A booke of Chri­stian Questions and answers. Wherein are set foorth the cheef points of the Chris [...] [...]ligion in maner of an [...]dg­ment. A worke right necessary and pro­fitable for all such as s [...]al haue to deale with the captious quarelinges of the wrangling aduersaries of Gods truthe.

Written in Latin by the lerned clerke Theodore Beza Vezelius, and newly translated into English by Arthur Gol­ding.

Imprinted at London, by William How, for Abraham Veale, dwel­lyng in Paules Church yarde at the signe of the Lambe. Ano. 1574.

¶ To the Right honorable and his singular good Lorde Henry Earle of Huntingdon, Baron Hastinges, Knight of the most noble or­der of the Garter &c. Arthur Golding wissheth abundance of Gods grace, increase of ho­nour, and longe continuance of life in health and prosperitie.

MY very good Lord, it is daylie and in maner commonly to beseene, (& I pray God that our vnthankefulnes cause vs no more to feele it) that the peruerse & through setled Papists, the professed en­emies of God & all goodnes, linking thēselues in league with worldlinges, Epicures, Athiestes, & Neuters, bir­des of their own broode, do euen yet after so great light of the Gospell and so manifest conuictiō of their Grosse errors, stil boldly persist in their wilfull wickednes: not only hardening their own stubborne hartes against the apparant truth, but also (as much as in thē lyeth) stealīg away the kie of knowledge frō others that would fain enter into the kingdome of heauen if they letted thē not & casting stumbling blockes in the waies of the weake & vncircumspect, of whose soules they make marchan­dise by their deceiuable and inuenimed speeche. But cer­tesse although long impunity haue made thē ouer bould, both to prate & to Practise, in maner what they lyst: [...]et not withstanding for as much as the general bright­nes of Christes Gospell discouereth their grosser sorte of [Page] [...]ealinges vntoo mostmen: they assaulte vs not nowe so much with open & manifest vntruthes, (whiche were ordinary weapons of their warfare whē they had the swoorde of souereintie and the law of crueltie in theyr owne hand) as with secret inuasions of sophisticall rea­sons and crabbed questions, specially where they finde hope of victorie, by meanes of other mens simplicitie & want of learning to withstand them. And truly in that art, no folke are so cunning, as the children of darknes. For worldly wisdome hauing bent hir self to mainteine error, is a fruiteful moother of all sortes of quiddities: and the olde serpent is both slie and vnslothfull in trās­forminge himselfe and his impes into all shapes to doo mischiefe. For asmuch therefore as there be many godly and welminded persons who hauinge not yet mounted aboue the short reache of naturall reason, doo still mea­sure Gods misteries (howbecit with a single meaninge mind) by their slender capacitie of their small vnderstā ­dinge, dealinge in likewise as if a man that were ior­neying by the first dawning of the day shoulde trip his foote against some stone which he woulde eschew at the comminge of the cleere and open light: whose faith is often times shaken, yea and nowe and then crased also, eyther by such as standing vpon the reputacion of their owne skil, hunt for vainglory by russhinge vnaduised­ly into the discourse of Gods deepest misteries, whiche ought not to be spoken of without great reuerence and modesty: or by suche as being wilfully blind, diffame the things that they know not: or by such as being giuen vp [Page] too a hardened minde, blaspheme the knowen truthe through malicious spitefulnes: or by such as being giuen wholly to their belly & their bed, cannot abide to hecre of any thing that might make them goodmen: or else by suche as haue learned in Lucians schoole to scoffe at all thinges that like not their fantasticall folie: too the in­tent that the godly persos might alwaies haue at hand, as well wherwith to satisfie themselues and other well disposed persōs in doubtful cases, as also to stop the slaū ­derous mouthes of the quarelinge aduersaries, or at leastwise wherwith to aunswere their captious caue­linges in the chiefe points of our religion: I haue trans­laied this Christen treatise of the learned writer Theo­dore Beza, who by a certein modest questioninge & an­swering ther vnto, doth in dialogwise briefely set forth vnto vs the true knowing of God & our selues, & the right vse and end of the same. For taking his beginning at the intent of our creation, he declareth that God must be worshipped and serued in none otherwise, than hee himselfe hath taught vs by his worde written. The au­thoritie wherof being auouched by many profes, he set­teth downe what the same teacheth vs to beleeue, con­cerninge the Godhead & the three persons therof. Then shewing vs what we ought to consider chiefely in God he vnfoldeth the misterie of the vniō of the two natures in the one person of Christ, (whereby hee confuteth the heresie of the Manichees,) and layeth forth the order of our saluatiō by Christs incarnation, death, resurrection and Ascentiō. Here vpon he taketh occasion to [...]hew the [Page] maner of Christs being present & absent, and thereby condemneth the errors of popishe transsubstantiation, & of the vbiquitie or euerie where being of Christs mā hod mainteined by Brentius and certeine others. After this he passeth forth to Christes mediation & interces­sion, where he disproueth the heresie of Arrius, the opi­niō of surmising three Gods, the dotages of Samosatene, & the forgeries of the Papists in praying vnto saincts. Frō thence he descendeth to the laste iudgement: and an­swering by the way to an obiection of the foreiudgemēt that eche seuerall person receiueth at his departure out of this life, he procedeth to the generall rising again of the flesh, & to the rewards of the godly, & the punish­ment of the wicked: whereby he taketh occasion too in­quire of the way to eternall life, which is Christ taken holde on by fayth. There sheweth he what faith is and whence it cōmeth: and so discoursinge largely of mans corruptiō, he disproueth the Pelagians freewyll, & de­clareth in what wise mans naturall will woorketh to­gether with Gods preuentinge grace, and how the con­tinuance of Gods graces insewinge, is the cause of the effectuall working of the former graces, wherby he vt­terly ouerthro weth the merit or deseruing of mēs owne workes. Afterward hauing first shewed the maner of the spreding of originall sin into al mankind: he retur­neth to the [...]emedie therof by being greffed into Christ: the maner wherof he describeth at large. and there a­gein confuteth the heresie of Transsubstantiation, and declareth faith to be the free gift of god through christ [Page] by whom wee obteine wisedome, Rightuosnes, Holines, and Redemptiō, which are the fruites of beinge greffed into him: by the benefite whereof we begin also in part to vnderstand aright, to will aright, and to woorke a right, whiche is as muche as to liue after the spirite. In the layinge forth of these things, he rippeth vp the fee­blenes of mans naturall reason, & wassheth away the excuse of his vnhablenes to fulfill Gods law bycause he cannot but sin, and disfeateth him of challendging any peece of rightuousnes to himselfe. Here vpon is brought in an exposition of the rewarding or recompencinge of good workes, together with a declaration from whēce they springe, and of the difference in punishements and rewards By occasion wherof he disproueth the fond ob­iection of such as holde opinion that Christ hath aboli­shed but the merites of the ceremoniall la we, and defa­ceth the works of Papisticall preparatiō, shewing wherfore works be called good. And so he concludeth that all things needfull to saluation, are founde in Christ alone to whom wee cleaue by faith, so as there is no dampna­tion for them that be greffed in Christ: and that the sam knowledge is the only knowledge of Saluatiō, and that the said faith or knowledge is the free gifie of God, put into vs by Gods mere grace, and not bred in vs by na­ture, or purchased by our owne power or deseruinge. By [...]his meanes he leadeth vs to the headspringes of Gods eternall prouidence and predestination: in the discourse wherof, after he hath aunswered to all obiections, and modestly and learnedly shewed what a Christen man [Page] ought to think or speake in that behalf with reuerence of Gods maiestie: last of all, he setteth forth a godlye and necessary remedy, against the perlous temptation of par­ticular predestination, for such as are desirous to know whither they be ordeined to saluation or no. And thus your L. Wisedome perceiueth that although this boke be but small in volume: yet conteineth it right profounde misteries: and great store of matter very necessary to be perfectly knowen, and to be had at the fingers endes of all men, specially which shal haue occasion to encounter with the impes of the olde serpent, namely with the ad­ders broode of the Romish Antechrist, & with the chil­dren of this world, who bee much more politike, wylie and forecasting in their kinde, then the childrē of light bee. Wherefore I thought it not an vnmeete peece of worke wherby to testifie some maner of remembraunce of your L▪ most honorable courtesie to wards me: accor­ding wherunto it may please you too giue this my la­bour leaue to passe forth vnder your fauorable accep­tation, as a hansel [...] of some greater worke her after too the more benefite of my natiue coūtry, and the further commendation of your L. goodnesse who are ryght well knowen to be an earnest fauorer of Gods glory and a diligent furtherer of the wel­fare of his church written at London the. 12. of Iune. 1572.

Your good Lordships most humble to commaund Arthur Golding.

A booke of christen questions and aunswers.

Question.

WHo hath set vs in this worlde?

Aunswere. God, of his owne singu­ler goodnesse.

Quest. To what ende.

Ans. To the ende that we shoulde serue him: and that he shoulde bee glorifyed by geuing eternall life vnto vs.

Quest. VVhich is the way to woorship him a right, and consequently to attaiue eternall life, and to glorifie him dewly.

Ans. To knowe and acknowledge hym Rom. 1. 21. Iohn. 17. 3 after the same maner that hee hath dis­closed himselfe vnto vs in his word.

Quest. VVhat callest thou the worde of God.

Ans. That whiche the Prophetes and Gods word Ephe. 2. 20. Apostles haue receiued by gods spirite, and committed to writing: whiche booke wee terme by the name of the olde and newe Testament.

Quest. VVho then is the authour of those bookes?

[Page] Ans. God him selfe. And the writers or Rom. 10. 8 2. tim. 3. 16 2. Pet. 1. 20. penners therof were the Prophetes and Apostles.

Quest. How knowest thou that? Actes. 2. 11. 1. Cor. 1. 17 18. 19. 20 21. 22. 23. 24. Luke. 21. 15 Acts. 6. 10 Iohn 5. 30 Actes. 17. 11 2. Cor. 4. 3

Ans. The thinges themselues that are treated of those in writings: the maiesty of god shyning forth in that homelynesse of speache: the heauenlye purenesse and singuler holynes that vttereth it self eue­ry where in them: the most sure stedfast­nes of the principles wherupon that doc­trine is grounded: and the laying toge­ther of the foresayings & of their fallings out: doe ynough and more then ynough shew these writings to be altogether di­uine and heauenly, & that the same is the most perfect doctrine of truth, though all the world should saye neuer so muche to the contrary. To the confirmation here­of maketh also the orderlye successe of thinges done, and the recorde of godlye men deliuered from hande to hande. And Iohn. 6. 45 Acts. 13. 48 Phil. 1. 29 Acts. [...]6. 14 that I know these thinges in such wyse, as I fully agree to matters whiche men are wont partly to dispise and laughe to scorne, and partly so to embrace, as yet notwithstandinge they wote not at all what they beleue: I impute it wholy to [Page 2] the holy Ghost, who hath opened my hart that I might both héere and vnderstande these secretes. 2 tim. 3. 17.

Quest. Is all that we must beleue to sal­uation, comprehended in those writing?

Ans. Altogether.

Quest. VVhat is it then that the wri­tinges of the prophets and Apostles do teache vs cheefely to beleue concernyng God himselfe?

Ans. That the Essence of God is one, Being or substance Deut. 6. 4. Mat. 28. 19 what the es­sēce or sub­stāce of god is. and the persons thrée: the father, the sun and the holy Ghost.

Quest. What meanest thou by Essence?

An. I meane the nature that is common to those thrée persons.

Quest. VVhat meanest thou by per­sons?

Ans. I meane the verie parties them­selues what the persons of the godhead bee. that haue their beynge in that na­ture.

Quest. These three persons then, are thei three gods: like as there be so many men, as there bee persons indued with humaine nature?

Ans. No, not so. For these three seueral persons, are all but one self same God.

Quest. VVhy so?

