forbid For seeing we be dead vnto sin through the spirite of righteousnes how is it possible that we shuld continue and liue in sinne after wee be once iustified R. I scarse vnderstand this geere P. What know ye not that as many of vs as are baptised made cleane in Iesus Christ are baptised washed into his deth that by the same baptim we be after such a sort as it wer dead buried with him that contrariwise lyke as Christ was raised from the dead for the glory of his father so we also must walk in newnesse of life to the glory of him who hath shevved the spirite of righteousnesse into vs to worke righteousnesse therewith R. I am glad that you haue vttred vnto me both the true signification of baptime and also the bond of righteousnes For by this meane the manifolde errour of many may be spied out First there are which full lewdly doo make more account of the signe than of the thing that is signified by it and there are very fewe whiche thinke that baptim betokeneth the mortifying and wasshing of the olde Adam and of all vnrightuousnesse and and vnhonestie and consequently the renewing restoring againe of our soules and of oure whole lyfe to their first state Againe there are othersome which being vtterly ignorāt of the power of Christs spirit and of the workfulnes of his righteousnes do still leaue opē the gate to sin pretending I wote not what excuses of mās fraylty as who should say that Christ were not strōger than the diuel nor Gods grace able to confound the power of sin P. Truely you haue hit the pricke But you shall vnderstande the contrary doctrine if you aduisedly wey the similitude of greffing which I vse heere For if we be planted and greffed into the lykenesse of Christes death then must we needs also be made partakers of his resurrection R. By this trym most proper * A metaphor is an apt cōueying of a worde or spech from his owne proper signification to the betokening or setting foorth of some other thing metaphor you meane that we must be lyke braunches that are greffed into other trees that being greffed into Christ hauing Christ greffed into vs wee may bring forth new fruits of lyfe namely ryghtuousnes innocencie and holinesse P. Verely euen so must we perswade our selues that our olde man is nayled to the crosse with Christ as in respect of iustification and regeneration to the intent that the bodie of sin may be ouerthrowen destroyed so as we may no more follow after sinne and serue it For he that is deade by the deathe of Christ and obteyneth ryghtuousnes by his spirit is thereby free from the bondage of sinne And if we beleeue that we haue obteyned forgyuenesse of sins and are deade with Christ we must also most assuredly beleue that we shall liue with him in suche newnesse of lyfe as maye beare recorde that wee be rysen wyth him R. O the miserable frowardnesse of men who at the report of Gods fauour purchased to vs by the benefit of Christs death do wondrously leape and skip for ioy verely bycause they be certefied therby of the remission of their sinnes past But when mencion is made of his resurrection to the intent that after his example we shoulde begin a new lyfe fashyoned and framed according to his innocene yrightuousnes other vertues and by that meanes labour and trauell with earnest desire to heauenward despising all worldly pleasures there there our harts faynt we be euen at the poynt to quayle So greatly are we delighted foaded with the inticemēts of our sins past P. Yet notvvithstanding they that are iustified of god must nedes renoūce giue ouer ther sins vvicked deedes pleasures and to be short all vnhonest things after the exāples of Christ vvho being once rysen from death dyeth not any more nother hath death any more povver ouer him Therfore like as hys once dying vvas to die vnto sin so that as novv he liueth vnto god so you also for asmuche as you haue obteined the spirit of righteousnes think your selues to be dead vnto sin as true members of Christ participating of his death resurrection lyfe to be alyue vnto God through our Lord Iesus Christ R. O excellent exhortation But alas for sorrow O miserable nature of man vtterly awk from it as wherin sin hath taken so deepe roote that it can scarse be thrust out We haue receiued sin into our minds as a guest or rather as a tirāt into our innermost bowels from whēce he can hardly be driuē or thrust out both by reason of our natural corruption and also by reason of custome continuance P. Euen so is it But yet muste you striue that this sinne may not reigne in your body though it bee subiecte too death nor you obey the lustes thereof nor yeelde your mēbers as instruments of all naughtinesse