As when he promised euerlastyng blessednesse to his seruant Abraham that he myght sett before his eies a manifest token of his fauor he addeth an other promise concernyng the possession of the lande of Chanaan After this maner we ought to vnderstande al the earthly promises that are geuen to the Iewiche nation that the spirituall promise as the hed wherunto they are directed shold alway haue the chefe place But sithe I haue more largely entreated of these thynges in the difference of the newe and olde testament therfore nowe I do the more slightly knitte it vp In the namyng of the children they finde this diuersitie that in the olde testament they were called the children of Abraham whiche issued of his sede but that nowe they are called by that name whiche follow his faith And that therfore that carnall infantie which was by circuÌ„cision graffed into the felowship of the couenant figured the infantes of the newe testament whyche are regenerate by the worde of God to immortall lyfe In whych woordes we beholde in dede a smalle sparcle of truthe but herin these lyghte spirites greuously offende that when they catche holde of that whyche fyrste commeth to theyr hande when they should go further and compare many thynges together they stand slytly vpon one worde Wherby it can not otherwyse bee but that they must somtyme be deceiued whych rest vpon the sounde knowlege of nothyng We graunt in dede that the carnall seede of Abraham did for a tyme holde the place of the spirituall sede whiche is by faith graffed into hym For we be called his children howsoever there is no naturall kinred betwene hym and vs. But if they meane as they playnly shew that they doo that there was neuer spirituall blessing promised to the carnal sede of Abraham herein they are muche deceiued Wherfore we muste leuell to a better marke whereunto we are directed by the moste certaine guidyng of the Scripture The Lorde therefore promised to Abraham that he shoulde haue a seede wherein all nations of the earthe shall be blessed and therwithall assureth hym that he would be a God to hym and his sede Whosoeuer do by Faith receiue Christe the author of blessyng are heires of this promise and therefore are called the children of Abraham But althoughe sins the resurrection of Christe the boundes of the kingdome of God haue begonne to be farre and wide enlarged into all nations without difference that according to the saying of Christ faithfull ones should be gathered from euery part to sit downe in the heaueÌ„ly glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob yet he had many ages before extended that same so great mercie to the Iewes And because passing ouer all other he had chosen out that only nation in which he wold restraine his grace for a tyme called them his peculiar possessioÌ„ his purchased people For testifiyng of suche liberalitie Circumcision was geuen by the signe wherof the Iewes might be taught that God is to them the author of saluation by which knowledge their myndes were raised into hope of eternal life For what shal he want whoÌ„ God hath ons receiued into his charge Wherfore the Apostle meaning to proue that the Gentiles were the children of Abraham as well as the Iewes speaketh in this maner Abraham saith he was iustified by faith in vncircuÌ„cision Afterward he receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith that he should be the father of all the faithfull both of vncircumcision and of circumcision not of them that glorie of only circumcision but of them that folow the fâ—â—th which our father Abraham had in vncircumcision Do not we see that both sortes are made egall in dignitie â–ª For during the tyme appointed by the decree of God he was the father of circumcision When the wall being plucked downe as the Apostle writeth in an other place by which the Iewes wer seuered from the Gentiles the entrie was made open to them also into the kingdome of God he was made their father and that without the signe of circumcision because they haue Baptisme in stede of circumcision But wher he expresly by name denyeth that Abraham is father to them which are of circumcision only that same was spoken to abate the pride of certaine which omittyng the care of godlynesse did bost themselues of only Ceremonies After which maner at this day also their vanitie may be confuted which seke in Baptisme nothyng but water But an other place of the Apostle out of the .ix. Chapiter of the Epistle to the Romaines shal be alleged to the contrary where he teacheth that they whiche are of the fleshe are not the children of Abraham but they onely are compted his sede whiche are the children of promise For he seemeth to signifie that the carnall kynred of Abraham is nothyng which yet we do set in some degre But it is more diligeÌ„tly to be marked what mater the Apostle there entreateth of For meaning to shew to the Iewes how much the goodnesse of god was not bouÌ„d to the sede of AbrahaÌ„ yea howe it nothyng auayleth of it selfe he bringeth forth Ismael and Esau for example proue it whome beeyng refused as if they were strangers although they were accordyng to the fleshe the naturall ofspryng of Abraham the blessing rested in Isaac and Iacob Wherupon is gathered that which he afterwarde affirmeth that saluation hangeth of the mercie of God whiche he extendeth to whome it pleaseth hym and that there is no cause why the Iewes shold stand in their own conceite or boast vpon the name of the couenaÌ„t vnlesse they kepe the law of the couenant that is to say do obey the worde Agayne when he hath throwen them downe from vaine confidence of their kinred yet because on the other side he sawe that the couenant which was ones made of God with the posteritie of Abraham coulde in no wyse be made voyd in the xi chapiter he argueth that the carnall kinred is not to be spoyled of his due dignitie by the beneficiall meane wherof he teacheth that the Iewes are the first and naturall heires of the Gospell but in respecte that by their vnthankfulnesse they were forsaken as vnworthy yet so that the heuenly blessyng is not vtterly remoued from their nation For whiche reason howe muche soeuer they were stubborne and couenant breakers neuerthelesse he calleth them holye so muche honor he geueth to the holy generation with whom God had vouchsaued to make his holy couenant but calleth vs if we be compared with them as it were after borne yea or the vntimely borne children of Abraham and that by adoption not by nature as if a twigg broken of from his naturall tree should be graffed into a strange stocke Therefore that they should not be defrauded of their prerogatiue it behoued that the Gospel should be first preached to them for they be in the household of God as it were the first begotten children
and corrupcion of nature I will omit also to entreate of the remedy therof Therefore let the readers remember that I do not yet speake of the couenaunt whereby God hath adopted to hymselfe the children of Abraham and of that specyal parte of doctrine wherby the faithful haue alway been peculiarly seuered frō the prophane nations because that doctrine was founded vpon Christ but I speake how we ought to learne by the Scripture that god which is the creator of the world is by certaine markes seuerallye discerned from the counterfait multitude of false gods And thē the order it selfe shal conueniently bring vs to the redemer But although we shal allege may testimonies out of the new testamēt some also out of the law and the Prophetes wherin is expresse menciō made of Christ yet they shall al tende to this ende to proue that in the Scripture is disclosed vnto vs God the creator of the world and in the scripture is set foorth what we ought to thinke of him to the end that we should not seke about the busy for an vncertaine godhead But whether God were knowen to the fathers by oracles and visions or whether by the mean and ministraciō of men he informed them of that which they should from hande to hand deliuer to their posterity yet it is vndoutedly true that in their hartes was engrauen a stedfaste certaintie of doctrin so as they might be perswaded and vnderstand that it which they had learned came from God For God alwaies made vndouted assuraunce for credit of his worde which farre exceaded all vncertaine opinion At length that by continual proceding of doctrine the trueth suruiuing in al ages might stil remaine in the world the same oracles which he had left with the fathers his pleasure was to haue as it were enrolled in publike tables For this entent was the law publyshed wherunto after were added the Prophetes for expositors For though there were diuerse vses of the law as hereafter shal better appeare in place conuenient and specially the principall purpose of Moises and al the Prophetes was to teach the maner of reconciliacion beetwene God and men for which cause also Paule calleth Christ the end of the law yet as I say once againe beside the proper doctrine of faith and repētance which sheweth forth Christe the mediatour the Scripture doth by certaine markes and tokens paint out the onelye and true God in that that he hath created and doeth gouerne the worlde to the ende he should be seuerally knowen and not reckened in the false nomber of fained gods Therefore although it behoueth man earnestlye to bend his eies to consider the workes of God forasmuch as he is set as it were in this gorgeous stage to be a beholder of them yet pryncipally ought he to bende his eares to the word that he may better profit therby And therfore it is no maruel that they which ar borne in darkenesse do more and more waxe hard in their amased dulnesse because verye fewe of them do geue themselues pliable to learne of the word of God whereby to kepe them within their boundes but they rather reioyse in their own vanity Thus then ought we to holde that to the ende true religion may shyne among vs we must take our beginning at the heauenly doctrine And that no man can