[Page] Ans. For in asmuch as gods Essence is The distinction of the persons in the godhed moste single, infinite, and vnable to bee parted: therefore these three parsons are not seperated one from another, but one­lye distinguished: so as the father is not the sonne or the holye Ghoste, but the fa­ther only: nor the sonne the father or the holy Ghoste, but the sonne onely: nor the holy Ghoste the father or the sonne, but the holye Ghost onelye: and yet all those three seuerall persons be one selfe same perfect God, of one euerlastingnesse, of one Essence, and of one equalitie, how­beit that in order (thoughe not in degree) the Father is fyrst, who is of none: the Sonne is seconde, who is of the Father: and the holy Ghost is thirde, who is of the father and of the sonne, both of them vnspeakably by the euerlastynge com­munion of the whole Essence of the god­head: the Sonne begotten, and the holye Ghost proceeding.

Quest. Truly as far as I see, the depth of this misterie is vnpossible to be vttered.

Ans. It is so in deede, if a man will seke Reuerence to be geuen to gods mi­steries. a reason howe that shoulde come to passe. But we bee sure it is so, by the expresse word of God. And therfore wee must be­léeue [Page 3] and reuerence the misterie that god hath opened vnto vs, and not searche for the thing that he hath hidden from vs, & which we be not able to conceiue.

Quest. Doth this knowledge of Gods Essence, suffice to saue a man.

Ans. No. For besydes manye other Knowledge of God. thinges, whereby Gods nature is after a sorte paynted out vnto vs: least wee might surmise him to bee like the things Rom. 8. 15. 16. 17. &c. [...]bm 38. 39 Gal. 4. 6. 7 Iohn. 16. 17. &c. that are created, it standeth vs chiefly on hande to knowe, howe he is mynded to­wardes vs.

Quest. That thou maiest knowe this, what considerest thou chiefely in God.

Ans. Perfect iustice, and perfect mercye.

Quest. VVhat callest thou iustice, and Exo 20. 5. 6 Ex. 34. 6. 7. What gods iustice is. what callest thou mercy?

Ans. These thinges are not in God, as qualities. But by gods iustice, I meane that Gods nature is so pure and sounde of it selfe, that he vtterly hateth and most seuerely punisheth all vnrighteousnes.

And by the name of perfecte mercye, I What gods mercy [...]. meane that whatsoeuer he bestoweth v­pon vs, (and specially the benefit of euer­lasting life) procedeth wholy of his mere free gift and grace.

Quest. But these thinges agree not to­gether. How iustice and mercy may matche For how is he a most sore puni­sher for those thinges which hee giueth of his mere grace?

Ans. That these thynges doo very well agree, the father hath well shewed in his sonne, who hath made full satisfaction for our sinnes, and is giuen vnto vs fréely by the father.

Quest. Did not the father then, or the holy ghost aby the death for vs?

Ans. No truely, none of them both: but Iohn. 1. 14 &. 16. 13 & 17. 3. Rom. 8. 14. 1. Ioh. 4. 13. alonely the sonne whom the father sent, and whom the holy Ghost teacheth and sealeth fast in vs.

Quest. Is not the Sonne verye God by nature, and consequently the immorta­litie it selfe, as well as the father and the holy Ghost?

Ans. Yes. Neither were he our sauior, Math. 1. 21. Mark 2. 7 if he were not God.

Quest. How then could he die?

Ans. Where as by his godhead he was Gal. 4. 45 Heb. 2. 9 14. 15 Christes In­carnation the eternall life it selfe: he became man, that he might die in the flesh.

Quest. But the sonne is god vnchange­able: how then is he become man?

Ans. Not by minglyng the natures or [Page 4] properties together, nor by any chaun­gynge Iohn. 1. 14 Heb. 2. 16 1. Iohn 1. 7 of God into man, or of man into God, of whiche thynges none of bothe is possible: but by so straite and familiar knittyng of the Sonnes Godhead to the nature of man taken vnto it, that the Sonne of God béeyng very God and ve­ry man, is henceforth one person Iesus Christ.

Quest. And what maner of vnion is this? Vnion

Ans. In gréeke it is called hipostaticall, and in English Personall: and so it is in déede.

Quest. I pray thee describe it, that it may be vnderstoode, at leaste wise after a sorte?

Ans. The thinges are sayd to bée vnited A Discriptiō of vnion or vnitinge of two thinges into one in nature, whiche come together into one nature, whether the same be done with­out any growyng together, mixyng toge­ther, or turnynge one into another, like as the three persons of the Godhead are one moste single substance: or whether it be don by only knitting together, like as the soule and body méete together, as essentiall partes in making that which is man: or whether it be by meanes of som mixture or turnynge of the one into the [Page] other, like as befalleth in the interchange of y e elements & in thinges that be mixed. And thinges are saide to be vnited perso­nally, which are ioyned in suche wyse, as there ryseth therof, but one selfsame per­son: like as the body & soule are so vni­ted to make the one nature of man, that they close together into one person or particular. Of this sort is also the vnion The vnion of the two natures in Christ. of the two natures in christ, which ioyne together, (not to make some one third thing as Eutiches misweened, but) to make both one person, without any con­fusion, either of the natures themselues, or of the essentiall properties. And I sayd an vnion of natures, but not of persons, least it might be surmised, that two per­sons were growen into one, whereas in Christ there is one nature whych a man may see is peculiar to the woord it selfe, and in that nature resteth also the other nature that was taken to it, that is to with the nature of man. For the person of god tooke not to it the person of man: but the diuine nature, (and that in the onely person of the sonne) that is to saye, in respecte that the same godhed was the sonne, and not in respecte that it was ey­ther [Page 5] the father or the holy ghost) toke vn­ [...]o it mannes nature destitute of it owne [...]ersonship as I myght terme it. There­fore to bee short, lyke as in the Godhead [...]here bee three persones coming together [...]n one selfesame nature: euen so in christ [...]here be two natures ioyned together in the one persone of the Sonne: so as the [...]hree persons are not three gods, but one God, by reason of the most single vniting of the three persons into one selfsame na­ture: neyther are there two Christes, but [...]ne Christ, by reason, not of two perfect persons, but of two perfect natures ioy­ned together, not to make some one third nature, but vnited into the person of the [...]onne, in which person both the natures [...]re vphilde.

Quest. Neyther comprehend I this se­crete.

Ans. Then yet agayne reuerence thou Reuerence of heauenly misteries. the thing that thou comprehendest not. For all the whole Scripture cryeth out, that it is moste true. And if it were not so, he shoulde not bee a Iesus (that is to saye, a sauiour) to vs, nor yet Christ, that [...]s to saye annoynted, as our Soueraigne [...]nd euerlasting Kinge, Prophete, and [Page] Préeste.

Quest. But coulde not God haue saued man by som other meane lesse remoued from our capacities?

Ans. Certesse he could. But this was the moste conuenient meane for him to shew, as well his singular iustice, as his singular mercy.

Quect. How so?

Ans. Because that if he had either saued The orderly proceding of gods iust. vs without full satisfaction, or exacted the same satisfaction of any other than of the nature that was indetted: he might haue séemed to haue béene vnmindefull of his iustice, and therfore it was requisite that Heb. 2. 14 15. 16. 17 Rom, 8. 3 our sauiour should bée a man. But had he ben but only man, hée shoulde neuer haue discharged gods wrathe, and so con­sequently he should not haue ben able to winde himselfe out of it, and muche lesse to deliuer vs. And therfore it behooued, [...] Cor. 5. 19 that the flesh whiche was taken, shoulde be sustayned and borne vp by the nature of the godhead, most perfectly vnited vn­to it. Furthermore as concernyng mercy Rom. 5. 8 could there be geuen any surer, euidenter yea or more diuine assurance of most per­fect mercifulnesse, thā that the father hath [Page 6] euen his owne only sonne for his ene­mies, and the sonne likewise geuen his [...]wne life willyngly for vs that are most [...]nworthy?

Quest. It is euen so. But was not Christ Christs mā ­hod moste pure with­out sinne, Math. 1. 20 Rom 8. 3 1. Pet. 3. 18 [...]imselfe giltlesse?

An▪ Yes forsoothe. And therfore he was [...]onceiued by the holy Ghost in the virgin [...]ary, not onely without any spot of vn­ [...]eannesse, but also endewed with moste [...]ingular sowndnesse and purenesse in his [...]eash. For otherwise he himselfe shoulde [...]aue had néede of an other to bee his saui­ [...]ur: neither could his oblation haue plea­ [...]d God, neither truely coulde God haue [...]ounde in his hart to haue vnited himself [...]o so vncleane a nature.

Quest. Coulde it then stand with the na­ [...]ure Christ suffe­red as a bo­row or sue [...] tie, & not as an offender of the soueraigne Iustice, to exacte [...]unishmēt for other folks sinnes, at the [...]ands of a man that was moste giltlesse, [...]ea and also most holy?

An. In déede the father might haue sée­ [...]ed to do his sonne wrong, if he had pu­ [...]ished him as an offender. He strake 2. Cor. 5. 21 [...]im therfore, not as an offender, but as [...]ne that of his owne accord was willyng [...]o yeeld himselfe as a borowe or suretie [Page] for the vnryghtuous: and therefore th [...] father did nothyng that myght not w [...] stand with his iustice.

Quest. But why was he condempned [...] the barre before the Iudge, and also ex [...] cuted by the death of the Crosse, seyn [...] he coulde haue dyed otherwise also fo [...] vs?

Ans. To the ende it might thereby th [...] better appeere, that he became accurse [...] for our sakes, and that he toke vpon hy [...] the whole wrathe of his father against our sinnes, to set vs at full liberty.

Quest. But death is incident to the bo­die Obiection agaīst christes full redee­ming of the whole man by his death onely: and therfore by this death o [...] his, he seemeth to haue discharged bu [...] onely our bodies. And yet notwithstan­ding, all of vs dye still: VVhereupon i [...] seemeth to followe, that he saueth ney­ther bodie nor soule.

Ans. It was requisite that Christ should take vnto him both soule and body togee­ther: that he might both die, (for the fyrs [...] death is the separation of the soule from the body) and also that being become per­fecte man, he might deliuer men whole [...] perfecte.

Quest. Meanest thou then that he suffe­red [Page 7] also the paines whereunto our soules [...]e subiecte?

[...]ns. Yea verely, for it is euen the chie­st Gal. 3. 13. Christ suffe­reth the whole dew for our sins. part of Christes sufferinges, that be­ [...]es the extreme tormentes of most cru­ [...]l death, he also endured for our sakes [...]e most horrible weight of gods wrath, [...]an the whiche nothinge can bee more [...]eadfull: durynge whiche tyme, hys Godhead did as it were rest in hym all [...]e whyle, to the intent that the man­ [...]de whiche he had taken vnto hym, al­ [...]houghe it quite quayled not vnder the [...]urden, (whyche otherwise had been vn­ [...]llerable to the verye Angels,) myght [...]otwithstanding most sharply feele, and [...]nally beare out, gods whole wrath vn­ [...]tterably inflamed agaynst all the sinnes [...]f all the chosen: euen till satisfaction were made to the full. Therefore at what [...]ime he hung vppon the Crosse, he was [...]lso in the middes of the torments of hell [...]hat he might fully deliuer vs from both the deathes.

Quest. But I pray you, if he came to de­ [...]iuer Why Christ deliuered vs by dying. vs from death, why did he himself dye.

Ans. Because that else the said soueraine [Page] iustice of god, whiche it béehooued to be sa­tisfied, Heb. 2, 14 Esay. 53. 8 &c. Ose 13. 14 should not appéere in our redemp­tion. And therefore the more glorious is Christes victory euen in this respect, that hée ouercame death by diyng.

Quest. Why then doo the chosen sort why the chosen die still die, seyng Christ hath vanquished death for them?

Ans. Because Christe is not come, to re­store Rom. 5. 15 &c. vs into the same state of this world, which wée haue lost in Adam: but to re­mooue vs into farre better immortalitie, which thing cannot bée done, except wee depart out of this worlde. Therfore al­beit 1. cor▪ 15. 35 that this separation of the soule and bodye, whiche is called the firste deathe, sprange of sinne, the remnantes wherof are euen in the holiest men: yet notwith­standyng if ye marke well the purpose & drift of God, he strikes not the chosen w t it properly as a iudge, but sendes it to them as a most louyng father that calles away his children home to himselfe: and therfore it not onely frayeth not the be­léeuers, but also refresheth and chéereth How the power of christ vttred tselfe. them.