applied to sinning But rather cleane contrarie apply your selues to god as folke risen again from the dead and yeeld ye your members vnto him as instrumēts of righteousnes R. These thinges matched togither ought both to fray our minds frō sinning also to inflame them with most earnest desire indeuer to liue well blessedly For what is more shameful than to be slaues of lusts Contrariwise what is more honorable excellent than to vse righteousnes godlines innocencie Therefore we must pray to almightie God that as he hath of his own infinite goodnesse already iustified vs so he will also deliuer vs from the bondage of sin P. Be of good cheere For sin shall no more execute tyranny ouer you R. By what way or meanes may so grat a good turne befall vs For to my seeming that is right hard to be done P. In deede it is hard vnto men but nothing is vnpossible vnto God nother is there any thing which he cānot bring to passe But receiue here the reason of it in few words For sin reigneth not ouer those that are vnder grace but ouer those that are vnder the lawe But novv that you be iustified you are not vnder the law but vnder grace R. Many men seeme to be like Spiders turning all thinges into poyson For when vnthrifts and naughtipackes heere this saying by and by as though they had by iustification obteyned libertie to doo what they list they crye oute why then shoulde we not sin still seeing wee be vnder grace and not vnder the law P. God forbid that any man shoulde be of that mind R. But what is to be don to these fellowes that abuse Gods goodnesse vnto euill doing And yet notwithstanding theise wylie and captious witts cannot be subdued but by moost sustantiall and myghtfull reasons P. Those wilfull stubborne natures must be left to god the soueraine iudge as for the men of whō there is better hope I would exhorte them after this maner knovve ye not that to vvhom
truth distrusting and despayring of victory against my fleshe I am wont diuers tymes to quayle P. These doutinges of the power of Gods spirit are dauÌ„gerous Thinke you that the tyranny of sin is greater than the myght efficacie and inwardwoorking power of the holy Ghost No but assure your selues of this that if the spirit of him which raysed vp Christ from deathe be in you he vvhiche raysed vp Christ from death vvill also call againe your mortall bodyes into a lyfe beseeming your regeneration by his spirite vvhich dvvelleth in you Wherefore as many of you as professe your selues to be Christians I beseche you all lay vp these things deeply in your minds that whaÌ„ vve be once iustified sanctified regenerated indued vvith Christes spirit we are altogether detters not to the flesh to liue after the liking of the flesh to obey the corruptnes thereof but rather to the spirite to indeuer to obey him in all things R. Is there so greate perill in the not knowing in the omitting of the thing P. Yea yerely and of all perills it is the greatest For if ye liue after the lyking of the fleshe you shall surely die But if that by the spirite you vanquishe the doings works deuices desires in deuers of the flesh fyght against the lusts therof out of all doubt you shall liue you shall coÌ„tinue in the life that you haue receiued by the benefite of Christ who is the life of the faithfull euen in whose minds the quickning spirit vttereth his power R. Hereafter I will bid suche doubtinges farewell and sift better both my selfe and my doings and not yelde mine eares so open to such as do lessen and diminish the effectualnes of the holy ghost who also to th' intent their maners may answere their doctrine are wonte oftentimes to brag of the presence of Gods spirite in their hartes when as they be drowned in the filthynes of sin and wicked doings P. Let others alone stand to thine owne tackling and keepe this rule in examining thy self that as many as are led moued ruled not by their owne vnbrydled lusts but by Gods spirit they be Gods children And beleeue me he that is not sure of this being Gods child can nother be sayd to be regenerated nor in any wise satisfy the accusations of the law as which requyreth an absolute and perfect rightuousnes in all points at our haÌ„d which we be neuer able to perform except the power of the holy ghost do worke fulfill the thing in vs which he requireth in his law R. Surely it is an ouerhard thing for vs to giue our selues continually to the keeping of Gods lawe specially sith we be trenched in with so greate sinfulnesse of our fleshe wherunto the purenesse of Gods law is quite contrary P. What haue you novv to do vvith the lavv or vvith the condeÌ„nation therof For seing you be greffed into Christ and