haue any tast be it neuer so little of true and sounde doctrine vnlesse he haue ben scholer to the Scrypture And from hense groweth the original of true vnderstanding that we reuerently embrace whatsoeuer it pleaseth God therin to testifye of himselfe For not onely the perfect and in al pointes absolute faith but also al right knowledge of God springeth from obedience And truelye in thys behalfe God of his singular prouidence hath prouided for men in and for al ages For if we consider how slipperye an inclinacion mans minde hath to slide into forgetfulnes of God how great a redinesse to fal into al kind of errors how great a lust to forge oftentimes new counterfayt religions we may therby perceiue how necessarie it was to haue the heauenly doctrine so put in writing that it should not either perish by forgetfulnes or grow vaine by errour or be corrupted by boldnes of men Sith therfore it is manifest that God hath alway vsed the helpe of hys word toward al those whom it pleased him at any time frutefully to instruct because he foresaw that his image emprinted in the most beautifull forme of the world was not sufficiently effectual Therfore it behoueth vs to trauaile this straight way if we earnestly couet to attayne to the true beholding of God We must I say come to his word wherin God is well and liuely set out by his workes when his workes be weyed not after the peruersuesse of our own iudgemēt but according to the rule of the eternall trueth If we swarue from that worde as I saied euen now although we runne neuer so fast yet we shall neuer attaine to the marke because the course of our running is out of the way For thus we must thinke that the brightnesse of the face of God which the Apostle calleth such as cannot be atteined vnto is vnto vs like a maze out of which we cannot vnwrappe our selues vnlesse we be by the line of the word guided into it so that it is much better for vs to halt in this way than to runne neuer so fast in an other And therfore Dauid oftē times when he teacheth that supersticions are to be taken away out of the world that pure religion maye floryshe bringeth in God reigning meaninge by this worde reigning not the power that he hath but the doctryne wherby he chalengeth to himselfe a lawfull gouernement because errors can neuer be rooted out of the hartes of men till the true knowledge of God be planted Therfore the same Prophete after that he hath recited that the heauens declare the glory of God that the firmament sheweth fourth the woorkes of his handes that the orderly succeding course of daies and nightes preacheth his maiestie then descendeth to make mentiō of his worde The law of the Lord saieth he is vndefiled conuerting soules the witnesse of the Lord is faithful geuing wisedome to little ones the righteousnesses of the Lord are vpryght makyng hartes cherefull the commaundemēt of the Lord is bryght geuing light to the eies For although he comprehendeth also the other vses of the law yet in generalitie he meaneth that forasmuch as God doeth in vaine call vnto hym al nations by the beholdyng of the heauen and earth therfore this is the peculiar schole of the children of God The same meanyng hath the xxix Psalme where the Prophet hauing preached of the terrible voice of God whiche in thunder windes showres whirlewindes stormes shaketh the earth maketh the mountains to tremble and breaketh the cedre trees in the ende at last he goeth further and sayth that his praises are
moderate seueritie The Prophet pronounceth vnto theÌ„ that it is not so bicause they are punished for their owne offenses that it staâ—deth not with the iustice of God that the righteous sonne shuld suffer punishmeÌ„t for the noughtinesse of the wicked father Which thing also is not coÌ„teined in this present ordinance For in the Uisityng whereof mention is now made be â—ulâ—illed when the lord taketh away froÌ„ the house of the wicked his grace the light of his 〈◊〉 other helpes of saluation in this that the children being blinded and forsaken of him do goe on in the steppes of their fathers they susteine curses for their fathers offenses But in asmuch as they are put to teÌ„porall miseries at last to eternall destruction herein they are punished by the iust iudgement of God not for the sinnes of other but for their owne iniquitie On the other side is offred a promise of enlarging the mercie of God into a thousand generations whiche promise is also often founde in the Scriptures is set in the solemne couenant of the churche I will be thy God and of thy seede after thee Whiche thinge Salomon hauing respect vnto writeth that the childreÌ„ of the righteous shal be blessed after their death not only by reason of holy bringing vp which also not a litle auaileth thereunto but also for that blessing promised in the couenaÌ„t that the grace of God shall rest eternally in the houses of the godly Herupon groweth great coÌ„fort to the faithfull great terrour to the wicked For if euen after death the remembrance bothe of righteousnesse wickednesse be of so great force with God that the cursing of the one and the blessyng of the other redoundeth vnto posteritie much more shal it light rest vpoÌ„ the heads of the doers themselues But it maketh nothing agaynste vs that the issue of the wicked many times cometh to good profe and the issue of the faithfull swarueth out of kinde bicause the lawmaker meante not here to stablish such a perpetual rule as should derogate his free election For it sufficeth for the comforte of the righteous and for the terrour of the sinner that the penaltie is not vayne or of no effect although it doe not alwaye take place For as the temporall punishmentes that are layed vpon a fewe wickedmen are testimonies of the wrath of God agaynst sinnes and of the iudgement that shal one day be geuen vpoÌ„ all sinners although many escape vnpunished euen to the ende of their life so when God geueth one example of this blessing to shew mercie and bouÌ„tifulnesse to the sonne for the fathers sake he geueth a profe of his constant and perpetual fauour to them that worship him and when he ones pursueth the wickednesse of the father in the sonne he sheweth what iudgement is prepared for all the reprobate for their owne offences Which assurednesse he had in this place principally respect vnto And by the way he coÌ„mendeth vnto vs the largenesse of his mercie whiche he extendeth vnto a thousand generations whereas he assigned but only fower generations to vengeance The third Commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vayne The end of this coÌ„maundement is that his will is to haue the maiestie of his name to be holy among vs. Therfore the summe shal be that we do not defile it with contemptuously irreuerently vsing it With whiche prohibition the coÌ„maundement hangeth orderly together that we take studie and care godlily to reuerence it Therefore we ought so to order our selues both in our mindes our tonges that we neyther thinke nor speake any thing of God himself or his misteries but reuerently with much sobrietie that in weyeng his workes we conceiue nothing but honorable toward him These three things I say it behoueth vs not negligently to marke that what so euer our minde conceiueth of him what so euer our tong vttereth it may sauour of his excelleÌ„cie maye agree with the holy hyghnesse of his name and finally may serue to aduauÌ„ce his magnificence That we do not rashly or disorderly abuse his holy worde reuereÌ„d misteries either to ambition or to couetousnesse or to our owne triflinges but that as they beare the dignitie of his name emprinted in theÌ„ so thei may kepe their honour estimation among vs. Last of al that we do not carp against or speake euel of his workes as these wretched men are wont to babble reprochefully against them but that what so euer we reherse done by him we report it with wordes of praise of his wisedom righteousnesse and goodnesse That is to sanctifie the name of God Where otherwise is done it is defiled with vaine and peruerse abuse bicause it is violently carried froÌ„ the right vse wherunto only it was apointed and though there be no other hurt done yet it is spoyled of his dignitie and by litle and litle brought to contempt Now if there be so much euel in this rash redinesse to vse the name of God out of season much more mischief is in this if it be employed to euell vses as they do that make it to serue the superstitions of Necromancie cruell execrations vnlawfull coÌ„iurations other wicked enchauntementes But swearyng is chiefly mentioned in the coÌ„maundement as the thing wherin the peruerse abuse of Gods name is most detestable that thereby we may be the better altogether frayed awaye from all defilyng thereof But that here is commaundement geueÌ„ of the worship of God and of the reuerence of his name and not of the truthe and equitie that is to be kept among men appereth by that that he afterward in the second table condemneth periurie and false witnesse wherby hurt is done to the felowship of meÌ„ but it were in vaine to repete it agayne if this coÌ„maundement entreated of the dutie of charitie And also the diuisioÌ„ of the law itself requireth it bicause as it is said God did not in vaine apoint two tables for his law wherby is gathered that in this coÌ„maundement he chalengeth his owne right to himself defendeth the holynesse of his name and teacheth not what men owe to men First is to be learned what is an othe It is a takyng of God to witnesse to confirme the truthe of that whiche we speake For those cursed speaches that coÌ„teine manifest reproches against God are vnworthy to be reckened among othes That suche takyng to witnesse whan it is rightly done is a kinde of worshippyng of God is shewed in diuerse places of the Scripture As wheÌ„ Esaye prophecieth of the calling of the Assyrians and Egyptians into felowship of the couenaÌ„t with Israel They shal speake sayth he in the tong of Chanaan shal swere in the name of the Lord. That is to say in sweryng by the name of the Lord they shall yelde a confession of his religion Againe when he speaketh of the enlargemeÌ„t of his kingdome he sayth Whosoeuer
