God vnto mercy we muste thinke that they had a regarde to two thinges First forasmuch as in that nation God had some appointed vnto himselfe they desired that for theyr sakes he woulde spare the whole multitude Secondlye they attributed not these thinges vnto the merites of the saintes which as we haue sayd are none but they made mencion of the promises made vnto those Fathers Hereby therefore it is manifeste by what meanes those thinges which were obiected may be aunswered But nowe let vs retourne to the exposition of the woordes of Paule For as many as haue sinned without the law shall perishe also without the law and as many as haue sinned in the law shal be iudged by the law For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God but the doers of the law shal be iustified For as many as haue sinned c. Paule here teacheth that God in very dede hath no respect of persons neyther in iudgement doth iniury vnto any man He maketh the Iewes equall with the Gentles forasmuch as of ech nation they which haue liued wickedly shall perishe And as touching the maner of iudgement the Iewes which shal be condemned shal be iudged by the law of Moses because they shall haue it both to accuse them and to condemne them But the Gentiles being wicked shall neither be accused nor condemned by that law but by the light of nature and euen by their own cogitations By the law in thys place we must vnderstand the law of Moses For it only is perfect and for it began all the contencion otherwise there were none or very fewe nations which were not gouerned by some institutions or lawes Here are added two preuentions The first is that it mought haue semed wonderfull vnto the Iewes that theyr cause should not be a whit better forasmuch as they were adorned by God with the benefite of the law Vnto whome Paule answereth that therby they were rather the more greuously to be accused because before God not they which heare the law shal be iustefied but they which do it The other preuention is for that it semed a hard thing vnto the Ethnikes that they should perishe when as they wanted the law of God Vnto whome he sayth ye were not vtterly without a law And two maner of wayes he proueth that they had a law fyrst in that by nature they did those thinges which are prescribed by the law secondly because they had within themselues their owne cogitations mutually accusing them or excusing them As touching the Iewes he sharpely reproueth them as which were of so small sound iudgement that they iudged themselues to be therefore iustefyed because they had receaued the lawe And now he beginneth by litle and litle to come vnto them which a litle afterward he doth more openly For saith he the hearers of the law shall not be iustified before God but the doers He therefore saith before God because they before mē wōderfully much boasted of the law which they had receaued God sayth he nothing regardeth this For there shall not be required of you that ye receaue the law but that ye execute the law The discourse which now is in hād is touching the righteousnes The righteousnes of the law requireth deedes and workes of the law which alone they allowed For touching the righteousnes of fayth he will afterward plainly entreate Now he cutteth their throtes with theyr owne sword in defining the righteousnes of the law namely that it vrgeth dedes and requireth works to the fulfilling thereof Whereby he calleth thē backe to consider their owne life Neither saith he in the meane time that mē cā not be otherwise iustified but only sheweth vnto thē that they haue fallē away frō the righteousnes of the law wherof they so much boasted That therfore which he now saith hath this sence If any man should by the righteousnes of the law be iustified before God it behoueth that the same should fulfil the law according to that saying Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things which are writē in the booke of the lawe This is an easy plaine expositiō But Augustine in his booke de Spiritu litera ad Marcellinum is of this minde that the doers of the law are iustified but yet in such sort that righteousnes goeth before the good works which the saintes do For they are fyrst iust before they do iust workes But because he seeth that this word of iustifying is in the future tence and by that meanes is signifyed that men shall not be iustefyed vnles they fyrst haue good workes therefore he addeth that to be iustefied in this place is not first to receaue righteousnes but to be counted righteous so that the sense is they shal be counted for righteous which shal be doers of the law but they ought first by fayth to haue receaued righteousnes whereby they were made iust but afterward they shal be made knowen by the effectes as they were before iust so now shal they be counted for iust And the like kinde of speach sayth he is in this sentence when Halowed be thy name how it is to be expounded we pray Thy name be sanctified Where we desire not that the name of God should be made holy as though before it were not holy but we desire that it may be of men counted holy This is Augustines exposition For when the Gentiles which haue not the law do by nature the thinges contayned in the law they hauing not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselues whiche shewe the effect of the law in theyr hartes their conscience also bearing witnes and their thoughtes accusing one an other or excusing at the day when God shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell For when the Gentles c. Now commeth he vnto the Gentles whiche ought not to complayne thoughe they perished seing they had not the lawe of Moses For hee declareth that they were not vtterly without a lawe because they did by nature those thinges whiche were contayned in the law And when hee sayth by Nature he doth not vtterly exclude the helpe of God For all truth that men knowe is of God and of the holy ghost And nature here signifieth that knowledge whiche is grafted in the myndes of men Euen as in the eyes of the body God hath plāted the power of seinge Neither doth Paul in this place entreate of the strēgthes by which the Gētiles being holpē performed these things For that shall afterward bée
declared how by the spirite and grace of Christ the power to lyue vprightly is ministred vnto the regenerate But now he speaketh onely of certayne outwarde honest and vpright actions whiche as touchyng ciuill righteousnes might by nature be performed of me Neither sayth hee that the Ethnikes fully performed the lawe so that they kept it all whole or that bycause of it they were iustified but onely hee vnderstandeth that they performed some certaine pointes thereof Whereof hee inferreth that they by the light of nature could discerne betwene honesty and dishonesty betwene right and Some Ethenikes in ciuil righteousnes far excell very many Christians wrong Yea if we looke vpon the lyfe and maners of Cato Atticus Socrates and Aristides we shall sée that in iustice ciuill comelynes they farre excelled a great many Christians yea and also Iewes Therfore they can not excuse them selues that they had not a law Ambrose vpon this place for asmuch as by this sentence to do those thinges whiche are of the law he vnderstandeth the full and absolute accomplishement of the law and séeth not how it is possible that any man should performe it whiche beleueth not in Christe for asmuch as Christe is the ende of the lawe affirmeth that Paul here speaketh of such Gentiles as were now conuerted vnto the Gospell and beleued in Christ This kynd of men without the helpe of the law of Moses did those thynges which are contayned in the law Augustine in this booke De Spiritu litera ad Marcellinum is of the same opinioÌ„ that by the Gentiles are vnderstaÌ„ded the ChristiaÌ„s whiche were conuerted froÌ„ yâ— The difference betwene the olde Testament and the new Ethnikes for yâ— he herein putteth the difference betwene the old Testament and the new namely that in the old Testament the law was described in outwarde tables but in the new Testament it should be written in the hartes and bowels of men accordyng to the Prophesie of Ieremy in hys 31. chap. Wherfore seyng Paul here sayth that the Gentles whiche by nature fulfilled the law shewed the worke of the law writen in their hartes it could not sayth he but pertayne vnto the new Testament And bycause he saw that this was agaynst hym where it is sayd by nature he sayth that by that worde is excluded the law of Moses but not the grace and spirite of Christ by which nature is not ouerthrowen but restored to hys old estate wherfore hys mynde is that the Gentles fulfill the lawe by nature beyng reformed by the spirite and grace But nowe let vs sée how those thinges which Augustine Ambrose alleage agrée with the senteÌ„ce of the Apostle Vndoubtedly that whiche moued Ambrose to this exposition is very weake for Many Ethenikes before the comming of Christ obteyned saluation by faith in him asmuch as there mought haue bene many before the commyng of Christ whiche beleued in hym and were iustified and obserued the thynges contayned in the law so much as the infirmitie of man will suffer Iob was an Ethnike who yet was not ignoraunt of Christ and also at the preachyng of Daniell the kyng of Babilon and as it is easie to bée beleued together with hym many of the Chaldeans were conuerted vnto God as it is written in Ionas the Niniuites returned into the right way And seyng all these attayned vnto saluation vndoubtedly they looked for the Mediator to come and by that meanes endeuored to performe those thynges whiche pertayned vnto the law Neither hath the reason of Augustine The holy patriarkes prophets had the law written in their â—arts because they pertained vnto the gospell much force For although it be a promise of the new Testament that by the benefite of the holy Ghost the lawes of God should bee written in the hartes of men yet is not that so to be vnderstand as though before the comming of Christ the same happened vnto none For the good fathers and holy Prophetes whiche were both endued with the fayth of Christ and had also geuen vnto them the holy Ghost had the law grauen not onely in stones but also in theyr bowels And although they liued before the sonne of God tooke fleshe vpoÌ„ him yet for asmuch as they beleued in him they pertayned vnto the Gospell Whiche is not therfore called a new Testament bycause the thyng is new but onely bycause it was published The Gospell is not called the new TestameÌ„t because the thing is new abroad in the latter tymes and was then publickely receaued Wherfore although before the preachyng of the Apostles it was not publikely professed among the Gentles yet florished it among many of the Ethnikes in whose harts the law of God was sealed so that although they wanted the doctrine of Moses yet were they so much rightly instructed that they could frame theyr actions vnto the preceptes of God And yet the same Augustine in the booke before cited the 7. chap. bryngeth the selfe same exposition whiche we before brought namely yâ— these thinges may be vnderstanded of certeine excellent actions of the Ethnikes whiche were notwithstandyng vngodly Their excelleÌ„t workes although as touchinge them they were sinnes yet of their owne nature or kynde for asmuch as they agréed with those thynges whiche God commaunded in the law could not The workes of the Ethnikes although theiwere goodly to the outward shew yet were they sinnes be condemned by the iudgement of maÌ„ But that they were wicked before God therfore it is not to be doubted bycause they were not referred to the right end Augustine noteth the same and addeth that therfore the worke of the law is sayd to be written in the hartes of the infidels bycause the lineamentes of the first estate still abode Hereof we gather that the writing of the lawe of God in the hartes of men is after two sortes one is which serueth only to knowledge and iudgement the other is which besides that addeth both a readines and also strength to doe that which is iudged to bée iuste and honest And the Image of The law may be writea in the hartes of men not vp the holy gost geuen vnto the faithful but by the naturall knowledge grafted into meÌ„ God vnto which man is created is not as touching this by hys fall vtterly blotted out but obfuscated and for that cause hath néede to be renued by hym So naturall knowledges are not fully quenched in our mindes but much of them do still remaine which thyng Paule now toucheth Wherefore the difference betwene the olde Testament and the newe abydeth whole although Paule so speaketh of the vngodly Ethnickes that they had the worke of the lawe written in their hartes Neither is it sayd that because of these thinges which they did or knewe they attayned vnto the true righteousnes Yea rather when Paule had shewed that they wanted it he styreth them vp vnto Christ Chrysostome in déede vppon thys place writeth that
which in the first state of nature liued godly Therfore the simboles The godly had holy rites also before the law or outwad signes of rites are in dede by reason of the diuersity of tymes oftentymes chaunged but the thinges remayne the selfe same Moreouer by the wordes of Paule is gathered that Circumcision profitâ—th so that the law be obserued For it is very profitable to obteyne regeneration to haue the signe of the couenaunt and a perpetuall admonition of the mortification of the flesh and an obsignation or seale of the promise of God and of the heauenly gifte bestowed vpon vs. If thou be a transgressor of the law Here he vnderstandeth none but those which of purpose transgresse and not those which fal of infirmitie and are draweÌ„ either vnawares or vnwillingly and do sighe and grone saying together wyth Paule who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Thy circumcision is made vncircumcision To be made vncircumcision in this place is to be counted vncircumcision as it shall afterward be declared wheÌ„ he sayth Shall not his circumcision be counted vncircumcision And to kepe the law is to be taken in the same sence that we before declared Ambrose vppon this place sayth He then kepeth the law which beleueth in Christ. But if he beleue not he is a transgressor of the law Which wordes although they serue not much to the expositioÌ„ of this place yet are they very profitable Bicause therby we perceiue that he which beleueth in Christ kepeth the lawe for that by fayth is geuen vnto vs the power and facultie of the spirite wherby to obey the law And if there want any thing to the obseruation therof as in very dede there alway wanteth the same is He that beleueth not is according to the sentence of Ambrose a transgressor of the law The Iewes gloried in circumcision holpen by the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ Moreouer in that he affirmeth that he which beleueth not in Christ is a transgressor of the law he manifestly sheweth that the workes of them which beleue not in Christ are sinnes and transgressions of the law The Iewes bosted excedyng much of circumcision as though it had bene geuen them for their merites and as though it had ben an assured testimony of a iust and holye lyfe whiche thyng is declared to be vntrue Chrisostome vpoÌ„ this place vseth a very trim order both as touching the law also as touchyng circumcision There is sayth he an outward law there is also a law in the hart and in the middle place are set good workes which procede from the law of the hart are agreable with the outward law Likewise there is circumcision in the flesh circumcision in the harte In the middest is placed a iust and holy life For it proceedeth from the circumcision of the harte and agreeth with the circumcision of the flesh Paule putteth A double comparison of circumcision a double comparison of circumcision The first is whereby it is contrarye vnto vncircumcision yâ— is vnto the condicioÌ„ of the Ethnickes And of this he speaketh now presently and sheweth that it was nothinge preiudiciall vnto men as touchign saluation The other is whereby circumcision is compared with faith and thereof shall afterward be entreated when the Apostle sheweth that AbrahaÌ„ first beleued and therefore obteyned righteousnes and afterwarde that righteousnes was sealed with circumcision Wherfore the circumcision of the flrsh is of lesse dignity then fayth and commeth after it Therefore if vncircumcision do kepe the iustifications of the law shal not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision In ciuile iudgementes when any is to be condemned which is in any dignity or Magistrateship he is The ciuile manner in condemning of noble men first depriued of his dignity or office and then afterward condemned So the Apostle first depriueth the Iewes of the true Iewishnes and of the true circumcision and then afterward condemneth them because they liued filthely This similitude in a manner vseth Chrisostome Wherunto we may moreouer adde that like as in a publike wealth they which shal be preferred to honour if they be of a base and obscure stocke are fyrste adorned with some noble Magistrateship or publike dignity so Paule minding to bring to honour the Gentles which seemed abiecte attributeth vnto them the true circumcision and true religion of the Iewes when he sayth that theyr vncircumcision is counted for circumcision which they haue in theyr hart And in these wordes circumcision I say and vncircuÌ„cisioÌ„ is vsed the figure called Metonymia which is a traÌ„spositioÌ„ of names The figure called Metonymia vsed in circumcision vncircumcision For by those signes is signifyed the state and condicion of the Iewes and Gentils The iustifications of the lavv In Greeke is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which many take to be ceremonies called of the Hebrues Chocoth But I do not easly se how the Ethnikes kept the ceremonies of the law vnles we wil say that the Hebrues in theyr captiuities taught the Gentils the ceremonies of Moses which is not casy to be beleued especially forasmuch as they were not to be obserued but in the land of promise PeradueÌ„ture they meane the these iustifications do signify those rites which the Ethnikes counted in the law of nature godlye and good For we speake not of idolatrous rites but of those whiche some obserued by the tradicions The holy Ethnikes had certain good and godly rites in the law of nature of theyr Fathers which hoped in the Mediator to come For by suche ceremonies they both professed God also accused theÌ„selues as sinners after which folowed the practise of vpright liuyng And we deny not but ther were many such meÌ„ Yet can we not therfore affirme that either Socrates or Phocion or Aristides were of the number of these men when as we haue nothyng that is certayne of theyr pietie and fayth but rather by historyes they appeare Idolatrers Neuerthelesse the Scriptures commend Iob vnto whom no doubt there were many like But by our iudgement as we haue sayd they can not be declared or defined But the Apostle speaketh not of those rites of the lawe of nature when as by the lawe he here vnderstandeth the lawe of Moses For he hath to do against the Iewes And that the Ethnickes obserued not the rites of Moses hereby it is By the iustifications of the lawe he vnderstandeth the morall partes of the lawe manifest because they were vncircumcised are called vncircumcision Wherfore it is more truely sayd that the iustifications of the law signifie here the morall part of the lawe of which the Gentiles by the light of nature were not ignoraunt The scope of the Apostle is to shewe that righteousnes is not of necessitie ioyned with the rites and ceremonies of the lawe and that it was no let vnto the Gentiles touching saluation that they wer not circumcised so that they had
reason of inconstancy he doth not alwayes abyde still in one and the selfe same purpose partly because he performeth not those thinges which he promiseth and partly because he oftentymes bringeth forth a lye and that ether of infirmity whilest he is not able to attayne vnto the truth or els of an euill purpose to vse deceite This sentence is read in the 116. Psalme In my hast A place of Dauid out of the 116. Psalme I sayd euery man it a lyar And certayne interpreters of the Hebrues affirme that Dauid had then a respect vnto Samuell For when he was on euery side enclosed in by the host of Saule was in a maner past all hope to escape such cogitacions were offred vnto him through the infirmity of the fleshe as though the Prophet had made a lye touching those thinges which he had promised him concerning the kingdome Or els he mought speake these thinges against himselfe for that when according to mans reason he had cast awaye all hope of escaping and thought himselfe to be in a maner forsaken of God as soone as he came agayne into the right way he brake into this sentence Euery man is a lyer because he also had deceaued himselfe touching the goodnes of God And by the antithesis or contrary position it is playne that a liar here signifieth an vnconstant person For before he sayde Let God be true Wherefore we maye conclude The word of God and the sacramentes depend not of our fayth that the dignity of the scripture or of the sacramentes dependeth not of our fayth or misbeliefe For whether we beleue God or mistrust him they are to be estéemed according to their dignitie because they depend of the institution of God who is most true neither is hys truth chaunged through our defaultes as Dauid writeth That thou mightest be iustified in thy wordes and ouercome when thou arte iudged Thus the 70. interpâ—eters haue turned it whom Paule now followeth when as in the Hebrewe it is thus written Lemaan titsdek be dhob recha tizkeh beschoatecha And that which the 70. haue turned That thou mightest be iustified may accordyng to the Hebrewe be Therfore shalt thou be iustified And where as it is written agaynst thee onely haue I sinned Rabbi Dauid Chimchi expoundeth it thus I haue priuilie and in secret transgressed and therefore agaynst thée onely But thou art iustified and in iudgement ouercommest which hast by Nathan the Prophet shewed the thou knowest these thinges But thys exposition fitteth not very well with the wordes of Paule Wherfore we omitte it Others interprete it Although Dauid sinned agaynst Vrias and agaynst Bersabe and agaynst the hoste of Israell yet these were not sinnes but in respecte that they were prohibited by God in the lawe For there hence dependeth the iuste consideration of sinne But it is better to say that Dauid was so much gréeued because he sawe that God by reason of hys sinne was blasphemed and had in derision which bare fauour vnto such a kyng who to satisfie hys owne filthye luste permitted hys enemyes to haue the vpperhand These things I say so much vexed hym that in that feruencie of minde he had a regarde vnto these thynges onely And therfore by the figure Hyperbole he sayth Against thee onely haue I sinned As we when we are oppressed with many troubles at one tyme are accustomed to say of the chiefest and greatest trouble which afflicteth vs most Thys one thyng greueth me very much But afterward he comforteth hym selfe hauing conceaued a firme hope and sayth That thou mightest be iustified in thy wordes as if he shoulde say Vndoubtedly I haue greuouslye sinned but such is thy goodnes that hereby I sée it to bee more poured out so that alwaies when thou contendest in iudgement thou wilt in the cause haue the vpperhand Neyther is it to be thought that Dauid when he sinned had thys consideration in hys minde to illustrate the goodnes of God For there he sought onely to satisfie hys owne desire and luste Wherefore thys particle That hath Good haps are not to be ascribed vnto sinnes but vnto the mercy of God a respecte not vnto Dauid but vnto God by whose benefite it commeth to passe that of that which is euill shoulde come some good vnto them which loue hym Forasmuch as vnto them all thynges turne to good Wherfore the good things which followe after sinnes coÌ„mitted are to be ascribed not vnto our sinnes but to the mercy of God Neyther let vs maruaile that God is iudged as Paul saith For oftentymes it happeneth that men when they thinke them selues to be euill God is iudged of men handled of hym they reason concerning hys iudgementes and although not in wordes yet in thoughtes they striue agaynst hym But then if they shoulde call to memorye how many how greuous sinnes they haue committed they should alwayes pâ—rceaue that God is in hys cause iustified and ouercommeth Thys worde wordes which in Hebrewe is bedhobrecha may signifie iudiciall actions and in that sense haue I interpreted it Although other take that worde for the wordes of the promises and especially touchyng Christ For Dauid when he considered that he had greuouslye fallen desired God to make him cleane and that he woulde not by reason of the wicked acte which he had committed cease to accomplishe the promise which was that of hys séede shoulde Christ be borne Which interpretation Ambrose hath But besides the expositions now alleaged of these wordes there are two other expositions also Of which the one is thys For that Dauid was a kyng and was the chiefest in authoritie amongest the people of God he had no iudges ouer hym whose tribunall seate or iudgement or sentence he shoulde néede to be afrayde of But he saw that onely the wrath of God dyd hange ouer hys head Therefore he sayd Vnto thee onely am I giltie although men can not punishe me The other exposition is Vrias Bersabe and part of the hoste haue bene ill delte withall through my meanes but they vndoubtedly as they were men had sinnes for which they deserued those thynges which they suffred yea and thynges farre more greuous then them But thou O God hast nothing in thée for which I ought so to offend thée whom thou hast adorned with so many great benefites and exalted to so high a dignitie There were some also which thought that thys addition That thou myghtest be iustified in thy sayinges is to be referred vnto that which went before Haue mercy vppon me O God Washe me and clense me that being receaued into grace I may obtayne those thynges which thou hast promised me and so thou mayest be iustified and ouercome euen by the iudgement of men Here we sée that thys worde Of the woord iustifieng It is the part of perfect men when they are afflicted to acknowledge God to be good iustifying signifieth not to obtayne any newe righteousnes which thyng we can not
he wil geue any plasters to heale it withall And so commeth it to passe that the law openeth the way vnto the Gospel Neither is this to What is the property of the law be maruelled at that in this place by the law are vnderstanded the Prophets and Psalmes For what soeuer is found in the whole scrpture serueth to the institution of lyfe which is peculiar and proper vnto the law Because by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustefied in his sight For by the law coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But now is that righteousnes of God made manifest wtout the law hauing witnes of the law of the Prophets Namely the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that beleue For there is no difference for all haue sinned are depriued of the glory of God And are iustefied frely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough fayth in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse by the remission of the sinnes that are passed thorough the patience of God to shew at this present tyme his righteousnes that he mighte be iust and a iustefier of hym which is of the fayth of Iesus Christ Because by the vvorkes of the lavv sâ—all no flesh be iustefied in his sight Hitherto Paule hath by good argumentes proued that iustification is not to belooked for by those thinges which wheÌ„ we haue obtayned yet notwithstanding we lyue wickedly That philosophy and the law were such he hath manifestly declared forasmuch as by them were accused both the Gentles and the Iewes that they were excedingly contaminated with wicked actes Wherby is concluded that the mouthe as well of the Iewes as of the Gentiles is stopped so that the whole world is made culpable before God And in that he lastly chiefly inueighed by sundry testimonies of the holy Scripture it was because he should haue a sharpe conflict agaynst the A sharpet conflict against the Iewes theÌ„ against the Ethnikes Hebrues For the Ethnikes were easely ouercome For they openly liued filthily neither could they out of philosophy bring any thing but the inuentions and opinions of men But the Hebrewes pretended the law and the ceremonies which they had receiued at the handes of God and therfore it semed that they might lawfully put confidence in them And peraduenture they mought haue sayd yâ— those thinges which were brought against them out of the holy scriptures pertayned vnto theyr elders and vnto them which filthily liued in the tyme of the Prophetes and not to theyr whole kinred Therfore the Apostle bringeth in a generall sentence wherby vtterly to represse them and affirmeth that no man can be iustified before God by the workes of the law Where he taketh away the power of iustifieng not onely An vniuersall proposition that by the workes of the law no man can be iustified from men or persons but also from the workes of the law so that it followeth of necessity that we must not put any confidence in them For as they were coÌ„maunded by the law no man was able to performe them For forasmuch as two things were required by the law First that workes should procede from fayth grace and charity Secondly that throughout and exactly they should agrée with the law and sithen the law ministred not strengthes to do these thinges there remained onely outward obseruations and ceremonies of which the Apostle sayth that they had not the power to iustifie Afterward by a firme reason he concludeth that we must not thinke that iustification is receiued by the law bicause by it commeth the knowledge Forasmuch as the law coÌ„demneth accuseth it absolueth not Righteousnes happeneth without the law of sinne Seyng therfore the law condemneth accuseth it absolueth not nor iustifieth For these two offices are contrary and repugnaunt the one to the other And these thyngs beyng thus ordered he gathereth his chiefe proposition of which he will in this epistle dispute namely that righteousnes commeth wythout the law Wherby commeth to passe that it depeÌ„deth not of it Afterward he affirmeth that the righteousnes of God which hath his testimony out of the law and the prophetes commeth by the fayth of Iesus Christ And this is all one wyth that which he proposed at the beginnyng that the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to Righteousnes by the faith of Iesus Christ euery one that beleueth and that in it is reueled the righteousnes of God froÌ„ faith to faith and that the iust man as Abacuck saith liueth by faith Thus much as touching the disposition now let vs diligently examine euery thing by it selfe In that he saith That by the workes of the law no flesh shal be iustified in the fight of God It is necessary that we know of what workes of the lawe the Apostle here intreateth And here we affirme that he speaketh vniuersally of all workes so the those thinges which are here spoken ought not perticularly to be drawen vnto ceremonies wheÌ„ as they include the whole law We grauÌ„t in dede yâ— the controuersy sproÌ„g by reasoÌ„ of ceremonies For the false Apostles went about to obtrude theÌ„ as necessary vnto theÌ„ They which say that ceremonies are nedelul affirm Christ not to be Christ which beleued in Christ As though Christ could not wtout theÌ„ bring saluation to yâ— beleuers Which was blasphemous neither was it any lesse irreligious then to deny Christ to be Christ which thing they must néedes graunt that affirme that he cannot saue men without the workes of the law But as touching morall commaundementes they contended not For as well the Apostles as the deceiuers vrged them Neither was there any controuersie about ciuill or as they call them iudiciall lawes for they pertayned vnto the publike wealth Which forasmuch as it had maiestrates the church and the Apostles tooke no care of those thinges But although the contention sprong by reason of ceremonies yet by the benefite of the Workes ar to be taken vniuersally when they are affirmed not to iustify The question was moued because of ceremonies holy ghost it came to passe that Paule reuoked the question from the species or partes vnto the vniuersall genus or generall worde For if the generall worde be by negation ouerthrowen it followeth that the species also euery parte be clene destroyed For if generally the law iustify not neither vndoubtedly shall ceremonies iustify forasmuch as they are a certaine species and a part of the lawe And that the discention began by reason of ceremonies the Actes of the Apostles do testiffe in the xv chapter And not much afterwarde in this selfe same epistle the Apostle when he would proue that Abraham was not iustified by the lawe bryngeth a reason taken from Circumcision And also to the Galathians where he rehearseth hearseth this selfe same sentence and in a maner with
the selfe same wordes that they are here when he saith We are by nature Iewes and not sinners of the Gentiles Because we know that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by the fayth of Iesus Christ. Also we haue beleued in Christ Iesus that we mighte be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe For no fleshe shall be iustified by the workes of the lawe And vndoubtedly Paule reproued not Peter but onely touchyng ceremonies And in the same place in yâ— third chapiter he writeth Haue ye receiued the spirite by the workes of the law or by preaching of fayth Are ye so foolish that hauing begonne in the spirite ye should now make an ende in the fleshe where by the workes of the law seing he expoundeth them by the flesh he manifestly vnderstandeth the ceremonies of Moses But although therehence sprang the controuersie yet was it most commodiously done for Paule to reuoke it to the genus or generall worde of workes of the law Forasmuch as the tyme should come that ceremonies being banished many would in successe of tyme attribute iustificatioÌ„ to moral workes which is most manifestly confuted by this so pithy a reason of Paule And this is to be noted that this is an argument that may be turned For euen as we may inferre that no workes of the law do iustifie therfore neither do ceremonies iustifie so contrariwise may we conclude if ceremonies iustifie not therfore neither any other part of the law forasmuch as they were the principall part of the lawe If ceremonies iustefy not neither doth the morall part instefy For they are the offices of the first and greatest commaundement I am sayth the Lord thy God Wherfore it is mete that I be worshipped of thée bothe in spirite and in outward confession not only by voyce but also by rites apointed by me Neither did those ceremonies any lesse bynde the olde fathers then do Baptisme and the Eucharist in these dayes binde vs. Wherfore euen as they most greuously sinned when they were not content with the worshipping prescribed them by God but sought new ceremonies and rites inuented by men for that was to go aboute to adde vnto the wisedome of God and that the worshippyng instituted by God was the chiefe wisdome we rede in Deut. the iiij chapter so our men do most greuously sinne when besides Baptisme and the Eucharist and those thinges which we haue deliuered vs by Christ they appoint other thyngs which meÌ„ haue inuented as worshippings of God and as necessary vnto saluation As are the masse the inuocation of saintes and such other like And that by the workes of the lawe are vnderstanded also morall workes Paule teacheth by that which followeth For by the law is the knowledge of sinne For although other partes also of the law do after a sort declare sinne yet is that chiefly the office of the morall part What groundes or principles the proper workes of the law haue A distinctioÌ„ of the workes of the law A conciliation of places repugnant Which thing is expressedly declared in the vij chap. where he writeth For I should not haue knowen what lust had bene if the law had not sayd Thou shalte not lust And this is furthermore to be noted that the workes of the law as I before said when they are taken properly haue ioyned with them fayth and charity and therfore are they not without iustification For wheresoeuer is true faith there iustificatioÌ„ followeth But the Apostle by workes of the law vnderstandeth as they were done of them beyng vnprofitable and proceding also of hipocrisie Otherwise the law in dede is spirituall wherfore the workes therof must nedes be good if they be considered as they are whole and perfect And by this meanes may we conciliate those places which as touching this thing seme in the holy scriptures to be repugnant Moses said that he did set before the Iewes life when he spake of the lawe And in the 119. psalme Dauid prayeth oftentimes that God would quicken him with If the fathers at any tyme attribute righteousnes vnto good works that is to be vnderstand by reason of faith which they haue as a roote his commaundements and with his law And in this selfe same epistle the law is called both good and spirituall and the commaundement holy and good But on the contrary side Paule calleth it the ministery of death in the next chapter he saith that it worketh anger and againe that it sheweth sinne and therfore condemneth and accuseth So must we vnderstand the fathers also when they ascribe so excellent thinges vnto workes For they take them ioyned with faith grace and the holy ghost And so they ascribe vnto them eternall life and other suche like things which are vnderstanded to be geuen vnto them by reason of faith and the spirite And to declare the same this is a very apt similitude We say that man is reasonable vnto whome yet we ascribe reason not because of the body but because of the soule which is included in the body So when iustification semeth to be ascribed vnto workes we must vnderstaÌ„d yâ— that is done by reason of faith wherunto workes By faith alone we are iustefied which yet is neuer alone which are in very dede good do chiefly lene But we when we wil speake of iustification ought to bring forth our sentence prospicuously expressedly Wherefore we say yâ— iustification coÌ„meth by faith only which faith yet we confesse is neuer alone For if it be a true faith it ought alwais to haue good workes ioyned with it But the holy fathers spake hyperbollically of workes to the ende to stirre vp The fathers spake hyperboilically of workes Fayth as it is a worke iustifieth not men more and more to vse them But they are so to be vnderstanded as I haue sayd vnles we will leaue them without Christ But some obiect that fayth also it selfe is a worke of the lawe Therefore we answere that as it is our worke comming out of our will and vnderstanding it iustifieth not Because it is feble and weake For none beleueth so much as he ought neyther so strongly cleaueth vnto God as he should do But when fayth is sayd to iustifye it is taken for his obiect namely Christ and the promises of God Neyther is fayth that The power of iustifâ—ing is to be r 〈…〉 erred to his obiect A similitude thing which iustifyeth but the instrument whereby iustification is receaued Neyther must we thinke that by the worthynes thereof it is of it selfe sufficient to iustifie a man A most euident similitude may be brought as touching a begger which with his weake hand or peraduenture with his hand enfected with leprosy receaueth almes And that benefite is not weighed according to the weakenes or disease of the hand which receaueth it but according to the quantity of the monye which is geuen Wherefore
will and by that meanes is sinne made more greeuous And of this we reade Let not sinne raigne in youre mortall body After that followeth custome and by the bonds thereof are we more streightly bound vnder the rule of sinne so that it is in a maner impossible to ouercome an vse now inueterated For as Esay sayth An Ethiopian can not change his skinne Lastly the vngodly are sometymes brought to that poynte that they sinne agaynst the holy ghost vnto which sinne forgeuenes is vtterly denied as Christ hath taught vs in the Gospell And Ieremy was commaunded not to pray any more for the people Sinne also might be deuided into thoughts words and deedes What sinne is agaynst the law of God And of all these the law instructeth vs. And sinne generally is to stray from the commaundement of the lawe as archers when they hit not the marke which way so euer it be do fayle and misse wherefore seing To deparâ— from the Image of God is sinne man was made vnto the Image of God in his life and maners to expresse the nature and disposition of him whensoeuer he misseth of that he sinneth But this benefite to be admonished and accused of our wicked actes bringeth not with it an absolute profite when as of our selues we are not able to auoide those thinges whereof we be accused nor to performe those thinges whereof we be admonished Therefore we must see that we haue a regard vnto Christ vnto whome we are by the law brought And this is to be marked that these thinges are chiefely written of the lawe by an antithesis or comparison vnto fayth For if the lawe be taken by it selfe it is so farre of from geuing vnto vs righteousnes and honour that it maketh vs naked and layeth open whatsoeuer filthynes we haue committed so that by it we get nothing but confusion Which thing yet happeneth not through the defaulte of the lawe but through the default of our mynde because the lawe lighteth vpon it being corrupt and bent to euill thinges For we are prone to do all thinges which are repugnant vnto the law of God For it commaundeth that we should put our trust in god but we trust to our selues It commaundeth that we should be seruisable vnto our neighbour but our desire is that all men might be our seruantes And when with vnbrideled lust we rushe vpon these and such like sinnes the law of God setteth it selfe agaynst vs as doth a stoppe against a strong streame against which when the water commeth it swelleth and is made more violent For as the saying is Nitimur in vetitum cupimus negata that is we indeuour our selues to that which is forbidden vs and couet the thinges that are An excâ—lleÌ„t benefite of the law denyed vs. All which thinges notwithstanding yet is it an excellent benefite of God which is geuen vnto vs by it namely to know our selues Neyther must we thinke that we want that benefite for that we are sayde in the holy scriptures to be by Christ deliuered from the lawe For that is not to be vnderstanded simplye For the abrogation of the lawe is two maner of wayes One is The abrogation of the lawe two maner of wayes whereby we are not bound to performe those thinges which are commaunded As we see is of iudiciall commaundementes and ceremonies Which thing is not to be vnderstanded of the morall commaundementes Christ sayth that he came not to breake the lawe but rather to fulfill it And Paule sayth what then do we by fayth abolishe the lawe God forbid Yea rather we establishe the law There is an other abrogation of the law whereby the law is letted that it can not accuse vs as guiltye And so is the morall part also vnderstanded to be abolished But if we will speake more vprightly the law is not abrogated but the domination In what sense the law is sayd to be abrogated How the lawe is not geuen vnto the iust maÌ„ or power which followeth it so that we must thinke that the stinge rather thereof is plucked out then that it is all whole taken away That is true indeede which is written vnto Timothe that vnto the iust man the law is not geueÌ„ Because as Augustine writeth in his booke De spiritu litera Who woulde prescribe a lawe vnto hym whiche of hys owne wyll and accorde dothe and executeth those thynges whiche pertayne vnto ryghteousnesse Wherefore his iudgement is that iust men vse the lawe towardes others whome they instruct in driuing it into theyr hedes and diligently setting it before them to stirre them vp to repentance And forasmuch as the Apostle seameth to haue spoken thinges repugnant for on the one fyde he affirmeth that the lawe is not set vnto the iust maÌ„ and on the other side he sayth it is good so that a man vse it lawfully But none vseth it lawfully but only the iust man Augustine conciliateth them after A conciliation this maner that a man may haue the good vse of the law being not yet iustified but by the helpe thereof tendeth to iustification which thing he laboreth Two similitudes by two similitudes to proue It happeneth sayth he that a man goyng to a place is caried in a chariot and when he is once come to the place he leaueth the chariot And children that are yong beginners haue a scholemaister appointed them but when they are once perfect the scholemaister is taken away from them So sayth he whilest a man is called backe from sinnes and goeth forwarde vnto righteousnes the lawe is profitable vnto hym But when he hath once attayned vnto righteousnesse he is deliuered from it and extendeth the vse thereof towardes others But yet ought we not to deny but that they also whiche are conuerted vnto Christ are by the lawe dayly more Euen they also that are iustified are instructed by the lawe of God and more instructed There still remayneth muche of the fleshe and ouermuche darcknes ouer couereth our senses and vnderstandyng so long as wes lyue here Wherefore the vse of the lawe is not superfluous towardes them also whiche are iustified And forasmuche as we are not fullye renued in that there still remayneth so me parte of the olde man and dayly false do still steale vppon vs bothe vnwares vnto vs and also agaynst our willes the lawe findeth in vs matter both to reproue and also to accuse althoughe by the benefite of Christe it can not reach to condemnation Which vndoubtedly it should doo as touching his owne nature if we were not nowe by fayth iustified By this place let vs note what it is with fruite to reade the Scriptures especiallye those places wherein the lawe is written For it is not sufficient diligently and How we must reade the law of God A similitude curiously to read them vnles we do in them as it were in a glasse behold with how many and how great sinnes we are
oppressed Otherwise it shall bee all one to bee occupied in them as to marke what Liui Aristotle Salust Plutarche and other writers haue left in writing But now without the law is the righteousnes of God made manifest beyng confirmed by the testimony of the law and of the prophetes Here is expressedly put forth the question wherof he will afterward entreat And thereof he putteth two partes Of which the one is that the righteousnes of God is without the law made manifest The other is that it is obtained by the faith of Iesus Christ And Paule affirmeth that this righteousnes of God hath the testimonye both of the law and of the prophets This is it which he proposed at the beginning that by the Gospell is reueled the righteousnes of God from saith to faith And in that he writeth that this manifestation is done without the law he vnderstādeth without helpe of the law being obserued but onely by the hearing of faith Which The righteousnes of God threefold selfe thing he affirmed vnto the Galathians when he said Haue ye receiued the holy ghost by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith The righteousnes of God as I haue in an other place declared is thréefold The first is wherby we are through Christ receiued into fauour and our sinnes are forgeuen vs and the righteousnes of Christ is imputed vnto vs. And the second kind of righteousnes followeth this namely that thorough helpe of the holy ghost our minde is reformed and we all whole are inwardly renewed by grace Thirdly follow holy and godly workes for they which are once come thus far are most zelous and desirous of working well Now then Paule entreateth of the first righteousnes whiche he saith is declared in vs without the law And he calleth it the righteousnes of God because it is gotten thorough his power and goodnes and not thorough our owne workes And if a man do more narowly consider it it is the mercy of God which he bestoweth vpon vs thorough Christ And I haue in an other place admonished that that which the Hebrues call Tsedech and our men haue turned righteousnes signifieth rather goodnes and mercy And therefore to this day the Iewes call almes by that name And Ambrose vpon this place is of the selfe same mynd For he sayth Therefore is Ambrose Why the mercy of God is called righteousnes that called the righteousnes of God which semeth to be the mercy of God because it hath his originall beginning of Gods promise and when that promise is performed it is called the righteousnes of God For therfore is it the righteousnes of God because that is rendered which was promised Also whē he receiueth those which fly vnto him it is called rightousnes For one not to receiue him that flieth vnto him it is iniquity Thus much Ambrose But we must not harken vnto them which in this place do interprete these wordes Without the law for without the ceremonies of the lawe For we haue before shewed that althoughe the question was moued by reason of them yet hath Paule entreated of the lawe generally so that it comprehendeth all the partes of the law They seme not much to ouershoote themselues which by the righteousnes Christ the righteousnes of God of God vnderstande Christ for whatsoeuer pertayneth to iustification that same commeth from him vnto vs when we beleue in hym Betwene the righteousnes of God and ours Paule plainly putteth a difference when he saith in this self same The manifestation of the righteousnes of God happened chiefly in the tyme of the Apostles The order and maner of the preaching of the Apostles Epistle Being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and seeking to establishe theyr owne they are not subiecte vnto the righteousnes of God But that we may the better vnderstand what this manifestation of the rightousnes of God is which then happened chieflye when Paule wrote these thinges it must thus be vnderstanded that we must haue a regarde what manner of preaching the Apostles vsed As farre as we can gather out of the sermons of the Apostles as they are set forth in the Actes of the Apostles First they preached repentaunce setting before mens eyes their sinnes and condemnation wherin men were wrapped then they gathered together the proprieties and conditions of Christ which should heale these euils and that out of the holy scriptures Thirdly they applied the same proprieties and conditions vnto Iesus of Nazareth to allure men vnto his fayth And suche as hearyng these things beleued the same obteyned of God remission of their sinnes Inwardly they were made new and outwardly they liued moste holily resembling the image of God to which mankynde was made With perseuerance they called vppon God communicating together in prayers breakyng of bread all holye workes They stedfastly did put their trust in God as they which were vtterly destitute of all other helpe They nothing regarded worldly riches laying the price of their things and money at the féete of the Apostles They stoutely bare a good testimonye vnto Why the righteousnes of God is said to be made manifest without the law Christ reioycing that they suffred greuous thinges for hys names sake Lastly in this quarell they cherefully shed theyr bloud bestowed theyr life And the world seyng those thinges could not but be moued and acknowledge that a new kynde of righteousnes appeared on the earth And because amongest them were Ethenikes which had no knowledge at all of the law therfore the Apostle sayth Without the law Also many of the Hebrewes were called who although they knew the law yet they nothyng at all regarded it And it was all one as if they had not had the law There came some also which liued very vprightly and were moste zelous in the study of the law as Nathaniell whome Christ pronounced to be a true Israelite in whom there was no guile And these were iustified without the law for that obseruation of the law which they performed was not the cause why they were iustified The lawe in déede may be a helpe vnto iustification because it admonisheth vs and accuseth vs by whiche meanes we are dryuen vnto Christe But for as muche as it hathe not the strengthe to forgeue synnes to geue the The law helpeth vnto iustification but it is not the cause thereof A conciliation holye Ghoste to suggest faythe into the hartes of the hearers therefore Paule saythe righte well That we are iustified wythout the lawe Augustine in hys booke de spiritu litera saith that the Apostle seemeth to speake thynges repugnaunt For he affyrmeth that the righteousnes of God whereof he nowe speaketh had his testimonye of the lawe and the Prophetes and yet be saythe that it was made manifeste without the lawe But he aunswereth that there is here in verye deede no contradiction if a man rightly distinct those thinges which are here spoken For
therefore Paule excludeth the law because it poureth not in grace neither is the cause of iustification although this righteousnes whereof he speaketh hath his testimony of it Wherefore in his first booke and 8. chapt De gratia Christi contra Coelestium Pelagium he sheweth that this sentence is thus to be pronounced namely The righteousnes of A sondry distinction in this sentence God without the law and then to adde seuerally by it selfe is nowe made manifeste So that this particle without the law is referred vnto righteousnes and not vnto these woordes made manifest But this doth not verye well agree with the woordes of Paule although that which he sayth be most true But this is woorthy of notinge that Augustine in the same place sayth that this aduerbe of time now is not so to be taken as thoughe the olde fathers in the lawe of nature and This aduerbe of time Now howe Augustine vnderstandeth it An erroure of the Pelagians in the law of Moses had not saluation by Christ and obteyned not this righteousnes without the law The Pelagians vndoubtedly were of this opinioÌ„ that many had saluation before Moses time by the lawe of nature whiche shined moste brightly in theyr hartes which being afterward obscured the law of Moses succéeded like vnto the Moone because it brought light but not altogether absolute Last of all came Christ whose light shineth as bright as the sunne And so they affirmed that the old fathers wer saued without Christ and without his grace because Christ was not as yet come But they were muche deceaued for that The elders were iustefied not without Christ but by hym they thought that the fayth of a thinge to come serueth not to saluation when as yet we at this day beleue the resurrection of the dead the last iudgement and life eternall which are thinges to come and by this fayth are we holpen So the elders by theyr fayth in Christ to come receaued as much benefite as touching iustification as we now do which are born after his comming For the merites of the crosse of Christ and of his bloude are not thinges duringe but for a time Wherefore Christ sayd of Abraham that he desyred to see his day and saw it and reioysed Farther Paule sayth As in Adam all men dye so in Christ all men are made on lyue And he most plainely writeth vnto Timothe that Christ is the onelye mediator betwene God and men Therefore then also before his comminge into the sleshe he gaue righteousnes without the law vnto men whiche beleued in him And thys woord now which the Apostle here hath is to be referred vnto the manifestatioÌ„ For indeede this righteousnes was before but it lay hiddeÌ„ and very few had it In the olde time righteousnes was by fayth but now it is declared more amply and aâ—ertly Fayth is the instrument wher with righteousnes is comprehended But now is it publikely and openly knowne vnto the whole world And this is it that at the death of Christ the vaile of the Temple did rente and was made open so that those things which before were hidden were now made manifest The Apostle hauing in this place put foorth a question most largely to be entreced of vseth therein great perspicuity And that whiche he purposeth is deuided into two partes For in the one he denieth that by the lawe commeth our righteousnes And in the other he affirmeth that it is geuen vs by the fayth of Iesus Christ Wherefore his meaning is that fayth is the instrument whereby thys righteousnes is appreheÌ„ded And he excludeth the law from which sentence the world excedingly abhorreth for that the world knoweth of none other righteousnes but of that which commeth by good woorkes But men ought to consider The world is offended bycause the Law is excluded froÌ„ iustificatioÌ„ The principles and groundes of good woorkes in men are corrupt Christ is vulgarly thought to be the mosâ— excellent lawgeuer from whence those good woorkes do procéede which they would so fayne haue to iustify They will say from reason and the will But if these twayne be vitiated and corrupted by whom shall they be corrected They haue nothing to say but by God But before he wil correct it it is necessary that he be merciful and pacefied towards vs. But he is not pacefied but by the death bloud of Christe Of which things when we through fayth take hold we are truely said as Paule affyrmeth to be iustified by fayth without the law Commonlye it is thought yâ— that Christ is a lawgeuer which hath by his appointed and decreed thinges of most excellency and most profitable And how excellent the things are which he hath commaunded they gather out of the 5. 6. and 7. chapters of Mathew where is red that not onely murther is prohibited but also wrath and anger against our neighbour And commaundement is there geueÌ„ that he which hath any offence agaynst an other should leue his gift at the altar and go and reconcile himselfe vnto his brother He commaundeth also that we should in the way be at agreemeÌ„t wyth our aduersary Neither forbiddeth he periury onely but also any othe And although in the law be permitted An eye for an eye A tooth for a tooth yet Christ commaundeth that we should not resist euell Also in the law adultery is prohibited but Christ hath also forbidden the lustfull lookinge vpon a womaÌ„ And he restrayned those which would for euery slight cause put away theyr wynes Of these thinges they inferre that Christe in his lawes hath commaunded things more perfect theÌ„ the law of Moses commaunded And that his lawes were more commodious then the lawes of Moses hereby they proue because he abrogated ceremonies which were very hard to be obserued neither could they easely be obserued of all nations We graunt indeede that by the comminge of Christ ceremonies were taken away because the signification of them is nowe fulfilled But that Christe gaue new lawes we vtterly deny He indéede did interprete the law of Moses and reproued the error of the Scribes and of the Pharisies which thought that none but the grosser kind of sinnes were repugnante vnto the law he teacheth yâ— the commaundemeÌ„ts of God ar far otherwise to be vnderstaÌ„ded theÌ„ they ether vnderstood theÌ„ theÌ„selues or expouÌ„ded theÌ„ vnto others Wherfore he left the law as he found it and executed that which belongeth vnto hys office which was to be made an oblation and sacrifice for sinnes and to geue What was the office of Christ remission of sinnes and righteousnes by imputatioÌ„ and the holy ghost and grace Wherfore Iohn Baptist declaring the office of Christ when he shewed hym with hys fynger sayed Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world These things make against the Anabaptistes whiche make the Gospel to be nothing but good workes and a most absolute conuersation These men know not
as generally spoken when as in all men there nether is nor appeareth any such righteousnes But his wordes are contracted vnto those which beleue vnto the elect I say and sanctified Which thing the words of the Apostle sufficiently declare If this sentence should be vnderstanded altogether vniuersally then this manifestation could not be referred but vnto the preaching This vniuersality may haue a respect vnto the preaching which is set forth vnto all men hauing no respect either of persons or estates for so Christ warned the Apostles to preach the Gospell to all creatures and generally addeth whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But the first sense is both true and also more perspicuous He afterward addeth a reason why this righteousnes is made manifest vnto all vpon all that beleue Because sayth he All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God That forasmuch as they want righteousnes of their owne they might receaue it at the handes of God There are none so holy but that as sayth Ambrose this place conuinceth them to be sinners forasmuche as this righteousnes geuen of God hath place in all and vpon all But this phrase is to be noted Are destitute of the glory of God By it some thinke is to be vnderstāded the The glory of god somtimes signifieth his dwelling in vs. dwelling of God in vs bycause men were seperated from him nether had they him ioyned vnto them by grace And that the glory of God expresseth this maner of dwelling hereby it is manifest for that the Arke of the couenant is called the glory of God Wherefore when it was taken by the Philistians the glorye of God was sayd to be taken away Others thinke that Paule by the glorye of God vnderstandeth the perfect and true righteousnes which comming from God is iudged glory or that whereby we glorifye God And forasmuch as glory What glory is is nothing els but a prayse most aboundantly published Paule by a figuratiue kinde of speach calleth the most singular giftes of God the glory of God for which giftes we both prayse and celebrate his name so that the thing hath by the figure Metonomia the name of the propriety which followeth it But in my iudgement it semeth that Paule would declare by these wordes that all men in theyr corrupt nature were reiected and that he chiefely reproueth rites sacrifices and workes of the lawe in which they thought the glory of God chiefly to consist For he sheweth that they in very deede were destitute of the glory of God although they were altogether full of their ceremonyes And are iustified freely by his grace Here we haue what that meaneth the righteousnes of God to be made manifest without the lawe namely to be geuen freely And Paule laboring to shew that in iustification is no consideration had of our workes semeth to shew that he neuer satisfieth hymselfe So many wordes heapeth he vp which signifieth one and the selfe same thing For We measure the righteousnes of God by our own righteousnes he saw what a hard thing it is to be beleued of vs which will our selues do nothing freely and by our owne measure do measure the righteousnes of God as though he also would not geue his righteousnes freely Out of this kinde of speach ought to be gathered this common sentence that by fayth only we are iustified And although this word only be not found in the holy scriptures yet is it necessarily inferred of those things which we there reade as Ambrose most Ambrose sayth by fayth onely playnly noteth in this place writing vōp these words saying We do nothyng we recompēce not by fayth only are we iustified which is the gift of God He was not content to say that we are iustified by fayth only but he addeth also other clauses whereby he might more playnly declare the same The selfe same thing writeth Basilius also in his booke De confessione fidei We sayth he haue nothing whereof Basilius was of the same iudgement we may make our boast concerning righteousnes forasmuch as we are iustified only hy fayth in Christ. Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though the fayth wherby we are iustified were alone that is not adorned with good holy works but because our workes though they be neuer so holy are not causes of the true righteousnes The like similitude is shewed in water wherin moistnes and coldnes are ioyned together but to washe away blots and spots properly belongeth to moistnes and not to coldnes Wherefore this is a false argument ab accidente whē as two things being ioyned together that which belongeth to the one is ascribed vnto the other But as touching this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being iustified being a participle of the nominatiue case it is to be referred vnto that which was a little before spoken For all haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God as though he should haue sayd they which were such are iustified freely By his grace by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth a propitiator by fayth Here Paule expresseth those thinges which by fayth we embrace when we are iustified and sheweth that by fayth he vnderstandeth the obiectes which by it are apprehended And when he sayth by grace he sheweth that he entreateth of a farre other maner of righteousnes then is that which is gotten by workes and he most manifestly excludeth the conditions We are not iustified rashely or by chaunce of the lawe And when we heare that we are iustified fréely and by grace we must not thinke that the same is done rashely or by chance forasmuch as it is tempered by the rule of the election of God The causes and reasons whereof although they be vnknowen vnto vs yet are they knowen vnto God And seing that in respect of hym the same is not done by chaunce we ought not to affirme that men are iustified b◠chance And euē as chaunce is to be takē away so also ought we to banishe necessitye least we should seeme to admitte fate or desteny For God is not compelled to chuse this man more thē that man But whatsoeuer he geueth he geueth it freely and without compulsion By the redemption Hereby appeareth that we are manumitted by Christ and made his free men For we were bond men cast into the prison of sinne Who are redemed death and the deuill But Christ hath fully payd the price for vs and that no small price for he hath shed his owne bloud for vs and geuen his life That is sayd to be redemed which before was both free and also pertayned vnto vs. We were the peculiar people of God and through our owne default we were sold vnder sinne This phrase here of the Apostle manifestly declareth how litle we ought to ascribe vnto free will before we be by the redemption of Christ set at liberty And
whiche sinnes were sayd to be purged but baptised them into repentaunce to the forgeuenes of sinnes adioyning therunto doctrine wherein he made mention of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Gost Which thing vndoubtedly the high Priestes and Scribes and Phariseys coulde in no case abyde that he reiecting the ceremonies which were receaued shoulde put in their place a new maner of purging Wherefore they sent a Messenger vnto him to aske of him whither he were the Messias or Elias or the Prophet as it were confessing that vnder the Messias it should come to passe that the ceremonies of the law should be abolished the the same was not lawfull for other mē to doo And if a man demaūd why God gaue ceremonies which should afterwarde be abolished Chrisostome hath thereof a very apt similitude If a man haue a wyfe very prone to lafciuiousnes he shutteth her vp in certayne places in chambers I say and parlers so that shee cannot wander abroade at her pleasure He appointeth vnto her moreouer Eunuches wayting maydes and handmaides most diligentlye to haue an eye vnto her So delte God with the Iewes He tooke them vnto him at the beginnyng as a spouse as it is said in the Prophet I haue wedded thee with mercy and with loue And by this natiō his wil was at cōueniēt tyme to enstruct the whole world Which thing he did by the Apostls when Christ was now departed frō the earth But that people was very weake and feble and aboue measure prone to adulteries of idolatry Wherfore God seperated them from other nations and would haue them to dwell in the land of Chanaan aparte by themselues and to be kept in on euery side with ceremonies and rites as it were by scholemaisters vntill this spouse was so strengthened and confirmed that her fayth was no more had in suspicion Which thing when husbandes perceiue in their wyues they suffer them to go at their pleasure whither they will and to be conuersant with menne neither do they any more set any kepers to watche them So God when he had nowe by Christ geuen vnto the church the holy ghost he remoued away from it the custodye of ceremonies and sent forth his faithfull to preach throughout the whole world The selfe same father proueth in an other place that the ceremonies and rites of the Iewes were not instituted of God of a principall entente and purpose For God woulde haue a people which should worship him in spirite and in truth But the Israelites which had bene conuersant in Egipt and had contaminated themselues with idolatry woulde needes in any wise haue both sacrifices and ceremonies so that if these sacrifices and rites had not bene permitted vnto them they would haue bene redy to turne to idolatry Wherefore God so A similitude delt with them as the maner of a wise phisition is to do who lighting vpon one sicke of a burnyng agew whiche by reason of his wonderfull great heate requireth in any wyse to haue some colde water geuen him and if he haue none geuen him he is redy to hang himselfe or by some other meanes to destroy himselfe in this case the phisition beyng by necessity cōpelled commaundeth to be brought a viole full of water which he himself hath prepared and geueth the sicke man leaue to drinke but yet with suche a charge that he drinke out of nothing els but out of that viall So God graunted vnto the Hebrewes sacrifices and ceremonies but yet so that they should not exercise them otherwise then he himselfe had commaunded them And that this is true he hereby proueth For that God gaue not ceremonies vntill alter they had made the golden caife God prescribed not ceremonies but when he had made open his wrath against the Israelites who hurling in theyr braselets earinges and ringes caused a calfe to be made for them which they worshipped And seyng it is so Paul saith rightly when he sayth that the law is not by faith abolished although those ceremonies be taken away Which sentence Christ also confirmeth when he saith that he came not to take away the law but to fulfill it The sence of which wordes may easely be gathered out of those thinges which we haue before spoken The reasons which afterward follow are brought to confirme this proposition now alledged namely That man is iustified by faith and that without the workes of the law Hetherto when as at the beginning Here is repeated the methode or order which the Apostle hath hether to kept the Apostles had set forth that by the Gospell and the faith of Christ commeth saluation and righteousnes he vsed this reason that whersoeuer the Gospel and faith want there is most great vnrighteousnes and vncleannes of life but on the contrary side where these haue place there is both righteousnes and true holines Therfore by them saith he come saluation and iustification The Minor or second proposition was proued chiefly as touching the first parte For first the Gentles liued most filthely although they knew God by the nature of things Farther the Iewes were not in their conuersation one whit better then the Gentles And this done he declareth wherehence the true righteousnes should be sought for t namely of faith without workes Which thing before he would proue he thought it good to confute an obiection namely that by faith he ouerthroweth not the law but rather by faith confirmeth it This selfe same thing is obiected vnto vs in our dayes that by faith which with the Apostle we affirme to iustifie we ouerthrowe all honest and holy workes Of this thing do they cry out which defend the worke wrought in the sacramentes which boast of workes of supererogation whiche defend purgatory inuocation of saintes and obtrude vowes and sole life What shall we answer to these things Paul sayth y◠he by faith abrogateth not the law but rather confirmed it In which wordes he geueth a reuerence to the ceremonies instituted of God which for their tyme were of necessity obeyed especially for the they were founded vpon the word of God But we can not so say as touching those things which we are accused to haue ouerthrowen Bicause they are abuses and mere superstitions In this disputacion the condition of Paul and ours is diuerse which are vtterly repugnaunt vnto the worde of God Wherfore we confesse that these thinges we ouerthrow by the fayth of Christ and doctrine of the Gospell Now haue we heard the purpose and state of the question which shall be entreated of which we ought continually to haue before our eyes so that vnto it must we referre whatsoeuer is sayd in this whole discourse And this shal be with fruite to heare those thinges which the Apostle writeth The fourth Chapter VVHat shal we say then that Abraham our Father hath found concerning the flesh For if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God
things But we speake so of sacramentes as Paule now speaketh of circumcision Now because we haue sufficiently spokē of the word we will adde the definition of a sacrament Definition of a sacrament What a signe is and this definition is most receaued A sacrament is a visible forme or a visible signe of an inuisible grace And that is called a signe which besides the forme which it offreth vnto the senses bringeth some other thing into our knowledge And a signe as Augustine writeth and the master of the sentences affirmeth is deuided into a naturall signe and a signe geuen Smoke is a naturall signe of fyre and cloudes a naturall signe Distinction of a signe Thinges signified haue theyr distinction by diuersities of times of fyre and cloudes a naturall signe of rayne But a signe geuen and appoynted of the will is diuers as letters wordes gestures beckes and many such like And these signes may pertayne to diuers and sondry senses But the things that are signified are eyther thinges past thinges present or thinges to come The tables of the lawe the Manna the rodde of Aaron which were kept signified thinges past For God would haue these thinges to remayne as certayne monumentes of thinges past Other signes betoke thinges to come as the raynebow in the cloudes which was geuen in the tyme of Nohe the flese of Gedeon and the shadow of the Sunne which in the tyme of Ezechias the king went backward Sometimes are signified thinges present as in the garments of the priestes in the apparell of the Leuites in the ornamētes of magistrates and in the miracles of Christ For all these signified the present power of God Our sacramentes are visible signes not indede of theyr owne nature but geuen vnto vs by the will of God and they pertayne to many senses For the wordes which are set forth in the sacramentes are receaued with the eares but the notes and outward simboles are perceaued eyther by sight or féeling or smelling or tasting and they demonstrate both thinges present thinges past and thynges to come for the death of Christ is represented in them which is now past and the promise and gift of God which in the mynde and by fayth is presently embraced and the purenes of lyfe and mortification and duties of charity which are afterward to be performed of vs. By those thinges it is manifest what maner of signes we put to be sacramentes But it may séeme to be sufficiēt to take that definition which Paule here vseth namely to say that Definition of a Sacramentout of this place of Poule What is the chiefest◠promise which is sealed in a sacrament sacramentes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sealinges of the righteousnes of fayth For they seale the promises by which so that fayth be adioyned vnto them we are iustifyed If a man demaund what it is that God promiseth vnto vs to aunswere briefely it is that he will be our God which thing where it taketh place saueth vs maketh vs blessed happy This is the promise which is by diuers outward simbols sealed in the sacramentes Which thing we haue in the boke of Genesis the 17. chapter where circumcision is geuen whereby was confirmed the couenant made betwene God and Abraham The summe of that promise was as we haue sayd that God would be his God and the God of hys séede Which selfe same thing Ieremy also testefieth of the new couenant of the Gospell where he sayth that the lawes shoulde not only be written in the bowelles and hartes of the beleuers but also that God would be vnto them theyr God and they agayne on the other side shoulde be vnto hym his people That also we well allowe Sacramentes consist of two thinges We must haue a consideration vnto the analogy of the signe vnto the thing signified We must also kepe a diuersity betwene the signe and the thinge signified which is commonly sayd that the sacramentes consist of two thinges namely of outward signes which the scholemen count for the matter and of the thing signified Which is chiefely expressed by the words adioyned vnto the simbols out of which we may gather the forme Which is not so to be vnderstand as though those thinges which are signified are bound to the outward signes or lye hidden vnder them otherwise as many as should receaue the outward clementes should together therewithall receaue the thinges signified And it is necessary that betwene the signe and the thing signified there be kept some analogy that is proportion and conueniency For if signes had no similitude with those thinges that are signified then shoulde they not be signes of them And yet notwythstandyng wyth thys conformity is styll to be kept a diuersity betweene that which is signified and those thinges whiche signifye Whiche thinge Augustine moste manifestly teacheth agaynste Maximinus the Arrian in hys 3 boke where he sayth that Sacramēts are one thing signify an other thing Wherby oftentymes it commeth to passe that these things which are attributed vnto the Oftētimes are thinges spoken of signes which are not agreable with theyr nature A place out of the epistle of Iohn signes agree in no case with the nature of them but onelye are to bee referred vnto the thinges by them signified And he citeth a place out of the epistle of Iohn where thys thing is manifestly shewed For he saith y◠there are thrée things which bear witnes bloud water and the spirite and these thrée saith he are one This can by no meanes be true if we haue a consideration to the nature of bloud water and the spirite For these things are not one as they vse to speake in essence or in kinde But this verily agréeth with the father the sonne and the holy ghost which are the thing signified And that thing which Augustine here writeth may we easely perceaue in the sacramēts which we now entreate of in which the properties of the signes and of the thing of the sacrament are put one for an other Now that I haue sufficiently spoken of the name and definition and also of the matter and forme of the sacraments there resteth to speake of the finall and efficient cause of them The end of the sacramentes The ende for which the sacraments were instituted is that our mynde being admonished by the senses might be stirred vp and by faith take holde of the promises of God and so be inflamed with a desire to attaine vnto them For we sée y◠signes tend to no other ende but to transferre and to imprint those things which we our selues haue in our mindes into the minde of an other man that therby he may be made the more certaine of our meaning and will And this is not cōmonly done but in matters of great weight For if they be but light matters we are not accustomed to confirme them with signes But in things of great importance they are To
And before in this epistle by the law is said to come the knowledge of sinne Wherfore a man may not without iust cause meruaile what moued Paul to write so like things so oftentymes of the lawe But we oughte to consider that it is moste What was Paules entente when he wrote of the law lykely that in the primitiue church when Christ beganne euery where to be receued the deuill craftely inuented an other new deuise to extol the law by all manner of meanes that it mought be had in estimation not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentles that in the mean time Christian religion mought be weakened and cleane taken away And he blinded the eyes of men that none should haue an eye vpon Christ which was the end of the law And lest any man should by often reading of the law attaine to any commoditie he found the meanes that mē gaue themselues to brawling about wordes and old wiues questions Wherefore Paul was brought to this point that either he must reiect the lawe of God or els haue wincked at the lettes of the Gospell Wherfore by great aduise he teacheth thrée thinges For first considering the law of God by it self and in his owns nature he with worthy praises extolleth it and therewithall sheweth what euils by it come vnto vs thorough our owne default Secondly he teacheth that Christ is the ende of the law last of al he cutteth of brawlings contencions disputations and vnprofitable questions and which make nothyng to the purpose These self same things in a maner happen also in our tymes Our aduersaries cry out Good workes good workes as though we were agaynst them Farther they wyll not that the people As the false Apostles pretended the defence of the law so do our aduersaries now pretend the defence of good works What we must teache concerning good woorkes What they are that are the instrumentes of the deuell should vnderstād the mercy grace of God benefite of Christ Lastly they continually braule contend to hinder the iust reformation of the church so continually prolong the tyme to the ende nothyng shoulde be put in execution But let vs learne of Paul how we may warely and wisely resist them Let vs leaue vnto good workes their dignitie but yet not in such sorte to attribute more vnto them then either the truth and holy scriptures will suffer or els is agreable with our weake nature Farther let vs as plainly as we can out of the holy scriptures declare the grace of God and benefite of Christ Lastly let vs abstayne from superfluous and contentious questions By these wayes and meanes may we well withstand the deuill Neither doth the diuell these things by himselfe but alwayes findeth instrumentes apte for his wicked purpose whome Paule calleth deceitfull workers which transforme themselues into aungels of light and euery where sowe discordes and offences bewitching mē that are in the ryght course and leadyng men from Christ to estimation of themselues He calleth them moreouer thynges cut of dogges enemies of the crosse of Christ whose God is the belly and end destruction which wyll be teachers of the law and yet in the meane tyme know not what they affirme and speake whiche by a fayned modesty and affliction of the flesh and worshippyng of angels and religion of themselues deuised take away from men the reward of saluation which after they haue fallen away from the loue which procedeth from a pure hart a good conscience and an vnfeined faith turne themselues to vayne speaches and range and creepe abrode like a canker which although in wordes they say they know God yet in dedes they deny hym With these coulours doth the Apostle paint forth false ministers against whome he had muche to do Vnto whome they are not vnlike which in our dayes withstand the restoryng of religion Hitherto he hath vsed reasons ab absurdo that is driuing to an absurditie If the inheritaunce should consist of the law then should faith be vayne and the promise of none effect and to affirme either of them were very absurd His argument he hereby proued for that the law worketh anger and is alwayes ioyned with some transgression Now he proueth by a direct reason that the inheritaunce consisteth of faith namely that it might be of grace to the ende the promise should be firme As if he should haue sayd it behoueth that the nature of Gods promises be kept For such is the nature thereof that it be certayne and come fréely But it can not be certayne and come fréely vnlesse we be made heyres by fayth and not by the lawe Therfore is the inheritaunce geuen by fayth that it might come by grace and that the promise might be firme to all the sede not to that onely which is of the law but also to that which is of the fayth of Abraham who is the father of vs all as it is written I haue made thee a father of many nations accordyng to the example of God whome he beleued who restoreth to lyfe the dead and calleth those thinges which are not as though they were Whiche aboue hope beleued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations accordyng to that which was spoken vnto hym So shall thy seede be And he not weake in fayth considered not his owne body which was now dead beyng almost an hundreth yeare olde neyther the deadnes of Saraes wombe Neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strengthned in faythe gaue glory to God beyng full assured that he which had promised was also able to do it And therefore it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnes Therfore is the inheritaunce geuen by faith By this place we sée that to To haue a thing by fayth is to haue it freely attaine to any thing by faith is with Paul nothing els but to haue it fréely Wherfore it ought not to seme meruailous that we haue oftētimes inculcated that to be iustified by fayth is to be vnderstande of the obiect of fayth that is of the mercy and promise that we may be iustified fréely Chrisostome sayth if the promise should come of the law we should not nede that saluation which we obteyne by fayth and grace But In Abrahā a double posterity now where as the Apostle saith that the promise oughte to be firme vnto all the sede of Abraham that ought to be vnderstanded both of the Iewes and also of the Gentles as though in Abraham were a double posteritie And this is chiefly to be noted which here is alleaged of the certaintie of the promise For that may not either be wauerynge or doubtfull For that whyche we apprehende by fayth Besides the holy scriptures there is nothing that can wyth a true fayth be beleued He declareth that whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne oughte to be certayne Whiche is onely the worde of GOD whereunto onelye faith ought to leane
and largely vseth this worde Sinne namely to signifie whatsoeuer is repugnaunt vnto the law of God and vnto his will For therby man departeth from the institution of nature from that image whereunto he was created For God so created him at the beginning that in him should shine forth his image whiche thing vndoubtedly cannot be when we resist the law of God And this is Why many pleasures are forbidden men the onely and true cause why man is not permitted to delight himselfe wyth all kind of plesures For if he should so he should make himself like vnto brute beasts and not lyke vnto God his creator For God would haue man to be in this worlde hys vickar and therfore to be most like vnto hym And sinne beyng so largely taken comprehendeth not onely Originall sinne that is our depraued nature corrupt strengthes both of the body and of the soule but also all those euils whiche follow of it namely the first motions of the mind to things forbidden also wicked deliberations noughty endeuors and vitious customes Wherefore the Apostle in this one name of sinne comprehendeth both the roote it selfe all the fruites therof Vnder the name of sin the Apostle comprehendeth the roote and frutes thereof The Etymology of this woord sinne What is the rule of our nature Neither must we geue eare vnto them which bable that these thinges are not sinnes For seyng the holy ghost calleth them by this name I sée no cause why but that we also ought so to speake and to cleaue vnto this doctrine Farther also that these first motions of the mynde and corruption of nature are sinnes the very etimology of the word plainly declareth For this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sinne commeth of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to erre from the marke set before vs by what means so euer it be And forasmuch as this is the rule of our nature and of all our actions to be in all thinges very like and conformable vnto God vndoutedly seing we are prone vnto those thinges which are forbidden vs by the lawe of God and are euen straight way at the first brunt caried hedlong vnto them we must nedes without all controuersie be sayd to sinne that is to erre from the scope and ende set before vs. Of the lyke signification is also the Hebrew worde for that whiche is in y◠tonge called Chataah that is Synne is deryued of this verbe Chata whiche thou shalte fynde in the booke of the Iudges the xx chapiter vsed in the selfe same sence in whiche I before sayde in the Gréeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken that is to erre from the marke For there it is written of the seuen hundred children of Beniamin that they were so accustomed to throwe stones out of a sling that they would hitte euen a heare and nothing erre from it Farther experience it selfe teacheth how greate these euills are euen in vs that are regenerate For we are by them so letted that we cā not fulfill the law of God How the law is performed of men regenerate and yet are we bound to obserue the same in all poyntes We are commanded also not to lust whiche precept howe muche it is broken of vs by reason of our pronesse to sinnes and fyrst motions to vices euery man hath experience thereof in himselfe and can be a witnes vnto himselfe And if the Fathers They are perfecte whiche vnderstande theyr owne wants seme sometimes to write that the law may be fulfilled of mē regenerate they thē spake of an obediēce begonne of such a fulfilling as hath ioyned with it much imperfection For euen they affirme that those are perfect and doo performe the law of God which vnderstand theyr owne wants so that they daily None no not the most holiest hath all the vertues absolutely say with others Forgeue vs our trespasses and acknowledge with Paul that they haue a greate way farther to go The selfe same fathers also confesse that none can be found no not the most holiest man that euer was that hath all vertues absolutly For as Ierome sayth He which excelleth others in one vertue oftentimes faileth in an other vertue And he citeth Cicero which sayd That there can not easely be found one which is most excellent either in the knowledge of the Law or in the arte of Rethorike but to finde one that hath excelled in both kindes together it was neuer hard of Wherfore the Apostle to the end he would make playne most notably set forth the perfect benefite of God geuen vs by Christ doth not onely touche Originall sinne but also in this one word sinne cōprehēdeth all kindes of vices which springe out of it Now let vs se by which one mā Paul saith that By Adam as by a common roote and Masse entred in sinne into the worlde sinne had suche entrance in the world That man was the first Adam who was as a certaine common masse or lompe wherein was conteyned all mankind which lompe beinge corrupted we can not be brought forth into this world but with corruption and vnclenes And although Eue trāsgressed before the man yet the beginning of sinning is ascribed vnto Adam for that succession is attributed vnto men and not vnto women Howbeit Ambrose by one man vnderstode Eue. The corruption is not ascribed vnto Eue but vnto Adam But forasmuche as this woord one is the masculine gender the signification thereof can not but hardly and with much wresting be applied vnto the womā Others thinke that both as well Adam as Eue are by this commō word Man vnderstand so that this phrase of speach differeth not much frō that which is in the 2. chapter of the booke of Genesis Male and female created be them Nether doo they much regard this adiectiue one for that the scripture testifieth that Adam and Eue were one and the selfe same fleshe The first interpretation is more simple and playner and therefore I the gladlier follow it And we ought to remember that Paul writeth vnto Timothe that although both these first parēts sinned yet was there not in ech one and the selfe same maner of transgression For he sayth that Adam was not deceaued Which selfe thinge also maye be gathered of that Adam was not deceaued which they answered vnto God when he reproued them For the woman whē she was asked why she did it accused the serpent The serpēt said she deceaued me But Adam when he was demaunded the same question sayd not that he was deceaued but answered The woman which thou gauest me deliuered me the aple and I did eate This is not so to be taken as though we should affirme that there was There was errour in Adam whē he transgressed no error in the man when he transgressed For as we are playnly tought in the Ethnikes in euery kinde of sinne alwayes happeneth some error This