indued vvith his spirit you receiue no more the spirit of boÌ„dage that you shoulde haue to deale vvith the lavv as you had in times past but you haue receiued the spirite of adoption of Gods children I meane the spirit of fredoÌ„e of the loue of God wherby we perceiue Gods goodnesse to be so great that vve not onely call vppon him but also crie vnto him with invvarde familiaritie boldnesse and with earnest loue as vnto our father Nowe hee that hath this spirite of adoption applieth himself to the keeping of the law not as a hireling in hope of rewarde or for feare of punishment but willingly as a sonne R. I am of opinion that wee can not call God father so safely so boldly and so swetely but by the breathing of his spirite vpon vs whose recorde is moste certen as the whiche is greater than all recorde of man But I pray you whiche are the other marks of our regeneratioÌ„ P. Surely euen the inward motions of Gods spirite wil be no doubtfull signes of our regeneration in Christ For gods spirit witnesseth inwardly to our spirit that we be gods children by grace and adoption as who are partakers of his diuine nature by the same spirite in Christ R. You tell me of a great dignitie P. Truly so is it And if we be childreÌ„ then must it needes bee confessed that we shall be heires also verily the heires of God bicause we be his children and fellow heires with Christ bicause we be his brethren R. He that hath suche a recorde in him selfe neither wauereth nor staggereth in his minde But what other inwarde motions require you in the regenerated P. That they should knowe theÌ„selues to be the true members of Christ and enter into the way of the crosse armed with the remembraunce thereof For sith it behoued Christe to suffer and so to enter into his glory it is meete also that his members should not shun the state of their head specially considering how many and how great commodities spring vnto vs therof R. What commodities I pray you P. The first is that if we suffer with Christ we shall also reigne with Christ R. Truely this promise is very swete but the waye to attayne to it is very sower P. But I am of opinion that the aduersities which we suffer in this worlde are not equall or coÌ„parable to the glory that shall be vttered vpon vs in time to come R. Vnhappy certesse is the state of maÌ„kinde For only man feeleth sorrowes and troubles only man beareth all thinges onely man groweth only man is vexed and pineth away P. Nay rather if you beholde this frame of the whole worlde aduisedly you shall see that all kinde of thinges yea euen of the senslesse creatures doo with very great thoughtfull and vehement desire long for the discouerie of Gods children bicause that being very neere of kin to vs they desire our full and perfect glory and also bicause that day they themselues also shal be repaired and made immortall R. Why so P. Bicause the nature of thinges is subiect to vanitie and corruption not willingly for that is against their naturall liking but for his sake by whom they be so made subiect to decay For God is contented that they shall decâ—y to doo vs seruice withall howbeit in hope that they shall come muche more beautifull and lesse subiect to decay Else the desire of an euerlasting state vvere bred in them in vayne Therfore they themselues also shall be set free froÌ„ the thraldome of destruction and bee made likewise immortall and inioy like libertie in that they shall be from perishing when the glory of Gods children appeareth For we know how al things grone and mourne with vs vnto this day and shall doo till the day of iudgement Therefore we haue no cause to complayne R. Surely the state of the godly is miserable notwithstanding that all creatures be fellowes of their afflictions P. Nay verily the faithfull haue also euen the chiefe pillers of godlines to be their
soeuer you yeelde youre selues as seruants to obey his seruāts you are Ioh. 8.34 2 Pe. 1.19 whither you obey sin that leadeth you vnto death or obedience innocency rightuousnesse vvhich lead you vnto lyfe R. If men were cleare of hearing they would receiue imbrace this your most certē strong saying For what is more against resō thā to seke to match ioyne togither things that are most repugnāt as for exāples light darkenes fredome bondage sin grace and that do they surely intēd as oft as they feare not to bynd thēselues to sin vnder pretence of grace liberty Yet must you not thinke all mē to be of this mould For ther are many in this our church of Rome which hauing shaken of the yoke of sin by the benefite of regeneration go forward with all their hart vnto vertue and godlinesse P. And I truely do gyue