his prerogatiue for asmuch as nowe he should be borne man only by an accident cause that is to restore mankinde beyng loste and so it might be gathered thereupon that Christ was created after the image of Adam For why should he so muche abhorre that whiche the Scripture so openly teacheth that he was made like vnto vs in all thinges except sinne Whereupon Luke doubteth not to recken hâ—m the sonne of Adam in his Genealogye And I would fayne know why Paule calleth Christ the seconde Adam but bycause the estate of manne was apointed for him that he might rayse vp the posteritie of Adam out of their ruine For if he were in order before that creatioÌ„ he should haue ben called the firste Adam Osiander boldly affirmeth that bycause Christ was alredy before knoweÌ„ man in the minde of God men were formed after the same paterne But Paule in namyng him the second Adam setteth meane betwene the first beginnyng of man the restitution which we obteine by Christ the fall of man whereby grew the necessitie to haue nature restored to her first degree Wherupon it foloweth that this same was the cause why the sonne of God was borne to become man In the meane time Osiander reasoneth ill and vnsauorily that Adam so longe as he had stande without fallyng should haue ben the ymage of himselfe and not of Christ. I aunswere by the contrarie bycause though the sonne of God had neuer put on fleshe neuerthelesse both in the body and in the soule of manne should haue shyned the image of God in the bright beames whereof it alwaye appered that Christ is verily the head and hath the soueraigne supremicie in all And so is that foolishe suttletie assoyled whiche Osiander bloweth abroade that the Angels shoulde haue lacked this head vnlesse it had ben purposed by God to clothe his sonne with fleshe yea though there had ben no fault of Adam For he doth to rashly snatche holde of that whyche no manne in his right wit will graunt that Christ hath no supremicie ouer Angels that they shoulde haue him for their Prince but in so muche as he is manne But it is easily gathered by the wordes of Paule that in as muche as he is the eternall worde of God he is the firste begotten of all creatures not that he is create or ought to be reckened amonge creatures but bycause the state of the worlde in integritie suche as it was at the begynnynge garnished wyth excellentt beautie had no other originall and then that in as much as he was made manne he was the firste begotten of the dead For the Apostle in one shorte clause setteth forth bothe these poinctes to bee considered that all thynges were create by the sonne that he mighte beare rule ouer Angels and that he was made manne that he might begynne to be the redemer Of lyke ignoraunce is it that he sayth that men should not haue had Christ to their kyng yf he had not ben man As though the kyngdome of God coulde not staÌ„d yf the eternal sonne of God although not clothed with the flesh of man gatheryng together both Angels men into the felowship of his heauenly glorie and life should himselfe beare the soueraintie But in this false principle he is alwaye deceiued or rather deceyueth himself that the Church should haue beÌ„ without a head vnlesse Christ had appered in the flesh As though euen as the Angeles enioyed him their head he could not likewise by his diuine power rule ouer menne and by the secret force of his spirit quickeÌ„ and nourish them like his owne body till beyng gathered vp into heauen they might enioy al one lite with the Angels These trifles that I haue hether to confuted Osiander accompteth for most strong oracles eueÌ„ so as beyng dronke with the swetenesse of his owne speculations he vseth to blowe out fonde Bacchâ—s cries of matters of nothyng But this one that he bringeth after he â—â—yth is much more stroÌ„g that is the prophecie of AdaÌ„ which seyng his wife sayd this nowe is a bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh But how proueth he that to be a prophecie Bicause in Matthew Christ geueth the same sayeng to God As though that what so euer God hath spoken by men conteyneth some prophecie Let OsiaÌ„der seke prophecies in euery commaundement of the lawe whiche it is certaine to haue come from God the author of them Biside that Christ should haue ben grosse and earthly yf he had rested vpon the â—â—erall sense Bycause he speaketh not of the mistical viâ—on wherunto he hath vouchesaued to receyue his churche but only of faithfulnesse betwene man and wife for this cause he reacheth that God pronounced that man and wife shal be one flesh that no man should attempâ— to breake thaâ— insoluble knot by diuorce If Osiander lothe this simplicitie let him blame Christ for that he led not his disciples further to a misterie â–ª in more suttelly expouÌ„ding the sayeng of his father Neyther yet doth Paule mameteyne his errour whiche after he had sayd that we are flesh of the flesh of Christ â–ª by by addeth that this is a great misterie for his purpose was not to tel in what meaning Adam spake it but vnder the figure and similitude of mariage to set forth the holy couplyng together that maketh vs one with Christ. And so doe the wordes sound Bicause when he geueth warnyng that he speaketh this of Christ and his church he doth as it were by way of correction seuer the spirituall ioynyng of Christ and his church from the law of mariage Wherfore this fickle reason easily vanisheth awaye And I thinke I nede no more to shake vp any more of that sort of chaffe bicause the vanitie of them all is sone found out by this short confutation But this sobrietie shall aboundantly suffice to â—eede soundly the children of God that when the fulnesse of tunes was come the sonne of God was sent made of woman made vnder the lawe to redeme them that were vnder the lawe The .xiii. Chapter ¶ That Christ toke vpon him the true substance of the flesh of man NOW vnlesse I be deceiued it were superfluous to entreate agayne of the godhed of Christ whiche hath alredy man other place ben proued with playne strong testimonies It remayneth therefore to be seene how he beyng clothed with our flesh hath fulfilled the office of Mediatour The truth of his humaine nature hath in the olde time ben impugned both by the Manichees and the Marcionites of whome the Marcionites fained a ghost in stede of the body of Christ and the Manichees dreamed that he had a heauenly flesh But bothe many and strong testimonies of the Scripture do stand against them both For the blessing is promised neyther in a heauenly seede nor in the counâ—erfaite shape of man but in the sede of Abraham and Iacob Neither is the eternal throne promised to a man
is not ashamed to call them brethren For if he had sayd before that the faythfull are of God in so great dignitie what cause should there be to be ashamed But bicause Christ of his infinite grace doth ioyne himselfe to the base vnnoble therfore it is sayd that he is not a shamed But in vaine theâ— obiect that by this meane the wicked shal become the brethern of Christ bycause we know that the children of God are not borne of fleshe and bloud but of the holy ghost by fayth Therfore only fleshe maketh not a brotherly ioyning But although the Apostle geue this honour to the faithful only to be of one with Christ yet it foloweth not but that the wicked maye be borne of the same originall As when we saye that Christ was made man to make vs the sonnes of God this sayeng extendeth not to all men bicause fayth is the meane whiche spiritually graffeth vs into the body of Christ. Also they foolishly moue a brawle about the name of First begotteÌ„ They saye that Christ should haue ben borne of Adam streight at the beginning that he might be the first begotten among brethren For the title of First begotteÌ„ is not referred to age but to the degree of honour and excellence of power And more colour hath that whiche they bable that Christ toke to him man and not Angels bicause he receyued mankinde into fauour For to set out more largely the honour which God vouchesaued to geue vs he compared the Angels with vs which were in this behalf set behinde vs. And yf the testimonie of Moses be well weyed where he sayth that the seede of the woman shall breake the serpentes head it shal vtterly ende the controuersie For only Christ is not there spoken of but all mankinde Bicause the victorie was to be gotten by Christ for vs he generally prounounceth that the posteritie of the woman should get the vpperhand of the Deuell Whereupon foloweth that Christ issued of mankinde bicause it was Gods purpose there to rayse vp Eue whom he spake vnto with good hope that she should not fainth with sorrow They do no lesse wickedly than foolishly entangle with allegories these testimonies where Christ is called the seede of Abraham and the frute of the wombe of Dauid For if the name of Seede had ben spoken in an allegorie truely Paule wold not haue left it vntolde where he plainely and without figure affirmeth that there are not many sonnes of Abraham redemers but one Christ. Of like sort is it that they allege that he is no otherwise called the sonne of Dauid but bicause he was promised and at length in his dewe time deliuered For after that Paule had ones named him the sonne of God in that he by and by addeth Accordyng to the fleshe he truely meaneth of nature And so in the .ix. chapter callyng hym the blessed God he sayth seuerally byside that accordyng to the fleshe he descended of the Iewes Nowe if he were not truely begotten of the seede of Dauid to what purpose shal be this sayeng that he is the frute of his wombe What meaneth this promise Out of thy loynes shall he descende that shall abide in thy seate Now in the Genealogie of Christ as it is rehersed of Matthew they do Sophistically mocke For though he do not reherse the parentes of