the knowledge of sinne And this knowledge he sayth is had by the lawe and that sinne was both before the lawe and after the law but it gréeued not all men after one and the selfe same maner for before the lawe was geuen sinne was not knowen but after it was geuen it began to be knowen By these wordes is most manifestly gathered that the lawe had not this force to take away sinne out of the world but was for this cause geuen to shew sinne The Apostle semeth to speake these thinges by preuention for a little before he had sayd for that all men haue sinned which mought haue bene iudged vntrue especially seing the same Paul sayd Where no lawe is there is no transgression For sinne is whatsoeuer disagréeth from the rule of the law Wherefore he answereth that sinne was indéede before the lawe but it was not then imputed And by the lawe he vnderstandeth the lawe of Moses For They which liued before Moses time were not vtterly without a law The institution of man was a certaine law The law geuen of God by Moses reproueth all kindes of sinnes nether were they which liued before Moses tyme vtterly without a lawe for they had the light of nature and reasons in their conscience accusing and defending one an other as we haue before red in the second chapter Also the very institution of man whereby he was bound to resemble the image of God was a certayne lawe For when he departed from that Image vndoubtedly he sinned and this lawe extended so farre that it also included the very infantes But when by reason that our corruption grew of more force these things were obfuscated God of his wonderfull great mercy gaue a lawe whereby mought be reproued all kinds of sinnes Wherefore we ought with all dilligence to looke vpon it vnles we will be ignorant of our selues Which euen the Philosophers abhorred as a thing most euill For otherwise we are of our owne nature so framed that when our sinnes are layd before vs we laboure not so much to amende them as to excuse to extenuate and to lenefie them and because we would sinne the more fréely we set before vs the examples of other men For we commonly regard not what we ought to do but what other men do But if we would looke vpon the lawe straight way would come before our eyes our condemnation For in it is written Cursed be euery one which abideth not in all the We must most diligētly looke vpon the lawe thinges that are writtēin the booke of the lawe And therefore God by a singular benefite gaue vnto the people prophetes which should not onely inculcate and beat into their heades the lawe but also expounde the same by most vehement and feruent preachinges Wherefore it is much to be lamented now a dayes that sermones are ether so rare or els that those fewe that are are so negligently hard Wherefore it is not to be meruayled at that euery where is founde so great blindnes and that pernicious errors do so farre range abroade VVhere no lawe is sinne is not imputed The lattine booke hath non imputabatur that is was not imputed Peraduenture they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Men knew not sinnes so far was it of that they coulde beware of them God in that blindnes imputed sinnes and that iustly And yet were they not before the law vtterly ignorant of time verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This imputacion or reputacion is to be referred vnto men which were so miserable and blinde that of themselues they could not so much as know sinnes so farre were they of that they could beware of sins so vtterly obscure was at that time the light of nature but God imputed those sinnes vnto them that not vnworthely for that blindnes happened through their owne default And that God imputed those sinnes vnto thē he himselfe many wayes declared For he both by the floud destroyed the whole world and complayned vnto Noe that all flesh had corrupted theyr way and that the hart of man was prone vnto sinne euen from hys childehode He reproued Cayn of murther and tooke vengeance vpon the Sodomites And Cayn himselfe answered that his sinne was greater then that it could be forgeuen By which wordes we se that Cayn was not vtterly ignorant of sinne yea nether were the Egiptiās vndoubtedly ignorant of sinne For they cast Ioseph into prison for that he was suspcted of adultery and so serued they the baker and the butler for that they had sinned Nether is it credible that godly men as Abraham Iob and Iacob vnderstood not sinne especially seing we rede that Iacob desired that he might be put to death with whome soeuer the theft which Laban sought shoulde be found But thys knoweldge which the godly had was not in them all It was geuen only vnto them by reason of theyr singular piety For the common sort of people counted nothing for sinne but only grosse sinnes and such sinnes as were most euidenly hurtefull vnto the societie of men neyther may we easely ascribe vnto Ambrose who vpon this place sayth that men after a sort knewe sinnes but The Ethnikes were not ignorāt that God would aming sinns yet they did not therefore thinke that God would auenge them for they supposed that God would not take vengeaunce of sinnes For Pharao Abimelech being kinges reproued Abraham for that he sayd that Sara was his sister so by that meanes had put them in greate danger that God should haue taken vengeance vpon thē for cōmitting adultery with an other mans wife There mought also be brought testimonies of the Ethnikes which fayned many thinges touching the greuous paynes of them that are in hell But as touching this sentence of Paul we must know that forasmuch as before the law was geuen by Moses there florished Before the law of Moses there were some laws Others lawes forbad all kindes of sins many cities and Publike welths it followeth of necessity that there were some publique lawes receaued amongst thē for otherwise men could not haue liued together and haue mainteined fellowship peace one with an other Howbeit such lawes were neuer of that nature that they forbad vnto men al kindes of sinne which thing yet the Law geuen by Moses hath done For amongst some nations theftes and amongst other nations adulteries were counted for no sinnes nether were there by any lawes punished Amongst the Grekes were permitted many vile filthy thinges Nether did the Romanes lawes which yet were much more seuere and purer punishe all maner of sinnes But that Law which Moses gaue was perfect and absolute especially if we doo consider it as Christ hath expounded it Wherefore the meaning of the Apostle in these words is that sinnes although they were in very dede sins yet were they not knowen amongst men but by the prescript of the Law By those thinges also we may sée that there is
something which is of his owne nature sinne which yet is not imputed of God as we sayd commeth to passe in the beleuers as touching the corruption of nature and pronesse vnto sinnes These thinges are of them selues sinnes although for Christes sake they are not imputed as the Apostle in this The imputation of sinnes of two sortes ether as touching God or as touching men The tyme of the lawe is not excluded from sinne place sayth that before the Law there were many sinnes which yet were not so imputed or counted of men Although herein is some difference for there the imputation is by the mercy of God remoued way but here it is remoued away thorough the ignorance of man Farther although it be said Euen vnto the law yet is not thereby the time of the law acquitted free from sinne For the Law is not of that strength to abolish sinnes And this was of no smal force to abate the hautines and pride of the Iewes For they counted themselues more holye all thē other nations for that they had receaued a law from God The like kinde of speach is vsed of the Ethnikes when they write that euen vnto the tenth yere did the Greacians fight agaynst Troy for in so saying they doubtles excluded not the tenth yeare So when Paul sayth Sinne was in the world Euen vnto the law he excludeth not that time which was vnder the law And this wōderfully Only grace ouercommeth sinne setteth forth the grace of Christ which alone was able to vāquishe and to driue away sinne when as sinne was of so greate force to destroye and had so farre and so long ranged abrode that it could not be restrayned no not by the Law Paul when he sayth That death raigned vseth the figure Prosopopaeia nether ought we therfore to thinke y◠by this word Kingdome is ment any healthfull gouermēt Howbeit Why the power of of death is called a kingdome therefore he calleth the power of death a kingdome to show that the power thereof was exceding great wherunto all thinges gaue place that it was of a wonderfull mighty force which had brought all tlhinges vnder his subiectiō The selfe same forme of speaking he vseth agayne in this epistle saying Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body as if he should haue sayd Although ye cannot prohibit sinne to be in you yet permite not vnto it the kingdome and chiefe dominion it all your endeuors and counselles should geue place and be obedient vnto that And he therefore added that death raygned from Adam euen to Moses to declare that there was sinne in the world For death and sinne follow one the other Agaynst them that deny originall sinne in children inseperably and Sinne and death inferre and bring in one the other Hereby are confuted those which contend that infantes are without sinne and say that for that cause they dye for that by reason of the sinne of Adam they are vnder the condition of mortality being otherwise themselues innocent and cleane from sinne For if this were true the Apostle should then in this place conclude nothing For it mought easely be answered that althoughe men died before the law yet sinne at that time had not his being Wherfore let vs say with Paul Sinne and death are so ioyned together that they cannot be parted a sonder Ambrose suspected the Greke bookes that these two things are so ioyned together that they cā not be parted asonder Ouer them also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam These wordes were in some copies set forth affirmatiuely by taking away this word not And of this reading doth Origen make mencion and so farre is Ambrose of from dissalowing it that he thinkethn one but it to be natiue And he hath a large discourse of the variety of the Greke bookes and semeth for that cause to haue them in suspicion as corrupted in many places after that the contencions of the heretikes grew strōg But in the expositiō of that reading which he followeth he semeth to speake but slenderly to the matter for he will haue death to haue rayned ouer those onely which in sinning were like vnto Adam and this he saith happened in idolatry For he affirmeth that the sinne wherein Adam fell was in a maner of this sorte that he beleued himselfe to be God and preferred Sathā before God more esteming his coūsell then the cōmaūdemēt of God But as for others which keping still their faith in the only Creator did notwithstāding sometimes fall he thinketh not that they fell after y◠like maner that Adam fell and therefore he writeth that they died the death of the bodye Ambrose held that some had in hell a free custody but not eternall death were kept in hell in a free custody euē to the cōming of Christ but in those which had imitated the sinne of Adam ternal death wholy raigned These things as euery mā may easely se are both farre fetched also do much weakē the argumēt of the Apostle wherefore if this text should be red affirmatiuely peraduēture we mought picke therout this sentēce to vnderstād y◠death raigned ouer al mē which sinned after the like māner of the transgressiō of Adam for that he hauing sinned it was all one as if all men had bene present and sinned together with him But let vs leaue this readinge and follow the common readinge and especially seinge Chrisostome Theophilactus and the Greeke Scholies pronounce these woordes negatiuely And so this is the sence that those menne which were before the lawe although they sinned not after that manner that Adam fell who besides the lawe of nature had also a certain commaundement prescribed him yet they also were obnoxious vnto death But Augustine applieth these wordes vnto infantes which die and haue sinne although they sinne not after the selfe same manner that Adam sinned And so Not to sinne after the like manner of the transgression of Adam is nothing els but not to haue sinne actuall and personall as they call it But I woulde thinke that in these woordes may be comprehended both infantes and others that are of age both those before the law and those after the law and those vnder grace Rude and blockish 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 sinne not after the same manner that Adam did as many as are so rude and blockishe that they are vtterlye ignorante of the commaundementes of God of whiche kinde of men it is not incredible but that there maye some be founde in the worlde And in this case vndoubtedlye all men dye although they know not the commaundement prescribed them of God as Adam did Which was the figure of that which was to come By y◠which was to come we may vnderstand all that which afterward happened in all men which procéeded from Adam which were aswel as he obnoxious vnto the curse and vnto death So the first father was a figure and
Vndoubtedly they that consider the thing it selfe diligently will say that the sentence of Anselmus is for many causes better then this opinioÌ„ of Pigghius For we know that to be true which Ecclesiastes saith namely That God made man right The sentence of Anselmus better then the opinion of Pigghius But when he had once sinned streight way followed crookednes For he doth no more now behold God and heauenly thinges but is perpetually made crooked to earthly and carnall thinges and is made subiect vnto the necessity of concupiscence And this is to want Originall iustice For actions or doinges are not taken away from men but the power to vse them well is taken away As we sée happeneth in those that haue the palsey They do in dede moue the hand but bicause yâ— power is hurt wherby to gouerne that motion they moue it deformedly and weakely This hapneth also in vs. For forasmuch as the deuine righteousnes is wanting in vs the A similitude grouÌ„d is corrupt wherby our workes ought to be rightly ordred accoÌ„plished But saith Pigghius to want this gift cannot be sinne in yong childreÌ„ For they are not bound by any debt or bond to haue it And if the aduersaries saith he wil say otherwise let them shew some law wherby we that are borne are bound Which thing saith he seing they cannot do let them cease to say that this wante of Originall iustice is sinne But we canne alledge not one lawe onely but also thrée lawes The first is the institution of man God made man after his owne image and similitude By what law they that are borne are bound to haue originall righteousnes What is the nature of the image of God Wherefore we ought to be such For God doth iustly require that in our nature which he made And the image of God doth herein chiefly consist to be endewed with deuine proprieties namely with iustice wisedome goodnes and patience But contrarywise Pigghius crieth oute that this is not the nature of the image of God for he sayth that it consisteth in vnderstanding memory and will as Augustine hath taught in his bookes de Trinitate and in many other places These thinges in deede do the Scholemen teach but we wil proue that the matter is far otherwise both by the scriptures and by the sentences of the fathers Firste in the Epistle to yâ— Ephesians it is thus written Put away the old man coÌ„cerning the conuersatioÌ„ in time past which is corrupted though the concupiscenses of error but be renued in the spirite of your mind put on the new maÌ„ which after God is created in righteousnes holines of truth And to the Collosians the 3. chap. Ye haue put on the new man which is renued in knowlege after the image of him that created him And a little afterwarde A trimme reason concerning the image of God he expresseth yâ— coÌ„ditions of this image saying Put ye on teÌ„der mercy goodnes modesty kindnes gentlenâ—s long suffering forbearing one an other forgeuing one an other And in yâ— 8. chap. to the Rom. Those which he foreknew he also hath predestinate to be made like vnto the image of his son All these things sufficieÌ„tly declare what that image of God is which the holy scriptures set forth vnto vs in the creation instauracioÌ„ of man Neither abhorred the fathers from this sentence Ireneus in his 5. booke saith that by the powring into vs of the holy ghost man is made spirituall euen as he was created of God And Tertullian against Marcian saith that that is the image of God which hath the selfe same motious and senses with God And the reason which perswadeth vs therunto is that man was therefore at the beginning made like vnto the image of God to be ruler ouer all things created as it were a certaine vicar of God And no man can doubt but that God will haue his creatures well gouerned For he continually commaundeth vs not to abuse them and we are bound by a lawe to referre all those thinges whereby we are holpen vnto God as from whome all things do flow But the good vse and right administration of thinges can not be had vnlesse we be endued wyth those condicions whiche we haue sayde are required vnto the Image of God But in that Augustine assigneth the Image of GOD to bee in the vnderstandynge memorye and wyll wee saye that he therefore Augustine is defended The faculties of the minde are the image of God but not when they are spoyled of vertues The law of nature requireth originall righteousnes did it to setforth vnto vs some form or example of the deuine persons in what case they are one to an other But he oughte not so to be vnderstanded as thoughe he would make these faculties of the mind being naked and spoyled of these vertues which we haue declared the image of God Wherfore we haue a law geuen vnto vs either by the institution or by the restitutioÌ„ of man which Paul commandeth and by this bond we are bound to haue originall iustice whiche we haue loste We haue also the law of nature to liue agreably vnto it as Cicero saith in his 3. booke de finibus is the principall and last end of mans estate And this lawe dependeth of that other law which we before put For it commeth of no other thinge that we haue in our mind cogitatioÌ„s accusing and defeÌ„ding on an other but onely for that they are taken of the worthines of nature as it was instituted of God For whatsoeuer Philosophers or lawgeuers haue written of the offices of mannes life the same wholy dependeth of the fountaines of our constitution For those preceptes The offices of the law of nature ar had of the institution of man cannot come out of a corrupt nature out of selfe loue and malice whereby we are prone to euil but they come of that forme of vpright nature which they imagine is required of the dignity of man and which we know by the scriptures was instituted of God and commaunded of vs to be renued And to this pertaineth as some say that law of the mind against which the law of the members resisteth There is also a third law which God would haue put in writing namely Thou shalte not lust Which precept although our aduersaries wrest vnto actual sinnes yet we wil By this precept thou shalte not lust is condemned the want of originall righteousnes Infantes feele not these lawes in the 7. chapt of this Epistle declare that it also belongeth to originall sinne and that God would by the commaundement haue all manner of wicked lust vtterlye cutte of from men Wherefore we haue now lawes whyche so longe as they be in force wyll perpetuallye bynde vs and make vs debitors all our lyfe tyme to performe that ryghteousnes whyche they require It is true in déede that infantes féele not these lawes and by that meanes sinne
lyeth a sléepe in them as Augustine sayth in his 2. booke of the merites and remission of sinnes following yâ— which is spoken of Paul sayth I liued sometimes without a law not yâ— there was at any time no law prescribed vnto Paul but bycause in his childhode by reasoÌ„ of age he felt it not Wherefore sinne sayth Paul was dead which Augustine interpreteth was on slepe But when the commaundement came yâ— is when I began to know yâ— law sinne reuiued He had sin in him before but forasmuch as it was not felt it semed dead Now appeareth how those thinges which we haue spoken agree with the holye scriptures Yet still Pigghius vrgeth that these thinges nothing An obiection of Pigghius pertaine vnto infantes for they oughte not to haue a law prescribed vnto them which can not be auoyded But in so saying he vnderstandeth not the meaning of the holy scriptures for they sufficiently declare that those things which A law may be geuen eueÌ„â—or those thinges which can not be performed are commaunded in the law can not perfectly be performed of vs when as yet they are most seuerely commauÌ„ded Paul saith in this epistle That which was imposible vnto the law forasmuch as it was weakened through the flesh God sending his sonne c. By these words it most manifestly appeareth that we caÌ„not performe the law â—s it is commaunded For if we could we should be iustified by works nether had Christ neded to haue suffred death for vs. There ar also other offices Vtilities of the law of the Law for which it is written For it is profitable to direct the actions of the godly but it is most profitable to declare sin For by the law sayth Paul coÌ„eth the knowledg of sin Again I was ignoraÌ„t of lust vnles the law had sayd Thou shalt not lust Farther by the law sinne is also increased doth more lead vs greuouslier oppresse vs. For the law 〈…〉 ed in that sin should abound to the Corrint The power of sin is the law And al these things teÌ„d to this end yâ— maÌ„ should as it were by a Scholmaster be brought vnto Christ and implore his ayd and desire to haue streÌ„gth geuen him whereby at the least in some part and with an obedience now begon to performe those thinges which are commaunded and that those things wherin he fayleth might not be imputed vnto him but might be made whole by the righteousnes of Christ Augustine in his first boke against Iulianus reproueth the The pelagians boasted that God commaundeth not those things which can not be done Augustine reherseth the sinnes of infantes Pelagians for that they thoughte that they had taught some great point of doctrine when they taughte that God commaundeth not those thinges whiche can not be doone and he declareth those to be the endes of the lawe whiche we haue now expressed Yea and Augustine also in his bookes of confessions maketh mencion of those sinnes which euen suckinge infantes doo committe Agaynst which no maÌ„ caÌ„ say they could resist And they should not be sins vnles they wer referred to some law which is by them violated Nether doth yâ— any thing helpe Pigghius or put away their sinnes for that they vnderstand them not For that which is filthy although it seme not so to vs yet of his owne nature is it filthy Thinges filthy although they seme not filthy yet ar they neuerthelesse of their owne nature fylthy The opinioÌ„ of Augustine and Anselmus differ not in very deede The definition of Original sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yâ— is That which is filthy is filthy whither it seme so or no. This opinion of Anselmus concerning the lacke and want of originall iustice doth in very dede nothing differre from the sentence of Augustine wherein he calleth originall sinne luste but that whiche in Anselmus is spoken somewhat more expressedlye is more obscurely wrapped in the word concupiscence But bycause this want of originall iustice may so be taken as though we vnderstoode onely the priuation of the giftes of God with out any vice of nature therefore it shall be good to set forth a more full definition of originall sinne Originall sinne therefore is the corruption of the whole nature of man traduced by generation from the fall of our first parent into his posterity which corruption were it not for the benefite of Christ adiudgeth al men borne therin in a maner to infinite euills and to eternall damnation In this definition are contained al kinds of causes We haue for the matter or subiect all the partes strengthes of man The forme is the deprauation of them al The efficieÌ„t cause is the will of Adam which sinned The instrument is the propagation of traduction which is done thorough the flesh The end and effect is eternall damnation together with all the discomoditis of thys life And hereof sprange sondrye Sondry names of this sinne names of this sinne so that sometimes it is called a defect or want sometimes peruersenes sometimes vice sometymes a disease sometymes contagiousnes sometymes malice and Augustine calleth it an affected quality and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a disorder And that the whole maÌ„ is corrupt hereby appeareth because he was to this ende created to cleaue vnto God as to the chiefe good But now he vnderstandeth The corruption of the partes of man is declared not things pertayning vnto God nor with patience waiteth for the promises which are set forth in yâ— sciptures but with grief he harkeneth vnto yâ— preceptes of God and the paynes rewardes he vtterly coÌ„temneth The affections rebelling agaynst sound reason do wantonly deride the word of God The body neglecteth to obey the soule All these thinges although they be experimeÌ„ts of naturall corruption yet are they also confirmed by testimonies of the holy scriptures Of the corruption of vnderstanding Paul sayth The carnall man vnderstandeth not those thinges which are of the spirite of God yea he can not because they are foolishenes vnto him In which wordes let vs marke by the way agaynst A proofe of the impossibility of the law Pigghius that the lawe was geuen of such thinges which of vs can not be performed For the lawe doth chiefely commaund vs to haue knowledge in things pertayning to God which thinges yet Paul apertly affirmeth that the carnall man can not vnderstand And to our purpose we sée that Paul affirmeth that this blindnes or ignorance is grafted in man and that of nature for we can not imagine that it commeth by reason of tyme or age For the elder in yeares a man is so much the more and more is he instructed concerning God Wherefore in that he is carnall and vnapt to vnderstand thinges pertayning to God it commeth of his corrupt nature And this corruption is of so great waight that Augustine in his 3. booke agaynst Iulianus the 12.
chapter sayth that by it the image of God is alienated from the life of man by reason of the blindnes of the harte whiche blindnes he sayth is sinne neither is it very agreable with the nature of man Blindnes of the hart is sinne The same Augustine in his 1. booke of the merites and remission of sinnes the 30. chapter where he bringeth these wordes of Dauid Remember not the sinnes of my youth and my ignorances maketh mencion of most thicke darkenes of ignorance which is in the hartes of infantes being yet in their mothers wombe who know not why from whence and when they were thrust in there For the Blindnes and ignorance are not agreable with the nature of man infant lyeth in the mothers belly vnlearned vndocible not able to vnderstand the commaundement being ignorant where he is what he is of whome he was created and of whome he was begotten All which thinges were far from the nature of man as it was first created and are rather vices of nature For Adam was not so created but he was both able to vnderstand the commaundement of God and could also geue names vnto his wife and to all other liuing creatures But in infantes we must wayte a long tyme that they may by little and little as it were disgest this dissines Farther that this ignorance is to be counted sinne Reticius the most auncient byshop of Auston is a witnes as Augustine testifieth of him in his first booke agaynst Iulianus For when he speaketh of baptisme thus he writeth That it is the principall indulgence in the Reticius bishop of Auston in Fraunce Church wherein we put away all the waight of the olde crime and we blot out the olde wicked actes of our ignorance and put of the olde man with his naturall wicked actes By these wordes we sée that wicked actes are naturall in vs and that the sinnes of ignorance are blotted out in baptisme Wherefore forasmuch as infants are baptised it is manifest by the authority of this father that they haue sinnes and that their olde ignorance is blotted out in baptisme Now concerning the The wil is also corrupt will let vs see whether it also be corrupt or no. The Apostle beareth manifest witnes of it that the sence and wisedome of the fleshe is enmity agaynst God And vnder this sentēce he comprehēdeth all the affectiōs of men which are not yet regenerate But I meruayle at the impudency of Pigghius who because he would by some meanes vnwrap himselfe sayth that this place is to be vnderstand of the sence of the letter which he contendeth is agaynst God nether can it be subdued vnto him For both the wordes that go before and the wordes that follow are manifestly agaynst hym For Paul straight way addeth the difference betweene men which are in the fleshe and them which are in the spirite Wherfore it playnely appeareth that he entreateth not of the diuersity of the sence of the scripture but of the variety of men The wordes that go next before that sentence are that which was impossible vnto the lawe in as much as it was weake by reason of the fleshe God sending his sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe by sinne condemned sinne in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. These wordes also testify that Paul speaketh of vs and not of the spirite or letter of the scriptures For in vs is that weakenes whereby the lawe was weakened that it coulde not bringe vs to saluation and by Christ the righteousnes of the lawe beginneth to be fulfilled in vs. Neither ought we to harken vnto The scripture by flesh vnderstandeth not the grosser part of the mind them which both in this place and also in many other will that by fleshe we should vnderstand only the grosser part of the mynde For Paul when to the Galathians he rehearseth the workes of the flesh doth not only number amongst them adulteryes fornications wantonnes and other such lyke but also idolatry whiche no man can deny but that it pertayneth vnto the mynde and not vnto the fleshe And Christ when he sayth That whiche is borne of fleshe is fleshe and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite exhorteth vs to regeneration whiche vndoubtedly pertayneth not only to the substance of the bodye or grosser partes of the mynde but also chiefely vnto the will and mynde And when he sayde vnto Peter Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for flesh and bloud hath not reueled these thynges vnto thee he signified that he had not lerned those thinges of naturall knowledge but of the spirite of God For vnder the name of flesh he comprehendeth those things which pertaine vnto the mynde and reasō Neither yet do we say as Pigghius fondly cauilleth that in the chiefest part of the minde is nothing but flesh For we know though Pigghius had not told vs Why the soule is called flesh in the scriptures that the soule is a spirite which yet before regeneration is in the scriptures called flesh bicause when as it ought to make the flesh that is his grosser partes spirituall and to bring it to the obedience of a minde instructed by the worde of God it rather declineth vnto the pleasures therof and so is made carnall But they obiecte vnto vs that which is written to the Galathians The flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirite agaynste the fleshe as though this could not be possible if we leue nothing vncorrupted in the mindes of men But vnto this obiection we thus easely aunswer First that Paul speaketh those wordes of the beleuers which are alredy regenerate which thing those wordes which followe do sufficiently declare That ye should do not those thinges which ye would by which wordes he declareth y◠they had obteined a right will of the spirite of Christ which yet they were not able to performe by reason of the daily conflictes of the minde and their great infirmitie Wherfore the Apostle in that place ment nothing els then that whatsoeuer is in vs which is not perfectly regenerate altogether rebelleth against the spirite of God Farther also we deny not but that sometimes there is some such battaile in In the mindes of those that are not regenerate there are yet lawes of nature and some illustration of the spirit of God men which are not yet regenerate not bicause their minde is not carnall prone to vices but because in it remaine still grauen the lawes of nature and bicause in it is some illustration of the spirite of God although it be not such an illustration which can either iustifie or worke an healthful alteracion Farther that reason is corrupted in vs Pauls wordes sufficiently declare wherein he admonisheth vs to put on the new man which he saith ought continually to be renewed in vs. Now forasmuch as he will haue a man to be so vtterly chaunged and a man consisteth not onely
suffer temporall punishments for the parentes and the people for the princes sake For God say they will punishe the fathers in the children For the children are a certaine part of the parentes Neither is it absurd say they if the children by their afflictions profite their parentes when as by this meanes both they are called backe to repentaunce and also they haue no iniury done vnto them if forasmuch as they be mortall they suffer death For God prudently dispenseth the tymes either to liuing or dying and taketh away life froÌ„ the children either that they should not be corrupted with malitiousnes or if they be now already in sinnes in damnation yâ— they should not be more more aggrauated and that they might once at the length make an ende of liuing wickedly And Augustine semeth somwhat to incline to this sentence in his questions vpon the boke of Iosua the 8. and 9. question And they which wil haue these remnants of originall sinne which remaine after regeneration to be no sinnes are compelled so to say For they can not say that in infantes their owne sinnes are punished for as much as they affirme that they haue none But we which say that they are vtterly sinnes do teach that they are not in déede imputed to eternal death but yet they are sometimes punished with some paynes to the end we might vnderstand that God is displeased with theÌ„ But neither doth that erpositioÌ„ of Augustines so well agrée with Ezechiels meanyng For the Prophete sayth that it should not so afterward come to passe that the children should say that for their parentes sake they suffred temporall punishments such as were banishment and captiuity For the Lord sayth the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Wherefore thys nothyng helpeth them in that they say that this is true in spirituall punishementes in eternall dampnation For the Prophete speaketh most apertly of the bodely punishementes of thys lyfe Augustine hathe an other interpretation in hys Enchiridion to Laurentius in hys 46. chapter namelye that it is a prophecye of the benefite whiche shoulde be geuen by Christ For forasmuch as thorough his death satisfaction is made for Originall sinne the Prophet sayth that the child henceforth shal not beare the sinne of his father but his owne And Augustine séemeth to be led into this sentence bicause when as Ieremy in his 31. chap. writeth in a maner the selfe same thing streight way is added a promise of the new Testament Behold saith he the dayes shall come and I wyll make a new couenaunt wyth the house of Iuda But this sence also semeth not to agrée with yâ— meanyng of the prophet which we haue before rehersed Moreouer although Christ suffered at a tyme appointed Children in the old Testament were saued by the power and grace of the death of Christ yet by the power grace of his death children were saued also in the old Testament What neded then to say that henceforth it shall not be so when as in very dede it was not so before Farther they also which are without Christ beare their owne iniquity neither do they suffer punishmentes for an other mans sinne but for their owne Wherfore we say that the sentence of the Prophet is generally true and that all both children and also those that be of full age as well of the olde Testament as of the new do beare euery one their owne iniquitie For al meÌ„ that are borne haue in themselues sinne and corruption for which they ought to be punished Wherfore this sentence confirmeth our opinion so far is it of that it can be alledged against vs. But this maketh most of all against Pigghius for he affirmeth that children beare the sinnes of the parentes when as he sayth that otherwise they are cleane and borne without sinne The Iewes published abrode that they themselues were innocents and that as for the punishments which they suffred they suffred them for their parents sake For their parentes said they had sinned and not they themselues But God sayth yâ— henceforth they should no more vse that prouerbe For he would by the Prophet declare an aboundant illustration of the holy ghost which should come to passe in the new Testament For his iudgements are not such that for an other mans sinne he will punish one that is guiltles Wherfore he doth not say that henceforth it should not be so as though it werso at any tyme before but this he sayth that it should come to passe yâ— they should not vse any such prouerbe when they had once knowledge of the truth But the How God taketh vengeaunce vpon the children for the iniquiries of the fathers law semeth to be against this exposition For in it God sayth that he will visite the iniquity of the fathers vpon the chyldren vnto the thyrd and fourth generation These thinges séeme not very well to agrée yâ— God will both visite the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children and also that the children shall not beare the sinnes of the fathers To satisfie this obiection we will first interprete the wordes of the lawe For so shall we perceiue that there is no contrarietie betwene the Prophet and the law This sentence of the law some referre to the mercy of God some to hys seuerity and iustice They which thinke that by these woordes is commended the mercy of God do say that God is so good and mercifull yâ— he will not streight way destroy a man when he sinneth but rather will tary for his repentaunce Therefore sometimes when he spareth the father which hath sinned yet he punisheth the child and sometimes when he spareth both the father and the childe he punisheth An example of Iehu the childes childe sometimes also he differreth the punishments vnto the fourth generation As we sée came to passe in Iehu kyng of Samaria For although he him selfe greuously sinned yet God tooke not away the kingdome from his posteritie but after the fourth generation Wherfore it séemeth that by these wordes is set forth the goodnes of God which so long restraineth his anger nether doth streight way poure it out But others thinke that the goodnes of God is set forth when it is sayd that he will do good vnto those that loue him euen to a thousande generations But contrarily that his seuerity and iustice should be known it is added that he will visite sinnes not only vpon them which haue sinned but also vppon theyr children and childrens children euen vnto the fourth generation And this they declare by examples For Amalek had done many euils vnto the Isralites wandring An example of Amalâ—ch Iehezâ— the seruant of Helizeus as strangers through the desert a long time after his posterity wer afflicted of the Israelites and so afflicted that at the last God commaunded Saul vtterly to destroy euery one of theÌ„ Iehezi also the seruant of Helizeus bicause he had in his
maisters name receiued money of Naaman the Sirian was both hymselfe striken wyth leprosye and also all hys posteritie for euer Eyther of these sentences is godlye and maye be confirmed by examples Howbeit the latter semeth better to agree with the texte But how God visiteth the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation the law it selfe sufficiently declareth They beare the iniquity of their parents which haue also themselues hated God To hate God is taken two manner of wapes For it is added Of them that hate me whereby it appeareth that no other children shall beare the sinnes of theyr elders but those which haue bene like vnto theyr parentes For if they depart from theyr wickednes they shal not beare theyr sinnes But this is to be noted that To hate God may be takē two maner of waies ether in acte as they speake which agreth only with those that are of full age or in pronese and vice alredy contracted in nature which hath place in infantes But some will obiect If we vnderstand that God punisheth those onlye which imitate the sinnes of theyr parentes what neded this addition vnto the third and fourth generation when as he will perpetually punishe all sinners what soeuer they be Augustine was so moued with this obiection that he sayd that by this forme of speaking vnto the third and fourth generation is vnderstand the whole posterity for in it a determinate nomber is vsed for an infinite For if a man adde 4. to 3. then is The number of seuen is put for any other number it the nomber of 7. Which is vsed to be put for any other nomber After the same maner he sayth it is written in Amos the Prophet ouer three euills and ouer fower I will not conuert him And he sayth that this is the meaning of that place If a man transgresse once or twise God can forgeue hym but if a man heape sinnes vpon sinnes and so procéede vnmeasurably then God can not forgeue hym Here 3. and 4 sinnes are put for a continuation of sinnes So God may be sayd to punishe euen to the third and fourth generation of them which hate him when as he will punishe all such whatsoeuer they be be But it may be answered otherwise that God therefore Why God hath determined the third and fourth generation hath determined the third and fourth generation to shew that his anger is moderate and ioyned with lenity sometimes to staye from punishmentes and to go no far ther in punishing Although there are others which thinke that the third and fourth generation is expressedly put bycause euen to that time the posteritye are peraduenture entised to sinne by the euill example of theyr great grandfather for none of the elders liue past that for for y◠most part after the fourth generation they no longer liue By these thinges we se that the words of the Prophet are nothing repugnant vnto the law but doo rather interpret it For he therefore sayth that the child shall not beare the iniquity of the father bycause the law sayth that he visiteth the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children if they also imitate the sins of theyr parentes that when they are punished they should vnderstand that they are punished for theyr owne sinnes and not for the sinnes of theyr parentes But it is sayd that God therefore punisheth the sinnes of the fathers in them bycause the sinnes began in them and were continued vnto the children And if the childrē had not had fathers or grandfathers which had so sinned paraduenture God had yet still withheld his anger and euen as by his patience he bare with theyr elders so also paraduenture he had borne with them But forasmuch as both theyr elders haue sinned and they also depart not from theyr example God will no longer differ God will not differ punishment longer then it behoueth least he should seme to haue cast of the care of thynges Of him that was borne blind ▪ the punishment lest he should seme to haue cast of the care of worldly thinges and so other men should sinne more securely Howbeit in the meane time they which are so punished can not be called innocent when as they themselues also doo hate God Nether is that repugnant to these thinges which Christ spake in Iohn concerning the man that was borne blind Nether hath this man sinned nor his parentes For the meaninge of that place is not that that blinde man was punished without desert But only this is noted that the prouidence of God had directed that fault of his eyes to an other end then that the blinde man should be punished For God would vse that occasion to illustrate the deuinity of Christ So god distributeth paynes not only by them to punishe sinnes but also for other endes which he hath vnto himself appointed And thus much concerning that place of the prophet whereby may be manifestly sene that it nether repugneth with the law nor yet with the definition by vs alledged Yea rather the same sentence is to be returnes agaynste our aduersaries whiche affirme that children are guiltye of an other mans sinne The next reason was that forasmuch as both the soule and the body are the workes of God and the parentes are oftentimes holy and godly and are commended in the scriptures and the worke of generation and matrimony are praysed how among so many aydes of innocency sin hath crept in First we aunswere with Paul that it crept in by one man And whereas they saye that the parentes are cleane and holy it is vtterly vntrue For although they be endued with piety and originall sinne as touching the guiltynes is forgeuen vnto them yet there still remaineth in them a corrupt nature and an vnpure condition Wherefore such a nature as they haue in themselues such I say do they deliuer vnto their posterity and that as it is sayd by seede and generation Nether doth this any thing hinder that some imagine that the body can not The body worketh not agaynst the spirite by naturall action preuaile against the spirite For we say not that the soule is corrupted of the body by a naturall action But forasmuch as the body is corrupt it reststeth the soule and the soule not being confirmed with those giftes which it had at the beginning obeyeth the inclination thereof nether gouerneth it as it were mete it should but is gouerned of it Farther phisicall or naturall reasons teach A naturall agreemente betwene the soule and the body vs that there is a naturall agrement betwene the body and soule for the soule is diuersly affected according vnto the temperature of the body For they which abound with choler or melancholy are commonly angry or heauy of mynde Wherefore forasmuch as this kinde of reasoning procedeth of false principles it can conclude nothing Farther they alledged a place out of the first epistle to the Corrinthyans Your
children are holy Wherefore it is not probable that they haue contracted originall A place of the first Epistle to the Corrinthians sinne for holines agreeth not with sinne Some expounde that sentence thus namely that the children of Christians are holy as touching a ciuill consideration namely for that they are to be counted for legitimates and not for bastardes But that is not sufficiente For by that meanes the matrimonye of Christians shoulde in nothinge excell the matrimonye of Infydelles for theyr chyldren also borne in lawefull matrymonye are legitimate and are The children also of infidels begotten in lawfull matrimony are legitimate A godlye education ma◠also happen vnto bastards Adeodatus the sonne of Augustine Some holines redoundeth from the parents into childrē by the power of the couenāt of God What is the promes that we leane vnto when we deliuer our infants to be baptised made heyres Other expound holynes for a godly education For if the godly yoke fellow should depart from the vngodly paraduenture the children should be left with the vngodly and so be led away from Christ but if they dwell together the godly parent will euer instill some piety into the children But this exposition also semeth not to make much to the purpose of Paul for a godly education may happen also vnto thē which are born in adultery or fornication Which thing we see came to passe in Adeodatus the son of Augustine Wherefore the Apostle semeth rather to signifie that some holynes redoundeth from godly parentes into their children which yet dependeth not of the fleshe but of the promise geuen in the couenant For God promised Abraham that he would not only be his God but also the God of his sede Wherefore God in the prophetes calleth the infantes of the Iewes his and complayneth that his sonnes and daughters were sacrificed vnto Moloch And we in the hope of this promise do offer our infantes vnto the Church to be baptised because they pertaine vnto God and vnto Christ that the promise which we haue now spoken of might be confirmed with some outward seale But thou wilt say thou mayst be deceaued for that paraduenture thy sonne doth not pertaine to the number of the elect Hereunto I answere that the like difficulty is there in those that be of full age for it may be that a man professeth faith with a fayned hart or may be led only by humane perswasion or may haue but a faith for a time so that in very dede he pertayneth not vnto the elect But these thinges the minister regardeth not but only considereth the confession which he that is to be baptised professeth and will say that the election of God is hidden vnto him therefore is he not carefull thereof he can appoynt nothing of perticular thinges but only considereth the generall promesse from which although many are excluded A place to the Rom. yet longeth it not to him to define who they are So Paul speaketh of the Iewes If the roote be holy the branches also shal be holy if the first fruites be holy the conspersion or masse also shal be holy By which wordes he declareth that the loue of God was bent vnto the Iewes because of the promise and for their fathers sake and for that cause saluation was due vnto them Although therefore this promise The promes of God is indeterminate and true be indefinite and many are excluded from it yet neuertheles it remayneth vnshakē and firme For alwayes some of them are conuerted vnto Christ and shal be conuerted euen vnto the ende of the world Which thing is manifest in Isaake vnto whose seede although God promised he woulde be mercifull yet An example of Isaak that promise tooke place only in Iacob not in Esau And yet was that no cause why Esau should not be circumcised So we graunt that the children of Christians which pertayne vnto the election of God are holy but yet they are spotted with originall sinne because by nature they are the children of wrath as others are And if God do put away the guiltines and impute it not vnto them to the ende they may be saued that commeth vnto them of the grace of God of his mere mercy not of the purenes of their nature Seing therefore they Infants elect when they are borne are both holy the children of wrath in diuers respectes are borne of a corrupt masse and also they pertaine vnto the number of the elect we affirme ether both that they are holy and that also by nature they are the children of wrath Wherefore it plainely appeareth how this argumente may be dissolued But they adde moreouer that in infantes is found nothing spoken done or thought against the lawe of God and therefore they haue no sinne at all How fowly they are herein deceaued plainely appeareth by those thinges whiche we haue alredy sayd For this is as much as if they should thus reason say They haue no actuall sin Ergo they haue no sin For to reason frō the species to the A false argument generall word by a negatiō is an ill kinde of reasoning But they are deceaued for that they follow not the vniuersall nature or definition of sinne whiche we haue so before described that it cōprehendeth all things that are by any meanes repugnant vnto the lawe of God They obiect also that it is not wel sayd that originall sinne is spred abrode by the sede and fleshe because they haue an insensible and brutishe nature and therefore can not receaue sinne But we haue alredy taught that sinne is not in them but by inchoation as in the roote But then the nature of sinne is finished when the soule is now ioyned to it We haue declared also what is to be aunswered vnto the Pelagians when they contend that these thinges which Paul speaketh in this place ought to be Against the Pelagians vnderstand as touching imitation For first that can not stand with all the sayinges of the Apostle For he sayth that all men haue sinned and that by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners and which is more firme he hath proued that therefore sinne was in the world before the lawe because death raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses There are also other reasons which Augustine vseth against the Pelagians which are not nedefull now to be repeted Farther they adde that humane afflictions and death it selfe are naturall for they haue in vs principles of nature from whence they do flowe But hereunto we answere that these principles were not so framed when the nature of man was first instituted but they were afterward vitiated and corrupted as we now see they are The philosophers resolue the effectes which they see into these principles which are now extant but Christians do rather resolue them into the word of God Seing therefore that the scripture teacheth that death entred through sin and that man as
the merites of the parentes For they can not by procreation of the body poure grace into the children forasmuch as it is a thing altogether spirituall nether hath it any naturall fellowship with the fleshe Wherefore forasmuch as goodnes holynes are the mere and pure giftes of God God doth in dede promise that he will doo good vnto the posterity of godly men euen to a thousand generations But that is not to be vnderstand as though there were put any merit in the parentes God was of his mercy moued to make this promise and not by the merites of men And to declare his libertye herein he suffereth it sometimes to happen otherwise and by that meanes teacheth that holy parentes are not so holy but that they haue still much wickednes and corruption in them which they may se to be naturally grafted in theyr children Whereby we may manifestly se the corruption of our nature which also followeth the sayntes euen to the death And for the more establishing also of thys sentence some bring out of the Psalme a curse of the Churche agaynst the children of the vngodlye That they shoulde be orphanes that no man shoulde haue compassion on them that they shoulde begge theyr liuinge If the children of the vngodly be innocents then is this no iust prayer Wherfore it semeth by these words of necessity to follow that they are partakers of the wyckednes of their parentes And bicause they are infantes it can by no other meanes be done but by propagation I know there are some which will haue these wordes of Dauid to be prophesies of thinges to come wherin the holy ghost hath foretold that these misfortunes shall come vnto them But graunt that they be prophesies Yet can it not be denied but that there is in them both the forme the affect of a prayer But a prayer Whether the latter mē be more miserable then the first ought to be iust for otherwise it should be no prayer But where as they say that that is most absurd which followeth of this doctrine namely that the last men also should be more miserable then all others bicause they should beare the synnes both of Adam also of all their elders it may be answered two maner of wayes For first not all thinges which seme absurd vnto vs are also absurd before God The things that are absurde vnto vs are not absurd before God For not to depart from this selfe same matter Christ threatneth the Iewes that all the murther of the godly from Abell euen to Zacharias the sonne of Barachias should come vpon them And who séeth not that the estate of the children of Israel which were led away into captiuity was much more miserable then very many generations of their elders which had defiled themselues with the selfe same sins Farther we aunswer that that should in dede be absurd if the sinnes of the elders should continually passe into the children But seyng we haue declared that that is not alwayes so but that the prouidence of God hath appointed an end and measure To the reasons of the scholemen Affections of the mind◠are communicated frō the parents vnto the children vnto this euil and hath therfore determinately pronounced onely of the third and fourth generation there is no cause why it should seme absurd vnto any man But the reasons of the scholemen wherwith they withstand this propagation are very weake First they alledge that the qualities of the minde are not communicated from the parentes vnto the children which thing euen experience teacheth to be false For we sée oftentymes that of angry persons are borne angry children and of sad parentes sad children Neither doth this similitude serue thē to any purpose when they say that of a Grammarian is not borne a Grammarian nor of a Musician a Musician For these are artes which are gotten by precepts and exercise not affections which are naturally grafted in men And yet by experiēce we sée that it somtymes commeth to passe y◠in what arte the father chiefly excelleth he hath children very prone vnto the same whither if be husbandry or the arte of war fare or els some liberall science Farther we in this place principally speake of those affections which are the groundes and beginninges of actions In the other Sinne defileth both soule and body argument they say that sinne in the parentes doth vitiate only the soule which is not true For as we haue before taught their body is also defiled And therfore it is no meruaile if fathers do communicate such a body vnto their children Wherfore as touching this matter I gladly agrée with Augustine that it is probable and agreable with the scriptures and this sentence Martin Bucer a man no lesse lerned then holy hath allowed that priuate sinnes are deriued from the parents vnto the children But we must note that that commeth by chaunce and is not of necessitie For God sometimes stayeth the sinnes of the parentes and of his goodnes suffreth not the nature of men vtterly to be destroyed But when he will either represse this traductiō of sins or els suffer it to take place he himself only knoweth Howbeit vnto vs it is sufficient to consider these two things First the sinne is poured from the parentes into the children Secondly that the same is by the benefite of God sometimes prohibited which yet can by no meanes be spoken of Originall sin For we al are borne infected with it Now let vs returne vnto the words of the Apostle which we haue so long tyme intermitted Moreouer the lawe entred in by the way that sinne shoulde abounde But where sinne abounded there grace abounded muche more That euen as sinne hath raigned in death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ Moreouer the law entred in by the way that sinne should abounde But The Methode of Paule where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more We muste call to memory that the Apostle began to reherse the effectes of iustification namely that by it we haue peace with God and that we do reioyce not onely bicause of the hope of that glorye but also we reioyce in tribulations bicause we are assured of oure saluation For the confirmation of whiche hope he hathe declared that GOD hathe geuen his sonne vnto the deathe and that when we were yet sinners enemies vngodly And that it should not be obscure by what meanes the righteousnes of Christ could saue vs he sheweth by a comparison that euen as by the sinne of Adam all men haue perished so by Christ all men haue reuiued And in this comparison he teacheth that the effect of sinne is death And that men are deliuered from it only by Christ Now bycause a man might aske whether the law hath any thing profited to the attayntment of that saluation he answereth by preuention that it rather augmented the disease so farre was it of
The law deliuereth not but rather increaseth the disease that it could deliuer men from it And by the way he heateth downe the pride of the Iewes for that they importunatly hosted of the Law as though it onlye could make a man blessed And it is certayne that by the name of Lawe he vnderstandeth not the Law of nature but that law which was geuen by Moses amongest other endes whereof this was one that by it sinne shoulde be augmented that it beyng aboue measure augmented grace also might excedingly much more abound Howbeit this is to be noted that these increases of sinne happened not through the default of the law but of men For if the law had lighted The increases of sinne happened not through the defaulte of the law but of men A similitude vpon sound natures and a nature confirmed sound actions should thereof haue sprong But forasmuch as our mindes are full of diseases and our nature weake it followeth of necessity as Paul sayth that when the lawe commeth sinne is increased For euen as horses with shadowes and thinges that they are not accustomed vnto are so made afeard that oftentimes they run backeward and throw themselues hedlong into diches and riuers so we when we light vpō the commaundements of God do leape backe and do rather throw our selues in to the dungeon of our lustes then that we will obey the law Chrisostome thinketh that this particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is that in this place is not a coniunction causall but noteth onely the euente of the thing which we also graunt if it be referred vnto the nature of the law For forasmuch as it of his owne nature is good it cannot be said that of it self it augmenteth sinne But if we haue a consideratiō vnto the counsell of God wherfore he gaue the law I see not why that particle may not be taken causally For it is not to be doubted but that God therefore gaue the law to the ende sinne should be augmented And lest it should seme absurd We must not stay in the nerest endes to ascribe that vnto the prouidence of God we say that God hath manye endes all which are ordinate and therfore we ought not to stay in one or two of them but to go on farther For euen the prouidence of God directeth such endes to other endes which follow Wherfore we cannot thus gather God hath geuē the law ergo sinne simply and of hys owne nature pleaseth him but we must streight way adde which Paul also doth sinne beyng incresed grace hath more abounded and man hath obteined righteousnes and eternall lyfe So may we rightly conclude that the law was therfore geuen that man might at the last be The law was geuen that man through grace should be saued A similitude saued thorough grace Which thing may be declared by an other example when it is said that by the prouidence of God it is ordeyned that murther should be punished with death we cannot therby gather that God is cruell as one which delighteth in death bicause he will haue death reuenged with death But we must procede farther and say that it was therfore ordeined that a māqueller should be put to death to the ende the seuerity of the iustice of God might appeare and that mē being so admonished might restraine themselues from so wicked a crime Paul saith in the singuler number Sinne alluding to the corruption of our nature which the law beyng once put so increaseth that it breaketh forthe into innumerable euil workes By which kynd of speach that is manifest which we haue before said namely that the law is repugnant vnto naturall lust But by that which Paul sayth that the Law entred in by the way Chrisostom The law was not made to continue for euer gathereth that it ought not to be perpetuall but ought so long to continue vntill sinne being increased grace should abound And this in dede is after a maner true for as touching the ten commaundementes in men regenerate in Christ and adorned with grace in respect that they are such they haue no power to accuse and condemne and as touching ceremonies that part of the law is now vtterly abrogated yea and the politicall iudgementes are not now in theyr olde force But Ambrose weigheth these wordes entred in by the way more diligentlye and thinketh that thereby is signified that the law was so receiued as thoughe men supposed that by it they shoulde be saued for thus they thoughte that if they once knew what thinges were to be done they would easely accomplishe them But the thing happened farre otherwise And Ambrose addeth If the lawe did Why the law was of necessity according to Ambrose therefore enter in by the way that sinne should abound a man may iudge that it was not geuen that sinne should not abound howbeit on the other side it was necessary because the lawe of nature was after a sort extinct and quenched in men For it was so febled saith he that mē could not performe their duty That therefore the law of nature might receaue some strēgth be maintained the law of God came which hath not only confirmed it but also with a most manifest expositiō illustrated it But now we ought to apply our endeuor vnto the law geuen vs and diligently to entreate of it to meditate vpon it day and night We haue the like kind of speach in the epistle vnto the Galathyans The lawe was geuen because of transgression Now let vs see by what meanes sinne Howe sinne is augmented by the law Our lust is stirred vp by the precepts of God is augmented by the lawe First we must know that this is the nature of our lust that it can not be kepte vnder by the commaundements of God yea rather it is stirred vp by them Whereof came this accustomed sayinge Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata whiche signifieth we labour alwayes for that which is forbidden vs and euer desire thinges denied vs. And euen as riuers being otherwise quiet and caulme inough yet when they runne against a rocke or heape of stones do swell and rage and as it were gathering together their force more vehemently driue and cary away all lettes So our lustes whē they are prohibited by the lawes and decrees of God are more vnbridledly and insolently stirred vp and do as it were by a certaine fury cary vs headlong into transgressions And so by reason of his contrary lust may be saide to be encreased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the bridle of the lawe is put vpon it Wherefore Cicero in his oration for Roscius Amerinus saith that Solon in his lawes ordained nothing touching murtherers of parentes because forasmuch as that wicked crime had neuer before happened he feared leaste if he shoulde haue made a lawe thereof he should rather haue stirred vp men thereunto then repressed them there fro An other way also the
lawe increaseth sinne because he which sinneth knowing and wittingly is more greuously to be accused then he which sinneth He that sinneth knowing and wittingly is more greuously to be accused vnawares The lawe of nature was nowe so decaied that it wincked at many thinges For many counted lust for no sinne yea rather they semed happy which could obtaine that which they lusted for But when this voyce sounded from heauen thou shalt not lust man began to consider that lust was vnhonest and filthy Wherefore when he endeuoured to striue against it being destitute of strength as Agustine saith he found not a victory but captiuitye For he saw now that he was a bondsclaue vnto it Farther sinne is therefore increased by the lawe because in it we see paynes and punishementes set forth In the lawe we see the paines and punishmeÌ„ts of sinners vnto sinners Whereby it commeth to passe that men hauing their conscience accusing them leape backe from God as froÌ„ a seuere iudge and cruell reuenger And when they haue begon once to hate him they rather throwe theÌ„selues hedlong into any euil then that they will light vpon him Fourthly Chrisostome saith that the lawe of nature containeth a few and certayne briefe preceptes By the law of Moses the law of nature is deuided and distinct into many parts Before the law sinne was on slepe and halfe deade That grace should abound sins being incresed is not true in all men The law and aboundaunce of sinne are not the perfect causes of saluatioÌ„ which are amplified by the lawe of God For that it hath deuided those fewe into many partes whereby is augmented a heape of preceptes And because vnto euery commaundement his proper transgression is repugnant therefore sinnes may seeme also to be increased Neither doth the lawe by these meanes which we haue alledged onely increase sinne but also accuse and condemne it Wherefore in the first to the Corrinthians he saith that the lawe is the power of sin because they which sinne are by it proued guilty But these thinges are not so to be vnderstand as though there had bene no sinne before the lawe For there was sinne in dede but it was on sleepe and halfe deade Wherefore Paul in the 7. chapter of this epistle saith when the commaundement came sinne reuiued Which words declare that sinne was also before although it were not felt Farther we must note that the connexion betwene the law and the increase of sinne is vniuersall and pertaineth vnto all men but the connexioÌ„ which is betweene sinne increased grace abounding hath not place but only in the elect and predestinate For in the reprobate after sinne was by the law increased sorrow and griefe which come thereby engendreth desperation For these are not the full causes of saluation but instruments by which God vseth to deliuer his And the nature of instrumentes is that if a man remoue from them the power of the principal agent of themselues they bring to passe nothing God doth in dede What is the nature oâ— instruments God by certain meanes prepareth or bringeth vs to regeneration An â—â—ror of the Sophisters God vseth euell things to our saluation vse the law the feeling of sinne and terrors of paynes wherby to prepare away to iustification And although before our conuersion the same be sinnes yet by them he prepareth our minds but yet not with that kinde of preparatioÌ„ which the Sophisters haue fayned For they affirme that a man by these meanes deserueth grace as they are accustomed to say of congruency which thinge we haue in an other place declared to be repugnant vnto the holy scriptures But we graunt that as touchinge Gods behalfe there is a preparation for he vseth these meanes whereof some are of theyr owne nature euill and directeth them to a good end which ought to be ascribed only to his most wise prouidence But that grace hath abounded euen this thing may teache vs for that the Elect doo not only obteyne remission of sinnes by Christe but also are adopted to be the How grace is sayd to abound children of God made brethren of Christ heyres of God and fellow heires of Christ and they reioyce also in tribulations and in the hope of the glory of God God dealeth as good phisitions vse to doo which doo not only heale the disease but also doo adde strength and forme which the sicke man had not before But it semeth more agreable that Paul should haue sayd that sinne beinge augmented paynes and punishementes should haue more abounded for that doo sins deserue But he inuerteth his oration and in stede of paynes and punishements Paule inuerteth hys oration sayth that grace abounded Which thing we first fele by our owne experience to be true For we which were before oppressed with griefe and in a maner consumed with sinnes when we se our selues to be reconciled vnto God can not but count it for a most singular benefite For he which hath the more forgeuen him forasmuch as he feleth the greater gift loueth the more Farther the common people commonly weigh and esteme giftes by the consideration of the necessity that went before Wherfore forasmuch as sin being increased was after a sort vnmeasurable the grace also which should blot out the same ought likewise to What it is to haue the gospell preached vnto them that are in misery Of the nature of the law The Manichies and Pelagians vnderstood it nor be in amaner vnmeasurable By this place we may vnderstand what it is to haue the Gosple preached to meÌ„ broken in misery as it is written in Esay and what that is that Christ called vnto him those which were in trauaile and were laden For they which fele not themselues to be such come not vnto him when he calleth them Here I thinke it good somewhat briefly to speake of the nature of the Law and therewithall to declare how the Maneches and Pelagians vnderstood it not and what it worketh in vs ether before regeneration or after we be iustified First as touching the forme therof we may affirme the self same thing that Paul sayth in this epistle when he writeth that it is spirituall But the vniuersall end therof which pertayneth vnto all men is to bring men to the knowledge of sinne Which thing Paul hath both here signified and also before manifestly tought saying that by the law is the knowledge of sinne Here if a man aske why the Apostle sayd not rather by the law is the knowledg of righteousnes I answere bycause a man that is not yet regenerate so long as he is without Christ can not haue within himselfe the fealing of good workes or of true righteousnes which satisfieth the law of God Wherefore when he compareth his doings with the law he findeth them to be nothing but onely falles and transgressions But if we speake of the end of the law as touching the elect the same is
Christ which thing Paul also teacheth saying The end of the law is Christ to saluation The law doth not by it selfe bring men to Christe and to saluatiō The Ethnikes opinion concerning the end of the law What is the law which yet he speaketh not vniuersally But to euery one that beleueth For the law doth not of it selfe bring a man to thys end The Ethnikes sayd that the end of the law is knowledge which it engēdreth of thinges that are to be done Wherfore Christippus as he is cyted in the digestes fayth that the law is the knowledg of thinges diuine and humane But thys end and thys definition extend to largelye For all wisdome and all good artes doo geue some knowledg of diuine and humane thinges Now resteth diligently to se what is the matter and efficient cause of the law And briefely to speake of these thinges I say that the Law is a commaundement of God wherein both hys will and also disposition or nature is expressed When I say a commaundement I note the generall woorde For there are commaūdemēts of people Senators kings of Emperors But whē I say of God I adde the difference which noteth the efficient cause But in that I The law expresseth vnto vs the disposition nature of God say that in the law is expressed the will of God that is so manifest that it nedeth not to be expounded But this may peraduēture seme more obscure in that I said that in the law the disposition of God is taught vs and we are stirred vp to the knowledge of his nature we wil therfore by examples make it more playn Whē God commaundeth vs to loue him he therebye teacheth that he is of nature amiable For those things cannot iustly be beloued which are not worthy to be beloued And vnles he bare great good will toward vs he would not set forth vnto vs the chiefe good which we should loue Wherfore he for this cause exhorteth vs therunto bicause he desireth to haue vs pertakers of himselfe We sée therfore that he is such towardes vs as he desireth vs to be also And when he prohibiteth vs to kill First therin he declareth his will farther he sheweth himselfe to be such a God which abhorreth from violence and from iniuries had rather do good vnto men then hurt them After the same maner these two thinges may also be declared in the other preceptes and out of this definition may those thinges also be gathered which we haue before spoken concerning the forme and ende of the law bicause of necessity such doctrine ought to be both spirituall and also to engender a wonderfull excellent knowledge and we are taught that God by it hath geuen no small Benefites of the lawe benefite vnto men for it causeth vs both to know our selues and also to vnderstand the proprieties of God Plato in his bookes of lawes of a publike wealth and Platoes definition in Minoe seemeth thus to define the lawe namely that it is an vprighte manner of gouerning which by conuenient meanes directeth vnto the best ende in setting forth paynes vnto the transgressors and rewardes vnto the obedient This definition may be most aptly applied vnto the law of God yea there can be no such law Lawgeuers made God the author of theyr lawes vnles it be of God It is no meruaile therefore if the olde lawgeuers when they would haue their lawes commended fayned some God to be the author of them For Minos ascribed his lawes to Iupiter Licurgus his to Apollo Solon and Draco theirs to Minerua and Numa Pompilius referred his vnto Aegiria But we are assured and that by the holy scriptures that our law was geuen of God by Moses The Manichies do wickedly condemne the law There is no good or euill whych is not by the law of God either commaunded or forbiddē The law requireth not onely deades but also the wil The law bringeth vs to the knowledge of God and of our selues in mount Syna And these thinges beyng thus sene concerning the nature and definition of y◠law we mayeasly vnderstand how fowly the Manichies erred which blasphemed it and cursed it as euil For seyng that the law commaundeth nothing but things worthy to be commaunded and prohibiteth nothing but thinges mete to be prohibited how can it iustly be accused For there can be no iust or honest duety found which is not commended in the law of God nor nothyng filthy or vnhonest which in it is not forbidden neither are wicked actes onely prohibited in y◠law but also wicked lustes are there condemned Wherfore it sheweth that not onely outward workes are to be corrected but also the mynd and will And forasmuch as a great part of felicitie consisteth in the knowledge of God and Philosophers do so much extoll the knowledge of our selues and the law of GOD as we haue taught performeth either it can not but with great wickednes be reproued as euill and hurtful Howbeit this place wherein it is sayd That the law entred in that sinne should abound may seme to make somwhat with the Manichies as doth that also vnto the Galathians That the law was put for transgressions and that also in the 7. chap. of this epistle That sinne through the commaundement killeth and that likewise which is sayd in the second epist ▪ to the Corint That the law is the ministery of death All these thinges may seme to confirme the error of the Manichies But The things which are ioyned vnto the law of themselues and the thinges that come by chaunce must be seperated A similitude we must diligently put a differēce betwene those things which of themselues pertaine vnto the law and those things which follow it by reason of an other thing per accidens that is by chaunce For as we haue before taught sinne death damnation and other such like do spring of the law by reason of the corruption of our nature But if a man compare not the law with our nature but consider it by it selfe or if he referre it to a sound vncorrupt nature then can he affirme nothing els of it then that which Paul sayth Namelye that it is spirituall holye good and instituted vnto lyfe and it is said rather to shewe synne then to worke synne Wherefore if men deformed lying hidde in the darke shoulde saye vnto a man whiche by chaunce bryngeth a lyghte vnto them gette the hence least by this thy light thou make vs deformed vndoubtedly we could not gather by their wordes that the power and nature of light is such that it doth make men deformed but this we might rather gather that those things which of themselues are deformed are by the light vttered and shewed what they be And so is it of the lawe for it after a maner bringeth light and openeth to our knowledge the sinnes which before lay hidden But a man will say if the law be good and holy why
is it so displeasant and had in hatred Because it calleth Why the law is had in hatred men backe from those thinges which of their owne nature they are prone vnto for it gréeueth them to haue those thinges forbidden them And when we looke vpon the lawe we sée those thinges which we ought to do and by reason of the pride which is naturally plāted and grafted in vs we will not be restrained by any rules Farther thereby we sée how our actiōs are writhed from that vprightnes which is set forth in the lawe and whiche is more grieous we feele our selues to be so weake that we can not correct them and call thē backe to the prescribed rule howbeit in the meane while we behold the paines and anger of God whereinto by reason of sinnes we incurre All these thinges do so We are not angry with our selues as it is meete but wyth the law and wyth God How the law of God may please vs. Christ being ioyned with the law maketh it swete offend our minde that we are angry not indeede with our selues and with our sinnes as it were mete we shoulde but with the lawe geuen of God when as otherwise it is most perfect and most holy Howbeit this discommodity may be remedied and we may bring to passe that those thinges which before were displeasant vnto vs may afterward be pleasant vnto vs. And that shall we do if we ioyne the lawe together with Christ For euen as the waters of Marath were most bitter vnto the people of Israell in the desert and yet the selfe same by casting in the wood which God had commaunded were made swete So although the law by it selfe be bitter yet if Christ be ioyned with it whom God hath set forth vnto vs as an only sauior and also as the iust and due ende thereof we shall then feele it to be sweete Which thing to haue happened vnto Dauid the 119 Psalme manifestly declareth wherein are wonderfully set forth the prayses of the lawe of God For there it is called pleasaunt delectable sweete Prayses of the law in the Psalmes How the law of God is written in our hartes aboue hony and the hony combe And this is it which is promised vs in the prophete that God would write the lawe in our hartes which is nothing els but that he will geue vnto vs the spirite of Christ whereby we may be inclyned to those thinges which the lawe hath commaunded to be done that at the least way the commaundementes of God should be pleasant to our minde Which thing also the Apostle teacheth when he saith In minde I serue the lawe of God This they that are regenerate do fele who although they can not performe a perfect obedience vnto the commaundementes of God yet they loue them and excedingly desire them and embrace them as the chiefe good and do dilligently desire of God to come to the perfection of them as nigh as is possible By these thinges it plainly appeareth how the vtility and righteousnes of the lawe is to be defended against the Manechies But on the other side the Pelagians are no les to be auoyded which ascribe vnto the lawe more then is mete for they affirme it to The Pelagians attribute vnto the law more then is which they thinke to be sufficient vnto saluation Pelagius sometymes confessed the grace of God in woorde and not in dede By grace Pelagius vnderstoods nature and the law The schole men come very nye vnto the error of the Pelagians be sufficient vnto saluation For they say that if men once vnderstand what is to be done they may easely by the power of nature performe the same Wherfore Pelagius for feare least he should haue bene condemned of the Bishoppes of Palestine as one which vtterly denied the grace of God cōfessed the same grace in word for he affirmed that to our saluation the grace of God is necessary But by grace he vnderstoode nothing els but nature it selfe geuen vs freely of God because God hath made vs reasonable and endued vs with free will Farther he saide that the lawe or doctrine of the lawe was grace because of our selues we are ignorant what thinges are to be done or to be beleued vnles God reuele them vnto vs. Wherefore Augustine writeth in his books of the grace of Christ against Celestius that they with mouth affirme that the possibility of nature it holpen by grace But he addeth that if their meaninges were examined and narrowly waighed then shall we see that by grace doctrine and the lawe they vnderstand nothing els but that a man hauing receaued only the knowledge of the lawe hath of himselfe strength inough to do the thinges that are commaunded Vnto which error the schoole deuines approch very nye when they teach that a man euen by the power of nature can obserue the preceptes of God as touching the substance of the worke although not according to y◠intēt of the cōmaunder By which words this they signifie that we can perform the very works although not in such sort as God hath commaunded they should be done namely of charity the spirite Which latter part I thinke they added that they might seme in some point to disagree from the Palagians But Augustine so abhorred from such sentences that not euen vnto the regenerate so long as they liue in this flesh he graunteth a perfect Euen the regenerate are not able perfectly to obserue the law The Pelagians make the death of Christe vaine obseruation of the commaundementes of God whiche thing manifestly appeareth by his Retractations And that his iudgement therein is most true Paule declareth in the 7. chap. of this epistle Vndoubtedly if the thing were so as Pelagius hath taughte the comming of Christ and sacrifice of the crosse had bene nothing nedefull For these thinges were therefore geuen bycause by our owne strengths we could not attayne vnto the righteousnes of workes That thing Paul most manifestly testefieth saying That which was impossible vnto the law for asmuch as it was weakened by the flesh c These wordes apertly declare that mā by reason of the infirmity of the flesh could not fullfil the law Farther he saith The wisdome of the flesh is enmity towards God for it is not subiect vnto the law of God nether certainely can it be For although the law hath power to teach and to illustrate the minde yet it doth not therefore minister strength or change the will Wherefore Ambrose in his booke de fuga seculi The law sayth he cā stop the mouth of all men but yet it can not conuert the minde And afterward The law indede sheweth the fault but it taketh not a way the malice Wherefore vnto it must be adioyned grace which forasmuch as the Pelagians contemned they wandred from saluation were iustly condemned of the Church But as touching the office of y◠law these few thinges are to be obserued