continuall thankes vnto God and euer shall that wheras you were the bondslaues of sin now you being set free by Gods meere goodnesse and made his children haue hartely obeied the order of his doctrine that is to wit of the Gospel which is deliuered to you to bring you life Now therefore you being set fre from sin do serue the rightuousnes and innocency wherūto god hath called you therfore you must not in any wise yeld to sin R. Certesse a greate number of vs are notably well minded vnto holines such is the singular grace working of Gods spirite in our harts and we hope that he will continually help our infirmityes P. In good sooth to the intent I may haue respect of your frayltie I will deale with you after the maner of men Therfore like as you haue yelded your members the witts of your mynde your powers and your strength as instruments to vnclennesse and levvdnesse to doo levvdly so as you became euery daye woorse than other through the reigning of levvdnesse in you so now yeld you your members if not more lustily yet at leastvvise not more lasyly as instrumentes vnto innocency as instruments to vvorke holinesse and becōme you euery day cleaner frō all vncleanes And thervvithall remēber that at suche tyme as you serued sin you vvere straūgers outlavves to rightuousnes But I besech you vvhat fruite reaped you of the thinges vvhereof you be novv ashamed Surely the ende of them is death R. Euery mans owne fault reproueth himselfe As for myne owne parte you will not beleeue howe ill I am ashamed as oft as my former wretched and lewd lyfe cōmeth to my mind For what shall I tel you how that euen from my verie cradle as sone as I had any wit and discretion according to mine own natural corruptiō naughtines the wylines of the old serpent which called for the lesson that he had once taught Adā by by trusting to the abilitie of mine owne wit I thought my selfe wiser than al the world tooke my selfe almost as a God in all my dooings so as I can not sufficiently maruel that Gods mercifulnesse was so great as to voutsafe to beare with me so patiently when I followed my sinne so long time and so wilfully P. Now then seeing you be both loosed from the bonds of sinne and made the seruaunts of God you shall reape the fruit of your holinesse and euerlasting life abideth for you in the ende For as death is the wages of sinne euen so is euerlasting life I say not a wages or hire for the excellēcie therof is such that we can not compare it yet must we not therefore couet it or care for it the lesse but rather the more inasmuch as it is the more excellent lieth in the power of gods soueraigne bounteousnesse but the free gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde and not in any wise for our deserts R. I easily agree with you in this case friend Paule But I do not well vnderstande what you meane by saying that we be loosed from the lawe For in as muche as Gods lawe is holy and righteous and as a certen light whereby to walke in the true way of saluation and was appointed to the Israelites by god for the necessarie vses of the leading a good life so as they mighte beholde the will of the Creator in it as in a cleare glasse how is it possible that the man which is borne anewe shoulde be loosed from that law and that he should thencefoorth liue as without law Or by what meanes can the law seeing it is of god bring foorth euill deedes P. I will make the whole matter playne in as fewe wordes as I can Chap. 7. and in the example of my selfe shew the offices of the law so you cōsider the three states of man namely vnregenerated regenerating and regenerated Nowe that the whole matter might be vnderstoode the better I borowed a similitude from the lawe of wedlocke For these are my words Know ye not brethren I speake of suche as haue skill of the law that the wife is bounde by the lawe of wedlock so long as hir husband liueth Cor. 7.33 For the maried woman is boūd to the man by the Lawe so long as she liueth but if the husbande bee dead shee is loose from the Lawe of the man Therefore I thinke she is to be counted an adultresse if she couple hir selfe with an other man while the husbande is aliue to whom alone she had bound the honest vse of hir body by the law of mariage But if the husbande dye I thinke hir to be lose from the law of mariage so as she is no adultresse thoughe shee couple hirselfe with another R. These things will neuer be denied nother of the Gentiles which are inlightened but by the light of nature nor of the Iewes which haue the law written P. You iudge right Euen after the same maner you hauing obteyned the righteousnesse of Christ are dead in respect of the lawe by