Quest. VVhy then did not that power of his vtter it self out of hande agaynst [Page 8] death?

Ans. Verely it vttered it self out of hand Math. 28. 2. 3. &c. Actes, 2. 24. in asmuche as his body suffered not any corruption. Neuerthelesse, it was his wil to haue it lie buried for a space: bothe to the intent that his beyng dead in déede, & his death beynge confirmed also by the seales of his enemies, might prooue his resurrection whiche was to insew anon after: & also to the intent hée might lyke a conqueror pursew death fléeyng away before him into his innermoste dungeon & consequently perfume our graues with Rom. 6. 4 what Chri­stes Resur­rection wit­nesseth vnto vs. Rom. 6. 10. 1. Cor. 15. 3. 4. &c. The cause of Christes As­sention, & how be is absent from vs. Ephe. 4. 8. 9. 10. 1. cor. 15 20 the quickening sent of his owne death.

Quest. Is his resurrection then a witnes that he vndertooke to die willyngly, to purchace immortalitie for vs?

Ans. It is so. For hée is rysen by his owne power, neuer to die any more, to the ende that wée also shuld be quickened in him for euermore.

Quest. But why went he vp into heauen and not rather taried still with vs?

Ans. In body he is verely and in deede gone away from vs amonge whom hée was, and is mounted aboue all heauens, where he was not afore in bodye: bothe to the intent that hée beyng the first that [Page] is risen from death, myght fyrst take pos­session of the heauenly kingdome, trium­phing ouer his vanquished enemies: and also to teache vs to hye vs thitherwarde, where he hath prepared a place for vs.

And yet is he all the while present wyth Iohn. 14. 2 Col. 3. 1 vs by his spirite, gouerning his Churche as the head gouerneth the members that be ioyned vnto it.

Quest. Then hath he shifted his place, to goe thither where as is no place.

Ans. It is so, he hath chaunged place, Mat. 28. 20 accordinge as the thinge done witnesseth and according as the verynesse of a bodye (yea thoughe it be glorifyed) requyreth. But hys chaunging of place is according to that nature whiche is bounded: & that is done, not to forsake vs (for in as muche as Christ is one persone, God and man together, he is neuerthelesse still present with his seruauntes by his whole po­wer, because hee is verye God) but t [...] wythdrawe vs from the earthe, and to teache vs to seeke heauenly thinges. And where as thou sayest there is no plac [...] whether as he is ascended: it is a fond [...] imagination. Let this suffice thee, name­ly that the godhead onely is infinite, an [...] [Page 9] that all other thinges either in heauen or aboue heauen, or in earth, or in the bot­tomelesse déepes, and consequently his body (which though it be a glorified body is notwithstandyng still a mans bodie,) are accordynge to the nature of them, finite and bownded with place. And how they be contained in that eternall glory, wée shall then perceiue, when wée come thither ourselues.

Quest. Thou seemest then to deuide Christ, or to make two Christs, of whō the one is present and thother is away.

Ans. When I say that Christ is absent as concernyng his flesh, and yet auouche him to be verily present, both as concer­nyng his godhead, and also if he be consi­dered as a whole thing, that is to say, as one person God and man: I deuide him not, but take away the confoundyng of his natures.

Quest. What is ment by his sitting at Christ fitting at the right hand of the father. the right hand of the father?

Ans. That he hauyng layd aside, not the verines of his flesh, but all infirmitie & frailtie of the flesh, is now aduaunced to such state of glorie, as surmounteth all name: That is to wit, that his fleshe is Phi. 2. 9 [Page] already fully glorifyed by the godhead which dwelleth bodily in it without be­réeuing Col. 2. 9. it of the own essence or essētiall properties, and y • it ordereth and ruleth all things in heauen and earth with full Mat. 28. 18. Phil 2 [...] 0. Heb. 2. 8. 9 1. cor. 15. 17 Essential properties Luk. 24. 39 power, sauinge him that hath made all thinges subiect vnto it.

Quest. what meanest thou by essentiall properties.

An. That which beinge taken away, the thing must of necessity no more be that which it was afore. As for example, if a body bée bereft of quantitie, it must of necessitie cease to be a body.

Quest. But God is almightie.

An. Who denies that?

Qu. Ergo, he can bring to passe, that one selfsāe A right pa­pistical ob­iectiō, wheron they builde their deuilish masse body may either bee in many places at once, or somwhere as in a place, and other somwher not as in a place, but after some other incomprehen­sible maner.

An. That god can cause a thing y • is, not to be any more, aswell as he hath caused the thinge to be, which was not, no man doubteth except he be stark mad: and therfore a much les likelihod is it, y t he sholde not be able to alter the shapes & qualities of thinges at his pleasure. But to bringe to passe, y • a thinge should at once both be and not bee, or at once be of suche sort and [Page 9] not of such sort, god cannot do, because he cannot lye. And not to be able to lye, is not a signe of weakenes, but of vnuaria­ble mightines.

Quest. Then do you conclude that Christ is now absent from vs as concerning his madhod.

Ans. Yea, and so far of from vs, as the Colo. 3. 1 earth where we be, is distant from that place which is aboue al the heauens, whither that fleshe of his is caried vp.

Q. Yet hath he himself said, that he was Ihon. 3. 13. then in heauen, when he talked with Ni codemus vpon earth.

An. This and such other thinges are ment by cōmunicating of proprieties.

Quest. What callest thou proprietie? what pro­pertie is

A That which logicians call propre af­ter the fourth maner: As for example, to be infinite is a proprietie in the nature of the godhead, and quantity is a proprie­tie in all thinges created, and specially in That is to say parta­king, made apertaining to the one as vvel as to the other, made cōmō or indifferē [...] to both. bodily thinges.

Quest. Then is this communicating false, for asmuch as such maner of proprietie ceaseth to be propre or peculiar assone as it becommeth common.

An. This later part I simplye graunt vnto, but not vnto the other.

Quest. But these two thinges seeme to sticke inseperably together.

[Page] An. Then take y u the case to stand thus. Hovve eche of christes natures cō ­municate their properties vnto other. Either of christs natures, y • is to say his godhead & his manhod, keepe still theire essential properties to themselues, with out communicating them the one to the other, accordinge as I haue saide already which thing vnlesse we graunt: infinite and vtterly wicked absurdities will in­sew. For if his godhead shuld receiue in­to it selfe y • properties of his manhod, it shuld be trāsformed into māhod: & cōtra­riwise, if his manhod shuld admit into it selfe y • properties of his godhead, it shuld become a certaine counterfet godhead, so as christ might be said to be neither ve­rie god nor very man, & so consequently he shuld not be our sauior, And therefore there is not any intercommuning either of natures or of essentiall properties. For loke how false and wicked are these propositions, flesh is the godhead, and the godhead is flesh: euen so false and wicked are these also, Christs flesh is euery where or Christ is euery where as touching his flesh: & christs godhead is not euery wher [...] or christ is not eueri wher as touching his godhead: most false of al thē are these. The godhead was crucifyed or died: & christs [Page 11] flesh is infinite. Now although these two natures, together with theire essentiall properties, cannot communicate eche wyth other as I sayde afore: yet are they vnited in such sort, as they make but one selfesame partie, or one person onely. Therefore loke how false are these saide speches, the godhead is flesh, and flesh is the godhead▪ so true & catholyke are these, god (that is to wit the word) is a man, & a man is god. And that is by reason of the vnitie of y • persons which springeth, not of the comunicating of natures (for as I told you, there is no suche thinge, vnlesse ye take cōmunicating for vnion, whyche were to vnproper) but of the vniting of natures. For god is not a man in that he is god, (which thing must notwithstan­ding nedes folowe, if the natures of the very essences that is to say of the godhed and of the manhod communicated eche with other, that is to wit, were the one as wel as y • other) but in another respect that is to wit, in y • he hath vnited a man vnto him. Neither is a man god, in y • he is a man: but in another respect, namely in that he is vnited vnto god. And looke what I haue said cōcerning the natures, [Page] the same must also be vnderstoode cōcer­ning the essentiall properties, which are vncōmunicable as well as y • other. Most trewe therfore are these speeches, & they must be laid forth in former wise: god (y • is to wit y • word) was conceiued, borne, suffered, was crucified, died, was buried, & rose againe, namely in that he vnited a mā vnto him, & not in that he is god. So also are these spéeches. A man is y • eter­nal, infinite, and inuisible son of god, fil­ling al things &c. not as in himselfe, y • is to say, not in y • he is a man nor by any cō municating of properties, but in y • he ys takē into one person by the son of god.

Quest. But these maner of speeches seme The great force of the vnion of na­tures. hard and very strange.

Ans. Nay truly. If y u woldest caste away thy misconceiued and preiudiciall opinion: y u sholdest find thē to be excedinge fit to let forth the vnion of y • natures: which is so great, y • looke what thing cannot be sayde of the seuerall, y • is to wit of the godhead by it self, or of the manhod by it self: The same may very well be attributed to ey­ther of both ioyntly▪ y • is to wit, eyther to god or to the man: and that is because y • of the two natures, their is not made one [Page 11] nature, but one person. And therfore we auouche, that in the natures there is an vnion & not an vnitie: and y e the vnite is of the person onely. Whervpon it cummeth to passe that the whole person, not only is signified by the name of y e whole person, (y • is to say by Iesus, which comprehendeth both y • natures vnited toge­ther): but also is ment by the name of either of both the natures, that is to say, by the sonne of god, & the sonne of man howbeit as considered ioyntlye & not se­uerally. So also wheras y e name Christe (that is to say anointed) agreeth properly but to the manhod onlye (for the godhead was not anoynted, but did anoynt) yet doth it betokē y • whole person. And it is a cōmon ordinary matter in al things to speake of persons after y e like maner, to shew y • vniting of the partes of which the vnity of y • persō cōsisteth, So this maner of spéeche Peter is an apostle: is as proper as may be, agreing to Peters whole per­sō, & to y e seueral parts therof, y • is to wit both to his soule & his body, but this ma­ner of spéech▪ Peter is the sō of Ionas, agreeth to him as he is whole togither, & as he is considered to be some hole thinge, y • [Page] is to wete as he is considered, by vnitie of person: and not to bothe the seuerall partes of him, sauyng in respecte of the one parte onely, namelye of the body: ex­cept perhaps thou thinkest that the soule also is begotten. It is a like forme of speche, when we terme any man a mor­tall creature or a reasonable creature▪ which terme doubtlesse doe fitly agree to the whole man as he is whole, by reason of the vnite of his person: and yet that is but in respecte of some one of his partes only. Yea truly, the force of this personal vnion is so great, that a man may speake of it in the same phrases of spech stil, euē after it is dissolued: as if a man shoulde say: Peter lyeth buried at Rome (for we wil put the case to be so:) the proposition shalbe trew, and yet but in respect of his body onely, albeit that Peter (that is to vvhat is mēt by commu­nic [...]tinge of properties say the whole person) be named.

Quest. VVherfore dost thou then term it a comunicating of properties, if there be no comunicating of natures and es­sentiall properties in dede?

An. By communicating of properties, wee meane not the very personall vnion or the maner of the vnion, but the report [Page 13] that is made by reason of the personall [...]nion of the two natures: in whiche re­ [...]ort the essentiall propertie, or the ope­ [...]ation, that agreeth to some one of the na [...]ures, is attributed to the person in ioint [...]esse and not in seueralnesse. And for­ [...]smuch as this report is true: ther must [...]eedes also be truth contained vnder it. Howbeit in the aforesayd respect, that is [...]o saye, of the whole persone considered [...]oyntly together.

Quest. Then cōcludest thou again, that Christ, as concerning his flesh, is depar­ted verely and in dede out of the earth, vp aboue all the heauens, and therefore is absent from vs that are vpon earth.