First that it is not vtterly vnprofitable no not euen without regeneration for it may serue to some ciuile discipline The office of the law For if mē do the outward workes of the law in such sort as they may although vnto them which doo them they are sinnes yet by thē may be obserued a ciuile order For where there is no obseruation of these thinges all thinges are confoūded iniuries are committed filthy lust rāgeth abrode the wrath of God is kindled so that he suffreth not publike welthes being in such maner corrupt verye long to continew There is also an other worke of the lawe which is inwarde which pertayneth vnto the conscience that it should perpetually accuse vrge scourge and condemne it And by this meanes God as we haue sayd bringeth a man at the length to iustification Which iustification being obteyned nether then doth the law lye idle but is like a glasse wherein the regenerate do behold After regeneration the law is not idle what fruites they ought to bring forth how much they ought dayly to profite what they haue to geue thankes for and how muche they want of the iust instauration to y◠end to obtaine it they may the more ernestly call vpon God The law also putteth before theyr eyes y◠marke wherevnto they ought to leuel in al theyr actions Vnto which although they can not attayne in this life yet they must doo theyr diligence not to depart far from it By these thinges it manifestly appeareth how much the law helpeth in outward workes what it worketh in the conscience and how much it helpeth them that are regenerate Now resteth this to marke that this sentence of the Apostle pertayneth not only to ceremonies Vnder this sentēce are comprehended not onely ceremonies but also the morall precept but also to the morall preceptes For sinne is by them most chiefely increased and it is of more greater wayght to stray from them then from outward ceremonies But now let vs returne vnto the Apostle That euen as sinne hath raigned in death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ Here he sheweth a reason why grace in the elect after the increases of sinne abounded namely that by it we should obteyne righteousnes and so at the length come to eternall life For euen as sinne brought death so grace also and righteousnes which must be ioyned together haue brought eternall life The argument is taken of contraries An argument taken of contraries For seing that sinne which is opposite vnto righteousnes brought death it is meete that of grace and righteousnesse shoulde followe life Neyther is it in vayne that righteousnesse is ioyned wyth grace For thereby we are taughts that our righteousnesse consisteth not of woorkes but of grace The wonderfull order also of thynges is here to be noted In the firste place is put the A very godly gradation law then the increase of sinne and then the aboundance of grace afterward righteousnes last of all eternall life and all these things by Iesus Christ As touching the wordes sinne is sayd to haue raigned in death bycause sinne could not be taken away by the law and death was for his cause inflicted as a punishmēt In the 1. to y◠Corrinth Paul hath in a maner the selfe same sentence saying that the dart of death is sinne For nether could death otherwise wound mankind but by sinne Ether of them are sayd to raigne both grace and sinne when we are moued and stirred vp by them for in Publike welthes kinges raigne and gouerne How grace and sinne a◠sayd to raigne as it pleaseth them In godlye men righteousnes raigneth for they after they haue receaued remission of sinnes study to geue theyr members weapons vnto righteousnes and holines as before they had permitted them to sinne And this is called the kingdome of Christ which is therefore ascribed vnto grace by Why this kingdome is called the kingdome of Christ The rootes of death and life A similitude Grace and life cleaue together of necessity cause it consisteth freely and without workes In this place as Chrisostome noteth are set forth vnto vs the rootes of death and life The fountaine of life is grace and righteousnes the foūtayne of death is sinne And he addeth that death is like a souldier whiche is aypointed armed of sin as of his king wherfore take away the king then death being vnarmed can not destroy mē for euer Farther he admonisheth that forasmuch as haue alredy obteyned grace we should not doubt of the obteynement of life For these things cleaue of necessity the one to the other But why the Apostle bringeth this similitude we may easely shew Bicause grace was of more force to make new agayne then sinne was of force to kill And in that it is added by Iesus Christ we must call to rememberance the Analogy or proposition set at the beginning betwene Adam and Christe For euen as from Adam came sinne and death so from one Iesus Christ came grace and life This place admonisheth vs somwhat to speake of grace Nounes which as the Logicians say are put abstractly are vsually declared by their cōcrets whose significations Of Grace Abstractes are knowne by theyr concretes What is to be gracious are more present vnto the sence Wherefore let vs first sée what this worde Gratiosus that is gratious signifieth with the Latines And he amongest men is called Gratiosus whome all men fauour and whome the common people do loue So in the holy scriptures men are called gratious which haue found grace with God For so the scripture vseth to speake of those whom God fauoureth and We are one way gracibefore God and an other way before men whom he loueth But yet as touching this there is great differēce betwene God men For men fauour none but them in whome they finde those things whereby they may be allured and drawen to loue them It behoueth therfore that he which will be beloued of men haue in himselfe the causes of loue and beneuolence But God contrariwise found in men nothing worthy to be beloued wherby he mought be led to loue them For he hath loued vs first and out of that loue he bestoweth vpon vs whatsoeuer we haue that is acceptable vnto him Wherfore the name of The grace of God is taken too o◠manner of wayes grace is in holy scriptures taken two manner of wayes first and principally it signifieth the beneuolence of God towardes men and the frée fauour which he heareth towards the elect Secondly bicause God endueth his elect with excellēt gifts Grace sometymes signifieth also those giftes which are fréely bestowed vppon vs by God This two fold signification of grace beyng well noted declareth with how great diuersitie our aduersaries and we affirme one and the selfe same sentence for either of vs say that a man is iustified by grace But in this is
men execute theyr office not beinge compelled of feare but of theyr owne accord and willingly Whiche his sayinges are not so to be vnder stande as thoughe the Fathers whiche liued in the olde tyme vnder the lawe were vtterlye voyde of grace For they also beleued in Christe But here Paul so speaketh of the lawe to put a difference betwéene it and the Gospell and Christ as did the Hebrues at that tyme. Wherefore if the fathers The fathers which attained vnto grace had it not by the law were confirmed by the helpe of grace and of the holy ghost that came not then vnto them by the lawe Wherefore Paul sayth so farre is it of that ye ought to be subiect vnto sinne that ye also are frée euen from the lawe And he semeth to drawe his argument from the effectes For forasmuch as the lawe was therefore only geuen that sinne shoulde be felt and perceaued then the law being taken away it plainly appeareth that as touching the beleuers the strengthes of sinne are now broken so that it can no more beare dominion ouer vs. For that children ought by reason of age to be bridled from errors they haue appointed vnto them schoolemasters to chastise them and to keepe them vnder But afterward when through age and discretion ignorance and error are gone the schoolemasters are taken away from them So here Paul speaketh vnto the faythful Ye are no more in age like children that ye haue nede of the bridle of the lawe Wherefore sinne shall not get the mastery ouer you so that ye fight Those commentaries whiche Commentaries ascribed vnto Ierome are ascribed vnto Ierome haue vpon this place a very trim similitude When a yonge man is brought from Grammer vnto Rhetorike he is warned no more to vse incongrue lattine forasmuch as he is no more vnder a GrammariaÌ„ but vnder a Rhetorician And eueÌ„ by the same selfe reasoÌ„ yâ— Apostle saith Sin shall no more haue dominion ouer you because ye are not now vnder the law but vnder Grace Ambrose sayth when we walke not as the lawe commaundeth then are we vnder the lawe Sinne by the authority of the lawe maketh the sinner guilty And whome the lawe maketh guilty those are deliuered vnto it of sinne Wherefore he can not be vnder the law which hath renounced sinne Contrariwise he which fighteth against sinne is not vnder the law Paul in these wordes séemeth by preuention to comfort the Romanes For they mought haue sayd Although we geue ouer our selues vnto God as they that of dead are on liue and though we applye our members as weapons of righteousnes vnto God yet can we not bring to passe whilest we continue in this life but that we shall now and then sinne Paul answereth although there be grafted in you a naturall lust yet it shall not raigne in you For forasmuch as ye are not vnder the law sinne shall not beare dominion ouer you For sinne through the Grace vnder which through Christ ye liue shall not be imputed vnto you And your obedience although it be but begonne and vnperfect yet shall it be acceptable vnto God notwithstanding it satisfieth not the lawe For ye are not vnder the lawe And according to this meaning Paul afterward sayth There is now no condeÌ„nation The law nothing profyteth against the beleuers vnto those which are in Christ Iesus For the lawe in accusing and condemning preuayleth nothing agaynst them that beleue For Christ hath deliuered them from the curse of the lawe But they do not a litle erre which thinke that these things are written â—nely of the ceremonyes of the law and of the iudiciall lawes as though we are still bounde vnto the ten Commaundementes For forasmuch as Paul entreateth in this place of sinne whose kingdome we ought to beware of that we be not obedient vnto it through lustes and straight way maketh mencion These thinges are to be vnderstand of morall precepts also of the lawe which was made agaynst it it most manifestly appeareth that in these wordes are also comprehended the ten Commaundementes For in the commaundementes are our lustes most of all prohibited and restrayned And forasmuch as to the Galathyans it is written That by Christ we are deliuered from the curse of the law and in Leuiticus the 27. chapter and also in Deut. are mencioned those which are execrated and cursed namely they which make a molten image or an idol which geue not due honour vnto father mother which make the blind to erre which strike their neighbour all which thinges pertayne vnto the tenne Commaundementes it is manifest that by Christ we are deliuered chiefely from How we ar bound vnto the law and how we are deliuered from it them Wherfore let vs vse this distinction that as touching iustification we are sayd to be exempted from the lawe because by it we séeke not our righteousnes before God for alredy are we iustified through faith in Christ But on the other side we are not loosed from the obedience which we owe vnto God but that we ought of necessity to do those things which are prescribed vnto vs in yâ— x. commauÌ„demeÌ„ts Wherefore yâ— lawe also as touching yâ— part which is morall forasmuch as it nether condeÌ„neth nor accuseth nor coÌ„pelleth yâ— elect is said to be abrogated for these are yâ— chiefest proprieties of yâ— law As touching the ciuile precepts of Moses no maÌ„ doubteth but yâ— they are now no more in force For the Gospel as it taketh not away any helpes pertayning vnto mans life so doth it in no case take away ciuile administration but leaueth vnto all nations theyr forme of rule and gouernement so that it be not repugnaunt vnto the word of God and vnto pietye God in dede gaue vnto the Israelites those lawes that by them theyr publike welth should be gouerned but afterward when his will was that it should so be cleane dissipated that it should neuer hereafter be restored agayne he would that those lawes whiche pertayned vnto ceremonies shoulde quite be cutte of and abolished For they were only a certayne doctrine to leade vs vnto Christ Why the ceremonies of the Iewes wer abolished who when he was once come it was conuenient that they should vtterly be taken away Nether should it haue auayled vs any longer to haue retayned the ceremonies of the Iewes For forasmuch as men would haue perswaded themselues yâ— by them they should haue God pacified and mercifull of necessity some part of yâ— glory of Christ would therby haue bene diminished for it is he only by whome God is pacefied towardes men Wherfore by Christ we are deliuered as well from the ceremonies as also from the ciuile lawes of the Iewes But Why we are bound vnto the ten commaundementes not to the other parts of the law some are in doubte how it commeth to passe that sithen al thâ—se partes ar abrogated so that of ceremonies and ciuile lawes there remayneth nothing
yet as we haue now taught we are bound vnto the Ten commaundementes as touching the obedience thereof Hereunto I answere that no man fullfilleth the Ten commaundementes though he be neuer so holye for all our workes are so vnperfect that they answere not vnto the prescript and rule thereof Howbeit bycause the precepts which are there contayned are agreeable vnto the law of nature and are grafted and printed in our mindes it commeth per accidens that is by chance that the good workes vnto which the children of God being now regenerate thoroughe the holy ghost are stirred vp are one and the selfe same with those workes which are written in the Ten commaundementes For it is mete for them whome God hath adopted to be his childreÌ„ that they apply themselues vnto good workes and to such workes as are acceptable vnto God And those workes are vtterly one and the selfe same with those which nature rightly enstructed bringeth forth of his owne accord and which the Ten commaundementes appoynted by God contayneth But so is it not of ceremonies and ciuile or iudiciall lawes for they are not so knowen of all men that they appeare vnto all meÌ„ vpright and iust if they should iudge of them by the light of nature only Paul to encourage them that fight putteth them in remembraunce to consider that they liue vnder grace and not vnder the lawe For two wayes are the mindes of men accustomed to be stirred vp vnto battayl firste by the goodnes Two thinges do chiefly encourage theÌ„ that fighte What grace in this place signifieth of the cause secondly by the certaynty of victory and rewards As touching the goodnes of our cause there is alredy spoken sufficiently for in it we exhibite our selues vnto God and for righteousnes sake we fight agaynst sin and death And now he promiseth also an assured victory for he sayth the grace of God is â—ne our side Grace as touching this place signifieth two thinges First the forgeuenes of sinnes by imputing of righteousnes thorough Christ secondlye the gifts of the holy ghost the renuing of our strengths This latter part bicause it is receaued in vs corrupt and fylthy vessels althoughe it somewhat wythdrawe vs from sinning yet it is not such that we ought to leane and trust vnto it For our workes though they be succored and holpen by these aydes yet are they not so perfect that they can stand in the iudgement of God But by the first kinde of exhortation we receaue greate consolation in our consciences For although in our fight sinne doth thrust in it selfe whither we will or no yet ought we not to be discouraged forasmuch as we assuredly knâ—w that it is not imputed vnto vs for Christes sake For sithen thorough Christe we are receaued of God into fauor our workes although otherwise they be â—nperfect yet for hys sake are acceptable vnto God But Paul encourageth his souldiers with bothe these kindes of exhortation when as he admonisheth them both that they are vnder grace and also that they haue the holy ghost a stay and an helpe vnto them so that sinne which is naturallye planted in them shall not be able to destroye Differences betwene grace and the law them But it shall be good to note certayne differences betwene the Lawe and betwene Grace which Chrisostome also noteth The law sayth he setteth forth a crowne but first requireth workes and battayles grace firste crowneth and afterwarde bringeth vnto the battayle By this difference he teacheth that the righteousnes whiche is set forthe of the Lawe is obteyned by workes For we can not be iustifyed by the Lawe vnlesse wee haue accomplished all the thinges whiche are commaunded in the lawe But that other righteousnes whiche we haue by grace thorough faith doth first crowne vs with a new generation and adoptioÌ„ to be the children of God and then we being regenerate it bringeth vs forth vnto battailes and vnto good workes Hereunto Chrisostome addeth The law reproueth sinne but loseth not from sinne grace loseth from sinne and reproueth not The lawe reprouing sinne encreaseth it grace forgeuing it suffereth vs not to be vnder sinne These things are true and very agreable with Pauls saying but that which he addeth not long afterward namely That before the commyng of Christ the body of man when he lyued vnder the law was such that it might easely be ouercome of sinne bicause the helpe of the holy ghost was not yet present neither also Baptisme nor mortification but maÌ„ for that the law shewed only what was to be done but nothing helped therunto went at raÌ„don and erred lyke an vnbrideled horse This I say if it be vnderstand vniuersally of al men is not true For who dare presume to say that Dauid Esay Ieremy Daniell and a great many moe holy fathers wanted the holy ghost or the grace of regeneration which was sealed by Circumcision as ours is by baptisme Or who will thinke that they wanted mortification wherby they brake the wicked appetites and lustes springing in them Wherfore those wordes of Chrisostom are to be vnderstand of the vngodly which had vtterly reiected Christ from them and liued only vnder the letter of the law and fayned vnto themselues a Messias which should come to bring only an earthly kingdome and procure worldly riches and pleasures vnto the people of the Iewes of which manner of men there were many among the Iewes And since the comming of Christ we haue no small number not much vnlike vnto these which onely in name are Christians But to returne A facili Hereby is proued that we ought to be assured of our saluation vnto Paul he comforteth them by reason of easines and promiseth vnto theÌ„ the victory bicause they are vnder grace In this place are reproued those which commaund vs perpetually to doubt whether we be in the fauor of God or no. For they which in such maner doubt do receyue no fruit of this consolation of Paule For thus they thinke with themselues how can we certainly know that we are vnder grace For peraduenture we are straungers from God and are by reason of our sinnes odious vnto him for how can we be assured that they are for Christ his sake forgeueÌ„ vs But by this meanes the reason of Paul is vtterly ouerthroweÌ„ Wherfore it behoâ—eth that with an assured fayth and an vndoubted hope which confoundeth not we certainly appoint that God loueth vs hath through Christ receiued vs into fauour And so shall we out of these wordes of Paul receiue wonderfull great comfort Now haue we finished yâ— first part of this chap. wherin Paul hath proued that we ought not to abide in sinne bicause we are now dead vnto it And this hath he confirmed by the sacrament of baptisme And when he had many wayes set forth this reason he at the last added an exhortation that we should not suffer sinne to raigne in vs but should earnestly resist it as much
as we are able and to the end we should not be faint harted he comforteth vs in promising vs an easy victory bicause we are not vnder the law but vnder grace What then shal we sinne bicause we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbidde Knowe ye not that to whomesoeuer ye geue your selues as seruantes to obey hys seruaÌ„ts ye are to whome ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes But God be thanked that ye were the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the harte vnto the forme of the doctrine wherunto ye were deliuered But beyng made free from synne ye are made the seruauntes of righteousnes What shall we therfore sinne bicause we are not vnder the law but vnder grace Now coÌ„meth he vnto the second reason wherby he entendeth to proue yâ— we ought not to abide in sinnes none otherwise theÌ„ he came at yâ— beginning of this chap. vnto his first reasoÌ„ For euen as before he depressed yâ— law coÌ„mended grace wherupon the aduersaries toke occasioÌ„ of speking slaundrous words saying shal we abide in sinne that grace may abound So coÌ„cludeth he yâ— reason now brought forth by these wordes For ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace At whiche wordes the false prophetes cried out saying that many were offended and accused the doctrine of Paul And therefore he oftentymes obiecteth vnto himselfe such Antipophora is â— figure interrogations For his doctrine for that cause was euery where euill spoken of Wherefore here is vsed the figure * Antipophora If it be so as thou sayst that we are deliuered from the lawe then may we sinne and that without punishement But they which make this obiection are wonderfully deceaued For the deliuery from the lawe is not geuen to liue licenciously but rather for a more perfecter absolutenes Wherefore Paul addeth God forbid signifiing that he excedingly abhorred from such kinde of doctrine And this absurdity mought haue followed if Paul had affirmed only that we are deliuered from the lawe and had added nothing els But in that he addeth But ye are vnder grace he sheweth Grace is a more excelleÌ„ter scholemaster then the law that they are so deliuered from the lawe to the ende they should lyue vnder a more excellenter schoolemaster for by grace and the holy ghost we are not only so illustrated that we sée what thinges we ought to do but also we are excedingly stirred vp and pricked forward to execute the selfe same thinges Wherefore the Apostle doth not so leaue the godly without the lawe that he woulde haue them let loose the bridle vnto wicked lustes but he setteth forth grace which through the benefite of the Gospell succeded the lawe And forasmuch as men are much better gouerned by grace and by the holy ghost then they are by the lawe it easely appeareth how weake the argument of these men is For in their disputation they take as it was said at the beginning that for the cause whiche is not the cause But so farre is it of that that which Paul sayth is the cause of sinne that of it rather the contrary followeth For they which are vnder grace and are gouerned They which are gouerned by the conduite of grace sinâ—â— not by the conduite thereof sinne not yea rather forasmuch as Christ 〈…〉 gh grace liueth in them they can not sinne so farre forth as by hym they are â—tirreâ— vp to any kynd of worke For Paul saith vnto the Galathyans I liue but not I now but Christ liueth in me But they sinne which liue vnder thâ— Lawe which 〈…〉 seth and condemneth them as Paul writeth vnto Timo. The law is not geuen vnto a righteous man but vnto the vngodly and vnto sinners to 〈…〉 holy and 〈…〉 the prophane to murtherers of fathers and mothers to manslears to whoremongers and to abusers of nature and if there be any other thing that is contrary to wholsome doctrine By thys place we sée that they which are infected with these wicked vices are vnder the dominion of the lawe namely by it to be accused and punished But the Gospell suffreth vs not to remayne in sinne for it doth not only preach the remission of sinnes but also vnto theÌ„ that beleue it bringeth the spirite of God whereby they are wonderfully inflamed and stirred vp to holy workes Neither is this reason of any force We are not compelled by threatninges and punishements of the law to withhold our selues from sinne therefore we are by none other meanes impelled By what reasons the regenerate are bound to liue holilye They which liue vndergrace oughte to obey God A similitude of seruauntes to lyue innocently For we are bound of dewty piety and fayth to lyue honestly and holilye which things vndoubtedly are of greater force and doo more vehemently stirre vs vp then any bond of the Lawe This is the effect of the reason aleadged They which liue vnder grace ought to obey God but to make the thyng more playne we will expresse it by a similitude of seruants for they ought in all things to be obedient vnto their masters and to be comformable vnto theyr willes thus therefore he reasoneth It is mete that seruaunts obey their Lords But ye are now made the seruauntes of righteousnes wherefore vnto it oughte ye to do seruice and not vnto sinne Farther to strike vs more sharpely he addeth to this reason a double spurre to pricke vs forward firste he sayth that they came into this seruitude not against their willes or by compulsion but willyngly and of theyr owne accorde secondlye as muche as lyeth in hym he layth before theyr eyes the haynousnes of synne and geueth thankes vnto God who deliuered them from it and made them the seruauntes of righteousnes If a man demaunde at what tyme we addicte our selues to be seruauntes vnto righteousnes Chrisostome answereth that we then do it when we are baptised So by the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme he declareth both this reason and also the other wherby he proued that we are dead vnto sinne This similitude of seruauÌ„tes and Lords is confirmed by that right or law whereby seruauntes are bound vnto theyr Lordes which law whither it be the law of god or the law of man maketh theÌ„ bound to obey theyr Lords and this thinge may be knowen by the finall cause if we consider the property of the name Augustine in this 19. booke De ciuitate Dei the 15. chap writeth that Serui that is seruaunts were so called of the Latine meÌ„ Why Serui that is seruants are so called Seruio in lattine signifyeth to saue or to keepe Seruitude sprange of sinne We are born slaues vnto Sathan bycause being taken in warre they were saued of theyr enemies For they which were taken were not alwayes slayne by them that ouercame them but sometimes were reserued one liue for this purpose that they should be seruauntes vnto them that tooke them And
ether of righteousnes or els of sinne doth now by the great worke of the holy ghost excellently declare what maner ones we be which beleue in Christ But God be thanked that ye were the seruauntes of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the hart vnto that forme of doctrine whereunto ye were deliuered He thought it not sufficient to put vs in remembrance that we are Before regeneration we were al the seruaÌ„ts of sinne brought to obedience but would also moreouer admonishe vs what maner ones we were before namely seruauntes of sinne This was the state of vs all before we were conuerted vnto Christ For the calling of God findeth none ether holy or iust Neither was it sufficient to say that we are now the seruauntes of righteousnes The calling of God findeth none holy They which are regenerate do of theyr owne free will liue holily We are deliuered of God because it lieth not in our power and therefore he geueth thankes vnto him Of the drawing wherby we are stirred vp of God It is not sayd vnles the father shall lead but vnlesse he shall draw God of vnwilling persoÌ„s maketh vs willing Vnlesse we be â—yrst made as sheepe we can not follow God when he calleth vs. The drawing of God is with pleasure What pleasure iâ— Hâ—auâ—nly thinges cannot delight vs vnles we be as touching nature chaunged but he addeth from the hart They which are truly regenerate in Christ and grafted in him do worke those thinges which they vnderstand to be acceptable vnto God not of compulsion or of hipocrisie but of their owne accord and frée will Wherefore Paul when he maketh mencion hereof geueth thankes vnto God for that he vnderstoode that that thing is the chiefest and singular benefite of God and lyeth not in our power as many men fayne that it doth And therefore he addeth in the passiue signification Ye were deliuered By which wordes he meaneth nothing els but that which Christ ment when he sayd No man commeth vnto me vnles my father draw hym But what maner of drawing is this and how hard it is to expressed he that diligently waigheth the wordes of Christ shall easely perceaue It is written sayth he in the prophetes they shal be all taught of God Which sentence Christ doth yet more playnly expound saying He which shall heare of my father and shall learne commeth vnto me By which wordes he sheweth that an outward calling is not sufficient vnles there be added of God a full perswasion inwardly and in the mynde For after that God hath once inclined and bowed our mynde then at the last we come vnto Christ And Augustine in his first booke vnto Bonefacius agaynst the two epistles of the Pelagians noteth that the Lord sayd Vnles my father shall drawe him and sayd not vnles my father shall leade him as though we our selues as of our selues coulde will any thynge or geue assente vnto hym that calleth vs. For he whiche is willinge is not drawen but led not that the father draweth anye but those that are willing For it is not possible that we should beleue vnles we be willing But God worketh wonderfully in our hartes so that of vnwilling persons he maketh vs willing And the same Augustine vpon Iohn expounding this place compareth the beleuer wyth a young sheepe whome the shepeherd wyth holding forth a grene bowe draweth after hym not indâ—de by violence but of hys owne accorde and wyth a desire For the sheepe hath inwardly an appetite which stirreth hym vp to followe the bowe In which comparison this we ought to note that it is the proprietye of a sheepe so to do For an other beaste will not follow gréene bowes though it be against their willes So ought we by regeneration to be renewed and to be made the shepe of Christ before we can follow him For otherwise we despise all gréene bowes and callinges Augustine addeth more ouer that this drawyng is with a certayne oblectation and pleasure so that that is true which the Poete sayth Trahit sua quenque voluptas That is Euery man is drawen by hys owne pleasure And we are led by the bondes not of the body but of the hart and we are stiâ—red vp by a holy pleasure But the very definition of pleasure sufficiently teacheth that first the chaunging of our corrupt nature is necessary For pleasure is nothing els but an affection and motion stirred vp in vs of thinges agreable vnto our 〈…〉 re as contrarywise griefe or sorrow commeth of thinges that are repugnant vnto our naturâ— And now to the end we may take some pleasure by the admonitions of God and heauenly wordes it is necessary that they be agreable with our nature But foras 〈…〉 â—s it is corrupt yâ— thing can by no meanes be brought to passe For Paul sayth o 〈…〉 â—he Cor. The carnall man vnderstaÌ„deth not those things which are of the spâ—rite of God for they seme foolishe vnto hym and therfore he refuseth them as thinges contrarye vnto himselfe What is then to be done that the same To make the law pleasaunte vnto vs the law must not be chaunged but our nature must be altered Paul right well vseth the passiue manner of speaking The forme of doctrine is the Gospell Although this drawing be the worke of God yet the ministers of the word ought to do theyr seruice therin thinges may be pleasaunt vnto vs Are the commaundements of God to be altered and bended to our lustes No vndoubtedly Our nature ought rather to be chaÌ„ged and regenerated by God And that thing doth God bryng to passe in vs when he through fayth endueth vs with his righteousnes and so draweth vs vnto Christ And therfore Paul when he had vsed these verbes of the actiue signification obey and exhibite or geue your members c. Afterward vseth the passiue significatioÌ„ when he sayth Ye are deliuered ye are made free from sinne ye are made the seruauntes of righteousnes By which wordes is signified that in that we lyue vprightly and follow God is from without vs and commeth not from our selues By the forme of doctrine he vnderstandeth the Gospell for it is not a simple doctrine as philosophy or the law but such a doctrine as offreth vnto vs Christ and his spirite and grace wherby are ministred vnto vs strengths to performe those things which are commaunded And although this draught be the worke of God yet ought preachers pastors to serue therin as ministers of God And forasmuch as we call that draught a motion the terme and ende both from whence it beginneth and wherunto it tendeth Paul declareth when he thus writeth Ye were the seruantes of sinne By which wordes he sheweth from whence we are drawen But when he addeth that we are deliuered that we should be obedient vnto the Gospell he sheweth the end of our mutation For therfore are we regenerate and brought to Christ that we should be obedient vnto his word Neither thought
manifest that righteousnes is vnpleasant vnto our flesh and is 〈…〉 whatsoâ—ueâ— the sayd righteousnes appointeth our flesh to do But that wh 〈…〉 〈…〉 ghâ—â—ay â—olloweth semeth not to agree with this exposition Fo◠〈…〉 members seruauntes to vnclenes c. In these wor 〈…〉 is pa 〈…〉 〈…〉 eth to geue a reason why he sayd before that he desired a 〈…〉 tay 〈…〉 the maner of men by reason of the infirmitye of theyr flesh Ierom 〈…〉 in the 2. question being required to expound this place vnto the Colloss Take hede lest aeny maÌ„ preueÌ„t you of the price or reward sayth that Paul in his writinges desired not to follow the phrases of speach vsed of most eloqueÌ„t writers as of Plato of Demostenes and of such like but vsed words senteÌ„ces that were coÌ„mon and such as were in a maner knowen to all men And for example sake he gathereth Paul vsed phrases of speech of the Cilicians together many of his phrases which were obserued of the Cilicians euen vnto his tyme. For of that countrey was Paul born in yâ— city of Tharsis amongst which phrases he rehearseth yâ— which he was theÌ„ in hand with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth should preuent yâ— reward Also that which is written in the first vnto the Corrinthyans As touching me I passe very little to be iudged of you or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of mans day which signifieth in that place mans iudgement And in the latter epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that ye should not be greued and the place which now we reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I speake after the maner of men Because of the infirmity of your fleshe This therefore he sayth because so long as we lyue here in this world we are not fully regenerate For there remayneth in vs much fleshe and much of olde Adam Yet by these wordes as Chrisostome Paul will haue nothing released of the endeuor of the will We must not adde a moderation vnto the law of God noteth Paul setteth not at liberty the endeuour of the will For although by reason of the burthen of our fleshe we can not performe so much as is required of vs yet our will ought alwayes to contend to farther thinges Neither oughte we to thinke that the Apostle would here teach that we shoulde adde an equity or moderation vnto the law of God as though there were not required at our haÌ„ds that we should performe so much as it commaundeth but so much as we can For in this place he releaseth nothing of the lawe of God For to moderate or lenefie it neither lieth it in the Apostle nor in any other mortall man And this semeth to be the meaning of these wordes Reason in dede would require that ye shoulde exhibite a greater seruitude vnto righteousnes then vnto sinne But I speake onely after the maner of men and require that ye should do only the like things And that is to require all whatsoeuer the Lawe commaundeth For they which Paule in so speaking requireth al our strengthes are not yet regenerate but lyue strangers from Christ do wholy serue sin and do applye all their strengthes and powers to sinne But the lawe requireth nothing els but that we should with the whole hart with the whole soule and with all our strengthes loue God We haue so vtterly serued sinne that although it may seme that somewhat more should be attributed vnto innocency then before was geuen vnto sinne yet that can now by no meanes be brought to passe For we haue with all our strengthes serued sinne Therefore the faulte is in vs that We haue with al our strengthes serued sinne probability of reason can not take place And yet Paul in the meane tyme in writing these thinges diminisheth nothing from the law of God Yea rather by these wordes he highly commendeth it as a thing which requireth nothing of vs but that which is agréeable with the nature of man It is a common saying a man must aske more then right to the ende he may attayne to his right But Paul sayth that he asketh but gently not so much as he mought of dutye require As touching the wordes he sayth that we haue hetherto geuen ouer our members How vncleanes and iniquity coÌ„prehend all kind of sin as seruauntes to vncleanes and iniquity where vnder the name of vncleanes and iniquity are comprehended all kyndes of sinnes For whatsoeuer sinne we commit the same tendeth ether to enioy our owne commodityes and pleasures and this is called vncleanes because of the more grosse workes wherew 〈…〉 fleshe is contaminated or els to be iniurious towardes God or towardes 〈…〉 rne which kynde of sinne he calleth iniquity And he addeth For iniquity to teach vs to vnderstand that 〈…〉 no sinne There is no sinne in a manner that is alone that is alone but one sinne alwayes driueth and impellâ—th 〈…〉 he addeth not for vncleanes because yâ— mought easely be vn 〈…〉 〈…〉 se he taketh the name of iniquity more generally in the la 〈…〉 st So now geue your members seruaunts vnto 〈…〉 s. Euen as vnrighteousnes leadeth vs vnto filthy 〈…〉 rig 〈…〉 usnes leadeth vs to holynes The Apostle setteth forth theâ—e 〈…〉 an Antithesis to the ende we should the better marke and consider And sanctification or holynes is nothing els then a purification from all vncleanes Wherefore the Greke What sanctification or holines is word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is holy as Plato affirmeth in Cratylo is so called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a particle priuatiue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the earth because they are called holy which are purged from earthly spottes and filthines And the Apostle speaketh very aptly that we should serue righteousnes or God for sanctification They which sanctifye themselues do the will of God for when we sanctify our selues we do his will For vnto the Thessalonians Paul writeth This is the wyll of God your sanctification that euery man may know how to possesse his vessell not in vncleanes and in lust of desire c. Also God hath called vs not to vncleanes but to sanctification And in the latter to the Corrinth Let vs make cleane our selues from all vncleanes of the flesh and spirit performing holynes in the feare of God For when ye were the seruauntes of sinne ye were free vnto righteousnesse He bringeth a cause why he admonished them that they shoulde in such maner geue their members seruauntes vnto righteousnes because sayth he when ye were before seruauntes of sinne ye were vtterly frée vnto The liberty vnto righteousnes is pernicious Against works preparatory righteousnes that is ye were vtterly straungers from it And in this place vnto righteousnes is the Datiue case And such a liberty is pernicious and far worse then all scruitude most like vnto that liberty which the prodigall sonne so much desired Againe by
had chance to haue died in yâ— meane tyme therfore I thinke with Chrisostome that the Apostle speaketh not of yâ— Gospell but of yâ— law of Moses Wherunto also I am so much the rather moued for the Paul afterward expressedly maketh mencion of the commaundement of not lustyng which without all doubt is contained in the decaloge or tenne commaundementes But in these wordes The law beareth dominion ouer a man so long as he lyueth there is some ambiguitie whether this word liueth ought to be referred vnto the maÌ„ or vnto yâ— law Which thing I thinke yâ— apostle did of purpose A profitable aÌ„biguitye of speach wheÌ„ it may in euery sence be true For at th 〈…〉 st he con 〈…〉 th that not only we are dead vnto the law but also yâ— the law it selfe is dead a 〈…〉 〈…〉 olished And therfore to whether part so euer that word liueth be referred i◠〈…〉 éeâ—h very well with his purpose Chrisostome thynketh yâ— this reason is concluded of an argument taken à minori that is of the lesse For if the death of the husband deliuer the wyfe from the yoke of matrimony then shall there happen much greater liberty if the wyfe her selfe also die Wheras there were two wayes of liberty yet Paul it should seme persecuteth onely one of them For he addeth VVherfore my brethern ye also are dead vnto the Lavv by the body of Christ But he inferreth not wherrefore the Law is dead The Apostle did that for the infirmity of the Iewes howbeit in the meane time he sayth that which is al one as if he had sayd the Law is dead But it is necessarye to consider what Paul What to be vnder the law is What it is to be dead vnto the law meaneth by to be vnder the Law And that is nothing ells but to be obnoxious vnto sinne For the Law thorough sinne coÌ„demneth vs as guilty but to be dead vnto the lawe is nothing ells but to haue that extinguished in vs by which the law accuseth and condemneth vs. And that is the olde man the flesh naturall lust and corruption of nature When these thinges be once deade in vs and that Christ liueth and raigneth in vs we can by no meanes be coÌ„demned of the law But forasmuche as so long as we liue here sinne can not be plucked vp by the rootes out of our flesh therfore it is most likely that the Apostle had a respect vnto that which we hope shall one day come to passe althoughe he so write as though we had alredy obteyned it howbeit in the meane time he setteth before The scope of our 〈◊〉 How much euery men is free from the law our eyes a marke whereunto we ought to leuell in all our actions namely perpetually to represse this lust grafted in vs. Wherefore euery one ought so farforth to iudge himself deliuered froÌ„ the law how farforth he caÌ„ mortefy his lusts and alwayes more and more contend to go forward that at the length he may attayne to that end whervnto we are predestinate namely to be made like vnto the image of the sonne of God being made pertakers of his death and of his resurrection And wheras there is set forth a double death namely of the law and of vs Paul expressedly prosecuteth our death only whereof also followeth the death of the law For the law prouoketh not compelleth not accuseth not nor condemneth them that are dead nether can by any meanes be troublesome or odious vnto them And they which are dead and ioined together with Christ do in no case wayte to be iustified by it partly for that the law can not performe that and partly for that they haue alredy by the grace of Christe obteyned true righteousnes And we are sayd to be mortified by the body of Christe ether for that being now made the members of the Lord we followe our hed that as he was crucefied and died as touching this mortall and corruptible life so we also must dye vnto sinne or ells for that the body of Christ was an oblation and sacrifice wherby God being now pacefied and merciful geueth vnto vs hys spirite The deliueÌ„ry from the law is to be preached vnto those onely that are dead vnto sinne The commaundements oâ— the law pretaine not vnto the dead The law was notable to do the office of a husbande by whome the power of sinne is weakened And sithen Paul preacheth not this liberty but vnto them that are dead vnto sin thereby we vnderstand that there is no danger least men should by reasoÌ„ of this liberty geue themselues to vices For they that are dead caÌ„ not be stirred vp to sinne Farther we should be vnder the law if we should liue vnto sinne and vnto the flesh But being dead we are not holden vnder it vnles we will say that the commaundementes of the Law pertayn also vnto the dead Forasmuch as Paul in this place vseth a metaphore taken of matrimony we ought to marke that it is the office of the husband to gouern his wife But when as the lawe had long time possessed the rome of the husband nether could execute his office namely to gouern men and to call theÌ„ backe from sinne for so is it afterward written That it was vnpossible vnto the law in as much as it was weakened thorough the flesh therefore the Apostle when he teacheth that we are deliuered from the lawe as from an infirme and weake master teacheth also that we are led vnto the spirite as vnto a better mightier master who alone hath that force to change a man â–ª and that that whiche letted the law from doing of this came not thorough t 〈…〉 〈…〉 efault of 〈◊〉 law but thoroughe our defaulte Here is to be noted howe gr 〈…〉 confor 〈…〉 ye there In matrimony there is a great conformation betwenâ— the man and the wife ought to be betwene the man and the wife in matrimony rightlye instituted For the proprieties of the husbaÌ„d ought to be coÌ„municated wâ—th the wife Wherfore euen as Christ died so also ought we to dye vnto sinne And as Christ rose againe to an incorruptible and immortall life so also ought we to rise agayne The end of our new coÌ„iunction with Christ The law made not men fruitefull to beginne workes of eternall life Wherefore Paul when he had made mencioÌ„ of death added That ye should be vnto an other namely vnto him vvhich rose agayne from the dead He setteth forth an example also of the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ in which wordes as sayth Chrisostome he ment to stirre vs vp to the desire of a new matrimonye by reason of that excellent estate of Christe vnto whome we shall be ioined And the end of this new coniunction is expressedly put in those wordes which follow That vve should bring forth fruite vnto God In the first matrimony we were baren for the law of good workes can not make men fruitfull But men
being filled with the spirite of Christ streight way aboundaÌ„tly bring forth fruit And this is it whiche God promised by Esay shoulde come to passe in hys 53. chapter If he shall geue his life for sinne he shall se his sede for a long time And the lord sayth in Iohn when I shall be lifted vp from the earth I will draw all thinges vnto my selfe This is it which Paul sayth to bringe forth fruite vnto God And this at the length is brought to passe when not only we our selues doo good works but also we bringe others vnto Christ These two ends are not seperated a sonder For nether caÌ„ we winne others vnto Christ if we consider the matter as it most commonly hapeneth vnles an example of an vpright life be correspondent vnto our sound doctrine Nether is it rashely done that the Apostle chaungeth the person For before he vsed the second person when he thus wrote ye are mortefied vnto the law by the body of Christ that ye should be vnto an other And straight way he addeth That we should bring forth fruite vnto God When rather according to nature of the consequente he should haue sayd that ye should fructifie vnto God There is none so holy but he hath nede of these fruites But he changed the person to declare that this is a generall sentence least any maÌ„ should thinke himselfe to be so holy that he now hath no nede of these fruites For that cause the Apostle putteth himselfe also among theÌ„ Chrisostome exellently well noteth that it happeneth not in these thinges as it commonly happeneth in ciuill matters For there the husband being dead the widow if she wil may absteine from the second matrimony But we when sinne is dead thorough the holy ghost must of necessity be brought vnto Christ as vnto a new bridgrome When we are dead vnto sinne we cannot be without a new husband For we are not now in our own power For he hath redemed vs with a price as Paul sayth vnto the Corrinthians and for that cause we are not our own Wherefore we ought to glorifye and to beare Christ in our bodies And in the latter to the Corr One died for all that they which liue should now not liue vnto theÌ„selues but vnto him which died which rose agayn Wherfore seing we ar now maried vnto Christ we ought to imitate vertuous wifes which whatsoeuer they do haue not a regard what may please theÌ„selues but what may be acceptable The office of an honest wife Against workes preparatory vnto theyr husbands Agayne by these words is ouerthroweÌ„ that middle estate wherein some are dreminglye imagined to be Whiche are nether deade vnto sinne nor borne agayne in Christ and yet worke certayne good workes which are acceptable vnto God and prepare them vnto iustification Paul here manifestly teacheth that they which are not grafted into Christ are bound vnto the law and doo liue vnder sinne and bringe forth fruites vnto death only so that whatsoeuer they doo the same is wholy vnto them deadly But they which are maried vnto Christ they I say bring forth fruite vnto God For God by them as by his members and instrumentes sheweth forth his fruites and good works For when vve vvere in the flesh the affects of sinnes vvhich vvere by the Law had force in our members to bring forth fruite vnto death In these wordes is The diffeâ—â—nce â—◠〈…〉 wene the old matrimonâ— and the new What is to be obserued oâ— preachers set forth the Antithesis betwene thys newe matrimony and that olde And the sence is Now we ought to bring forth fruite vnto God For hitherto we haue brought forth fruite vnto death Our olde estate also is here described namely that we were in the flesh He doth not say wheÌ„ we were in the law For he would eschew offence not necessary which thing teachers and preachers ought also to imitate yâ— nether they kepe in sileÌ„ce the things yâ— are necessary to be hard nor also by speaking out of ceason alienate the myndes of the hearers When we were sayth Paul in the fleshe the affectes of sinnes which were by the law c. In these wordes he semeth so to speake of sinnes and of wicked affectes as though before the lawe they were not in vs. But that we shoulde not erre from the meaning of Paul we ought to know that we all haue from our birth a corruption and lust naturally grafted and planted in vs which continually stirreth vp in vs wicked motions and rages and sundry kindes of vices And these motions and violences Paul calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there is a difference betwene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are called moderate and laudable affections But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are more vehementer affectes which are caried with a greater force These strong affections are sayd of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by an inward force mightely to worke And therefore there is sayd to be in the sede and likewise in the minde of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a certayne power which although it be hidden yet is it of most great efficacy Now these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vehement affectes are sayd to be by the lawe not that they were not before but partlye because by the lawe they are made open and partlye for that when as the lawe withstandeth them as a let in their waye they are made much more vehement And therefore Augustine in his questions vnto Simplicianus Vehementâ— affects why they are sayd to be by the law the first question Sinne sayth he is increased by the lawe fyrst because by it it is knowen secondly because by it it is the more prouoked For we contend to that that we are forbidden And he addeth that sinne by the lawe is made more greeuous for the lawe being once put we are made transgressors When he sayth that these vehement motions are of efficacy in our members by members he vnderstandeth all the powers and faculty both of the soule and of the body Neither yet ought we to thinke Paul accuseth not the nat 〈…〉 coÌ„stitution of the body that Paul accuseth the naturall constitution of the body and of the members Only he condemneth the wicked affectes which range abroade through these partes Chrisostome applieth this repreheÌ„sioÌ„ to the thoughts But this vice is spred abroad through out all the powers both of the soule and of the body The Marcionites Valentinians and Manichies which condemned the lawe as proceding from an euill God tooke occasion out of this sentence of Paul and certaine other like places Vnto whome Augustine maketh answere in his 4. Sermon De verbis Apostoli For he sayth That they beguile Christians not such as are simple but such are negligent For it is no hard matter sayth he euen of these selfe same thynges which the Apostle hath
difference which Augustin assigneth betwene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not alwaies obserued For yâ— Scriptures vse either word indifferently to signifie yâ— worshippyng of God Vnto the spirite is attributed newnes For the spirite by regeneration reneweth vs both in body and in soule and moreouer in the beleuers it sheweth forth new and Why newnes is attributed vnto the spirite What is to be vnderstand by the name of letter vnaccustomed workes The antithesis also is to the oldnes of our old estate which yâ— Apostle expresseth by the name of letter in which word he comprehendeth whatsoeuer doctrine may be outwardly set forth vnto vs. For whatsoeuer is such procedeth from the strengths of nature And it is called old bicause it commeth not froÌ„ a hart regenerate and a will chaunged In this also is a certaine kind of obedieÌ„ce but yet not such an obedience as God requireth And therfore it is called yâ— oldnes of the letter for that it is a certaine slender imitation of that doctrine which is set foorth vnto vs. Woorkes of this kinde come not of the impression of the lawe in the harts of men For God in Ezechiell promiseth to geue vnto his people a fleshy hart Those thinges also may after a sort pertaine to outward discipline But they neither please God and moreouer to them that do them they are sinnes and therfore Paul sayth that they pertaine to oldnes Certaine of the fathers imagine many thinges touching the spirite and the letter but by the letter they vnderstaÌ„d The difference receaued touching the spirite and the letter is refelled an historicall sence by the spirit they thinke are signified allegories But the Apostle ment farre otherwyse But of this matter we haue spoken somwhat vpon the second chap. of this epistle vpon these wordes of Paul the circumcision of the hart is which consisteth of the spirite and not of the letter Neither ment Paul any thing els in the latter to the CorrinthiaÌ„s when he sayth That the law killeth but the spirit quickeneth For he calleth the law grauen in stones the ministery of death sayth that he is not appointed the minister of the letter but of the spirite Chrisostome thinketh that this sentence that we should serue in newnes of spirite is therfore added of the Apostle that we hearing mention made of liberty should not liue losely through licentiousnes of the flesh but should vnderstand that we are bound to a certaine other kynd of seruitude and that is to serue God Although as we before To obey God is not a seruitude Not all the fathers of the olde testamente liued in sinne admonished it can not properly be called seruitude for in it we follow not an other mans will but our owne Neither are these wordes of Paul so to be taken as though all the fathers of the old Testament liued in sinne and in the oldnes of the letter They pertaine vnto them only which either in this tyme want Christ or in the old tyme liued without him such as were many of the Israelites which waited for Christ according to the flesh as though Messias should be onely a pure man which should come and bring nothyng vnto the Iewes but a carnall kingdome pompe riches glory and a large dominion But the godly fathers as Abraham Iacob Dauid Esay and many others of that race wanted not the benefite of Christ but beyng endewed with the spirite of God had the fruicion of the liberty of the Gospell so much as the nature of the tyme then suffred They in dede obserued the ceremonies of their times such other like precepts but this they dyd of their owne accord not being compelled neither bare they any hatred against the law of God And although at this day after yâ— Christ hath appeared yâ— spirit of God be more largely poured abrode and the mysteries of our saluation are more plainlier manifested then they were in times past yet dare I not affirme that those holy patriarches had lesse of the spirite of Christ then haue many cold Christians in our tyme. And I wonder at Chrisostome beyng so great a man yâ— when he wrote vpon this place he would say That the elders had a body heauy and sluggish and vnapt vnto vertues but our bodies after the commyng of Christ are made lighter reddier The interpretacion of the law deliuered of Christ pertained also vnto the elders Somwhat was graunted in the law whiche is denied vnto vs. and cherefuller and for that cause the preceptes of the Gospell are more hard higher then were the commaundementes of the law For vnto them it was sufficient not to kill but vnto vs it is not lawfull so much as to be angry Vnto theÌ„ iâ—â—as sufficient not to coÌ„mit adultery but vnto vs is also prohibited the lustful loking vpoÌ„ an other maÌ„s wife And such other things of yâ— same sort I graunt in dede yâ— certaine things wer permitted in yâ— old law which were reuoked by Christ For it is not lawful for christians as it was for yâ— Iewes for euery light cause to geue a boke of diuorcemet But those thinges which Christ admonished of lust of anger pertained no lesse vnto yâ— Iewes in the old time theÌ„ they do to vs in this time And wheras Christ saith It was said to theÌ„ in olde tyme that is not to be referred vnto the sentence of the law but vnto yâ— wicked Christ retected the corrupte interpretations of the scribes and of the Phariseis An error of many of the fathers Sondry affectes stirred vp by the law interpretations of the Scribes and Phariseys For otherwise when as in the ten commaundements it is sayd Thou shalt not lust all maner of wicked lust both of the flesh and of vengeaunce and of other mens goods is vtterly forbidden But not only Chrisostom but also many other of the fathers erred in this matter But to returne to our purpose we ought to know that certaine men are by the lawe stirred vp only to certaine outward ceremonies and certaine cold workes which pertaine only a certaine discipline but those selfe same can in no wyse attaine to the iust and perfect obseruance of the will of God but there are others which wheÌ„ they very diligently consider the law and behold the horror of sin and the vncleanes and weakenes of their strengths at the last vtterly dispaire and begin to hate and abhorre God and to blaspheme him and his law and to fall hedlong into all mischiefe and wickednes vntill they drowne themselues in eternall destruction But vnto godly men the consideration of the lawe is profitable and healthfull for when as in it as in a glasse they consider their owne infirmity they are compelled to get them vnto Christ as vnto an hauen of whome they may both obteyne forgeuenes of sinnes and also day by day greater instauration of strengthes What shall we say then is the law sinne God forbidde But
I knew not sinne but by the law for I had not knowen lust except the law had saide Thou shalt not lust But sin toke an occasion by the commaundement and wrought in me all manner of lust For without the law sinne was dead For I once was aliue wythout the law but when the commaundement came sinne reuiued but I was dead and the same commaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me vnto death For sinne tooke an occasion by the commaundement and deceaued me and thereby slew me Wherefore the lawe is holy and the commaundement is holy and iust and good What shall we then say Is the law sinne God forbid Here Paul beginneth after a sort to defend the law For before he sayd that we are deliuered from it And he mought haue semed not very godly to haue estemed of the law especially when he sayd That the affectes of sinnes which are by the law were of efficacy in our members that we should bryng forth fruite vnto death For these and such other lyke things which semed to be contumeliously spoken agaynst the law he was cōmonly ill thought of of the apostles Wherfore by preuention he obiecteth vnto himself that which he knew was by them layd to his charge Is the law sayth he sinne By the figure Metonymia he putteth sinne for the cause of sinne or for that doctrine whiche persuadeth to sinne He speaketh it by way of interrogation as though he would put forth a question to be debated And to cleare himselfe of all manner of suspicion and to declare how farre he was from this impietie straight way without The law is not properly the efficient cause of sinne In our selues is the true cause of sinne any taryeng he aunswereth God forbid But to make that which followeth y◠eastlier and plainlier to be vnderstand this is to be noted that Paul attributeth not vnto the law the workyng of sinne For sinne commeth of it only per accidēs that is by chaunce For the true and proper cause of sinne is in our selues For y◠lust which is grafted infixed in vs when the law of God setteth it self against it waxeth more 〈…〉 ce and is more vehemently kindled not that the law bringeth occasions to this infection For it only sheweth things which are euill setting forth what things are to be done what to be eschued But when the corruption of nature perceyueth that those thyngs which are set forth of the law are agaynst it it gathereth together his strengths and strengthneth it selfe to resist as much as lyeth in it and therfore it poureth out greater forces As we sée in the sommer whē A similitude cold cloudes hange ouer vs then in these lower regions are much greater heates And when as of the sonne al things are inflamed and made whote yet by Antiperistasin welles and places vnder the earth are more cold For such is the nature of The nature of thinges contrary things contrary that to repell the presence of their contrary they more vehemētly bend themselues and gather greater strengthes But I knevv not sinne but by the Lavv For I had not knovven lust except the Lavv had sayd Thou shalt not lust By these wordes the Apostle teacheth that How the law encreaseth sinne the Law encreaseth not sinne but so farre forth as it setteth before our eyes the knowledge thereof And he speaketh of himselfe to geue vs to vnderstand that he speaketh or declareth nothing but that which he had learned by feling and experience And by y◠same example he secretly exhorteth vs wholy to discēd down into our selues if we will together with him know the groūde of our saluation If thou demaund it what time Paul sayth that he knew not sinne and was ignorant At what time Paul◠knew not sinne of lust many thinke y◠he meaneth this of his childhode in which time by reason of age he could not vnderstand the commaundementes of the law This answere although I meane not to disproue yet do I not thinke it to be sufficiēt For after that we are come to discretion nether age nor naturall knowledge can of themselues shew sinne vnles we most attentiuely consider the Law of God For if it be but lightly and sclonderly looked vpon it engēdreth not a true knowledge of sinnes Wherefore we may say that sinne is not knowen of men both when they are letted by age and when being come to age they neglect the Law of God and also when they doo not attētiuely enough ether heare or rede it This place manifestly teacheth that Paul entreateth not only of ceremonies Both age and sinne let vs from the knowledge of the law Here is proued that Paul entreateth also of morall preceptes The law of nature also shewed sin The law of nature was in a manner cleane blotted out The presumption of hipocrites went about to depraue many thinges in the law of God An euident difference betwene the letter the spirite but also comprehendeth the ten commaundementes For out of thē he bringeth a confirmatiō of his sentence when he citeth this precept Thou shalt not lust And euen this Law whereof he speaketh is it from which he pronounceth that we are deliuered Which thing were not possible if as our aduersaries affirm we should be iustified by the workes thereof But thou wilt say did not the Law of nature shew sinne why then doth Paul say that he knew not sinne but by the law geuen of God by Moses Indede the law of nature shewed sinne but yet so long as it was soūd and whole But it being in a maner clene blotted out partly by the fall of the first parentes and partly by many other corruptions which it had now by long vse and continuance contracted could not performe his office so much as should be sufficient vnto the saluation of men Wherfore God gaue a law which should restore all thinges which our prauity had corrupted in the Law of nature And yet could not the presumption of men be so repressed but it went aboute in the Law also geuen of God to depraue many things For the Scribes and Pharisies with theyr interpretaciōs had corrupted the natiue and proper sence of the Law Wherefore Christ was compelled to bring it to perfection from theyr deprauation and to shew that it is farre otherwise to be vnderstand then they in the olde time had interpretated it And hereby we vnderstand that there is no small difference betwene the Law and the Spirite The Law may be blotted and corrupted by euill interpretations Farther also although it be perfect yet hath it not suche strengths that it can ether extinguishe sinne or alienate the minde from sinne But the spirite can not be vitiated nor corrupted and it breaketh sinne and chāgeth the minde But we ought to know that the Law geuen by Moses could not so much be corrupted as the Law of nature For although it were by interpretations
not distinguished from the Gospell by bookes The knowledge of sin two fold Paul now declareth namely to shewe sinne And that alwayes it doth wheresoeuer any commaundement of the lawe is whether it be in the fiue bookes of Moses or in the prophetes or in the bookes of the new testament For the lawe is not distinguished from the Gospell by bookes but in forme and maner of teaching But this property of the law when it is lightly weighed appeareth not For the knowledge of sinne is two maner of wayes the one is whereby we only beholde the nature thereof the other is whereby by experience or some certayne byting we haue a féeling thereof in our selues And this latter way is the fruite that commeth of the reading of the lawe namely not only to know sinne but also to be daunted at the féeling thereof when we vnderstand that we are in a maner consumed of the wrath of God The Apostle warely sayth that he knew not sinne and was ignorant of lust vnles the lawe had sayd thou shalt not lust But he sayth not that he had not sinne before the lawe For there was euen then also sin in him but it was not acknowledged And a litle afterward how sinne was in him then he declareth saying Sinne before the lawe was dead but so soone as it came it reuiued agayne Sinne in dede was before but yet not so vehement wherefore also it semed the les to be accused And for that cause Christ said If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should haue had no sinne By which wordes he signifieth not that they should vtterly haue bene without all sinne if he had not come but that they should not haue sinned so greuously But thou wilt say seing the lawe Why the law is sayd to shew sins and not vertues sheweth not only sinnes but also good déedes why doth the Apostle only say that it sheweth sinne I answere as before I answered For that the lawe was not able to shew vertues which are known by experience and féeling neither in men strange from Christ nor in the regenerate For in men strange from Christ the lawe found nothing but sinne And in the regenerate it found rather certayne inchoations or beginnings then perfect vertues Farther by this place we vnderstand The law is diligently to be learned that the lawe is with great diligence to be learned and to be peysed in the minde as without which both the force of sinne is not knowen and the grace and mercy of him that forgeueth is contemned And because this is very hurtful therfore the holy scriptures alwayes inculcate into vs the knowledge of the lawe and pronounce them blessed which are occupied in it day and night Which is true if therewith all be ioyned Christ the only ende of the lawe And that the law might the easelyer be vnderstand God alwayes raysed vp and inspired holy prophetes to expound it vnto the people when they sharpely cried out agaynst the sinnes of their times Christ also our Sauiour hath deliuered vnto vs a most exquisite interpretacion of the lawe Now they at the last are to be counted to rede the lawe of Who are with fruite occupied in the contemplacion of the law the Lord with fruite which so often as they lay away the booke acknowledge in themselues somewhat which must be by the mercy of God forgeuen and by his grace be amended Agayne by these wordes of the Apostle is the law◠defended from their sclander which crye out that it is euill and proceded from an euill God For they say that the lawe is euill and sinne which thing Paul expressedly denieth For he answereth God forbid Farther how can it be ill which condemneth and forbiddeth lust which they are compelled to confesse to be ill But wheras he saith by the law sin entred in that is spokē by a metaphore For that blame which thesemē ascribe vnto y◠law ought to be trāsferred vnto corruptiō y◠naturally grafted in vs. And although the lawe in many seme to worke nothing els but more and more to heape vp sinnes yet that commeth not therefore for that it selfe is euill but for that it can of a corrupte nature bring foorth no other thing But why the lawe is vnpleasant and hatefull vnto vs that hereof commeth saith Why the law is odious vnto vs. Ambrose for that it alwayes sheweth thinges euill namely sinnes and condemnation But there is none which will gladly heare of those thinges Yet they that be godly indede although they are by it bitten for it doo geue thankes vnto God For they féele that by the preaching thereof they get incredible fruites But before we passe ouer this place there are a fewe thinges to be spoken of whiche in my iudgement seme very necessary to the full vnderstanding thereof There What is prohibited in this commaundemēt Thou shalt not luste are some which thinke that this commaundement Thou shalt not lust forbiddeth not the prauity and corruption of nature or the first motions whereby we are affcted towardes those things which God hath forbidden But by that commaundement say they is only prohibited the consent of the will and of the minde And then at the length they confesse that we sinne whē we geue place vnto those first motions and suffer sinne to raigne in vs. But those thinges whiche followe in this selfe same chapiter do most manifestly reproue them For Paul sheweth that he entreateth of that lust which is irkesome vnto a minde that serueth the lawe of God And he addeth that by it he doth that euill which he hateth But these thinges haue no place where the consent of the minde is ioyned with all And of this kinde of lust he cryeth out Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me frō the body of this death And he addeth that he is of it drawen captiue agaynst his will and resisting it Wherefore seing this lust is of this nature there is no cause why it should be wrested vnto the consent of the minde But herein our aduersaries That commaundemēt which can not be fulfilled is not in vaine geuen are excedingly deceaued for that they thinke that this precept is in vayne geuen if it prohibite that which can not be auoyded in this life And it is a thing ridiculous say they to commaunde any thing vnto the brute and foolishe fleshe and to the irrationall partes of the minde whiche vnderstand no such thing and are of necessity moued to do that whereunto they were instituted But these men ought to haue remembred that this precept was geuen vnto man endued with reason and that not in vayne nor without purpose For God had created man to hys owne image and likenes Wherefore it was requisite that he should haue nothing in him which should not agrée with the will of God Neither are the commaundementes which can not be performed in this life geuen in vayne to men as these men
calleth sinne by which word he vnderstandeth the corruption of nature y◠remnants of original sin The law is as a scholemaster therfore it only teacheth instructeth But of it selfe it bringeth not forth these euils This place of Paul excellently setteth before our eyes what maner ones we are by the transgressiō of our first parentes When we are called vnto God we flye away from him when we are inuited to vprightnes and eternall life we runne away hedlonge vnto sinne and death So that thing which ought to be vnto vs a remedy increaseth aggrauateth the disease Desperate disseases as a canker and the leprosy are of so great Disseases past hope stubburnes that by laying remedies vnto them they ware worse and worse wherfore the phisitions geue them ouer Euen such is our lust Who will abide such an horse which how much the more he is pricked forward with spurres so much the more goeth backward Vndoubtedly that sonne is of a very wicked nature which as soone as he heareth the commaundemēt of his louing father straigthway with all his endeuor laboureth to the contrary But we are fallen so farre that certaine thinges therefore seme sweete for that they are forbidden vs. Therefore Salomon sayth waters stollen are the sweeter Augustine wisely waighyng wyth Certaine things seme sweete euen therfore for that they ar forbidden hymselfe thys prauity in his booke of confessions accuseth hymselfe for that when he was yet a childe he wyth others stole away other mennes peares not for that he was hungry or for that he would eate them himselfe or geue them vnto others for they were sower and he had much better at home but only to do ill and to committe those thinges which were forbidden him Paules whole The scope of Paul scope is this to transfer the fault which was layd vpon the Law vnto our prauity For the Law ought not to be accused that it was an occasion of sinnes For there is nothing so good but that it may be an occasion of greate euelles Our sauior saith of himself If I had not come spoken vnto thē they had had no sin And in the 10. chapiter to the Hebrues How much more greauouser punishment semeth he worthy of which hath troden vnder foote the sonne of God And Paul straight way in the beginning of this epistle reproueth the wise men of the Gentles for that when they knew God by the wonderfull order and beawty of thinges created they yet glorified him not as God Whereby it came to passe that the knowledge of God which they had gathered by nature was vnto them an occasion of A similitude greater damnation If a phisition should forbid vnto one sicke of an agew cold drinke and he should therefore begin more feruently to thirst that is not to be attributed vnto the phisition And euen as in this case the corrupt affection of the sicke party is the ground of this euill so the corruption of our nature is the true and proper cause of sinne Wherfore we must continually pray vnto God that it would please him to renew in vs our will Farther we must put awaye Infidelitie confirmeth strengthneth lust infidelity which excedingly strēgthneth the lust that is grafted in vs. For if we verily beleued that those thinges which are prohibited of God will certainlye bring vnto vs destruction we would not vndoubtedly commit them For when before our eies is set present death of the body we all flye from it But when we beleue that that which is set before vs is not present death or that we thinke we shall escape it by some meanes we contemne the admonition so if we beleued God when he threatneth death vnto sinners we woulde vndoubtedlye obey his commaundements But forasmuche as there still cleaueth vnto vs that poyson of infidelity which the deuill breathed into Adam when he perswaded him that The condition of our lustes that thinge should not come to passe whiche God had threatned our luste thus subtelly reasoneth with vs that those punishments which God hath threatned in the law shall not be inflicted vpō the transgressors so roughly as they are there set forth and that it is possible that we may by some meanes escape them More ouer by this place we see that they are in miserable and vnhappy case which ar straungers from Christ For al thinges though they seeme neuer so good turne All thinges turne to euill to them that are straungers frō Christ to them vnto euill which thing Paul durst affirme of the law that is of the word of God how then can it be doubted of other things And that which Paul sayth by the law is wrought in vs all maner of lust some so interpretate as though before y◠Law there was no lust in vs. But these mē ought to cōsider that Paul wrote that sinne by the law wrought in vs all maner of lust And if sinne wrought it then must it nedes be that it was in vs before And when as such sinne is called lust it is not simply sayd that it wroughte luste but there is added this woorde All which signifieth whole perfect and absolute lust Wherefore Augustine expounding this place sayth lust was before the law but not full and absolute Nether disagreth Chrisostome from this exposition Ambrose also sayth when the Apostle sayth All maner of lust he thereby signifieth all maner of sinnes Wherefore it is very manifest that Paul ment nothing ells but that out of our contaminate and corrupt nature when it was prouoked by the Law sprang all maner of sinnes or as they vse to say actuall sinnes Nether wanteth this an Emphasis in me For if these thinges happened in Paul who as he himselfe writeth vnto the Galathi had profited in the religion of the Iewes aboue all the men in his time and as he sayth vnto the Phillippians Had walked without blame in the righteousnes of the law and as he writeth in the first to Timothe Had from his elders serued God in a pure consience What is to be thoughte of vs whiche are neyther studious of the Lawe nor Whither the Apostle here tooke vpon him the person of an other man yet doo in any part performe the thinges which we doo know I know there are some with think that the Apostle here toke vpon him the person of an other mā so that these thinges are not pertayning vnto him but vnto men not yet regenerate or still wallowing in sinnes And Augustine semeth sometimes to haue bene of that minde But in his 2. booke of Retractations the. 1. chap. he sayth that he was moued vpon most iust consideration to reuoke that For it is very playne by those things which follow that Paul entreateth of such a man as in mind serueth the Law of God and delighteth himselfe therein which hateth euill and is drawen agaynst his will vnto the Law of sinne Wherefore he concludeth that these wordes
ought to be vnderstand both of Paul and of all the godly And yet followeth it not of necessity that we should say yâ— Paul by reason of natural lust fell into al kindes of sins For here is not entreated of the outward actions but of the affectes of the mind and the first motions Nether is here coÌ„sidered what is done but what may be done by our naturall prones vnto euill For vvithout the lavv sinne vvas dead Then men are sayd to be without the Law when ether by reasoÌ„ of age they can not attayne to the vnderstanding therof or ells wheÌ„ now being come to full age they ether nothing at al peise it or very sclenderly He sayth that sinne was dead bycause as it is written to the How sinne was deade CorrinthiaÌ„s The force of sinne is the Law And eueÌ„ as that body is said to be dead which vtterly wanteth all maner of strengths so sinne also was said to be dead for that wheÌ„ the Law was not it was not of efficacy waÌ„ted his power That which is dead moueth not it selfe So sin wheÌ„ it was not impelled by any law nothing at all moued vs but was sluggish after a sort dead so yâ— it was ether litle or in a maner nothing at al felt But as sone as yâ— Lawe came it receaued strengths Chrisostome interpretateth That sinne was dead for that it was not knowen Vnto which opinion Augustine leneth when he fayth that it was hidden But al these things tend to one end For the Law stirreth not vp sin but by knowledge Ambrose sayth that sinne was dead bycause men before the Law thought they mought sinne freely without punishment But this sentence we haue before confuted For we haue shewed that men also by the Law of nature felt that God was angry against sinne and greuously punished it Vnles paradueneure Ambrose ment this yâ— that thing was theÌ„ more obscurely knowne then it was afterward when the Law was geuen But he sayth moreouer that by sinne may be vnderstand the deuill For he toke an occasion by the Law to worke in vs all maner of lust The law sheweth sin and sheweth not the deuill and he is sayd of Paul to haue bene dead before the Law for that he not so carefully tempted men as being sure of them as of his owne possession But as sone as the Law was geueÌ„ he ceassed of from that quietnes But this interpretation is farre from the skope of the Apostle For he entreateth of sinne which is shewed by the Lawe And the Law sheweth vices and wicked actes and not the deuill Which thing is proued by that which streight way followeth For I knew not lust except the Lavv had sayd Thou shalt not lust But it is wonderfull how Ambrose entreating of this argument should say that the deuill when the Law was geuen lost his dominion ouer men For by the Law and sinne meÌ„ were made more obnoxions vnto the deuill This benefite we owâ— vnto Christ and not vnto the Law Howbeit the Greke Scholies I knowe not by what meanes bend vnto this sentence touchyng the Deuill For they say that it is possible that as our sauiour is sayd to be the way the truth and righteousnes So the deuill may be called sinne a lye and death The commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome fauouring this senteÌ„ce bring a similitude of an enuious maÌ„ which is commonly so much the more moued against him whom he enuieth how much the greatrâ— the benefite is which he séeth is bestowed vpoÌ„ him So the deuil when he saw the singuler gift of the law of God geuen by God vnto man began so much the more to rage against him and by the commaundement of God tooke an occasion of raging But whatsoeuer these fathers say it is very plaine by the wordes of Paul that he in this place speaketh of that sinne which is by the lawe brought to light such as is lust But they when they heard that sinne tooke an occasion by the law and seduced and killed thought that these things ought to be referred vnto some certaine person which might be distinct from vs which are seduced and killed But they saw not yâ— Paul by the figure Profopopoeia speaketh eueÌ„ Paul vseth the figure Prosopopeâ—â— The commentaries ascribed vn to Ierome make wyth the Pelagians of our sinne and lust And they followed Origene as their author But most of all do those commentaries erre which beare the name of Ierome For they in thys place vtterly make with the Pelagians touching originall sinne For thus in theÌ„ is it written If when the law was not sinne was dead they are out of their wits whiche auouch that sinne by traduction commeth from Adam vnto vs. Therfore here he sayth sinne was dead for that it liueth not in infantes which are without the law that is it is in them committed without punishment For when the infante speaketh ill vnto the parentes it semeth to be sinne but yet sinne not liuing but dead Although the child sinne yet sinne is dead in hym for he is not subiect vnto the law Thus much in that place But touching the sinnes of infantes and especially of them that are not regenerate Augustine was of a farre other opinion and especially in his bookes of confessions Neither do the Catholikes doubt but yâ— Original sinne is traduced from Adam into his posteritie and that by it are condemned those infantes which are How sinne in infantes is sayd to â—e dead straungers from Christ Howbeit sinne may be said to be dead in them for that it is not knowen of them and for that they féele not themselues moued therwith But when the commaundement came sinne reuiued but I was dead and the commaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe was found to be vnto me vnto death When sinne was dead he saith that he liued for yâ— he was not troubled neither was his conscience made afeard Yet did he not liue in dede but as Augustine saith he semed vnto himselfe to liue As when a man thinketh that A similitude his enemy now ceaseth and is quiet he beginneth to be secure So Paul saith that when he was without the law he semed vnto himselfe to liue but when the commaundement came things began a new course Sinne saith he reuiued and I was dead So vndoubtedly scandeth the case When sinne is dead then do we seme vnto our selues to liue But wheÌ„ it once reuiueth we straight way are dead For we féele in our selues the wrath of God and condemnation And when the elect are so dead Christ rayseth them vp agayne and killeth sinne in them For he pardoneth whatsoeuer is done amisse and breaketh and diminisheth whatsoeuer of the corrupt lust is remayning Wherfore the death of sinne is two maner of wayes the one is not a very death but a counterfait death for that yâ— law is absent For sinne The death of sinne two maner of wayes All are not
of death For forasmuch as death and sinne are so ioyned together that the one is alwayes engendred of the other therefore Paul when he had confuted the first obiection touching sin goeth to the other obiection concerning death For before he denied that the law was of it selfe the cause of sinne now he also denieth it to be the cause of death And euen as before he defended the Law by translation when as he sayd that As the law by it selfe is not the the cause of sinne so also is it not the cause of death the lust naturally grafted in vs is the true and proper cause of sinne So now also he vseth the selfe same translation and ascribeth death not vnto the Law but vnto the vice grafted into vs by nature If a man demaund what commodity hereof followeth that our lust beinge irritated by the Lawe committeth more haynouser wicked facts and bringeth death he answereth that we are thereby brought opēly to the knowledge of the malice of our naturall prauitye which prauity herein chiefely consisteth that it perniciously abuseth the most excellent Law of God so that y◠which was ordeyned to good doth now bring vnto vs destructiō And yet must we not sticke stay in this knowledge of our misery For the more we know that we are in perdition with so muche the greater endeuor We must not stay in the knowledge of our misery The scope of the whole scripture Why the law is not the cause of death ought we to flye vnto Christ at whose hands alone we must looke for saluation and who is the only remedy of our so greate misery And this is the skope of the whole scripture For euery where in it is ether declared our prauity or ells set forth the mercy of God thorough Christ The reason whereby Paul proueth that the Lawe is not the cause of death is this That whiche is spirituall and ordeyned vnto life can not bring death But the Law of God is spirituall and or deyned to life wherefore it can not properlye be the cause of death The Maior or first propositiō hath two parts the first is that the Law can not bring death for that it was ordeined vnto life This sentēce is proued by the nature of things contrarye For death and life forasmuche as they are thinges contrarye can not at one time be found in one and the selfe same subiect For it is not possible that of one and the same Law should in the selfe same men together at one and the same time be engendred both life and death The second part is that the law is spirituall and therefore can not bring death And that is hereby proued for that the nature of the spirite is to quicken and not to destroy VVas that then which vvas good made death vnto me Thys he therefore What is the nature of the spirite obiecteth vnto himself for y◠before he semed to speak things repugnant namely y◠the commaundemente was ordeyned vnto life but yet turned to him to death These thinges seme at the first sight not well to agree It semeth that he should rather thus haue sayd What then Is the Law which bringeth life made vnto me death But Paul to set forth the obiection more vehemently comprehendeth the Law vnder this word Good or this pronowne which is referred to y◠which was before spoken namely ordeyned to life For before he had affirmed both namely that the Law is both good and also ordeyned to life Wherefore he now not without cause obiecteth vnto himselfe Was that then which was good made vn to me death God forbid But Sinne here vnderstād vvas made vnto me death For so is the sentence to be made perfect Now he declareth what vtility the Lawe which was geuen broughte For he sayth that sinne abused it and by it slewe vs that sayth he it mought be knowen and appeare that sinne by that which was good wrought vnto me death God would haue vs to vnderstand that our corruption is greate that by the Law that is by a thing most good it bringeth death Paul speaketh not here chiefely of the death of the body althoughe it also What death Paul here meaneth doo follow but rather of that death whereinto we incurre when we ernestlye fele our sinne by the knowledge of the Law For hereby we see that we are obnoxious vnto the wrath of God adiudged to hell fire Which thinge when we A taste of ēternall condemnation A similitude with efficacy seriously consider we fele in our selues some tast of eternall condēnation By which meanes it commeth to passe that although in body we liue yer we are sayde to be slaine of sinne by the Lawe And as they which are kept in prison after that they know that sentence of death is geuē vpon thē although they are permitted to liue two or three dayes to take their leue of theyr frends yet are they filled with incredible heauines and horror and euery houre haue a tast of theyr death so that al that time they may seme rather to dye then to liue An other similitude And euē as they which are sure to be very shortly rewarded with a greate and looked for reward although in the meane time they take greate paynes yet do they nothing weighe that trouble for that euen in theyr labors they seme to thē selues to haue after a sort the fruition of theyr hoped for reward and to haue it in a maner in theyr hands So they which by the Lawe see fele that they are now condemned to eternall death take no pleasure at all in the delights of thys life For euen now they fele in themselues that those paynes are begon But many maruell that Paul should say that this came to passe in himselfe and especially when as he writeth vnto the Galathians that he had profited in the religion of the Iewes aboue all the men in his time And vnto the Phillippians That he had How Paul was decraned and slaine of sin bene conuersant in the righteousnes of the Law without blame And vnto Timothe That he had from his elders serued God with a pure conscience But Augustine in hys first booke agaynst the two epistles of the Pelagians in the 8. and 9. chapiters diligently dissolueth this doubt He mought sayth he be honestly conuersant in outward workes so that before men he mought without blame performe the righteousnes of the Lawe But before God and as touchinge the affectes of the minde he wa◠not free frō sinne For it mought be that he thorough feare of men or through feare of punishmentes which God threatneth vnto transgressors was moued to liue vprightly but as touching Paul acknowledged himself◠obnoxious vnto the lust grafted into him by nature lustes and inward motions agaynst which men would not that God had made any Law he also was obnoxious vnto vice sinne Nether was h◠by faith and charity as he