the body of Christ on the other side the lawes power of condemning is dead in respect of you so as now you be at libertie to couple your selues to another namely vnto Christ the sacrifice of propiciation for our sinnes who afterwarde was raysed again from the dead Nother haue you now any more to do with the law both bicause you be no more subiect to the curse of it and also most of all bicause that being nowe possessed led by the spirite of god you be not driuen by the comaundements of the law but led by the guiding of the spirite Therefore as nowe wee haue to deale with grace to bring forth the fruites of holy workes vnto God which hath made vs righteous freely through Christ R. The law of wedlock I know very well and what benefite free iustification bringeth I now vnderstande the better by you But yet I do not throughly perceyue what maner of one this mariage of the law with man is P. I wil vtter the meaning of
as an argument the reason vvhy these most excellent effects are vvrought in my mind is this that the lavv of the quickning spirite in Iesus Christe hath set me free from the lavv of sinne death insomuch that by the gift of faith the recorde of gods spirit I feele my selfe discharged of the feare of damnation And I thinke the same thing to haue befalne to all the true members of Christ R. I pray you let vs fifte out the first part of my question and shewe me more playnly gods drift and maner of dealing in the case of our iustification without the righteousnesse of the lawe P. Haue here the summe of the whole matter in few words The law was giuen of god as a rule of true holines How be it looke what could not be done by the law nother as it was naturally printed in our mindes nor as it was set foorth plainly by Moses namely that we shuld be set free from sin death become righteous bicause the law was weake feeble without power howbeit not of it owne nature but by reason of our flesh for we be fleshly do striue and wrestle against the law that say I did God bring to passe by sending his own son in a body like to the bodies of sinners For he cōdemned sin of sin in the flesh of his sonne by that meanes did vvipe out clense avvay abolish sin that did he to the ende that the righteousnes of the lavv as the lavv it selfe requireth it might be vvrought fulfilled in vs that beleue I say to the end it should be fulfilled in vs novv regenerated which obey not the corruptnesse lusts and lykings of the vnsatiable flesh but the holy inspiration of the spirite whereupon it commeth to passe that our dooinges are acceptable to God though they be not fully in all poyntes answerable to his law vvhich otherwise requyreth most perfect purenesse R. If it be true as you say as I beleeue it to be most true in deed in any opinion few are at this day become ryghtuous and holy For the number of them is exceading small that thinke vppon newnesse of lyfe or which are carefull to obey Gods wyll and muche lesse which bestyrre themselues in makyng warre against their owne naturall and new incomme sinfulnesse P. But beleeue me brother so longe as men hold with flesh they wil care for things belonging to the flesh and sinne shall execute his tyranny ouer them Contrariwyse they that holde with the spirit wil be spirituall minded and bycause Gods spirit reigneth in thē they will also delight in spirituall thinges as whose intentes and indeuers are all guyded by the holy Ghost and therfore tende to Gods glory which thing cannot happen to such as follow the flesh bycause they do rather purchace Gods displeasure and consequently endelesse destruction to thēselues by their naughtinesse and wicked deeds R. Moost miserable is the state of the vngodly which you tel me of But wherfore ascribe you so muche euill to the louing and obeying of the flesh P. Bycause the entent the indeuer the desire to vse myne owne words the wisedōe of the flesh is deadly or to speake more rightly very death it selfe as which is contrary to God who is our lyfe But on the contrarie parte the entent affection and wisedome of the spirite is verie lyfe and peace And if you aske me the reason why it is ready shapen For the wisedome of the flesh is enemy against God of whom forasmuch as it hath an ill opnion taking him for hir vtter aduersary and imagining him to be a most cruell tormenter how is it possible that she should be vvylling to commit hir selfe to his care and prouidence And therfore much lesse will she passe for his will and cōmaundements For how should she haue any mynd to obey his commaundement whom she beleueth to be hir so This as I thinke is the reason why the flesh nother will no nor can obey Gods law so long