An. So is it. And yet I graunt, that Hovv christ is present vvith vs Christ being man, is still present wyth vs, howbeit in another respect than of his manhod, that is to wete, in that the selfe same Christ which is man, is God also. yea, and if thou wilt, I graunt thee thus much more, that Christes manhood also is present, howbeit in other respect, that is to wit, not in it selfe or in it owne sub­staunce, but in respect that it cleaueth by personall vnion vnto the word which is euery where, & therfore also is in verye [Page] deede in his supper,

Quest. VVhat doth Christ then auail [...] To vvhat purpose Christes bo­dily absence [...]erueth. Mat. 28 18 Iohn. 17. 2 Mat. 28▪ 20 Iohn. 15. 4 Gal, 2. 20 Ephe. 1. 11. now as touching his fleshe, if hee hau [...] forsaken vs?

A. Nay, he hath not forsaken vs, in a [...] muche as euen now also in his glorifyed fleshe, he disposeth althinges both in heauen and earth, and hath receiued a nam [...] that is aboue all names, at hys father [...] hand. By vertue of which aucthoritie he quickneth cherisheth, and gouernet [...] his church in this worlde by hys secret & vnutterable power▪ and ther withal reig­neth in the mids of al his enemies: And in heauen he maketh intercession to hys father, vntill the time that the laste ene­mye (namely death,) be vtterly put to flight.

Q. I pray you, what maner of intercessiō Christes in­tercession is this that you speake of?

A. He maketh intercession, first in paci­fiyng the father towardes vs by the con­tinuall freshnes of his owne innocencie and obedience: and secondly because we cannot call vppon the father aright but in his name, so as he steppeth euermore as an attonemēt maker betwixt vs and the father, to the end that whatsoeuer we of­fer [Page 13] to the father, may be well accepted. [...] for the sute that som men dream that [...]ist should make, with knéeling down [...]is fathers feete: it is but fond deuic [...] suche menne as haue no skill to put a [...]erence betweene Christe when hée [...]s in weaknesse, and Christe beinge [...]w in glory, nor finally to discerne hea­ [...]nly thinges from earthly thinges.

[...]uest. VVhat thinkest thou then of Obieccion against chri­stes media­tion in both his natures [...]em which do so wilfullye maintaine [...]at Christ is not a mediator in respect [...] both his natures?

[...]ns. I thinke them to be the deuils In­ [...]uments, prepared to hinder the work [...] the Lord, whiche thinge experience yt [...]lfe hath taught vs.

[...]uest. But to be a meane betokeneth a [...]ace beneath the highest, and it belon­ [...]eth to the lesser persō to make meanes [...]o the greater person: Hereuppon I ga­ [...]her, that they seeme too bee Arrianes, [...]hiche holde opinion that Christe is a [...]eane and a meanemaker or mediator [...]s touching his godhead also.

Ans. I shoulde wonder, that in so great [...]ght of the Gospell, there coulde be any [...]ound, that woulde suffer themselues too [Page] be beguyled with so tryfling toyes, if [...] deede it selfe bewrayde not, that they n [...] uer folowed gods Gospell with a ryg [...] zeale. I speake of the wilfull sorte, a [...] of suche as are condemned by their own iudgement.

Quest. But this is no answering.

An. The shamefulnesse of the matte [...] compelleth mee to bruste out into the [...] wordes, because I see so manye ha [...] shrunke away vppon so small occasion [...] none, first vnto the heresye of Arrius, afterwards to the surmized opiniō of thr [...] Gods, & finallye to the deuelishe dotag [...] of Samosetane. Go to therefore, & let v [...] enquire of them seuerally in order.

Quest. Thinkest thou then, ihat to be [...] Difference betvvene a meane & a mediator or meanmaker. meane is another thiug than to be a m [...]diator or meanemaker?

An. Yea truly. For the word Meane ma [...] betoken but the qualitie or state of a persone: and so the thinge that is betwixt [...] two vttermore thinges, maye bee dee [...] med a meane or a middle thinge? But [...] mediator or meanemaker, betokenet [...] an Vmper or attonementseker. Whiche are thinges so far diuerse, that one may [...] be a mediator or meanemaker, whyche [Page 15] notwithstandinge is not of a meane or [...]ddle degree, as when we seeke to set [...]en at one: and contrarywise, one maye of a meane or middle degree, and yet shall not followe of necessitie that he is [...]ediator.

Quest. But Christ is both a meane and Christe is bothe a meane and a mediator. mediator.

An. I graunt it.

Quest. If he be a meane in that he is the [...]ord, or the sonne: thē it foloweth that [...]e sonne is inferior to the father, name [...]e as if hee were endewed with some [...]ind of Godhead that were a mean be­ [...]wene the godhead of the father & the [...]ature of man.

An. Then wilt thou haue Christe to be meane, as touchinge the one of his na­ [...]ures onely, that is to wit as touchynge is manhod: or els to be no meane at all?

Quest. Nay, but aunswer mee first to my [...]emaund.

An. I answere then, that haue thou an [...]ye to whither of his natures thou list [...]lone by it selfe, christ cānot be said to be [...] mean, for in y t he is y e sonne, he is equal with the father: and in that he is man, he [...]s equall with the residue of men. Ther­fore [Page] stoode the manhood on hand of necessi [...] to borow this effectuall workinge at [...] hand of the diuine nature that toke it [...] to it. Therfore in this work of media [...] (that is to say of reconciliatiō or atto [...]ment) some doings are attributed to [...] whole person of Christ (that is to saye both his natures working together) s [...] to his godhead seuerally by it self, & so [...] to his manhod seuerally by it selfe: but conclude, none of bothe his natures h [...] the mediatorship by it selfe alone.

Quest. But what shall we beleue conc [...] ning the office of intercession? for su [...]ly vvhat is to be thought of the office of interces­sion. he that maketh intercession for an [...] ther is inferior vnto him to whom t [...] intercession is made.

An. Nay, that is vntrue: for what sho [...] let, but that one equall maye intreat a [...] ther his equall, or the superior maye [...] treat his inferior for another man. A [...] therefore it should not follow y • the son [...] were lesser then the father, although [...] had taken this charge vppon him or [...] own will, euen without taking any fl [...] vnto him. But I haue shewed alread [...] how y e thinges that are writen of chr [...] intercession, must not bee restrained [Page 17] [...]e reason that agréeth with y e souerein­ [...]s & degrées of this worlde. Moreouer [...]w the worde is a meane betwéene the [...]ther and vs, in respecte of the vnion of [...]e twoo natures: and howe he is the [...]ediator betwéene the father and vs, in [...]spect of his office, I haue shewed euen [...]ow.

Quest. They say also it shuld seme that [...]e Godhead maketh intercession to it [...]lfe, if Christ should be called an inter­ [...]ssor in respect also that he is God,

Ans. They say so in déede, but very vn­ [...]ilfully. For although the Godhead be­ [...]ge a thinge vndiuidable, be whole and [...]erfect as well in the sonne, as in the fa­ [...]er and in the holy ghost: Yet notwith­ [...]tanding when we consider the godhead [...] the persons, we consider it not with­ [...]ut relation of one person to another.

[...]nd therefore put the case (which thinge [...] most trew) that Christ maketh inter­ [...]ession for vs to the father, euen in his Godhead vnited to the manhod whiche [...]e tooke vnto it: yet shall it not followe, [...]hat he maketh intercession to himselfe, [...]einge that the father is one and y t sonne [...]s another, in seuerall person throughlye [Page] distincte, albeit that the father and th [...] Sonne be both one thing and one god [...] if the Essence of them bee consydere [...] with out their persons. For like as i [...] Christ incarnate there be seueral thing [...] and not seueral persons: so in the god [...] heade there be seuerall persons but n [...] seuerall thinges.

Quest. What opinon hast thou o [...] Of praying to Saincts & Angels. praying vnto Angels and Sainctes deceased?

An. That it is wicked Idolatrie.

Quest. Yet it may bee, that they whic [...] praye vnto Angels and Sainctes deceased cannot awaye with the makinge o [...] any Images. Ageyne yee shoulde haue made a distinction betwene suche a [...] pray to the trew and blessed Angelles or to the soules of them that were godlye and holy men in deede: and suche a [...] worshippe counterfet Aungelles, that is to saye feendes, or whiche worshypp [...] suche maner of Goddes as although [...] they were Goddes, yet shoulde they (euen by their owne confession) be bu [...] wicked Goddes.

Aunswere [Page 18] I graunt, not onely that somme sin­ [...]es Mat. 11. 22. Iohn. 19 11 are more heynous than others: [...]ut also that suche as are giltye of one [...]elfe same sinne, are not alwayes a like [...]iltye. Neuerthelesse, he that synneth [...]he greeuouslyer, dischargeth not hym that synned lesse heynouslye, out of the [...]umber of offenders. And therefore [...]et vs suffer all this geere to slip, wher­ [...]f there is no question betwixte vs.

[...]dolles are conceyued by fonde fancye, and broughte foorthe by the hand. Ther­fore are they Idolaters, also, whose Idoll [...]urketh like a shapelesse conception in [...]he wombe of theyr imagination: ney­ [...]her is there anye kynde of idoll more [...]wglye, than this which is set vp in the [...]ery bowels of the mind.

Quest

But why callest thou that thing Ido­ [...]atrie, The good intentes of the popish praying to Sainctes. which leaneth vpon good rea­ [...]on.

Answere. Fie on that reason whiche not onely [...]eaneth not to Goddes woorde, but also [...]eyghteth fully against it. And yet I see [...]ot what good reason may bee alleged to defend so grosse a wickednes.

Quest. I praye thee shew me why thou sayest so?

Ans. To call vpon one that is absent, whom thou canst not make priuye to the méening of thy mynd, it is a poinct of ex­treame blockishnes. And to suppose that the soules of suche as be deceased, eyther be present euery where, or if they be ab­sent and heare mens woordes, do neuer­thelesse perceiue the thoughtes of their mindes: I say that both of them are ma­nifest and horrible sinnes of Idolatry: atleast wise if it be Idolatrye to father that thinge vpon the creature, whiche is pro­per or peculiar to god alone. And wher­as they make exception, that God disclo­seth our peticions vnto the sainctes, or else that the sainctes beholde all thinges in I wote not what a wonderfull glasse of the trinitie: looke howe easie a matter it is for them to saye it: so easie is it for vs to shake it of as a foolishe and grosse forgerie. Moreouer, as concerninge the angelles, we héere in déede that the Lord [...] vseth their seruice in defendinge his chil­dren: and no doubt but they execute their charge as it is inioyned them, and are carefull (after their maner) for the wel­fare [Page 19] of the godly. But what makes thys that wée shoulde pray to them? for howe [...]aye that be doone in faith, séeynge wée [...]nowe not, neither when they come, nor [...]hen they goe: nor when they bée pre­ [...]ent, nor when they be absent: nor finde [...]ny woorde or example of it in the holy Bible: but rather that the Angelles haue [...]ot admitted so muche as any outwarde [...]eligious reuerencinge? finally seeinge [...]ere is none in the whole worlde to bee [...]ompared, eyther in power or loue to­ [...]ardes vs, vnto Christ God and man [...]hiche sitteth at the right hand of the fa­ [...]er, makinge intercession for vs, as the [...]ely mediator betwéene God and men [...]herevpon sprange the rable of pety in­ [...]rcessours, but of manifest distrust in [...]m? And as for the vnfailinge loue [...] the Sainctes which manie men harp [...]on, althoughe it be trewe: yet not­ [...]ithstanding it is so awklye applide for­ [...]e proofe of prayinge to Sainctes, as it Another obiection of the Papistes for praying to sainctes. 2 Thes. 3. 1. [...]edeth no disproofe at all.

Quest. Yet notwithstanding wee pray [...]e for another, & desire one of vs the [...]ayers of another, and in so doinge the [...]ostle hath gone before vs by his own [Page] example Ergo. to require the intercession of some others besides Christ, it n [...] why timpeacheth the offyce of the onely mediatour, vnto whom wee say not pray for vs, but, haue mercy vpon vs.

Answere. Fyrst wee are sure that the maynteyners of this praying to Angelles an [...] deadfolkes, holde not them selues within those boundes: but doo craue thei [...] healpe in their daungers and distresses no lesse than the openest Idolaters tha [...] euer were, did in olde tyme craue help [...] at the handes of their petygoddes tha [...] were vnder the throne of their Iupite [...] Againe, for the members of one body too requeste one of vs too praye for an [...] ther, so longe as wée maye bée able t [...] aduertyse one another of our affair [...] in this life: is truely no poynte of pra [...] ing vnto men, or of thrusting in medi [...] tours in Christes steade as they do: b [...] rather a callinge vpon oure common [...] ther together wyth our brethren, in t [...] name of the one mediator aforesay [...] the whyche one myndednes is a most [...]eptable Sacrifice vnto God.