them spirite and in nature whatsoeuer Why the law is sayd to be spirituall is moued of it selfe and hath in it by any meanes life it hath it by the benefite of the spirite Wherefore if the lawe should of it selfe bring death doubtles it should do it against the nature of the spirite And the lawe is called spirituall for two causes First because it was not deuised of mans vnderstanding as ciuil laws are but was written by the ministery of Moses in mount Sina God himselfe by his spirite being the inditer thereof Wherefore comming of the spirite being the author thereof it is call spirituall It is called also spirituall for that not being content with outward actions it perseth euen to the will and to the minde and to the inward motions senses and spirites of a man and commaundeth vs to obey it with all the soule and with all the spirite Wherefore they are fowly deceaued An error in distinguishinge the law from the Gospel which so distinguishe the olde lawe from the new that they thinke that the olde lawe only restrayneth the hand but the new pertayneth also to the affectes of the minde For they are not to be counted to satisfy the olde lawe which obserue only an outward righteousnes And if they do not that which the lawe commaundeth that which they do doubtles pleaseth not God yet rather it is to be counted sinne The lawe of God forasmuch as it dealeth not with vs after a ciuill maner is not The law of God dealeth not with vs after a ciuill manner content only with an outward honesty of maners Wherefore nether Socrates nor Aristides by their righteousnes satisfied the lawe though they be neuer so much commended of writers And when the Pharisey had geuen thankes vnto God for that he was not as other men but fasted twise in the weke and did many other thinges which mought please men Christ pronounced that he went not to his house iustified But without al doubt he should haue obtayned righteousnes if by those his workes which he made mencion of he had satisfied the meaning of the lawe This excellency and perfection of the commaundementes of God carnall men vnderstand not so that the Israelites when Moses came downe from the mountayne could not looke vpon the brightnes of the countenance of Moses neither could they abide it And we also so long as we vse this vayle of humane reason The law of God is not vnderstand by the force of humane reason shall not be able to behold the spirituall light of the lawe Origene thinketh that the lawe is therefore called spirituall for that it is not to be expounded according to the letter as commoÌ„ly it is sayd but by allegoricall senses But seing Paul here entreateth of the ten commaundementes as that precept which is of him rited Thou shalt not lust plainly declareth this interpretation ought vtterly to bee counted from the purpose For in this part of the law we may not deale with allegories Neither doth Paul therfore say that he is carnal for that he vnderstood not In the Decaloge allegories haue no place allegories but for that he felt in himself affections striuing against the law of God Now then forasmuch as the law is spirituall in that manner that we haue now declared it followeth of necessitie that it of his owne nature bringeth not death but rather lyfe For so Moses in Deut. the 30. chap. sayth that he had set forth vnto The law of it selfe bringeth life the Israelites life and death good and euill blessing and cursing For the perfect obseruation of the law draweth with it blessing life and good and yâ— violating therof bringeth cursing euil and death And the law commaundeth not transgression It lieth not in our will and choise in as much as we are corrupt to chose life but obseruation But yet it lieth not in our choyce or will of our own accorde to chuse good life and blessing For the commaundemeÌ„ts of the law are displeasaÌ„t vnto vs vntill the spirite of Christ come And Christ sayth If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commaundements And Dauid in the 19. Psalme saith That the law restoreth the mynde Which testimonies if they be rightly vnderstanded teach this selfe same thing But if a man demaund whether these proprieties of the law at any time attaine to their effect We aunswer that they do but yet euen then wheÌ„ The law sheweth forth his effects in the regenerate the law is written not only in tables but also in our hartes and bowels For theÌ„ although the law be imperfectly expressed in our workes yet are not the promises therof made frustrate which in the elect of God are performed not thorough merites but thorough grace and mercy After yâ— the Apostle had in such sort coÌ„mended the law he rendreth a reason why of it he drew not life but death Bicause saith he I am carnall sold vnder sinne Here the crime of slaying the increase of sinne is transferred from the law to the corruption of our nature And there is nothing more gratefull vnto God then for vs to accuse our selues with due prayses to set forth his worde It was not possible to deuise a more apte commendation of the law For Paul doth not only set forth the singuler dignitye therof but also speaketh that which he saith is well knowen and vnderstande of all the godly We know sayth he that the law is spirituall And to make this the more playne he setteth against it our vncleannes I sayth he am carnal and sold vnder sinne The law is the maistresse of vertue and enemy of all vices I abhorre vertue and folow vices euen against my will When he sayth that he is carnall he meaneth that he was infected with Why Paul saith that he is carnal originall sinne and corruption For that euill is deriued from Adam by the flesh whiche yet containeth not it selfe in the fleshe but possesseth the whole man and all his strengthes And the better to declare what this worde carnall signifieth he Why we are said to be solde vnder sinne addeth sold vnder sinne For euen as bondmen are oftentimes drawen and impelled of their masters to that which they would not so are we by originall sinne drawen to many things which we allow not Neither are we only vnder the bonds of Originall sinne but also through our owne will we adde therunto a great hepe of sinnes Wherfore we are bouÌ„d with many kindes of snares By this metaphore Paul notably setteth forth our captiuity The Iewes were oppressed with greuous seruitude when they were captiues in Egipt neither were they any gentler delt with in Babilon but most cruelly of all were they handled vnder Antiochus But there can no seruitude be compared with this wherof Paul now speaketh for in No captiuiâ—ye can be compared with seruitude of sin those seruitudes was only an outward enemy and the
often repeted we ought to thinke to be very necessary and also not very well knowen vnto vs. Farther these things The things that are so often repeted ar both necessary also not very well knowne vnto vs. are not repeted without some addition whereby are not a little made plaine those thinges which were spoken Here the Apostle entended to declare two thinges first that he would that which is good and thereof he reasoneth that he felt in hys minde a delectation in the lawe But those thinges wherein we delight we desire to be brought to passe The second is that he declareth that he is plucked away and letted so that he can not fulfill his owne will And this he hereby proueth for that he doth those thinges from which he abhorred But these thinges are to be vnderstand in a diuers respect as they terme it For as he was regenerate he abhorred from thinges euill and desired better but as hee was not regenerate he was drawen vnto those thinges whiche hee woulde not and fell into worse and worse The effecte of his exclamation is therefore expressed in this strife to geue vs to vnderstand that these thinges are not entreated of lightlye or coldly but with great féeling and with certayne experience Now that I haue briefely declared the exposition of this place I will come to the knitting together of the wordes of the Apostle and examine euery perticuler part of them I find a law vnto me when I would do good for that euill is present with me This is doubtles an obscure sentence and may haue diuers senses For if we take the lawe which we sée is here put infinitly and without contraction for the vice and corruption of nature then may we thus interprete it that it is a let vnto vs when he would do good Of which saying is rendred a reason for that euill is present with me As if he should haue sayd this is the cause why I am letted from doing good But if this word lawe be taken in good part and do signifye the commaundementes of God then must we of necessity adde a verbe whych signifieth not a let but an exhortation and stirring vp And so may be gathered thys sense when I would do good I finde the lawe of God allowing approuing exhorting and instigating me But if thou demaunde why then do I not good I answere for that euill is present with me therefore am I letted and called backe from the good purpose of my minde Wherefore the obscurenes commeth two maner of wayes Firste the lawe is put infinitelye whiche maye be drawen ether vnto luste or vnto the commaundemente of God Secondly there is no word added whereby is signified ether let or contrariwise impulsion or exhortation Ambrose thinketh that here is signified the lawe of God which he sayth geueth a consent For that can not be vnderstand of our consent whereby we in minde serue the lawe of God For this we owe not vnto the benefite of the law but to the spirite of Christ only that the will of God shoulde be pleasant to our mynde But after that by his helpe we come once to this poynt to will thinges good and vprighte then if we looke vpon the lawe we shall finde that it as Ambrose sayth geueth a consent vnto vs. Chrisostome confesseth that it is a hard place howbeit he thinketh that by it is signified the lawe of God and sayth that it prayseth and approueth all the good and iust thinges which we would do but the euill which is present with vs is a let that we can not performe those things And hereby is manifest the infirmity of the lawe which can in déede approue thinges right commendeth the will of hauing them but can not remoue away the impedimentes and lettes neither can bring to passe that we should not sinne or not be condemned But I if I may herein declare my minde do by the lawe vnderstand that conditiō whereunto we ought to obey and this I iudge to be the minde of the Apostle I finde a condition and a decrée layd vpon me namely by originall sinne and naturall lust that when I would do good euil euer is present with me This is the punishement of the lawe whereinto we al incurre by the transgression of our first parentes Ambrose semeth to demaunde where sinne or euill is present with vs. And he aunswereth in the fleshe it lieth and watcheth as it were before the dores and at the gate so that the will after y◠it hath decréed any thing that is good if it will come forth and performe the same findeth a let euen at the very gate A pleasant inuentiō doubtles and such which semeth to expresse that which shall afterward be spoken of That we in mynde serue the lawe of God but in fleshe the lawe of sinne If thou agayne demaunde how it commeth to passe that the euill is present with vs in the flesh not also in the mynde he answereth that it thereof commeth for that y◠flesh only is by traduction deriued from Adam For therefore sinne passeth through the fleshe and after a sort dwelleth in it in maner as in his house Which otherwise should rather be placed in the soule as which should rather sinne then the flesh if it should be by traduction But seing it is not by traduction thereof it commeth that sinne dwelleth not in it but in the flesh That the soule is not by traduction let vs for this tyme graunte althoughe Augustine be somewhat in doubt touching that matter Yet do I not sée why we Sinne is presente not onely in the flesh but also in the soule should deny but that sinne is also in the minde I graunt indede that the first entrance of corruption is through the flesh and that originall sinne is traduced from the parentes through the sede and the body but it stayeth not there For from thence it strayeth throughout all the partes of the soule and of the body Howbeit this word Adiacere which is englished to be present I vnderstand no otherwise then I before interpretated it namely to be at hand to be redy to vrge and to pricke forward I delight in the lawe of God concerning the inward man Two things he put forth that his will was to do good but euill was present with him whereby his entent was made frustrate Now he diligently explicateth ech part If we should follow Chrisostomes mynde namely that when we appointe to do any thing rightly we finde the lawe allowing and approuing our purpose then should not this sentence be amisse that we on the other side delight in the vnderstanding of the lawe as it semeth to delight in our purpose and to consent vnto it But this is now to be of vs considered with how great warines Paul now encreaseth and amplifieth that which he before had simply spoken He before sayde that he willed that whiche is good that he consented vnto the lawe
we haue before hard followeth sinne as the fruite and stipend thereof And although that Law be placed in the members yet ought no man therefore to surmise y◠the nature of the body or of the flesh is euill Sinne passeth in dede through the fleshe but thereof it followeth The constitution of the fleshe is not euill not that the constitucion of the flesh is euill and condemned If a man shoulde mingle poyson in a cuppe of gold that drinke should indede be venemous and euill howbeit the gold notwithstanding should be gold and rētayne still his dignity An argumēt against the Maniches In this place Chrisostome reasoneth agaynst the Maniches For they sayd that both the Law of God our flesh are euill for that other of them proceded from a certayne euill God Here sayth Chrisostome If the flesh be euill as ye say then must ye nedes confesse that the Law is good as that which resisteth the flesh Wherefore which way so euerye turne your selfes sayth he ye are confuted which thing commeth not to passe in doctrines of the Church For it houldeth that both the Law of God and also the nature of our flesh are good but sinne only is euill O vvretch that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Whē he felt himselfe in a maner oppressed in the conflict of these two Lawes he crieth out and confesseth himselfe to be miserable which he would not haue bone That whiche maketh miserable is sin vnles he had felt himselfe oppressed with some great greuous euill But there can nothing be more greuous then misery and death These two Paul ioyneth together and complayneth that he is agaynst hys will drawen vnto them By the body of death he vnderstandeth our vitiate and corrupt nature the whole man I say as it is brought forth of the parentes From thys body he desireth to be deliuered Vnto the Phillippians he sayth That death if it should happen vnto him should be vnto him greate gayne not that he desired to put of his life but for that he wished to put one a better life And this exposition is more agreable with the wordes of the Apostle then that which Ambrose hath that by the body of sin This exclamation pertaineth to a godly man An example of true repentance He wisheth not for death but deliuerye from sinne are to be vnderstand all maner of sinnes And thys exclamatiō commeth nether from an vngodly man nor from one liuing in security but from one conuerted vnto Christ and striuing agaynst sinne and detesting it which he feleth to be stil strong in him Here is set forth vnto vs an example of true repentance which y◠life of a Christian ought neuer to wāt Paul in this place wisheth not for death but to be deliuered from prauity and corruption And he vseth an interrogatiō to signifie that he can not be deliuered ether by the Law or by a good consciēce or by the shewe of good workes but deliuerye is to be hoped for at Christes handes onely I geue thankes vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. He vseth also an other exclamatiō for that he felt that thing to be by faith grace graunted vnto him which by any other meanes he could not attaine vnto These affectes are Contrarye affectes of the godly succeedinge the one the other contrary and succeding the one the other in the mindes of the Saintes that first they are excedingly sorye for their misery and after that they excedingly reioyce for the redemption which they haue obteyned through Christ And so vehement are these motions that Paul by the figure Aposiopesis leaueth the sentence cut of and vnperfect For that is left vnspoken which should finish vp the sentence For neither doth Paul aunswer to the first interrogation neither also doth he here expresse wherfore he geueth thankes And if a man rightly weigh these two affectes A due order of these affectes he shall finde that they are in most due order placed the one to the other For in the first exclamation being oppressed of sinne he imploreth aide But in the second when as he felt that he was now heard holpen and deliuered he geueth thankes and that through Iesus Christ our Lord not through Mary or through Iohn Baptist or through his owne workes or through any such like kinde of thing but thorow him only which is alone and the only mediatour betwene God and man There is but one onely redemer and mediator Paul confesseth himselfe to be deuided Wherefore I my selfe in minde serue the law of God but in my fleshe the law of sinne Paul in these wordes cōcludeth that which he from the beginning entended namely that he was deuided and that in as much as he was regenerate in Christ he willed and desired good thinges but in as much as he was still carnall he was obnoxious vnto sinne He sayth that he is a bond seruaunt which is to be vnder Tirans and sayth not that he fréely assenteth thereunto But straight way in the next chapter he will declare how it was no hurt vnto hym through Christ that in flesh he serued the lawe of sinne for that there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus But here we must beware of the pestilences of the libertines and furies of our tymes which by these words of the Apostle go about to excuse their most haynous wicked factes For they say that they in fleshe In this place we must be ware of the Libertines only committe fornication and dronkennes and lyue vncleanely but in mynde and in spirite are pure and do serue the lawe of God Of which matter Augustine excellently well entreateth in his 45. Sermō De tempore The lyfe of man saith he is a warfare but one day it shall come to passe that we shall attayne vnto a triumph Wherefore the holy scripture vseth the termes both of fighting of triumphing Here is set forth the description of the battaile when as mention is made of the lawe that rebelleth and leadeth away captiue and he which is against his will led away captiue imploreth ayde The ioy of the triumph is set forth vnto vs in the epistle vnto y◠Corrinthyans where it is sayd death is swallowed vp in victory death where is thy victory death where is thy sting These doubtles are the words of them that deride their enemyes and which when they haue gotten the victory triumph Wherfore there is no cause why they should ascribe vnto themselues these words which fight not which resist not which striue not but fall now hedlōg into all maner These are the wordes of them that striue and not of them that 〈…〉 dly in sins In this battaile we haue alwaies some hurt of sinnes boasting y◠they haue in the meane tyme a cleane harte Vnto this battayle cōmeth also lust laboureth to wrest somewhat from thée But it is thy part not
miseries of thys lyfe Now should I also speake of the fourth state of man But touching it Of the liberty whiche we shal haue in our country we may in one word aunswer That forasmuch as in heauen we shall haue most chiefe felicity no kinde of liberty can there be wantyng vnles a man will cal that a liberty to be able to sinne and to fall away from God that is from the chief good thyng but because that that liberty which there we shall haue is a most singuler liberty therfore our hope is that in our countrey we shall be most frée But now Lust and corrupt motions which râ—maine in the regenerate whether they be sins resteth an other question to be entreated of namely whether this lust those corrupt motions which remaine in the regenerate are sins ought so to be called These things are called of Paul the law of sinne the law of the members And that these remayne in holy men after regeneratioÌ„ he teacheth vs by the exaÌ„ple of himself But whither they be sinnes or no caÌ„not rightly be defined vnles we first vnderstand what sinne is Augustine saith that sinne is whatsoeuer is spoken done or lusted against the law of God But whither this definitioÌ„ belong vnto al sins or vnto those only which are coÌ„monly called actual it is vncerten by reasoÌ„ of yâ— ambiguity This word lusted in the definition how it may be taken of this word lusted For if it be referred vnto yâ— ful assent of the will wherby we assent vnto corrupt desires theÌ„ is the definitioÌ„ contracted to actual sins But if this word Lusted be so largely amply takeÌ„ as is that last precept Thou shalt not lust then may the definition be vniuersall and comprehend all maner of sinnes The master of the Sentences in his .2 booke and 35. distinction cited that definition when he had now largely entreated of originall sinne and had begonne to serch out the nature of other sinnes Wherefore it semeth that he thought that that definition pertayneth only to actuall sinnes But howsoeuer it be touching thys matter we will not muche contend Ambrose in his booke de Paradiso in the .8 chapiter setteth forth doubtles a most large definition of sinne Sinne sayth hâ— is nothing ells but the transgression of the Law of God and disobedience of the heauenly commaundementes But leauing the sentences of the fathers the matter is to be called to the triall of the scripture that out of them we maye certaynly knowe what sinne is Iohn in his first epistle and 3. chapiter Sinne saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Definition of siâ—ne out of the word of God is iniquity That Greke word is coÌ„posed of the particle priuatiue that is with out and of this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Law Here the nature of sinne is excellently well declared For it is sayd to be a priuation wherby is taken away from it the good thing which it ought to haue If thou enquire what that good thinge is which by sinne is taken away this Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresseth it For that He calleth sin the priuation of that good thing whiche the law of God prescribeth good thing is taken away which is prescribed in the Law of God Wherefore we may say that sinne is whatsoeuer is repugnauÌ„t vnto the Law of God Now let vs se whither this definition taken out of the holy scriptures be agreable vnto that prauity which remaineth in the saintes after regeneratioÌ„ Which thinge we affirm but our aduersaries deny but the holy scripture is without al doubt one our side For Paul expressedly sayth that the Law of the members warreth agaynst the law of God and of the minde and that the wisdoÌ„e of the flesh is enmity against God so that it is not subiect vnto the law of God yea nether can be subiect And it vtterly strâ—ueth agaynst the fiâ—st and the gretest commaundement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thine hart with all thy strength For if all our streÌ„gths and powers should as it is mete geue place vnto God this lust theÌ„ should neuer haue any abiding in vs. Farther the selfe same lust partly also striueth agaynst the last precept Thou shalt not lust And Augustine as we haue before in mo places then one cited him affirmeth that these two commaundements can not so long as we liue here be fully obserued of vs. But why they were geuen when as they can not be kept he bringeth very firme reasons which here to repete is not nedefull We haue declared by the definition of sinne that this lust whereof we speake is sinne Nowe let vs consider other argumentes One is taken of the institucion of man For man was made vnto the image and similitude of God And we are predestinate to be made like vnto the image of the sonne of God And we are commaunded to put one a new man Which as Paul sayth to the Colossians in the .3 chapiter is renewed to the knowledge and image of hym which created him which new maÌ„ as it is written in the epistle vnto the Ephesians consisteth in righteousnes and in holines of truth And the image of God Wherein consisteth the image of God which we are commaunded to put one herein consisteth as Tertullian sayth that we haue one and the selfe same motions and fealings with God And Paul to the Phillippians exhorteth vs to be of one and the same minde with Christ But these motions and lusts doo moste filthilye corrupt and blot the image of God in vs. Farther that which we ought to crucefye to mortefy and to put of must of necessity be sin For if they were good the holygost would rather haue admonished vs to norishe and to maintayne them And Paul to the Colossians sayth Mortefye your members which are vpon the earth And to the Galathians They which are of Christ haue crucefied theyr flesh with the lusts thereof And in an other place Put of sayth he the old man And if these motions do so displease God it caÌ„ not be for any other cause but for that they are sinnes For God is so good that nothing displeaseth him but only sinne Last of al vnto sinne is death dew as a reward Wherefore death can haue no place where no sinne is For thys preheminence had the Sonne of God only to dye an innocent For he died for our sinnes But we therefore dye bycause we are not without sinne And if it be so then let vs se what our aduersaries can alledge why infantes now regenerate in Christ doo dye For they haue no actual sinnes and the guiltines of originall sinne is taken away Only there remayneth lust and corruption of nature not wholy amended and corrupt motions which Augustine in his 11. booke of Confessions sayth are found in infantes and he both confesseth and accuseth them as
sinnes And therefore for them for that they are sinnes they are not vniustly subiect vnto death Wherefore seing it is by most firme reasons proued that the wicked lusts which remayne in vs after baptisme are sinnes now remayneth to se to what kind or part of sinnes they belong Sinne may thus be Luste grafted in vs. the first mâ—tioÌ„s to what kind of sinne they belong Distinction of sinne deuided that there is some kind of sinne which may be forgeueÌ„ and other some whiche can not That transgression agaynst the Lawe of God which is neuer forgeuen is sinne against the holy ghost But if the sinne may be forgeuen that maye be two manner of wayes For eyther it is so forgeuen that we muste of necessity vtterly depart from it which we se to come to passe in fore and greauous sinnes which Paul sayth seperate vs from the kingdome of God and are commonly called deadly sinnes Or ells they are so forgeueÌ„ that we depart not from them partly by reason of the ignorance that is grafted in vs and partly by reason of the infirmity wherwith we are infected And these are called smal and veniall sinnes without whiche no man can here lede hys life Paul as we haue before declared hath betwene these sinnes put a notable difference when he exhorted vs not to suffer sinne to raigne in vs. And of this third kinde of sins the same Apostle complayned when he sayd Vnhappy man that I am who shall de liuer me from the body of this death And of these sinnes doo we meane when we teach that the workes of men thoughe they be neuer so holye are not without deadly sinne for that we doo nothing without this kinde of defects And those defects are called deadly for that of theyr owne nature they deserue death For Luste the first motions are of theyr owne nature dead lye the stipend of sinne is death Farther also for that so long as we cary aboute with vs these spottes of corruption we can not haue the fruition of eternall life For so longe are we excluded from it vntill by death wee haue putte of all corruption Moreouer it is written Cursed be euerye one whiche abideth not in all the thinges which are written in the wordes of this Law And he whiche complayneth with Paul that he doth not the good whiche he would performeth not all the things which the Law requireth nether is vtterly free from the curse although the same thorough the mercy of God be not imputed vnto him vnto eternal destruction And we doo so speake of the good works of the sayntes not that we ether Thorow the mercye of God they are not imputed to daÌ„nation deny good workes or that we thinke not that the good workes which are done of the regenerate are pleasing vnto God but to make vs to acknowledge our vncleanes and vnpurenes to the vnderstanding whereof we are blockishe and more then blinde Wherefore putting apart sinne agaynst the holy ghost other sins are deuided into three degrees First is yâ— lust which is grafted in vs secondly out of it spring continually the first motions and impulsions vnto sundry kinde of wicked actes Thirdly commeth the conseÌ„t of the will and brusteth forth into act Paul did before set forth these thre degrees wheÌ„ he sayd Let not sin raigne in your mortall body that we should obey the lusts thereof The sinne whereunto we ought not to permitte the rule or dominion is lust grafted in vs and prauity of nature The first motions are the lusts which it bringeth forth and we are admonished not to obey them Then addeth he thereunto obedience which consummateth and maketh the sinne perfect which is commonly called actuall sinne It is not to be doubted but that the prauity of nature pertayneth to originall sinne Agayne that sinne whereunto commeth the consent or the will they call actuall But there is a doubt touchinge those first motions by meanes of Prauity of nature pertaineth to Originall sinne Sin where it raigneth is called actuall which yet thorough Christ we are not obnoxious vnto a new giltines and bond of the iudgement of GOD whither they be to be referred vnto originall sinne or to actuall sinne Vndoubtedlye they are betwene both and of eche part take somewhat For so farre forth as we by them worke couet or desire anye thynge they haue some consideration of actuall sinne And Paul vseth these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which without al doubt signify some action On the other side for that we against our will suffer this kinde of motion therefore therein they communicate with originall sinne For that sinne is not taken by election and of our owne accord Ierome vpon the 7. chapter of Mathew maketh a distinction betwéene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith signifieth the first motioÌ„s after that the consent of the will is now come vnto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when they first moue and stirre vp at the beginning And he addeth that although they be in faults yet are they not counted for great faultes and yet is the passion to be counted for a sinne Here is to be noted that Ierome confesseth that the first motions haue the blame of sinne although they be not counted for crimes that is although by the benefite of Christ they are not imputed vnto the death or els although in mans iudgement they be not counted for a crime And sinne is againe deuided into that which is only sinne and also into that which is both sinne and also the paine of An other distinction of sinne sinne Of which distinction Augustine maketh mencion vpon the 5â— Psalme For he sayth that the first fallyng away from God is sinne only but those sinnes which follow All sinnes eâ—cept the first sinne are both sinne and also punishments of sinne are both sinnes and also punishementes of sinnes vntill they draw vs vnto hell fire Wherefore whatsoeuer euils are committed betwéene the first falling away hel fire the same are both sinnes and also punishementes taken for other sinnes Which thing Paul to the Romanes hath very well declared For first he saith that the Ethnikes in déede knew God but they glorified him not as God And therefore he addeth that they were deliuered vp into wicked desires being full of all malice couetousnes c. And at the last he maketh mencion of the condemnacion to hell fire saying but thou accordyng to thyne hardnes and vnrepentant harte heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath in the day of wrath and of the reuelatioÌ„ of the iust iudgment of God wherein he shall render vnto euery man accordyng to hys workes But there are many which thinke not that these sinnes are punishementes of sinnes for that men do of them take no small pleasure But they vnles they were blind mought easely vnderstand by the Apostle that they are punishementes and such in dede
Paul here writeth He hath deliuered me from the right of sinne and of death That is from the guiltines or bond whereby we were bound vnto sinne and vnto eternall death And when this bond is taken away there then remaineth nothing why we should feare condemnation But forasmuch as that is said to happē through the spirite of Christ it manifestly appeareth that men are not iustefied by workes For workes follow the spirite and are saide to be the fruites thereof And this deliuery pertayneth only vnto them which are in Christ that we may vnderstand that all they are excluded which boast of faith and of the Gospell yet in the meane tyme do wallow in most grosse sinnes and are straungers from Christ and whereas they committe many thinges against their conscience yet are they not touched with any repentaunce This which is added which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirit expoundeth y◠which was before saide To be in Christ And that we may the better vnderstād that it is all one we must repeate that whiche the Apostle a litle before wrote Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body that this although ye be stirred vp by these lustes yet ye ought not to permitte vnto thē the dominion of your minde And that which the Apostle in this place declareth bringeth with it a great consolation They which are shut vp fast in prison and do know themselues to be A similitude guilty do looke for nothing els but sentence of death now if to them pardon and forgeuenes should be offred they not looking for it they can not but excedingly be glade and reioyce So we when we see that damnation is dewe vnto vs for our sinnes can not but excedingly reioyce at these tidinges when we heare out of the holy scriptures that all thinges are freely forgeuen vs for Christes sake Wherefore if we desire to haue the fruition of this so great a benefite it is necessary that we beleue the pardon which is offred vnto vs. For thys liberalitye of God wyll nothynge profite vs without faythe Althoughe by that whiche we haue nowe spoken I doubte not but that men maye vnderstande what the meaninge of Paul is yet are there sower thynges Foure thinges put forth to be examined whiche shall not be vnprofytable more dilygentlye to examyne Fyrste what that is wherby we are deliuered Secondly from what kind of euill we are deliuered Thirdly what maner of thing this deliuery is Lastly vnto whome it pertaineth As touching the first the Apostle saith that condemnation is taken away by the law of the spirit of lyfe wherby we vnderstand the holy ghost which gouerneth our mindes and ruleth them by his inward motions With which exposition agréeth Chrisostome For euen as saith he the law of sinne is sinne so the lawe of the spirite is the spirite But in that this worde of lyfe is added some do thus vnderstand it as though that worde should be ioyned with the worde law so that the law should be called the law of the spirite and the law of life But the nature of y◠Greke tong semeth to vrge that that worde should be an epitheton or proprietie of the spirite For thus it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is of the spirit of lyfe Here the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coupleth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of lyfe with the spirit and not with the law Wherfore the sence is that we are deliuered by the spirite the author of life and not by euery spirite which is cold and wanteth lyfe Ambrose by the law of y◠spirite vnderstoode faith which law he putteth as a meane betwene y◠two other lawes betwene the law of Moses I say and the law of the flesh Faith driueth not nor forceth vnto vices as before Paul taught that the law of the members and of the flesh doth Neither is faith as the law of Moses which only admonisheth what ought to be done but geueth not strengths to do it neither forgeueth whē any thing is committed against it For faith both teacheth what is to be don and also bringeth strengths to do the same and when any fault is committed it obteyneth pardon for the same Hereby we sée what is to be vnderstand by the law of the spirite of life namely the holy ghost or els fayth For either is true for in very deede y◠author of our deliuery is y◠spirit of Christ And y◠instrument which he vseth The efficicient cause and 〈◊〉 of our saluation to saue vs by is faith For it is the first gift wherwith God adorneth and decketh men that are to be iustified by it to embrace the promises set forth vnto thē Now to vnderstand the second part namely fro what we are deliuered We are deliuered from the law of sinne and death By these wordes is not signified the law of Moses although by faith in Christ we ar deliuered from it also ▪ But the Apostle entreateth not therof at this present neither is the law of Moses called in y◠The law of Moses is no◠called the law of sinne holy scriptures the law of sinne For although thorough it sinne be encreased yet doth it not commaund sinne neither was sinne the author of it yea rather the law of Moses is called spiritual partly because the holy ghost was the author of it who gaue it in Mount Sina and partly because all those things which it commaundeth are spirituall neither are they agreable vnto lust nor vnto our flesh It may It is called the law of death but yet per accidens that is by chaunce in dede after a sort be called the law of death for in the latter epistle to the Corrinthians it is called the ministery of death but these thinges are not to be applyed vnto it but thorough our default For otherwise of it selfe it setteth forth those things which should be profitable vnto lyfe But it lighteth vpon the peruersenes of our nature and therof it commeth that death followeth it Which reason if we should follow the Gospell also might be called the instrument of death For Paul The Gopell is per accidens the instrument of death in his latter epistle to the Cor. thus writeth Vnto some we are the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe but vnto other some the sauor of death vnto death Wherfore there is great cōsideration to be had with what maner of sauor we sauor the Gospell For it is not to be meruailed at that of one and the selfe same thing do follow contrary effectes For we sée daily that one and the self same sonne both drieth vp clay and also melteth waxe But seing it is so a man may meruaile why the Gospell is not in the holy scriptures called the ministery of death as the law of Moses is Ambrose answereth Because the Gospell of hys owne nature condemneth not but those which beleue not it leaueth
vnder the law And that is it which condemneth and killeth For it vnder the payne of damnation commaundeth that we should beleue in Christ. Wherefore they which beleue not by the condemnation of the law do perishe But the propriety of the Gospell is only to make safe It mought also be somewhat more plainly aunswered The Gospell as it onely outwardly maketh a souÌ„d â–ª differreth little from the law that the Gospell so long as it doth but outwardly only make a sound neither is the holy ghost inwardly in the hartes of the hearers to moue and bowe them to beleue so long I say the Gospell hath the nature of the killyng letter neyther differeth it any thyng from the Lawe as touchyng efficacye vnto saluation For althoughe it conteyne other thynges then the Lawe dothe yet it canne neyther geue Grace nor remission of synnes vnto the hearers But after that the holy ghost hath once moued yâ— harâ—s of the hearers to beleue then at the length the Gospell obtayneth his power to make safe Wherefore the lawe of sinne â–ª and of death from which we are deliuered is it whereof before it was sayd that it leadeth vs captiâ—â—s and rebelleth against the lawe of the minde In this fight saith Chrisostome the holy ghost is present with vs and helpeth and deliuereth vs that we runne not into dammation He crâ—wneth vs saith he and furnishing vs on euery side with stayes and â—elpes bringeth vs into the battayle Which I thus vnderstand that we are counted crowned through the forgeuenes of our sinnes and holpen with succors when we are so holpen with free and gracious giftes and with the strength of the spirite and instrumente of heauenly giftes that we suffer not this lawe of naturall corruption to raigne in vs. And let this suffice as touching that euill from which we are by the spirite of Christ deliuered Now let vs declare what is the nature of this deliuery This deliuery may indede be compared with that deliuery whereby the children Our deliuery is compared with that deliuery whereby the Israelites escaped out of Egipt of Israell were deliuered out of Egipt But they were not 〈…〉 at liberty but yâ— they were with greeuous perils greate teÌ„ptacions excercised in the desert and when they were come to the land of Canaan they had alwayes remnants of the Amoritres Chittits Heuites and Cetites with whome they had continuall strife We also are so deliuered from death and sinne that yet there still remayneth no small portion of these euils But yet as Paul saith they can not hurt vs. For although it be sinne yet is it not imputed But by death our body shall so be losed and the soule shall so be seperated from it that by meanes of the holy resurrection it shall neuertheles returne againe vnto life And for that cause Paul said not simply that we are deliuered from sinne and from death but from the lawe and power of them Augustine also in his first booke and 32. chapter De Nuptijs concupisceÌ„ntia saith that this deliuery consisteth of the forgeuenes of sinnes which thing also we see happeneth in ciuill affaires For if a man being A similitude cast into prison knowing himselfe to be guilty doth waite for nothing but for yâ— sentence of death and yet through the liberallity and mercy of the king he is not only deliuered from punishment but also the king geueth vnto him greate landes and aboundance of riches and honors if we should consider in him the principall ground and cause of his deliuery we shall finde that it consisteth in the forgeuenes of his crime and offence For what had it profited him so to be enriched if he should straight way haue bene put to death So although by the benefite of the spirite we haue our strengthes renewed and the power or faculty to beginne an obedience forasmuch as by all these thinges the lawe of God can not be satisfied we could neuer be iustified vnles we had first remission of our sinnes For we should still be vnder condemnation and should be vnder the power of sinne and of death And when Paul vseth this word law he speaketh metaphorically For by the lawe he vnderstandeth force and efficacy And he attributeth it vnto sundry This word law is here taken Metaphoricallye thinges vnto sinne vnto death and vnto the spirite and if there be any other thing which hath the authority of ruling and gouerning the same may be called the lawe of him whome it gouerneth and ruleth But as we haue already sufficiently tought when we heare of this word lawe no man ought to thinke that here is spoken of the lawe of Moses And thus much as touching the maner of this deliuery But in this place therecommeth to my remembrance a sentence of Chrisostome in his homely de sancto adorando spiritu wherein he admonisheth that this is an apt place to proue the deuinity of the holy ghost For if the holy ghost be the author of our liberty then it behoueth him to be most frée And that A place to proue the diuinitye of the holy Ghost he is the author of our liberty not only this place declareth but also that place wherein it is written Where the spirite of the Lord is there is liberty But Arrius Eunomius and other such like pestiferous men would haue the holy ghost to be a seruaunt For they in the holy Trinity put a greate difference of persones for the sonne they sayde was a creature and for that cause farre inferior vnto the father but the holye Ghoste they affirmed to bée the minister and seruaunte of the sonne But if he bée a seruaunte howe then can hée bée vnto others the author of libertye He hath indéede other argumentes out of the holy scriptures whereby he confuteth the Arryans but it sufficeth me to haue rehearsed thys one argumente onely because it serueth somewhat for this place Now let vs se who they be that are partakers of this deliuery For Paul doth not superfluously entreate thereof For when he had taught that this libertye commeth of the spirite of Christe althoughe it be the true and principall cause yet bycause it is oftentimes hid nether can it be seene of other men therefore Paul turneth himselfe vnto the effects as vnto thinges more euident For there are many oftentimes which boast of the spirite and of faith which yet are most farre from them and remayne vnder damnation This selfe same maner shall Christ obserue in the last iudgement He shall first say Come ye blessed of my Father receaue ye the kingdome prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning of the world By these wordes is expressed the chiefe and principall cause of our saluatioÌ„ namely yâ— we are elected of God predestinate But bycause this cause is hiddeÌ„ from the eyes The proue by the effectes declareth who are the elect of God of men to the end they might seme true heyres of the
that by his spirite the iustification of the law might be fulfilled in the elect Neither did he for any other cause take flesh vpon him but to helpe and succor the infirmity of our flesh Of this purpose and councell of God the Apostle here entreateth By this place it manifestly appeareth how one and the selfe same worke One and the selfe same worke is both sin and vetue as it commeth either from vs or from God as it commeth from men is sinne and as it commeth froÌ„ God is good The Iewes sought nothing els in the death of Christ but to exatiate and fulfill their hatred to reiect the worde of God and to repell and put away the chastisements and corrections of the Lord and also to kepe still their dignities and honors These endes forasmuch as they are very wicked the action also could not but be very wycked But God forasmuch as he had a regard to the setting forth of his goodnes and procured the health of mankinde in that he deliuered his sonne vnto the death accomplished a worke of most singuler charity Wherfore if we will speake properly God if we speake properly ought not to be counted the cause of sin God can not be called the cause of sinne although it cannot be denied but that he is the cause of that thing which in vs is sinne for that which in him is praise worthy and procedeth of vertue is oftentimes by vs defiled for that we our selues ar vncleane In that he saith That which was impossible vnto the law he teacheth both that the law is weake and by the contrary that the spirite and faith are strong But that infirmity of the law appeareth not vnles the weakenes of our frée will be throughly known For therof commeth it that the law is weak because it lighteth vpon a corrupt nature For otherwise the law it selfe so far forth as it is written is nether weake nor strong But man is iudged weak so long as he is left vnder the Law and is not holpen by the spirite of grace This place most strongly An argument of iustification that it is not had by workes proueth that iustification is not of workes and that there are no workes preparatory for works which go before iustification either do agrée with the law of God or els they defect or want of it If they agrée with the law theÌ„ of necessity we must graunt that the law is not weak as that which without the spirit and grace may be performed Paul in this place affirmeth that thing to be vnpossible But if such workes faile of the rule of the law â–ª which can not be denied then must we nedes graunt that they are sinnes But by sinnes no man can be iustified Here also are reproued the Pelagians which tooke vpon them to say and teach that a man by The Pelagians are in this place ouâ—râ—hrown the strengthes of nature is able to fulfill the commaundements of the Law For Paul teacheth contrariwise that the law was so weakened by the flesh that it behoued vs to be deliuered by an other helpe But where as he sayth yâ— the law was weakened by yâ— flesh no man ought therfore falsely to suppose yâ— here is condeÌ„ned yâ— substance of the flesh or nature of yâ— body for these things God created good But by flesh he vnderstaÌ„deth yâ— naughtines corruption which by reason of the fall of AdaÌ„ passed through all mankind Which corruption forasmuch as it is still remayning euen in men regenerate they can not vndoubtedly perfectly and fully accomplish the lawe of God vntill they haue vtterly put of this fleshe And as Chrisostome noteth the lawe of God is not by these wordes condemned but rather commended because it commaundeth right and iust thinges but it can not bring them to the ende Wherefore the comming saith he of Christ was necessary which might minister helpe and succour vnto the lawe for the lawe in dede taught vprightly There are two things which the law cannot performe what ought to be done and what ought to be auoyded But besides this there were two other thinges necessary which the lawe could not geue first that those thinges might be forgeuen which are committed against the commaundements thereof an other is that the strengthes of man might be corroborated whereby to performe the commaundementes of the lawe Without these two thinges whatsoeuer the lawe teacheth touching the doing or eschewing of thinges it can not profite but rather serueth to condemnation For he which knoweth the will of his Lord and doth it not is gréeuouslyer punished then he which knoweth not the will of his Lord. Those commentaryes which are ascribed vnto Ierome do vpon this place expressedly affirme that the Apostle here speaketh not of the lawe of ceremonies for he speaketh here of that lawe whereof is written in the 7. chapter of Mathew The thinges which ye wyll that men should do vnto you the same do ye vnto them of which lawe it is straight way sayde Thys is the lawe and the prophetes Wherefore there is no cause why any man shoulde cauell that that whiche Paul saith It was possible vnto the lawe is not to be referred vnto the morall lawe Three thinges are here enquired for but vnto ceremonyes But there are in this place thrée thinges to be obserued first what moued God to geue his sonne secondly what Christ being geuen vnto vs did for vs. Lastly what fruite we obtayne by his worke As touching the first the Apostle saith that this was the purpose of God when he gaue his sonne that the infirmity of the lawe should not be a let to our saluation For he sawe that it was God gaue his sonne that the infirmity of the law should not be a let to our saluation so weake by reason of the infirmity of our fleshe that by the ministery thereof we could not attaine vnto saluation which he had appointed for vs. Which sentence if our aduersaries would consider they should sée that they can neither maynetaine workes of preparation nor yet iustification by workes vnles paraduenture they thinke that this counsell or purpose of God was not necessary And these men vndoubtedly do as much as lieth in theÌ„ to diminishe the benefite of Christ neither acknowledge they the perfect and full loue of the father towardes vs. Paul saith that the lawe without Christ is weake these men say that before we are made pertakers of Christ we be able to worke good workes and to obey the lawe of God And although Paul here teacheth the impossibility of the lawe yet the fathers haue sometimes accursed such as dare say that God hath commaunded Whether God haue commaunded thinges vnpossible thinges vnpossible Although if a man rightly vnderstand our doctrine he shall easely sée that we teach not that the commaundementes of God are vtterly vnpossible but only as touching those which are strangers from Christ For men now regenerate haue
it was lawful for him to do wherfore he thinketh he lost his power which before he had â—uer men But this interpretation although it conteine nothing that is vngodly yet in no wyse agréeth with the meaning of the Apostle For Paul geueth a reason how we are deliuered by Christ from the lustes and motions of which he complaineth towards the ende of the vij chapter And forasmuch as the death of Christ is put for the cause of this deliuery that exposition which we brought of the sacrifice for sin both is agreable with reason and also is proued by other testimonies of the Scriptures For Esay in his 53. chapter writynge of Christ sayth If he shall put his soule Ameth schaim asham nephesch sinne that is to say for sinne Paul also as we haue before cited him saith That he which knew no sinne was for vs made sinne And in the first epistle to the Corrinthians Christ our paschall is offered vp And in the epistle vnto the Hebreues Christ is set forth to be that sacrifice for sinne whiche was sene to be offered without the hostes Iohn also sayth Beholde the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde in which wordes he calleth him a lambe for yâ— What the killinge of sacrifices signified in the old time he should be a sacrifice for sinne And that slaughter of sacrifices shadowed nothing els vnto the elders but damnation and death For there they which offred them acknowledged that the sinnes for which they ought to haue bene punished should be transferred and layd vpon the Messias that euen as the sacrifice was killed so should Christ in tyme to come dye for the sinne of the people Which thing peraduenture they declared by an outward simbole or signe namely by laying on of Why the Gentils sometimes sacrificed men their handes And many thinke that this signification of the offring vp of the Messias for sinne was of so great force that for the figuracion therof men were among certaine nations offred vp For that which they had heard of the holy patriarches should one day come to passe the same they sought to expresse by a sacrifice most nyest as they thought vnto the truth Which yet forasmuch as it wanted yâ— word of God and was by them only inuented was nothing els then an vngodly cruelty Of this thing Origene against Celsus maketh mencion Neither can it be but Why the killinges of sacrifices aâ— at this day â— out of vse wonderful that at this day throughout the whole world there are no immolatioÌ„s of sacrifices which seme by the prouidence of god therfore to haue vanished away bicause that noble and so long looked for sacrifice of the deth of Christ which was by all those sacrifices after a sorte shadowed is now performed For God hath geuen one only oblacion wherby as we haue said sinne is condemned By which so great liberality of God towardes vs both feare and also faith ought to be stirred vp in vs. For if God to the ende he would abolishe sinne spared not his owne proper sonne what shall become of vs if we despise so great a sacrifice and tread vnder foote the bloud of the sonne of God On the other side who will not put his confidence in God whom he séeth for our sinnes to haue geuen his sonne vnto the deth Wherfore we ought with a most strong faith to embrace this sacrifice Neyther ought we here to regard the sacrificing priestes which boast that they can by their The sacrifyce of Christ is not applied vnto vs by Masses masses and superstitions and vngodly whisperinges apply this sacrifice vnto vs. In dede the holy scriptures teache that one ought to pray for an other But that yâ— communicating of one man is sufficient for an other or that it applieth the death of Christ vnto an other that thing the holy ghost neuer taught And sithen the sacramentes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is seales of promises they can profite them onely if we speake of theÌ„ which are of full age which embrace theÌ„ by fayth Wherfore eueÌ„ as it is not coÌ„uenient yâ— one should be baptised for an other so doth it nothing profite if one man receiue the Eucharist or supper of the Lord for an other For this were all one as if a man should take seales by which promises are confirmed and transferre theÌ„ vnto a blanke paper which hath neither promise nor any thing written in it we may in déede when we communicate geue thankes vnto God for that he hath holpen our neighbours and brethren and we may pray for them that they may be confirmed But to eate the sacrifice or Eucharist or to offer vp Christ for other men it is vtterly a fained inuention And although we shoulde graunte theÌ„ thys yet should they not haue yâ— which they so much séeke for For thys is not peculiar vnto priestes but is coÌ„moÌ„ vnto al theÌ„ which celebrate yâ— supper of yâ— lord Away therfore with these fained lies let euery maÌ„ labor by his own proper faith to take hold for himselfe of this benefite of Christ to apply it vnto himself Augustine in his exposition begon vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes saith that euery one of vs applieth vnto himselfe the sacrifice of the death of Christ For he saith Touching the sacrifice of which the Apostle then spake that is of the burnt offring of the Lordes passion that euery man offreth for hys owne sinnes then when he is dedicated vnto the passion of Christ through faith and when by baptisme be is noted by the name of faithfull Christians Now let vs speake of the third thing namely to sée what is the fruite of the death of Christ That the righteousnes of God might be fulfilled in vs which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirite That which we haue turned Righteousnes and others Iustification in Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth that honesty and vprightnes which is commaunded in the lawe which although it be so called yet are we not therby iustified for the fulfilling thereof can be in no man but only in him which is iustified It is true in dede that We shal be iudged according to our works we shall not be iustified by them we shal be iudged accordinge vnto those woorkes for God wyll render vnto euerye manne accordynge to hys woorkes For accordinge to the condition of the workes the forme of the sentence shal be pronouÌ„ced Yet are not good works the causes of that felicity which we looke for For if they were causes then shoulde they either be equall with the reward or els they should be greater then it For this is the nature of causes ether to excell the affectes or at the least wayes to be The dignity of causes either excelleth or els is equall with the effecâ—es How the preceptes of the law are fulfilled in vs by Christ equall
are assured of iustification and deliuery from sinnes And as it is the part of a man to be gouerned by the mynde and humane reason and the part of a philosopher to be ordred by the preceptes of doctrine and discipline of wysedome and the part of a souldier to frame all hys doinges by the arte of warrefare so is it the part of a Christian to be moued by the spirite and sence of Christ And although euery man hath hys proper vocation and ought to follow such offices and duties as are méete and conuenient for hym yet as many of vs as are of Christ ought to measure our selues by this A propriety common to aâ—l Christians propriety and certayne rule continually to haue a regard how much we haue profited in the obedience of the spirite Forasmuch as the spirite of Christ dwelleth in you For he which hath not the spirite of God the same is none of his That which he before spake he now proueth by a stronge reason that they are not in the fleshe hereby he gathereth because the spirite of Christ dwelleth in them whereas he saith Forasmuch as the spirite of God dwelleth in you he maketh no doubt sayth Chrisostome that the spirite of God dwelled in them for this word forasmuch as in this place is all one as if he had sayde because so that the Greeke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a particle causall Ambrose thinketh that Paul in this place speaketh somewhat staggeringly for that the Romanes séemed somwhat to haue erred and to attribute more vnto the lawe then was méete Here are two thynges to be diligenly The spirite of God and the spirite of Christ is all one By the spirite is not here vnderstand any part of our soule A metaphor of dwelling An argument taken of coÌ„traries The flesh the spirite are not so repugnante the one against the other but that they may be both together in one and the selfe same man marked first that the spirite of God and the spirite of Christ is one and the selfe same spirite whereby appeareth that Christ is God Secondly that Paul by the spirite vnderstoode not the excellenter parte of our mynde as many dreame he doth For he sayth that that spirite whereof he speaketh is the spirite of God and of Christ which spirite he saith dwelleth in the faythfull Romanes and in those which are of Christ The metaphore of dwelling is hereof taken for that they which dwell in a house do not only possesse it but also do commaunde in it and at their pleasure gouern all thinges So the spirite filleth the harts of the saints beareth rule in them And the Apostle seemeth to take his argument of contraries Therefore ye are not in the fleshe neither walke ye according to it because the spirite of God dwelleth in you Not that these two thinges are so repugnant one against the other that they can not be both together in one and the selfe same man but these being compared together are as contrary qualities which when they are in the vttermost degrée the one can not suffer the other For it is not possible that with a most feruent colde shoulde any heate be mingled But if the cold be somewhat remisse then may some of the contrary quality succéede Wherfore forasmuch as in this life we haue not the spirite in the highest degrée thereof it commeth that there remayneth in vs somewhat I wyll not say much of the flesh and of corruption though the spirit in the meane time haue the vpper haÌ„d For otherwise we should be in the flesh neither should the spirite as Paul saith dwell in vs. For by this metaphore as we haue sayde is signified that the spirite possesseth our myndes and beareth dominion in them But if the nobler partes of the mynde be geuen vnto the fleshe the spirite departeth awaye The sp 〈…〉 suffereth not thâ— ruâ—â— of the flesh for it canne not abyde the dominion of the fleshe Wherefore Dauyd when he had fallen into gréeuous sinnes was for that tyme destitute of the motion of the spirite of God and therfore he cryeth Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation and establish me with thy principall spirite â–ª Although in very dede he neuer fell away from election or predestination And when the Apostle saith He whiche hath By the spirite we are coupled with Christ not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his He therfore by the spirite iudgeth our coniunction with Christ bicause by it we are coupled with hym and by it we are regenerate Wherfore Christ in Iohn sayth Vnlesse a man be borne agayne of water and the spirite c. Wherby is signified yâ— that by which we are chiefly regenerate is the holy ghost but yâ— water doth in yâ— sacrament of baptisme represent the same as an outward signe Water washeth watreth maketh fertile and hath in it many Effectes of the spirite other qualities by which the nature of the spirite is declared which spirit wheÌ„ it is come vnto our mynde the disposition propriety towardnes sence and motions of Christ are grafted into vs so that he which hath obteyned it may say with Paul I lyue but not I nowe but Christ liueth in me And they which haue the spirite of Christ are said to be his not after the common maner wherby all creatures are called the children of God For Christ saith in the Gospel All things are deliuered We belong vnto Christ after a certayne peculier manner vnto me of my father But they are made his peculiar possession forasmuch as now they are both called and also are in dede his members and are grafted into him ar most perfectly knit vnto him receiuing nourishmeÌ„t of him Here we sée how folishly some answer which wheÌ„ they are reproued admonished of their duty say yâ— they are not spirituall for they coÌ„sider not yâ— by this answer they deny theÌ„ selues They whiche are truely Christians muâ—â— needes be spirituall The words of the scripture are not to be prohibited to the lay men Christians ought not to doubt whetheâ— they haue the spirite of Christ The spirite departeth from vs for two causes to be Christians for if they be of Christ they both haue his spirit and also must of necessity be spiritual They also are of an euil iudgemeÌ„t which take away yâ— bokes of the holy scriptures out of the handes of the lay men bicause they thinke yâ— they haue not the spirit For when they so say they say they are no christiaÌ„s For if they be christians they haue not only the spirit of Christ but also the wordes of the holy scripture which are the assured sayings of the spirite and are most conuenient for them Lastly who séeth not that they excedingly are deceiued which commauÌ„d vs continually to doubt whither we haue the spirite of God or no. For vndoubtedly if we oughte not to doubte whither we be Christians we
to moderate the paines inflicted of God althoughe the bodye be sayde to be deade bicause of sinne yet ought we not therfore to thinke that God retayneth hatred or anger against his whose sins he hath forgeuē For death and aduersities which afflict the godly ought not to be counted amongest paynes or punishments God is wont in déede to exercise the faythfull with aduersities as we rede of Dauid who although he heard that his sinne was forgeuen hym yet he both lost hys sonne and also in his family suffred wonderfull hard chaunces Wherefore the sacrifising priestes ought not hereof to conclude that it is lawfull for them at their pleasures to impose paynes and satisfactions vpon them whome they haue absolued from sinnes For only Christ when he died vpon the crosse hath aboundantly made satisfaction for vs all Neither did Christ impose any paynes ether vnto the thiefe or to the sinfull woman or vnto the man sicke of the palsey vnto whome he sayd Sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee Neither haue these men one word in the holy scripturs of their satisfactions Howbeit we both may and ought to exhort as many as returne vnto Christ and do repent by good workes to approue themselues to shew worthy fruites of repentance and whome they haue before by their euil workes offended him now to reconcile and edefie by their maners being changed Although these men ought not The kayes of the churche can not moderate the scourges of God vnder this pretence to clayme or chalenge vnto thēselues their kayes as though they could at their pleasure moderate the scourges of God whether they are to be suffred in this life or as they fayne in an other For it lieth in Gods hand only ether to send or to release warres disseases hunger persecutions and such other like kinde of calamities Neither hath God when he afflicteth the Saints alwayes a regard vnto this by a fatherly chastisement to correct their sinnes For oftentimes An other end of the scourges of God it commeth to passe that he will haue his Saintes geue a testemony of his doctrine and make manifest vnto the worlde how much his mighty and strong power is of efficacy in them So was Iohn Baptist behedded so were Esay Ieremy and al the Martyrs slayn This matter is clearely entreated of in the booke of Iobe Howbeit it is profitable that the godly be oftentimes admonished of repentance The spirite of Christ is the ground of our resurrection The flesh of Christ really eaten is not the cause of our resurrectiō and of good workes that God may lenefye and mitigate those scourges and calamities which he vseth to inflict vpon sinners Wherefore this place seemeth nothing to confirme either purgatory or satisfactions Howbeit by these wordes we are manifestly taught what is the ground or beginning of our resurrection namely the spirit of Christ which first dwelt in him and afterward also dwelleth in vs. Wherfore they are deceiued which thinke that vnto our resurrection is necessary either transubstantiation or the presence of Christ in the Eucharist as though out of his flesh which they will haue to be eaten of vs really we shal draw eternall life as out of a true fountaine and a certaine ground For here they make a false argument from that which is not the cause as the cause Here Paul writeth that the beginning of a new life is that we haue the selfe same spirite which was in Christ which is the whole and perfect cause of our resurrection But how the spirit of Christ can haue place in the supper of the Lord we may easely vnderstand In the holy supper we are indued with the spirite of Christ How the fleshe and bloud of Christ are a helpe vnto the reresurrectiō Wherefore the fathers sometimes attribute this thing vnto the sacraments A place of Iohn in the vi chapt for there we renue the memorye of the death of Christ of which if by faith we take hold in the communion we are more plentifully endued with the spirite of Christ wherby not only the minde is quickned but also the bodye is so renued that it is made pertaker of the blessed resurrection Hereby it is manifest how the flesh and bloud of Christ conduce to the bringing forth of the resurrectiō in vs. For by faith we take hold that they were deliuered for vs vnto the death by this faith we obteine the spirite to be made both in minde and in body pertakers of eternall lyfe And if the fathers at any time seme to attribute this vnto the sacramentes y◠hereof commeth for that they ascribe vnto the signes the thinges which are proper vnto the thinges signified This may we perceiue by the 6. chapiter of Iohn for there Christ promiseth life vnto them that eate his flesh and drinke his bloud And it is not harde for any man to sée that in that place is spoken of the spirituall eatinge whyche consisteth of fayth and the spirite For the signes were not as yet geuen of Christe And whereas hee sayth The breade whiche I will geue is my fleshe whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde is to bee vnderstande of the fleshe of Christe fastened vpon the crosse whiche beinge by faith comprehended of vs shall so strengthen and confirme vs as if it were our bread and our meate And that Christ sayd in the future tempse I vvil geue it is not to be meruayled at for he was not yet dead But hys death which afterward followed brought to passe that y◠body of Christ was offred vnto vs not only in words but also in outward signes in that last time when he was at the poynt to be deliuered Augustine in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn defendeth this doctrine For he sayth To beleue is To eate And he sayth moreouer That the old Fathers vnder the law did eate the selfe same thing that we doo For theyr sacraments and ours were all one and though their signes were diuers yet the things signified are one and the selfe same And in his epistle vnto Marcellinus he sayth That the sacramentes of the elders and ours were herein diuers for that they ▪ beleued in Christ to come and we beleue in him being now alredy come And Leo bishoppe of Rome in his epistle vnto them of Constantinoble sayth that we receauing the vertue or power of the heauēly meate do passe into the flesh of Christ which is made ours Ireneus oftentimes sayth that our flesh and our bodies are norished with the flesh and bloud of Christ which so it be rightly vnderstand we deny not For euen as by naturall meates is made bloud whereby we are naturally fed so by the flesh and bloud of Christ being taken holde of by fayth we draw vnto vs the spirite whereby the soule is norished and the body made pertakers of eternall life which we shall haue in the resurrectiō Farther we doubt not but that our flesh and body doo
debters dnto the fleshe he playnly declareth how necessary good workes are And he stoppeth their mouthes which spake ill of his doctrine as which opened a window vnto vices For he threateneth death and that eternall death vnto theÌ„ which liue according to the fleshe They which draw the wordes of the Apostle vnto the liberty of the fleshe vnderstand not that he teacheth that men iustified are absolued from the condemnation of the lawe and not from the obedience therof For that obedience lasteth in the Saintes for euer For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye but if by the spirite ye mortefie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue He here by an other reason proueth A reason from that which is profitable vnprofitable yâ— we ought to liue holily which reason is taken froÌ„ that which is profitable and vnprofitable Two thinges he setteth forth namely life and death neither entreateth he here of temporall thinges but of eternall It is true in déede that it is not comely that we should follow as captaines of our life the prauity and corruption of nature which is signified by the name of fleshe neither do the debts which we owe vnto God by reason of his benefites bestowed vpon vs suffer vs so to do But yet fewe are moued with this comlynes and the nature of man is by reason of sinne to much blockish to heauenly thinges Wherefore it must haue the stronger spurres to pricke it forwarde And therefore Paul added this reason of lyfe and death If by the spirite ye mortefy the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Hereof two thinges we gather First that there are still déedes of the fleshe in the godly And who doubteth but that they are sinnes especially seing they ought to be mortefied The second is that these déedes are mortefied by the spirite for mans inuentions will nothing helpe thereunto For whatsoeuer is done by vertues described of the philosophers is sinne which can not through Christ be forgeuen them Wherefore the true and perfect cause of mortification is to be sought for at the handes of the spirite And to mortefy is nothing els but for a man to be violent against himselfe and to withstand and resist wicked lustes Here agayne also the Apostle séemeth to touch the difference betwéene deadly sinne and veniall What is to mortâ—fy sinne not that all sinnes are not of their owne nature deadly but for that through the death and spirite of Christ they are forgeuen therefore they are called veniall Those are called deadly sinnes which are not mortified in vs when we geue our selues to lustes and liue without repentance and sinne against our conscience neither resiâ—â— lustes but follow on our trade of liuing wickedly neither in the meane tyme regard we the spirit or death of Christ These are those sinnes which Paul writeth They which do such thinges shall not obtayne the kingdome of God and for which as it is written vnto the Ephesians The wrath of God commeth vpon the children of distrust For as many as are led by the spirite of God are the sonnes of God By two reasons it hath bene proued that men godly regenerate ought not to liue after the fleshe either bicause they are now debters so to do or els bicause the same shall turne them to great commodity namely for that they shall liue for euer Here is added the third reason for that they are now adopted into the children of God In which place we are taught two things at once the one is that they ought We must liue vprightly for that we are adopted into children Three maner of wayes it is shewed that we are the sonnes of God fréely and of their owne accord to worke as which are endued with the spirit not of bondmen but of children the other is that they which so leade their life shall liue for euer namely for that they are the sonnes of God For he is eternall immortall And that they are the children of God he proueth thrée manner of wayes First for that they are led by the spirite of God Secondly for that they call vpon him by the name of father lastly for that the spirite so testifieth vnto theÌ„ Wherfore the reason may thus be knit together As many as are the sonnes of God liue not after the flesh for they are led by the spirite of God and they call God their father and they haue the holy ghost in their hartes a witnes of the adoption whiche they haue obteined Such ones are all we which beleue in Christ wherefore we ought not to liue after the flesh When they are said to be the sonnes of God which The beginning of our adoption is thâ— spirit of God are led by the spirite of God therby is signified that the beginning of our adoptioÌ„ coÌ„meth only through the sprite of God by which the faithfull are so drawen that they are sayd of Paul to be led that is without violence and any coaction bowed They which want the spirite are holden with ignorance and are tossed by the impulsion of lustes But the spirite of God so leadeth that it both teacheth what is to be done and also ministreth a will minde and strengthes to performe the same It is not inough to know what we ought to do vnles we haue also strengthes geuen vs to do it and strengthes should be in vaine geuen vs if there should want knowledge These two thinges bringeth the spirite of God with it and by that Two thinges the spirite of God bringeth with it meanes leadeth the elect with pleasure After we are once sealed with this spirite we haue obteyned the earnest peny of eternall life and the adoption of the sonnes of God And forasmuch as we are not compelled to do any thing against our wils we enioy most excellent fréedome For we are stirred vp vnto those thinges which we excedingly desire For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage vnto feare But ye haue What is the spirite of feare and what of adoption receiued the spirite of adoption wherby we cry Abba father The apostle by a certaine distinction expresseth what that spirite is wherby the sonnes of God are led For he maketh one the spirite of feare an other the spirite of adoption which is no otherwise to be vnderstand but that one and the selfe same spirite of God bringeth forth two effectes which are by a certaine order knit together For first by the law and by threatninges it maketh afeard those men that are to be iustified and breaketh and vexeth them with scourges and stripes of the conscience that vtterly dispairing of themselues they may flye vnto Christ vnto whom wheÌ„ they are come and that they embrace him by faith they are not onely iustified but also are fréely of their owne accorde stirred vp to iust vpright and holy workes Wherfore Paul admonisheth yâ— Romanes that they are now come vnto this latter
our sinnes we straight way despayring of saluation except we come vnto Christ perceaue that we are vtterly vndone Wherefore the selfe same spirite being our guide we come vnto Christ and by faith embrace him and the promise of the mercy of God by which meanes our sinnes are forgeuen vs and we are receaued into the adoptioÌ„ of the sonnes of God Wherefore Paules meaning was to declare vnto the Romanes that they being now past that first steppe being regenerate in Christ haue obtayned adoption and therefore it behoued them not only to liue holily but also fréely and of theyr owne accorde to worke vprightly Vnto this our interpretacion Ambrose subscribeth Two degrees of cenuersion for he sayth That the Apostle here teacheth the Romanes that they are no more vnder the lawe but do now liue vnder fayth Wherefore I thinke with hym that in these wordes is set forth two steppes of conuersion And if a man demaund touching the people in the olde tyme how they had the spirite of Christ I thinke yâ— may thus be answered by deuiding yâ— Iewes into thâ—e partes For some of them Three kindes of peopâ—e amongst the Iewes wer vtterly wicked vngodly which besides name habitatioÌ„ outward Circumcision had nothing coÌ„mon with yâ— people of God these meÌ„ I graunt were vtterly voyd of the spirit of Christ yea rather they liued vnder the spirit of SathaÌ„ On the other side there were some excellent holy men as Dauid Ezechias Iosias Elias Daniel many such other like whom we can by no meanes deny but the they had the spirite of the Gospell although as the time required they were compelled to obserue many ceremonies and rites pertayning vnto the lawe Agayne there were some others which were weake which although they can not be compared with these whome we haâ—e mencioned yet forasmuch as they being godly beleued in the Messias to come and were by that fayth iustified we ought not to thinke that they were strangers from the spirit of Christ although by reason of their imperfection the lawe chalenged greate power ouer them and they were with others as those tymes required compelled to be subiect vnto infinite ceremonies And this is the reason why the elders are said to haue liued vnder the law and vnder the spirite of bondage They had not the Sacramentes oâ— their saluation so perspicuous and cleare as ours nowe are neither had they the misteries of Christe so commoÌ„ly reueled as we now haue in the Gospell Wherfore although amongs vs are many wicked meÌ„ a great nuÌ„ber of weake ones yet are we said to be deliuered froÌ„ the law both because we are deliuered froÌ„ ceremonies for the we haue the sacrameÌ„ts misteries of saluatioÌ„ obtained through Christ made more clere more manifest theÌ„ theirs commoÌ„ly were Paul also calleth the elders little ones for the they The holy men of the elders weâ— seruants but yet profitable seruauntes liued vnder tutors and gouernours and were instructed of the law as of a scholemaister And when they are called seruaunts we ought to vnderstand the they wer profitable seruantes For such seruauntes beare great good will loue vnto their maisters and are persuaded that that which is to the honour of their maister shal also turne to their honour But lewd seruantes neuer refraine from vices nether do they any thing well vnles they be by stripes compelled These their two titles which I haue mencioned Paul ioyneth together in the epistle vnto the Galathians For thus he sayth The heyre so long as he is a little one liueth vnder tutors and gouernours and differeth nothing froÌ„ a seruant wheÌ„ as yet he is Lord of all By which words he declareth that the elect of God amongst the elders were in very dede heyres although according to the consideration of the tyme they were as little ones vnder the forme of seruauntes kept vnder the scholing of the law and elementes of this world This thinke I is to be thought of the elders Now will I returne vnto Paul He declareth that the Romanes are now iustified so that they are no more vnder the law and condemnation but are now thorow faith and the spirite adopted into childreÌ„ Wherfore it is mete that they which are come to this estate should resemble the nature of their father that the thinges which are allowed of him they also should allow and the thinges that he condemneth and escheweth they also should abhorre and detest Although this spirit of adoptioÌ„ can not so long as we liue here The spirite of adoption is not yet perfect and absolute in vs. be perfect and absolute in vs. For there is remaining in vs a perpetual strife of the flesh against the spirit This also is to be obserued that Paul here changed the Antithesis for when he had made mencion of the spirite of bondage the order of spech semed to require that he should haue said that they had receiued the spirit of liberty but in stede of liberty he did put adoption to make the thing whiche he had in hand the more notable For it is a farre greater matter to be adopted of God to be It is a greater matter to be adopted then to be set at liberty Definition of adoption Arrogation what it differeth from adoption his sonne then to be set at liberty But bicause here is mencion made of the adoption of the children of God this place semeth to require to speake somwhat of it also The Lawyers as it is had in the institutions define adoption to be a legitimate acte imitating nature found out for their solace or comfort which haue no childreÌ„ Farther they make a distinction betwene adoption and arrogation For arrogation they say is wheÌ„ he which is his own man at liberty is receiued in the steade of a son but adoptioÌ„ is when he which is receiued is vnder an other mans power Howbeit the lawes forbid that the elder should be adopted of the yonger for it semeth a thing monstrous that the sonne shoulde excéede the father in yeares And therfore Cicero oftentimes vehemeÌ„tly inueigheth against that adoption of Clodius Now God adopteth vnto himselfe his elect not for that he had not an other sonne for he had his only begotten sonne Christ in whom he was well pleased but for God adopted vs wheÌ„ as yet he had a sonne that in al the nature of man he had as yet no children For through Adam we wer all made straungers from him Wherfore God for this cause sent his naturall and legitimate sonne into the world that by him he might adopt vnto himselfe many children out of our kinde And this is not wont commonly to be in vre For they which haue one onely sonne seke not to get any other sonnes yea rather they reioyce that that their sonne shall not be compelled to parte the inheritaunce with his bretherne But so great was the loue of God and of Christ
towardes vs that it would exalt vs to so great dignity although vndeserued on our behalfes Neyther is that heauenly inheritaunce of that condition that when it is communicated vnto many it is therfore diminished Now let vs sée how we attaine to his adoption Paul semeth to say that it is cōmunicated vnto vs by the spirit of Christ By the spirite faith are we adopted into children For of it haue we faith wherby we embrace Christ which died for vs and the promises of God and by that meanes are we adopted of God into children This doth Iohn excellently well declare vnto vs in the beginning of his Gospell where he thus writeth as many as receiued him vnto them he gaue power to be made the sonnes of God By these wordes we plainly sée that we then are made the sonnes of God when we receiue Christ And this is not done either by Circumcision or by any other ceremonies of the law or by good morall workes but only by faith And therfore Iohn added Vnto those which haue beleued in his name And when it is sayde A place of Iohn declared that power is geuen vnto thē to be made the sonnes of God we must not thinke as many Sophisters would haue vs that we first beleue and then afterward receiue power to be counted in the number of the sonnes of God For power in that Against the Sophisters place is nothing els but a right and a prerogatiue As if he should haue said the they whiche haue receiued the Lorde and beleued in his name haue a righte and prerogatiue to come into the adoption of the sonnes of God But Iohn addeth Which are borne not of bloude nor of the will of the fleshe nor of the will of manne but of Gad. First when he sayth Not of bloud he signifieth that this adoption commeth not by the order of nature that in this generation should be mingled together the séedes of man and woman Which sentence he more plainly expresseth in the next By this word flesh is sometimes signified the woman words following For he saith Not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of mā For that by the flesh he meaneth the woman may by two places be proued For Adam said of his wife which was deliuered vnto him of God This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh And Paul vnto the Ephesians saith He whiche loueth his wyfe loueth himselfe No man at any tyme hated his own flesh And this interpretation followeth Augustine Although I sée that this place may otherwise be expounded that when it is sayd Not of bloud we vnderstand that this adoption commeth not by anye force of stocke or kinred For the Hebrues perswaded themselues it did For they alwayes vndiscretely cried that they were the séede of Abraham Neither attayne we vnto this adoption by the will of the flesh For to the attainement of it we are not holpen by those good thinges which the fleshe vseth to couete by riches I say power strength of the body beauty and such other like things Neither by the will of man namely by those good thinges which are counted more excellent and are thought most comely for men as are wisedome prudence and workes pertaining vnto morall vertues For none of all these thinges can make vs to be the sonnes of God But are borne saith he of God All this haue we onely of the goodnes of God and of his mere mercy And therfore Paul saith to the Ephesians who hath Our adoption dependeth of predestination predestinate vs into the adoption of the sons of God Wherfore the whole consideratiō of our adoption dependeth of his election and predestination But of his diuine wil can no reason be of vs either vnderstanded or geuē And therof cōmeth it y◠Christ saith in Iohn y◠we ought to be borne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y◠is by the inspiration of God frō aboue And Christ cōpareth this regeneratiō with the wind thou hearest saith he the spirit neither knowst thou frō whēce it cōmeth nor whither it goeth wherfore God by Christ frely geueth vnto vs his spirit And he vseth y◠word as an instrumēt and By what degrees we attayne vnto the adoption of sonnes The adoption which we haue now is not perfect y◠is called y◠séede wherby we are regenerate He geueth also fayth wherby we receaue the promise of the word set forth vnto vs. And by that means we are iustified obteine the adoptiō of the sons of god which yet so long as we liue here can not be perfect Wherefore Paul a little afterward sayth that we wayte for the adoption of the sonnes and the redemption of the body which we shall not attayne vnto but in that blessed resurrection Euen the selfe same thinges writeth Paul to the Galathians And when sayth he thr fullnes of time came God sent hys sonne made of a woman and made vnder lhe Law to deliuer those which are vnder the Law that we might receaue the adoption of sonnes And bycause we are sonnes God sent the spirite of his sonne into our harts in whome we cry Abba father These words declare that there was before the fulnes of time a certayn bondage vnder the Law afterward was geuen the sonne by whom we which are appointed and destinied to be made the sonnes of God might more fully receaue the spirite and adoptiō This adoption Christ semeth as it were by a certayne sacrament to haue confirmed in his genealogy For when as in Luke and in Mathevv the names of his progenitors doo vary in them is mingled adoption so that oftentimes one and the selfe same man had one father by nature and an other by adoption Also in In the old testament adoption much vsed Euen vnto the dead 〈◊〉 children adopted the old testament adoption was much vsed For both Iacob adopted vnto hymselfe hys neuiewes Ephraim and Manesses to be vnto hym in steade of other sons and also that maner was of such force at that time that vnto dead men also were children adopted For whē one brother was dead the brother that remayned a liue of his wife begat children and raysed vp séede in Israell Thys as a certayne shadow figured our adoption into the sonnes of God The common translation hath The adoption of the sonnes of God When as in the Greke is not red this word of God For there is only this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is adoption But this is dilligently to be considered both from whence we are by this adoption brought and whither we are transferred We were before the children In this adoption is to be considered from whence and whether we are transferred of the deuill of wrath of incredulity of distrust of this world of perdition of night and of darknes And we are transferred hitherto that we both are called and are in very dede the sons of God pertakers of