Marie but of Ioseph yet bicause he speaketh of a thyng sufficiently knowen abrode among the people he reckeneth it enough to shewe that Ioseph came of the seede of Dauid wheÌ„ it was well knowen that Marie was of the same stocke But Luke more presseth them in teachyng that saluation brought by Christ is coÌ„mon to all mankinde bicause Christ the author of saluation proceded from Adam the common parent of al. I graunt in deede that by the Genealogie it can none otherwise be gathered that Christ was the sonne of Dauid but in so much as he was begotten of the Uirgin But the newe Marcionites to colour their errour do to proudely in this that to proue that Christ toke his body of nothyng they affirme that women are sedelesse and so they ouerthrow the principles of nature But bycause that is no questioÌ„ of diuinitie and the reasons that they bring are so fickle that they maye very easily be confuted therefore I will not touch those thinges that belong to Philosophie and Physike and will hold me contented to wipe away those thinges that they alleage out of Scripture that is that Aaron and Ioiadah toke wiues of the tribe of Iehuvah and so the difference of tribes had then ben coÌ„founded if woman had engendryng seede in her But it is well enough knoweÌ„ thaâ—â—s touchyng ciuile order the kinreds are reckened by the seede of the man and yet the excelleÌ„cye of the kinde of man aboue woman proueâ—h nor the contrarie but that in generation the sede of woman muâ—â—â—â—te And this solution extendeth to all the Genealogies Oftentimes when the Scripture reckeneth vp a Genealogie it nameth the mâ—n only shal we therfore saye that the womeÌ„ are nothing But very children do know that women are compreheÌ„ded vnder the name of men And after this sort it is sayde that women bryng forth to their husbandes bicause the name of the household alway remayneth with the males Nowe as this is graunted to the excellencie of the male kinde that the children are compted noble or vnnoble according to the estate of their fathers so also in the state of boÌ„dage the issue foloweth the womb according to the iudgemeÌ„t of the Ciuile lawiers Whereby we maye gather that the issue is engendred of the seede of the woman And it hath of long time ben receyued in common vse of all natioÌ„s that the mothers are called Genitrices that is engendrers Wherewith Gods lawe also agreeth whiche els should wrongefully forbidde the mariage of the vncle with his sisters daughter bicause there were no consanguinitie betwene them and also it were lawful for a man to marry his sister by the mothers side so that she were begotten of an other father But as I graunte that there is a passiue power asâ—ribed to women so do I answer that the same thing is indifferently spoken of them that is of men And Christ himselfe is not sayde to be made by the woman but of the woman But some of theyr companie shakyng of all shame do to lewdely aske whether we will saye that Christ was engendred of the menstruall sede of the Uirgin for I will likewise aske of them whether he did not congele in the bloud of his mother whiche they shal be coÌ„strayned to confesse Therâ—ore it is fitly gathered of Matthewes wordes that bicause Christe was begotten of Marie he was engendred of her seede as a like engâ—ndring is meant when it is sayd that Booz was begotteÌ„ of Rahab Neither doth Matthewe here describe the Uirgin as a conduâ—â— pipe through whiche Christ passed but he seuereth this maruellous manner
which hath not walked in the councell of the wicked which beareth temptation Blessed are they which kepe iudgement the vndefiled the poore in Spirit the meeke the mercifull c. they shall not make but that it shall bee true which Paul saith For bicause those thinges that ar ther coÌ„mended are neuer so in man that he is therfore allowed of God it foloweth the man is alwai miserable vnlesse he be deliuered from misery by forgeuenesse of sinnes For asmuch as therfore all the kindes of blessednes which ar extolled in the scriptures do fal down void so the man receiueth frute of none of theÌ„ til he haue obteined blessedness by forgeuenes of sins which mai afterward make place for theÌ„ it foloweth that this is not only the hiest the chefe but also the only blessednes vnlesse paraduenture you will haue that it be weakned of those which consist in it alone Now ther is much lesse reason why the calling of meÌ„ righteous shoulde trouble vs which is coÌ„monli geueÌ„ to the faithful I grauÌ„t verili that thei ar called righteous of the holines of liâ— but for asmuch as thei rather endeuor to the folowiÌ„g of righteousnes than do fulfil righteousnes it self it is mete that this righteousnes suche as it is giue place to the iustification of faith from whence it hath that which it is But thei say that we haue yet more busines with Iames namelye which with opeÌ„ voice fighteth against vs. For he teacheth both that AbrahaÌ„ was iustified by works and also that al we are iustified by workes not by faith only What then wil thei draw Paul to fight with Iames If thei hold Iames for a minister of Christ his saying must be so takeÌ„ that it disagre not froÌ„ Christ speakiÌ„g by the mouth of Paul The holy ghost affirmeth by the mouth of Paul that AbrahaÌ„ obteined righteousnesse by faith not by workes we also do teach that all are iustified by faith without the works of the law The same holy ghost teacheth by Iames that both Abrahams righteousnes and ours consisteth of workes not of only faith It is certain that the holy ghost fighteth not with himselfe What agrement shall ther be therfore of these two It is enough for the aduersaries if thei pluck vp the righteousnes of faith which we wolde haue to be fastened with most depe rootes but to render to consciences their quietnesse thei haue no great care Whereby verily you may see that thei gnaw the iustificatioÌ„ of faith but in the meane tim do apoint no mark of righteousnes wher coÌ„sciences may stay Therfore let them triumph as thei list so that thei may boaste of no other victorie than that thei haue taken away all certainetie of righteousnesse And this wretched victorie thei shal obteine where the light of truth being quenched the lord shal suffer theÌ„ to ouerspred the darknes of lies But whersoeuer the truth of God shal stand thei shall nothing preuaile I deny therefore that the saieng of Iames which thei still coÌ„tinually hold vp against vs as it wer the shelde of Achilles doth any thing at al make for theÌ„ That this may be made plaine first we must loke at the mark that the apostle shooteth at then we must note wher thei be deceiued Bicause there were theÌ„ many whiche mischefe is wont to be continual in the Church which openly bewraied their infidelitie in neglecting omitting al the propre works of the faithful yet cessed not to boaste of the false name of faith Iames doth here mock the folish boldnes of such meÌ„ Therfore it is not his purpose in any point to diminish the force of true faith but to shew how â—ondly those trifles did chalenge so much the vaine image of it that being contented herw t thei carelesly ranne dissolutely abroade into all licentiousnesse of vices This ground being coÌ„ceiued it shal be easy to perceaue where oure aduersaries do misse For thei fal into two deceites in the word the one in the name of faith that other in the word of iustifieng Whereas the Apostle nameth faith a vaine opinion farr distant from the truth of faith it is spokeÌ„ by waie of graunting which is no derogation to the matter whych he sheweth at the beginning in these words What profiteth it my brothreÌ„ If any man say that he hath faith hath no works He doth not say if any haue faith wtout workes but If any man boast More plainely also he speaketh a little after where he in mockerie maketh yt worse than the deuills knowledg last of al when he calleth it dead But by the definition you maye sufficiently perceaue what hee meaneth Thou beleuest saith he that there is a God Truely if nothing be conteined in thys faith but to beleue that there is a God it is now no maruel if it do not iustifie And when this is taken from it let vs not think that any thing is a bared from the Christian faith the nature whereof ys farre otherwise For after what manner doth true faith iustifie vs but when it coÌ„ioyneth vs with Christ that being made one with him we may enioy the partakyng of hys righteousnesse It dothe not therefore iustifie vs by this that it conceiueth a knowledge of the beinge of God but by thys that it resteth vpon the assurednesse of the mercy of God We haue not yet the work vnlesse we examine also the other deceite in the word for asmuche as Iames setteth part of iustificatioÌ„ in works If you wil make Iames agreing both with the rest of the Scriptures in himself you must of necessitie take the word of Iustifieng in an other significatioÌ„ thaÌ„ it is takeÌ„ in Paul For Paul saith that we ar iustified wheÌ„ the remeÌ„brance of our vnrighteousnes being blotted out we ar accoÌ„pted righteous If Iames had ment of that takinge he had wrongefully alleged that out of Moses AbrahaÌ„ beleued God c. For he thus frameth it together AbrahaÌ„ bi works obteined righteousnes bycause he sticked not at the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God to offer vp his sonne And so the Scriptur was fulfilled whiche saithe that hee beleued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse If it be an absurditie that the effect is before hys cause eyther Moses dothe in that place falsely testifie that faythe was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse or he deserued not righteousnesse by that obedience whiche he shewed in offering vp of Isaac Abraham was iustified by his faith when Ismael was not yet conceiued whych was nowe growen past childehode before that Isaac was borne Now therfore shal we saie that he got to himself righteousnesse by obedience which folowed long afterward Wherefore either Iames did wrongfully misturne the order which it is a wickednesse to thinke or he meant not to say that he was iustified as though he deserued to be accompted righteous How then Truely it appeareth that he speaketh of the declaration of righteousnesse and not the