Question

[Page 20] But the holy Ghost himselfe is saide to Rom. 8. 26 How the holy ghost prayeth for vs. Rom. 8. 15. [...]ake intercession for vs with vnspeak­ble groninges.

Aunswere. That is because hée teacheth vs too [...]one and to praye aright, accordinge al­ [...] as the same Apostle maketh hym too [...]ye out.

Que. But when shal this intercession be Christs in­tercession for vs is and shalbe euer­lasting. [...] an ende?

An. Truely neuer: for euen at such time [...] it shall appeare that we be with god, [...]ur cleauinge vnto him shall not be but [...]y the steppinge in of oure meane and [...]ediator, and consequently of oure head [...]esus christ, whose reigning and préest­ [...]d are euerlasting in the same respect. [...]et not withstandinge, the whole maner [...]rulinge and gouerninge the Churche [...]at is now vsed, shall vtterly cease, after [...]at y • last enemie, (that is to wit death) [...] put away, and al the chosen are taken [...] with their head into euerlastinge life, 1. cor 15 28 Of the yel­ding vp of christs king­dom to god the father. [...]d so god shalbe all in all.

Quest. But Paule sayeth that this king­ [...]me or reigning shalbee yelded vp to [...]e father, and that Christ shal become [...]iect vnto him.

[Page] An. Paule verely hauinge an eye vnto Christ, as too the sonne of god in deede, howbeit as manifeste in the fieshe, and ioyned with his mēbers, dooth worthely attribute the chiefe glory to the godhead, which shall at that time be moste of all disclosed, when all enemies be ouercom [...]. And truele this subiection beetokeneth some thing inferior to the godhead (for the creature shall neuer be made equall with the creator, no not euen in christe) but yet it doth vs to vnderstand, that the chiefe blessednesse (next vnto that which is peculiar to the Godhead) consisteth in this poynt, that God acceptinge vs (and our head togither in respecte that he is man,) for his déere and faithful subiects, will then at length géeue vs the fulness of felicitie, and punish the rest as rebel [...] with endlesse paines. Of christes comming, to eudge­ment. 2. tim. 4. 1.

Quest. But wheras it is saide that he will come at the last daye, to iudge both the quick and the dead: ther is som hardnes in that saying. For it appereth by many places, of the Scriptures (& specially by the Story or parable of the rich gluttō) Luk 16 19. that euery mannes iudgement lighteth vpon him immediately after his departure [Page 21] out of this life, whither he be god­ly Luke. 16. 9. 23. 24. or vngodly.

An. God dooth after a sorte execute hys iudgement euen thē: insomuche as it is not to be doubted, but that the soules of the Godly whom Christ doth gladly re­ceiue, Actes. 7. 60 Phil. 1. 23 haue a foretaste of the eternal hap­pines: and contrariwise y t the soules of the vngodly haue a forefeling of y e horri­blenes of eternal death. Notwithstāding besides that the said fore iudgement hath respect only too their soules, while their bodies lye still a sléepe in the duste: the Mat. 25. 3 [...] ful declaratiō and executing of the iudge­ment, whereby the whole man shall ey­ther be made owner of eternall lyfe, or els be caste into endlesse torment, is de­layed to the last daye of the generall Re­surrection.

Quest. By the deade then, thou meanest The dead. not them that shalbe dead at such time as they shalbe iudged: but such as haue ben dead before, and shall then be risen againe. VVhich then be the quick ones that thou matchest against the deade ones?

An. They be those whome Christe shall then finde stil aliue in this world, at that [Page] seconde comminge of his whiche shalbée 1 cor. 15. 51 52. 1. thes. 4. 15. most glorious. The sodaine chaunginge of whiche men intoo the one state or y • o­ther of the life to come (y t is to wit either of endlesse death or of euerlastinge life) shalbe vnto thē in stéede of bodily death & risinge againe, as the Apostle teacheth.

Qu How are they saide to be dampned Endles dāp­nation. to endlesse death, who notwithstāding are risen againe neuer to die any more?

An. Because that to liue in so horrible torments both of soule & body, deserueth not the name of life, but rather of death.

Quest. But the Resurrection? is it not in generall of gods goodnes, yea and that Obection against the generalnesse of the resur­rection. 1. cor. 15. 22 in Christ who is the first fruites of them that rise?

An. Like as the father created all things in the Sonne: so also shall the wicked receiue life againe in him, that is to saye, by the operation of his power. And yet for all that the blessinge of life shall turne to a curse in the vngodly, like as al other things doo. The wicked therfore shal not rise againe by the benefyte and vertue of Christes resurrection (for this resurrec­tion is knit vnto blissed life, with an vn­separable knot: and therefore none but only suche as beleeue in Christe and are [Page 22] [...]uely graffed into him, are made parta­ [...]ers of that.) But by the power and auc­ [...]hority of the Sonne as he is a Iudge: who at the same time that he pronoun­ [...]ed the sentence of dubble death, and spe­ [...]ially Gen. 2. 17 Gen. 3. 19 of eternall death against all man­kinde, did euen then condemne all men [...]n the penaltie of rising againe, sauinge those whom he himself shoulde preserue from death For how should the punish­ment of the wicked be euerlasting (as it must néedes be) if their bodies should cō ­tinew for euer in the dust, vtterly voyde of all feeling.

Quest. Neuertheles, seing that the bodie Obiection agaynste the punishment of the bodie for the souls offences. mooueth not of it selfe, but onely is the Iustrument of the soule: it seemeth to stande with equitie, that the whole pu­nishment of sin, or the whole glorie of rightuousnesse, should haue cleaued to mennes soules.

Aunswere. The whole scripture speaketh against it 1. cor. 35. &c as often as it maketh mentiō of y e resur­rectiō, which doutles agréeth not proper­ly to the soule. Again although the body sin not of it self alone: yet doth the whole man sin, and therefore hee is iustly pu­nished whole. And christ were not a per­fecte 1. thes. 5. 25. Heb. 2. 14 redeemer, if hee should let the bo­dyes [Page] of his seruaunts lye still in rotten­nesse. Neither had he néeded to haue ta­kē a body vnto him, if he had come to de­liuer no more but our soules.

Quest. But what maner of life shall that Eternall life and eternall death. eternal life be, and what maner of death shal that eternall death bee?

Ans. It is to no purpose to searche for these thinges: not onely because such cu­riousenesse is to bee condempned, as dri­ueth men too demaunde the thinges that the lorde hath as yet hidden from vs: but also beecause it is a pointe of extreame madnesse, to be desirous to comprehende that whiche a manne is not able to con­ceiue. If wee were nowe able to con­ceyue that blisfulnesse, wee shoulde already after a sort possesse it, in asmuch as y • vnderstanding of man doth at least­wise so farforth enioy the thing that is to be vnderstoode, as it conceiueth it in vn­derstandinge. The lyke also is too bée thoughte of the euerlastynge paynes: whereof wée see that euen a very light conceyte of them doothe nowe and then dryue men too dispaire, and too horible factes. Now then, that men féele not as yet the horriblenes of the euerlasting [Page 13] fyre anye fullyer: it is to be imputed to Goddes forbearinge, who as yet delay­ [...]th his wrath. Therefore let vs rather [...]éeke, by what way wée come too it, that [...]ée maye holde the waye of lyfe: and let [...]s settle ourselues in the things that the [...]orde hath opened vnto vs concerninge [...]hose matters in his worde: namely that [...]he happinesse of the Godly, and the vn­ [...]appines of the vngodly, shalbe so great [...]hat the maner and measure of none of [...]hem both can bée comprehended by vs [...]s nowe.

Quest. Then which is the way to eternall The onely way to eternall life Ioh. 20. 7. 1 [...]fe?

An. Euen Christ as he himselfe witnes­ [...]eth: neyther is there any other way that [...]adeth vnto life.

Quest, And yet he quickeneth not all [...]en.

An. I graunt that he quickeneth none [...]ut those that walke in this way. And to [...]alke in this way, is to ioyne a mannes [...]elf vnto christ, yea & after a sort to incor­ [...]orate himself into him, by beléeuinge.

Quest. What callest thou fayth? The distin­ction of true faithe

An. The fayth or beliefe whereby the [...]hildren of light differ from the children [Page] of darknesse, is not simply that Insight (which the deuilles haue aswel as they) wherby it commeth to passe, that a man acknowledgeth the thinges to bee true, which are contained in the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles: but more­ouer it is a stedfast assent of the mind accompanying the same Insight, wherby it cometh to passe, that eche man applieeth Rom. 8. 37 &c. particularly to himselfe, the promise of euerlasting life in Christ, in cace as i [...] he were in full possession of it already.

Quest VVhither doth nature yeelde vs this faith, or doth grace geue it? or whe [...] Whens true faith com­meth. ther doth partly nature & partly grac [...] geue it?

An. Only the mere grace of god, which begetteth vs anew.

Que. Are there not common Insightes and felings of god in the nature of ma [...] though he bee corrupted?

An. Yes verely be there, howbeit eue [...] as som rubbices of a very princely bu [...] ding. Again I say thus much, that thi [...] faithe is not grownded in naturall I [...] Mat. 16. 17. Ioh 1. 19. & 18. 17. 15 sights: but theremust further bee adde [...] the things that god hath disclosed to th [...] world peculiarly by his Prophetes, a [...] [Page 24] Apostles, which things fleshe and bloude 1. Cor. 2. 9 19. 14. [...]uld neuer haue once thought of. Lastly [...]is thinge also is to be marked (wherin [...]nsisteth as it were the speciall and pe­ [...]uliar Col. 22. difference of fayth (namely that [...]he man must apply the promis of eter­ [...]all life in Christe, peculiarly to himself [...]y beléeuing, which testimony the scrip­ [...]ure calleth assured perswasion.

Quest. 1. Thes. 1. 5 Of mans corruption. [...]pray you let vs step a litle aside to dis­ [...]ourse of mās corruptiō. First I demaūd [...]hat thing thou thinkest to be corrup­ed in the nature of man: and secondlye [...]hat maner of corruptiō the same is: & [...]stly what remedie there is against it.

An. To the first demaūd I answer, that Corruption of the body in substance Iohn. 3. 6 Ephe. 2. 5 [...] whole man is corrupted: yea & so cor­ [...]pted, y • S. paules saying (namely that [...]e bée dead in our sinnes) is to be vnder [...]oode of either part of man.

Quest. Doth this corruption touche the [...]ery substance of him. That is to vvit both of soule and bodye.

Ans. Yea in déede doth it as concer­ [...]inge the bodye, which euen therfore is [...]ecome mortall. But of the Soule wée [...]ust thinke otherwise.

Quest. VVhat shall wee thinke then of [...]e corruption of the soule?

[Page] Ans. That it is corrupted in qualities, Corruptione of the soul in qualities and vvhich those quali­ties bee. whiche for instructions sake I make to be two, namely reason and will.

Quest. Doest thou then place qualities in the soule?

Ans. I doe so, howbeit agréeable to a spiritualll and single nature. Otherwise if a soule or a spirite be nothinge else bu [...] a substaunce, then let vs make as many vnder goddes as there be soules of men [...] But to the ende wée may eschew many crabbed schoole pointes at once: yee shall vnderstande that I admit but one soul [...] in a man: for I read not that there wer [...] anye moe created, and I déeme it an absurditie, that anye one bodye shoulde be indewed with any moe soules than one Also by the qualities of the Soules I meane two thinges. That is to wit, fir [...] the powers grounded in the soule: whi [...] I saye are no lesse to be distinguished (howbeit by suche distinction as agrée [...] to a spirituall nature) from the very su [...] stance of the soule it selfe, than the pow [...] of drawing stéele is distinguished fro [...] the substaunce of the Adamant: And s [...] condly the soundenes, or the rightnes, [...] (as Moyses termeth it) the goodnes [...] [Page 25] the same powers, which I saide to bee twoo.