as it is nothing els but fleshe Heereuppon then it followeth that they which liue after the liking of the flesh cānot please God R. O most miserable wretches as we be which are compelled to keepe continuall wrestling with the vntrusty wisedome of our owne fleshe so long as we be inclosed with the bulke of this body P. Be of good cheer This wrestling may rather win you a crowne than destruction and damnation For you so doth charitie teach me to think of such as beleue in christ you I say are by faith greffed into Christ as true signes of saluation You be iustified and regenerated and therfore you be not now carnall but spirituall for somuch as Gods spirit dwelleth in you R. Heerein is all the cunning and maistrie Paule P. Surely if any of you haue not Christs spirite he is none of his marke wel what I say I say he is none of Christs he is no member of his he is no brother of his he is no heire of eternall felicitie with him R. I beleeue that with all my harte But the thing that I thought with my selfe was this that there are a great sort now a dayes which boast of the receyuing of Gods spirit whose lyfe is notwithstanding no more like the holines most pure exāple of Christs lyfe than an apple as they say is lyke an Oyster Wherefore I pray you tell me by what markes I may discerne such as haue Gods spirit in very deed For it will do me good also to perceiue the presēce of Gods spirit in my self P. Let this be the aunswere to the other part of your demaund and beare you well in minde the true and sure tokens of regeneration of which the one consisteth in lyfe death the other in the inward motions of Gods spirit R. In lyfe and death say you What is that to say P. Herken you shall vnderstande If Christ and his spirite be in you the old man that is to say the flesh is dead as in respect of sin and the vnruly and vnstayed deedes of vvickednesse And this is the death of the old man vppon putting avvay on the contrarye parte reigneth the spirite of God and executeth his power vppon man and liueth as in respect of rightuousnesse R. Surely a verye notable marke of regeneration or newbirth For the spirit of Christ into whome we be greffed not onely gyueth vs lyfe by inspyring vs to goo vnto God our lyfe as meete is we should but also is himselfe our spirituall lyfe But to confesse vnto you plainely my thoughts or I wote not whether I may better say temptations in that behalfe when I looked vppon myne owne naughtinesse and the tyrannie of sin ouer me I haue oftymes doubted of the power of Gods spirite in vs and whether the working therof do kill the old Adam and plucke vp the roots of that euill tree or no. And vpō such maner of thoughts being sorowfull to say the
lavve describeth it in these vvords Leu. 18.5 Ex. 20.11 Gal. 3.12 that he which performeth the things vvhich the law cōmaundeth shall liue by them contrariwise pronouncing them accursed which contitinue not in all things that are vvritten in the booke of the lawe de 30.12 But vvhen the same Moyses treateth of the righteousnesse that springeth of faith he speketh after this maner Say not in thy harte vvho shall go vp into heauen for that is as muche as to fetche or call dovvne Christ the sonne of god out of heauen Neither say in thy minde who shall go dovvne into the deepe for that is as much as to rayse or fetche vp agayn the same Christ from the dead R. What is it then that Moyses concludeth P. The worde sayth he is neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hart de 32.41 and that is the vvord of faith vvhich we Apostles of Christ do preach R. Now I see plainly that euen the auncient fathers of the old testament had the same marke set afore them for the fayth of the beleeuers alwayes to ame at which we haue namely Gods euerlasting worde very God and very man the Sauiour the Messias and the foundation of true righteousnesse and innocencie to whom whosoeuer cleaueth shal out of all doubt be saued Therefore no neede at all haue the Israelites muche lesse we to go on pilgrimage to passe ouer the sea to climbe vp into heauen and to attempt things aboue our power to become rightuous For it is sufficient to beleeue the Gospell to imbrace Christe the fathers worde and to be made one with him by the spirite of regeneration P. You hit the matter in deede For if you confesse the Lorde Iesus with your mouth and beleeue in your hart that God hath raysed him vp from death you shall be saued For the beleefe of the harte maketh righteous and the confession of the mouthe saueth Neither is this doctrine nevve or deuised by vs that beleeue in Christe but is continually repeated and set foorth by the holy prophets For to let