very same places in which the holy ghoste promiseth to works eternal glorie for reward in expressing the inheritance bi name he sheweth the it coÌ„meth froÌ„ els where So Christ rehearseth works which he recompenseth with the rewarding of heaueÌ„ when he calleth the elect to the possessioÌ„ therof but he therwtal adioyneth that it must be possessed by right of inheritance So Paul biddeth seruantes which do their duetie faithefully to hope for reward of the lord but he addeth of inheritance We see how thei do as it were by expresse wordes proued that we impute not eternall blessednes to works but â—o the adoptioÌ„ of god Why therfore do thei therwtal together make mentioÌ„ of works This questioÌ„ shal be made plaine with one exaÌ„ple of scripture Before the birth of Isaac ther was promised to Abraham a seede in which al the nations of the earth shold be blessed a multiplieng of his sede which shold match the starres of the skie and the sandes of the sea other like In many yeares afterwarde Abraham as he was coÌ„maunded bi the oracle prepared himself to offer vp his soÌ„ne in sacrifice When he had performed this obedience he receyued a promise I haue sworne by my selfe saith the lorde bicause yâ— hast done thys thing hast not spared thine own only begotteÌ„ sonne I wil blesse thee and multiplie thy sede as the starres of the skie the sandes of the sea thy sede shal possesse the gates of their enemies al the nations of the earth shal be blessed in thy seede bicause yâ— hast obeied my voice What heare we Hathe AbrahaÌ„ by his obedience deserued the blessing the promise wherof he had receiued before that the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t was geuen Here verily we haue it wtout circuÌ„stances shewed that the lord rewardeth the workes of the faithful with those benefites which he had already geuen theÌ„ before that the works were thought of hauing yet no cause why he shoulde do good to them but his owne mercie Yet doth the Lord not deceiue nor mocke vs when he saith that he rendreth for rewarde to workes the same thing which he hadde before workes freely geuen For bicause he will haue vs to be exercised wyth good workes to thinke vpoÌ„ the deliuerie or enioyeng as I may so call it of these things which he hath promised and to runne through them to the blessed hope set before vs in heauen the frute of the promises is also rightly assigned to theÌ„ to the ripenesse wherof thei do not bring vs. The Apostle very fittly expressed both these points when he said that the Colossians applie themselues to the duties of charitie for the pope which is laied vp for them in heauen of which thei had before heard by the word of the true speaking Gospel For wheÌ„ he saith that thei knew by the Gospel that there was hope layed vp for them in heauen he declareth that the same is by Christ only not vnderpropped with any works Wherew t accordeth that saieng of Peter that the godly are kept by the power of God through faith vnto the saluatioÌ„ which is ready to be manifestli shewed at the time appointed for it When he sayth that thei labor for it he signifieth that the faithfull must runne all the time of their life that thei may atteine to it But least we shoulde thinke that the rewarde whiche the lorde promiseth vs is not reduced to the measure of merit he did putte forth a parable in which he made himselfe a householder whiche sent al them that he met to the trimming of his vineyarde some at the first houre of the daye some at the second some at the thirde yea some aâ—o at the xi At euening he payed to euery one egall wages The expositioÌ„ of whiche parable that same olde writer what soeuer he was whose booke is carried abroade vnder the name of Ambrose of the callinge of the Gentiles hathe breefely and truely sette oute I wyll vse rather his woordes than myne owne The Lorde saithe hee by the rule of thys comparison hath stablished the dyuersitie of manifolde calling belonging to one grace where without doubt thei whiche beinge lette in into the vineyard at the xi houre are made egal with them that had wrought the whole day do represeÌ„t the estate of theÌ„ whom for the aduanciÌ„g of the excellency of grace the tender kindenes of the lord hath rewarded at the wauing of the day and at the ending of their life not paieng wages for their labore but pouring out the richesse of his goodnes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ whome he hath chosen wtout works that euen thei also which haue swet in great laboure haue receiued no more than the last may vnderstand that they haue receiued a gift of grace not a reward of works Last of al this also is worthy to be noted in these places wher eternal life is called the rewarde of works that it is not simply takeÌ„ for the communicating which we haue with God to blessed immortalitie wheÌ„ hee embraceth vs with fatherly good wil in Christe but for the possessing or enioying as thei cal it of blessednesse as also that very words of Christ do sound In time to come life euerlasting And in an other place Come possesse the kingdome c. After this manner Paul calleth adoptioÌ„ the reueling of the adoptioÌ„ which shal be made in the resurrectioÌ„ afterward expouÌ„deth it the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of our body Otherwise as estranging froÌ„ God is eternal death so when man is receiued of God into fauour that he may enioye the coÌ„municating of him be made one with him hee is receiued froÌ„ death to life which is done by the beneficiall meane of adoption onely And if as thei are wonte thei stiffely enforce the reward of works we maie tourne against them that saieng of Peter that eternall life is the rewarde of faith Therfore let vs not think that the holy ghoste doth with such promise set forth the worthinesse of our works as if thei deserued such rewarde For the scripture leaueth nothing to vs wherof we may be aduauÌ„ced in the sight of God But rather it wholy endeuoreth to beate down oure arrogance to humble vs to throwe vs downe altogether to breake vs in peces But our weaknes is so succoured which otherwyse wold by by slippe fal down vnlesse it did susteine it self with this expectation mitigate her tedious greues with coÌ„fort First how harde it is for a man to forsake deny not only al his things but also himselfe let euery man consider for himself And yet with this introduction Christ traineth his schollers that is all the godly Then throughout all their life he so instructeth theÌ„ vnder the discipline of the crosse that thei may not set their hearte eyther to the desire or coÌ„fideÌ„ce of present good things Brefely he so handleth them for the most part that which way so euer they tourne their
earnest seale of the inheritance to come wherw t our hearts are sealed vp agaiÌ„st the day of the lord In a suÌ„me sith hypocrites boast of godlines as wel as the true worshipers of god Christ pronouÌ„ceth that at length thei shal be cast out of the place which thei wrongfully possesse as it is said in the psalm Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle The innocent in handes the man of a pure heart Againe in an other place This is the generation of theÌ„ that seke God of them that seeke the face of the God of Iacob And so dothe the Spirite exhorte the faithful to sufferance that thei take it not greuously that the Israelites be mingled with theÌ„ in the Church for at length their visor shal be plucked from them thei shal be cast out with shame The same reason is of the exception euen now alleged where Christ saith that none perished but the sonne of perdition It is in dede an vnpropre speache but yet not darke For he was not accompted among the shepe of Christe for that he was one in dede but bicause he kept the place of one And where in an other place the Lorde affirmeth that hee was chosen with the Apostles that is spokeÌ„ onli in respect of the ministerie Twelue saith he haue I chosen one of them is a Deuel that is he had chosen him to the office of an Apostle But when he speaketh of choosing to saluacion he denieth him far away froÌ„ the numbre of the choosen saieng I speake not of al I know whome I haue choosen If a man do in bothe places confound the word of Choosing he shal miserably entangle himselfe if he make differeÌ„ce nothing is more plaine Therfore Gregory teacheth very ill pestilently when he saith that we know only our calling but are vncertaine of our election wherby he moueth al men to feare trembling vsing also this reasoÌ„ but bicause we know what we be to day but what we shal be we know not But in the place he sufficiently declareth how he stumbled at this blocke For bicause he hanged election vpoÌ„ the merites of works he had mater enough more to discourage the minds of men but he colde not strengthen theÌ„ which did not remoue theÌ„ from theÌ„selves to the affiance of the goodnes of God Herof the faithful haue som taste of that which we haue determined at the begiÌ„ning the predestinatioÌ„ if it be rightly thought vpoÌ„ bringeth not a shaking of faith but rather the best strengthening of it And yet I denie not that the holy ghoste frameth his talke to the smale measure of oure sense As wheÌ„ he saith In the secret of my people thei shal not be in the rowle of my seruants thei shal not be writen As though God did beginne to write in the booke of life them whom he reckeneth in the numbre of his wheras yet we know euen by the witnesse of Christe that the names of the children of God are from the beginning written in the boke of life But in these wordes is only expressed the casting away of them which semed the chefe among the electe as it is saide in the Psalme Let them be blotted out of the boke of life and let them not be written with the righteous But the electe