Que. VVell then, considering that the fall of man can neuer be sufficiently vn­derstoode Error in o­piniō about original sin. and discribed. They that a­uouche originall sinne to consiste onely sin accidents or qualities, seeme to take [...]it but for som superficial blemish, that sticketh as it were but to the skin.

Ans. These be fond conceites of foolishe men: and after the same sort did Sathan in times past beguile some men, y t wold néedes wrest the christian principles to the ragged rule of their own most folish reason. By those qualities I meane not vvhat is mēt by qualities in the soule. some accidentes or byfalles, but thinges that sticke in the very nature it selfe, and yet may be disseuered from the very substance and as it were from the grounde worke it self wherin they be, not in very déede, but by reason and in thought.

Quest, Your saying thē in effecte, is that The soule is not corrup­ted in sub­stance but in qualities, for othervvise it should die as the body doth. the qualities of the soule are corrupted, and not the substance of it.

An. I say so, and I saye further that the [...]ontrary oppinion is the certain and the [...]pen waye to Epicurishnesse, that is to [...]ay to mainteine the mortality or dying [Page] of the soule. For graunte we once neuer so little corruption of the substaunce of the soule we must néedes confesse that y • soule it selfe is in daūger of dying. Again if the whole soule be corrupted: thē must the whole soule néedes dye out of hand. But if the corruption be but in som part of the soule: how can there be anye diui­sion of partes in a single substance, suche as the soule is? Therefore whosoeuer will maintaine this so awk and wicked opinion, had néede to be starke mad: and no lesse blinde had they néede to bee, that should giue eare to him.

Quest. Let vs leaue this geere for those to delight in, vpon whom the lord shall execute his rightfull iudgements. Now proceede and tell me what the same cor­ruption is.

Ans. Neyther reason, nor wyll is taken Neither reason nor Wil is taken a­way by A­dams fall, but both of them be vt­terly defa­ced and cor­rupted. away (as I sayd euen now): for had they ben taken quite awaye, the soule of man must needes haue perished, or vtterlye ben none at all. But both these powers are so sore defaced: that whereas the eye of vnderstandinge oughte too haue béene moste cleere, according also as it was be­fore the fall: nowe, ( [...]pecially in matters [Page 26] perteyninge to God and concerninge [...]yghte conscience,) it partlye seeth no­thing at al, (no not euen when the light of the creator is set before it) according as it is too bée séene in the chéefe points of the trewe religion: the which, mans reason not onely lotheth, but also figh­teth against them as fond and false with toothe and nayle): and partly if it sée, it [...]éeth verye dimly: so as those small [...]parkes of glimmering lyght that weare [...]elt in man to the end he shoulde bée vt­ [...]erly Rom. 1. 20 vnexcusable (of which sparks ther [...]s no man but hee hath somme bred in [...]is minde, and manye mo haue byn [...]ound out by men in bendyng themsel­ [...]es to the considering of higher things) [...]o by and by leaue a man at his first step [...]nto the gate of truthe, and therefore are [...]arre vnable so to foreguyde him as he [...]aye atteyn too the priuities of truth. And furthermore as cōcerning vpright­ [...]es to bee mainteined betwene man and [...]ā: although y e eysight of mans mind be [...]mwhat lesse dull in those matters, ve­ [...]ly bicause god so moderateth his iust [...]dgemēt, as y e felowship of mākind (out [...] whiche he gathereth his church) might [Page] the easlier be preserued, which other wise woolde perishe out of hand according to the desert of mans fall, if all discerning of right and wrong, & of vertue and vice had bin taken quite awaye out of means mindes: yet notwithstāding, right grea [...] is the blindnes of men, both in discussing of general grounds, but specially in dis­cussinge of matters debatable. Which thing is manifestly proued by y e repug­nancye which is found, not onely in the opinions of the common people whe [...] there be as many wits as ther be heads▪ but also euen in y e iudgments of y e wise [...] philosophers and lawemakers: wheri [...] many haue weeryed themselues of la [...] to no purpose, to make them agree toge­there. Namely will. Now com I down to the other p [...] ­wer of y e mind, which is the seate of th [...] affections. And wheras the same ough [...] to be ruled by reason as by a wagongu [...] der: yet notwithstanding, how oftē do [...] Rom. 7. 18. 19. it harie him headlonge awaye? And [...] maruell seing that somtimes it carye [...] awaye euen the very soule it selfe, I fo [...] beare to speake of y e heady vnrulinesse [...] all the naturall affections, which inco [...] ­uenience, reason fighting against it, do [...] [Page 27] after a sort sée and finde fault with: but Ro. 7. 8. 9 10. &c. only gods lawe doth vtterly discouer it. And to th'increase of that darknes wher­with the power of vnderstanding & wil­linge is ouercast, there is yet another worser inconuenience: namely y t reason sucketh vpon vntruth, & wrestleth wil­fully Reason vn­reformed sucketh al­wayes vppō vntruth. against gods wisdome, euen when she is conuicted and y • the will is caryed wilfully vnto vice euen against the re­prehensions of reason, (such as they be) and is not able eyther to seke or to shun any thyng aright, bycause she is wholy a slaue vnto sinne.

Quest. Are we blockes then? Obiection

An. No, for when I say that mans vn­derstanding & will are blind & froward: I do not vtterly beréeue him of y e power of vnderstanding and willing.

Qu. Ergo thou takest away freewill. Of freewill.

An. If by free, y u meene willing or vn­ [...]nstreined: I am so far frō taking that [...]way: y e contrariwise, I say the whole [...]ind is willingly and of it own accord [...]ried vnto euill. But if y u take freenes [...] be neuer so smal an ablenes of it selfe [...]to either of both (y t is to say to be in­ [...]ned of it lelf as well to the thing that [...]

Quest. Nay surely it is not the nature of Naturall reason counse­leth nothīg but euill. reason to counsell euell.

An. Soothly so doth reason bear hir selfe in hand. For euill putteth vppon it the countenaunce of good to make reason too lyke of it. But the trew rule to discerne good and bad by, must be searched out of Gods lawe, and not out of mannes cor­rupted vnderstandyng. Therefore euen 1. [...]or. 2. 14 the very same thinge which the naturall man (as the Apostle tearmeth him) thinketh to be good and coueteth as good, is by Gods spirite termed euil, as alwaies stepping somwhat aside from that which is rightlye good. For surely as for the thinge that gusheth out of so vncleane a sinke, althoughe now & then it be not al­together so fowle as the very filth of the sinke it selfe, yet muste it néedes bée vncleane.

Quest. Yet doo I not perceiue howe the Hovv neces­sity and free vvil or wil­lingnes may frame toge­ther. thing may be called free, which of nece [...] sitie is caried but to the one part onely.

Ans. Then remember thy self, that the [...] is a difference betwéene compulsion and necessitie. For many things y • are of necessitie, are also willingly: of which [...] [...]or [...] I think thou wilt not deny but Christe [...] Necessitie. Willingnes. [Page 29] death was one. But nothing can be both Compulsion of compulsion, and of willingnesse toge­ther, no not euen in those things which we are moste vnwilling to doo: as when Seamen suffer losse. Againe I pray thee [...]ooke a little neerlyer, how thou maist define freenesse. For whether of these thinkest thou is more fre? he that is in suche state, as he may bee eyther free or [...]ound: or he that is so fre, as he can by Freenesse. no meanes so much as thinke of beinge [...]ound? Truly if thou take that to be free will, which may bee led either to good or too euill: thou shalt quite beréeue bothe God, and the Angelles, yea and vs also, (after wee bee taken vp into heauen,) of that freenesse. Yea and it seemeth, that this also may bee doubted, whether the Mannes freenesse before his fall. first man were indewed with the saide freenesse of debating on eyther part, before he had geuen eare to Sathan. For how could euill come in question: seing it was not yet entred into the worlde? So as it seemeth to me, that before that time, Adam, was of his own accord with his whole minde and bodye disposed too good only, without any contrary thought [...]r debating at all, and much more with­out [Page] any purpose: all whiche thinges S [...] than hath brought into mans dispositio [...] by putting concupiscence or lust into [...] Rightly therfore was that trée called [...] tree of the knowledge of good & euill, in [...] much as before the eatinge thereof, m [...] neyther knewe nor coueted anye thing [...] but onely good: the forgetfulnes whereo [...] is so ouerspred by eatinge of that trée, [...] euer since, men haue not ceased to deba [...] of the endes of good and bad, thoughe the [...] thēselues be shut vp within the bounde [...] of euill. The conclusion is this, that the [...] only are endewed with frée will, whiche are set frée from the bondage of sinne. And of this fréedome (whiche shall neuer Ioh. 8. 36 Rom. 6. 16 & 8. 15. be thorowly perfect til we be vtterly sinlesse in the other life eternal) they haue the spirit of God for an assured pledge.

Quest. Then in the receiuing of the first Of preuen­ting grace grace men do but suffer the grace of god to be wrought in them, & are not ioint­workers with the grace.

Ans. Truly if yee haue an eye to the order of the causes, and to the first ente­rance of the grace, whereby the lord sha­peth vs newe ageine, yée muste néedes graunte, that the same procéedeth wholly [Page 30] of God, who loueth vs first, when we be Rom. 5. 10 Tit. 3. 5 1. Ioh. 4. 19 The woor­king of na­turall vvitte vvith preuē ­tinge grace. [...]et his enemies: and that wée bée but [...]nely receyuers of it. But if yée con­ [...]der the verye instant of the time wher­ [...] God woorketh in vs: yée shall finde [...]hat the ablenesse to bée willinge to re­ [...]eiue is geuen vntoo vs, and also that [...]ée bée willinge to receiue, bothe toge­ [...]her in one selfe same moment: For o­ [...]herwise the grace were in vaine. Ther­ [...]ore as many as impugne this manner [...]f togither workinge, as though it were [...]epugnant too the grace of God: they [...]ewray their owne vnskilfulnesse many [...]ayes, consideringe that this selfsame [...]ogether workinge is the gyfte of Gods grace, and woorketh in such wise toge­ther with it, as that in order of causes it is in déede the latter, like as it folo­weth immediatly after the cause that woorketh the effecte: by reason whereof all thinges are fathered whollye vp­pon the onely grace of God: and yet notwithstandinge, God at once and in one selfsame moment bringeth to passe, both that through grace wée may know, and throughe grace wée doo knowe [Page] in déede: that through grace we may [...] and through grace we do wil in deed [...] and finally that through grace wee m [...] doo, and through grace wee doe indeed [...] For the efficient cause in possibility ca [...] not be called efficient in working, vnt [...] it be performed in very déede. Moreouer sith there is not taken frō man, neyther the ability of vnderstanding, nor th [...] abilitie of willing, as I haue saide afor [...] but onely y e ability to vnderstand rightly and to will rightly: it cannot bee denid [...] but that at least wise ther is in him a natural together working, bycause y e whe [...] as y e first disposing grace is not receiue [...] but of one that hath vnderstāding & wil, and men by nature do generally vnder­stand and will: man receyueth the offe­red grace, not as a block, but as one that is endewed with vnderstanding & wil, and so farforth as he doth but vnderstand and will, he worketh together w t god his maker, at whose hande he hath receyned those natural powers: But in respect y • he vnderstandeth well and willeth wel: that must bee wholly attributed too the newcome grace: whereby it commeth too passe, that he prepareth to make him­self [Page 31] ready to vnderstand aright, to will a­ [...]ight, and to doo aright, when he hath re­ [...]eiued the grace: and also that he vnder­ [...]andeth, willeth & dooth rightly indeede.

Quest. And what is it to be thought of Grace effec­tuall by grace. [...]e effectes of the first grace.

An. That the first grace is effectuall, it [...] to be imputed to Gods seconde grace, [...]r wée should straytwaies fall from the [...]rst if there folowed not another imme­ [...]iatelye after, to make the former effec­ [...]ual, and so must ye procéede on stil from [...]race to grace.

Que. But it could hardly be denied, but Of Merit or deseruing. [...]hat assone as we haue receiued the first [...]race, we worke together with the rest [...]f the graces folowing, & so consequēt­ [...]y that the later graces are bestowed for merit or desert of the former grace.