Christ we haue the inheritaunce of the Father common with Christ and we be so wholy grafted into him and altogether knitte with hym that by hys spirite we liue But then shall we come vnto thys inheritaunce when it shall be sayd vnto vs Come ye blessed of my father receaue the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And we ar the fellow heires of Christ bycause as Iohn sayth when he shall appeare we shall be like vnto hym And Paul sayth to the Colloss Ye are dead ▪ your life is hidden with Christ in God But when Christ What inheritance is your life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare together with him in glory Inheritaūce as it is defined of the Lawiers is a succession into the whole right of the dead person Can this seme a small matter to any man to be made pertaker of the whole right of God Doubtles Peter sayth we are made pertakers of the nature of God Here Ambrose noteth that it is not in thys matter as we se it commeth to passe commonly in the world For the testator must first dye before the successor can come vnto the inheritaunce But God dieth not Yea rather we which are appointed hys heyres do first die before that possession can be deliuered vnto vs. Christ also first died before he came vnto the glory which was appoynted for hym Farther as touching ciuill Lawes the heyre is counted one and the selfe same person with him that maketh him heyre So we are by Christ so streightly knitte together with God that we are nowe one with him as Christe prayed That they may be one as thou and I are one For all thinges are ours and we are Christes and Christ is Gods This inheritaunce obteyne we freely by the spirite of Christ Wherefore the bishoppes of Rome and theyr champions the Cardinalls and false Bishoppes doo wickedlye whiche haue enclosede thys inheritaunce of This inheritaunce we obteyne freely remission of sinnes and of comminge vnto the kingdome of God vnder theyr counterfete kayes so that they can at theyr pleasure sell it and ether thruste downe to hell or send vp to heauen whome they will Here agayne we haue somewhat to saye of Chrisostome For he as before he wrote that the Iewes beynge vnder the Lawe were excluded from the adoptyon of the sonnes of God so here denieth that they were the heyres of God And he citeth to confirme this sentence that place of Mathew He shall destroy to nought the wicked Many shall come from the East and from the West and shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob but the children of the kingdome shall be cast forth a dores Againe The kingdome of God shall be taken from you By these places thinketh he it is manifest that this inheritaunce pertained not vnto the Iewes But we herein also can not assent vnto him For God said vnto Abraham I am thy most ample reward And in y◠The fathers also in the old testamente were heires parable or rather the history of the Gospell the poore man Lazarus was sene in the bosome of Abraham Which what other thing was it but that he had obteined the inheritaunce of God and of Christe Paul to the Galathians sayth An heyre so longe as he is a childe nothinge differeth from a seruaunt when as yet he is Lord of all but is vnder tutours and gouernours euen vnto the tyme appointed of his father Which wordes plainly declare that the elders although by reason of the law and of ceremonies they liued after a certain seruile manner yet were in dede heyres although they were but children And that estate endured vntill the commyng of of Christ But that which Chrisostome bringeth out of Mathew is not spoken of y◠Many false Christians also which shall not possesse the kingdome of God good and godly Iewes but of the wicked and noughty husbandmen which slew the heyre Wherfore by such sentences we ought not to condemne all the Iewes in the olde tyme or to exclude them from the inheritaunce of God yea rather we ought to thinke that the vngodly Christians shal not be delt with one whit better then they were delt with For there are amongst vs many hypocrites and vngodly persons which as Paul sayth shall not possesse the kingdome of God And at this day if a man should looke for the church of Smyrna and y◠church of Philadelphus and many other churches which were in tymes past of great fame in Asia and in Siria he shall finde them either vtterly ouerthrowen or els miserably intreated vnder the tyranny of the Turke and no lesse afflicted then the Iewes are at this day which liue captiues vnder the Christians or vnder the Turkes If so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified wyth hym Euen as before he taught that we are made certaine of our adoption by inuocation or prayer wherin the holy ghost beareth witnes together with our spirite y◠we are y◠sons of God so here he sheweth a testimonye whereby we may be made more certain of attainyng vnto this ▪ inheritance which he hath spoken of Ye shal Crosses aduersities are tokens that we shal obteyne the inheritance without all doubt saith he obtein it For ye shall raign with Christ forasmuch as ye haue already attained to suffer with him Wherfore tribulations crosses are tokens and arguments wherby we may gather that we shall be the heyres of God Paul sayth vnto the Philippians That vnto them it is geuen for Christes sake not only to beleue in him but also to suffer for hym This first gift which we se we haue now obteined maketh vs certaine of the latter y◠we shall at the length not be defranded of it For no small or light power of God is declared in thē which valiantlye for paciently piety sake suffer aduersities persecutions I know there are some The condition or estate b◠which we must passe vnto the eternall inheritance which interpretate these wordes otherwise that Paul should seme to ascribe a certaine condition or estate by which we shall passe vnto the eternall inheritaunce namely if we haue first suffred many thinges And doubtles the Gréeke particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is turned if so be may be drawen to either sentence This is certaine that Paul here maketh a certaine digression although it be soft and hidden to comforte these men for the afflictions which they suffred But yet departeth he not frō that purpose which he had in hande but with one and the selfe same labour both prosecuteth that which he began and also comforteth thē And it is all one as if he should haue said ye shall in dede be heyres but yet vpon this conditiō that ye must first suffer many thinges Christ requireth nothing at your hands which he him selfe hath not first performed he leadeth you no other way then that whereby he We shall haue the
priuately applied vnto himselfe generall that no man can priuately be assured of himselfe Doubtles he which calleth vpō God and calleth hym his God applieth that generall God seuerally vnto himselfe Nathan sayd vnto Dauid The Lord hath taken away thy sinne which thinge is likewise sayd vnto euery one that asketh The Gosple is to that end preched to euery creature that euery one should singularly embrace y◠promise and haue remission of sinnes The Minister sayth I baptise thee in the name of the father and of the sunne and of the holy ghost and that is to be vnderstand into the remission of sinnes And euery one priuately to hymselfe receaueth the Eucharist And these thinges are certayne seales and sealinges of the promises of God but they should seale nothing vnles the promises should now be applied perticularly vnto this man or to that man But let vs consider the scriptures Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes and he receaued circumcision the seale of the righteousnes of fayth Did Circumcisiō seale the generall promise No vndoubtedlye but rather the singular promise and whiche was now applyed vnto Abraham Wherefore let these men ceasse thus to bleare mens eyes and let them confesse that hope hath that certaintye of saluation whiche it hath receaued of fayth by reason of the firmenesse of the promises And that thou mayste vnderstand that hope is repugnaunt vnto doubt count Hope is repugnant vnto doubting To what end hope was geuen vnto men with thy selfe to what end it was geuen of God vnto men Vndoubtedlye to no other ende but that they shoulde haue wherewith to striue againste doubting For when we doubt of our saluation we haue no other weapons wherby to ouercome that doubtinge but hope onelye whiche springeth of a liuelye fayth Wherefore seeing it alwayes striueth agaynste doubtinge there is no cause that anye man should ascribe vnto it doubting as a perpetuall companion Let vs looke vpō and consider the other commaundements of God so shall that which we auouch be yet more playne God hath commaunded vs to worship him only and bicause he Why God gaue the cōmaundementes saw vs of our own accord earnestly bent vnto idolatry and vnto supersticiō therfore woulde he haue vs with the word of his law fight against this euill He hath commaunded also that we should not steale nor kill nor commit adulteries for y◠he saw that we by reason of our corrupt nature are prone to these euils So also Why God hath commaunded vs to hope God hath commaunded vs to hope for that he saw our vnbeleuyng hart to be infected with continual doubting And as in beleuing we ought not to haue a regard vnto those things which seme to be against the promises of God which thing Abraham excellently well performed when he considered not his body past children gettyng nor his wife being olde and barren but gaue the glory vnto God so in hoping we ought not to haue a regard vnto our workes for they by reason of theyr deformednes and filthines would rather feare vs away from hoping We ought In hopinge we ought not to haue a respect◠vnto our workes The security of the fleshe and the security of faith differ to fixe our eyes in the only promise and mercy of God Neither also when we vrge this certainty of hope do we open a window vnto lose lyfe as many falsly lay to our charge For the security of the flesh farre differeth from the commendable certainty of faith and of hope For neyther doth it as our aduersaries thinke expell the feare of God out of the mindes of the godly We haue before at large taught that the certainty of saluation and the holy feare of God very well agrée together in the hartes of the faithfull Likewise also the spirite helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought But the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Besides that stay of hope wherwith our patience is vpholden Paul sayth that there is an other helpe also of the holy ghost geuen vnto vs. This is y◠which Christ when he should depart out of the world promised to his Apostles I wyll not leaue you orphanes but wyll send you an other comforter If the power of the holy ghost be compared with the weakenes of our strengthes it wil The holy ghost is mightier then our in firmity Against the Pelagians farre passe our infirmity Therfore Paul vseth this comparison that therby might be increased in vs cherefulnes and confidence Here the Pelagians are put to a great foyle For so farre is it of that by the strengthes of our nature we can helpe our selues that without the helpe of the holy ghost we can not of our selues so much as know what thinges shal be profitable vnto vs and what things hurtful But in what maner we know not what to aske and how the spirite maketh request for vs with vnspeakable ▪ sighes bicause it is very obscure to vnderstand first How we know not what we ought to aske I thinke it good to declare the expositions of the fathers and secondly to declare what in them is the best Chrisostome forasmuch as at that time were greuous persecutions against the Christians thinketh that they with prayers feruently desired of God that they might at the lēgth be deliuered from so great euils and this thing not cōming to passe they conceiued a great sorrow in their minde And therfore Paul after this manner comforteth them for that we our selues know not what to pray or what to aske Wherfore God who knoweth all this right well oftētimes geueth not vnto vs those things which we aske but those things which he himselfe knoweth shall be most profitable for vs. And that he should not séeme to deiect their mindes vnto whom he writeth as though he iudged them rude and vnapt vnto things spiritual he numbreth himselfe also together with those which are troubled with this ignoraunce neither did he that falsly or only for consolation sake For he himselfe in dede oftentimes prayed that he might go to Rome and yet Paul was not alwaies heard in his prayers God heard him not He prayed also that the pricke of the flesh mought be taken frō him that is that his tribulations might be slaked as Chrisostome in this place interpretateth it And he receiued an answer of the Lord that his grace ought to be sufficient vnto him Moses prayed that he might enter into the promised land Examples of other saintes which prayed were not heard The maner of the primitiue church Ieremy prayed for the health of the people Abraham prayed for pardon for the Sodomites Samuel prayed that Saul mought be forgeuen The two Apostles prayed that the one of them mought sit on the right hand of Christ and the other on the left in the kingdome of God But these men could not obteine their
not vnto equals Ambrose maketh answere vnto theÌ„ sayth that the Apostle maketh him equall with the father For he sayth that he sitteth at the right haÌ„d of the father Wherefore by these words caÌ„ not be gathered that he is les theÌ„ the father But here are offred vnto vs two things to be noted first yâ— the persons in the blessed trinity are distinct for if the sonne pray vnto the father it must nedes be that yâ— person of the father and his person are not one the same for no man prayeth vnto himselfe Farther this is to be noted that the father is the fountaine and first beginning of all thinges and euen of the diuine persons Therefore the sonne from him deriueth into vs whatsoeuer heauenly giftes and graces we haue Chrisostome disagréeth not from this sentence For he sayth That Paul before had made the sonne of God equall wyth the father when he sayd that â—e sitteth at hys ryght hand But in that he is sayd to pray that is not to be taken properly as though he maketh supplication vnto the father but the scripture saith he so speaketh to shew the good wyll of the sonne towardes vs. Otherwyse he hath all thyngs in hys hand and as the father geueth lyfe so also doth the sonne geue lyfe and as the father rayseth vp the deade so doth also the sonne rayse vp the dead Wherefore he nedeth no prayers towardes hym And sâ—yng he could by hymselfe quicken the dead redeme the damned and iustifie the wicked which workes are most excellent and most great why can he not also by hymselfe wythout prayers bryng to passe those thynges which are remayning Moreouer he citeth out of the latter to the Cor. the 5. chapter We are ambassadors for God is said to beseâ—th vs. Christ as though God did besech you through vs we pray you in Christes stede to be reconciled vnto God Behold saith he God is here sayd to besech men when as yet we ought not once to thinke that he is inferior vnto them But sauing the authority of these fathers I would iudge that the Arrians may be answered an other way For I would say that the sonne prayeth vnto God not in that he is God but in that The sonne prayeth vnto the father not in respect as â—e is God but as he is man he is man and a creature But the place alledged out of the epistle vnto the Cor. is not of so great force For Paul expressedly putteth this note of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as though neither ment he any thing els then that the Apostles with great affection procured and as it were beseched men to returne vnto God Of which wordes can not be gathered that God maketh supplication vnto men The Apostles in the new testament delt towardes men with a great deale more lenity then did the lawe or the Prophetes in the old testament where all thinges in The Apostles in preaching deaâ—â— with more leâ—itieth in the law and the Prophets manner are stuffed with threateninges and punishementes And that those wordes of Paul are to be referred vnto the humanity of Christ those things which were before spoken sufficientlye declare Paul had before written that Christ died rose agayne and was caried vp into heauen to the right hand of God All which thinges agrée not with the diuine nature of Christ Wherefore it is méete and conuenient that that particle also which followeth ought to be referred vnto yâ— humane nature of Christ as touching which Christ himself confesseth himselfe to be lesse theÌ„ yâ— father For he saith The Father is greater then I am And so long as he was vpon the earth because he was a manne he obeyed the magistrates and his parentes for as Luke declareth he was subiect vnto them And in Esay he confesseth that he was anointed of the holy ghost â—o geue vs to vnderstand that his humane nature was not onely lesse then the father but also lesse then the holy ghost Farther it can not be denied but that he is our bishoppe and priest But the Two ministeries of Christ as he is our high priest office of a bishoppe is both to offer sacrifice and to pray for the people Christ hath offred himselfe vpon the crosse and when he had finished that ministery there remayned an other ministery which he should continually exercise namely to make intercession for vs vnles we will paraduenture affirme that he is no more the bishoppe of the Church But God himselfe hath promised to the contrary saying Thou art a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech And continually by the priesthode of Christ our sinnes are forgeuen vs and we are reconciled vnto God We haue an highe prieste as it is written vnto the Hebrues whiche hath entred into the most holy place not made wyth handes but hath pearsed into heaueÌ„ it selfe And which caÌ„ suffer together with our infirmities being teÌ„pted in all thinges like vnto vs. Wherefore we ought wyth confidence to come vnto the throne of grace for there is offred for vs a most acceptable sacrifice By the resurrection of Christ are ouercome death and hell In the kingdome of Christ which he most mightely exerciseth at the right hand of the father are gouerned all thinges and the prayers which he continually poureth out for vs are vnto the father most gratefull and most acceptable We reade before that the holy ghost maketh intercession for vs which selfe thing is here affirmed of the sonne If these two intercessions be compared together we shall finde that the intercession of the sonne is the cause of the The intercession of the sonne is the cause of the intercession of the holy Ghost intercession of the holy ghost For he promised to goe vnto the father and to sende vnto vs the holy ghoste He stirreth vp our mindes to pray feruentlye with sighinges and gronings Christ maketh intercession vnto the father because he is alwayes at hand with him Therefore the father is perpetually put in minde of the sacrifice by him once offred and he smelleth the same as a swéete smell and thereby is made mercifull vnto vs. And therefore Christ is called our mediator and aduocate Christ our 〈◊〉 aduocate The prayers of Christ are both gratefull and also â—â—ste And his prayers are not onely acceptable vnto God but also haue ioyned with them satisfaction Wherefore seing they are both gratefull vnto God and also iust they can not haue any repulse We in déede so longe as we lyue here do mutually pray one for an other and that by the prescript of the word of God Howbeit betwéene our prayers and the prayers of Christ there is greate difference For his haue as we haue sayde satisfaction ioyned wyth them but so haue not oures For there is none of vs whiche can make satisfaction vnto God either for hymselfe or for an other man But that the Saintes departed
For while he wente aboute to persuade his bretherne according to the flesh how much he loued them in that he said that he wished for theyr sakes to be accursed from Christe if he had added that he had done it for the honor of Christ whom he worshipped I cannot tell what might seme to be dimished of that loue which he sayd that he bare towards his brethren Wherefore he cunningly kept that in silence wherein yet was the chiefe and principall cause of his desire Howbeit least the prudent reader should in any wise Why he made no mencion of the principall cause of his desire erre he hath so tempred his wordes which follow that by them he may very easely gather what his meaning was For thus he writeth To whome pertayneth the adoption the couenantes the glory the geuing of the lawe the worshippyng the promises of whome are the fathers of whome is Christ according to the flesh who is God ouer all blessed for euer Amen These wordes being well and diligently examined do declare what Paul had a regard vnto in this his so feruent desire Let vs call to memory that the Israelites were called of God that they abode long in the profession of God that they kept the lawes of God a longe tyme that they by innumerable Prophetes receaued promises of Christ to come and of other good thynges Forasmuch therefore as they had bene such men and yet semed now to be excluded and other nations which were ignoraunt of God and geuen to most filthy idolatry were placed in their stede many began to be offended at the prouideÌ„ce fayth and gouernmeÌ„t of God Wherfore ether they blasphemed him or ells they made exclamation openly that this was not the Christ promised in the Law These thinges troubled Paul excedingly much For he would not that in the affayres of the Gospel should be brought in a stage matter or a matter of pastime as though that which god had promised to one people he would geue to an other and as though Christ was borne for the Iewes but profited none but the Gentiles And that Paul was by this reason chiefely moued that manifestly declareth which is a litle afterward added Not as though the word of God The end of Moses request hath fallen away By which wordes he declareth that he admonished vs of these thinges lest any maÌ„ should thinke that the promises of God were not sure And none other entent had Moses wheÌ„ he desired to be blotted out of the booke which God had writen theÌ„ that God should spare the people For he geueth this reasoÌ„ Lest peraduenture it be said that God hath brought a people out of Egipt but was not able to bring to passe that they should obteyne the Land which he had promised them and therefore would he kill them in the desert Nether doth Paul in this place say that he Paul desired not to cease of froÌ„ louing of God Euery man ought to preferre the honor of God before his owne felicity Why Paul wished not this thinge for the Gentils wisheth to be seperated from the loue of God for he would by no meanes cease of from louing of him only he wisheth to be excluded from the blessed coniunction with God to be deuided from the fellowshippe of the Angelles and of the sayntes to be depriued of the fruition of eternall felicity And this thing ought euery one of vs to desire namely to preferre the honor of God before his owne felicity And Paul speaketh not these thinges of the Gentiles as he doth of the Iewes not that he would not doo as much for them also when the like danger of the honour of God shoulde happen but bycause then he entreated not of the Gentiles For they on euerye side of theyr owne accord came vnto Christ wheÌ„ as the Iewes most vehemeÌ„tly resisted him The same Chrisostome vpon Mathew expounding this place It is better that one member bee cutte of and cast away then that the whole body should perishe saith That Paule considered this thing that rather he being cut of and made accursed God might haue glory of the greate body being saued theÌ„ that he himselfe should be saued and a greate multitude of Iewes which were like vnto a certayne greate body should be cast into hell fire This so greate loue of Paul â—arre passeth the affect of all parentes toward theyr Children And so greate was it that Chrisostome writing touching priesthode sayth that he was for a iust cause feared a way from that office bycause he saw himselfe to be farre distant from such kinde of loue The same Chrisostome de prouideÌ„tita dei writeth That Paul desired rather to liue in hell then to se his brethern condemned And he addeth that it was a greater vexation vnto Paul to se the distruction of hys brethern the Iewes then if he himselfe should haue bene tormented in hell For he desired that torment rather then to se his brethern perish miserably Nether was he deceaued in this iudgment For it came not from reason or vnderstanding but from the impulsion of the spirite of God The Schoolemen differ not muche from thys interpretation of Chrisostome For Thomas sayth That Paule neuer wished for the seperation from God which coÌ„meth through sinne nether coulde he wish for it keping charity but for the aduauncement of the glory of God it was Lawfull for him to wish for the seperation from felicity Yea yâ— same Thomas addeth That Paul somtimes desired for his bretherns sake to be seperated from that felicity and to haue it differred for a time For vnto the Phillipians he writeth That to dye should be vnto hym gayne howbeit it was profitable for them that he should abide in the flesh he sheweth that he both desired and also hoped that God would graunt that he might be conuersante with them for a time So saith Thomas mought he also in this place for the helth of hys brethern wish to be seperated from God ether for euer or else for a time But that these These words cannot be vnderstande of a seperation for a time wordes can not be vnderstand of a seperation for a time this word Anathema sufficiently declareth For Anathema signifieth yâ— seperation from commoÌ„ vse which can neuer by any meanes be reuoked or restored againe But this Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify not only I did wishe but also I did pray Neyther Paul wished for that thing which could not be done The will is sometimes rauished to thinges impossible ought we to meruayle that Paul wished for this thing although it coulde not come to passe for there is no doubt but that he was one of the predestinate for our will is oftentimes rauished vnto those thinges which are not possible to be done For so prayed Dauid Who shall geue me power to dy for thee my sonne Absolon When yet it could not be that he should dye for Absolon That are
the Prophets and of the Psalmes the Hebrew prophetes and also in the Psames that the latter â–ª part of the periode should repete that which was spoken in the first Which thing he doth here most playnly and with much efficacy For first he touched the diuinity of Christ when The diuinitie of Christ thre times proued by this place he sayd as touching the fleshe for that particle should not haue bene necessary if there had bene in Christ nothyng els but his humane nature And he addeth Who is ouer all Which thing belongeth to God only Wherefore that which was in those clauses spoken somewhat obscurelye in the other part of the Periode he speaketh more expressedly For he sayth Who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen Neither is the reason of Ambrose lightly to be considered that we ought not in this place to séeke any other thing or any other persoÌ„ wheÌ„ as here is purposedly entreaty made only of yâ— Son Erasmus excuseth this his deuise that he nothinge hindreth the diuine nature which we affirme to be in Christ especially seing the same may be aboundantly proued by other places of the scriptures We answere that we also know ryght well that the diuine nature in Christ is by many other places of the scriptures sufficiently testified but yet we thinke that this is also together with the rest to be retained for so we sée all the fathers haue done Neither is it mete that we should without cause decaye the armory of the Church which we ought rather dayly to fill and to renew But peraduenture he will say They trust but a litle to other places which so earnestly contende for this one Verely we do not a litle put confidence in other places but seing that this place is very firme and cleare we wyll not loose it The commentaryes of Orygen testify that these thynges are spoken of Christ as though Paul in these wordes woulde refell those which at that tyme durst not openly call Christ God which is meruayle to heare Origen affirme when as he otherwise did not rightly thynke of the sonne of God But Erasmus thinketh that that part in those coÌ„meÌ„taries to the Romanes is none of his For he sayth that Ruffinus or whosoeuer he were that turned Origen amended certayne things of purpose that the readers should not be to much offended And Ierome agaynst Ruffinus testifieth that Origen in hys other bookes neuer wrote well of these thinges touching which he had erred in hys bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if it be true then forasmuch as in those bookes he had a most wicked iudgement of the sonne of God it may easely be proued that those thinges could not be written of him in his commentaries to the Romanes But howsoeuer it be touching Origen for his commentaries to the Romanes are not extant in the Greke wherby we might any thing iudge of them thys is certayne that Ciprian a most auncient writer in his 2. booke agaynst the Iewes the 5. chapiter vseth this testimony to proue the diuinity of Christ Although when he citeth the wordes of Paul he leueth out this word God Which same thing Hilary did vpon the 122. Psalme But that may seme to come thorough the negligence of the writers as Erasmus himselfe confesseth Neither is this to be omitted that that particle Ouer all maye be adioyned vnto that particle which followeth Blessed so that the sence is God which is to be praysed aboue all But not as though the word of God hath fallen away For not all they which are of Israell are Israelits nether are they all children which are the sede of Abraham but in Isaake shall thy seede be called That is Not they which are the children of the flesh are the children of God but they which are the children of the promise are counted for the seede For thys is a word of promise In thys same time will I come and Sara shall haue a sonne And not onlye thys but also Rebecka when she had conceyued by one euen by our father Isaake For the children being not yet borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that yâ— purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was sayd vnto her The elder shall serue the younger As it is written Iacob haue I loued â–ª and Esau haue I hated But not as though the worde of God hath fallen away Those thynges which Paul had spoken in the commendation of the Iewes semed as Chrisostome sayth to haue aggrauated the question For the Iewes were offended for that they being adopted into the people of God and hauing the Law geuen vn-them and endewed with promises should be reiected and in theyr places should be put the Gentiles which had bene alwayes aleants from God without adoption without the Law and without any promise at all of Christ And thys offence had now so much increased amongest theÌ„ that they sayd that that Christ whome Paul preached was not the true Messias promised of God Paul considering these things with him selfe ernestly lameÌ„ted that the Iewes were reiected But lest any man should thinke that he so lamented as though he thought that the promises of God were made voyde therfore he now both defeÌ„deth himselfe and the promises I doo not sayth he therefore speake these thinges or am therefore so ernestly sorry for that I thinke that the worde of God is fallen away for I know that his promises are constant and firme although these men perish I bewaâ—â—e indede theyr case but yet not so that I thinke that the league and couenant The cause of the griefe of Paul with God made with the children of Abraham is violated For although the Iewes being blinded refuse the Gosple yet the promises of God abide constant But that which moueth me thus to bewayle my nation is this for that when as I know that vnto that nation were made the promises and do se that so many of them do perish now I perceaue that that saluatioÌ„ promised pertayneth only to a few for which thing doubtles I am excedingly sorry For not all they vvhich are of Israell are Israelites neither are they all children vvhich are the sede of AbrahaÌ„ but in Isaake shall thy sede be called That these thinges may the playnlier be vnderstanded this we ought to know that the Apostle toke this as a thing most manifestly knowen by the holy scriptures that the promise touching Christ and euerlasting saluatioÌ„ was made vnto yâ— Iewes vnto the Iewes I say that is vnto the posterity of Abraham which should be The cause of saluation commeth not of carnall procreation borne of his flesh but yet that naturall procreation from Abraham was not the cause of saluation and of receauing Christ For if that had bene the cause then coulde none issuyng from him haue bene frustrated of the promise of God But that some were frustrated the Apostle declareth in Ismaell
with the starres and not with the sand It is true indede that the Iewes were reiected by reason of theyr infidelity and wickednes But if we wil attaine to the meaning of Paul we ought to vnderstand that by these thinges as by the effectes is declared that the election of God pertayned vnto a few of them only and so may these thinges bee knit together with that which went before Further Origen not considering the maner of the Hebrew phrase as touching that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is word or speache thought that that sentence is to be vnderstanded of the doctrine of the now testament for that the workes of the law and of the old ceremonies should be taken away from it and for that all the thinges The things which we beleue are contracted into a most briefe simbole or creede which we now beleue are now contracted into a moste briefe simbole or crede And seing that Origen was not only of more antiquity then all the rest of the Fathers but also was as a certayne fountaine out of whome the greatest part of them drew theyr interpretacions it is no meruayle though Chrisostome writeth in a maner the selfe same things For he saith that those few whome y◠Prophet mencioneth of for that cause abode for that they had shewed themselues worthy God saith he passeth not vpon kinred or nomber but onely hath a regard to worthines But we ought to know that whatsoeuer worthines or good is in man the same commeth wholy of the good pleasure of God neither is there any thing in vs which we haue not receiued of God Wherfore Paul saith that our sufficiency is of God neither can we so muche as thinke any thinge as of our selues Chrisostome addeth moreouer that the Prophet ment to teach not onely that but a few of the Iewes should be saued but also how those selfe same should be saued namely not by workes of the law or by great preparation of ceremonies but by faith which is very brief he putteth faith for the obiect of faith namely for those thinges which are beleued And to this sentence touching the briefenes of doctrine haue our new writers subscribed which had not a respect to the manner of the Hebrue phrase It is true I confesse that from the Gospel are cut of the olde ceremonies howbeit as touching the principall point somme of doctrine we haue not one whit les now then they had then And because the Seuenty interpreters vsed the Gréeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somme haue turned it in latine consummationem or perfectionem afferre that is to bring consummation or perfection as though the Gospell is not onely new but also perfect and absolute namely for that Christ when he entreated of mutuall loue said I geue vnto you a new commaundment and for that he hath contracted all the commaundementes into two principall poyntes namely into the loue of God and the loue of our neighbour And yet hath not Christ therfore altered the doctrine For although the thinges which we haue be more cleare yet are they the selfe same which the elders had Neither did Christ therefore say that he Our doctrine and the doctrine of the Hebrues is one and the selfe same How Christ gaue a new commaundement gaue a new commaundemēt as though that had neuer bene heard of of the elders but herein consisted that renouation for that by the working of grace and by the power of the spirite which Christ most aboundauntly powred into the Apostles he renued that commaundement being now in a maner blotted out in the minds of men The word also abbreuiated some thinke in this place to signify Christ for that he being the Sonne of God abased himselfe and toke vpon him the forme of a seruant But whatsoeuer these men say it is plaine inoughe euen by the woordes both of Osea and also of Esay that these expositions are wide frō the texte For both of them entreate of the multitude of those which should be reiected and of the fewnes of the remnaunt Which thing the text it selfe being diligently weighed doth teach For when it was sayd If the number of the children of Israell were as the sand of the sea yet shall but a remnant be saued straight way is added For God will consummate and make shorte in righteousnes By which words is declared forasmuch as this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for is a particle causall that a reason of the sentence going before is geuen and therfore a remnant onely should be saued for that God would in such sort cut of and shorten the rest And as Esay said before Except the Lord of Sabboth had left vs a seede we had bene made as Sodoma and had bene like to Gomorrha When he sayth that Esay spake this before he meaneth that this is written in the firste chapter for that oracle which was before mencioned is written in the .x. chap. And forasmuch as the Prophet so complayned for that it so happened amongest the fathers in the old time that the nomber of those whiche were saued was excéedingly diminished in comparison of those which perished Paul doth therof conclude that these men vniustly complaine when as they sée that no other thinge happeneth vnto them then happened vnto the fathers then whome they coulde not doubtles say that they were better Vnles there had bene a few left sayth he like vnto seede we had bene as Sodoma For the inhabitantes of that city were all destroyed For although Lot escaped yet was not he of that country but a straunger Origen again descanteth in this place vpon the séede remaining and thinketh that the Prophet meaneth Christ for that he was that onely séede promised vnto Abraham of whō Paul writeth to the Galathians As if the Prophet should haue sayd vnles Christ should be borne of vs we should be in worse case then Sodoma But this interpretacion is not necessary For although Christ be the hed of al those which are saued yet is here expressedly entreated of the small nomber of the remnante But as touching the rest which were reiected I nothing doubte but that they were in worse case then the Sodomites For Ezechiell writeth that so greate was the iniquity of Israell that it iustified Sodoma And Christ as saith Mathew sayd y◠it should be more tollerable vnto Sodoma then vnto those cities of Galilie wherein he had The Iews that were reiected were in worse case thē the Sodomites preached and wrought miracles Yea he saith That if these thinges had bene done amongst the Sodomites those cities had still remayned And the reason is for that they were ouerwhelmed with all manner of lustes and shewed themselues cruell and barbarous towardes straungers But the Iewes besides that they were contaminated with these heinous sinnes or also with many more and more greuous contemned moreouer the doctrine and miracles of Christe and crucified him and most dispitefully
mercy for that they haue purged themselues from filthines But what the verye meaning of that place is we haue before declared And that the Gentiles performed by nature those thinges which are of the law we thus expounded that they did many things in outward discipline which were coÌ„maunded in the law of Moses as in yâ— they eschued thefts whordomes adulteries other such like sins Wherfore Paul coÌ„cluded yâ— they waÌ„ted not the knowledge of vice vertue of right and wrong so yâ— when in many things they fell sinned they could not be excused by reason of ignoraunce There are others which vnderstand those wordes of the Gentiles now conuerted vnto Christ which being endewed with the holy ghost executed the commaundementes of God and declared both in life and in maners yâ— righteousnes consisteth not of the law of Moses of which thing yâ— Iewes continually boasted of But the first interpretacioÌ„ more agreeth with the words of the Apostle But whether soeuer interpretacion be admitted Origen hath therby no defence to proue that men attayne vnto righteousnes by the worthines True righteousnes dependeth not of the endeuor of men but of the goodnes of God The Iews did not rightly follow righteousnes of workes Yea rather the very wordes of the Apostle most plainly declare that true righteousnes dependeth not of the endeuor or worthines of men but of the goodnes and mercy of God For he sayth that the Israelites following the law of righteousnes attained not vnto righteousnes But this semeth vnto humane reason very absurd namely that those which followed not should obteyne and those which followed should be frustrated Howbeit this we ought to consider that the Israelites did not vprightly and lawfully seke it For if they had sought it according to the meaning of the law for as much as Christ is the end of the law they had doubtles beleued in him and so should haue bene iustified But by cause Paul in this place twise repeteth the righteousnes of the law some thinke yâ— those wordes are not in either place to be a like vnderstanded For in the first place by the law of rightousnes they thinke is to be vnderstanded the outward law and in the second place the true righteousnes as though Paul should saye that the Iewes applied themselues vnto the outward obseruation of the law but could not attayne vnto the true righteousnes in Christ Which interpretation I indede dislike not howebeit I thinke that these wordes may in eyther place be taken in one and the same sence so that the meaning is although that Wherfore the law of God is called the law of righteousnes the Iewes had purposed in theyr minde to kepe the law geuen them of God which law is called the law of righteousnes for that in it is contayned moste perfect righteousnes yet being voyde of fayth and of the spirite of Christ they could not kepe the law and therfore they were frustrated of theyr purpose and of that which they had determined in theyr minde so that they neyther had the true righteousnes which the Gentiles had obteyned and also were frustrated of that righteousnes which they sought for And the ground of that error was The grouÌ„d of the error of the Iewes in folowing of righteousnes Faith the soule of the commaundementes of God for that they being destitute of fayth and in the meane time supposing that they mought be iustified by workes applied themselues vnto workes only But without fayth these thinges are in vayne enterprised For fayth is the soule and life of all those thinges which are commaunded in the law Seing therfore that they fayled of the prescript of the law they had not Christ by whome their transgression of the law mought be forgeuen and by whome that which wanted mought be supplied And these workes whereof Paul speaketh the Fathers referre vnto the rites and ceremonies of the law of Moses but that as we haue declared is straÌ„ge from the very methode and doctrine which Paul vseth in thys epistle The contencion indede at the first beganne as we haue oftentimes said aboute ceremonies But Paul to proue that they can not iustify added a generall What Paul in this place vnderstandeth by workes In the obteinyng of rightousnes workes are as contrary opposed vnto fayth They which ascribe righteousnes vnto workes are not iustified proposition namely that no workes of what kinde soeuer they be in as much as they are workes haue power to iustify wherefore Paul in this place by workes vnderstandeth not only ceremonies but also all dewties of life This moreouer is worthy to be noted that Paul in this place in such sort affirmeth that righteousnes is taken hold of by fayth that vnto it he opposeth workes as contrary For when he had said that the Gentiles attayned vnto righteousnes by fayth streight way he addeth that the Iewes fell away from the law of righteousnes although they endeuored themselues thereunto namely for that they sought it not by fayth But why they sought it not by fayth he geueth a reason for that they sought it by workes Whereof it followeth that they are not iustified which abscribe righteousnes vnto workes For to put conâ—idence in them and to attribute righteousnes vnto them is an assured and euident let that thou canst not attayne vnto the true righteousnes Chrisostome noteth that these wordes of Paul which eyther pertayne vnto the Gentiles or which pertayne vnto the Iewes may be reduced to thrée wonderful principal poynts For first of the Gentiles he sayth that they attayned vnto righteousnes which Three things here out gathered against the meaning of the Iewes How the righteousnes of faith is greater then the righteousnes of workes thing the Iewes could in no case abide to heare for they would haue had none but themselues counted to pertayne to the kingdome of Christ SecoÌ„dly which is also more wonderfull he sayth that they attayned vnto righteousnes when as they gaue not themselues vnto righteousnes And which is most wonderfull of all he sayth that the righteousnes of fayth which the Gentiles tooke hold of is farre greater then the righteousnes of workes And therefore Paul before in this selfe same epistle thus wrote If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath glory but he hath not whereof to glory before God But how the righteousnes of fayth is greater and ercellenter then the righteousnes of workes is thus to be vnderstanded that although the workes of men not regenerate seme to be honest and notable and bring with them a certayne ciuill righteousnes yet notwithstanding is that righteousnes of so small valew that before God it is none at all yea rather it is counted for sinne Farther the holines and vprightnes of works which are done of men regenerate although it please God yet can it not abide to be examined tried by his exacte iudgmeÌ„t For our righteousnesses are like a cloth stayned with the naturall course of
predestination For although therby as it is proued be not letted free wil yet doth not it otherwise want impedimeÌ„ts or lettes For we are borne in sins wil we or nil we we are wrapped in original sin neither can we by any meanes wynd our selues out of sinne And before regeneratioÌ„ what maner of power so euer we geue vnto the will of man in thinges indifferent ciuil this first we ought to thinke yâ— which way soeuer it do turne it selfe it of necessity sinneth neither caÌ„ it do any thing which is in very dede acceptable vnto God neither also can it geue vnto ciuill works yâ— successe which it purposeth Wherfore Augustine worthely wrote in his Enchiâ—idion that the first man in sinning lost the liberty of choyse or will This moreouer is to be considered that the wils motions of the mind actions euen of men not yet regenerated are directed of God and so directed that by his prouidence they are brought vnto the ende by him prefixed and determined Yea also when we are regenerated althoughe after a sort we obteyne liberty thorough Christ yet is not it full but only begonne For the first motions whiche stirre vp vnto sinne crepe vpon vs agaynst our willes whiche motions to be sinnes we haue in the seuenth chapter proued And Ambrose plainly confesseth that our hartes are not in our owne power neyther is there any of the beleuers which continually falleth not when yet he would stand Wherefore we ought all to pray Forgeue vs our trespasses And vnto the Galathians Paul sayd The spirite fighteth against the fleshe and the fleshe agaynst the spirite so that ye do not those thinges which ye would And in his epistle as we haue heard it is written The euill that I hate that I do agayne I feele an other law in my members striuing with the law of my mind leading me away captiue into the law of sinne Which wordes can not be vnderstanded but only of a man regenerated For he had sayd In minde I serue the lawe of God but in flesh the lawe of sinne which in no wise can be referred to a man not yet iustified We graunt in deede that God coulde if he God coulde kepe vs froÌ„ all maner of sinne but he doth not would geue vnto men so much ayde that they should not sinne at all but that hetherto hath he not done neyther hath he promised that euer he will do it Wherfore our will is subiect yet vnto some seruitude which as we desire to remayne certayne and vndoubted so on the other syde we affirme that by the foreknowledge and predestination of God the will is not letted We haue hetherto in this third article sene what necessity commeth of the foreknowledge and predestination of God namely such a necessity which is not absolute but by supposition which we call necessity of consequence of infalliblenes and of certainty but not of coactioÌ„ And seing that it is so it is now euident that no iniustice is committed of God when he condemneth sinners and glorifieth the iust For vnto euery man is rendred according to his works so that no man can say that his sinnes are not his owne workes when as he is not compelled to committe them but excedingly alloweth them and willeth them Neither are lawes admonitions promises and punishements in vaine MonitioÌ„s lawes and punishmeÌ„ts are not in vayne as it was obiected for they are so much of force as God hath decreed they shall be of force as Augustine writeth in his fifth booke de Ciuitate Dei in the chapter before cited For Gods will is to vse them to the saluatioÌ„ of many and though they profite not some yet they want not theyr end for they conduce to the condemnation of the wicked Prayers also are not made vnprofitable for by them Prayers aâ— not vayne Sinnes are not excused by the predestination and counsel of God An example we obteyne those thinges which God hath decreed to geue vnto vs by them Wherfore this is an excellent saying of Gregory in his dialogues That by prayers can not be obteyned but those thinges onely which God hath predestinated to geue And howe by predestination or foreknowledge or predictions sinnes are not excused we are taughte by very many testimonies of the holye scriptures Christ foretold that Iudas should betray him verilye that foretelling neyther tooke away from Iudas his wickednes nor also powred it into him He followed the entisementes of couetousnes he betrayed not the Lord to the end to fullfill his prophesy Christ also was by the will of God slayne For he sayd in the garden Let this cup passe away from me if it be possible but not my will be done but thine And touching himself he foretold I will geue my life for my shepe Yea Herode and Pilate are in the Actes of the Apostles sayd to haue ioyned together to doo those thinges which the counsell of God had decreed Are by reason of thys eyther the Iewes or those princes to be acquited from sinne when as they condemned and slew an innocent man Who will say so Can any man also discharge of villany the brethern of Ioseph wheÌ„ they sold theyr brother although God would that by that meanes Ioseph should come into Egipt Neyther shall the cruelty of the king of Babilon be excused although the iustice of God decreed to haue the Iewes in such sorte punished He which is killed is sayd to be of him deliuered into the hande of his enemy And God is also sayd to deliuer a city when it is wonne by assault And Iob said that those thinges which were by violence and theft taken away from him by the Caldeans and Sabeans were taken away by God The Lord sayth he gaue the Lord hath taken away Wherefore of that counsell of God whereby he vseth sinnes to theyr appointed endes can not be inferred any iust excuses of sinnes For wicked workes are iudged and coÌ„demned bycause of the vitiate and corrupt harte from whence they are deriued Wherefore let no man be offended with the doctrine of predestination when as rather by it we are led to acknowledge the benefites of God and to geue thankes vnto him only Let vs also learne not to attribute more vnto our owne strengths then we ought let vs haue also an assured persuasion of the good will of God towardes vs whereby he would elect his before the foundacions of the world were layd let vs moreouer be confirmed in aduersities knowing assuredly that whatsoeuer calamity happeneth it is done by the counsell and will of God and that it shall at the length by the gouernment of predestination turne vs to good and to eternall saluation The tenth Chapter BRethren myne hartes desire and prayer to God for Israell is that they might be saued For I beare them record that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and
of humane righteousnes For we labour not to confirm Humane rightousnes vnstable and establish but onely those thinges which are weake and are not able to consiste of themselues But they which are godly do after the example of Paul to the Philippians count theyr workes especially such which they did before iustification for losse and donge so farre is it of that they séeke to establishe them or to cleaue vnto them as vnto sound and true righteousnes In this place also is to bee noted an excellent The godly stablish not their owne righteousne◠Those thinges are not to bee mingled together which Paule putteth contrary What is not to b◠subiect vnto the righteousnesse of God They whiche are subiecte vnto the righteousnes of GOD doo most of all glorify him antithesis or contrary position For here the Apostle counteth to be iustified by workes and to be subiect vnto the righteousnes of God as opposites or contraries which can in no wise stand together So y◠I wonder at those which in our time dare mingle these two together namely that we are iustified both by grace and also by our workes If these two might stand together thē should the reprehēsion of Paul be smal yea rather none at al who affirmeth y◠they which séeke to stablish their own righteousnes can not be subiect vnto the righteousnes of God And by this word subiectiō he vnderstandeth nothing els but not to be a receiuer or pertaker therof yea he speaketh most properly For they which are iustified by faith do verely make themselues subiect vnto God counting themselues as sinners and such as haue nede of his grace And hereby is geuen vnto him glory for although they seme to glorify God which confesse the truth and which for the truths sake put either their goods or life in danger yet herein chiefly consisteth his glory whē we attribute not vnto our selues any vertue or holynes but acknowledging ourselues most miserable do attribute vnto him only whatsoeuer goodnes or saluation we obtaine The commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome herein very well agrée They are not subiect say they vnto the righteousnes of God that is vnto the absolution from sinnes as though they were not sinners and had no néede of Christ And Chrisostome sayth that Paul not in déede manifestly but yet not obscurely noteth the most gréeuous punishement of these mens ignoraunce namely that through their own peruerse endeuor they were left naked of all righteousnes for they could not attayne vnto their owne righteousnes by works and fell away from that righteousnes which by the faith of Iesus Christ they mought haue had And doubtles the condition or state of such men is most miserable for forasmuch as they are not iustified by faith although they may after a sort apply The most miserable condition or estate of thē which trust to theyr owne righteousnes themselues vnto outward works yet notwithstanding when they sée that they litle profit they at the length cast away all endeuor to liue godly and religiously and in this life liue filthily and at the last in an other life are most miserably tormented For the ende of the lawe is Christ vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth For Moses thus describeth the righteousnesse which is of the lawe That the man which doth these thinges shal liue thereby But the righteousnes whiche is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thyne hart who shall ascende into heauen ▪ that is to bring Christ from aboue Or who shall descende into the deepe that is to bring Christ agayne from the dead But what saith it The worde is nere thee euen in thy mouth and in thyne hart This is the worde of fayth which we preach For the end of the law is Christ vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Now he confirmeth the proposition which he tooke in hand namely that Why Christ is the ende of the law they which wil be iustified by works are not pertakers of the rightousnes of God for the end of the law is Christ vnto righteousnes This is a causall proposition for Christ is called the end of the law because y◠he bringeth the perfection and absolution or fulnes thereof The propertye also of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is end is to End signifieth two things be noted for it signifieth two things namely the extreme or vttermost part or limite of a thing and after this maner death is called the end of liuing creatures not doubtles that we should liue to dye for that which is the worse can not be the cause of that which is better It moreouer signifieth the perfection and absolution or fulnes of any thing whē it is brought to the vttermost of his action or motion Now although as touching the first signification Christ by his comming set an end to the law for he tooke away the ceremonies and curse therof yet in this place Paul meaneth not that Christ is in such maner the end of the law but hath a respect vnto the other signification of this word namely vnto perfection and absolution for that Christ hath made perfect and full that which the law could not And that this may the better be vnderstanded let vs consider the end and scope of The scope and ende of lawes lawes Lawes are made to make men good and iust for for no other cause do they set forth things right and honest but that they should be put in vre But amongst other lawes this law which God made chiefly requireth at mens hands righteousnes holines but this thing it can not attayne vnto not in dede thorough hys owne default but by reason of our corruption Howbeit that which it can do The law by it selfe can not attaine vnto hys ende it doth namely vrgeth vs it accuseth vs and it condemneth vs that at the least being ouerpressed with so great waight we should thinke of one to deliuer vs and by that meanes should be conuerted vnto Christ by whome we may both be absolued from sinnes and also may thorough his spirite and grace be able as much as y◠condition of this life wil suffer to be obedient vnto his law geuen vnto vs. Which two thinges Christ most liberally geueth vnto them that beleue in him and so is called the ende that is the consumation and perfection of the lawe This Paul in plaine words noted when he before sayde That which was impossible vnto the lawe in as much as it was made weake thorough the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of the fleshe of sinne by sinne condemned sinne that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. Hereunto also had Ambrose a respect who thus interpreteth this place that Christ is called the end of the lawe for that God by him bringeth to passe those thinges which he had promised The law is our scholemaister to Christ A scholemaster
muste not be turned into a father In euery commaundement of the law two thinges to be considered and commaunded These wordes of the Apostle teach that this is the principal office of the lawe to direct vs vnto Christ wherefore vnto the Galathians it is called a scholemaster Wherefore they are worthely to be reproued which of a scholemaster make it a father seking rightousnes at the lawes hād which ought to be looked for at Christes hand onely Let vs therefore hereby learne in euery precept of the lawe to consider two things namely our sinnes and Christ our deliuerer whome al the commaundementes shewe forth for otherwise we shal vnprofitably consider of the lawe And the Iewes for that they excluded Christ in vayne boasted of the lawe as they which had not the lawe but only a shadow thereof And when that is added Vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Paul putteth vs in mynde of the calling of the Gentiles affirming that al kinde of men so that they beleue shal be pertakers of this ende of the lawe Farther let vs for a certainty know that of this proposition dependeth the summe of Christian religion For The sūme of Christian religion the Iewes in vrging the lawe of Moses and the Ethnikes in following the law of nature mought paraduenture boast of some righteousnes but that righteousnes is straight way reproued when as we heare that Christ is the ende of euery If frō actions be takē away theyr iust ende they are not vpright iust lawe And I thinke no man is ignoraunt that if from vertues and humane actions be taken away their due ende all the vprightnes of them fayleth Wherefore this place moreouer proueth y◠all the workes of infidels are sinnes for that they want their end They which are endued with the righteousnes of fayth attaine also vnto the righteousnes of the lawe For being The works of infidels are sinnes They whiche are endued wyth the righteousnes of faith attaine also vnto the righteousnes of the law but not contrariwise The righteousnes of faith and of the law in what sort they are opposite The righteousnesse of faith may be ioyned together with that righteousnes of the lawe whiche followeth iustification A similitude taken out of Logike They whiche are not regenerate cā not haue good motions of the minde Hereout is gathered a consolation of the Iues iustified they labour with all industry and diligence to obey the will of God And contrariwise they which haue not the righteousnes of faith vtterly want the righteousnes of the lawe For the thinges which they do they can not make to frame whē as they want their end But if these ▪ two rightousnesses be so ioyned together how are they by an antithesis opposite the one to the other We aunswere that the righteousnes of faith and that righteousnes which followeth iustification are not opposite as contraries for although the one be not the other yet are they both one But the antithesis is contrary betwene the righteousnes of faith and that which goeth before iustification And the endeuor to obtayne iustification by this or by that hath such a contrary oppositiō that the one can not stand with the other And Chrisostome is in this place warely to be read when he saith that the righteousnes of faith and the righteousnes of the law differ not in very dede but are one the selfe same for he is deceaued for it is not possible y◠it should be so for y◠the righteousnes of God as we haue said is the absolution from sinnes but the righteousnes of the lawe or oures consisteth of good workes done after regeneration or before regeneration But peraduēture he mēt y◠which we now teach namely that y◠righteousnes of faith is ioyned together with y◠righteousnes which followeth iustificatiō We may by a similitude not vnaptly sée in what sort this twofold righteousnes is vnto iustification namely as differentia that is difference and proprium that propre is in Logike For as differentia maketh the nature or kinde so the righteousnes of God maketh our iustification for that when we are by him absolued from sinne wee are iustified And as proprium followeth the nature already made so the righteousnes of good works followeth iustification now obteyned and receaueth his force of it and not of the lawe For although the Lawe of God doo labour to make vs iust yet by reason of the prones to euill which is grafted in vs by nature euen from our infancy it looseth his labour for that the lawe amongest other thinges requireth good and spirituall motions which they that are not yet regenerate can in no wise haue And the Apostle by this his doctrine semeth not a little to comfort the weaker sort of the Iewes They were somewhat afeard lest by comming vnto Christ imbrasing the righteousnes of fayth they should be excluded from the true righteousnes of the law but he saith be not aferd y◠by comming vnto Christ ye shall transgresse the lawe for through Christ ye shall both fulfyll it and also be made partakers of the righteousnes of God And that he might not séeme to bring in a new or fayned distinction of righteousnes he alledgeth Moses who maketh mention of either righteousnes Fyrst of the righteousnes of the law he entreateth in Leuiticus in the. 18. chap. the woordes are these Keepe my commaundements and do myne ordinaunces which if a man doo bee shall lyue in them The selfe same sentence also we reade in the .xx. chapiter They The law requireth a moste pertect obedience haue cast away my commaundements which commaundemants who so kepeth shal liue in them But we must remember that when lyfe is promised to them that doo or kéepe the commaundementes that is not to be vnderstanded of a certaine lyght and sclender obedience but of a most perfect for suche an obedience the law requireth But this obedience can no man performe And where as vnto the obseruers of the law is promised life some haue vnderstand thereby thys corporall and temporall life For the transgressers of the law of Moses were put to death What maner of life the law promiseth For it is commaunded He which curseth father or mother let him be slayne Blasphemers also adulterers and breakers of the Sabaoth daye were put to death but they which obeyed remayned on lyue And hereunto it séemeth that the epistle to the Hebrues had a respect in the. 10. chapter where we reade He whych The lyfe whiche is promised is not only tēporall but also eternal maketh frustrate the law of Moses perisheth without any mercy This sentence although it be Augustines and certayne others yet I can not easely admit for that I sée that the life which God promised was not onely temporall but also eternal For there is no doubt but that they pertaine vnto God which doo his will Neither is it conuenient that God should geue vnto them
whose God he is a saluation which endureth but for a tyme for this thing haue brute beasts at his hand and the wicked also Moreouer Christ the most true interpreter of the law teacheth the selfe same thing For a young man demaunding of him what shall I doo to possesse eternall lyfe He made aunswere Keepe the commaundementes if thou wilt enter into lyfe This place moste plainly proueth that the talke was of eternall lyfe Neither is it anye meruaile that the Lawe is the woorde of God whose propriety is to bring lyfe with it so that it be receaued Although the Law The law the Gospell are diuersly receiued The worde of God bringeth lyfe and the Gospell are not receaued after one and the selfe same maner For the Lawe is receaued by doing and moste exactly performyng that whiche is commaunded But the Gospell is receaued by a lyuely and effectuall assent of fayth And that the propriety of the woorde of GOD is to bryng life it is manifest by the creation of thinges wherin God called those thinges whiche were not and streight way they had being And Christ also many tymes said y◠his wordes are life which thing the Apostels also ment when they sayd Thou hast the wordes of life c. And Paul most manifestly before in this selfe same Epistle in y◠7. chap. writeth of the Lawe that it is spirituall And of the commaundement of God he affirmeth that it is iust holy and good and ordayned vnto lyfe Moses also in the 30. chapiter of Deut. writeth of the selfe same lawe that he had set before the people lyfe and death manifestly declaring that if the Lawe were receaued and fulfilled The promises of the law art by supposition The promises of the law were vnto the trāsgressors of the law turned 〈…〉 o a cu 〈…〉 e. The promises of the law freely follow the good work◠of thē that are iustified it would bring with it lyfe and that eternall lyfe But for that wee are debarred of this commoditye our mercifull God hath prouided an other woorde namely the word of fayth which if by assenting vnto it it be receaued hath with it lyfe By this place it is euident that the promises of the Lawe are giuen by supposition or condition of workes going before So that if these workes be not performed the promises are made voyde yea rather in stede of them succeedeth a curse which thing was declared in Deutero when vpon Mount Garizim and Hebal were recited the blessinges and cursinges But in the Gospell if vnto promises be annexed workes they are not to be taken either as desertes or as causes of those promises but we must thus thinke that those giftes of God which are promised follow after workes although those workes be not perfect and absolute as they are commaunded in the Law But the righteousnes which is of faith speaketh on this wyse Saye not in thine hart who shall ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue c. As the fyrst righteousnes is sayd to consist in doing so this all whole standeth in beleuing For if thou haue the word nere thee that is if thou beleue in thine hart thou shalt obtaine saluation The Apostle séemeth by the figure Prosopopaeia to bryng in the ryghteousnes of fayth thus speakyng as though it should say Say not in thine hart c. Although we may reade it other wyse namely that Paule putteth forth this sentence absolutely But the righteousnes which is of faith And straight way he addeth this he sayth as though Moses should speake of it But which way so euer we reade it it is no great matter But this is certain that he declareth the nature of faith What is that fayth which engēdreth righteousnes by the propertie thereof that we should not thinke that euery kinde of faith bringeth righteousnes but onelye an assured and constant fayth For this is the nature of fayth to exclude all ambiguitie and doubtes For if we should with feare and suspition geue our assent that assent should be but an opinion and not faith Seing therefore that there are two principall thinges set forth vnto vs to be beleued namely that Christ perpetually obtaineth of the father grace and reconciliation for vs and that by hys death he hath ouercome eternall death Of these two humaine reason doubteth and therefore it is brought in of Paul as though Incredulity of mans hart it should say And who shall ascend vp into heauen to see that God is pacified towards vs through Christ Or who shall go downe into the deepe to see that eternall death is by hym broken and extinguished After this sorte is the vnbeleuing mynde woont to wauer which thing Paule by the figure Mimesis expresseth These cogitacions ought fayth to driue away and onely to looke vpon the goodnes and power An example of Abraham of God Which thing our Apostle before did notably teache that Abraham did for when he had sayd that Abraham beleued it was imputed vnto him to righteousnes he declared how his fayth resisted such reasoninges He considered no◠saith he his body now in a maner dead nor the wombe of Sara now past child bearing The property of faith is to mortifye the assaults of reason but gaue glory to God most fully knowing that he was able to performe the things which he had promised And so in hope he beleued against hope Wherfore the propertye of fayth is to mortifie these assaultes of reason Say not in thine hart The Apostle therfore wrote this for that althoughe these cogitaciōs of reason be not expressed by the mouth or by the wordes yet they We can not let but that euil motiōs of the mind will aryse Paul was accused as an enemy to Moses wander abrode in the harte Neyther doubtles can we let but that such cogitations will assault our minde howbeit we are taught to resist them For he which geueth place to these thinges both denieth Christ and also despayreth of saluation Paul not without iust cause cited Moses For he was accused as though he were an enemy to Moses and preached that men should fall away from him Wherefore his meaning is to declare that he is not agaynst Moses but rather teacheth the selfe same thinges that he taught wherefore we may say that he turneth y◠argument of the aduersaries agaynst themselues They sayd We will not receaue the righteousnes of fayth for that we beleue Moses Yea rather sayth Paul forasmuch as ye beleue Moses ye ought to follow thys The ministery of Moses and the ministery of the Gospell in what sort they differ righteousnes But if Moses preach the righteousnes of fayth how is his ministery distinguished from the ministery of Christ and of the Gospell Iohn sayth The law was geuen by Moses but grace by Iesus Christ And if he preached the righteousnes of fayth he also brought grace Vnto this question we answere That Moses
to speake of his doctrine did not generally preach yâ— law without Christ For in that he chiefely vrged the Law it was of necessity that therewithal also he taught Christ vnto whome the law as a scholemaister led them But because his trauayle was to this thing chiefely bent to set forth and eâ—pound the law therefore was he peculiarly called the teacher thereof As Christ and the Apostles in preaching repentaunce taught also the Law howbeit bycause that they chiefely hereunto endeuored themselues to publishe abrode grace and the Gospel therefore they are called ministers not of the law but of grace and of fayth But Paul in alledging the wordes of Moses semeth not a litle to disagrée both from his meaning and also from his wordes For in Deut. yâ— 30. chapiter it semeth that the discourse of Moses talke was of the commaundemente of God For he sayth My coÌ„maundement is not wonderfully aboue thee that thou shouldest say who shall ascend vp into heauen to bring it vnto vs that we maye heare it and doo it Neyther is it beyond the sea that thou shouldst say which of vs shall go beyond the sea and bring it vnto vs that we may heare and do it But the woorde is very neare vnto thee in thy mouth and in thyne harte that thou maist heare it and doo it But this we must know that the Apostle considered the matter more depely then the wordes shew at the first brunt For he DeclaratioÌ„ of the words of Moses sawe that Moses althoughe before he gaue the lawe in the name of God yet in this place he simply entreated not of the commaundement but as it was now easy to be obserued by grace and by fayth and the spirite grafted in the harte which workes can not be workes of the law For when the law is set forth the commaundementes are not therefore made easy to be obserued yea rather we labour agaynst that which is forbidden vs and we fly away and leap backe froÌ„ the gouernment of God so farre is it of that his commaundementes should be grafted in our harte Those are the thinges which Paul had a respect vnto And for that he saw that those thinges come vnto vs thorough Christ and the righteousnes of fayth therefore he gaue that sence which is proper and natiue He considered moreouer that in the selfe same chapter at the beginning are such thinges set forth which can not be ascribed but vnto Christ only and vnto his spirite For God sayd that he would conuerte them vnto him that they should loue him with all theyr soule with all theyr hart and with all theyr strengths and that also he would circumcise theyr hartes and the hartes of theyr sede and cause that they should heare and doo his commaundementes And seing that streight way after these thinges are added these wordes which Paul citeth who seeth not but that they pertayne vnto the Gospel Wherefore the commaundemente whereof Moses speaketh is takeÌ„ eyther according to the bare and simple knowledge thereof or ells according to the mighty and effectuall power of driuing men to the obedience thereof The discourse of Moses will not suffer that we should take it in the first sence when as the simple and playne vnderstanding the commaundement is not made easy to be done neither is it grafted into our hartes and bowells Wherefore we must nedes vnderstand an effectuall and mighty knowledge which forasmuch as it is not had but by fayth by Christ therefore Paul erred not from the true sence wheÌ„ he thus interpretateth Moses The Sillogisme or argument is thus to be framed together Moses speaketh of the word which is in our hart and maketh vs apt to performe the commauÌ„dementes We preach the selfe same thing when we set forth the iustification of fayth Wherefore we speake the selfe same thing that Moses did And in verye dede if a man consider that chap. of Deut. he shall see that God most manifestly promiseth vnto the people his gouernment not indede outward which he had The nature of humane wisedome set forth in Sina but inward which in very dede pertayneth to the ministery of fayth and of the Gospell And the Apostle by these wordes of Moses notably declareth what is the nature of humane wisedome namely perpetually to resist fayth Vnto whose reasons they that geue place do as much as lieth in them diminishe the strengths of God and of Christ as though he can not performe the thinges which he is sayd to haue done and promised For as fayth extolleth the power of God so incredulity weakeneth it And this is it which Esay sayd vnto Achaz Is it a small matter for you to be troublesome vnto men but that ye will also greue God And at the least thorough your opinion or rather incredulity make him weake When the vnbeleuers heare that Christ after his resurrection ascended vp into heauen and there hath pacefied the father towardes vs and ministreth eternall life vnto the beleuers streight way they saye with them selues Who shall ascend vp into heauen to see if it be so Which is nothing ells but to fetche downe Christ from aboue and to abrogate his power Likewise when it is preached that by dieng he hath ouercome death sinne damnation and hell they say who shall descend downe into the deape that we may be made sure of these victories whiche is nothing ells but to make voyde the benefite of Christe These wordes may paraduenture be applied vnto other formes of doubtinges of the harte of man but yâ— skilleth not much This we ought without all doubâ— to thinke that it was so sure that the things which Paul cited out of Moses are to be vnderstanded of Christ that at that time the Iewes theÌ„selues durst not haue denied them for theyr Rabines which we haue now in vse most manifestly apply those thinges which are written in the beginning of this chap. of Deut. vnto the times of the Messias Paul also weighed that although Moses had before put this word commaundement yet afterward when he sayth that it is nighe vnto vs in the hart he calleth it Dabar the is word which word serued Pauls purpose wheÌ„ he sayth This is the word of fayth which we preach And the Apostle so alledgeth the sentence of Moses yâ— he excelleÌ„tly wel alludeth to his wordes which he not only amplifieth and by exposition maketh perspicuous but also interpreteth For when he sayth To ascend into heauen which Moses also hath he addeth that it To bring downe Christ from aboue So that those things which Moses spake generally of distrust and doubting Paul applieth to those doubtinges whiche most of all hinder the iustifieng fayth And for that it was a thing very requisite that the Iewes should be perswaded that the righteousnes of fayth is not repugnant vnto Moses therefore would Paul the more largely set forth this place and tary the longer in it When he addeth But what sayth It may
seme doubtfull whether it ought to be referred vnto Moses whome he had before cited or vnto the righteousnes of faith which is brought in as if it should speake But thys is no matter of wayght and there are some greke exēplers wherin is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y◠is But what saith the scriptures Nether is this to be passed ouer y◠in the Hebrue is had not only nigh or next but there is also added this aduerbe Meod which signifieth very whereby is noted a very nigh inward néerenes The Seuenty intepreters haue in their translation not onely in the hart and in the mouth but haue added in the handes But that is not had in the Hebrue and Paul hath left it out Augustine in his questions vppō Deut. who readeth after the translation of the Seuenty diligently noteth that But if it be added it nothing hindreth yea rather it helpeth the interpretacion of the Apostle whereby is declared that in that place is entreated of the commaundement of God as it is grafted in the hart as it is confirmed by the mouth and as it is expressed in worke But all these thinges are to be referred vnto Christe and How great the strēgth of fayth is vnto faith for that is it which causeth our mind and harte to be opened and made able to receiue those thinges which are vtterly repugnant vnto reason iudgemēt and sence and so is that made nigh vnto vs which is by nature most farre of from vs. And that the scripture by name mencioneth the hart it wanteth not a mistery for although faith pertaine vnto the assent of the minde yet notwithstandinge hath it most nighly ioyned with it the affect of the will which is by the hart described for that if vnto our vnderstanding or minde be offred those thinges which are most manifest and plaine it is so ouercome that it straight way geueth assent nether The minde when it assēteth vnto thinges very manifest waiteth not for the consent of the will How the vnderstanding will are vnto faith waiteth it for the commaundement or consent of the will as it is euident in the first principles of all sciences and in mathematicall demonstrations But whē thinges doubtfull are set foorth and that the reasons on either side are obscure and many thinges are agaynst the proposition set foorth the minde and vnderstanding geue not assent but by the commaundement and consent of the will which in that case peiseth and examineth the ambiguity Wherfore when faith is engendred in vs the holy ghost therein vseth two workes The one is so to illustrate the minde that it may be made certaine of the thing set before it although it be not very euident The other is that the will be so strengthned that by the affect therof it may ouercome whatsoeuer sence or reason do set foorth which is repugnante vnto the word of God geuen vnto vs. For in the worke of faith vnto our will is ioyned the holy Ghost for the assente whiche by beleuing we geue vnto the oracles of God is firme and of efficacy for the spirite chaungeth the will and maketh it of hys owne accorde vtterly to will those thinges which it before refused Wherfore God whē he geueth vnto vs faith gouerneth ech power of the soule as is agreable vnto their nature And forasmuch as this pertaineth to the wil not to iudge any thing of it self but to follow the iudgemente of vnderstanding the minde is by the spirite of God made assured of the thinges which are to be beleued and vnto it therewithall it is made plaine that we must wholy be obedient vnto God Therof it commeth that the wil resisteth not but represseth all thinges which otherwise shoulde be a let to this assent required at our hands He calleth the Gospel y◠word of faith for none other cause but for that by faith it is apprehended whereby a figuratiue kinde of speach the obiect is illustrated and described by the vertue which apprehendeth it This is the worde of faith which we preach This is not spoken that we should beleue that the Gospell is not ioyned with the law for how then could repētance be preached But therfore it is written for that the chiefest parte of the ministery of the Apostles is occupied about the righteousnes of faith And when it is said This is the word of fayth which we preach by a certaine Emphasis is declared that the doctrine of the Gospell is in no wise repugnant vnto the lawe of Moses yea rather it excellently well agréeth with it It is not onely sayd that the woorde is nigh in the hart but also in the mouth Which thing Paul weying moste aptly applied it to his purpose for this he saith belōgeth to confessiō which euer straight way foloweth a true effectuall faith Some of the Iewes vnderstood this place as though Moses should say now the word is in your mouth y◠is ye haue it in sight before you for this woorde Pi disagréeth not from this signification for it is sayde Keephi lephi which signifieth hard by and nighe Others also haue not vnaptlye by in the mouthe vnderstanded expressing or rehersing for the lawe being geuen and written the Iewes mought repeat and recite with themselues the woordes thereof And the Leuites daylye repeated it in the Tabernacle or in the temple of God and in this wise it was said to be had in the mouth But this is to be considered that it was for no other cause had in handes and sighte or recited either of the Leuites or of any of the people but to bring men vnto Christe and to stirre them Why the law was oftentimes repeted vp to faith in him and to prouoke the godly to confesse to praise and to allowe that which the Lord had spoken If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the lord Iesus and shalt beleue in thine harte that God hath raised him vp from the deade thou shalt be saued For with the hart mā beleueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made vnto saluation For the scripture saith whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall not be made ashamed For there is no difference betwene the Iew and the Grecian For there is one lorde ouer all who is riche vnto all them that call vpon him For whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the lord shal be saued If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleue in thine hart that God hath raysed him vp from the deade Althoughe Paul séemeth not here to obserue a right order for first we beleue before we make confession The fayth of an other mā is knowen onely by confession In the resurrectiō is accomplished our saluation yet because that we cannot iudge concerning our brother whether he beleue vnles we heare him first confesse for this cause the Apostle putteth the effect before the cause And amongst other thinges which are to be beleued he