are neither immediatly from the wombe nor al at one time by calling gathered together into the flocke of Christe but as it pleaseth God to distribute his grace to them But ere thei be gathered together to that chefe shepeherd thei are scattered abroad and sâ—ray in the common deserte and differ nothinge from other sauing that they be defended by the singular mercie of God from fallinge into the extreeme hedlong downefall of deathe Therefore if you loke vpon them selues you shall see the offspring of Adam which fauoreth of the coÌ„mon corruption of the whole masse That they be not carried into extreeme and dispeâ—red vngodlynesse this comÌ„eth not to passe by any goodnesse naturally planted in them but bicause the eye of God watcheth and his hand is stretched out to their saluation For thei the dreame that froÌ„ their very natiuitie there is planted in their heartes I wote not what sede of election by the vertue whereof thei are alwaie enclined to godlynes to the feare of God thei both are not holpeÌ„ to proue it by the authoritie of Scripture also are confuted by experience it selfe Thei do in dede bring forth a fewe examples to proue that the elect euen before their enlightning were not vtterly strangers from religioÌ„ that Paul in his being a Pharisee liued vnreprouable that Cornelius was by almes praiers accepted of God such other Of Paul we grant to them of Cornelius wee saye that they are deceiued For it appeareth that he was then already enlightned regenerate so that he wanted nothing but the clere reueling of the Gospel But what wil thei wring out by these fewe examples that al the elect are alway endued with the spirit of godlinesse No more than if a man by shewing the vprightnesse of Aristides Socrates Zenocrates Scipio Curius Camillê° other sholde therof gather that al thei that are left in blindnesse of idolatrie wer desirous folowers of holines honestie Yea and the Scripture in more places than one openly crieth out againste them For the state which Paul describeth of the EphesiaÌ„s before their regeneracioÌ„ sheweth not one grain of this sede Ye were saith he deade with defaultes sinnes in which ye walked according to the time of this worlde according to the prince of the â—yre which now worketh in the obstinate children among whome we all also were somtime conuersant in the lustes of our flesh doing those thinges that liked oure fleshe minde And we were by nature the children of wrath as other also were Again Remembre that ye were somtime wtout hope lacked God in the world Againe Ye were somtime darkenesse but now ye are light in the lord walke as the children of light But paraduenture thei wil haue these thinges to be referred to the ignorance of the true God wherew t thei denie not that the elect are holden before that they be called Albeit this were a shamelesse cauilling sith he therof concludeth that thei ought nowe noe more either to lie or to steale yet what will thei answer to other places as is that place to the Corynthians where when he had pronounced that neither whoremongers nor idolatrers nor adulterers nor weakelinges nor buggerers nor theues nor couetous men shal be heires of the kingedome of God he by by addeth that thei wer wrapped in the same haynous offenses before that thei knew Christ but now that thei are bothe washed by his bloode made free by his Spirit Againe an other place to the Romaines As ye haue geuen your membres bond to vncleannesse to iniquitie
we are ioyned in felowship to the holy fathers whiche euen beyng dead doe kepe the same godlinesse with vs so that we can not be the members of Christ vnlesse we growe together with them Unlesse also the soules beyng vnclothed of the bodies did kepe still their substance were able to receyue blessed glorie Christ wold not haue sayd to the thefe This day thou shalt be with me in paradise Hauing so clere testimonies let vs not dout after the example of Christ when we are dyeng to commend our soules to God or after the example of Stephen to commit them to Christ to kepe which not vnworthily is called a faithfull shepeherd and bishop of them To enquire of their meane state is neyther lawfull nor expedient Many do much combeâ— themselues with disputing what place they kepe and whether thei do now enioye the heauenly glorie or no. But it is follie and rashnesse to searche depelier of vnknowen thinges than God doth geue vs leaue to know When the Scripture hath sayd that Christ is present with them and receiueth them into paradise that they maye enioy comfort on the other side that the soules of the reprobate do suffer suche peines as they haue deserued it goeth no further What teacher or maister shall nowe open to vs that whiche God hath hidden Of the place the questioÌ„ is no lesse fond and vayne for asmuch as we know that there is not the same dimension of the soule which is of the body Whereas the blessed gatheryng together of holy spirites is called the bosome of Abraham it is enough for vs after this wayfaryng to be receyued of the common father of the faithfull that he may communicate with vs the frute of his fayth In the meane time â—iâ—he the Scripture euery where biddeth vs to hang vpon the expectation of Christes coÌ„ming and differreth the crowne of glorie till then let vs be content with these bondes apointed vs of God namely that the soules of the godly hauyng ended the labor of their warfare doe goe into a blessed reste where with happy ioyfulnesse they loke for the enioyeng of the promised glorie and that so all thinges are holden in suspense till Christ the redemer appere As for the Reprobate it is no dout that they haue the same estate which Iude assigneth to the Deuels to be holden bound with cheynes till they be drawen to the punishment whereunto they are condemned No lesse monstruous is their error whiche imagine that soules shall not receyue againe the same bodies wherwith they are now clothed but shal haue new and other bodies And the reason of the Manichees was very triflyng that is that it is not mete that flesh which is vncleane shold rise againe As though there were no vncleaÌ„nesse of soules which yet they debarred not from the hope of euerlasting life It was therefore all one as if they shold say that that which is infected with the filth of sinne can not be cleansed by God For I now passe ouer that dotage that fleshe was naturally vncleane bicause it was create of the Deuel Only I shew that what so euer is now in vs vnworthy of heauen it hindereth not the resurrection And first wheras Paule biddeth the faithfull to cleanse themselues from all deâ—ilyng of the fleshe and of the Spirit therupoÌ„ foloweth the iudgement which he in an other place pronounceth that euery man shal receiue by his body eyther good or euel Wherewith agreeth that which he writeth to the CorinthiaÌ„s That the life of Iesus Christ may be openly shewed in our mortal flesh For which reason in an other place he doth no lesse pray that God preserue the bodies whole vnto the day of Christ than the soules and spirites And no maruell bicause it were a most great absurditie that the bodies which God hath dedicate to be temples to himselfe should fall away into rottennesse without hope of risyng againe What say we to this that thei are also the members of Christ that God commaundeth all the partes of them to be sanctified to himself that he willeth his name to be praysed with tonges pure handes to be lifted vp to him sacrifices to be offred What madnesse is it therfore that that part to whiche the heauenly iudge hath vouchesaued to graunt so great honor should be brought from a mortal man into dust without any hope of restoring Likewise when Paule exhorteth vs to suffer the Lord as well in body as in soule bycause both belong to God verily he suffreth not that whiche he chalengeth to God as holy to be adiudged to eternall rottennesse Neyther is there a plainer determinatioÌ„ of the Scripture for any thing thaÌ„ for the risyng againe of this flesh which we beare This corruptible sayth Paule must put on vncorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie If God did make new bodies where is this changyng of qualitie If it had ben sayd that we must be renewed the doutful speache paraduenture mought haue geuen occasion to their cauillatioÌ„ But now when pointyng with his â—ingar to the bodies wherewith we are clothed he promiseth to them vncorruption he plainely enough denieth any new bodies to be made Yea he could not sayth TertulliaÌ„ speake more plainly vnlesse he had holden his owne skinne in his hand And they can by no cauillation escape froÌ„ this that where in an other place he sayth that Christ shal be the iudge of the world he allegeth this testimonie of Esaye I liue sayth the Lord euery knee shal bowe to me for as much as he plainly pronounceth that they to whoÌ„ he speaketh shal be subiect to yeld an accompt of their life which could not agree if newe bodies should be brought before the iudgement seate Nowe in the wordes of Daniel there is no doutfulnesse And many of them that slepe in the earth of dust shall awake some to eternall life and some to reproches to euerlastyng contempt sithe he fetcheth not new matter out of the fower elementes to make men but calleth dead men out of their graues And this very plaine reason teacheth For if mortalitie whiche toke beginnyng at the fall of man be accidental then the repayring which Christ brought perteineth to the same body which began to be mortall And truely wheras the Athenians laughed when Paule affirmed the resurrection therupon we may gather what manner of resurrection he preached and that same laughyng not smally anayleth to strengthen our faith The sayeng of Christ also is worthy to be noted Feare not them which kil the body can not kil the soule but feare him which can throwe both the soule and the body into hell of fire For there is no cause to feare vnlesse the body whiche we now beare be subiect to punishmeÌ„t And no lesse plaine is an other sayeng of the same Christ The houre coÌ„meth when all they that are in graues shal heare the