An. Away with the names of desert, and Rom. 4. 4 1. Cor. 4. 7 merit, which fight ful but against grace, [...]ow much so euer the halfe pelagian So­ [...]histers prate to the contrarye. He that [...]enyeth vs to woorke together with the [...]rst grace, denieth the efficacy of the first grace. And looke what I haue sayde of the first grace, the same doo I say of the graces that insew. For that the fyrste [Page] grace is so effectuall, as that wée vse [...] well: wée may thanke y e second gra [...] for it. For were not the seconde gra [...] present, yea & both freely geuē & free [...] effectual: we shold not only not goe forward, but also goe quite backe againe into a far worse state then wee were i [...] before. Then as for this toogether wor­king, which (as I said (procedeth wholl [...] of the insewing grace, what hath it in [...] that may merite or deserue anye recompence at al? Nothing at al: for euen the [...] when wee after a sorte doe vse it well [...] (which thinge also, if the matter be we [...] lookte vppon, is throughe grace): w [...] doo rather vse it amisse.

I confesse then that the faithefull ser­uauntes haue Talentes committed vn­too Mat. 25. 14 them: But yet agayne it is of men grace that the woorkinge of those Ser­uauntes is allowed, and that they b [...] taken for faithfull Seruauntes, an [...] Rom. 4. 5 finally that rewarde is geuen vnto [...] them which is not dewe vntoo them i [...] anye other respecte, than bicause i [...] was freely promysed, and is freely per­formed.

Quest. But I woulde fayne learne this o [...] Of the spre­ding of ori­ginall sinne into al man­kinde By learning it one of an other, or by folowing one ano­thers exam­ple. [Page 32] you also: How this corruption is spread to mankinde? Namely whither it bee [...] nature or by imitacion?

[...]. Forasmuche as ye bée sure inough, [...] it is come in: ye shoulde rather haue [...]ed how it might be driuen out again. [...]euerthelesse because of many noysom [...]ours, I will endeuer to satisfie you in [...]s behalfe also. I answere therefore, [...]t the maladie is first spread abrode by [...]ture, and afterwarde confirmed by [...]itation.

[...]est. How can you prooue that?

[...]s. By many textes of scripture when Rom. 5. 14. [...] wyll, and speciallye by Paules argu­ [...]nt grounded vpon effectes. For euen [...]y also do die, whiche could not imitate [...]am, by reason they are not of yeres of Rom. 6. 23 [...]reaton: but deathe is the rewarde [...]inne: ergo all men are in originall [...]ne.

[...]est. VVhat if I shoulde saye that the Obiection that the death of the bodie shold be but naturall and not a penaltie of sinne. [...]te death (whiche is the seperation of [...] bodie and the soule, and the loose­ [...]ge of the same bodye againe into his [...]t groundes,) is naturall? For all com­ [...]unded thinges are naturally subiecte [...] dissolution.

[Page] An. God himselfe speakinge by Moys [...] Gen. 2. 17. &. 3. 19. Rom. 5. 12. wil disprooue you. Besides this, your a [...] gument holdes not of necessitie. For [...] thoughe the thinge that is compounde [...] maye of it owne nature be dissolued: y [...] notwithstandinge it is not dissolued [...] verye déede, vntill the cause that co [...] pounded it, do first cease to mainteine [...] together. What absurditie then is th [...] in my spéeche, when I say that mā w [...] in such wise created of soule and body [...] yea & that mans body was in suche w [...] compounded or compacted togither of [...] elementes, as the creator of them wol [...] haue maintained them togither for eu [...] had not sinne stept in by the waye?

Quest. I graunt then that mortal bodi [...] Of the con­ueying of the soule. are begottē of mortal bodies. But wh [...] is that to the corruptiō of the soule, o [...] lesse thou think that the soules also a [...] conueied ouer from one into anothe [...]

Ans. What opinion manye of the ol [...] wryters haue had concerning this m [...] ter, I passe not, neither will I greatl [...] striue about it, so it be agréede vpon th [...] originall infection is spredde into vs [...] nature. Yet thinke I it not good too d [...] semble this, that y e doctrine of conueyi [...] [Page 33] ouer of the soule seemeth very awk to me: for either must the whole soule, or at least some péece of it be conueied ouer. Nowe if the whole bée conueyed: then doubtlesse must the partes of it néedes be quite dispatched out of hand. But if there bée but some péece of it conueyed: howe can anye péece of it bée cut away from an Essence that is most single?

Quest If the soule come not of the cor­rupt Bezaz opi­nion of the creation of soules. father, but of him that is the fa­ther & maker of spirits: how coms it by that corruptiō? Is it by infection of the body that is knit vnto it, like as an oint­ment the better it is, the soner it takes a tange of the vncleane vessell?

Ans. Truely me thinkes your reason is sufficient to satisfie al modest wits. But how so euer the case standeth, let thys suffice: that like as Adam receyued the Image of god for himselfe and his, so lost he it frō him and his: and god (accordinge as he had threatned) forsaks their soules as sone as he hath created thē and sheded them into the bodie: wherby it comes too [...]asse, that al of thē are borne the children Rom. 5. 12 &c. [...]f wrath, namely as heires of corruption [...]nd of their forefathers guiltinesse.

Que. Now then let vs returne to the on­ly To be made one with christ is the only remedi of sin, death & damnatiō That is to say, parta­kīg of christ or being made one thinge with Christ. remedye of this mischeefe, that is to wit, to christ taken hold vpon by faith, which is the gifte of God. Therefore I wold haue you to declare vnto me what you meene by taking hold, ingreffing, incorporating, & communicating with Christ.

Ans. They that imagine there is any ioyning or linking togither of the sub­stances, after what maner so euer they dreame it to be: they be vtterly deceiued and iudge fleshly of spirituall and mis­ticall thinges. Ageine, they that auouch Christes onely operacion or efficacie to be the thing wherof we be made part­takers: seeme not to haue weyed suf­ficiētly the expresse textes of the scrip­ture, Esay. 9. 5. Rom. 8. 32 1. cor. 10. 16 Eph. 5. 30 Iohn. 17. 11 21. 22 wherin Christ himselfe is plainly sayd to bee giuen vnto vs, and also his workfulnesse in vs is described. To the intent therefore that this cōmunicating may be vnderstoode: me must set downe twoo thinges. Wherof the first is this: y • christ himself is made ours by y e bene­fite of the father, so as all beleuers may say, this thing (y t is to wit, christ y e sonne of god manifested in the flesh (is mine, [Page 34] by the graunt and fréegifte of the father, that I might in ioye it.

Quest. Here I pray you giue me leaue to A cauill a­gainst ou [...] ownering or possessig of Christ. say a litle by the waye. Surely he that so speketh, is owner or maister of the thīg that was geuen him: are we then owners or maisters of Christ, and not rather hee the owner & maister of vs?

Ans. Seing that the father hath giuen vs vn­to Iohn. 13. 3. & 17. 10 1. cor. 6. 20. &. 7. 23. Iesus Christ, & that Christe himselfe hath redemed vs by giuinge himselfe for vs: if any mā deny Iesus Christ to be y e owner & maister of vs, (yea and y • of ve­rye good right) accursed be he: Therefore when I say he is ours, y • is to wit which beleue: I mene not y e there is giuen vn­to vs any superioriti ouer him, but I say y e he is géeuen and borne vnto vs or for our sakes. As for example, a mā takes a wife, which must obey him & be seruisa­ble to him: & yet on the other side y e wife, may say, like as I am this mans wyfe, & my father hath giuen me vnto him too haue aucthoritie ouer me: so on the other side he is my husband, and hath giuē him self to me to inioy him, verely to the end he may loue me and cherishe mée as hys wyfe. Whiche similitude thou knowest [Page] well ynough that the prophetes and the apostles do ordinarily vse to betokē this [...]om. 7.1 [...]. &c. [...]. cor. 11. 2 [...]. ph. 5. 15 communicating of Christ. The other point of this communicating, is, y • he is ours in suche wise, as no coniunction of bodies, whither it be naturall or artifici­all, may bee compared with it. Yet not­withstanding, it tendeth not to this end y • there shold be made but one substance of his & ours, or but one person of his & ours, all which thinges are most grosse forgeries & vtterly wide from the king­dome of heauē: but it tendeth to this end only, y • his spirituall workfulnes should be y e more certein, the more néere, & the more effectuall in vs. And yet by y e way this is certein, y • he in such wise becom­meth ours, y • he be commeth one thing with vs in deede: and the head & mem­bers of any body cleaue not so fast to ge­ther by nature, as this coniunction of Christes is fast and streit knit vnto vs: insomuch as we be fleshe, of his fle [...]h, & Ephe. 5. 30 why our communi­ting with christ is cal­led spirituall bone of his bones: howbeit it is wholly spirituall and misticall.

Quest. I pray you shewe mee why you call it spirituall?

Ans. I call it spirituall, not in respect of [Page 35] the thing that is communicated, (for it is certeine y • Christ is communicated vnto vs, not onely in spirit, but also in his whole manhod) nor also as though this communication were imaginatiue and consisted onely in thought without the thing it self to settle vpon: nor final­ly as though we were said to be become one thinge with Christ, only in respect of cōsent, after which maner Luke saith Acts. 4. 31 that y • beleuers where all of one hart and one mind: But bicause all this takinge hold is done altogither by the mind & by faith, & bicause the holy ghost is y e partie by whose linking these thinges are knit togither which are so farre a sunder in respect of distance of place: and y • in such wise, as that in this spiritual copulation Christ is as the head, & the churche is as Ephe. 4. 15 16. his body, drawing spirituall life frō him hir onely head. And therfore all y e whole reall growing together of the very sub­stances into one, (aboute the which so many men haue striued now longe ago with so much ado, and by meanes wher­of that monstar of transsubstantiation and consubstantiation was afterwarde brough into the Lordes supper) is a [Page] grosse forgery of mannes fondnes, by no meanes agréeinge either with the spiri­tuall life, or with the verines of Christs body, or with the proportion of faith.

Que. I heere well that Christ himselfe is receiued of the faithfull by faith: I here that the church is spiritually cuppled to hir head by the bonde of the holye Ghoste: but yet perceyue I neuer the more, how these thinges that are so far a sunder should be vnited.

Quest. I graūt so. For it is not for nought Ephe. 5. 32 that Paule crieth out, that it is a greate mistery. Rightly therfore dooth one giue warning, that we shoulde rather labour to féele Christe liuinge in vs: than to be made priuie to the reason of thys com­munion: as whiche surmounteth our ca­pacitie, althoughe wee bee sure that it is spirituall, and that faythe is the instrue­ment in doinge of it.

Quest.

VVhat if wee shoulde say that Christe is communicated vnto vs, onely as tou­chinge his force and efficacie? and that wee should referre this place of Paules, (we bee members of his bodie of his fleshe Ephe. 5. 30 and of his bones,) Vnto Christes incarna­tion? [Page 36] [...]n. Concernyng Christes beyng one Christs be­ing one with vs and wee with him. [...]ith vs, so as we may afterward drawe [...]fe out of him being vnited with vs, the [...]ripture speaketh more manifestly of it [...]an that it may bee applyed to his one­ [...] operacion or working in vs, in as [...]uche rather as it is the foundation [...]th of the effectuall intercommuning, [...]nd of the benefite of imputation, which [...]inge appeereth euen by the proporti­ [...]ablenesse that is betwene it & bodely [...]rrishment, wherof Christ himselfe is [...]e author. For like as if a man will re­ [...]yue the nurrishment of bodely foode [...] suchwise as maye be to the sustenance [...] his lyfe: it behoueth hym to haue it [...] farfoorth his owne, as he may euen [...]te it: So also to the intent wee may [...]cke the iewce of the spirituall and [...]dles lyfe out of Christ, it behoueth vs [...] take holde of him with the mouth of [...]th, and spiritually as it were to di­ [...]st him into vs. As for Paules place [...]erning Christs taking of mans na­ [...]e vnto him, it cannot be fitly applied Ephe. 5. 32 [...] this matter: for according to that: all [...] wythout exceptiō might say they be [Page] Christes members, which thinge the Apostle setteth downe, as peculiar to the Churche alone, and so also dooth the re [...] semblaunce of bodily wedlocke importe. For euery man and euery woman are not one flesh: but eche man is one flesh with that woman whose husband he is, and eche woman is one fleshe with that man whose wife shee is. And therfore this cupplinge into one fleshe, is not of nature, but of couenaunt: and so also is our co [...]iunction with Christe into one spirit▪ Too conclude, If the Apostle had ment so as you say: namely that Christe hath knit himselfe vntoo vs bu [...] by his Incarnation, and that wée be ioyned vnto him but by faith: he should rather haue sayd, that Christ is of our fle [...] and of our bones.