passe others The Prophet Esay sayth Esa 18.20 whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed nor deceyued R. You say truth But the Iewes restrayne this generall distribution onely to the Israelites and are of suche opinion as to beleeue that the Gentiles are shut out from that promise P. Surely they be vtterly ouerseen◠For in this behalf there is no difference betweene Greeke and Iewe. God created them all alike and made them all able to receiue him so they haue fayth As for deseruings there are none at all neither in the one nor in the other their saluation consisteth in gods only goodnes And bicause he is the onely Lorde of all riche and welwilling to do good to all that beleeue and call vpon him hartily seeke al their help welfare of him alone therfore according to the sayings of the prophets whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be safe R. I remēber I haue read this sentēce in the sermons of the prophet Ioel. Ioel. 2.32 But there is a certen doubt which greueth my 〈◊〉 very much For if it be true as you say that god is the creator of al men and that be createth men able to receiue blessednes how hapneth it that the most part of the worlde abideth in ignorance of the truth and that a great sort euen of those that heere the truth do not beleeue it and obey it For to the intent we may speake first of the Heathen folke and Gentiles how can they call vpon him on whome they beleeue not and how can they belee◠e in him of whō they haue not herd and how shal they heare without a preacher and how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent euen of god the only author of saluation P. Surely you reason sharply For to the same purpose the prophet Esay said How beautifull and fine are the feete of such as bring glad tidings of peace Esa 52.7 and bring newes of good things R. Ye see also that not all the Iewes obeyed the Gospell Esa 53.1 For the same Esay complayneth of their vnbeleefe in these words Ioel. 12.31 Lord who hath beleued our sayings Heerevpon I conclude that the cause of damnation commeth of God who denieth to some men the degrees wherby they might come to the true worshipping of him and so consequently to saluation P. Nay rather you must gather hereof that true and liuely fayth commeth of hearing and that the true and inwarde hearing is inough by gods word and by the holy Ghost mouing mens harts and making their mindes cleane and holy by his operation R. I doubt not at all of that matter The thing that I demaund is this whether the nations to whom the preaching of the gospell came not at all are vtterly reiected of god or whether they may alledge any excuse for not hearing gods voyce I say I would fayne know whether they haue hard any thing or no that might quicken them and stirre them vp to the knowing and worshipping of the euerliuing God P. Yea out of doubt haue they For as the princely Prophet witnesseth treating of Gods schoole namely of his creatures wherein he shevveth his godhead and power to all Adams posterity Psa 19.5 Their sound sayth he vvent forth into all landes and their words into the vttermost partes of the world Rom. 1.16 Therefore looke what can be knowen of God is firste manifest in themselues that is to say in their ovvne minds For God hath manifested himselfe to them by a certeine inwarde lavv Againe concerning his inuisible things such as are his euer lasting povver and Godheade they be perceiued in the workemanship of the woorlde by considerning them in his workes And therfore they make themselues vnexcusable bycause that when they knew God they yeelded him not glory and thanks meete for God but wandered in vaine imaginations and their folishe mynde became dim And whereas they professe themselues wyse they become the more fooles Therupō it commeth that they turne the glory of the incorruptible God into an image fashioned to the shape of a mortall man of byrds of fourefoted beasts and of wormes And therfore for a punishment of this vvickednesse God giueth them vp to the lusts of their owne hartes into vncleannesse to defile their bodies among themselues for turning Gods truth into a lye and for vvorshipping and seruing the creatures passing ouer and neglecting the creator vvho is to be praised for euer Amen Hereuppon sprang the mischeefe the damnation and the destructiō of those whom you spake of R. You haue ynoughe and more than ynough satisfied my doubte with these your woordes Now I desire to knowe whether the doctrine that you set downe concerning the reiecting of the Iewes the calling of the Gentyles were knowen to the Prophets of old tyme I meane whether the Israelites did euer knowe Gods eternall