them he maketh them partakers of hymselfe when in the meane tyme these fellowes driuing them farre away do adiudge them to death For if they say for a shift that infantes do not therfore perishe if they be accompted the children of Adam their error is abundantly confuted by witnesse of the Scripture For where as it pronounceth that all do dye in Adam it foloweth that there remaineth no hope of life but in Christe Therefore that we maye be made heires of lyfe we must communicate with him Agayne when it is written in an other place that by nature we are all subiecte to the wrath of God and conceiued in sinne wherunto DamnatioÌ„ perpetually cleaueth we must departe oute of oure owne nature before that the entrie be open to vs into the kingdome of God And what can be more playnely spoken than that fleshe and blood can not possesse the kingdome of God Therfore let al be doone away what soeuer is ours which shall not be done withoute regeneration then we shall see this possession of the kyngdome Finally if Christ say truely when he reporteth that he is life it is necessarie that we be graffed into hym that we may be deliuered out of the bondage of death But saye they how are infantes regenerate which are not endued with knowlege neither of good nor of euyl But we answer that the worke of God is not yet no worke at all althoughe it be not subiect to our capacitie Moreouer it is nothyng doutefull that the infantes whiche are to be saued as verily of that age some are saued are before regenerate of the Lorde For if they bryng with them from their mothers wombe the corruption naturally planted in them they must be purged therof before that they be admitted into the kyngdome of God whereinto nothyng entreth that is defiled or spotted If they be borne synners as bothe Dauid and Paule affirme eyther they remaine out of fauor and hatefull to God or they must nedes be iustified And what seke we more when the iudge himself openly affirmeth that the entrie into heauenly life is open to none but to them that bee borne agayne And to put suche carpers to silence he shewed an example in Iohn the Baptist whome he sanctified in his mothers wombe what he was able to doo in the rest Neither dooe they any thyng preuaile by the shifte wherewith they here mocke that that was but ones done wherupon it dothe not by and by folow that the Lorde is wonte commonly to doe so with infantes For neither do we reason after that maner onely our purpose is to shew that the power of God is by them vniustly and enuiously limitted within those narrowe boundes within which it suffreth not it selfe to be bounde Their other by shift is euen of as great weight They allege that by the vsuall maner of the Scripture this worde from the wombe is as muche in effecte as if it were sayd from childhode But we may clerely see that the Angell when he declared the same to zacharie meant an other thyng that is that it whiche was not yet borne shoulde be filled with the Holy ghoste Lette vs not therfore attempt to appoynt a law to God but that he may sanctifie whom it pleased him as he sanctified this childe forasmuche as his power is nothyng minyshed And truely Christ was therfore sanctified from his first infantie that he might sanctifie in himself his elect out of euery age without differeÌ„ce For as to do away the fault of disobedience which had ben committed in our fleshe he hath put on the same fleshe vpon himselfe that he might in it for vs and in our stede performe perfect obedience so he was conceiued of the Holy ghost that hauyng the holynesse therof fully poured into hym in the fleshe which he had taken vpon hym he myght poure foorth the same into vs. If we haue in Christ a most perfect paterne of all the graces which God continually sheweth to his children verily in this behalfe also he shall be a profe vnto vs that the age of infantie is not so farre vnfitt for sanctification But howsoeuer it be yet this we holde out of controuersie that none of the electe is called out of this present life which is not fyrst made holy and regenerate by the Spirit of God Wheras they obiect to the contrary that in the Scriptures the Spirite acknowlegeth no other regeneration but of incorruptible sede that is of the worde of God they do wrongfully expounde that sayeng of Peter wherin he comprehendeth onely the faithfull which had ben taught by preaching of the Gospell To suche in dede we graunt that the word of the Lorde is the onely sede of spirituall regeneration but we denye that it ought therupon to be gathered that infantes can not be regenerate by the power of God which is to him as easy and ready as to vs it is incomprehensible and wonderfull Moreouer it shoulde not bee safe enough for vs to take this awaye from the Lorde that he maye not be able to shewe hymselfe to bee knowen to them by whatsoeuer waye he will But Faith say they is by hearyng wherof they haue not yet gotten the vse neither can they be able to knowe God whom Moses teacheth to be destiâ—ute of the knowlege bothe of good and euill But they consider not that the Apostle wheÌ„ he maketh hearyng the beginnyng of faith describeth onely the ordinarie distribution of the Lorde and disposition whiche he vseth to kepe in calling them that be his but appointeth not to him a perpetuall rule that he may not vse any other way Which way verily he hath vsed in the calling of many to whome he hath geuen the true knowlege of himselfe by an inwarde maner by the enlightening of the Spirite wtout any preaching vsed for meane thereof But whereas they thinke it shal be a great absurditie if any knowlege of God be geueÌ„ to infantes from whom Moses taketh away the vnderstaÌ„ding of good and euil I beseche them to answere me what danger is there if they be sayd to receiue some part of that grace wherof a litle after they shal enioye the ful plentifulnesse For if the fulnesse of lyfe standeth in the perfect knowlege of God when many of them whom in their very first infantie death by and by taketh away doe passe into eternall life truely they are receiued to beholde the most present face of God WhoÌ„ therfore the Lord wil enlighteÌ„ with the ful bryghtnesse of hys lyghte why maye he not presently also if it so please hym sende out to shyne vppon them some small sparcle therof specially if he do not first vncloth them of ignorance before the he take them out of the prison of the flesh Not that I meane rashly to affirme that they be endued with the same Faith which we fele in our selues or that they haue altogether lyke knowlege of faith which I had
might be of force to holde them in is a certayne meane thyng betwene the forsaking of whole mankinde and the election of a small nomber of the godly The whole people of Israell was called the inheritance of GOD of whome yet there were many strangers But because GOD had not for nothing made couenant with them that he woulde bee their Father and redemer he rather hath respecte to hys owne free fauor than to the vnfaythfull falling away of many by whom also hys truthe was not abolished because where he reserued any remnante it appeared that hys calling was without repentance For whereas GOD did from tyme to tyme choose vnto hymselfe a Chirche rather out of the children of Abraham than out of the prophane nations he had regarde to hys couenante which beyng broken of the whole multitude he restrayned to a fewe that it shoulde not vtterly fall awaye Fynally the common adoption of the sede of Abraham was a certayne visible image of a greater benefite whiche God hath vouchesaued to graunt to fewe out of many Thys is the reason why Paule so diligently putteth difference betwene the children of Abraham according to the fleshe and hys spirituall children which were called after the example of Isaac Not that it was a vayne and vnfrutefull thing simply to be the chylde of Abraham whiche mighte not be sayd without dishonor of the couenante but because the vnchangeable counsell of GOD wherby he hath predestinate whom he would is by it selfe effectual only to this later sort vnto saluatiō But I warne the reders y◠they bring not a foreconceiued iugement on either side til it appeare by the places of Scripture broughte fourth what is to be thoughte That therefore which the Scripture clerely sheweth we saye that God by eternall and vnchangeable counsel hath ones appointed whom in tyme to come he would take to saluatiō and on the other syde whō he would condemne to destruction Thys counsel as touching the elect we say to be groūded vpon his free mercie without any respect of the worthinesse of man but whom he appointeth to damnatiō to them by hys iugement which is in dede iust and irreprehensible but also incōprehensible y◠entrie of lyfe is forclosed Now in the elect we set vocation to be the testimonie of Election then iustification to be an other signe of the manifest shewing of it til they come to glorie wherin is the fulfilling of it But as by vocatiō and election God maketh his elect so by shutting out y◠reprobate eyther from the knowlege of hys name or from the sanctification of his Spirite he doth as it were by these markes open what iugemēt abideth for them I wil here passe ouer many fayned inuentions which foolish mē haue forged to ouerthrowe predestination For they nede no confutation which so sone as they are brought fourth doe largely bewraye their owne falsnesse I wil tarry only vpon those which either are in controuersie amōg the learned or which may bryng any hardinesse to the simple or which vngodlinesse with faire seming showe pretendeth to scoffe at the righteousnesse of God ¶ The .xxii. Chapiter A confirmation of this doctrine by testimonies of the Scripture AL these things which we haue set are not without controuersie among many specially the free election of the faithfull which yet can not be weakened For the common sort do thinke that God as he foreseeth that euery