the word of God then followeth it of necessity that there is nothing whereby fayth is more norished maintayned and confirmed then by continuall reding and repeting of the woorde of God Thys thing testified How â—ayth is norished Tertullian in his Apology when he sayth that to this end holy assembles are gathered together to heare the woord of God The Philosophers say that we of the selfe same thinges both are and are norished wherefore in like sorte is it yâ— if fayth be by the woorde of GOD then by the same also is it nourished We knowe moreouer that of woorkes often repeted are confirmed habites or qualities as contrariwise if a man cease of from actions they waxe weake Wherefore if a man cease to rede to heare or to repete the holy scriptures fayth will waxe feble in him And they which thinke that a liuely and pure faith may continew in Churches without ofteÌ„ preaching doo excedingly erre Chrisostome hath a very similitude of a light or lampe that burneth which easely goeth out vnles A similitude of Chrisostome there be stil oyle powred into it By the lampe or light he vnderstandeth fayth by oyle yâ— word of God this he there writeth where he entreateth of the parable of the wise and foolishe virgens But now yâ— I haue made an end of interpretating the Apostles senteÌ„ce there resteth that out of his sayings we gather things much profitable When he had put a distinction betwene the righteousnes of God and the righteousnes of men and had taught that by the righteousnes of God is to be vnderstanded faith in Christ to the end he would declare that faith pertayned not onely vnto the Hebrues He brought out of the prophet Esay Whosoeuer beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed And out of Ioell Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the lord shal be saued These thinges most manifestlye proue the diuinity of Christ For if fayth in him and inuocation of his name haue saluatioÌ„ The diuinitye of Christ proued ioyned with them which thing is most true it followeth of necessity that he is God when as it is not lawfull to put confidence in any creature or to call vpon it Yea these two thinges are so proper vnto God that he communicateth them not vnto others he is pronounced cursed which putteth his confideÌ„ce in man or maketh flesh his arme An other thing worthy to be noted is yâ— that so excellent commendatioÌ„ of the ministers of God is to be referred vnto those only which in very dede execute theyr office for the prophet sayth that the féete of The commendation of the ministery pertaineth not vnto theÌ„ whiche haue only the name or title therof them that preach the Gospel are beautifull and not the fete of them which haue haue only the name or title thereof It hath also bene declared that the word of God is the instrument which the holy ghost vseth to instill fayth into the beleuers wherfore we may conclude that no other thing â—â—ght eyther to be taught or preached in the Church No man also ought to be moued with the fewnes or scarsety of the beleuers for that alwayes euen from the beginning the nomber the faythful hath bene small And Augustine if sometimes he vse this kind of reasoning agaynst the Donatistes when he sayth that they are very few in comparisoÌ„ of the multitude of the catholikes he reasoneth agaynst them as it were a probabili that is by probability agaynst them I say whome he had before by other necessary reasons confured Moreouer when he alledgeth the multitude of Churches he reproueth the error of the Donatistes which had contracted the church of God only into a litle corner of Affrike as though it now had no where place but with them which vtterly ouerthroweth the propriety of the Church namely to be Catholike or vniuersall for it is spread abrode thoroughout all places although euery where be found an incredible smal nomber of them that beleue truly Ireneus also and Tertullian for no other cause appealed to the testimonies of many Churches but for that they had to deale agaynst those heretickâ—s which receaued not the holy scriptures but vsed them maymed vitiated and corrupted as semed good vnto them and therefore to reproue theyr vanity he referred them to the old Churches where the scriptures had ben kept sincere and vncorrupt Last of all is declared what preachers ought to set forth vnto the people if they wil nourish and maintaine the true faith now receaued But I say haue they not heard No doubt theyr sound went ouâ— thoroughout all the earth and theyr woordes into the endes of the worlde But I say haue they not heard When he had reproued the Iewes of incredulity and had shewed that messeÌ„gers were sent vnto them which brought vnto them glad â—idinges of peace whome they beleued not he saw that peraduenture they would excuse them selues that they had not heard How sayth he can ye so say seing that the Gospell is now euery where published abrode He had reproued theyr ignoraunce and the more to aggrauate it he declareth that they could not pretend that they had not heard No doubte theyr sound wente out throughout all the earth By these woordes is shewed that the Gospel was nowe euerye where preached But some thinke that Paul séemeth here to abuse Dauids woordes when as in that place is entreated of the knowledge of God by creatures gotten by the lighte of nature for therto séemeth the scope of the Psalme to tend as touching the first parte thereof For in the other part it entreateth of that knowledge whiche is had by the law or by the scripture for straight waye at the beginning he saith that the heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament or sky set foorth the woorkes of God So that although in heauen are not words nor speaches and albeit that those higher orbes séeme to be without voyce yet notwithstanding is euery where heard theyr speach The Chaldy Paraphrast aptly expresseth this trope or figure for he saith that they which looke vp into heauen do declare abroad the glory of God and they which looke vp vnto the sky do setfoorth his workes signifieng that these creatures indéede speake not but allure vs to speake and to confesse God In Hebrue is not written Theyr sound The Seuenty haue thus turned it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in Hebrue is written Canam and Can signifieth a line a rule or leuell Neither any other thing can thereout be gathered but yâ— there is séene noted euery where sure rule of the making of the celestiall orbes and that their mouinges succession of their reuolutions is regurall and infallible Wherfore without all doubte the speach of the heauens setting forth their creator is most excellent wherby men are instructed touching many most excellent and most honest senteÌ„ces Cicero in his oration for Milo mencioneth many thinges of the constante order
but God who beholdeth al things and seeth the secrets of the hart by reiecting them most manifestly declared what he iudged of their hipocrisye By these thinges we maye now perceaue in what state common wealth empires and followshippes of men are without Christ And when we shall consider this let vs remember yâ— we were once euery one such which doules in my iudgemeÌ„t is of great force both to pluck away our pride and also to restrayne our anger agaynst those whiche yet lye op 〈…〉 vnder impiety and superstitioÌ„s And let vs with as much diligence as we ca 〈…〉 eware that that thing which happened vnto the Iewes happen not vnto vs also For as God tooke away from them his kingdome so also wil he take it away from vs if we only counterfeate our selues to be Christians and doo not in very déede performe the things which the religion which we professe requireth And Esay is bold and saith Therefore is Esay saide to be bold for that he speaketh very plainly And doubtles this boldnes declared a stoute man when as by speaking the truth he put hymselfe in daunger By this phrase of speaking is Liberty of speach is necessary for the ministers of the worde of God expressed that freadome of speache which is necessary for preachers and theÌ„ that prophesie The truth got vnto them wonderfull greate hatred and deadly enimityes which thinges although vnto the fleshe they were most hard yet the men of God contemned them in respect of the truth which was coÌ„mitted to their charge when it was told Paul that he should be in daunger of death if he went vnto Ierusalem he saide I know that prisons and bondes doo abide for me but I esteme not my life more precious then my selfe And how the Iewes had persecuted all those which had truly and sincerely foretold Christ Stephen declareth in the Actes of the Apostles Whome haue they not persecuted which foretold the comming of the righteous Origen vpon this place very wel noteth that hereout we may manifestly gather that the Prophets when they prophesied had not such an astonished and troubled The prophets were of a sound and perfeâ—ynde mind as though they vnderstoode not the thinges which they foretold Euery one of them without doubt sawe that the Prophets were ill delt with which had signified the ouerthrow of the publique wealth of the Iewes and yet notwithstanding durst they also to set it forth when God commaunded them to do it This testimony which he bringeth is written in the 65. chapiter of Esay I was found of them sayth Paul that sought me not and haue bene made manifest vnto them that asked not after me He followeth the translation of â—he 70. interpreters whiche as touching the sense differeth not from the Hebrue â—erity The woordes in Hebrue are thus Nidrashti lelo schaalu nimtsethi lelo 〈…〉 schumi amarti hinneni hinneni el goi locora bischim In these wordes at 〈…〉 first sight séemeth to be some contradictioÌ„ for he sayth I was sought of theÌ„ which 〈…〉 d not after me if they asked not howe sought they But the aunswere is 〈…〉 sy eyther we may say that they afterward sought which before had not asked 〈…〉 de may say that yâ— verbe Nedaresch as Rabbi Dauid writeth in his booke of â—â—ts is to be expounded by Hidzamin deriued of the verbe Zaman which signiâ—ieth to be redy to come agaynst to go to méete to prepare and to inuite As if it 〈…〉 d haue bene sayd I offred my self and went to meete those which asked not 〈…〉 ne And Paul with the 70. interpreters turneth that verbe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—hat is I haue bene made manifest or haue manifestly appeared And this â—â—â—o be noted that in Esay before these words I haue stretched out mine hands â—ll the day long are put I haue sayd Behold me behold me vnto a nation which called not vpon my name or ouer whom my name is not called Which wordes also manifestly declare that he speaketh of the Gentles which were not called by the name of God neither called they vpon him in their prayers which thing can not be applied to the Iewes And when he addeth I haue stretched out my handes all the day long The person is here couertly chaunged and he here beginneth to speake of the Iewes Wherefore Paul manifestly putteth the distinction saying And agaynst Israell he sayth Neither doubtles do the Rabines deny but that these thinges are to be vnderstanded of the Iewes but herein only they disagrée for that they thinke that the former wordes which are put in the beginning of the chapiter pertayne also vnto their nacion But as we haue saide this sentence will not stand well which the text when as in the people of Israell God was both sought for and asked after and there the name of God was called vpon and they were called by the name of God for euery where in the scriptures they were called the people of God And according to the sentence of Paul the other part wherein the Prophet sayth I haue stretched out myne handes all the day long vnto a people is added as a cause of the first wherin God saith that therefore he had shewed himselfe manifestly vnto the Gentles and therefore had offred himselfe vnto them although they ment nothing les for that he was now wery with the to great obstinacy and incredulity of the Iewes But in what things the Iewes were rebellious against him the Prophet declareth for he addeth that they walked in a way that was not good euen after their owne imaginations They prouoke me saith he to anger to my face sacrificing alwayes in gardens and burning incense vpon brikes which sitte in the graues and lodge in the desertes eating swynes fleshe Which say stand apart come not nere to me For I am holier then thou These words doubtles declare what things make vs to depart from In what thinges we depart from God our God namely when men follow their owne imaginations and wil not as touching religion obey that which is prescribed them of God This is to prouoke God to his face They had a delight in the pleasantnes of gardens and therefore contemning the word of God they thought that God delighted in that pleasantnes and contemning an alter made of earth or of rough and vnhewed stones as the law commaunded they built it with brickes they contrary to the commaundement of God did eate swines flesh and did sit in graues paraduenture wayting for answers from the dead or as our men do worshipping the reliques of their deade carkases or with obsequies and vigils praying for the dead that they might be deliuered out of purgatory They dwelt in the wildernes either there séeking acquaintaÌ„ce with deuils or els as our Heremites do thinking it holines to liue in a solitary life These thinges a certaine Rabbine witty as it séemeth as Munster â—n apt senâ—â—nce of a â—â—rtaine Rabbine
the Iewes Origene and Ambrose vnderstand thys of the maner wherby Christ being vppon the crosse had hys handes extended abroad but thys séemeth not to serue to the meanyng of thys place For the Prophet entreateth of the earnest care of God whereby he euen at the beginning called the Iewes vnto hym Yea Christ before he suffered vpon the crosse sayd How often would I haue gathered together thy children as a henne doth her chickens vnder her winges and thou wouldest not Whereby he declareth that before he was crucified he had hys handes stretched abroad to call By thys is taken away from the Iewes all excuse neyther could they say that they had not heard For as Chrysostome very well noteth vnto these callinges and giftes he at the length added an irritation which affecte is wont to moue many which yet through blockishnes or contempt otherwyse would not bée moued Which thyng we may perceaue euen in children for sometymes it commeth to passe that a litle childe when hys father calleth hym of a certayne stubborne stomacke refuseth to come but if he sée an other child made much of of hys father and louingly embraced of hym straight way being moued of zeale or enuye he also runneth to hys father so great is the affecte of zeale or enuie Wherefore God beganne to adorne the Gentiles with hys benefites that the Iewes being therwithall prouoked myght at the least through emulation or enuye returne vnto hym Thys diligent and earnest goodnes of God in callyng the Iewes is expressed vnto vs in Ieremie the 7. and ▪ 11. chapters where God testifieth that he had risen vp early and sent Prophets to styrre vp the people Which thyng Christ also in the parable of hys vineyarde very euidently declared Neyther wanted the people of God euer at any tyme euen frō theyr first father Abraham preachers and ministers of saluation sent from God but they alwayes continued vnbeleuing and gainsaying They sayd vnto Christ that in Belzebub he did cast out deuills And in Moses tyme they most manifestly resisted the worde of God wherfore Moses in Deut. sayd to theyr faces Ye haue alwayes delt contentiously We sée now that in Esay is contayned that which the Apostle before sayd that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnes attayned vnto the lawe of righteousnes but Israell which aspired vnto it could not attayne vnto it Wherefore the Iewes ought not to be offended if they heare that spoken of the Apostle which Esay had before prophecied Chrysostome vppon thys place first sayth that Paule woulde not say that the Gentiles drewe God vnto them namely by theyr sayth or godly affecte for that all whole is of God and he woulde not that they shoulde puffe vp them selues with pride But straight way he sayth that yet notwithstanding the Ethnickes were not emptie for of them selues they brought to take holde and to know It is wonderfull how he should speake such contradictions in one and the same place that al whole is of God and that they brought fayth of themselues For God is not by any other thing either taken ▪ hold of or knowen but by fayth Wherfore y◠first part of his sentence is without any doubt to be allowed namely that all is of God But that which followeth is to be reiected namely that we of our selues bring fayth The eleuenth Chapter I Demaund then hath God cast away his people God forbidde For I also am an Israelite of the sede of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin Wherfore God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew Know ye not what the scripture saith of Helias howe he maketh request vnto God against Israell saying Lord they haue killed thy Prophets and digged downe thine Altars and I am left alone they seke my life But what sayth the aunswere of God vnto hym I haue reserued vnto my self seuen thousand men which haue not bowed the knee to Baal I demaund then hath God cast away his people The summe of the doctrine The methode of this chapiter of this Chapiter may thus briefely be set forthe The Iewes haue not vtterly in such sort perished that there is no hope remayning of their saluation There yet remayne remnants whiche attayne to saluation which now in déede are but few in nomber but yet they are the salt of the worlde and in tyme to come they shal be a great multitude and y◠manifestly It the meane tyme certayne of y◠Iewes remayne blinde which thing they both deserue and also was foretold of them But by these fewe remnants which are saued shall saluation be communicated vnto the whole world for the Apostles and the other Euangelistes which come of the Iewes shall go thoroughout all the borders of the earth and preache Christe ▪ And that blinding of the Iewes shall be an occasion of saluation to the Gentiles And when the fulnes of the Gentiles shal be conuerted vnto Christ then also shall the Israelites come But God by his hidden and wonderfull counsell would haue all men for a tyme shut vp vnder sinne that he might haue mercy of all men The Gentiles all the whole tyme before the preaching of the Apostles lay in darkenes a few only excepted But as soone as the Gospell was preached the Iewes were forsaken And for that the reason of the purpose of God can not be comprehended of vs with a certayne religious exclamation he concludeth his doctrine saying Oh the deapth of the riches c. Affirming that no man is of Gods counsell touching these thinges Wherfore now that we haue declared the summe of the doctrine let vs séeke out the principall proposition of the first part of this Chapiter and the plainlier this to do let vs somwhat more deapely repete the things which haue bene before spoken Paul affirmed that the promises were made vnto the Iewes but not in such sort that they pertayned to all of them but only vnto the elect and predestinate And therfore for asmuch as many of the Iewes are not of the nomber of the elect which thing he proued in Esay and Ismaell there are manye therfore vnto whome the promises of God pertayne not and many haue perished in their incredulity Now he declareth that their fall is not vniuersal and he leuefieth mollifieth the thinges which before might haue offended namely that y◠nomber of the Iewes which beleued is so small that Esay sayd Lord who hath beleued our report And Moses sayth that the Iewes were stirred vp to enuy against a nation foolish and a nation that was not a nation and finally that God had stretched out his hands to a rebellious people not beleuing but gayne saying Vnles he had after this maner tempred his speache he mought haue séemed to haue spoken these thinges of hatred against his nation He putteth it by the waye of interrogation the more thorowly to moue them to make them attentiue And saith Hath God cast away his people As if it should
cause for that then Christe ought rather to haue holpen them by speaking plainly and not darkely vnto them But whereas the thing is spoken in the future tempse of the indicatiue mode that nothing helpeth their case for we also affirme that that then was to come which nowe we know to be done but we say that it was done by the commaundement of the Lord as Esay expresseth as Paul also declareth Moreouer sayth Pigghius it is a foretelling and therfore it is not a cause This is a weake profe for that which Esay foretold his words I say and preaching irritated the Iewes and stirred vp in them the affect of incredulity Is not the doctrine of the law sayd to encrease sinne for that by it are stirred vp lustes But this sayth he commeth not thorough the default of the law we graunt that neyther also say we that this commeth to passe thorough the default or sinne of God or of the prophets preachers when yet notwithstanding they are after a sort causes Men are not made blind thorough the default of the doctrine or preaching of the Gospell therof but let vs looke vpon originall sinne which is the foundacion of all the euils that come vnto mankind There doubtles after the first fall Adam with all his posterity was spoiled of grace and the spirite from the mind was taken away light that it should not vnderstand the things that pertayne to God from reason was taken away the power to kéepe vnder wicked appetites and on the other syde the affects were corrupted to rebell with greate violence agaynst reason and honesty These thinges thou wilt say are punishements yea they are also sinnes And who inflected them God inflicted them which thing no man can deny For it is his ordinaunce that iust that he which departeth from him should incurre suffer these thinges But of this matter I will cesse now to speake any more for that I haue before at large fully discoursed it But sayth he men are not compelled to sinne Is this most sharpe sighted Sophister yet so dull that he knoweth not how to distinguishe necessity from violence This particle vt that is that The word of God and preaching are instruments whereby they which shal be made blind are irritated sayth he in Marke signifieth a consequence and not a cause yea it also signifieth a cause for the words of God spoken and preached by Esay by Christ and by the Apostles were instruments wherby they were irritated This may be perceaued by a similitude very manifest and playne Suppose that there were a body full of choler which choler notwithstanding as yet bursteth not forth when sommer is com then by reason of heate if vnto him be geuen cold fruites and also cold drinke whereof he excessiuely taketh these things are corrupted in his stomack the choler is encreased and is poured abrode thoroughout the bodye whereof springe perillous flixes and gripinges in the inward partes Who can deny but that the heate of the sommer the fruites and drinke were the cause of this dissease at the least the cause called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although it were not the principall cause or as they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He supposeth that this particle That in Marke signifieth a cause efficient and not finall So that the sense is Therfore I speake in parables for that seing they sée not He chaungeth the coniunctine mode into the indicatiue mode and transformeth the whole in suche sort that he turneth the words of Marke into the words of Mathew when yet the holy ghost of purpose caused this diuersity of words to be And Pigghius séemeth to obtrude these things as though we should deny Mathew which thing is not true Onely we are displeased with Pigghius exposition but the Gospell of Mathew we both receaue and reuerence Moreouer he declareth himself not to haue bene very dâ—igent in the Popes decrées although he bable of them continually In them is coÌ„maunded that if any controuersy arise about any part of the scripture of the old Testament we should goo vnto the Hebrue verity And it is Augustines rule in his booke De doctrina Christiana Seing therfore that the Euangelists expresse In controuersies perâ—ayning to the old testament we must go to the Hebrue verity not this place of Esay with one and the self same words why goeth he not to the fountayne of the Hebrue verity Neyther is there any reason why he should be offended if this particle That do signify a finall cause as though Christ to this end spake in parables that they shoulde be made blind Doth not the Lorde say of Pharao to this end haue I raysed the vp that I might in the shew forth my power And is not the potter sayd to make some vessells to honor and some to contumely After whose maner God is sayd to haue ordeyned vessels of mercy and vessels of wrath to declare both the riches of his glory and the seuerity of his iustice When the scripture plainly setteth forth vnto vs such ends of the workes of God they ought neyther to be obscured nor to be denied Mathew turneth this place of Esay by the indicatiue mode and by the future tempse followinge the edition of the Seuenty which thing he mought lawfully do when as these interpreters disagréed not from the Hebrue verity as touching the sense but onely as touching â—oords And that this might lawfully be done Rabbi Dauid Kimhi one of the Hebrues vnderstoode only in that edition wanteth the efficient cause of their blindnes which cause both Paul and Iohn haue expressed And in the Hebrue it is plainly declared by the imperatiue mode which is in that place not in vayne put But it shal be good to heare what Ierome sayth touching this matter who in his Commentary vpon the sixt chapiter of Esay at the first doubteth why Luke as it is read in the Actes of the Apostles in the 28. chapiter citing this place followeth the 70. and not the Hebrue verity And he answereth yâ— the Ecclesiastical writers write yâ— Luke was expert in the arte of Phisike was more skilfull in the Greke â—oung then in the Hebrue therfore it is no meruaile if in citing testimonies of yâ— Luke had more skil in the Greke tonge then in the Hebrue old testameÌ„t he followed the texte which he was best acquainted with But in stead of this answere I would rather thus make answere That the holy ghost had so instructed Luke and the rest of the Euangelists that they mought redily haue cited testimonies out of the Hebrew verity if they had would but of purpose when they might conueniently they followed the 70. that the Gentiles vnto whose vses theyr writinges should chiefely serue might by that edition of the 70. which only they had vnderstand the thinges which were by them cited Ierome moreouer reproueth those which in his time sayd that we ought not to looke vpon
that impossibiltie somtimes is al one with difficulty or hardnes For I am not ignoraunt what Gregorius Nazianzenus in his 4. booke of his theology hath writteÌ„ as touching this matter vnto whome whither I may in all things assent I mind not at this present to debate And when as Pigghius can not deny but that Ihon sayth that God made blind the Iewes he sayth that although vnbeleuers haue in themselues the cause why they are made blind yet not with standing the scripture so speaketh as if God should make them blind Doth the scripture so speake and doth it that without reasoÌ„ would it so speake as though God herein doth nothing I suppose not But it shall not be amisse to examine an notable similitude which he bringeth A man sayth he that is pore blinde or that hath sore eyes if he looke vpon the Sunne shall thereby be blind Shall we Similitudes which Pighius bringeth say that the beames of the Sunne haue made him blind when as he had in hym selfe the ground and beginning of that disease How wil he him selfe auoyde the sharpnes of this his similitude I graunt that yâ— beginning of disease was in the eyes but the disease was not so greate that he which was pore blinde could se nothing at all for although he were dull sighted yet was he not blind In that he is now etterly made blind who will not say but that the Sunne according to hys nature and maner of working is the cause therof The dew also or raine saith he is not yâ— cause that ground vntilled bringeth forth thornes who would euer so say and that the raine causeth fertlenes in bringing forth thornes who will denye that hath but one ounce of witte But he hath neuer his fill of similitudes but at the last he addeth suche a one as Pelagius neuer durste vse Imagine saith he that a soule were shut vp in a chamber together with two counsellers with the spirite I say and the flesh and without on the one side let Christ stande hauing with him a companye of all vertues and spirituall giftes on the other side let stand the Deuill with his whole route of wicked sinnes both these waite with out to see which of them the soule will let in within the spirite geueth counsell to receaue Christ and the flesh to receaue the deuil the soule being as it were in the middest inclineth fréely to whether parte it will if it receaue Christ the deuill is vtterly driuen away but if it entertaine the deuill Christ departeth away Pelagius for his opinion could say no more He putteth the soule in the middest whiche yet The soule of him that is not regenerete can not be sayd to be in the middest betwene the spirite and the flesh without Christ is a bondslaue of the flesh That the will ought to be chaunged by the inspiration Christ he speaketh not so much as one word That we must haue geuen vs a fleshy hart and our stony hart taken away he vtterly kéepeth in sileÌ„ce onely peruasions are set before vs. So saide Pelagius that men are moued by the lawes and scriptures but he also neuer spake one woorde of the chaunginge of the hart And Pigghius fearing least in this fayned declaration we shoulde not vnderstand him addeth that frée will is a weake eye in whose power yet it lieth to be healed What sounde diuine woulde euer speake this that it lieth in the power of the will or of humane strengthes that a man shoulde be saued He laboureth yet more plainely to declare his sentence We are sayth he the good odor of Christe vnto some indéede vnto life and to other some vnto death A good odor saith he killeth no man but it is not so for a man may iustlye say that serpentes are killed with good odors and with the swéete smell of spices So also incredulitie may be Without blame and without cause ar not all one stirred vp by sound doctrine and preaching of the word of God But not through the default of the doctrine or preaching I say But yet may we not say yâ— it is not the cause thereof as it is not by the default therof God also without any his fault maketh blind yet notwithstanding maketh he blinde as the scripture testifieth But now let vs leaue this Sophister in whose sayinges there is much more absurdity then difficulty in aunswering But as touchinge the matter whiche we were in hand with it was as I before sayde a gréeuous offence to sée that Christ being the true Messias and shewed in the scriptures was receaued of so few of the Iewes yea rather he was hated in a manner of them all who yet were verye studious in the scriptures And in our dayes this self offence troubleth many for that wheras it séemeth yâ— vnto Christ were promised all nations yet notwithstanding there is so great plenty of Epicures so great filthines of Turkes and so great a wicked heape of Papistes which vtterly resist the Gospell But againste this kinde of offence the holy Ghoste hath before armed vs. First Moses saide that the Iewes should be irritated against a nation that is not an nation Esay sayth Though the nomber of the children of Israell be as the sand of the sea onely a remnanie shal be saued Vnles the Lorde had lefâ—e vnto vs seede we had bene like vnto Sodoma and Gomorrha Christe the stone of offence and stomblinge blocke is set to the risinge and fall of manye Lord who hath beleued our report Many are called but fewe are elected And there are infinite other such like testimonies whereby the holy scripture confirmeth vs not to be moued with this small nomber They which receaued not Christ when Chochalus and Theudas came followed after those false Christes and counterseated They whiche receaue not Chr 〈…〉 receaue fâ—lse Christes Messiasses and they which renounce Christ follow Mahumeth shall we therfore say that Chochalus Theudas Mahumet is Christ we shoulde be farre besides our selues if we should so say when as Christ himself foretold that this thing should come to passe Me saith he ye receaue not but if an other come in my name him ye will receaue Yea rather this ought to be vnto vs a manifest proofe that Iesus of Nazareth is the true Messias when as we see that in him this oracle together with other oracles is fulfilled namely to be receaued of few He indede prayed vnto the father but not for the world but for them whome the father had geueÌ„ vnto him otherwise the whole worlde is set on mischiefe There is yet an other doubt which stayeth vs for that the wordes of Esay seme to pertain vnto his time onely and not vnto Christes and the Apostles time and vnto our time I graunte that that blinding was in the time of the prophet which yet should continue euen vnto the ende of the world The Prophet when the Lorde had commaunded hym the thinges which we haue now
with outward idolatry when they were at the last afflicted of yâ— Romanes Antiochus but the Assamonites did set them agayne at liberty But now they are without end and measure oppressed although they be not enfected with that outward and grosse idolatry wherfore of their dispersion misery caÌ„ no other cause be geueÌ„ â–ª but yâ— Christ is now come whome they haue reiected And therfore in stéede of a florishing kingdome they are compelled to be in bondage in stede of a famous temple they haue coÌ„temptuous Sinagoges in stede of offrings and sacrifices they are wrapped with absurd superstitions in stede of honor and dignity wherein they were before they are now odious and hatefull vnto all men And which is most greauous of all they will not acknowledge the cause of these so greate euils Ambrose entreating of this matter deuideth this excecation into two kinds one kind he maketh curable vnto which sentence also agréeth the coÌ„mentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome for in them it is written Make croked their backe alwayes vntill they beleue and be conuerted And that as touching manye Two kindes of excecation there still remayneth remedy Peter declareth in the Actes of the Apostles when he sayth And now I know that ye dyd it of ignorance wherefore repent and be baptized euery one of you Paul also sayth that the branches of the Iewes are so cut of that yet they may agayne be grafted into Christ The other kind of excecation he sayth is past all remedy and vpon them is this inflicted which haue reiected the truth once knowen and do striue against it And he addeth that Paul at this present meaneth of either kind of excecation But yâ— Greke scholies referre the bowing of the backe to the perpetuall bondage wherewith the Iewes are oppressed of outward nations which in my iudgement is not so apt for that I sée that Paul writeth onely of the euills and calamities of the mynde For he neuer vpbrayded vnto the Iewes any outward infelicitye But this is woorthy of noting that some interpreters Blindnes of the â—ind goeth before incredulity and is the cause thereof affirme that the cause of this excecation was incredulity But I as I graunt that by incredulity is encreased darckenes so also affirme that blindnes of the mind goeth before incredulity for howe commeth it to passe that wicked men beleue not the words of GOD but because they are blinded and sée not as they ought to sée the thinges which conduce vnto saluation I will not speake how Paul putteth blindnes as the cause of incredulity for this was in controuersie how the true Christ should be preached when as so fewe beleued in him Which thing Paul affirmeth therfore came to passe for that election obteyneth fayth and the rest are made blind Now at the last come we vnto Origen who at the beginning writeth that Paul hath left out before them which both the Hebrue verity and also the 70. haue But of his owne hath added this word Snare which word is neyther had in the translation of the 70. nor also in the veritie of the Hebrue But this is of small waight neyther doth it any whit alter the sense He moreouer sheweth that the testimony of Dauid is very nighe and agreable vnto these things which Esay foretold For euen as there were eyes geuen that they should not sée eares that they should not heare so is it here sayd Let their eyes be made dimme that they see not Straight way for that he thinketh it absurd that vnder the person of Dauid or of Christ should be made any execration or cursing he deuiseth a wonderfull strang sense For as sayth he our eye can looke vpon the light and see thinges profitable and which are expedient and contrariwyse can behold things noysome and hurtfull so the sight of the mynd turneth it self sometymes to thinges heauenly and spirituall and sometymes to thinges earthly and wicked But now if a man should pray that the vnderstanding of certayne men should not looke vpon or beholde wicked and peruerse doctrines this man should not pray against them but for them After that he addeth I would to God Marcion Valentinus Basilides and such like pestilences had neuer sene the wicked and pernicious doctrines which they deuised Wherfore sayth he these are not execrations but rather medicines But touching this woord table he thus writeth by this place to defend his allegories for as farre as we caÌ„ coniecture by this words all men did not like wel of them Let one of those sayth he come which deride theÌ„ and let him without an allegory interprete the things which the Prophet now speaketh Then goeth he on in his exposition and affirmeth that the table is the holy scripture for wisedome hath set her table and mingled wyne This table he proueth is turned vnto the Iewes into a snare For when the Iewes read that Christ should deliuer Israell and should reigne with greate honour and might they saw that Iesus of Nazareth liued here on the earth in a base and abiect forme and Howe the table of the scriptures is vnto the Iewes turned into a snare they sawe that they were still oppressed with the yoke of the Romaines therfore the table was vnto them a snare which thing doubtles had not comme to passe if that they had vnderstoode that the deliuery which should be accomplished by the Messias should be from sinne from the deuill death and hell and that the kingdome of Christe should be no worldly kingdome but wherein he should by the woord and the spirite raigne in the harts of men then I say had they not suffred so great miserie Christ longe since asked them Whose sonne is the Messias They sayd Dauids sonne as they had read in their table Christ aunswered But howe doth Dauid call him his Lord when he songe The Lorde sayd vnto my Lord. Now here the table is turned vnto them into a snare neyther were they able to aunswere one woord In Iohn also he sayd Do not ye thinke that I came to accâ—se you there is an other which accuseth you namely Moses Here agayne also they are â—ared for the law wherof they so much boasted is made both their accuser and condemner Lastly they were taught that Christ should abide eternally and they sawe that our Lord died was buryed so that their table was vtterly made vnto theÌ„ an offence As touching the holy scriptures that they were turned vnto the Iewes into destruction I am not against him but that he thereby obtrudeth vnto vs his allegories Twokinds of allegories I in no wise allow For there are two kinds of allegories for some are set forthe vnto vs by the holye Scriptures as that Christ is Ionas who was in the hart of the earth thrée dayes as he was in the bealy of the whale Againe that he is Salomon or the serpent hanged vp in the desert or the lambe And that the two
Wherefore God is not without iust cause angry for that the ministery is so conterfeated And it is much to be lamented that this office is of a great many of the laity had in contempt neyther can the ministers iustly complayne hereof when as the greatest part of them haue first and before all others thorough their licentiousnes idlenes slouthfulnes and neglecting of their office brought this functioÌ„ out of estimation Wherfore we must earnestly pray vnto GOD that he would vouchafe now at the length to succour his Church in sending woorkmen which The false Apostles spake ill of Paul â–ª will labour diligently The Apostle mought haue sayd I glorifye the grace which is geuen vnto you for that ye should come vnto Christe and vnto his Gospel for thereby the Iewes were stirred vp to emulation but he would make mencion of his ministery to the end to commend it and to set it forth and that not without néede for there were many false Apostles which sayd that Paul was not the true Apostle of Christ and euery where as much as in them lay extenuated his authoritye And that Paul was an instructer and teacher of the Gentiles it is manifest by the Epistle to the Galathians where he sayth that Peter Iames and Iohn had geuen vnto hym their right hands that he should preache amongst the Gentiles as they Paul was an instructer and teacher of the Gentles Paul first preached vnto the Iues before he preached to the Ethnikes did vnto the circumcision And vnto Timothe he testifyeth that he was appointed a teacher and instructer of the Gentiles Although as he went thoroughout the world before that he preached in any city vnto the Gentiles he went first to the Sinagoge of the Iewes beginning thereto publishe abraode the Gospell according to the order appointed by God that the Iewes should first be called but yâ— charge of the Church of Ierusalem he wholy left vnto others In as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentles That which in the Greke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in as much the lattine interpreter turneth quamdiu that is so long and this also he doth in Mathew the 25. chapiter saying So long as ye haue done these thinges to one of my least when as in that place also in the Greke is reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is more aptly turned in that in as much and as For when it standeth for an aduerb of time the Apostle commonly addeth this greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth tyme. As in the first to the Corrinthyaus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yâ— is the wife is bound vnto the law so long as her husband liueth And vnto the Galathians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is So long as the heyre is a child But Origen I know not how readeth quamdiu that is so long and doubteth whether it should at the leÌ„gth come to passe that Paul should cease to be the Apostle of the Gentiles and that Paul sawe that after this life he should be the Apostle of inuisible spirits and that vnto him should be sayd that which we reade in the Gospell Come hether good seruaunt and faythfull for that thou hast bene faythfull in fewe thinges I will set thee ouer many thynges But because he sawe as I suppose that thys is somewhat to harde to be easely beleued he addeth Shall we vnderstand thys saying to bee as that is I wyll be wyth you euen vnto the ende of the worlde not as though I wyll not afterwarde also bee wyth you so nowe also he sayth so longe as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles not as though at any time he should not be the Apostle of the Gentiles Paul sayth that he glorifieth his ministery for yâ— he laboured by all maner of meanes that the ministery of his preaching might be of efficacy and that that which he The ministery is glorified so loÌ„g as it is of efficacy in the hâ—rtes of the hearers Nothing in the world better then the church spake without might by the power of the spirite be written in the hartes of the hearers wherevnto he bent all his industry and laboured by continual prayers to obteyne that at Gods hand to the end to prouoke them of his flesh to emulation Men labour to the vttermost of theyr power to followe that whiche they iudge to bee good honest and godlye But I thinke that there is nothing in the world more goodly or better then the Church being wel and holily ordered which Church God so loueth as the husband doth his wife This gaue occasioÌ„ to Salomon to write those songes of loue which are called Cantica Canticorum And Christ omitted nothing though it were hard horrible which was eyther to be done or suffred for it At this Church doo the Angels woÌ„der of it learne many thinges pertayning to the sondry and manifold wisedome of God And men if they want not theyr right wittes embrace and reuerence it Wherfore in the first to the Corrinthians it is written And if they shoulde prophesie and behaue themselues in a decent order in the Church and there should enter in any vnlearned hearing his secretes touched and made manifest namely by preachinges they would fall downe and worshippe and will they or nill they should confesse that God is amongst theÌ„ Wherefore let theÌ„ vnto whome is committed the charge to enstruct and adorne so amiable and wonderfull a society take hede what they doo for they haue committed vnto them not only the charge of those which are preseÌ„t with them but also of others which by emulation of yâ— church being wel ordred may be brought vnto Christ He calleth the Iewes his flesh after the maner of yâ— scripture wherein The Iews are called the fleshe of Paul meÌ„ vse to speke of theyr brethern and kinsfolkes He is our mouth and our flesh And in so saying he obteyneth theyr good will to heare him That I might saue some of them He sayth not all for that he knew that this was not now possible for him to doo for at that time it behoued that yâ— greatest parte should be made blinde and be shut vp vnder incredulity Towardes the end of the world is to be looked for a generall conuersion of the Iewes Thys phrase of speach is to be noted wherein he sayth That I might saue some of them For no man doubteth but yâ— it is God which saueth as many as are saued but The ministers by a certaine propertie of speach are said to saue The holy ministery ought not to be conteÌ„ned Paul so sayth for that he knew that he was a minister of the newe Testament and of the spirite And after the same maner wrote he vnto Timothe when he exhorted him to be diligent in doctrine and in reding This doing sayth he thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them which heare thee Wherefore that which is proper vnto God is by a
liberty by God and by Moses receaued of God himselfe most wise and wonderful lawes Moreouer the nobility of any nation is commended by auncientnes But there are no histories that make mencion of any nation auncienter then the Iewes For the writers of the Gentles can find nothing that was written before Abrahams time This also maketh a nation noble if it haue had excellent and notable Princes which thing the Iewes wanted not for they came of Abraham Isaacke Iacob and other of the patriarches Finally this also is considered whether in a nation haue florished many excellent and notable men As touching which thing there was neuer any people that therein could compare with the Iewes they had Patriarches Prophetes Iudges and most noble kings and infinite other most notable men excelling in all kind of vertue Wherfore before in the 9. chapiter it was sayd Vnto whome pertayneth the adoption the glory the testaments the geuing of the law the worshipping the promises the fathers and Christ also as touching the fleshe Wherefore that nation without doubt is to be counted most noble and that not only as touching the nobility of this world which is doubtles a gift of God not to be contemned but also as touching spirituall nobility which dependeth of that couenaunt which God himself made with them Wherin the holines of the Iewes chiefly consisted And to make the thing more plaine this is to be noted that Augustine in his 106. epistle to Paulinus or to Bonifacius writeth that this holines consisteth rather in the communion of faith and of the sacraments then in carnall propagation Which his saying is most true For true sound holines in them that are of full age dependeth of faith which by the sacraments is both sealed and stirred when these thinges are had men geue themselues vnto God and are made vnto hym holy Whereunto if procreation of godly elders be adioyned it is not to be doubted but that God doth for the most part bestow more ample gifts vpon them according to his promise wherein he hath promised that he will do good vnto the godly euen vnto a thousand generations for he remembreth the couenaunt which he hath made betwene him and the faithfull that he is the God not only of them but also of their séede Yea and also oftentimes for the godly parents sake he geueth vnto their children so much grace that they are brought vnto faith are adorned with the sacraments and endued with giftes of the spirite Which thing although it do not alwayes happen or of necessity yet vnder the hope of such promise we baptise our infants as the Iewes in the olde time circumcised their infants But as we haue before said here is not entreated of men perticularly but of the whole kind vniuersally and here is not a respect had vnto carnall propagation but vnto the couenaunt and promise For the father when he begetteth a childe doth not together with the sede poure into him holines but rather sinne and corruption of nature according to that saying of Dauid In iniquities was I conceaued and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me The Apostle in these hys wordes vseth two most elegant metaphors or rather allegories when he calleth The metaphors which the Apostle vseth the fathers of the Hebreues the first fruites and the roote In the law it was commaunded that of all the encreases and fruites of the earth should be geuen vnto God the first fruits yea also the first borne of liuing creatures were due vnto him And when Paul maketh mencion of the masse or lompe he alludeth to that which we reade in the 15. chapiter of the booke of Nombers that some part of the lompe of new dough was commaunded to be seperated for God before that the new bread should be tasted of for thereof were made swéete cakes which were offred vnto God Which thing he therefore caused to be done that men by that ceremony might vnderstand and of their owne accord testify y◠God is vnto them the What the first fruites signified in the law geuer and distributer of all fruites Wherefore that oblation encreased not the riches of God which are otherwise infinite but only nourished in men a greatfull memory of benefites receaued As oftentimes Emperors and great and mighty kings geue vnto some one man a city or prouince or some certaine dominion A similitude with this condition that he shall pay vnto him euery yeare some thing of small valew in the name of a tribute not that they seeke by that tribute to be enriched but that man maye perpetually vnderstande and testifye that he dependeth of that Prince and that that he hath at his handes obtained that dignity which he now enioyeth Moreouer this commodity had the common wealth by that ceremony that by such oblations the holy ministery was sustayned whose vse is so great that it ought to be maintayned yea though with great charge Moreouer in all the first fruites was signified Christ the first borne of all creatures and namely the first fruites of them that rise againe from the dead whereby all the faythfull are sanctified for by the first fruites was made holy that which was remayning and left at home to sustaine the family Yea and this maner of offring first fruites was deriued also vnto the Ethnikes for the virgens called vestae offered fruites vnto their domisticall Goddes and as Plutarch telleth in Symposiacis The custome of offring the first fruites came also vnto the Ethnikes the men in the olde time dranke not any wyne before that they had first offred safice to some God that that which they dranke might not hurt them And at Athens the 11. day of the month they offred the first fruites of wyne In all these things we may behold the steppes of that holy institution although the Ethniks had with idolatrous supersticion violated that which was well instituted At this day also although the yoke of the ceremonies of Moses be taken away yet should it be very well done of vs of our frée and liberall will to offer vnto God the first fruites by geuing them to the poore The other metaphore or allegory is taken of The first fruites are offred vnto God in the poore the rootes of trées which draw good sappe out of the earth which is dispersed thorough out the stocke and branches and causeth good nourishement and plentifull fruit And that a stocke or famely is called a roote it is so commonly vsed in the scriptures that it nedeth no exposition Esay sayth A rod shall come out of the roote of Iesse c In which words is described that Christ should be borne of the stocke of Dauid And when as by this roote are vnderstanded the fathers as Abraham Isaacke and Iacob these are not to be considered as they were men but as they were ioyned vnto Christ and thereout as out of a most fertile ground thorough faith drew the sappe of saluation
of sacrifices washeth away sinnes How we are baptised into the remission of sinnes Faith must go before the receauing of the sacraments the faith of the elders wherby they had a respect vnto Christ and embrased him in the signification of those sacrifices iustified and obteyned remissiō of sinnes Doubtles the bloud of those sacrifices washeth not away the sinnes of the world but only the bloud of Christ as he sayd This cup is the new testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes But whereas we are sayd to be baptised into the remission of sinnes the meaning thereof is that in that sacrament is sealed vnto vs and signified the remission of sinnes which by the bloud of Christ we haue alredy obteyned which selfe thing also is done in the Eucharist and fayth ought alwayes to go before the receauing of the sacramētes if we receaue them rightly and the order be not inuerted for as without fayth men eate and drinke in the Euchariste vnworthely so also without faith baptisme is vnworthely receaued which yet is to be vnderstāded touching them that are of full age for touching infantes how it is with them we haue els where declared Wherfore if faith go before thē is it manifest that sinnes are forgeuen which thing the sacraments which follow seale vnto vs and confirm vs of the will of God and when they are set forth vnto vs they oftētimes stirre vp faith no otherwise then doth the word of God whē it is heard So that it is not possible but that faith being newly stirred vp iustificatiō is more and more taken hold of and our strengths are more and more renued to leade a newe life And therefore whereas Chrisostome when he enterpreteth these wordes saith When I shall take as way their sinnes they are not yet circumcised they do not yet offer whilest they do other thinges pertaining to the law their sinnes are taken away we muste not doubtles so vnderstād him as though the fathers in the old time when they did these things and by them excercised their faith for that they saw Christe signified in them had not thereby fruite as we haue but he so spake for that now after that Christ hath suffred these things are vnprofitable in the old time they did not of the worke it selfe conferre grace as the Iewes dreamed In which thing also in our dayes the sophistical diuines are deceiued as touching our sacramēts But as touching the other argument A place of Ieremy wheras in the epistle vnto y◠Hebrues it is said that the olde iestamēt is abolished made voide the new taking place wheras Ieremy saith that God wold make a new couenant not according to the couenant which he made with the fathers whē he brought them out of the land of Egipt We answer that there the couenant is taken for the law as it is distinguished from the Gospell whiche is hereby manifest for that he sayth that he will write his lawes in theyr hartes and will graue them in their inward partes Which thing is not agreable with the law whiche onely sheweth sinnes condemneth and accuseth neither geueth strengthes yea rather it after a sorte commaundeth infinite thinges and layeth vpon vs such a burthen as we are not able to beare and therfore the prophet there saith that they abode not in their Testament Wherfore this word couenant or testament is not there so takē as we now here take it for as we here entreate of it it comprehendeth both the law and the Gospell And this way there is no differēce betwene the old testamēt and the new but onely as we declared And if thou wilt say that the prophet there also vnderstandeth this woord Testament in such sorte as we now speake of it we may then graunte that by the comming of Christe is made some abrogation The figure Sinechdoche is vsed when the old Testament is said to be abrogated when as those accidences condicions and qualities which were in the olde testamente are now abrogated Wherefore therein is vsed the figure Sinechdoche wherby a thing is simply or absolutely sayd to be abolished or made voyde when it is taken away onely as touching some parte thereof The Iewes are wonderfully troubled with this sentence of the Prophet and can scarce tell what to saye for whilest they seke to defend the old law and so to defend it that nothing is therof to be chaunged and reproue vs for that we haue chaunged circumcision into baptisme and the day of the Sabaoth into the Lords day and haue reiected many other thinges how can they affirme that a new couenaunte shal be made and not according to that which was made when they were brought out of Egipte Here they can scarce tell whiche way to turne themselues Howbeit leaste they shoulde A startyng hole of the Iewes séeme to geue place they say that onely the manner shal be diuers and thinke that the couenaunte as touchinge the thinge shal be one and the same but that vnder Messias it shall more firmely and more surely be established But we may more truely saye that this was done at the beginning of the churche when so greate aboundance of the holy ghost was poured into the beleuers y◠they not onely spread abroad the Gospell throughout the whole world but also no persecutions nor torments were they neuer so horrible no nor death though it were most sharp could cause them to depart from the couenante which they had nowe thorough Christe made with God And as manye as are in very déede faithfull do willinglye and of their owne accord cleaue vnto the truth and vnto holines And forasmuch as here is mencion made of the couenant this is to be knowne that it is for the most part called of the lattines Testamentum of the Gréekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the Hebrues Bedith all which wordes very aptlye expresse it For a testamente is so called for that it is a testimony of the last will of him which disposeth his goods and for that By what words a testament is called this is done vpon sure consideration in iust order the Grecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a disposinge For the inheritaunce is ordered in deuiding it amongest the heires But with the Hebrues Bedith signifieth a league or couenant which here had great force for in this leage was appoynted that God should be their God and I testamēt why it i◠so called they his people And the form and strength of this couenant leage and testament herein chiefly consisteth that our sinnes should be forgeuen vs and that by Christ And when the Prophet writeth that out of Sion shall come a redeemer vnto Iacob Christ shall not come again to redeme mankind it is not so to be vnderstanded as though Christ shall come againe into the worlde to redeme them for it is sufficient
imitate to approue the glory of God so often as occasion serueth with all our harte to wishe it and with a willing and glade assent to affirme and ratify it Of Iustification BVt now to make an end of the long disputation which we haue had it shall not be amisse more fully to entreate of Iustification which is the The questiō put forth scope and end of all that which Paul hath hitherto spoken of And in this sort let the question be put forth Whether men be iustified by workes or by fayth But first of all it shall be good to pease and discusse the woordes of the question proposed and let vs beginne with this woord Iustification The signification of this worde to iustifie This verbe Tsada with the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth to be iust But if it be transferred vnto the third coniugation it signifieth to transferre righteousnes into an other and to make iust for this is the nature of the forme of those verbes which they call Hiphil Euen as Amad signifieth to stand so Heamid signifieth to appoint that is to make an other thing to stand Wherfore Hitsadik in the Hebrue signifieth to iustifie that is to make one iust which thinge God is said two maner of wayes to iustifie when it is done of God is done of him two maner of wayes For sometymes he doth in very deede bring forth righteousnes in men First when with his holy spirite he frameth them agayne wholy reneweth them in restoring the strengths of their mindes and deliuering the powers of man from a great part of his naturall corruption and this is the first righteousnes which sticketh and cleaueth to our mindes by the benefite of God thorough Christ Then when he hath so restored and made them new agayne he geueth good and holy workes by the vse and frequency of which workes is engendred in our minds a quality or as they call it an habite whereby we are made prone to lyue honestly and holyly And we deny not but this kind of righteousnes is in the harts of the regenerate But sometimes God iustifieth in absoluing vs from sinnes and ascribing and imputing vnto vs righteousnes And then this woord Hitsadik is a woord taken of the lawe whiche pertayneth to iudgements as also this word Hirsehig ▪ which signifieth to declare one to be wicked and hurtfull And to iustifie is by iudgement words testimony and affirmation to count one for iust And forasmuch as there are two significations of this word to iustifie namely eyther in deede or in accompt and estimation And God is the author of either of them whether of these two shal we followe We now in treate of the latter forme of iustification in the disputation proposed Forsothe the latter and that for because the renouation inspired by the spirite of God and our righteousnes as touching the habite gotten by good workes are whilest we lyue here so vnperfect and mayned that if iudgement should be geuen by them we were neuer able to stand before the iudgement seate of God Besides that Paul disputing of this matter after he had brought forth the authority of Dauid and a testimony of the history of Abraham in Genesis vseth this word of imputing and by the proper signification thereof he reasoneth touching this present cause or question And this I suppose to be sufficient as touching the declaration of the first word namely of Iustification Now let vs entreate of fayth A man with the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth to be firme which self same verbe in the third coniugation which as I What this worde faith signifieth haue sayd is called Hiphil signifieth to geue constancy and assurednes to any promise or thing Wherefore the Latines say Fidem homini aut verbis tribuere which is in Englishe to geue fayth vnto a man or vnto words and it signifieth as much as if a man should say to beleue Wherefore this Hebrue verbe Heemin signifieth none other thing then to suppose or thinke a thing to be firme constant and sure And as touching God he which beleueth not him maketh him a lyar For Iohn sayth in his first Epistle the 5. chapiter He which beleueth not God maketh him a lyar Which thing how greauous a sinne it is let euery man consider with himself Contrariwise he which beleueth God adorneth him with glory and honour For in this Epistle to the Romanes it is written of Abraham that he staggered not thorough doubting in hauing consideration to his own body being now almost dead or to the wombe of Sara being past child bearing but gaue the glory vnto God being strong in fayth and fully persuaded that he was able to performe whatsoeuer he would Wherefore there semeth to be a certayne Analogye or proportion betwene this verbe to beleue and to iustifie as we in this place take it for as to iustifie An analogy or proportiō betwene to beleue and to iustify A double certainty of faith is by iudgement and estimation to ascribe righteousnes to a man and not to make him to be in very deede iust so to beleue is not in very deede to make the words and promises of any man sure and firme but to thinke and setle with our selfes that so they are But this acte of beleuing whereof we now intreate hath two maner of firmenes and certaynety First of the things namely of the words and promises of God which abide much more firmely then heauen and earth Secondly as touching the persuasion which forasmuch as it is wrought by the power of God is also most firme and most certayne and of an assured persuasion that is that it is neuer naked but alwayes draweth with it many and sundry motions An assured persuasiō is not naked ▪ it draweth with it also other motions of the mynde of the mind For experience and dayly vse teacheth that in things ciuile a man being well and fully persuaded of pleasaunt promises is filled with confidence reioyseth sheweth a mery contenaunce is glad and pleasaunt and cleaueth vnto hym that made the promise so that he doth by all meanes allowe him But contrariwise when he beleueth not the persuasion he laugheth at it neglecteth and contemneth it or waxeth cold and bendeth the browe wherefore it can neuer be that he which beleueth in very deede can want such affections whiche are accustomed to followe a full and stronge persuasion And therfore those that are the pure professors of the Gospell do iustly affirme that to beleue hath a very greate coniunction with action or withe the motion of confidence hope and such like affections But most of all with a sincere and firme affiance which it alwayes draweth with it Whereby it commeth to passe that in the holy Scriptures promises are made Vnto true faith is ioyned an assured confidence Promises are in the scriptures geuen both vnto saith also to cōfidence Why in the olde Testamēt is
of his noughty money and for that he wanteth money of golde euen so say we that the lawe is in deede spiritual iust and holy and he which could do all the thinges that it commaundeth should liue in them for it is Faith as it is a worke iustifieth not set forth vnto vs as life but forasmuch as none of vs either doth or can do it as it is geuen of God therfore are we not iustified by workes Moreouer also fayth if it should be coÌ„sidered as it is our workes we can not be iustified by it forasmuch as it is a worke both maimed and vnperfect and farre vnderneth that that yâ— law requireth But therfore are we sayd to be iustified by it for yâ— by it we take hold of the promises of God and of the righteousnes and merites of Christe and apply A similitude them vnto vs. Suppose there were a begger which hath a most filthy and leprous hand wherewith he receaueth the almes of him that offreth it vnto him vndoubtedly that beggar is nothing at all holpen by the filthines or leprosy of his hand but by the almes which he receaueth with his hand what maner of hands so euer The doctrine of iustificatioÌ„ is the principall point of godlines he haue There is none endued with true piety but must needes greauouslye lament be sory when he seeth that many which are called christians are ignoraÌ„t whether workes iustifie or no when as this doctrine is the head fountayne and stay of all religion and therfore of it aboue all thinges we ought to me most sure and certayne But now a dayes it is not onely called into controuersie but many disagre one from an other and perniciously erre from the true doctrine But if by complayning I might any thing preuayle I would very much complayne of this vnhappines but for asmuch as it is so and that by no meanes we can haue it otherwise this only will we diligently prouide for that we fall not into those opinions which diminishe the glory of God and are repugnant vnto the holy scriptures also are hurtful vnto our conscience Paraduenture some wil loke that I should chiefely make answer to the cursed speakings slaunders reproches with which the aduersaries do as touching this matter most vnportunately tragically infame vs but I am not so mad to thinke that these thinges are to be preferred before the setting forth and defence of the truth Wherfore first of al I wil descend to the matter and then when I haue confirmed our sentence I will picke out such wicked obieâ—ions as are layd against vs and will according to the strength that God hath geuen me ouerthrowe them And to the end it may manifestly appeare that men are not iustified by workes which thing was our first propositioÌ„ I will reherse in a iust order the course of the reasons of Paul which we hetherto haue heard whereby it may the easelyer be perceaued that I in all pointes agree with him neyther do I one here breadth depart from his doctrine In the first Chapiter he began to reproue the Gentiles because before they The first reason for the first proposition came to the knowledge of Christ although by their philosophy they knew the true GOD yet they worshipped him not as they shoulde haue done neyther gaue they thankes vnto him as to the author of all good things but became fooles and were frustrated in their reasons and cogitations and chaunged the glory of GOD and transferred it from him and gaue it not onely to the Images of men but vnto byrdes fower footed beastes and serpentes Wherefore God deliured them ouer to the affeâ—ions and desires of their owne hartes by meanes whereof they lyued most filthily and became as it is there written full of all iniquity malitiousnes fornication auarice and those vices which there followe And if in case they were such and lyued after that maner vndoubtedly they could not be iustified by their workes neither should Pauls reason agaynst the Gentiles haue bene of any force to proue vnto them that it was necessary for them to receaue the religion of Christ that they might be iustified vnles he had tought that they were vniuersally such as in the first chapiter he painted them out to be For who would thinke it to be any reason of efficacy whiche appeareth to be true onely of some and not of all And in the second chapiter he writeth in a maner the same thinges of the The second Iewes Behold saith he thou art called a Iewe and trustest in the lawe and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will and allowest the thinges that are profitable beyng instructed by the lawe thou boastest that thou art a leader of the blind a light of them which are in darknes an informer of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned as one that hath the forme of the doctrine that is by the lawe thou therefore which teachest an other doost thou not teach thy selfe Thou which preachest a man should not steale doost thou steale Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doost thou committe adultery Thou that abhorrest images doost thou robbe God of hys honour And thou which makest thy boast in the lawe doost thou by the transgression of the lawe dishonour God For the name of God as it is written is euyll spoken of among the Gentilss thorough you Such therefore were the Iewes without Christ wherefore they coulde by no meanes haue bene iustified by their workes or els they might haue aunswered Paul that they were vniustly so gréeuously accused But in what case men were before they receaued the faith of Christ is more manifestly shewed in the 3. chapiter for there we reade There is none righteous The third there is none that vnderstandeth or seketh after God all haue gone out of the way and are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throte is an open sepulchre with their tongues they haue deceaued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternes their feete swift to shed bloud destruction and wretchednes are in their wayes they haue not knowen the waye of peace the feare of GOD is not before their eyes c. These testimonies Paule gathered together out of sondry places of the holy scripture by which the nature of man being destitute of the grace of God is set forth in his coloures And that no man should say that only the idolatrous and wicked Gentles are by these wordes signified the Apostle as it manifestly appeareth sheweth that these thinges are also extended vnto the Iewes who aboue all others thought themselues most holye and therefore he addeth We knowe that whatsoeuer thinges the lawe speaketh it speaketh vnto them which are vnder the lawe And to the ende wee shoulde not doubt but that his entent was to bring an vniuersall reason he addeth Because
ye not heare what the lawe saith For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one of an handemayden an other of a free woman and he whyche came of the handemayden was borne accordynge to the fleshe but hee which came of the free woman was borne acoording to promise which thinges are spoken by an allegorye for these are two testamentes the one from the mounte Sina which gendreth vnto bondage which is Agar for Agar is mount Sina in Arabia is ioyned vnto the city which is now called Ierusalem and is in bondage with her children But Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all In these words this thing is chiefly to be noted yâ— the law gendreth not but as Agar did vnto boÌ„dage But if by the workes therof it could iustifie it should gender to liberty for what thing els is iustification then a certain liberty from sinne But forasmuch as it is both called a seruant and gendreth to bondage we ought not then by it to looke for iustification In the .v. chapter it is written If ye be circumcised Christe shall nothing profite The 39. you And he bringeth a reason of the said sentence For saith he he which is circumcised is debter to kepe the whole law So much doth Paul take iustification from circumcision and woorkes that he saith that Christe nothing profiteth them if in case after they beleue they will be circumcised And still he more stronglye confirmeth that which was said Christ is become in vaine vnto you for if ye haue iustification as the fruite of your woorkes then the comming death and bloudsheding of Christe should not haue bene necessary And I if I yet preach circumcisiom why do I suffer persecution Then is the offence of the crosse abolished the offeÌ„ce and slaunder of the crosse The 40. is that meÌ„ being wicked and otherwise sinners are counted of God iust throughe Christ crucified and faith in him here the flesh is offended here doth reason vtterly resiste whiche thing happeneth not when iustification is preached to come of workes whether they be ceremonial or morall But God would haue this offence The 41. to remaine bicause it pleased him by the foolishenes of preaching to saue them that beleue Vnto the Ephesians the. 2. chapter it is written And ye when ye were deade to trespasses and sinnes in whiche in time passed ye walked accordinge to the course of thys world euen after the gouernor that ruleth the ayre and the spirite that now woorketh in the children of vnbelief among whome also we all had our conuersation in time past in the lusts of our flesh and fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our thoughts and as it is in the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were by nature the children of wrath euen as others are Let vs note in these woordes yâ— men at the beginning before they come to Christ are dead in sinnes and therfore are not able to moue themselues to this that they should liue and be iustified who euer saw that a deade man coulde helpe himselfe Further by those wordes is shewed that they were in the power of the Prince of darkenes which worketh and is of efficacy in the children of vnbelief Seing therfore they are gouerned by him how then can they by their workes tende to iustification And because we shoulde not thinke that he spake onely of some other certaine vngodly persons he addeth All we comprehending also the Apostles a 〈…〉 them saith he were we And what did we then we were conuersante in the lustes of our flesh And to the end we might vnderstand that these lustes were not onely the wicked affections of the grosser part of the soule it foloweth we doing the will of the flesh and of the minde or of reason did follow also the thoughtes or inuentions of humane reason If we were all such from whence then commeth saluation and iustification But God which is riche in mercy for his exceeding loue sake wherwith he loued vs yea euen when we were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs together with Christ But The 42. what instrumente vsed he to geue vnto vs our saluation For by grace saith he were ye saued through faith and that not of your selues For it is the gifte of God not of workes least any man should boast Could workes be more manifestly excluded In what place then shall we put them Certeinely they follow iustification For the Apostle addeth For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath prepared that we should walke in them but before they could not be The 43. in vs which thing is very well thus described Ye were at that time without Christe being alienated from the common wealth of Israell straungers from the testamentes of promise hauing no hope and being without God in this world Who can in this state faine vnto himselfe good woorkes by which men may merite iustification And to the Phillippians the. 3. chapter If any other man maye seeme that he hath whereof he The 44. might trust in the flesh I haue more being circumcised the eight day of the kinred of Israell of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrue borne of the Hebrues as concerning the law a Pharisey as touching feruentnes I persecuted the church of God as touching the righteousnes which is of the law I was vnrebukeable Seing that Paul had so manye and so great thinges before his conuersion and that he had whereof to â—rust and boast in the flesh let vs heare what he at the lenth pronounceth of all these thinges These thinges saith he if they be compared vnto the true righteousnes whiche is throughe the faith of Christ I count losse vile and dounge If we should thereby obteine righteousnes should so profitable thinges be counted for losses so precious and holy things for vile thinges and thinges acceptable and pleasaunte vnto God for donge Let Paul take héede what he saith here or rather let the readers take héede that they beleue not Sophisters rather then Paul And to the Colossians the first chapter And The 45. you which were sometimes farre of and through euill workes enemies in your harts hath he yet now reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Here ought euery word diligently to be noted that we may sée that they which are farre of from God ought not to haue a regarde to those thinges thereby to come into fauor Peace which is ioyned with iustification can not be obteined of those which are enemies in mind there can not come good woorkes from those whiche before they be chaunged are saide to be full of euil workes But what manner of workes those were is described in the ii chapter when as it is there written And ye when ye wer dead through sinnes and through the vncircumcisioÌ„ of your flesh hath he quickned together with him The 46. forgeuing all your sinnes and hath
our selues and the truth is not in vs. And I suppose there is none that will iudge it a thing mete that there should be many mediators brought in when as there is but only one mediator betwene God and men namely the man Christ Iesus But if besides him and his merites our workes should also iustifie vs then should they be set betwene God and vs neyther should Christ be the only mediator Moreouer the Prophetes do euery where pray and The 57. Dauid also that God would wash clense expiate and purge theyr sinnes namely in forgeuing and remitting them but if they could haue attayned to that thing by theyr workes then neded they not to haue requested it by praier or at the lest way not with so greate feruency And in Iob the 15. chapiter it is written that neyther The 58. are the heauens cleane before God And in that 4. chapiter he pronouÌ„ceth the Angels not to be pure In what case then shall men be before they obteyne iustification The 59. Dauid also in his Psalmes crieth If thou lord looke streightly vpon iniquities Lord who shal be able to abide it Esay calleth them yâ— thirst vnto the waters commaundeth The 60. them to buy without siluer But our men forsooth will merite and be iustified both by merites and by workes and also by siluer Moreouer in the 40. chapiter The 61. the same Prophet when he heard a voyce wherin it was sayd vnto him cry out answered What shall I cry and it was sayd vnto him yâ— he should cry All flesh is grasse and Châ—sod that is piety or religion or mercy wherwith he succoreth his neighbour is as the flower of the field that is a thing vanishing away which streight way fadeth away neyther can it continew The same thing also affirmeth he in the 64. chap. where he sayth that all our righteousnes is as a cloth steyned withe the naturall diseasâ— The 62. of a woman Which sentence whether a man apply it vnto workes done after regeneration or before I passe not muche for eyther way will make on our side And in the selfe same chapiter he addeth Our God we are clay and thou art our creator we are the worke of thy handes And the same similitude of the clay and potter vseth The 63. Paul to the Romanes in the 9. chapiter wherein is notably declared that so much are we able to do so towards our saluation as can the clay towardes the potter to cause him to make him after this maner or that maner We could also recite testimonies which are written of the maliciousnes of our hart both in Genesis in Ieremy but I suppose I haue alredy brought testimonies inough for the confirmation of our proposition This thing only now wil I say that there haue bene men so rashe that they haue not only attributed some merite of iustification vnto honest workes and which are as they terme them morally good but also vnto supersticions workes which they themselues haue imagined and inuented For who Vnto holy water is remission of sins graunted more also to other thinges is ignoraÌ„t of yâ— rimes commonly set abrode of theyr holy water Aqua benedicta de leaÌ„tur tua delicta sit tibi laus vita That is by holy water let thy sinnes be blotted out and let it bee vnto thee prayse and life They ascribe also forgeuenes of sinnes vnto Monkes coules vnto candels and vnto the oyle of boughes and vnto the ashes of palme tree and vnto pilgrimages And from things which they so peruersly interpretated in the holy scriptures concerning merites they came vnto these so foolish and vngodly thinges Vndoubtedly none vnderstaÌ„d but they which haue experience thereof how hard a thing it is that a harte brused ouerthrowen and laden with the burthen of sinnes should when it is grieued and oppressed quiet It is a thing most hard to rest in the promises of God it selfe in yâ— free promises of God thorough Christ For in that case it very much laboureth that it may once at the length be with a firme fayth established If we should with the Sophisters will a man to haue a respect vnto hys workes then shoulde he neuer be in quiet but shoulde alwayes bee vexed and alwayes doubt of hys saluation and at the laste be swallowed vp wyth desperacion I would not that any man should thinke that when we reason of this matter we take in hand a vayne matter or a strife about wordes It is a thing whereby is What is the end and fruit of this disputation defended the honour of Christe And that whiche is proper vnto him onelye namelye to iustifye and to forgeue sinnes we seeke that the same shoulde in no case be attributed vnto workes or to any other thing els of ours we séeke that the promise should be firme and that afflicted consciences should receaue consolation in the wordes and promises of God Lastly we séeke that the Gospell should be distincted from the lawe and the lawe from the Gospell which thing they can not do which ascribe iustification vnto workes and confound and perniciously mingle them together And for the confirmation of this proposition although I could bring a great many more reasons and in a maner infinite yet these which I haue already brought shall suffice and I will omitte the rest for they which are not moued with these reasons neither will they be touched with any other Howbeit I thinke it not good to passe ouer with silence the trifling shifts and wily deceates by which the Sophisters vse to auoyde and obscure this doctrine which we haue now put forth First they say that the holy scriptures as often as they take away the power of iustifieng from workes do that only as touching the ceremonies of the old law and not as touching iust and vpright workes which commonly they call morall workes In which thing how much men are deceiued euen the testimonies of the scriptures and especially of Paul whome they affirme to be most of all on their side as touching that matter will most plainly declare For although this Apostle speaketh many thinges which séeme to pertayne both to the rites and also to the ceremonies of the lawe yet in his declaration he writeth a great many â—â—â— other thinges by which he declareth that he speaketh not onely of ceremonies â–ª but also euen of the other lawes of righteousnes and vertue yea rather altogether of those which pertaine to maners and euen vnto the table of the ten commaundements And in the first chapiter when he reproueth the Gentils that without the fayth of Christ they could not be iustified he setteth before their eyes their workes namely Testimonies of Paul by whiche is proued that moral workes are excluded from the power of iustifieng idolatry filthy lustes and toward the end of the chapiter he reherseth a very long cataloge of vices wherwith they were infected nether
speaketh he any thing of the ceremonies of Moses Wherefore forasmuch as those thinges which he there rehearseth are repugnaunt vnto the ten commaundementes and to the morall lawe we can not but thinke that of it also he vnderstandeth those thinges which he writeth And in the second chapiter he reproueth the Iewes for the like kinde of sinnes For he saith Thou which teachest an other dost thou not teach thy self Thou whiche teachest that a man shoulde not steale dost thou steale that a man shoulde not commit adultery doost thou commit adultery and thou which detestest idols dost thou robbe God of his honour Who séeth not that these thinges are contayned in the lawe of the ten commaundementes And in the third chapiter he yet more manifestly entreateth of the same when he writeth There is none iust there is none that vnderstandeth or requireth after God all haue declined and are together made vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one These thinges we sée are of the same kinde pertayne vnto maners If the apostle would haue spoken only of ceremoniall lawes he woulde neuer haue made mencion of these thinges And this is also more euidently gathered that when he had sayd no fleshe is iustified by the works of the lawe he addeth For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Wherefore that lawe iustifieth not by which we know sinne According to which meaning he said also in the 4. chapiter The lawe worketh anger so farre is it of that it should iustify but it is very manifest vnto al men that sinnes are knowen and the wrath of God prouoked against transgressors more by the ten commaundementes then by the precepts of ceremonies I will not speake also of that generall sentence wherein it is sayd in the 4. chapiter That vnto him which worketh a reward is not imputed according vnto grace but according to debt◠And also that God would haue the inheritaunce to consist of grace that the promise should abide firme and not be changed that our gloriyng might be excluded which glorying commeth no les of good workes morall then of ceremonies It is written also in the 5. chapiter that the lawe entred in that sinne should abound and where sinne hath abounded there also hath grace more abounded These thinges also can not be drawen vnto ceremonies only Moreouer in the 6. chapiter when it was obiected vnto him that by so depressing workes and the lawe he did séeme to open a gate vnto loose life and vnto slouthfulnes and vnto sinnes as now dayly they obiect vnto vs he aunswered That we ought not to abide in sinne forasmuch as we are now dead vnto it By baptisme saith he we are buried with Christ that euen as he dyed and rose agayne so also should we walke in newnes of life And he admonisheth vs that euen as Christ dyed once and dyeth no more so also should we thinke our selues dead vnto sinne but liuing vnto God And he addeth that we must haue a diligent care that sinne raigne not in our mortall body and that we geue not our members the weapon◠of iniquity vnto sinne but geue ouer our selues vnto God as men of dead folke◠now lyuing and our members the weapons of righteousnes to sanctification These thinges which we haue rehearsed and the rest whiche followe euen in a manner to the ende of the chapiter séeme they to pertayne vnto the ceremonies of Moses or rather vnto a iust sincere and morall life The thing is so playne that there nedeth no question therein yet those thinges which are written in the 7. chapiter are yet much more manifest The affection saith he which are in the members were by the lawe made stronge and of efficacy to bring forth fruit vnto death But what other thing are these affections then 〈…〉 es filthy desires anger hatred and enuy which affections are rehearsed to◠the Galathians in that Cataloge where the workes of the fleshe are seperated from the workes of the spirite And there is no doubt but that all these thinges pertayne vnto the ten commaundementes Which thing the better to vnderstand Paul addeth What shall we say then Is the lawe sinne God forbid but I had not knowen sinne but by the law For I knew not what lust ment vnles the law had said thou shalt not lust Also the lawe in deede is holy the commaundemente is holy and iust and good Agayne The lawe in deede is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne For that which I do I allow not For the good which I would I do not but the euill which I would not that I do◠wherefore it is not I now which worketh it but sinne which dwelleth in me For there dwelleth no good in me that is in my flesh I haue a delight in the lawe of God as touching the inwarde man but I feele an other lawe in my member resisting the lawe of the mynde Oh vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the law of sinne and of death Wherefore in mynde I serue the lawe of God but in fleshe the lawe of sinne Whosoeuer shall diligently weigh all these testimonies shall easely sée that the Apostle wholy speaketh of the ten commaundementes whereof also he plainly maketh mencion in those foresayd words But these words which afterward follow in the 8. chapiter That which was impossible vnto the lawe in as much as it was weake by meanes of the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of the fleshe of sinne by sinne condemned sinne in the fleshe these wordes I say can not be expounded of the lawe of ceremonies and much les that which followeth in the same chapter We are debt ours not vnto the fleshe that we shoulde liue according vnto the fleshe for if ye liue according to the fleshe ye shall dye But if by the spirite ye shall mortifye the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Neither can this be referred vnto ceremonies euē as neither can that also which is written vnto the Galathithians The lawe was put because of transgressions for where there is no lawe there is also no transgression And it is certayne that neither boasting can be excluded neither can the promise be firme if our iustification should depend of the obseruation of the ten commaundementes and of the morall preceptes howsoeuer thou take away the rites and ceremonies of Moses But much more firme is this place out of the 11. chapiter of this epistle vnto the Romanes And if it be of workes then is it not of grace if of grace then not of workes This Antithesis is vniuersall neither can it by any meanes be contracted vnto ceremonies I will not speake of that also which Paul writeth vnto the Phillippians how that he besides those precepts of Moses was conuersant without blame also as touching the righteousnes which is of the law For y◠which he writeth vnto the Ephe. the second chapter Not of workes least any man should boast