mans deseruinges shal be so maketh difference betwene men that therefore whō he foreknoweth that they shal be not vnworthy of hys grace them he adopteth into place of children and whoe 's natures he espyeth that they wil be bent to wickednesse and vngodlinesse them he appointeth to the damnation of death So by cloking it with the veile of foreknowlege they do not only darken election but faine that it hath beginning from ells where And this opinion receiued of the commō sort is not the opinion of the common sorte alone for in al ages it hath had greate mainteiners Whiche I doe plainly confesse to the entent that no mā should trust that it shall muche hurte our cause if their names be obiected against vs. For the truthe of God herein is more certaine than that it may be shaken more clere than that it maye be darkened with y◠authoritie of men But some other neyther exercised in the Scripture nor worthy of any voyce doo rayle at thys doctrine wyth greater maliciousnesse than that their frowarde pryde oughte to be suffered Because God choosing some after hys owne wyl leaueth other some they picke a quarel against hym But if the thing it selfe be knowē for true what shal they preuaile with brawling against God We teach nothing but that which is approued by experience that it was alway at libertie for God to bestowe hys grace to whome he will I will not enquire wherby the posteritie of Abraham excelled other but by that vouchesauing wherof there is foūde no cause ellswhere than in God Let them answere why they be men rather than oxen or asses Whē it was in the hande of God to make them dogges he fashioned them after hys own image Wyll they geue leaue to brute beastes to quarell wyth God for their estate as thoughe the difference were vnrighteous Truely it is no more righteous that they should enioy the prerogatiue whiche they haue obteined by no deseruinges thā for God diuersly to deale abrode his benefites according to the measure of hys own iugement If they skippe ouer to persones where the inequalitie is more hateful to them at the least at the example of Christe they oughte to be afrayed to prate so boldly of so hye a mysterie He is conceiued of the sede of Dauid a mortall man by what vertues wyll they say that he deserued to be in the very wombe made the hed of Angels the onely begotten sonne of GOD the image and glorie of the Father the lyghte righteousnesse and saluation of the worlde Thys thing Augustine wisely noted that in the very hed of the Chirche is a moste clere mirror of free election lest it should troble vs in the members and that he was not by ryghteously liuing made the sonne of God but that he had so great honor freely geuen hym that he myght afterwarde make other partakers of hys gyftes Here if any man aske why other were not the same that he was or why all we are so farr distante from hym why all we be corrupte and he purenesse suche a man shall bewraye not onely hys madnesse but therewithall also hys shamelessnesse But if they goe forward to labor to take from GOD the free power to choose and refuse let them also take away that whiche is geuen to Christe Nowe it is worth the trauayle to consider what the Scripture pronounceth of euery one Paule verily when he teacheth that we were chosen in Christe taketh away all respecte of our owne worthinesse For it is al one as if he had sayd
because in the whole sede of Adam the heaueÌ„ly father founde nothing worthy of his election he turned hys eyes vnto hys Christ to thoose as it were members out of hys body them whome he would take into the felowship of lyfe Lett thys reson then be of force among the faythfull that we were therefore adopted in Christe into the heauenly inheritance because in our selues we were not able to receiue so greate excellence Whiche also he toucheth in an other place wheÌ„ he exhorteth the Colossians to geuing of thankes for thys that they were by God made fytt to be partakers of the estate of the holy If electioÌ„ goe before thys grace of God that we be made fitt to obteyne the glorie of the life to come what shall God hymselfe nowe fynde in vs wherby he maye be moued to elect vs My meaning shal yet be more openly expressed by an other sayeng of hys He hath chosen vs sayeth he ere the fundacioÌ„s of the world were layed according to the good pleasure of his will that we might be holy and vnspotted and vnreprouable in his sight where he setteth the good pleasure of God against al our deseruinges whatsoeuer they be That the profe may be more strong it is worth the labor to note al the partes of that place which being coupled together doe leaue no doute Where he nameth the elect it is no dout that he speaketh to the faithful as he also by and by afterwarde affirmeth Wherefore they doe with to fowle a glose abuse that name whiche wrest it to the age where in the Gospel was first published Where he sayth that they were elect before the beginning of the world he taketh away all respect of worthinesse For what reason of difference is there betwene them whiche yet were not and those which afterwarde should in Adam be egall Now if they be elect in Christ it foloweth that not only euery man is seuered without hymselfe but also one of them from an other forasmuch as we see that not al are the members of Christ. That which is added that they were elect that they might be holy plainly coÌ„futeth the error which deriueth election from foreknowlege forasmuch as Paule cryeth out against it and sayth that whatsoeuer vertue appeareth in men it is the effecte of electioÌ„ Now if a hyer cause be sought Paul answereth that God hath so predestinate yea and that according to the good pleasure of his will In which wordes he ouerthroweth whatsoeuer meanes of their electioÌ„ men do imagine in themselues For he also teacheth that whatsoeuer thinges God geueth towarde spirituall lyfe they flowe out of thys one fountaine because God hath chosen whom he would and ere they wer borne he had seuerally layed vp for them the grace which he vouchesaued to geue them But whersoeuer this pleasure of God reigneth there no works come to be considered He doth not here in dede pursue the comparison of coÌ„traries but it is to be vnderstanded such as he himselfe declareth He hath called vs sayth he with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to hys purpose and the grace which is geuen vs of Christ before the tymes of the world And we haue alredy shewed that al dout is takeÌ„ away in this which foloweth that we might be holy and vnspotted For if thou say because he foresawe that we should be holy therefore he chose vs thou shalt peruert the order of Paule Thus therefore thou mayest safely gather If he chose vs that we might be holy then he chose vs not because he foresawe that we would be such For these two thinges are contrarie the one to the other that the godly haue it of election that they be holy and that they come to it by meane of woorkes Neyther is their cauillation here any thing worth to which they commonly flee that the Lord doth not render the grace of election to any workes going before but yet graunteth it to workes to come For wheÌ„ it is sayd that the faythfull were chosen that they might be holy therewithall is signified that the holinesse which was to come in them toke beginning at election And how shall thys sayeng agree together that those thinges which are deriued from election gaue cause to election The same thing which he sayd he semeth afterwarde to confirme more strongly where he sayth According to the purpose of his wil whiche he had purposed in himselfe For to say that God purposed in hymselfe is as much in effect as if it had ben said that without himselfe he considered nothing wherof he had any regarde in decreing Therfore he by by addeth that the whole summe of our election tendeth to this ende that we shoulde be to the prayse of the grace of God Truely the grace of God deserueth not to be praysed alone in our electioÌ„ vnlesse our election be free But free it shal not be if God in electing his doe consider what shal be the workes of euery one Therfore we fynde that the whiche Christ sayd to hys disciples hath place vniuersally among al the faythful Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Where he not onely excludeth deseruinges past but also signifieth that they had nothing in themselues why they should be chosen if he had not preuented them then with hys mercie Lyke as thys sayeng of Paul is also to be vnderstode Who first gaue to him and shal receiue recompense For he meaneth to shewe that the goodnesse of God so preuenteth men that it fyndeth nothing in them neither past nor to come wherby he may be wonne to be fauourable to them Now to the Romaines where he fetcheth thys questioÌ„ further of and foloweth it more largely he denyeth that al they are Israelites which are issued of Israel because although by ryght of inheritance they were all blessed yet the succession did not egally passe to them al. The beginning of thys disputation proceded of the pryde and deceitful glorieng of the Iewishe people For wheÌ„ they claimed to themselues the name of the Chirch they would haue the credit of the Gospell to hang vpoÌ„ their wil as the Papistes at thys day would gladly wyth thys fained color thrust themselues into the place of God Paul although he graunt that the ofspryng of Abraham is holy by reson of the couenauÌ„t yet affirmeth that the most parte of them are strangers in it and that not onely because they â—warue out of kynde so that of lawful children they become bastardes but because the speciall election of God standeth aboue and reigneth in the hyest top which alone maketh the adoption therof sure If their owne godlinesse stablished some in the hope of saluation and their owne fallyng away alone disherited other some Paul verely should both fondly and vnconueniently lift vp the reders euen to the secrete election Now if the wil of of God the cause wherof neither appeareth nor is to be