the extremity of the law be set forth in any decrée and the equity and moderation of the same extreame law be no where expressed An argument taken of the Romane law the iudge ought to follow the extreame law and ought not to adde equity whiche equity yet he may thē follow if it expressed in any law As for example All lawes agrée that if a debiter pay not his mooney at his day and the creaditour by that meanes susteyne losse the debitour is bound to beare the losse And this they call to pay the interest or as other speake to pay the dammage But bycause it is had in the digestes de Regulis Iuris In all causes that thing is taken for a facte wherein it commeth to passe that by an other mans meanes there is a stay why it is not done wherefore if the debter can proue that the fault was not in him why the mooney was not payd for he had the mooney and offerd it but the creditor was in the faulte why payment was not made although the creditor sustayne neuer so much losse by forbearing of his mooney yet is not the debter bound to make recompence by equity For by equity written it is counted for a déede when the let came by reason of an other Wherefore it manifestly appeareth that it is not in the power of a iudge or of any man to moderate lawes as he lust himself And if the case be so in the Romane lawes inuented and set forth by men what shall we thinke of the law of God For it ought infinitely to be more firme then the law of man Neither is it lawfull for vs to fayne in it any equity vnles The law of God more firme then the law of man when we se it expressed in writing As for example The law is He which shall shed mās bloud his bloud shall also be shed Here we haue the extremity of the law which vndoubtedly we ought alwayes to follow vnles in some other place equity teache y◠the same extremity ought to be mitigated But in an other place it is thus writē If two go forth together into the wood to cutte downe wood and the axe by chance falleth out of the hand of the one and killeth him that standeth by him let there be some cities of refuge vnto which this manqueller may fly and in which he may liue safely till such time as the matter be tried so that if he can proue his innocency then let him be let go free at the death of the Highe priest This equity mought the iudges vse bycause it was written in the lawes of God yea they ought also to vse it so often as they saw that the matter which they had in hand so required But that it was lawful for them by theyr authority to bend the lawes of God or to mitigate them it cā not be proued by any testimony of the holy scriptures Yea rather contrarily they were commaunded There may nothing be added vnto the law of God nor any thing taken from it The law of God is impossible to be obserued by humane strengthes that they should not decline neither to the lefte hand nor to the right hand and that they should not adde any thing vnto the law of God nor diminish any thing from it And we nede no long discource to teach that the law is impossible to be obserued as touching our strengths and especially before we are regenerate For that the scripture it selfe manifestly testifieth For Paul thus writeth in the 8. chapiter vnto the Romanes That which was impossible vnto the law in as much as it was weakened by the flesh Also in the same chapiter The wisedome of the flesh is enmity agaynst God For it is not subiect vnto the law of God yea neither can it vndoubtedly And in the first to the Corrinthians The carnall man vnderstandeth not those thinges which are of the spirit of God for neither can he for vnto him they are foolishnes Christ also An euill tree saith he can not bring forth good fruits Also How can ye speake good thinges when ye your selues are euill All these thinges doo manifestly teach that it is not possible that the law of God should be obserued by humane strengths being as they are now vitiate and corrupted But as touching these cauillations and subtle euasions of the Papistes let this suffice Now let vs come to certayne singular obiections which they make whereby they labour both to trouble vs and also to establish theyr owne fond lyes They An obiectiō touching the repentaunce of Achab. say that Achab the vngodly king did rent his garmentes at the threatninges of Elias did putte on sackecloth and so lay on the grounde and fasted and wente barefoote and for that cause the lord sayd vnto the Prophet Hast thou not sene Achab humbled before me In his dayes I will not bring the euill but in the dayes of his sonne Behold say they the workes of an vngodly king and one not yet iustified doo so please God that they pacified God towardes him But we say on the contrary that Achab was by these factes iustified For if he had had that true fayth whiche How Achab is said to be humbled before God iustified men he would not haue abiden still in idolatry and other most grosse sinnes indede he was somewhat moued at the threatninges of the Prophet but that thing which he did pertayned only vnto a certayne outward and ciuill discipline rather then to true repētaunce But God sayth that he was humbled before him I answeare that that word Before me may be referred either vnto the words of God which were spoken vnto Achab by the Prophet so that the meaning is Before me that is to say at my wordes or ells Before me that is to say in the Church of the Israelites And by that facte Achab testified that he repented of the wicked facte which he had committed and that was a good and sound example before the multitude But God which beheld the inward part of his hart saw that that repentaunce was fayned and vnfruitfull And for that cause he promised that he would only differre the punishement so that that punishement which otherwise should haue happened in his dayes should happen in the dayes of his sonne Neither is God holdeth backe his scourges for the obseruing of outward discipline this strange neither ought we to be ignoraunt thereof that for the keping of outward discipline plagues are differed and most greauous punishemētes of this present life are auoyded For our doctrine is not that all sinnes are alike God also wayted till the sinnes of the Amorhites were full And then at the length is hys wrath wont to be powred out when filthy lustes and wicked actes impudently without any bridle range abrode Yea where outward discipline is kept God oftentimes geueth many good thinges not indede for the merite of the factes but by an
not payde And as touching that place we first desire that our sinnes should be forgeuen vs. And because that by benefites receaued men are encouraged to hope that they shall receaue other and greater benefites therefore is this the meaning of that sentence O father which hast of thy goodnes geuen vs grace to forgeue iniuries vnto our trespassers forgeue vnto vs also our sinnes by these wordes also is not signified a cause but a similitude although that similitude be not perfect and absolute For there is none that is wise that will haue his sinnes so forgeuen him of God as he hath forgeuen his neighbour the iniuries that he hath done vnto him For euerye one by reason of the fleshe and that infirmity whiche it carieth about forgeueth much les vnto his brother then he ought For there alwayes sticketh in his minde some offence which although it burst not forth yet his owne conscience is a sufficient witnes vnto himselfe that his minde is not very perfect towardes him by whome he hath ben hurte But the former exposition teacheth that the similitude is to be referred not vnto remission but vnto the liberality of God that euen as he hath geuen the one so also he will vouchsafe to geue the other But whereas it is sayd Forgeue and it shal be forgeuen that is a commaundement and therfore pertaineth vnto the lawe But thou wilt obiect that that sentence is written in the Gospell and not in the lawe That is no thing at all for the lawe and the Gospell are not seperated The law the Gospell are not seperated by volumes or bookes In what maner we ought to forgeue iniuries a sonder by volumes or bookes For bothe in the olde Testamente are contayned the promises of the Gospell and also in the Gospell the lawe is not only comprehended but also most perfectly by Christ expounded Wherfore by those words we are coÌ„maunded to forgeue iniuries done vnto vs. And forasmuch as we are bound to do yâ— according to the prescript of the law that law dependdeth of this great precept Thou shalt loue the lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy strengthes according to yâ— forme therfore we ought to forgeue our enemies which thing because no man hath at any time performed neither can performe it followeth that we ought to flye vnto Christ by whome we may be iustified by faith and afterward being iustified may after a sort accomplishe that which is commaunded Which although we do not perfectly performe yet it pleaseth God and he fréely geueth vnto vs the promise annexed vnto it not Redeme thy sinnes with almes is expounded because of our workes or for our merites but only for Christes sake They go about also to blind our eyes with the wordes of Daniell wherein he exhorted the king to redeme his sinnes by almes But in that place by sinnes we may vnderstand the paynes and punishementes due vnto sinne For the scripture vseth oftentimes such phrases of speach Which thing we neuer denyed Yea rather we willingly graunt that to workes which procéede from faith God is wont to geue many thinges specially as touching the mitigation of plagues and punishements They obiect also this sentence out of the first chapiter of Iohn God gaue them power He hath geuen them power to be made the sonnes of God how it is to be vnderstand to be made the sonnes of God Wherefore they say that those which haue already receaued Christ that is haue beleued in him are not yet iustified and regenerate and made the children of God but only haue receaued power to be made the children of God namely as they thinke by good workes And in this argument Pigghius the great champion and Achilles of the Papistes putteth great affiance but yet in vayne For he thinketh that of necessity he to whome power to haue any thing is geuen hath not as yet the same thing As though we should here deale philosophically that power excludeth acte which yet euen amongest the Philosophers also is not vniuersallye true For when they defyne the soule they say that it is an acte of a body naturall hauing members or instrumentes and also hauing life in power By which definition appeareth that our body hath life in power when as yet it hath life in acte and in very déede But that worde power here signifieth that the body hath not of it selfe life but of an other namely of the soule Which thing we in this matter at this present may also affirme namely that those which haue receaued the Lord and haue beleued in him are regenerate and made the children of God and yet not of themselues but from some other waye namely of the spirite and grace of God For so signifieth this word power Although the Euangelist in that place spake not peripatetically but simply and most plainely For a little before he sayd His receaued him not By this word his he ment the Iewes which peculiarly professed the knowledge of the true God But when they had refused the truth offred vnto them God would not be without a people but appointed theÌ„ to be his peculiar people which should beleue and receaue Christ Wherefore he gaue vnto them power that is This power is adoption grace a right and a prerogatiue that when they had receaued the Lorde by faith they should be made and be indéede the sonnes of God And therefore Cirillus expounding that place saith that this power signifieth adoption and grace Farther Pigghius although he thinke himselfe very sharpe of witte yet séeth not that when he thus reasoneth he speaketh thinges repugnant For how is it possible that any man should haue life in himselfe and yet not lyue Assuredly if they in beleuing haue receaued Christ it must néedes be that straight way they haue righteousnes For as Paul writeth in the first epistle vnto the Cor. He is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holynes and redemptioÌ„ But what nede we so long a discourse The Euangelist himself declareth vnto vs who those be which haue receiued such a power namely which are not borne of bloud nor of the wil of the flesh nor of the wil of maÌ„ but of God And if they be borne of God then followeth it of necessity that they are iustified and regenerate They obiect also vnto vs a seruile feare which goeth before charity as though by it we should be prepared vnto iustification and the more easely to receaue charity Vnto whom we aunswere that such a feare without charity is sinne they replye agayne and say that Christ commaunded that feare But God commaundeth not sinne And he commaunded such a feare say they when he sayd I will shew vnto you whome ye ought to feare feare him whiche when he hath killed the body can also cast the soule into hell fire And that this feare prepareth vnto iustification they thinke may hereby be proued for yâ—
miracles and séeme to obserue the commaundements of God and his iustifications if they appoynt theyr minde and end to any other thing then they ought to do are said to sinne namely because they follow not the precept of God published by the Apostle Paul Whether ye eate or drinke or whether ye do any thing els do all thinges to the glory of God And it is moste certaine that this cannot be done without faith and charity Which faith and charity forasmuch as men not yet regenerate do want it necessarily followeth by the woordes of Basilius that their workes are sinnes Of which selfe same sentence he writeth in his 2. boke de Baptismo the 7. question And of purpose he demaundeth whether any man so long as he abideth in sinne can do any thinge that is acceptable before God Whiche thing he affirmeth to be vnpossible and that by reasons both manye in nomber and also taken out of the holy scriptures First saith he the holy ghost testifieth that he whiche worketh sinne is the seruaunte of sinne further Christ saith ye cannot serue God and Mammon for no man can serue two masters Paul also saith that light hath no fellowship with darkenes neither hath God any agreemente with Beliall Which thing also he proueth out of the booke of Genesis althoughe he follow the interpretacion of the seuenty Thus saith he spake God vnto Cain if thou offer well and deuidest ill thou hast sinned be content The sence saith he is if thou offer sacrifice as touching the outward shew and thy minde be not right neither regardest thou the end which thou oughtest to do then is thy oblation sinne With which saying agreeth that also which Esay writeth in the. 66. chapt He whiche killeth an oxe is as if he shoulde kill a man and he which sacrificeth a beast as if he should kill a dogge It is not inoughe to do a worke which is goodly and a beautifull to the eye but it behoueth also that thou apply it vnto the prescript of the law of God which is that whatsoeuer thou doost it be doone in such manner and in such condition as the lawe requireth And therefore saith he Paul sayd None shal be crowned but he which hath wrestled lawfully And it is not sufficient to wrestle vnles thou wrestle lawfully Christ also in the Gospel saith Blessed is that seruant which when his lord commeth shall finde him thus doing By which wordes it appeareth that it is not sufficient to do but behoueth also to do after such for namelye as be hath commaunded Moreouer he sheweth out of the old testamente that he committed sinne which did sacrifice vnto the true God out of the temple or not in that place where the tabernacle was For although that were sacrificed which was cōmaunded in the law yet was the condition of the place absent which the law also required And if any man had either in the temple or in that place where the tabernacle was killed an offring whiche had any spot the same man also had committed sinne because he neglected a necessary condition He citeth that also out of the Gospell which is taken out of the Prophet This people honoureth me with their lippes but their hart is farre from me And he thinketh that to the same ende tendeth that which Paule writeth in this Epistle they haue indeede the zeale of God but not accordinge to knowledge and that which he writeth of himself vnto the Phillippians That he counted for outcastes and dounge and losses all those his woorkes which he did when he liued vnder the law yea and that without blame When as therfore the affect and scope is taken away from workes which oughte to be in them what then resteth but that they are sinnes and are displeasaunt vnto God And to this ende he thinketh serueth that which Paul writeth vnto the Corinthians If I deliuer my body to be burnt and if I destribute all my goodes vnto the pore yet if I haue not charity I am nothing Wherefore vnles these men will ascribe vnto men not yet regenerate faith and charity they must of necessity graunt that they can do nothing which is not sinne or is not displeasaunte vnto God And thus farre out of Basilius Gregorius Nazianzenus in that oration which he made after he returned out Gregorius Nazianzenus of the campe and when those thinges were finished whiche were done againste Maximus saith That there is no worke accepted or allowed before God without fayth whether it be done through the desire of vayne glory or by the instinct of nature for that a man iudgeth it to be honest Here is this worthy to be noted that he sayth that the worke which is done by the instinct of nature that is in that respect because it séemeth to be honest is dead neither can it please God The selfe same sentence hath he in his oration de sancto Lauacro toward the end And in both places he addeth Euen as faith without workes is dead so is a worke also without faith dead And if it be dead how can it as these men woulde haue it merite iustification By this we sée that these two fathers although otherwise they were greate iustifiers by workes and patrons of frée will yet as touching this thing they were wholye of the same minde that we are of But Augustine most manifestly of all teacheth the same in his fourth booke against Augustine Iulianus in the. 3 chapter In which place he entreateth vpon these words of Apostle The Gentiles which haue not the law do by nature those thinges which are of the law These wordes saith he are to be vnderstand either of the Gentils conuerted vnto Christ who now fulfilled the law by the grace of the Gospel so that which he saith by nature is no otherwise to be vnderstand thē that the law is excluded but he meaneth such a nature as is now corrected and amēded by the spirit which regenerateth Or saith he if thou wilt haue those woordes to be vnderstand of the Gentils being yet vnbeleuers thou must say that they by nature fulfilled the law not in deede so muche as it required but after a sort neither did that outward ciuill righteousnes any farther profite them but to be more tollerably punished then others which vtterly casting away all discipline liued wickedly and filthely for we iudge that Fabritius is lesse punished then Catcline vnles peraduenture saith he the Pelagians haue prepared for the Fabritians Regulists Fabians Cauelistes and Scipios some middle place betwene the kingdome of heauen and the hell of the damned such a place as they haue framed for yong infants which depart without Christ. In summe he concludeth that forasmuch as without fayth it is impossible to please God infidels can by no meanes haue true vertues Which sentence the Pelagians so derided that they said if the chastitie of infidels be not true chastitie neither are theyr bodies true bodies neither is
the corne which groweth in theyr fieldes true corne Augustine confuteth them and sheweth that this is no apt similitude for the bodies of infidels forasmuch as they are made of God are true bodies their corne also for y◠it is his worke is true corne but theyr chastitie forasmuch as it procedeth out of their corrupt vitiate wil can by no meanes be counted true chastitie And he addeth that vniuersal sentence wherof we haue much spoken before Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The same Augustine vpon the 30. Psalme expounding these wordes Deliuer me in thy righteousnes who is he saith he which is saued freely Euen he in whome our Sauiour findeth not any thing worthy to be crowned but findeth much worthy to be condemned in whome he findeth not merites of good thinges but merites of punishments Hereby we sée what is the nature of humane workes before iustification The same father in his first booke 30. question to Simplicianus saith that we are commaunded to lyue vprightly and that by a reward set before vs namely that we may merite to liue blessedly for euer But who saith he can liue vprightly and worke well vnles he be iustified by faith Here we are taught that there mought be in men a merite and deseruing of happy and eternall life if they could accomplishe that which is commaunded But forasmuch as that is impossible for vs to do therefore we fall away from merite The same Augustine in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium the 121. chap. The end saith he of the commaundement i◠of charity out of a pure hart a good conscience and an vnfayned fayth The ende of euery precept is charity and is referred vnto charity And whatsoeuer is done without such charity is not done as it ought to be done Wherefore if it be not done as it ought to be done it can not be denyed but that it is sinne Chrisostome expounding these wordes of Paul The ende of the law is Christ If the Chrisostom ende of the lawe saith he be Christ it followeth that he which hath not Christ though he seeme to haue the righteousnes of the lawe yet hath he it not in very deede By these wordes we gather that he which is without Christ may indéede haue workes which may séeme good which yet in very dede can not be iust And straight way he saith Whosoeuer hath fayth the same also hath the end of the law and whosoeuer is with out fayth is farre from either of them Hereby we gather that they which haue not faith are straungers not only from Christ but also from the righteousnes of the lawe which herein consisteth to do that which is commaunded And straight way For what desireth the lawe To make a man iust but it can not For no man hath fulfilled it But because a man might obiecte although a man not regenerate can not fulfill the lawe yet if he take paynes therein and go about and trauaile he may attaine vnto righteousnes this thing also Chrisostome excludeth And a litle before when he expounded these wordes Being ignoraunt of the righteousnes of God and willing to establishe their owne righteousnes they became not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God This sayth he he calleth the righteousnes of God which is of fayth because it is altogether of the heauenly grace wherein we are iustified not by our labours but by the gift of God This selfe same thing also writeth Ambrose whē he expoundeth these words Ambrose of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered He calleth saith he them blessed of whome God hath decreed that without labour or any obseruation they shal be iustified by fayth only And vpon those words of Paul Being iustified freely by his grace They are iustified freely sayth he because by the gift of God they are iustified by faith only they themselues working nothyng nor making any recompence The same Ambrose vpon these words of Paul Wherefore death hath raigned vpon them which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam He wrote this saith he because it is impossible for a man not to sinne Which thing seing he peraduēture spake of men regenerate what is to be thought of mā that are straungers from Christ Cyprian also ad Quirinum We ought saith he to boast in nothing because we Cyprian haue nothing of our owne I suppose it sufficiently now appeareth that that is true which we affirmed namely that men before iustification can not frame their workes according to the prescript of the law and therfore are they sinnes neither can they merite iustification But if our aduersaries will obiect and say that they affirme not that those works which they call preparatory do merite iustification but only are certayne preparations by which men are made more apt to attayne vnto iustification we may thus aunswere them If they merite not why fayne ye vnto them that your merite of congruity Farther why call ye them good whē as as we haue taught they neither please God nor are done according to y◠prescript of the lawe Lastly forasmuch as they want their end and not only are but also by good right are called sinnes how teach ye that men by them are prepared vnto righteousnes when as they should much rather by them be prepared vnto punishmentes Wherfore let them once at the length ceasse to adorne them wyth these goodly titles For though peraduēture God somtimes by these workes bringeth men to saluation he doth it because of his mercy towardes men which is so great that he will vse workes whiche are of themselues euill and sinnes to their good Now let vs sée if iustification be not geuen vnto works how it is then geuen fréely and it wholy dependeth of the mere grace of God For no manner of way it dependeth of merites Which thing Origen saw for he vpon this Epistle expounding these wordes of Paul Vnto him which worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt But I saith he when I desire excellency of speach whereas he sayth that vnto him that worketh is rendred a debt can scarsely perswade my selfe that there can be any worke which can of duety requyre a recompence of God forasmuch as euen thys that we can do or thinke or speake any thing we do it by hys gift and liberality What debt then shall he owe vnto vs whose grace preuenteth vs A little afterward he rendreth a reason of hys saying which reason Augustine oftentimes vsed For he bringeth that place of Paul The stipend of sinne is death But the grace of God is eternall life For here the Apostle added not But the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life which yet the nature of the Antithesis required For Pauls meaning was to declare that our wicked workes of duty deserued death and that euerlasting death but eternall life is not geuen but only by grace wherefore in
this place of Zachary it may be expounded two manner of wayes First that those are the wordes of the law commaunding yet by theÌ„ cannot be proued yâ— a man can be conuerted vnles God conuert him For What are the inward motions in iustification of it Augustine thus writeth Lord geue that which thou coÌ„maundest and commaund what thou wilt An other exposition is this in iustification are two inward motions of which the one pertayneth vnto reason which as we haue said hath nede not onely to be taught but also to be persuaded and to be drawen into the sentence of the holy ghost the other motion pertaineth vnto the wil that it may be bowed to receiue al those things which the holy ghost promiseth and offreth And this is the faith by which we are iustified and wherby our sinnes are forgeueÌ„ vs. But forasmuch as these things are done secretly in the inward partes of the mind the Prophet speaketh not of them but rather spake of those things which follow For man after he is once iustified beginneth to be conuerted vnto good works Wherfore he which before liued dissolutely and wickedly now behaueth himselfe wel and orderly and being renewed with grace and the spirite worketh together with the power of God Of this conuersion the Prophet speaketh when he sayth Be ye conuerted vnto me And God promiseth to heape them vp with great benefites which is signified by this And I will be conuerted vnto you For before when he withdrew from them his benefites and afflicted them with captiuities and other miseries he seemed to be turned away from them Wherfore the Prophet spake not of the inwarde iustification but of the outward conuersion vnto good workes But Ieremy when he said Conuert vs Lord and we shall be conuerted had a respect vnto those inward motioÌ„s of the mind which we haue now described But our men of Trent when they thus say although they faine that they differ from the Pelagians yet in very deede they can neuer proue it They say that they deny not grace but in very deede they put that grace which the Pelagians would neuer haue denied But let vs see what degrees and what preparations these men appoynt â—o iustification First say they a man which is to be iustified being called stirred vp by the grace Degrees of iustification appointed by the Synode of Trent of God beginneth to beleue those things which are written in the holy scriptures then is he smitten with the feare of the sinnes which he hath committed afterwarde loking vnto the mercy of God he beginneth to haue a good hope this hope being conceiued he loueth God out of which loue springeth in him a certaine detestation of sinnes and a purpose to liue wel lastly he receiueth baptisme or the sacrament of repentaunce and herein say they consisteth iustification For all other things which went before were only preparations But these men see not that we ought farre otherwise to iudge of baptisme For the holy scriptures teache that Abraham was first iustified by faith in vncircumcision and then he receiued circumcision as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a seale of righteousnesse already receiued This selfe same consideration according to the Analogy is to be kept in baptisme For our baptisme answereth vnto the circumcision of the elders When these men put that fayth the feare of God hope charitie The degrees of Trent before brought are coÌ„futed What causes of iustication they of Trent assigne detestation of sinne and a new purpose of liuing vprightly are only certaine preparations vnto iustification they decree that a man may be perfecte before he be iustified Then they adde the causes of our iustification and beginne at the finall cause and that say they is the glory of God and our saluation The efficient cause they say is GOD himselfe of his mercye The meritorious cause as they call it they put to be Christ Iesus by his death on the crosse and the sheading of his bloud â–ª And hitherto in dede all is wel The formall cause they say is the iustice of God not that iustice whereby he himself is iust but that which he communicateth vnto vs wherby we truely bothe are counted iust and also are so in deede By which wordes they vnderstand the renewing of a man now regenerate and his new forming by grace and the holy ghost And that these things are done in a man already iustified we deny not but that iustification consisteth therein we can not graunt For Paule affirmeth Wherin iustification properly consisteth â–ª it to consist herein that our sinnes are forgiuen vs and that they are no more imputed vnto vs. And to confirme this he citeth a testimony out of Dauid Blessed are they vvhose iniquities are forgiuen and that testimony also out of Genesis Abraham beleued God and it vvas counted vnto him for righteousnesse And to the end he would expresse the thing more plainly he oftentimes in that selfe same place vseth this word Imputacion And therefore say we that in Iustificatâ—oÌ„ cannot consist in that righteousnes which cleaueth in â—â— vs. that righteousnesse and instauration wherby we are reformed of God can not consist iustification for that it through our corruption is imperfect neither can we with it staÌ„d before the iudgement seat of Christ Farther they say that this righteousnesse wherby they will haue vs to be iustified is distributed vnto euery man by the holy ghost as it pleaseth him which saying in deede may be suffred For the holy ghost is the disposer in the distribution of the giftes of God But they goe on farther and say According to the measure of the preparation but this can by no meanes be borne with all For we haue before shewed out of the fathers and chiefly out of the holy scriptures that all those things which are done before iustification are sinnes so farre is it of that they can merite and prepare vnto iustification Farther these men teache that iustification being once had men ought neuer to be thereof assured and certaine but ought to be doubtfull and carefull And when we obiect that this is to derogate yâ— truth of the promises of God and the dignitie of grace they deny that to be true For they say that they doubt not of the promises of God but when they looke vpon their owne indispositions as they call it then at the length they begin of necessitie to doubt Vndoubtedly this is not to be meruailed at for if a man haue a regarde to his owne vnworthinesse he shall not only doubt of the promises of God but also shall be most assured that he can not be iustified But the holy scriptures teache farre otherwise For they set forthe vnto vs the example of Abraham how that he contrary to hope beleued in hope and that he when now A man being iustified doubteth not of his iustification he was in a maner a hundreth yeares of age had no
glory of God For when as nothing is attributed vnto our merites and workes it must néedes be that the whole glory redoundeth vnto God Therefore Paule saith of Abraham he gaue the glory vnto God knowing this most fully that what soeuer he had promised he was able also to performe And the more to expresse the certainty of faith he vsed this participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he signifieth that Abraham with a certaine most full assent embrased the promesse of God And least any man should thinke that this was a proper and peculâ—are prerogatiue geuen vnto Abraham the Apostle addeth an vniuersall rule and saith that it was not written for him only that it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but also for vs vnto whome it shall be imputed so that we beleue in him which raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Farther out of the .v. chapter we haue also an other testimony wherfore seing saith he we be iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through Iesus Christ by whome we haue accesse through faith into this grace wherein we stand Here are two things to be noted the one is that we are iustified by faith and that by grace the second that vnto this grace is not an entraunce made open by preparatioÌ„s or works which dispose vs but only by faith In the. vâ—ij chapter are set forth as it were certaine steppes and degrees by which we must come to eternal saluation WhoÌ„ he hath foreknown saith he those also hath he predestinate that they shold be like fashioned vnto the image of the sonne of God that he might be the first begotteÌ„ amongst many brethreÌ„ And whoÌ„ he hath predestinate those also hath he called And whoÌ„ he hath called those hath he iustified and whoÌ„ he hath iustified those also will he glorifie Here are reckened vp .v. degrees foreknowledge predestination vocation iustification and glorification in which as touching our purpose let vs consider what commeth betwene vocation and iustification And that is nothing else but faith For for as muche as vocation is done by the promise of iustification and of saluation the same is receiued by faith geuing assent thereunto Towardes the ende of the .ix. chapter is set forthe a difference betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles and a reason is geuen why the Gentiles obtained righteousnesse and not the Iewes For thus Paule saith What shall we say then That the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue taken holde of righteousnesse which is by faith But Israell which followed righteousnesse attained not vnto the lawe of righteousnesse bicause they sought it not by faith but as it were by workes What caÌ„ there be more manifest then these words for they declare that they which wil be iustified by faith doe obtaine righteousnesse but those which doe aspire vnto it by works doe labor but in vaine This self thing he proueth euen from the beginning of the .x. chapter where he describeth two kindes of righteousnesse the one which he calleth ours which consisteth of works the other which he calleth the righteousnesse of God which is taken holde of by faith And thus he writeth They being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to establishe their owne are not obedient vnto the righteousnesse of God Hereby it is manifest that they which wil establish their owne righteousnesse â–ª that is the righteousnesse of works do fall away from the righteousnesse of God Paule goeth on and more plainly openeth the nature of these two kinde of righteousnesses Moses sayth he thus wryteth of the righteousnesse which commeth of the lawe The man which dothe these things shall liue in them By these words he sheweth that the righteousnesse of the law consisteth in workes But of the righteousnesse which commeth of faithe he thus speaketh Say not thou in thine heart who shall ascend vp into heauen to fetch Christ from thence or who shall descend into the deepe to fetche vp Christ againe from the dead But what saith he The word is nigh thee euen in thy mouthe and in thine heart The same is the worde of faith which we preach which word he which beleueth in his heart and with his mouth confesseth the Lord Iesus Christ shal be saued Hereby we se that not the righteousnesse of the lawe which is had by workes but the righteousnesse of faithe is it which bringeth saluation And this is by the latter words more manifestly confirmed For in that there is added With the heart we beleue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth is confession made vnto saluation the later clause touching confession which semeth to be an outward worke is therfore added least we shold thinke that the faith wherby we are iustified should be idle for it is not a vaine barren faith such a one as our aduersaries dreame that we obtrude It hath most pleÌ„tifull and most aboundant fruits amongst which the confession of piety obtaineth the first place and is most necessaryest Hereunto Paule addeth a testimony out of the Prophet he which beleueth in him shall not be made ashamed They are commonly ashamed which coÌ„trary to their expectation are frustrated of that which they hoped to haue obtained Wherefore the meaning is He which beleueth in Christ and by this faith waiteth for saluatioÌ„ shal not be put to shame bicause he shall not be frustrated of his hope He addeth also an other testimony taken out of the Prophet Ioel Whosoeuer doth call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued in which words the promise of saluation seemeth to be ascribed vnto inuocation But Paule profitably teacheth as I haue before oftentimes said wheÌ„ Note thaâ— the scriptures teach a resolution froÌ„ workes â–ª vnto fayth And againe from fayth to his obiect promises seeme to be adioyned vnto workes we must alwayes run from them vnto the roote and foundation namely vnto faith So Paule in this place when he had sayd Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued straight way addeth how shall they cal vpon him in whom they haue not beleued So he resolueth the whole matter from inuocation into faith And that we shold not think that faith by his owne power hath any thing whereby it can iustifie he againe passeth from it vnto the obiect saying how shall they beleue without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Also faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Wherefore the vttermost point of the resolution is the worde of God and promesse touching Christ from whence as from the fountaine is deriued our saluation and iustification In the .xj. chapter is set forthe the Antithesis betweene incredulitie and faith which serueth very muche to confirme that which we now teache The braunches were broken of that I might be grafted in This was an obiection of the Gentiles against the Iewes Paule answereth thou sayest well
bicause of vnbeliefe they were broken of but thou standest by faith Here is geuen the reason of the fall and destruction of men and on the other side of saluation and constancie namely vnbeliefe faith And of the Iewes which should one day be restored he addeth And if they abide not stil in their vnbeliefe they shal be againe grafted in for God is of might to graft thē in Héere we sée that by departing from vnbelief which consisteth in beleuing Hereby is proued that the restoring of thē that fall cōmeth by faith men that haue fallen are restored This maketh very muche against the error of those which although they after a sort confesse that the first iustification is giuen fréely without any workes going before yet vnto men that haue fallen they graunt not restitution vnto iustification but by satisfactions and many workes preparatory These things haue I gathered out of the Epistle vnto the Romanes now will we in order prosecute the other Epistles In the first Epistle to the Corinthians the first Chapter it is thus written bicause the world in the wisedome of God knew not God by wisedome it pleased God by the folishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleue Bicause the wise men of this world saith the Apostle by their naturall searching out could not take hold of the wisedome of God whereby they might be saued God of his goodnesse hath instituted a contrary way namely the preaching of the Gospell which vnto the flesh séemeth foolishnesse that by it saluation should be geuen vnto men but yet not to all sortes of men but to those only that beléeue Wherfore in the .ij. to the Corinthians the. 1. chapter it is thus written by faith ye stand by which wordes we vnderstand that the foundation wherby we are confirmed and established in the way of saluation is faith Farther Paule to the Galathians the .ij. Chapter where he reproueth Peter for his dissimulation wherby he séemed to lead the Gentiles to obserue the Ceremonies of the Iewes thus speaketh If thou being a Iewe liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as doe the Iewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to liue as doe the Iewes For we which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the workes of the law and we beleue in Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ not by the workes of the law because by the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified Héere we sée that the Apostles therefore folowed Christ y◠they might be iustified by faith which they could not obtaine by works And afterward the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which is all one as if he should haue said As yet in déede sinne sticketh in my fleshe and in it I cary death about but yet notwithstanding I haue life not through mine owne merite but by the faith of the sonne of God In the .iij. chap. he thus wryteth I would know this of you receiued ye the spirite by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith And straight way he addeth he which ministreth vnto you the spirit in you worketh miracles doth he the same by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith By these words we sée that it is faith and not works wherby we take holde of the gifts of God and he addeth ye know that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and that vndoubtedly for no other cause but because in beleuing they imitate him Wherfore sayth he the scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles by faith shewed before hande glad tidings vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all nations be blessed This blessyng spred not abrode vnto them bicause they had their beginning of the flesh of Abraham but bicause they followed the steppes of his faith Otherwise of Abraham as touching the fleshe came not as farre as we can read any other nations then the Ismaelites Edomites and Israelites Then foloweth the conclusion Therefore they which are of faith shal be blessed with faithfull Abraham But to be blessed in the Hebrew phrase is nothing else then to receiue the gifts of God amōgst which iustification is the principallest Wherefore it followeth That vnto the Gentiles through Christ might come the promise made vnto Abraham that we might receyue the promise of the holy Ghost through faith We sée therefore that the promise of the holy ghost is not taken hold of by workes as many faine it is which thing euen reason sufficiently declareth For seing the Lord as it shall a litle afterward be declared had by promise geuen this blessing vnto Abraham we must se what is referred vnto the promise as a correlatiue Which as we haue sayd cā be nothing ells but fayth for fayth setteth forth vnto it selfe the promises of God as an obiect Paul furthermore addeth that the scripture concludeth all thinges vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christ should be geuen to them that beleue Thys is the cause why y◠holy scriptures so diligently shew vnto men how they be guilty of sinnes namely that they should be the more stirred vp to embrase y◠promises of God at the least way by fayth when as they haue not good workes by which they may take hold of them And this vnderstand we by that which is afterward written The law is our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by fayth These wordes signifie nothing els but that y◠law therfore sheweth sinnes setteth forth vnto mē their infirmity and stirreth vp theyr lustes wherby sinnes are more and more encreased that they being thus admonished should returne vnto Christ and might from him thorough fayth receaue righteousnes Which thing they vndoubtedly did of whome it is sayd Ye are all the children of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sons of God but to haue now obteyned adoption which we obteine only by regeneration or iustification And in the 4. chapiter Brethern sayth he we are after Isaake children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing ells but to beleue those thinges which God promiseth wherby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaake borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the 5. chapter he writeth We in the spirite looke for the hope of righteousnes by fayth In this place are two thinges touched the sprite of God whereby we are new facioned and renewed vnto saluation and fayth wherby we apprehēd righteousnes Wherfore in this matter of our iustificatiō although there be in our minds many ther workes of the holy ghost yet none of them except fayth helpe to iustification Therfore the Apostle concludeth Circumcision is
abideth in death and therby he concludeth that of loue is had iustification life This is al one as if a man should say he which can not laugh is not a man Ergo by the power of laughing a man obtaineth to be a man But how absurd this is euery man may easely perceiue For to be men we haue it of the soule endued with reason Vnto which soule for as muche as the power of laughing is of necessitie ioyned this proposition which we haue brought is euer true He which can not laughe is not a man So is that most certaine which Iohn saith That he which loueth not abideth in deathe although he haue not life of loue but of faith wherewith loue is of necessity ioyned He citeth also those wordes of Christ If ye had God to your father doubtlesse ye should loue me Therfore sayth he of loue we haue the adoption whereby we are made the childrē of God But here also he vseth the self same forme of reasoning For they which loue not Christ are not the children of God and yet haue we not of loue to be the children of God but of faith out of which loue springeth After the selfe same maner a man mought say if thou wert liberall thou shouldest also be prudent And this in déede is a true proposition And yet it foloweth not that a mā is by liberalitie made prudent Yea much rather of prudence springeth liberalitie To be brief these arguments and such other like conclude nothing else then that iustification can not consist without loue and other christian vertues And yet cā not thereof be rightly gathered that a man is iustified for these vertues sake Pighius addeth moreouer this sentence of Christ If any man loue me he will keepe my commaundementes and I and my father will come to him and make ou◠abiding with him By these words it appeareth saith he that iustification foloweth of loue and the obseruing of the commaundements of God For those being obserued Christ promiseth that he will come with his father and abide with vs. For he thinketh that to receiue and to retaine Christ is nothing ells then to be iustified We confesse that when Christians being now regenerate and iustified doo liue vprightly and by good workes doo shew forth theyr fayth God commeth vnto them and heapeth them vp with greater giftes and a more ample grace For God although otherwise he be euery where yet is expressedly sayd to come vnto them in whome he beginneth to worke new workes And sithen he dayly encreaseth and adorneth his which behaue themselues vprightly and godly and faythfully excercise the talents committed vnto them it is very well sayd that he dayly cōmeth vnto them by reason of new giftes And this is that kind of visiting wherof Christ speaketh in the Gospell of Iohn But if we will know the first accesse of God comming of Christ vnto our hartes to dwell in them Paul teacheth it vs to the Ephesians For thus he writeth That Christ may thorough fayth dwell in your hartes Wherfore this sentence of Christ teacheth not that iustification commeth of loue For iustification goeth before it although not in time yet in order Pighius procedeth and maketh such a distinction of testaments that some he sayth are absolute and fre by which the heyre may streight way enter vpō the inheritance other some are conditionall which make no heyre but vpon certayne conditions And to this latter kind referreth he the testamēt of God And therfore contendeth he y◠except those conditions be performed none can be iustified Here we deny his assumpt namely that the testament of God touching the remission The promise concerning iustification hath not a condition ioyned of sinnes in Christ hath any condition ioyned with it Which thing Paul testifieth in his 3. chapiter to the Galathians when he thus writeth ▪ Brethern I speake accorto the maner of men Though it be but a mans testament yet when it is confirmed no mā doth abrogate it or adde any thing therunto Now to Abraham were made the promises and to his sede he sayd not To the sedes as speaking of many but as of one and in thy sede which is Christ. And this I say that the law whiche began 430. yeares after can not disanul the testament before approued of God towards Christ that it should make the promises of none effect These wordes most manifestly declare that the testament which God made with Abraham was pure and absolute without any condition of y◠law Which thing the words of Genesis declare For God once promised vnto Abraham the blessing Afterward was geuen the law which vnto those promises should adde conditions of precepts so that if men would be iustified and obteyne them they should know that they must performe accomplish all the commaundementes of God But this latter way of iustification although it can by no meanes be accomplished can not let or make voyd the first way But that first way was nothing ells but the Gospell thorough Christ And that men should the more willingly come vnto it there was set forth also the latter way of iustificatiō by works that men when they vnderstode that they were not able to performe them should fly vnto Christ of whome when as being iustified they endeuored themselues to liue vprightly they might fréely receaue the promises set forth in the law Now let vs sée what be those conditions which this man ascribeth vnto the Testament of God In the. 103. Psalme it is written The mercy of the Lord is from generation vnto generation vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon childrens children vpon those which kepe his testament and are mindfull of his commaundements to doe them Of these words Pighius gathereth that the feare of God the mindefulnes of the Testament of God the endeuor to performe his commaundements are the conditions of the promises of God But here I do not a litle meruail y◠Pighius would affirme that a man is iustified by loue whē as he confesseth that the holy scripture attributeth the same vnto feare But we wil not stick with Pighius y◠he be contrary vnto himselfe But if we wil harken vnto the scriptures in y◠33. Psalme Mercy is promised vnto thē that hope For thus it is written And him that hopeth in God mercy shall compasse about Also in an other place it is written he which beleueth shall not be confounded and he which calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be made safe But who séeth not that all these vertues are in a man already iustified and that God hath mercy vpon him But here lay all the controuersie vnto which of these vertues chiefly iustification is to be ascribed Vndoubtedly by the testimony of the scriptures the same is to be attributed vnto faith Pighius saith moreouer that in that condition which he alleaged is sayde that they should be mindfull of the commaundements of God
to doe them there is not added saith he to doe all the commaundements God receiueth a man which endeuoreth himselfe to doe them and of his mercy forgeueth many things But this that is written To doe them must of necessitie be vnderstand of all For doubtlesse in the lawe which this man calleth the Testament are written all And if God forgeue or remit any thing he doeth it to men already regenerate And not vnto Vnto those which are not iustified nothing is remitted of the rigor of the law them that are straungers from him children of wrath such as they must néedes be which are not as yet iustified but stil prepare themselues and are bent to performe the conditions Vnto these I say nothing is remitted wherefore they are bound vnto all And therefore Moses said as Paul testifieth Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things that are written in the boke of the law Farther he maketh a contention also about the production of fayth and demaundeth from whence it hath his beginning in vs. We in one word easely answer that it hath his beginning of the holy ghost But he faineth himselfe to wonder From wheÌ„ce faith is ingenerated in vs. how we graunt the holy ghost vnto a man before he doth beleue For he thinketh that to be absurd First I can not deuise how this man should so much wonder at this But afterward I perceaue that he manifestly maketh and teacheth with the Pelagians that fayth is of our selues and that it is gotten by humane strengthes For otherwise if he beleued that it is of God and of the holy ghost he would not seperate the cause from his effect But that he should not thinke that we without good reason do attribute vnto the holy ghost the beginning of fayth let hym harken vnto the moste manifest testimonyes of the Scriptures Paule sayth in the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians Not in the words which mans wisedome teacheth but which the holy ghost teacheth that your faith should not be of the wisdome of men but of God And in the same place The carnall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that are of God neither can he for vnto him they are foolishnes for they are spiritually discerned â–ª But how can they be spiritually discerned except the spirite of God be present Children also know that of * Coniugata be those wordes which being of one kind be dâ—riued of an other as of iustice a iust man or a iust thing Coniugata are deriued firme arguments And vnto the Galathians God sayth he hath sent his spirit into our hartes whereby we cry Abba father For by the spirit we beleue and in beleuing we call vpon God Yea and the spirit himselfe as it is written vnto the Romanes beareth testimony vnto our spirit that we are the children of God And vnto the Ephesians Be ye strenthened by the spirit in the inward man that Christ may by fayth dwell in your harts Here we sée that that fayth whereby we embrase Christ commeth of the spirit of God whereby our inward man is made stronge The Apostles when they sayd Lord increase our fayth manifestly declared that it sprang not of their owne strengthes but of the the breathing of God And Paul in the 1. to the Corrinthians the 12. chapiter Vnto one saith he is geuen the word of wisedome vnto an other the word of knowledge vnto an other fayth vnto an other the grace of healing And then is added that it is one and the selfe same spirit which worketh all these thinges deuiding vnto euery man as pleaseth him And if thou wilt say that this place and the foresayd petition of the Apostles pertayneth vnto the particular fayth by which are wrought miracles doubtles I will not be much agaynst it And yet if thou wilt nedes haue it so I will reason a minori that is from the lesse For if these frée gifts are not had but from the spirit of God much les can that vniuersall and mighty fayth whereby we are iustified he had from els where Farther Paul vnto yâ— Rom. Vnto euery one sayth he as God hath deuided the measure of fayth And in the latter to the Cor. Hauing saith he the self same spirit of fayth eueÌ„ as it is written I haue beleued for which cause also I speake we also beleue and speake that God which raysed vp Iesus from the dead shall through Iesus rayse vp our bodyes also Vnto the Gal. are reckned vp the fruites of the spirite Charity ioy peace patience lowlines gentlenes fayth meekenes and temperaunce Fayth here is numbred among the fruites of the spirit wherefore it procedeth of the spirit But vnto the Ephesians he sayth more manifestly By grace you are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And in the Actes of the Apostles it is thus written The Lord opened the hart of the woman that sold silkes to geue hede vnto those thinges which Paul spake And in the 13. chapiter They beleued as many as were predestinate vnto eternall life Wherefore it is not to be doubted but that fayth is ingenerated in our harts by the holy ghost who yet may indede be had of them which beleue not but that yet is onely perswading and not as sanctifying them How the holy ghost is in man not regenerate And although in the elect he sodenly poureth in fayth yet forasmuch as he is the cause of fayth he is therefore before it both in dignity and in order Now let vs sée what absurdities Pighius gathereth out of this sentence If the spirit sayth he be the author of our fayth and vseth the instrument of the word of God and may be also in them that beleue not how commeth it to passe that wheÌ„ as there are many at one and the selfe same sermon where as both spirit is preseÌ„t and the word preached yet part do beleue and part beleue not we answere in one word that that coÌ„meth because the spirit is not of like efficacy in all men neither doth after one the selfe same maner teach all meÌ„ inwardly and in yâ— minde But of his will we can not render in cause although we nothing doubt but that it is most iust If the matter be so sayth he the hearers will easely content them selues neither will they put to their endeuor or studie for they know that that is in vaine when as it wholy dependeth of the spirite of God This is not only a very common but also an enuious obiection But we answer that all men are bouÌ„d to beleue the word of God and therfore theyr bounden duety is diligently and attentiuely to hearken vnto it with all their strengthes to assent vnto it And if they so doe not they shal then incurre the punishment of the law neither are they to be hearkened vnto if they shall say that they could not obey it or if they would haue
Pighius when thou she west me one which being not yet regenerate by his owne strengths repenteth him of all his iniquities obserueth al the commaundements of God we wil say that he is iustified by his works But when will this ship ariue wherfore let him cease to boast of the words of the law For those words what so euer they be whether they pertaine vnto promises or vnto proceptes we will after this maner interprete But he saith moreouer that Christ also sayd He that dothe the will of my father shall enter into the kingdome of heauen But the Lord saide not saith he He which beleueth Yea but I say that in an other place he did and maketh no mention of any worke For this saithe he is the will of my father that he which seeth the sonne and beleueth in him haue eternall life Let not Pighius then from henceforth deny that the Lord euer spake this But that no man should thinke that the scriptures speake things contrary I answere that these two sentences are not repugnant but agrée very well together Pighius by the will of the father vnderstandeth a great heape of good workes But Christ saith this is the work of God that ye beleue And after this action of beleuing follow many other good workes Wherefore the holy scriptures are not repugnant one to the other And Pighius argument is left weake and of no efficacie But bicause Pighius séeth himselfe vrged with the word of God for that so oftentimes is red in the holy scriptures that man is iustified by faith He saith that that is to be vnderstande of a liuely and strong faith which hathe ioyned with it other vertues As thoughe forsothe we euer spake of any other faith If he speake this from the heart he beleueth the self same thing that we beleue Wherfore lay aside the contention and the controuersie being ended let vs all agrée in one But Pighius cannot abide that this agréement should take place For afterward when he expoundeth how we are iustified fréely he saith that that is nothing else but that God will fréely impute vnto vs vnto righteousnesse the works of faith hope and charitie What haue we héere to do Doubtlesse it séemeth vnto me that this man doth not with a sound iudgment read the scriptures but doth with a corrupt affection wrest them at his pleasure For where workes are Paule denyeth that there is any frée imputation for these two are repugnaÌ„t one to the other Wherfore in that Pighius goeth about to ioyne them together doeth he not séeme most manifestly to be against the Apostle Thus muche of Pighius vnto whome our Smith the eight wise man of Gréece and the first wise man of Englande adioyneth himselfe a companion as Theseus did vnto Hercules But in very déede hâ— bringeth nothing else but that which he hath drawne out of the sinks of this man and other suche like First he saith that faith is not touching remission of sinnes and therefore we fondly faine that iustification is had by it For the faith saith he wherby Christians are discerned from no Christians is in Iesus Christ Which thing also as though it made much to the purpose he goeth about to proue by yâ— holy scriptures and by a testimony of Ierome But I would haue this man to answere me if euer he learned the Hebrew tongue what is the signification of this name Iesus Vndoubtedly amongst all the Hebrewes this word Iaschag signifieth to saue wherefore Iesus may in Latine rightly be turned Seruator that is a sauior But if which thing I thinke true he be ignorant of the Hebrew tongue yet he ought at yâ— least to haue beleued the Angel which so interpreted that name Thou shalt call his name saith he Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes How then can faith be in Christ Iesus vnlesse it be also touching the remission of sinnes through Christ Afterward he is not aferd to cite that also out of the Epistle of Peter Charitie couereth a multitude of sinnes Behold saith he forgeuenes of sinnes is here ascribed not vnto fayth but vnto charitie He that will haue a mete axe to cutt those knots a soâ—der let him attentiuely consider the holy scriptures and diligently sée from whence those places which are cited in the new testament are taken out of the old This sentence of Peter is had in a maner out of the 10. chap. of the Prouerbs For there it is thus written Hatred stirreth vp rebukes For whome a man hateth he vncouereth and publisheth abroad his faultes as much as in him lieth But contrariwise Charitie hideth and couereth the sinnes of his brother For they which truly loue one an other are wont to defend one and other and to couer one an others faults so much as they se by conscience they may And this is a most true sentence of Salomon Wherfore Peter going about to exhort Christians vnto Charity wisely and aptly borowed this sentence out of Salomon But Smith not vnderstanding nor considering this thinketh that Peter thought that remission of sinnes is gotten by Charity But he is most fowly deceaued as oftentimes he is wont to be But leauing these men aside let vs this remember that if any time the Fathers seme to attribute righteousnes vnto workes the same is not to be vnderstand of that righteousnes which God fréely imputeth vnto vs thorough Christ but of yâ— inward righteousnes cleauing vnto vs which we continually get and confirme by vpright life Or if those thinges which they speake doo manifestly pertayne vnto the righteousnes imputed that is vnto the remission of sinnes we must alwayes as we haue before taught run vnto the foundacion of good workes namely vnto a liuely fayth in Christ Which rules and such like if our aduersary would consider they would neuer so impudently obstinately defend so manifest lyes Although if I should speake any thing touching Pighius forasmuch as I sée that he is nether of dul wit nor vnlearned I can not say that he in earnest and from the hart wrot touching this matter but when he had once taken the matter in hand he counted these thinges for pastime and pleasure But now to prosecute that order which I haue appoynted let vs come vnto the Fathers and sée how muche they make on our side And vndoubtedly for thys matter shall we not nede any great nomber of testimonies For euen as to vnderstand of what tast the water of the sea is it is not nedeful yâ— a man drinke vp the whole sea so to vnderstand what the Fathers thinke touching this we shall not nede to go thorough all theyr sayings Ireneus a most auncient author in his 4. booke and 30. chapter agaynst Valentine writeth somewhat touching this matter although briefly And I suppose that he for this cause wrote so briefely of it for that this truth was in those first times so confessed and certayne that it was not of any
then is it certayne that he beleueth not This of necessitie followeth of the former conclusion For if euery one which beleueth sinneth not then doubtles whosoeuer sinneth beleueth not Let Pigghius now go laugh for that we say that by greuous sinnes true faith is lost or is in such a dead slepe that it hath not his act And let him aggrauate the matter as much as he can that he which sinneth greeuously neither beleueth that there is a God nor also the rest of the articles of the faith Origen both thinketh writeth the selfe same thing that we do And he saith moreouer that there is a tokē of true fayth where sinne is not committed as contrariwise where sinne is committed it is a token of infidelitie Again he addeth in the same chap. If peraduenture that which is said of the Apostle to be iustified by faith seme to be repugnant with that which is sayd that we are iustified freely For if fayth be offred first of the man he can not seme to be iustified frely we must remember that euen fayth it selfe is geuen of God and this he proueth by many testimonies But this thing our Pigghius can not abide For he derideth vs as often as we say that fayth is had by the breathing of the holy gost For he saith y◠it is wonderfull y◠the holy gost wil haue his abiding worke in thē which do not as yet beleue The same Origen vpon Leuiticus in his 3. boke 3. chap. The holy sicle sayth he representeth our fayth For if thou shalt offer fayth vnto Christ as a price vnto the imaculate ramme offred vp for a sacrifice thou shalt receiue remission of sinnes Here also we haue expressedly that remission of sinnes is obtayned by y◠fayth I say which is directed vnto Christ deliuered vnto death and sacrificed for vs. There can nothing be more manifest thē these testimonies which Origen hath brought for vs. But these mē are so obstinate that they wil not be led from y◠opiniō which they haue once take in hand to defēd although thou bring neuer so gret light with thē least they should séeme to any of theirs to haue defended an il cause Cyprian beside those thinges which we haue spoken of the coniunction of fayth with a good life writeth also in his 3. booke to Quirinus that fayth onely profiteth and that we are able so much to performe as we do beleue The first part of this sentēce pertayneth vnto the third article of this question but the latter serueth very much for that which we are now in hand with It is a wonderfull saying doubtles that so great is the force of fayth that by it we are able to do whatsoeuer we will And yet did not Ciprian thinke it sufficient absolutely to pronounce this but hath also confirmed it by many and sundry testimonyes of the scriptures As touching Basilius and Gregorius Nazianzenus that shal suffice which I haue before cited Chrisostome in his sermon which he hath entitled de fide lege naturae spiritu sayth that euen fayth is of it selfe able to saue a man And for an example he bringeth forth the thief who he sayth onely confessed and beleued But workes sayth he alone can not saue the workers without fayth After that he compareth workes done without fayth wyth the reliques of dead men For dead carkases sayth he although they be clothed wyth precious and excellent garments yet draw they no heat out of them So sayth he they which want fayth although they be decekd with excellent workes yet are they by them no thing holpen And the same father vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes vpon those wordes of Paul But the righteousnes which is of fayth Thou seest sayth he that this is chiefely peculiar vnto faith that we all treading vnder foote the complain◠of reasō should enquire after that which is aboue nature and that the infirmity of our cogitations being by the vertue and power of God caste away we shoulde embrace all the promises of GOD. Here we sée that by faith wee obtaine the promises of God and although by it we assent vnto all that whiche is contained in the holye Scriptures yet it peculiarly hath a regard vnto the promises of God This is also to be considered that he saith that the infirmity of our cogitacions in beleuing is by the vertue and power of God cast away For this maketh agaynst them which contend that this is done by humane strengthes as though we should haue fayth of our selues and that as though it goeth before iustification The same Chrisostome vpon the 29. chapiter of Genesis in his 54. homely This sayth he is the true fayth not to geue hede vnto those thinges which are seene although they seeme to be agaynst the promise but onely to consider the power of him that promiseth Let thē well consider this which will haue vs to haue a regard not onely to the power and promises of God but also chiefely to our own preparations And expounding these wordes in Genesis Abraham beleued God it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes let vs also saith he learne I besech you of the patriarch of God to beleue his sayinges and to trust vnto his promises not to serch them out by our owne cogitations but to shew a great gratitude For this can both make vs iust and also cause vs to obtayne the promises Here also are two thinges to be noted The one is that we are made iust by fayth the other that by the same we obtayne the promises which two things our aduersaries stoutly deny The same father vpon these wordes of Paul vnto Timothe Of whome is Himeneus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concerning fayth So sayth he he which once falleth away from the fayth hath no place to stay himselfe or whether to go For the hed Workes dead without faith being corrupted and lost what vse can there be of the rest of the body For if fayth with out works be dead much more are workes dead wythout fayth Here is to be noted that this is an argument a minori that is of the lesse For he sayth that workes are more dead without fayth then is fayth without workes The same author in his sermon de verbis Apostoli vppon these wordes of the Apostle Hauing one and the selfe same spirite of fayth For it is impossible sayth he it is doubtles vnpossible if thou liue vnpurely not to wauer in faith By this we sée how great Chrisostom thought y◠cōiunctiō to be betwen faith good works The same father expoūding these words of y◠Apostle do we thē destroy the law by faith God forbyd yea rather we confirme the law So soone as sayth he a man beleueth straight way he is iustified Wherfore fayth hath cōfirmed the will of the law whilst it hath brought to an end euē that for which the So sone as a man beleueth h◠is 〈◊〉
law did all things How thē doth Pighius say that fayth is only the foundaciō therfore is very farre from the perfection of iustification Or to what purpose is that that after fayth he putteth so many degrées and meanes by which we come vnto iustification For Chrisostome speaketh farre otherwise y◠a man is iustified straight way so soone as euer he beleueth Farther he attributeth vnto fayth euen this also that it maketh men iust when as the law was not able to performe that although it by many wayes endeuored it selfe therunto Moreouer when he expoundeth these wordes They being ignoraunt of the righteousnes of God and going about to establish theyr owne righteousnes are not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God This righteousnes of God sayth he he calleth the righteousnes of fayth which is wholy geuen by grace from aboue and not for our labours And vpon these wordes Behold I put in Siō a stone of offence Thou seest thē sayth he that faith hath with it cōfidence and security Here he manifestly appointeth a perticular fayth and a certainty touching the remission of sinnes which thing our aduersaries so much resist Farther when he expoundeth that saying in the 11. chapter And if they abide not in theyr incredulity they also shall agayn be grafted in If fayth sayth he could graft thee when thou wast a wild oliue tree into a good oliue tree it can also restore them into theyr owne good oliue tree Here also the power to be grafted into Christ by iustification and the power to restore them which are cut of is attributed vnto fayth I could now passe ouer to Ierome if there were not somwhat which calleth me backe agayn vnto Chrisostome For the selfe same man writeth that fayth only is not sufficient vnto saluation And such sentences are oftentimes read in the Fathers which our aduersaries continually wrest agaynst vs. Although to speake the trouth such an obiection is no such a maner of weapō that it nedeth so greatly to be feared For it may easely be answered in one word For he sayth not that faith is not sufficient vnto iustification but only vnto saluation For fayth is of it self sufficient vnto iustificatiō But after we are once iustified it is not inough to the obteynement of saluation to say I beleue We must put to also an holy life good workes for by them as it were by certaine degrées God bringeth vs to felicitie And after this maner we may interprete all the sentences of the Fathers which seme to tend this way And if in case theyr wordes as sometimes it happeneth will not beare such an exposition then as it is most We must appeale vnto the scriptures right we will appeale from them writing negligently vnto the selfe same fathers writing in an other place more soundly and more catholikely as did wooman in times past which appealed from Phillip being dronke vnto the selfe same Phillip being sober Ierome vpon the epistle vnto the Galathians vpon these wordes And we knowyng that man is not iustified by the workes of the law but by the fayth of Iesus Christ sayth That all the old fathers were iustified by the selfe same fayth in Christ by which All the fathers were saued by fayth in Christ we are now at this day iustified And this sentence he confirmeth by induction of many examples first he reckoneth vp Abrham for of him he sayth Christ thus spake He saw my day he saw it and reioysed after him he maketh mencion of Moses for of him he sayth it is thus written in the epistle vnto the Hebrewes that he counted the reproches of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt and that he refusing to be in the court of Pharao did chuse rather to embrase the crosse of Christ And he addeth that Iohn Euangelist in his 12. chapiter most manifestly teacheth that all those thinges whicg Esay hath put in writing touching the glory of God when he saw the Lord sitting vpon an high throne lifted vp are to be vnderstand of the sonne of God He adddeth moreouer out of the epistle of Iudas that the Lord Iesus Christ deliuered the people of Israell out of Egipt and after that smote the vnbeleuers In which place I very much meruaile that Ierome a man otherwise excellēt in the Greke toung turned it thus the Lord Jesus Christ when as in our text is had only this word Lord vnles we will suppose that his exemplar was differing from that which we now vse Which I speake not as thoughe I doubted whither those thinges whiche at that time happened were done by Christ the sonne of God or no. For Iohn sayth No man hath sene God at any time but the sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath Whatsoeuer hath ben vttred vnto men touching thinges diuine hath bene vttered by the sonne of God Faith is not seperated frō charity declared him Wherfore whatsoeuer is vttered vnto men touching things diuine is vttered by the sonne of God who hath most truly geuē him selfe vnto mankind a faithfull interpreter of God his father And Paul in his first epistle vnto the Cor. the 10. chap. saith They dranke of the spirituall rocke following thē And that rocke was Christe Also Let vs not tempt sayth he Christ as certayne of them tempted him The same Ierome vpon the epistle vnto the Galathians where he reckeneth vp the fruites of the spirite when he cōmeth vnto faith thus writeth If charity be absent fayth also departeth away together with it These woordes manifestly declare that his iudgement was that true fayth cannot be deuided from charitie which thing we also teach and defend But Pighius with his hisseth at it and crieth out against it but let him gruntle as much as he will it sufficeth vs that this doctrine agréeth both with the scriptures and with the fathers Ambrose expounding these wordes out of the Epistle vnto the Romanes For it is one God which iustifieth circumcision by fayth Because sayth he there is but one God he hath iustified all men after one and the selfe same maner forasmuch as nothing causeth merite and dignitie but fayth And afterward vpon these wordes Therefore by fayth according to grace that the promise might be firme vnto all the seede The promise saith he cannot be firme vnto all the seede that is vnto all manner of men of what nation so euer they be except it be by faithe For the beginning of the promise is of fayth and not of the law for they which are vnder the law are guiltie but the promise cannot be geuen vnto them that are guiltie and therefore they ought first to be purified by faith that they may be made worthy to be called the sonnes of God and that the promise may be firme And towardes the beginning of the. 5. chapter vpon these wordes Being iustified by fayth we haue peace towardes God Fayth saith he and not the law causeth vs
to haue peace with God For it reconcileth vs vnto God when our sinnes are taken away which had before made vs enemies vnto GOD. And afterwarde vppon these wordes The law of the spirite of life It is fayth sayth he which iustifieth them that flye vnto it to remit vnto them that which the law helde them guiltie of that liuing vnder faith they might be free from sinne And in his 2. boke vpon the Gospell of Luke he saith that Peter wepte not but when the Lord had looked backe vpon him And he addeth that the Lord brought forth in him both repentance and the power to weape But Augustine when he entreateth of this matter séemeth to be in his owne field so that to hunt in him for testimonyes touching this controuersie is as the common saying is to séeke water in the sea Howbeit it shal not be strange from our purpose to picke somewhat out of him also In the sermon of the Lord vpon the mountaine touching the wordes of the Gospell in Mathew in his 7. Sermon towardes the end If thou presume of thine owne worke a reward sayth he is rendred vnto thee and not geueÌ„ vnto thee by grace I demaund now Beleuest thou o sinner I beleue What beleuest thou that thy sinnes may by him freely be forgeuen thee Then hast thou that which thou beleuest In his preface vpon the 31. Psalme Thou hast done no good and yet remission of sinnes is geuen thee Thy workes are considered and they are al found nought If God should render vnto these woorkes that which is dew doubtles he should condemne thee And in his booke de Spiritu Litera the 12 chapiter We gather that a man is not iustified by the rules of good life but by the fayth of Iesus Christ. And in his booke agaynst the 2. epistles of the Pelagians in his 3. boke and 5. chapter Our fayth sayth he that is the catholike fayth discerneth the iust from the vniust not by the law of workes but euen by the law of fayth And Augustine and Alpius in his 106 epistle of righteousnes is of fayth whereby we beleue that we are iustified that is that we Note diligeÌ„tly what grace we ought to confesse are made iust by the grace of God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. The same father agaynst Pelagius and Coelestius in his 1. booke and 10. chap. It is not inough sayth he to confesse what grace thou wilt but that grace whereby we are perswaded whereby we are drawen and whereby euen that which is good is geuen This maketh planly agaynst theÌ„ which put I know not what generall grace and will haue it to lye in euery mans power either to admitt or to refuse the same But this grace wherby we are so persuaded is nothing ells but fayth Which fayth indede is necessary to iustifie but those workes which are done before we be iustified doo nothing auaile For the Workes which seme good are turned into sinnes same Augustine agaynst the 2. epistles of the Pelagians the 3. booke and 5. chapter Euen as workes sayth he which seme good are vnto the vngodly turned into sinnes c And in his booke de Spiritu Litera the 28. chapter Euen as saith he there are certayne veniall sinnes without which euen the iust men can not liue and yet they hinder vs not from saluation so are there certayne good woorkes without which euen the most wicked men can very hardly liue which workes yet nothing profite them vnto saluation And that we should not thinke that this faith whereby we are iustified is a thing common What may be aunswered to be the causes why one man is persuaded and an other is not and straying at pleasure he addeth afterward in the 34 chap. Why is this man so instructed that he is vtterly persuaded an other not so There are onely two thinges which I thinke good to answer O the deapth of the riches c. Also what is their iniqâ—ity with God He that is displeased with this answere let him seeke saith he men better learned but let him beware of presumptuous persons If we should geue credit vnto our aduersaries this had ben a very rude blind doubt For they would haue straight way answered at one word that the one was perswaded because he would the other was not perswaded because he would not But Augustine considering yâ— matter more depely namely that it is god which worketh in vs both to wil to performe according to his good wil perceiuing the Paul himselfe being ouercome with the admiratioÌ„ of this thing made such exclamatioÌ„ thought it most mete rather to referre the whole matter vnto God who distributeth vnto euery man yâ— which semeth vnto hym good that without doubt iustly although we sée not the reasons of his iustice Yea neither is it méete for vs to search them out vnles we will haue that to happen vnto vs which commonly happeneth vnto flies which being allured by the The grace which the Pelagians taught was set forth to be common vnto al men was nature Grace is geuen vnto some and is not geuen vnto other some light of the candell and flying more nigh vnto it are oftentimes burnt with the slame thereof The same Augustine de Predestinatione sanctorum in his 5. chapiter reproueth Pelagius for that he had fayned that common grace vnto all the saints which he would haue to be nothing els but nature which selfe thing our aduersaries also at this day do when as they cry out that that grace is set forth as it were openly vnto all men and that it lieth in euery mans power to receaue it so that he will The same author ad Vitalem in his 107. epistle Vnto those sayth he whose cause is a like with those vnto whome grace is geuen vnto whome yet it is not geuen that they vnto whome it is geuen might vnderstand how freely it was geuen vnto them And in the selfe same place he playnly declareth that it is God which of vnwilling maketh vs willing and taketh away our stony hart and geueth vs a fleshy hart This manifestly declareth that it is fayth whereby we are iustified and that God distributeth it according to his good will The same father de dogma tibus ecclesiasticis in the 4. chap. for that booke whosoeuer was the author thereof beareth the name of Augustine To be purged from sinnes saith he God tarieth not for our will and in the 44. chapter The holy ghost maketh vs to chuse thinke and consent vnto euery good thyng pertaynyng vnto saluation And in his 13. booke and 17. chapiter de Trinitate The word of the sonne of God sayth he toke vpon hym the nature of maÌ„ without any maner of merite And after the selfe same maner also is the grace of God geuen vnto vs. This comparison is taken of the greater For if that man which was made the sonne of God obtayned the same
false doctrine But this man vndoubtedly is so farre besides him selfe that he sayth that this was lawfull for the Fathers to do For in his booke de votis which not many yeares ago he set abrode he sayth that Augustine in his booke de Bono viduitatis whereas he writeth that their matrimonies which had vowed a vow of virginity or of sole life are true mariages not adulteries wrote the same for no other end but to perswade Iuliana the widow vnto whome he wrote the booke that mariages in generall are not euill And so in Gods name he confesseth that Augustine setteth forth one false doctrine to ouerthrow an other false doctrine And with the like wisedōe in the same booke he fayneth that Clemens Alexandrinus wrote that Paul had a wife which he thinketh to be most false only to proue that mariage is good and honorable And if it be lawfull so to mingle true thinges with false and to confound all thinges when then shall we beleue the Fathers What thing can at any time be certaine vnto vs but that we may be deceaued by them Farther he fayneth that Paul excluded from iustification only workes of the law But this we haue before aboundantly confuted and haue taught that the reasons of Paul are generall Yea the Fathers saw euen this also For Augustine in many places affirmeth that Paul entreateth not only of ceremoniall works but also of morall works But bycause the authority of Augustine is I can not tell by what meanes suspected vnto our aduersaries Ierome also was of the opinion that not only ceremoniall works are to be excluded from iustification let vs se what Ierome sayth He vnto Clesiphon agaynst the Pelagians vpon these wordes By the workes of the law no flesh shal be iustified thus writeth By cause thou thinkest this to be spokē of the law of Moses only and not of all the commaundements which are conteyned vnder this one name law the selfe same Apostle sayth I consent vnto the law of God There are others also of the Fathers which teach the same but I now ouerpasse them Let it suffice to shew that this other fayned inuētion of Smith is vaine and trifling Thirdly he sayth that they ment to exclude workes as he calleth them penal namely those woorkes I suppose which men repentant doo but to shew how rediculous this is also shall nede no long declaration For first such workes were required of men not that by them they should be iustified before God but only to approue themselues vnto the Church namely lest they should by a fayned and dissēbled repentance seke to be reconciled Farther it is not very likely that Paul spake of any such workes For they were not at that time in vse In dede Ambrose when he excludeth woorkes frō iustification hath hereunto once or twise a respect But we ought not so much to consider what one or two of the Fathers say but what agréeth with the holy scriptures Smith addeth moreouer that it is certayne that God requireth much more of vs then fayth For in Marke it is thus written Repent ye and beleue Here sayth he vnto fayth is adioyned repentāce And in an other place He that beleueth and is Baptised shal be saued He addeth also that in the epistle to the Ephesians the Church is sayd to be sanctified with the lauacre of water in the word And that Peter in his 3. chap. of his first epistle sayth That Baptisme hath made vs safe Ierome also thus writeth vpon the first chapiter of Esay The lauacre of regeneration only remitteth sinnes Behold sayth he iustification and remission of sinnes is ascribed not only vnto fayth but also vnto the sacraments As touching the first we graunt that Christ requireth more of vs then faith For who doubteth but that he will haue men that are iustified to liue vprightly and to exercise them selues in God requireth more of men then faith all kindes of vertues otherwise they shall not come vnto eternall saluation But these are fruites of fayth and effectes of iustification and not causes But as touching the sacramēts we haue many times taught how iustification is to be attributed vnto them For they are in the same respect vnto it as is the preaching of the Gospel and the promise concerning Christ which is offred vnto vs vnto saluation And very oftentimes in the Scriptures that which belongeth vnto the thing is ascribed vnto the Sacrament or signe And bicause Baptisme promiseth remission of sinnes by Christ and signifieth it and sealeth it in them which are washed therfore Ierome of all other sacraments attributeth this vnto it only Wherefore the wordes of the Fathers ought nothing to moue vs when as they thus write That fayth alone is not sufficient vnto saluation For they vnderstand that of eternall saluation vnto which we come not except some fruite follow our fayth But of theyr sayings we ought not to gather the a man is not iustified by faith only And though at any time those selfe same fathers seme to referre theyr wordes vnto iustification yet are they to be vnderstand that theyr meaning was to expresse the nature of the true and iustifieng fayth For it in very dede is neuer alone but hath euer hope and charitie and other good workes as companions Sometimes also by iustification they vnderstand the righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs of which it is moste certayne that it consisteth not of fayth only They thinke also that this maketh agaynst vs for that Paul writeth vnto the Romanes By hope ye are made safe Neyse The righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs consisteth not of faith only they that hope is there taken for the last regeneration which we hope we shall one day obteyne in our countrey For the Apostle a litle before spake of it And vndoubtedly we possesse that saluation onely in hope not as yet in very déede If there be any paraduenture whō this most iust and most true solution wil not satisfy let him follow the interpretation of Origen For he vppon that place sayth that hope is there put for faith which is no rare thing in the holy scriptures But they haue found out yet an other fond deuise whereby as much as lieth in them they goo about to lenifie this worde Only which is so often vsed of the Fathers namely that fayth only hath the beginning and as it were the first degrée of iustification which afterward is made perfect and full when other good workes come vnto it But how vayne this is Paul himselfe sufficiently teacheth For he doth not onely say that we are iustified by faith onely but also he addeth without workes Farther this also maketh against these men which is written in in the 15. chapter of wisdome To know is full righteousnes In which place it is a sport to sée how our Smith writeth himselfe First he dareth not deny the sentēce for he counteth that booke for canonicall but as he is
of it and cherefully to follow it first it is manifest that the philosophers had not a mynde renewed For they onely allowed their owne doctrines and rested themselues in them onely The wicked also haue not a mynde renewed For if a man aske them what they thinke touching the commaundementes of God if they speake as they thinke they will aunswere that they séeme vnto them hard and yrkesome and importunate Yea and the matter at y◠length proceded to such impiety that there were some which held that the law of Moses was not geuen of the true God but of an euill God such a God as they had fayned vnto themselues In this error or rather wicked impiety were the Valentinians Martionites Maniches and other pestiferous heritiques Last of all neither they also haue their mynde renewed which in sence only and wordes prayse The law of God ought to be allowed not only in sence and wordes but also in dedes and allow the law of God but in déedes do much abhorre from it Chrisostome thus readeth it That ye may allow the better thinges and then by opposition he addeth The will of God as though he should adde an interpretacion which shoulde make playne what these better thinges are namely those thinges which God willeth But that particle is not had in this place but is red in the Epistle to the Phillippians for there after this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to allow is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is better thinges Paul in these wordes setteth forth an excellent rule whereby a mynde renewed ought to be directed namely that the whole order of a mans life is to be taken out of the word of God and out of his lawes For thys is the part of true a Christian that being asked a reason of his doings whatsoeuer he do speake or meditate he aunswere that therefore he doth it for that he knoweth that it pleaseth God That the mynde of man not yet renewed can not allowe The institution of lyfe ought to be directed by the worde of God the thinges which are of God but rather ernestly resist them we may vnderstand by that which Paul before sayd The wisedom of the fleshe is enmity agaynst God for it is not subiect vnto hys lawe yea neither can it Wherefore euen as in a sicke man the tast ought first to be clensed from corrupt humors before that he cā iudge a right of his meat and drinke so in vs humane reason must néedes be purged before that it can vnderstand any thing pertayning to God and conducing to saluation Farther Paul when he exhorteth to renew the mynde séemeth to haue a respecte to that whiche he had before touched concerning those which when by humane wisedome and by the admonition of creatures knewe God yet worshipped him not as it was méete and therefore they were cast of God into a reprobate mynde Wherefore he now exhorteth vs that by a new profession of fayth we vtterly put of the olde mynde Good acceptable and perfect These thinges may be taken two maner of wayes first they may bee referred vnto the will of God as thoughe they were a certaine expressiō of his dispositiō or nature And if we follow this interpretacion thē ought we to take y◠wil of God for those things which God willeth not for y◠power or faculty wherby he willeth For so we vse to say this is my will or this or y◠mans will when as onely thereby is signified what it is y◠I will or what is that this or that man willeth So the meaning of Paul should be that those things which God willeth are good acceptable vnto him perfect Yea we cannot find those proprieties but only in those things which God willeth The other exposition is that that which is here sayd be referred wholy to y◠which went before as if Paul should say that to be transformed in newnes of mind and to allow the will of God is both good and acceptable vnto God and perfect But the first sence is both more simple semeth also more agréeable Origen vpon this place thinketh that there is one wil of God which is takē absolutely simply there is an other wil which Paul calleth good acceptable and perfect For the old law sayth he and the olde ceremonies were the will of God But they could not be called the good acceptable and perfect will of God After this maner we may say that the sinnes wherby God auengeth other sinnes are a certain wil of God but not a good acceptable and perfite wil for such sinnes we ought neyther to allow nor to desire For we wought to follow that will of God which we haue set forth vnto vs in the holy scriptures But I thinke y◠this subtelty serueth nothing to the purpose of Paul For I say thorough the grace that is geuen vnto me to euery one that is amongest you that no man presume or thinke of him selfe more then he ought For we ought to be wise vnto sobriety as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth For I say thorough the grace that is geuen vnto me That which was before spoken summarily and generally Paul now declareth perticularly and by partes and more plainely setteth foorthe and profitably amplifieth By this grace geuen vnto him he vnderstandeth the office of the Apostleshippe and sayth that he was heard of God although not for his owne sake yet for his office sake which he executed He vseth the figure Metonomia whereby the cause is put for the effect For of the grace and mercy of God it was that Paul was an Apostle He sheweth also the necessity wherby the Romanes vnto whom he wrote were bound to obey his sayings And when he nameth grace he escheweth all suspicion of ambition For it signifieth that that office was fréely geuen vnto him of God For he did not thrust himself into the ministery but when he thought nothing les or rather when he persecuted the Gospell God appointed to him this office Hereby also men ought to learne how much they are bound vnto God for the pastors and ministers of Churches For God in this thing no les gratifieth the people then he doth them that be theyr rulers and theyr teachers For those giftes of God which are commonly frée gracious giftes are bestowed not so much to theyr vse vnto whome they are geuen as to the edifieng of the common body of the Church Crisostome moreouer noteth the singular modesty of Paul who as before he did set forth the mercies of God whereby to allure the Romanes to harken to the word of God so here he maketh mencion of his grace to the end those thinges which he speaketh should not be reiected I say Many haue taken this word as an exposition of those thinges which were before spoken As if Paul should say that this is the good acceptable and perfet will of God which he now
strangers In Exodus the 22. chap. he commaundeth the Israelites that they should not vexe strangers but should handle them curteously for that they them selues also were once strangers in Egipt Whereas he putteth them in minde of things past that may also be profitable vnto vs if we consider what may happeÌ„ hereafter For who is now so certayne of his home and habitation that he can be assured that he shall neuer be a straunger And in the 19. chapter of Leuiticus commaundement is geuen to the haruest folkes and to the grape gatherers that they gather not all but leaue somewhat for the poore and for straungers and God commaundeth his people to loue them euen as themselues And in the 10. chapiter of Deut. God affirmeth that he is the protector and auenger of Orphens widowes and straungers For these kindes of people are left to his care Vnto all such kind of men we owe our beneuolence and chiefely if they be of the household of fayth of whom Paul now presently entreateth Of this thing the Apostles Peter Ieames and Iohn had so great care that when they sent away Paul to the Gentles and they themselues were appointed to be ministers vnto the circumcision they commended vnto his care the poore which dwelt at Ierusalem And this office he testifieth to the Galathiaas that he with an earnest diligence accoÌ„plished That which is in the lattine booke Necessitatibus that is necessities is not well turned For the Sophisters abuse this word and teach that a Christian man is not bound by Whether in helping of the poore we ought to tary vntill they be in extreme necessity the commaundementes of GOD to helpe the miserable vnles they be in verye great or as they speake in extreame necessity But Paul willeth vs to communicate rather to their vses then to their necessities For to do good vnto thy neighbour thou must not tary vntill he be vrged with extreame necessity For no man would gladly so be dealt with Neither is this to be passed ouer in silence that some bookes in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vses or necessities haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is memories And of this reading Origen or rather his interpreter maketh mencion And Ambrose both so readeth it and also interpreteth it And so the sence is that we ought to do good not onely to the poore which are present but also to them that are absent For Thales milesius was wont to say that we ought to remember our frendes not onely which are present but also that are absent And the Apostle had a greate care to prouide that the Gentles shoulde minister almes vnto the We must haâ—â—â—â—mpassion not onâ—ly of â—heÌ„ that are present bâ—t also of thâ—m that are absent We must communicate vnto the vses and not to the pleasures of the poore In almes is a communicatyng A recompensing of almes Saintes which dwelt at Ierusalem Howbeit we will follow the accustomed reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say that we ought to communicate to the vses of the Saintes to their vses I say and not to their pleasures or delights For by that meanes men are oftentimes made worse And besides that also such superfluitie would serue to relieue other poore folkes also Neither saith he geuing or bestowing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is communicating For in almes geuing there is a certaine commâ—nicating For if we speake of the pore which were at Ierusalem the Gentiles had receiued at their hands spirituall things For the worde of the Lord came out of Sion and the law of God out of Ierusalem and saluation from the Hebrews For out of that nation were appoynted preachers of the Gospell to preache vnto the whole world Therfore Paul in the second to the Corinthians the. 8. chapter saith That your aboundaunce may relieue their want and that on the other side theyr aboundaunce may relieue your want But if we speakâ— of other pore folkes euen when we helpe them with our almes there redoundeth vnto vs no small commoditie or profite For Christ saith as we read in Luke Make you frends of the wicked Mammon that when you faile they may receiue you into your euerlasting Tabernacles But what if the pore be euil and they also excluded from the kingdom of heauâ— These things are to be vnderstanded not of the men but of the works But so also should follow an other absurditie that by the vertue of our workes we should obtain the kingdome of God I answere as we deny that workes are the causes of eternall life so also deny we not but that God rewardeth the good workes of the faithfull which are now regenerate by Christ For we know that he shal iudge euery man according to his workes For he will say I was hungry and ye fed me I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke I was a straunger and ye harbored me The kingdome of God is geuen for election and the promises sake which the saints receiue by faith But bicause those things are hidden from mannes eyes therfore are brought forth good workes whiche are the proper and manifest effectes bothe of our faith and of the election of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is geuing our selues saith he to hospitalitie This is not spoken without a great emphasis For it is a greater matter to apply and geue our selues to hospitalitie then only to kepe hospitalitie For Abraham waited not vntill straungers came home to him to desire to be receiued in and to require harborow but going of his owne accord out of his tabernacle he loked round about to sée if he could espy any straunger whom he might receiue into his house And if he saw any he ranne vnto him and prayed him not to passe his house If I haue founde fauoure sayth he in your eyes I beseeche you turne in vnto your seruaunt Hospitalitie is a worke of noble meÌ„ And the same diligence and minde was in Lothe and in a maner in all yâ— fathers Paule in these wordes chargeth vs not with any vile and vncomely workes but with works noble and of great excellency For there was neuer any noble man or notable Prince but that he was desirous to doe good vnto others and was carefull ouer straungers Titus Vespasian at night when he called to memory that he had that day done no benefite vnto any man wold with heauines say Friends we haue lost this day And Christ The kinges sayth he of the nations beare dominion ouer them and they which haue power ouer them are called gracious in Gréeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ethnikes also saw that God hath a care ouer straungers and therfore they worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Iupiter hospitalis This proprety of God Homere describeth in yâ— second boke of his Odisseas And Virgil aptly saith Iuppiter Iupiter hospitalis hospitibus nam te dare iura loquuntur that is For men say that thou
what his scope is we will first define what a magestrate is A magestrate is Definition of a magistrate aperson elected and that of God to defend the lawes and peace and with punishments and the sword to represse vices and euils and by all manner of meanes to aduaunce vertues The efficient cause is God the ende is the preseruation of the lawes and of peace the banishing away of vices and discommodities and the encrease of vertues The forme is the order which the prouidence of God hath appoynted in things humane The matter is the man or person For who so euer is appoynted to be a magestrate is taken of men The methâ—de which is here kept is in a maner generall First he sayth that all men ought to bâ— subiect vnto magestrates which thing is first proued by the efficient cause for that â—â— suche powers are of God then is it proued by the coÌ„trary for that they which conteâ—â—ne the magestrate are against God and that to theyr owne great hurt Finally i◠〈…〉 proued Why so often in the new testament is in 〈…〉 ted thaâ— ough 〈…〉 geue ho 〈…〉 to the magistrate â— he Pope heâ—e proued guilty and condemned by the ende for that the magestrates bring vnto vs great profit This is bo 〈…〉 〈…〉 ery often and also very exactly entreated of in the new Testament and that for 〈…〉 cause chiefly for that the children of God sometimes thinke that it is a thing in a maner vayne that they being gouerned by the spirit and word of God should be subiect vnto outward powers Neither can it be expressed in how ill part yâ— Iewes toke it when they were as captiues oppressed of the Babilonians Assirians Medes and Persians and when at home in theyr Countrey they were greuously afflicted first of the Macedontans and afterwarde of the Romaines They would gladly haue shaken of that yoke which the Anabaptistes Libertines at this day with great fury go about to shake of and which the Pope and his dearlings hath now long time shaken of For he hath so exempted bothe himselfe and his cleargy from all publique power that now Princes are subiect vnto him and he suffereth the great monarchies of Christendome to kisse his féete and most filthily to worship him He createth Emperors and putteth them downe as it pleaseth him He taketh away kingdomes and pylleth and polleth them as he lust But Christ behaued himself farre otherwise for he payed tribute and taught that vnto Cesar Christ was subiect to the powers of the world ought to be rendred that which is Cesars With these wordes of Paul agréeth that which Peter wryteth in the second chapiter of his first Epistle saying Be ye subiect to euery humane creature that is vnto the ordinaunce which God would shoulde be amongst men Be subiect sayth he for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superior or vnto gouerners as vnto them that are sent of him namely either of the king or of God for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do wel If we examine all the partes of this commaundement we shall in a manner finde in it all those thynges whiche are here taught of Paule The selfe same thyng Paul wrote to Titus in the third Chapiter Admonishe them sayth he that they be subiect vnto Princes and powers and that they be obedient to the magestrates And in his Epistle to the Ephesians to Timothe and to Titus he diligently commauÌ„deth seruaunts to be obedient to theyr masters And vnto Timothe he commaundeth Christians to make prayers for theyr magestrates Whereby that is most manifest which we haue ofteÌ„times sayd and which Chrysostome in this place wryteth that the doctrine of the Gospel was not geuen to ouerthrow the politique gouernments The Gospel ouerthroweth not the gouernments of the world A magistrate called by the name of a father of the world but rather to confirme them and to make them better This place of the Apostle partaineth to that commaundement of the law Honoure thy father and thy mother For in the olde time as Aristotle also wryteth in his Politiques fathers gaue lawes to theyr famely and to them were as kings And amongst the Romanes the Senators were called Patres conscripti that is appoynted Fathers For a magestrate is nothing els but the father of the countrey Here we nede not curiously to entreat by what right or by what wrong Princes haue obtained theyr power This thing only is to be séene vnto that we reuerence magestrates when they are in that roome For this Epistle was written when the Romaines had now obtained the Empire of the whole world which Empire we know they possessed by violence and afterward the Emperors by as wicked practises drew vnto them the whole dominion ouer al yet Paul without al exception commaundeth vs to be obedient vnto the powers And so generall is this proposition In this prâ—cept are contayned all degrees of men of Paul that Chrysostome testifieth that vnder this commaundement are contained Priests Monks Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes But I thinke that Origen is not here to be allowed For he wryteth that Paul sayth let euery soule and not euery spirite for they which are vtterly spiritual do not by any meanes follow the affectes of the fleâ—â—e neither possesse things humane doe not liue vnder Princes and powers Bâ—t who euer had more aboundance of the spirite then our Lord and sauior C 〈…〉 t had Who at any time was more holy then his Apostles were and yet thâ—â— submitted themselues to the higher power euen to the death 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 to popes bishops Wherefore 〈…〉 s muche better to say with Chrysostome that none is to be excepted from this â—niuersall sentence But those ecclesiasticall Papists will say that the kings â—hemselues and publique powers haue geuen vnto them theyr right and ha 〈…〉 appoynted that the clergye should be exempted But we ought not to regard â—hat Princes haue done herein but what they ought to haue done For it lyeth not in theyr hands to disanull the lawes of God Wherefore if this diuine commaundement of Paul willeth that euen euery soule be subiect vnto the publique power then doubtles ought we to obey it For the decrées of God ought not to be reuoked by any authority of man Although these wordes are so to be contracted that we vnderstande that we are not subiecte to the magestrate but only as touching his function and office Which if he at any time goe beyond and commaund any thing that is repugnaÌ„t vnto piety and vnto the law of God we ought to obey God rather then men For there is no power but of God He proueth his purpose by the efficient cause For that no humane strength or force but God himselfe is the author of all powers And it is to be noted that there are sondry kindes of powers For there is Sondry kindes of
the will of God but only apply themselues to ambition and to theyr owne lust they greauously sinne agaynst God Howbeit God by them though they be neuer so vniust and wicked executeth his most iust iudgement and therin committeth no offence The powers that be ar ordeyned of God If they be apoynted of God then also are they constant and stable and although by suÌ„dry successions things humane are disturbed yet this power is perpetually preserued as in the world although there oftentimes happen most great and innumerable changes yet the heauen the ayre the earth and the sea alwayes kepe still theyr place neither at any time leue they theyr limites I would to God they which beare dominion would alwayes haue this in theyr mind that that office which they execute is the ordinance of God doubtles they would not theÌ„ in such sort abuse it Now yâ— matter requireth that we should not kepe in silence how Bonifacius in his â—xtrauaganti which beginneth Boniâ—â—cius the eight abused this place Vnam sanctam abused these woordes of the apostle to confirme his pride For he goeth about hereby to proue that those thinges which are of God haue betwene themselues a certayne order so that theyr dignity is by certayne degrées distinctly known that one froÌ„ the other And thereof it foloweth that the powers which are of God are not a like And that power is the higher which is occupied aboute the woorthier matter And forasmuch as yâ— ecclesiasticall power consisteth in things spirituall and the ciuill power in thinges corporall therefore the ecclesiasticall power is the higest and ought not to be subiect vnto the ciuill magestrate And the Pope he sayth hath iurisdiction ouer all princes for that Christ sayd Whatsoeuer thou bindest vpon earth shall also be bound in heauen whatsoeuer thou losest shalt be losed And to declare this also more manifestly he bringeth that which we read was sayd to Ieremy Behold I haue appointed thee ouer kingdomes and nations that thou The ecclesiasticall power consisteth in spirituall thinges shouldest ouerthrow and destroy and also build vp and plante But these argumentes as they are full of pride and arrogancy so also are they most vayne For first Paul here speaketh not of the degres of powers distinct betwen themselues This thing only he sayth that all powers whatsoeuer they be are ordeyned of God And that the ecclesiasticall power consisteth in thinges spirituall I deny not for it is occupied in the ministery of the woord of God And that power we therfore confesse to be the greatest for that the woord of God ought to beare dominion ouer all men But this power serueth to bring vnder all vnderstanding and to ouerthrow the highnes of humane reasoÌ„s Let these proud glorious lords doo this let them preach the woord of God and leue the fond inuentions of men and then if there be any which will not harken vnto them we will not sticke to condemne them whither they be princes or kinges or monarches or emperors Howbeit hereof it followeth not that they as touching corporall life and possessions lands houses and maners Whether the ecclesiasticall function be subiect to the politicall power are not subiect to the politicall or ciuill power Yea also euen as touching the function they ought to be subiect to agodly religious magistrate not that we thinke that the woord or the sacraments ought to be subiect to humane lawes but for that the office of the magestrate is either to punish or to remoue ministers if they behaue themselues ill in theyr function if they depraue the truth or minister the sacraments corruptly Let them bind and lose that is let them by the woord and by preaching shew who are loosed and who are bound And yet let them not therforâ— exempt themselues from the ciuill magestrate For euen as a king though he be of neuer so great authority and dignity ought yet notwithstanding to obey the woord of God pronounced by the ministers of the Church so an ecclesiasticall maÌ„ although he be placed in an excellent and high function yet is he not exempted from the obedience and subiection of the magestrate But that which they bring out of Ieremy is very friuolous and vayne For that prophet neither ouerthrew nor erected kingdomes howbeit hereunto he was called of God to pronounce in How the prophets ouerthrew and erected kingdoms the name of God what kingdoms should be ouerthrowen and what erected Others labour very foolishly to auoyd this place For they say that the Apostle commaundeth nothing ells but that euery man ought to be subiect to the power appointed ouer him For otherwise should folow a great confusion yâ— the Spaniards should of necessity be compelled to serue the king of England and the Englishe men the French men Wherfore the Apostles intent is this only that euery one be obedient to his owne power But the clergy say they haue theyr Bishoppes and Popes whome they obey and haue nothing to doo with the ciuill magestrate One the self same nation ought not to be deuided into two bodies These men sée not or rather dissemble and will not sée how absurde it is to deuide and to cut in sonder any nation into two bodyes as though the clergy of the Spanyardes are not Spanyardes or the clergy of the Frenche men are not Frenche men Doubtles if all the Spanyards be subiect to theyr king the clergy also for as much as they are Spanyardes ought of necessity to be subiect vnto him Further by this goodly sense they abuse the wordes of Paule For he putteth subiecte euery soule vnto such powers which haue the right of the sword and to whome tributes Christ hath not geuen vnto the Pâ—pe nor to Bishops the sword ought to be payd But Popes and Bishops haue not the sword wherfore in this argument there is nothing but mere fraud and deceit But they fay that the ministers of the church as the Pope certaine other bishops may haue and vse the right of the sword And if thou obiecte that Christ gaue not vnto them the sworde yea rather sayd that his kingdome is not of this world and that he had not where to lay his head they will answere that ministers in déede haue not the sword in as muche as they are ministers but haue receiued it from els where and that by a iust title and by iust possession But Christ executed his vocation for he came in humilitie by his passion and death to redeme mankinde but his example is not to be followed in all things Otherwise no Christian ought to beare the office of a Magestrate For Christ bare it not Wherefore they affirme that he left an example only to men tending to perfection suche as are monkes and begging friers which as they say haue renounced the world Neither can they abide that Peter should prescribe vnto his successor when he sayd that he had neither golde nor
Iezabel was much more greuously punished then Achab Christ pronounceth of a man thus offending his brother It had bene better for him that a milstone had bene hanged about his necke and he throwne headlong into the sea Agayne Wo be vnto him by whom offence commeth How be it if any man be offended with honesty and iustice we ought not to regarde that Let vs say rather with Christ let them alone they be blind leaders of the blinde Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the roote I know and am persuaded that through the Lord Iesus there is nothing commoÌ„ of it self but vnto him which iudgeth any thing to be common to him it is common But if thy brother be grieued for thy meate now walkest not thou according to charity Destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christe died Cause not your commoditie to be obnoxious to euill speakings For the kingdome of God is not meat nor drink but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost For whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ is acceptable vnto God and is approued of men For I knovv and am persuaded The stronger sort mought haue sayd and that not without iust occasion why doost thou call vs backe froÌ„ the vse of Christian liberty Is it not lawfull for vs to eate of all meates indifferently Dost thou by thine Apostolicall authority decree that certayne meates are vncleane Thou I say which with so great liberty reprouedst Peter at Antioch attempting by his example the like thing Vnto this obiection Paul by preuention answereth and affirmeth and constantly pronounceth that all meates are vnto a Christian man frée That thorough the Lord Iesus Christ there is nothing common of it selfe but to him that iudgeth any thing to be common to him it is common Hereby we vnderstand that no meate is of his owne nature vncleane For it hath not hys nature of himselfe but of God But he hath created nothing that is euill for his creatures Why no meat is of his owne vncleane Why God somâ—tyme prohibited some meatâ— are in the holy scriptures called good In Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by it selfe that is of his owne proper force and nature And though certayne kindes of meates were prohibited vnto the first man and to Nohe and to his children and to the Hebrues that was not doone bycause there was any fault in the thinges theÌ„selues but that men should by a certayne discipline be enstructed of Christ of a vertuous life vntill the light of the Gospell came But if any error happen as if any maÌ„ should foolishly thinke which thing the Manichies and other like pestiferous men did that it is a detestable thing to eate either flesh or any other certayn kind of meat then such a meate is not of his owne nature made vncleane but thorough that mans corrupt opinion Wherefore let vs beware that we conceaue not in our mindes any errors or mad opinions touching meates And let thys be before our eyes which Paul sayth that meates are made vnto theÌ„ common which Of the supersticion of opinions spring greuous sins iudge them to be common But the gouerners of the Church haue so appoynted fastings and certayne dayes and choyse of meates that by that meanes there no where want such supersticious opinions but are euery where in a maner rife and sinnes are without measure increased For if we thinke that God is offended in any thing and doo not for all that absteyne from it it is a great token that we more esteme our owne will then the law of God Yea rather that man whatsoeuer he be in so doing sinneth double first for that he is ignoraunt of that which Why the law â—aith They shal be vnclean to you Of the vse of meates We haue nothing in the world which is free from the loue of our neighbours What Paul herâ— signifieth by this word common he ought to know secondly for that he followeth not euen his owne sense which he hath conceaued of religion but committeth that which he thinketh is forbiddeÌ„ by the law of God And Ambrose in this place doth not vnaduisedly weigh the phrase of the law For the law when it speaketh of vnclene meates thus decréeth Thâ—se thinges shall be vncleane vnto you It sayth not absolutely They shal be vncleane but addeth Vnto you For that the Iewes only were bound to those lawes Hitherto we haue spokeÌ„ of the nature of meates now wil we speake of theyr vse That vse ought eueÌ„ as al other our actions to be subiect to the law of charity And therfore we must take hede that it serue to edification and that by it our weake brethern be not offended For to speake at a woord we haue nothing in the whole world which is frée from the loue of our neighbours Paul sayth common after the Hebrew maner For that natioÌ„ had certayne peculiar meates not only as touching nature thereof but also as touching the dressing of them But other kindes of meates for that they were confusedly vsed of other nations were called common as though they had no holynes ioyned with them So of the Lattines such things are called prophana that is prophane which are porro that is farr of a fams that What thinges are called prophane is from temples and may be vsed of all kindes of men Therof it came that in the 10. of the Actes Peter sayth that he had neuer eaten any thing common or vnclene In which place he aptly ioyned together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is common or vnclene And Chrisostome noteth that here is sayd common of that which commeth out of the hart for that is it which maketh a man common that is to say polluted Such as are adulteries murthers c. Neither is it in vayne that Paul addeth thorough Iesus Christ For if thou referre it to that which he before sayd I know and am persuaded which way Chrisostome semeth to like wel it declareth that this persuasion of Paul is not humane but vtterly diuine But if it be referred to that which followeth That there is nothing common then teacheth it vs that we ought to count to haue receaued this benefit at Christes hand as by whom the obligation Through Christ creatures hurt vs not or bond of the law is abrogated And in these woordes are they couertly reproued which will not vse so great a benefit of Christ By Christ also we haue this benefite that the creatures which otherwise by reason of sinne are subiect to the curse and to vanity can now doo vs no hurt For as Paul sayth to Timothe They are sanctified by the woord of God and by prayer But vnto infidels and to those which are without Christ they kepe still that curse whereunto they are subiect Wherfore Paul sayth to Titus All things are clene to the clene but to the vnclene and to the vnbeleuers nothing
are rich beawtifull mighty and in honour they ought to know that this is not the Apostolicall loue Riches indede and beawty and honour are the giftes of God but yet not such that we ought with a singular loue to embrace them And the Church that 〈◊〉 in theyâ— house Paul writeth the selfe same thing of these persons in the first to yâ— Corinthians the last chap either bycause that theyr famely was so godly enstructed that it mought seme to be a Church or els for that the faythfull gathered together into theyr house to celebrate holy assemblies And this interpretacion I thinke to be the likelier although Chrisostome Origen and Ambrose follow the first The first fruites of Achaia They which before all others come to professe religion plainely declare that they litle regard men and the iudgements of the flesh but only follow the impulsioÌ„ of the holy gost Origen in stede of Achaia redeth Asia whome he that will follow let him vnderstand Asia the lesse wherein is Ephesus I meruayle at Ambrose which referreth first fruites to present dignity as though he were placed in some magestrateship or principality which semeth not vnto me very likely and especially for that this word in Christ is added My kâ—nsmen and fellovv prisoneâ—â— Kinred alone could not haue moued him but he the gladlier mencioneth them for that they had suffred together with hym They came to Christ before Paul they are called notable amongst the Apostles not that they were of the number of the 12. Apostles but for that as it is most likely they had sowed abrode the Gospell in many places and had built many Churches Origen thinketh that it is possible that they were of the number of the 72. disciples Which I thinke can not be for they fell away from Christ But how attributeth he this vnto his wife as though the office of the Apostleship could agrée also with her Paraduenture they are called notable amongst the Apostles for that they were well knowen vnto them and were of no small reputation in the Church of Christ This sence I dislike not so that the very wordes be not repugnaunt thereunto Them which are of Aristobulus house He biddeth not them to salute Aristobulus Narcissus made a freman by Claudius Cesar himselfe peraduenture for that he beleued not in Christ Yet he had of â–ª his housholde that were Christians Which self thing is also thought of those whome he addeth the friendes of Narcissus This man was made a frée man by Claudius Cesar and was a man of great might but otherwise wicked an extorcioner and one euill spoken of howbeit Ambrose thinketh that he was an elder In the Lord For all the family of Narcissus beleued not the gospel Vnto these men he ascribeth no titles paraduenture for that they were weake and did not so boldly professe the Gospell Apollo Origen thinketh that Apollo was that Apollo borne at Alexandria but I know not how I should be of his minde touching that For so great a man without doubt should haue bene adorned with some most notable title He therefore peraduenture sayth that these women â—hryphona Tryphosa Persis Mariae laboured for that they had suche a ministery as before we sayde Phebe had His mother and mine He calleth this woman mother bicause of her affection The boke of Hermas is not in the Canon towardes him and not that she was so by nature So before he called Phebe his sister Hermas Origen thinketh that this man was the author of the boke called the booke of the Pastor which scripture he sayth séemeth to him holy and inspired by God which is a plain argumeÌ„t that that boke is not to be receiued as Canonicall VVith an holy kisse This amongst the Hebrues was a token of peace and of brotherly amitie All the churches of Christ salute you Here are ment those churches through which Paul had passed or which were nigh to those places Now brethren I besech you marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoide them For they that are such serue not the lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellyes and with faire speche and flattering deceiue the hartes of the simple For your obedience is come abrode amongst al. I am glad therfore of you but yet I wold haue you arise vnto that which is good and simple coÌ„cerning euill The God of peace shall treade sathan vnto your fete shortly The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you I beseche you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offenceâ— He had willed them before to salute the godly Now he admonisheth them to beware of the wicked He willeth them diligently to marke and to consider them for that as it oftentimes happeneth they can not easely be found out but after loÌ„g time and after that they haue done some great mischief In these words are noted the false Apostles and as Chrysostome sayth diuers of the Iewes which by reason of the ceremonyes of the lawe did cause diuision and dissension in the Churches These men serued theyr voluptuous pleasures and their bealy and not God such as they were also whome the Lord sayd deuoured the houses of widowes Suche men Paule to Timothe calleth intractable vaine speakers deceiuers of mennes mindes and which were of the circumcision They ouerthrow sayth he houses they teache those things which are not meete for filthy gaine sake whose mouth oughte to be stopped A certaine Prophet of theyrs sayd That the men of Crete haue alwayes bene liers â–ª euill beasts and slouthfull bellies And in the latter Epistle to Timothe which crepe into the houses of widowes and lead captiue wemen laden with sinnes always learning and neuer comming to the knowledge of the truth They vse fayre speach sayth he but by theyr flattering they seke nothing else but to deceiue you These are two marks to know false Apostles by They serue theyr bealy and speake fayre or flatteringly Such men sayth Origen ment Christ when he said They come vnto you in shepes Two markes to know false Apostleâ— â–ª by Onely by the word of God false doctrine is discâ—rned from true clothing but within they are rauening wolues shéepes clothing are fayre wordes the gredines of the belly signifieth the rauening of Wolues And Origen addeth See in how great daunger they are which exercise not them selues in the holy scriptures by which only these men are discerned These wordes are diligently to be noted that true doctrine is discerned from fals by the holy scriptures only We make not discordes in the churche as the bondslaues of the Pope falsly slaunder vs but we as muche as lieth in vs and as our bounden duety is resist theyr conspiracye which they haue made against the truthe and with which they haue so long time oppressed it And auoyde them The Church hath no other sword but excommunication This sword the Apostle admonisheth them to vse against
place 445 Greuous vnto God what it is 37 Grief â–ª what it is 237 Grounds of the church what they are 236 H HAting of God what it is 333 258 Happye is he that foloweth the calling of God 13 Heauen and earth shal passe and after what maner 217 Heretikes vpbrayd the gospel 14 Holines what it is 5 Holy dayes 436 Honor what it signifyeth 219 Hope maketh glad â–ª and maketh sory 420 Hope springeth out of faith 446 Hope and faith haue one property 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. Hospitality is a worke of noble men 422 How we ought to pray for others 452 How we are made sure of the victory 455 I IAcob why he was called Israel 242 Iacob wrestleth with God 92 Iewes are preferâ—ed before yâ— gentiles 16 Iewes were Idolaters 25. 44. 45. 50 Idols and Idolatry 24. 25. 29 Idlenes is an image of death 412 Image of God what it is 124. 188 Image of Christ made of copper 30. 31. 32 Images how they began 24. 25. 30 Images of God sprang of infidelity 30 Images out of Temples are not to be contempned so they be not worshipped 30. 32 Images taken two maner of wayes 82 Imaginations of men 23 Immortality is the mere gift of God 219 Incredulity bursteth out of originall sinne Infants receiue not the Eucharist 202 Inheritaunce what it is 209. 210 Instruction for preachers 155 Inuocation of Sayntes 98 Isaac borne of the promes 247 It is not counted a lye except it be don with a minde to deceiue 452 Iustification what it is 15. 58. 64. 65. 68. 71. 75. 96. 107. 181. 185. 191. 193. And it is spetially and at large intreated vpon from the. 367. leafe vnto the. 410. leafe Iustice is ioyned with the wil of God 274 Iudges maye iudge the crimes of other though they them selues be giltye in the same crimes 36 Iudgement at the last day 38 K KEyes of the church are the worde and fayth 361 Knowledge is of two kindes 36 Knowledge of our sinne is profitable 109 L LAw what it is 58. 66. 70. 90. 114. 191. 192. 135. 136. 137. 138. 151. 155. Lawes are of diuers sortes 175 Law through Christe is no burden vnto vs. 445 Law grace differ 152. 153. 163. 164. 165. 166 Law and gospell differ 15 Law of nature is the law of God 34. 35 Lent abused 143. Letter killeth is expounded 163 Liberty of speche is necessary 330. Liberty is obtained but one way 174 Liberty hath thre kindes 179 Libertines 176. 321. 443 Life what it is 196 Life is a thing excellent 39 Life is of two sortes 111 Loue what it is 106. 258 Loue is the cause of grief 237 Loue of God and loue of men differ 5 Loue election and predestination what they are 258. 259. 260. 261. 262. 263 Lusts are of two sorts 29. 165. 166. 201 M MAnnes nature chiefly resembleth the diuinity of God 21 Man endued with grace may sin 28 Maniches opinion in fre wil. 28 Maniches confuted 250 Marcion reiecteth the two last Chapiters of this Epistle 456 Magistrate what he is 227. 228. 426 Martirdome what is requisite therunto 233 Matrimony what it is 161 Meates of themselues are not vncleane 438. 441 Mercy of it selfe is not good 185 Mercy with iustice 38 Mercy and truthe are ioyned together 445 Mercy what it is 159 Members of our body what they are 150 Meat what it is 157. 158 Messias is come 82 Methodes vsed by S. Paule that we can not be without some God 23 Millenarij 88 Ministers ought not to forsake their vocation 334. 349. 350 Miracles 323 Miracles that cause 449 Mistery what it is 358 359 Miserable is the state of the godlye in this world 453 Mortifying what it is 203 Mortification is of two kindes 211 Mortification of faith 271 N NAturall copulation betwene man and wife is good 33 Nature teacheth vs not all those things that appertaine to God 20 Necessity is to three kindes 270 Nobility wherin it chiefly coÌ„sisteth 243. 244 Nobility what it is 351 Notes by the which wickednes is knowne 34 O OBedience of faith 5 Obedience what it is 1â—8 Obedience to Magistrates 427 ObiectioÌ„s made in the defence of images 20 Obiections made by Iulianus to proue free will 27 Obsecrations or prayers 410. 411 Occasion is to be obserued 420 Office of deacones 418 Office of the Apostles 449 Olde testament and the new is all one 353 Originall sinne in infants 229 Originall sinne passeth not away 110. but is proper to euery man 118. 119. 127. 129. 130. 131. Origene confuted 250 P PAcience what it is 40. 100 Patience in temptations 273 Papists vpbraid the gospel 14 Papists ascribe trouble to the gospell 15 Papists what they are 36 Parable of the seede 267 Paule and the Pope agre not 3 Paule the teacher of the Gentiles 366 Paule whether he coulde truely praise the Romaines 447 Paule wrote boldly 447 Paule in excusing him selfe altereth not his wryting 447 Paules priesthode was to preache the gospell 447 Paules ministery and the Iewes compared together 442 Paule why he made suche hast to goe about the countrey 449 Paule why he went not to Rome at the beginning 449 Paule Moses and Aarons compared together 449 Paules ministring vnto tables whether it neglected the gospell 451 Paule to the Romains his saluation 1.6 Paule accuseth the Ethnickes 23 Paule aboue all the other Apostles why he was odious to the Iewes 453 Peace what it signified with the Hebrues 6 Peace â–ª what it is 96. 97 Peace passeth all sence 6 Pelagians error 32. confuted 250 Paena tallionis 26 Persons flye from causes 42 Pigghius opinion of originall sinne 120 Pharao why God stirred him vp 263. 264. 265. 266. 279. Philosophers filthy life 21 Phinâ—â—s work how it was imputed 73 Phebe what manner of ministerye in the church she had 453 Pithagoras opinion touching God 31 Plinie wrote to Traiane the Emperoure of the innocent life of the Christians 16 Popes and bishops ought to haue no sword 429 Popish priests 96 Punishment of God what it is 36. 37. 38 Porer more willing to geue then the richer 451 Pore are to be holpen 421. 422 Prayers what it is 223 Prayers consist not of the worthines of theÌ„ that pray 452 Preaching and almes alwayes was coÌ„mitted in charge to Paule 450 Preachers how they ought to vse theÌ„selues 237. 313 Predestination what it is 3. 37. 42. But it is specially intreated of and defined from the 285. leafe vnto the. 366. leafe Promises are of diuers sortes 243 Promises of the law and promises of the gopel differ 210 Purpose of God what it is 253. 259 R REasons why god wil iudge men 36 Reasons to proue that we are loued of God 234 Regeneration is not to be attributed vnto the water 247 Regeneration what it is 149. 154 Reioysing what it is 108 Repentaunce preached 19 Repentaunce of God and repentaunce of men 363 Resurrection is the only signe of the diuine nature of Christ 4 Resurrection of
the dead 68 â–ª 78. 201. 202. 218 Riches how it is vsed 37 Righteousnes what it is 16. 117. 236 Righteousnes is of two sortes 316 317. 318. 440. Righteousnes is of God 60. 285 Righteousnes commeth without the law 56 Rites and ceremonies of the Gentiles were not constant 243 Romaines why they were called holye 5 Rocke which was Christ 199 Rules to amend iustes 29 S SAbaoth day 436 Sacraments what they are 47. 49. 77. 79 80. 81. 82. 83. 85. 86. 145. Sacrifice what it is 411. 412 Sacrifice of the Masse compared with the sacrifice of the gospell 448 Sacrifices 195 Sacrilege what it is 46 Saluation by the gospel 15 Sanctification what it is 156 Sanctification commeth not of the nature of the parents 14â— Sathan being bound what it meaneth 218 Saintes desires are not alwayes fulfilled 450 Sedicious persons are to be abhorred 43 Seruice of God what it is 1 Seruaunts and free men differ 1 Seruaunts why they are so called 153 Sending of the Apostles what it is 2 Scripture hath not his aucthoritye of the church 93 Scripture bringeth patience and consolation 443 Scripture may not be prohibited from lay men 199 Shame what it is 156 175 Signes what they are 79 Simmachus Oration 25 Sinne of the first parents 32 Sinne comprehendeth action and defect 27 Sinne and the effectes therof is at large described from the. 54. lefâ— vnto the. 194. lefâ— Sinnes are the tormenters of God 34 Sinne is punished by sinne 33 Sinnes ventall and mortall 150 Sinne and death knit together 111 Sinne in infantes 168. 169 170 Sleping what it is 433 Scholemasters â—re the instrumeÌ„ts of god â–ª 21 Soule of man what it is 41 Soules of saintes althoughe they be blessed desire many things 213 Spirite of Christ what it is 199 Spirite of feare and spirite of adoption 203. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 242. Stoikes without affections 29 Straunge tongues may not be vsed in the church 207 Stretching out of the hand what it is 331 Succession what it is 244 Supper of the Lord what is the righte vse therof 24 Sworde being borne before a Prince what it signifieth 431 T TAble of the Eucharist 343 Temptation is of two kindes 28 Testament new and old 43. 44. 50. and why it is so called 363 Things are not to be made common 451 The spirite of loue 452 Through Christ we geue god glory 456 To confesse what it is signifieth 445 Transubstantiation 198 Truthe coâ—uinceth errors 20 Tribute why it is payd 431 Truthe made captiue and by whome 20 Truthe commeth all of God 21 True doctrine must be ministred though the people allow it not 22 Truthe had place in the grafting in of the gentiles 445 Two marks to know false Apostles by 455 V VEssels of wrath 277 Vncleane things what they are 29 Vngodlines what it is 75 Vocation of efficacy is an effecte of predestination 290 VV WAking what it is 433 Wedding garment what it is 434 Words and dedes are the instruments of the Apostleship 448 Word of God edefyeth 338 World what it signifieth 413 Workes â–ª what they are 39. 40. 43 Workes of the law 57. 68. 73 Works of preparation 3. 1. 173 Works reiected 148. 185 Works or superegation 56 Works iustify not 57. 68. 69. 83. 103 Works and carnal propagation are not causes of saluation 246 Works of darknes â–ª what they are 434 Wrath of God what it is 19 38. 278 Worshipping of God what is the truthe thereof 23 Z ZAchary slaine betweene the temple and the altare 96 ⧠Faultes escaped desiring thee Reader to marke them in thy booke according to the Table here following Folio Page Line Faultes Corrected 20 1 21 vnto this senses vnto his senses 30 1 48 By loues and colours by lines and coloures 32 1 15 an Image of the another image of the 33 1 5 not to vnderstand not to be vnderstand 37 2 11 said wheÌ„ word was said when word was eod 2 21 or that he wold for that he wold 40 2 38 and lying waytes and lying wonders 42 1 39 out of other men for other men 59 2 37 false falles 61 1 9 his appointed his lawes appointed 68 2 17 pertained vnto him pertained not vnto 69 1 49 the accidences if the accidences 78 2 31 that so that it is so 89 2 16 riftingly triflingly 97 2 37 he leaueth vs he loueth vs 102 1 40 them selues set themselues 105 2 55 a much greater loue that he bare a muche 108 0 1 place placed iÌ„ so firm a place 112 1 31 created with some created with sinne 123 1 47 haue bene they bene saued if they 124 1 13 are called which are called 139 1 19 as haue as we haue eod  23 proposition proportion 140 2 28 were not true were true 142 2 55 the mansions the inuasions 150 1 16 before when he before vsed when he 157 2 7 soldiers soldiers weÌ„ton â—â—arfar 159 1 6 in a merite in it a merite eod 2 25 hostis promeretur hostiis promeretur 166 1 51 with as it is his first with this first 173 1 29 and the effect and the defect 183 1 41 rites cityes 184 2 18 the worse they the worse thyng 185 1 41 now condemnation now no condemnation 189 2 10 these forasmuch as these eod  14 should moue should meane 190 1 25 so that these so are these 195 2 38 affects effects 196 2 54 can not disagree can not agree 200 1 10 world tooke word tooke 211 1 51 eternall wright eternall weight 221 1 20 wise appointed wyse men appoynted eod 2 8 newly that he namely that he 123 2 18 so that he so that ye 233 2 5 we are notably we notably 238 1 31 dissention destruction 239 1 49 desired to be slain desired not to be slain 245 1 35 they wyll they wyll not 264 2 6 to persist God to resist God 272 1 50 thought he neither thought he 278 1 46 persecution perfection 299 1 37 secrecy of the secrecy 308 2 28 afflycted therfore affyxed vnto it 310 1 37 was he driueÌ„ vnto it therfore was he driueÌ„ eod 2 42 is that it is that which 317 1 4 tended to other tended to no other 319 2 5 as the simple as by the simple 326 2 21 a very similitude a very apt similitude 341 1 35 he vnderstand of he vnderstandeth 344 1 41 Iesus the priest of Iesus the priest eod  43 inotnto not into 355 1 37 member number eod 2 51 and abode the and abode 356 1 27 fallen into seueritye fallen seuerity 359 2 13 Israelites claue first Israelites claue fast eod  16 entisements by entisements 361 1 29 who not who differ not 363 1 52 that that maner that after that maner eod  53 for the amplifiing if for the amplifying 364 2 40 stayned from al discerned from all 365 1 51 Omnis Omnes 368 2 6 to be the put to be the 369 2 6 not in thy name we not in thy name 380 2 47 was by these fasts was not by these facts 381 2 46 he formaketh what the fire maketh hot 385 2 45 after such for after such sort 386 1 1 uen freely uen it is geuen frely 387 1 49 strengths strengths of nature 393 1 46 one calleth one he calleth eod 2 24 if I all fayth if I haue all fayth 405 2 10 of righteousnes is righteousnes is of 406 1 37 but not by but not by faith 407 2 11 thou hast receyued thou hast not receiued 418 2 43 trifling effectes trifling offices 428 1 17 Iohn Iehu 429 2 2 Onely if God Only of God 430 2 19 as out feare without feare 436 1 32 he which auengeth which he aeuengeth LIFE IS DEATH AND DEATH IS LIFE AETATIS SVAE XXXX 1562 I D ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye dvvelling ouer Aldersgate beneath S. Martins Anno Domini 1568. the 31. day of August ⧠Cum Gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per Decennium
sede of the word of God doth not streight way bryng forth his fruite haue heard the word of the Lord do not at that tyme bryng forth fruit But after ward beyng both chastised by God and more â—ehemently stirred vp with fruite they repete with themselues those things which otherwise they hard without profite Which selfe thyng happeneth in the sacrament of Baptisme For a man shall fynde an infinite number which haue had it by them a long tyme wyth out any fruite But afterward beyng conuerted vnto God they do not onely much esteeme it Baptisme sometymes is had a long tyme without fruite Whether the papistes haue the promise of the holy ghost but also therby they profite much Here also the Papistes obiect an other doubt vnto vs. The promises of God say they are not made voyde as Paule sayeth thorough our sinnes and vnbeliefe Therfore seing we haue the promise of God that by the holy ghost he wil alwayes be present with vs to gouerne his church he fully performeth the same Wherfore ye do ill in departing froÌ„ our rules and our communion But these men are excedingly deceiued when as the promise of the holy ghost was made vnto the disciples of the Lord and not vnto them First let them proue that they are the disciples of Christ and then will we beleue theÌ„ They which are the disciples of Christ adde nothing vnto his wordes neither appoint any thing contrary to the holy scriptures which thing these meÌ„ vndoubtedly do They cry out that the holy ghost is geuen vnto the church We The church hath the holy gost but not the congregation of the aduersaries of the Gospell graunt that But what maner of church is that church A counsell of bishops or a sinode of mitred prelates The holy ghost hath alwayes bene in the church and hath inspired some good men to cry out against these men when as they or deined their decrees contrary to the worde of God In summe the Apostles meaning is that the performing of the promises of God dependeth not of our merites but of the goodnes of God And as it is manifest by the wordes of Dauid when he sayth Agaynst thee onely haue I sinned We when we praye vnto God We bryng nothing of our owne vnto God but sinnes doe bryng nothyng vnto hym but sinnes Therefore we desire hym to heare vs that he might be iustefied in his sayings Hypocrites wyll be heard for theyr merites good workes sake for they acknowledge not their sinnes But they which vnderstaÌ„d them do therby take great consolation because their trust is that they shal be heard eueÌ„ through the goodnes of God For forasmuch as they see that in themselues all thinges are full of vncleanes they woulde neuer presume to lifte vp eyther theyr eyes or prayers vnto God Farther let vs marke We must speake well of the giftes of God and inueigh against the abuses that the Apostle reuerenceth the gifts of God and onely inueigheth against theÌ„ which abuse them For he saw that it followeth not that if men beinge by God aduaunced vnto great honors and they in the meane time are ingrate towards him that therefore those honors should not be had in estimation The husbande men of the Lords vyneyard were vndoubtedly noughty men But theyr noughtines caused not that the ornamentes of the vineyarde whyche Christ and Esay make mencion of were not wonderfull excellent and profytable Now if our vnrighteousnes commendeth the righteousnes of God what shall we saye Is God vnrighteous whiche bringeth in wrath I speake as a man God forbid Els howe shall God iudge the world For if the verity of God hath more abounded throughe my lie vnto his glorye why am I yet condemned as a sinner And as we are blamed and as some affirme that we saye why do we not euell that good may come thereof whose damnation is iust Novv if our vnrighteousnes commendeth the rightousnes of God what shal vve say Here Paule turneth somewhat from his purpose but it is not a digression strange from the cause which is entreated of He before very much extolled the mercy of God and declared that the promises of God were not made of none effect through the vnbeliefe of menne yea rather that by our sinnes the goodnes of God is more illustrated Hereby he saw there mighte be obiected vnto him as the wisdome of the flesh is alwaies redy to speake ill of the words of God and to wrest them to a corrupt sence both that God is vniust which punisheth our sinnes when as by them he is made more illustrious and also that we without hauing any regarde oughte to committe synne seing God by our wicked actes is more iustefyed and so hath alway the victory and his cause is thereby made the better Commendeth sayth he which in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth also to confyrme and to establish Which thinge very well agree with commendatioÌ„ Which forme of speaking the Apostle afterward vseth Paralâ—gismus accidentis when he fayth that God hath commended vnto vs his loue for that when we were yet sinners he gaue his owne sonne for vs. But in this kinde of obiection is committed a false argument taken of the accident For that it is not the office of sinnes properly and of themselues to illustrate the glory of God Which selfe thinge may also be sayd of that which is writteÌ„ in this selfe same epistle That of the fall of the Iewes followed the saluation of the Gentiles For we must not thinke that theyr fall was the true and proper cause of the saluation of the Gentiles For it came of the determination of God For God had appoynted that the preachinge of the Gospell beinge reiected of the Iewes shoulde be transferred vnto the Ethnickes And they whiche let loose the bridle vnto sinne vnder this pretence for that they would thereby make God to haue the victory iustefy him are muche like vnto them which hauing bene payned with a most greuous sicknes and then being restored to health by the Phisition haue made his arte more famous will agayne endeuour them selues to fall againe into the selfe same kinde of disease that thereby the Phisition maye be the more renowmed or if poore men beggers should determine that therfore they would eyther wante or begge thereby more and more to shew foorth the liberality of riche men That which of it selfe conduceth to the setting forth of the glory of God oughte not to be blame woorthy or filthy Vertues whiche are ioyned with true prayse do of themselues aduaunce the glory of God We ought not to meruayle that our doctrine is sometimes The doctrine of the Apostles was subiect vnto sclaunders oppressed with sclaunders when as we see that this selfe same thing happened vnto the Apostles They preached true things yet the vngodly through theyr sophisticall subtelties inferred of theyr woordes most pernicious
conclusions Paule preached those thinges which we now read and had oftentimes incultated that grace is ther aboundant where sinne hath abounded and taught that the law therfore entred in that sinne shoulde be increased Of these thinges the vngodly sayd it followeth that men should sinne freely because to the attaynemente of grace and the promises of God we haue neede of synnes All menne All men are greeued when they heare that they are euill spoken of and especially ministers doubtles are sory when they heare theyr name or fame to be euell spoken of For they vnderstande that the prayse of a good name and of a good fame is an excellente good gifte of God But aboue other the pastors and ministers of the word of God are most greeuously troubled with this kind of discommodity Because they rightwell perceaue that theyr infamye and especially as touchinge doctrine redoundeth not onely against the truth of God but also bringeth no small hurt vnto the people committed vnto theyr charge Therfore the Apostles did euermore put away suche slaunders from themselues And that the fathers also did the like theyr writinges do testefye But Paule in thys place doth not playnely absolue that which he obiected vnto himselfe but afterward in the 6. chapter the matter shal be more at large discussed Onely at this presente he depelleth from his doctrine false slaunders And those things the vngodly are therfore wont to obiect because when they are accused they are alwayes ready to lay vpon God the cause and blame of theyr sinnes not in deede manifestly but by circumstances Some whē they are accused say that they are driuen by the starres to commit those things which they do But who made the stars God Why then God is accused So came it to passe in our fyrste parente when God reproued hym The woman sayde he whiche thou gauest me she hath deceaued me The wicked de lay vnto God the cause of theyr sins And by these woordes he wrested the cause of his sinne vnto God After the selfe same manner do these men deale whome Paule now speaketh of We sinne say they but the doctrine of the Apostle hath declared vnto vs that our sinnes are no let vnto the glory of God but rather pertayne vnto the settinge foorth of his truth fayth and constancy of promises And what other thinge els is this then to accuse the word of God As touching the first obiection Paule sayth Is God vnrighteous vvhich bringeth in anger As though he shoulde haue sayd that which ye fayne vnto your selues that synnes are vniustlye punished if by their occasion the goodnes of God be set foorth is absurde For then God should iudge vniustlye But no good vpryght reason can once imagine that he which is iudge of all men should be vniust Therfore he addeth I speake as a man That is these thinges I spake not that I thinke so in very déede but I speake those thinges which men both oftentymes thinke and do also not very seldome obiect vnto vs. But as touching the wordes it shal be good to note that whereas it is sayde If our vnrighteousnes commende the righteousnes of God by the righteousnes of God is vnderstanded his goodnes and mercy For that word which is in the Hebrue Tsedek our men haue turned iustice or righteousnes when as in very deede it signifieth mercy He also vseth thys word the truth of God which signifieth nothing els then his fayth or fidelity For before he sayde Shall our vnbeliefe make the fayth of God without effect Fayth in that place and truth in this place is nothing els then a constancy in promises and couenantes And when we reade I speake as a man we are taught what maner of thinges those are which we thinke vpon so long as we are not regenerate but are strangers from God Origen in this place followeth an other reading For he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this particle he ioyneth with those things which went before so that thereof this sentence he gathereth Is God vniust which bringeth in anger agaynst man God forbid But the common reading is both playne and also serueth well to the purpose The maner which the Apostle vseth in aunswering when he sayth God forbid teacheth vs how redy God forbid what it signifieth with the Apostle we ought to be to repell from our thoughtes and cogitations whatsoeuer absurd thing reasō inferreth out of the scriptures against God We ought straight way to answere These thinges are after the maner of men and therefore are they not to be harkened vnto It oftentymes happeneth that our sense thinketh that God is cruell and forgetfull of his an accepter of persons and such lyke But then must we call to memory that the doinges of God are not to be measured The doings of God are not to be measured by the law of man according to the law of man for he is aboue all lawes neyther ought to be iudged of any other This thinges haue the flatterers attributed vnto the bishop of Rome bearing him in hand that he hath the fulnes of power whereby he can dispence both with the lawes of man and also with the lawes of God so that he himselfe can be iudged of no man Which fulnes of power one Baldus a lawyer not the worst of his time writeth to be the fulnes of time as which inuerteth and turneth vpside downe all rightes and lawes These thinges are agréeable vnto God only Wherefore it is blasphemy to attribute them vnto any man Only touching thinges of God it is wickednes to search out the causes and reasons but whatsoeuer Philosophers or any other kinde of men do set forth vnto vs it must be exactly examined by the word of God And as we are blamed and as some affirme that we say why do we not euill thinges that good may ensue whose damnation is iust Now withstandeth he the other obiection wherein the aduersaryes sayde that we shoulde sinne that thereof myght follow some excellent good thing namely the iustification of God and commendation of his mercy Whereunto with one words he answereth this when he sayth that the damnation of these men is iust For by that meanes he confesseth that that so greuous an error is farre strange frō his doctrine when as he cōdemneth it together with thē although some expound it in the passiue signification as though the condemnation whereby they are condemned were for that they had so euill an opinion of the Gospell Their obiections are answered when they are brought to these absurdities which coulde Sinnes are not the true cause that God should be made iuste Against good ententes not be concluded of these thinges which are spoken of Paule but of the false surmising of these men whereby they thought that sinnes were the true cause that God should be made iust For the Apostle also sayth together with them that euil things are not to be committed that good should come
aduersities they suspect that they are hated of God Here ought they to call to remembrance what ones they were before they came vnto Christ what God did for their sakes whē they were yet enemyes which for their saluation woulde haue his sonne crucified And that they haue to their head Iesus Christ in heauen whose members and partes they are And let it be demanunded of them whether Christ can hate himselfe and destroy hys owne members Wherfore they ought to thinke that their afflictions conduce to eternall saluation and are profitably inflicted of their louing father Wherefore euē as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so death went ouer all men for that all men haue sinned For euen vnto the law was sinne in the worlde But sinne is not imputed whilest there is no law But death raigneth from Adam to Moses ouer thē also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of that which was to come But yet the gift is not so as is the offence VVherefore euen as by one man c. Some thinke that Paul therefore writeth these thinges for that after he had by most firme reasons proued that we are not iustified by our owne workes or merites but only by faith in Christ and by grace now he mindeth more largely to set forth the principall pointes of which all these argumentes which he hath hetherto brought depend namely sinne the lawe and grace And therefore maketh this treatise aparte wherby to declare the strength and force of the former argumentes Which whether it be so or no let other men iudge In myne opinion vndoubtedly these thinges may very well be knitte together with the thinges that haue bene alredy spoken The Methode of Paules treatise For a man mought thinke that the passion of Christ and his death was profitable vnto Christ himselfe only and not also vnto vs for that it mought be thought that the righteousnes of one man can not redound vnto an other But Paul will declare that euen as the fall of the first man was spred abroade ouer all men so the righteousnes of Christ hath redounded vpon all the beleuers and that his benefite is of no lesse force then was the sinne of Adam And by thys meanes he declareth the way whereby by the death crosse of Christ we may be iustified and obtayne saluation nether is this a small helpe to confirme our hope when we perceaue that if we cleue vnto Christ we shall through hym be no les endewed with the chiefest good thing then we haue bene by Adam infected with the extreamest euill thing Many thinges are in this place not without greate consideration set forth touching sinne For the knowledge thereof worketh this in vs to cause vs not to be ingrate for the benefite which we haue receaued The knowlege of sinne how it is profitable For he which séeth out of what and howe great euils he hath bene deliuered séeth also how great is the liberality and goodnes of the deliuerer and of him that hath set him at liberty The knowledge of sinnes setteth forth also the worthynes of the iustification receaued by Christ Wherefore Paul enquireth What thinges are reasoned of touching sinne from whence sinne had his beginning what it brought how it was knowen and last of all by what meanes it was driuen away Wherefore he declareth that sinne entred in by Adam that it brought death that it was knowen by the lawe that it was driuen away and ouercome by the death of Christ and fayth in hym Euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death Here semeth to be vsed the figure * Anantapodoton is a figure in writing where some little clause is left out ether in the beginning middle or ende Anantapodotō so that on the other side there should haue bene added So by one Iesus Christ entred in righteousnes and by righteousnes lyfe And Origene affirmeth that Paul would not adde thys for feare of making men slouthfull and sluggishe as though they hauing now obteined righteousnes and eternall lyfe should thinke that they now nede no farther to consider vpon eternall lyfe And for that cause he sayth that the Apostle in an other place added this selfe same sentence in the Future tempse and not in the preterperfect tempse as when he writeth vnto the Corinthians Euen as in Adam all men die so in Christ all men shall be quickened But this reason is of no great force For the holy scripture is not wont to be moued with so light daungers to kepe in silence the benefites of God yea rather it euery where setteth them forth al whole and in ample maner as they are and doth not gelde them nor shorten them of as Origene thinketh But as for slouthfulnes and sluggishnes they are by infinite other places of the scipture sufficiently shaken of For there are in the holy Scriptures exhortations by promises and threatninges wherby to stir vs vp to holines of life and to the endeuour to do good workes And Origene also himselfe confesseth that that which the Apostle here omitteth he afterward faithfully addeth whē he thus writeth Wherfore euen as by the sinne of one man euill was spread abrode ouer all men to condemnation so by the righteousnes of one man was good sprede abrode ouer all men to iustification of lyfe And a little before For if by the offence of one man many haue died much more the grace of God and the gift by grace whiche came thorough one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Erasmus thinketh that this discommoditie may by an other way be holpen so that the parte aunswering be set after this coniunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is and. And the lyke kinde of speakyng he bryngeth out of Mathew in the Lordes prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In these words semeth to be wanting this coniunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is So. So that the sence is Euen as in heauen so also in earth And after this selfe same maner he thinketh is to be made perfect this sentence of the Apostle Wherfore euen as by one mā sinne entred into y◠world so also by sinne entred in death But I rather thinke that here is vsed y◠Figure Anantapodoton For I sée that Paul is after a sorte rapte by the force of the spirite to expresse y◠great destruction brought in by sinne Which being done he most manifestly as Origene confesseth in the second interpretation putteth that whiche wanted in the other But the better to vnderstand these wordes of the Apostle we haue thrée thinges by him set forth which are diligently to be peised first what the Apostle meaneth by sinne Secondly what that one man is by whom sinne entred This word sinne how ample it is into the world Thirdly by what meanes sinne is spred abrode As touching y◠first the Apostle amply
this is a great aduauncement vnto piety therfore Paul setteth it forth to the end to commend those weake ones to the better sort Howbeit lest in this matter he shold attribute more vnto them theÌ„ to the freer sort as though he shold think that the stronger in vsing liberty had not a consideration of the law of God he pronounceth the sentence which he setteth forth coÌ„mon to ech part They sayth he which obserue dayes obserue theÌ„ to the Lord they which obserue theÌ„ not obserue theÌ„ not vnto the Lord. And they which eat eat to the Lord they which eat not eate not to the Lord. And those datiue cases which Paul here vseth to obserue to the lord to eate to the lord to liue to the lord to dye to the lord signifie nothing ells but that we ought in all our actions in all our life and euen in death to depend of the lord And geueth thanks to God Hereby we may iudge yâ— eyther of those what soeuer they did had a regard vnto God for that either part gaue thanks vnto him Of what great force geuing of thanks is Wherefore geuing of thankes is of no small force For it is as it were a certaine healthfull sawse and maketh that which otherwise of it selfe should haue bene hurtefull commodious and healthfull vnto vs. Therefore Paul to Timothe writeth Euery creature is good and nothing is to be cast away which is receaued with thanks geuing For none of vs liueth to him selfe neither doth any die to himselfe For whether we liue we liue to the Lord or whither we die we die to the Lord. This may thus be applied to be a reason wherby the stronger sort are feared away from contemning the weaker namely for yâ— they both liue dye vnto the lord It may also be a general cause why they are sayd both to obserue not to obserue dais vnto yâ— lord either to eate or not to eate to the lord for that vniuersally they liue vnto the Lord and dye vnto the Lord. By these woordes we are aptly and manifestly The scope of our lyfe and of all â–ª our actions instructed touching the scope of our life and of all our actioÌ„s I would to God this might neuer slippe out of our mind but mought with most depe rootes be fixed in our hartes Life and death I thinke in this place are to be vnderstanded as touching the body For I se not very wel what consideration they haue which referre these thinges to the life of fayth and to the death of sinne For there is none which sinneth to the Lord. For that can not pertayne to the honor of God Vnles paraduenture they meane that this is all one with that which was before spoken He standeth to his Lord or falleth But the first exposition semeth in my iudgement more playne and agréeth with those thinges which Paul writeth to the Phillippians And Christ shal be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death VVhither therefore we liue or die vve are the Lordes This in sum ought to be of greate force with them for that not only our life and death depende of the lord but also for that we all both as touching life and as touching death are hys proper possession And if this be so who can contemn his neighbour escape vnpunished This is in a maner all one with that which Paul before sayd Why iudgest thou an other mans seruaunt That fault was reproued in the weake ones and this is now layd to the charge of the stronger sort that they reiect and contemne not euery kind of men but these which are the Lords Paul sayth to the Corinthians Ye are not your owne men For ye are bought with a price Glorifie God now in your body and in your spirite which belong to God Agayne ye are bought with a price be not ye made the seruaunts of men For Christ therfore died rose agayne and reuiued that he might be Lord both of the quicke and of the dead Here he ascribeth a cause why we ar by good right the Lordes For he hath redemed vs by his death by his resurrection hath deserued Whether Christ if he had not dyed for vs shold haue had vs to his proper possession life for vs. Wherfore he is Lord both of our life and of our death But here paraduenture thou wilt demaund whither if Christ had not died we should haue bene his proper possession or no As touching his diuine nature eueÌ„ without his death and resurrection he is our lord For we are created of him whatsoeuer we haue we haue it thorough him But bycause he is in very dede maÌ„ he hath by his death and resurrection iustly and worthely gotten vnto him selfe this dominion which yet the father could haue geueÌ„ vnto him freely but to set forth his glory he would rather geue it to his merites Wherefore Paul to the Phil. sayth for which cause God hath geuen vnto him a name which is aboue euery name namely for that he had humbled himselfe to death euen to the death of the crose OrigeÌ„ very largely entreteth of this doubt Howbeit I thinke that this solution which I haue here brought is more playne more true But there ariseth also an other doubt For Paul semeth to speake agaynst that sentence of the Lord in 22. chapiter of Mathew He is not the God of the dead but of the liuing For if he be not the God of yâ— dead how is he here sayd to be Lord of the dead But if the matter be more narrowly examined there is not herein contrariety For there the Lord would hereby proue the resurrection of the dead for that God could not be truly the God of AbrahaÌ„ of Isaac and of Iacob vnles he would haue them to be saued and that wholy both as touching soule and body For it is the propriety of GOD to saue thâ—se whose GOD he is And the Scripture in Exodus pronounceth that GOD is the GOD of those patriarches Wherefore they liue and shall more fully liue in the blessed resurrection Hereby it is manifest that Christ spake of those which were thought to be vtterly dead both in soule and in body But God can not be their God For he can not suffer such a death to preuaile against his But here Paul sayth that Christ is Lord of of the dead which are dead in body only but liue in spirite and when tyme commeth shall rise agayne Wherefore we sée that betwene these places there is vndoubtedly no contrarity But because we are by the way lighted vpon those words of the Lord there are as I thinke in them two thinges to be obserued First that although of them is properly concluded the resurrection of the godly whose God God confesseth himselfe to be yet followeth it that of the selfe same words may be concluded the resurrection of the wicked For if God of his goodnes do so
fauor the godly that he will not only haue their soules to be blessed but also will geue blessednes to their bodyes he will also restore vnto the wicked their bodyes that according to the law of iustice they may be tormented not only in their soules but also in their bodyes The other is that in the Prophets there are touching the resurrection of the dead certayne other more notable places which yet Christ alleaged Why Christ brought not testimonies of the resurrection ouâ— of the Prophets not for that the Saduces with whom he then reasoned admitted the law only and touching the other holy bookes either they receaued them not or els they estemed them not much For they red them as we read the Fathers But I leaue this matter and I beséech God not to suffer this singular benefite of the death of Christ to weare away for age in our mynds that the common prouerbe be not applied vnto vs. Nothing waxeth old sooner then grace But why dost thou iudge thy brother Or also why dost thou despise thy brother For we shal all be set before the iudgement seat of Christ Is it is written I liue saith the Lord and euery knee shall bow to me and euery tong shall confesse vnto God So then euery one of vs shall render accompt of himselfe to God Let vs not therefore iudge one an other any more But iudge this rather that no man put an offence to his brother or be an occasion of falling But why dost thou iudge thy brother Or also vvhy dost thou despise thy brother By the name of brethren he reproueth eche part For the right of brethren is equall and a like and in them is expressed a ciuill administration which is called The right of brethren is equall â—olitia which is a certaine equalitie of Citezens betwene themselues Wherfore no maÌ„ ought either to despise or to iudge him whom he knoweth to be his equall For he which so doth counteth him not for his equal but for his inferior VVherefore vve shall all be set before the iudgement seat of Christ By the iudgement seat vndoubtedly is vnderstanded the iudgement of Christ and that by the figure Metonomia And this benefite beside others we haue by the ciuill magestrates that by theyr axes and swordes and iudgementes seates we are put in minde of the iudgement of God The like phrase of speache Paul vsed in the .v. chapiter of the latter Epistle to the Corinthians vve must al appeare before the iudgment seat of Christ Origen expounding these words maketh a discourse I knowe not wherof for that in this place is red Before the iudgement seate of Christ and to the Corinthians is red Before the iudgement seat of God and with a long circute he disputeth of this matter But doubtles all our bookes haue in ech place Before the iudgement seate of Christ â–ª so that there appeareth no cause of ambiguity And yet if we should so rede as he imagineth nothing could be gathered out of those woordes but that Christ is God In the 7. chapiter of Daniell are set forth many excellent thinges of this throne of God wherin is described the magnificency of the iudgement to come As it is vvritteÌ„ I liue sayth the Lord. This place which is brought to proue Christes diuine power of iudging the world is written in the 45. chapter of Esay This place proueth the diuine nature of Christ As touching the very bare words Paul foloweth not the Hebrew verity but yet most diligently kepeth the sense of the Prophet For that which is here said Saith the Lord agréeth with that which is in the Hebrew The Lord hath sworne And the bowing of the knée signifieth here nothing els but a submission which is most aptly signifyed by that outward Simbole Euery tounge shal confesse vnto God In Hebrew it is Euery tonge shall swear vnto me but there is no man which knoweth not but that in an othe is an excelleÌ„t confession of God For he is called as a witnes or rather as a iudge and he is so called that he will punish the foresworne persons according to theyr deserts But as yet we sée not that all things are subiect vnto Christ But that shall be when he shall deliuer vp the kingdome to God and to the father For then shall all thinges vtterly be made subiect vnto him amongst other the last enemy namely death as Paul sayth to the Corrinthians How be it now is begon a certaine obedience and his kingdome is acknowledged of the congregation of the godly Wherefore though many vniust and wicked things be now committed yet let vs iudge nothing before the time come least we be preiudiciall to the sentence of that moste highe iudge Then all things according to our hope which nowe séeme to want equitie shall be full of equitie Of these wordes of the Apostle is most manifestly gathered the diuinitie of Christ For when he speaketh of the iudgement seate of Christ he addeth and euery tounge shall confesse vnto God Which self thing is much more manifest if we looke vpon the Hebrew veritie For before that these things are pronounced vnder the person of God this is written Am not I Lord and there is no other God besides me Wherfore seing these things pertaine to Christ as Paul testifieth it most manifestly appeareth that he is God So then euery one of vs shall render an accompt to God of himself Wherefore it is not méete that we either rashly iudge or proudly contemne others For at that iudgement seat causes shall be decided according to their desertes Let vs not therefore iudge one an other any more This is concluded by the reasons alleaged of Paule and is euery where in the holy scriptures inculcated of the holy Ghost But iudge this rather that no man put an offence to his brother â–ª or be an occasion To iudge hath two significations of falling This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to iudge hath not here all one signification with that which it had before For before it was to condemne an other by his sentence or to affirme any thing rashly of another But here to iudge signifieth to appoynt a thing with our selues Appoynt therfore with your selues sayth he and thinke that this chiefly pertaineth to your duety that no man be offended by any your example or any your doings Chrisostome by a straunge reason proueth The impeller to sinne sinneth more greuously then he which coÌ„mitteth the sinne that this thing is to be taken héede of For sayth he he which impelâ—eth an other to sinne deserueth to be muche more greuously punished then euen he which hath sinned For euen at the beginning a greater punishment and vehementer curse was inflicted vpon the serpent then vpon the woman For she transgressed but the other persuaded The woman also was more greuously punished then the man for that he had not sinned but by her counsell and persuasion And