Quest. On forth, I pray you, and shew [...] The fruit of our beinge one with Christ me what we receiue by being spiritual [...] made one with Christe through faith [...] you haue sayd.

An. Again wee enter into a howge g [...] whose widenesse, length, & depth (wh [...] Eph. 1, 18 6. 9. &c. Eph 3. 8. 9 19. as otherwise it surmounteth our capa [...] tie according as the Apostle witnesse [...] we knowe so farforth, as the holy gh [...] [Page 37] wherwith wee bée endewed sercheth the [...]epth of God. He that hath not spared [...]is owne Sonne (saith the Apostle) but [...]ath geuen him for vs all, how should he not also geue vs all thinges with him? Wherefore I aunswere that all thinges needefull for saluation flow into vs, out of Christe, when wee take holde of him by faith.

Que. But if it may be, I would haue you [...]hew vnto mee particularli which those thinges bee.

An. I answere then, that some thinges are Christes owne in such wise as they [...]leaue alwayes to himself alone, and be­come not oures but by imputation, of whiche sorte bee the thinges that he hath performed for our sakes, namely that by becomming subiect to the law, he fulfil­led all rightu [...]usnesse, and suffered the punishments dewe for our sinnes: both Gal 4. 4 Math. 3. 15 Rom. 5. 19 Phil. 2. 8 whiche thinges the Apostle compriseth vnder the name of obedience. And some thinges doe so rest in christ: as yet not­withstanding the force and operation of them is spread intoo vs: of which sort is Rom. 8 3. 4 the singular puerenesse of the manhod in Christ, garnished with all gifts without [Page] measure, which purenesse not onely be­cometh Rom. 6. 6 Gal. 2. 20. ours by imputation, but also is the headspring and originall of our new birth, and of all the spirituall gyftes that accompany the same.

Quest VVhat callest thou imputacion? Imputation Ans. That benefyte of God the father, wherby he vouchsafeth to account Chri­stes obedience as ours, in as ample wise as if we ourselues had fulfilled the lawe, and made ful satisfaction for our sinnes.

Quest. But standeth this with Gods na­ture, that he shoulde accept any man as rightuous for another mans rightuous­nesse?

Ans. In deede it is an other mans righ­tuousnesse 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ioh. 17. 20. 21. &c. in asmuche as it is withoute vs, and resteth in another subiecte or person, that is to witte in Christe: and yet is it not anothers, in asmuche as the same subiecte, that is to wit Christe, is ours, yea and also is spiritually beecome all one thinge with vs by faith.

Quest. Naye truelye, if he bee become all one thinge with vs: nowe it seemeth that what so euer he hathe in him, the same is ours in very deede, and not only by imputation.

[Page 38] [...]ns. Certesse were it once graunted y • Against the doctrine of Transub­stantiation [...]e very substaunce of Christ were bee­ [...]me our substaunce by reall copulation [...]d vnitinge, (whiche thinge foloweth of [...]eir opinion that auouche Christs flesh [...]d bloude to bee eaten with the verye [...]outh and so to bée conueyed into vs): [...]en should your sayinge folow of conse­ [...]ence also. Whereby it may be percey­ [...]d, howe greatlye the doctrine (as well [...] transubstantiation as also of consub­antiation) fighteth against the doctrine rightuousnes by imputation, besydes at it also taketh awaye the verinesse of [...]hristes fleshe. I sayde afore that christ [...]d wee bee verelye made one in deede: [...]wbeit that the same is a meere spiri­ [...]all misterye, the hande whereof is [...]e holye Ghoste, and that the marke [...]hereat it ameth, is not the growinge [...]gether of the substaunces or of the per­ [...]ns into one (for to what purpose were Ep. 4. 15. 16 Ephe. 5. 23 at?) But that the spirituall life shoulde [...] that meanes flowe from Christe the [...]isticall heade into his misticall bodye [...]derneath it.

Quest. Let vs returne too Imputation.

[Page] An. Contented: and I saye that ly [...] Christs righ tuousnes is ours by im­putacion as whatsoeuer wāt of rightuousnes, an [...] whatsoeuer spottinesse of sinne is in [...] the same is without Christe, and yet [...] imputed to Christ: So on the other side [...] I say that Christes obedience is out [...] vs, (as stickinge in Christe the onely ground of it,) and yet notwithstanding is imputed vnto vs. And the foundaci [...] of this imputacion is this, that he is o [...] with vs and wée one with him, after spirituall waye and manner as I sayd [...] afore, so as he was accounted a sinne [...] not in himselfe but in vs: and wée be [...] kened for rightuous, not in our selue [...] but in him.

Quest. But it is said that Abrahams fait [...] Abrahams rightuous nesse Rom. 4. 3. was imputed to him for rightuousen [...] and not this obedience of Christes.

An. You knowe this, that the thing [...] which go in order one vnder another, [...] not contraries. Fayth is sayde too [...] accounted vnto rightuousnes, because is the instrument wherby the sayde obe­dience whereof the immutacion mak [...] vs rightuous, is taken hold vppon. Aft [...] Rom. 5. 1. 9 which manner also we be saide to be ius­tifyed by fayth, namely in asmuche as [...] [Page 34] [...]eth holde of christes obedience, by im­ [...]ation wherof we be made rightuous.

[...]est. There is yet one doubt behinde, we your sayinge that Christe is taken Obiection a gainst this that faith is the free gyft of God by Christ. [...]de on by fayth, agreeth with that [...]ich you said afore whē you auouched at all gyftes doo flowe intoo vs from [...]riste taken holde vpon by fayth. For [...]eemeth to folow, eyther that faythe [...]ot of the fathers gyft in Christ, or els [...]t this your latter sayinge is vntrewe. [...]r needes must faith go before taking [...]ld, if christ be taken hold on by fayth

[...]s. The beginninge of our saluation [...]meth of God, who firste chose vs in Eph. 1. 4. Rom. 3. 24. 2. Tim. 1. 9 1. Ioh. 4. 19 [...]hrist ere we were born, yea and ere e­ [...]r the foūdacions of the world wer laid [...]d also firste loueth and knoweth vs in [...]e time of our being borne, when as yet [...]e be not geuen vnto Christ and graffed [...]o him in verye déede, but are too [...]e geuen and graffed. Therefore if ye [...]ue an eye to the verye instant of the [...]e: wée doo both beléeue, and also take [...]lde by beliefe, vpon christ offered vnto [...], both at once. For the cause of a thinge [...]nnot bée woorkinge in verye déede, vn­ [...]se the effecte of it come foorth together [Page] with it. But if yee looke too the ord [...] of causes, I graunt that the traynme [...] of faith (yea of trewe fayth) goeth befo [...] the taking holde vppon Christe, and [...] consequently is geuē, not to them y • a [...] already greffed, but to them y e are [...] the poynt too bee greffed intoo him. Y [...] foloweth it not therevpon that fayth [...] not geuen vntoo vs in Christe, consi [...] ringe that the heauenly father, setty [...] his determination in his onely Sonn [...] dooth not then first behold vs in Chris [...] when wee be geuen vnto him, but ha [...] chosen vs, knowen vs, and loued vs [...] him, yea euen before the foundations [...] the worlde were layde, & muche rath [...] when as yet wee hated him: like [...] Christe himself also toke hold of vs first Phil. 3. 12 Rom. 5. 6 8. 10. to the ende that wee might take hold [...] him afterward. Again loke. what is begon in vs by grace, that we migh therb [...] bee greffed into Christ, and therfore [...] in respecte of the order of causes, is do [...] before our takinge holde vppon Christ [...] the same is increased and strengthen [...] in vs afterwarde by the same grace i [...] Christ, whom wee haue now taken h [...] on by faith.

Quest. VVhat then are the things that The thinges that wee at­taine in Christ. 1. Cor. 1. 30 wee atteine in Christ?

An. Paule concludeth this whole mat­ter most plainly and also most briefelye, when he sayeth that God the father hath made Christe, our wysedome, Iustifica­ [...]ion, Sanctification, and Redemption.

Que. What meene you, by being made what wise­dome is. Luke. 1. 77 [...]ur wisedome?

An. The selfesame thinge that zacharie [...]eeneth when he sayeth, that his owne [...]nne Iohn Baptist is sent to shewe the [...]nowledge of saluation, that is too saye [...]o shew Christe himselfe. For the onlye Coll. 2. 3. [...]rewe wisedome, is this which Christe [...]acheth vnto [...] men: namelye when hee [...]iscloseth himselfe vntoo them, whiche [...]inge the father also hath testified with lowde voice from heauen, saying, heere Mat. 17. 5 [...]ee him.

Quest. Recken you this among the gifts [...]hat wee receiue by Christ?

Answere. My méeninge is that Christe hymselfe [...] so géeuen vntoo vs to bée the onely tea­ [...]er of that trew and natiue wisedome: [...] that hee teacheth himselfe vntoo vs. For he is both the teacher and the thinge that [Page] this is taught. And therefore amonge Christes giftes, the verye foremost and chiefest is, that he géeueth himselfe vnto vs, when he furnisheth vs with the know­ledge of himselfe.

Quest VVhat doth Paule cal iustificati­on Iustificatiō. or rightu­ousnes. Ephe. 1. 4. in this place?

Ans. That wherby we bée made rightu­ous: that is to saye, so farfoorth perfecte, sounde, faultlesse and vnblamable: as not onelye there is quite wyped out of vs, whatsoeuer vncleanenesse is in vs from top too to, wherby God (who is singuler­ly pure) maye by anye meanes be offen­ded: but also there is moste plentuouslye founde in vs, whatsoeuer may so muche delight him in this humaine nature, as he of his good will maye voutchesaue to crowne wyth euerlastinge lyfe. And of that rightuousnesse whereby a man i [...] accounted ryghtuous béefore God, the certeine squéer and inuariable rule i [...] Iames. 2, 8 &c. Gods owne law. And the lawe not only forbiddeth the thinges that are not to be done, threatning euerlasting death for a penaltie: but also inioyneth the perfect louig of god and our neighbor. Therfore that a man may be accounted rightuous [Page 41] afore god, there be two things required of necessitye: that is to say, the vtter ab­sence of all sinne, and the fulfilling of all right according to the lawe.

Que. But this was neuer founde in any mortall wight.

An. Sauing Christ, who not onely ne­uer sinned, but also performed y • whole lawe to the full.

Que. Tell me I pray you, was not christ perfectly rightuous euen from the very moment of his conception?

Ans. In respect of his Godhead he not onely was rightuous from euerlasting, but also the very rightuousnes it self, y • is to say, the souereine and most perfect purenesse. And in respect of his manhod, Math. 1. 20 Luke. 1. 35 he was indewed with singular holines, yea euen farre aboue the Angels, euen from the very instant of the conception Math. 3. 15 Iohn. 17. 4. Ioh. 19. 30 of his fleshe. But now by the name of rightuousnesse, wee meene that which foloweth vppon the perfect performing of gods law, which rightuousnesse christ had not in effect, vntill he had finished y e whole woorke that was inioyned him. Phi. 3. 9. 10 For this is the rightuousnes, by the imputation whereof wee bee iustified [Page] or made righteous: and not the foresayd essentiall rightuousnes which is proper to the godhead, nor yet the other naturall purenes of Christes fleshe, wherof wee 1. Pet. 2. 22. will intrete seuerally by it selfe: for want of which distinction, Osiander hath ouershot himselfe to fowly.

Question.

But I see not yet how this righ­tuousnesse may suffice. For inasmuch as Obiection against rightuousnesse by Imputa­tion. we not only performe not the lawe, but also are ouercouered with innumerable sinnes: howe shal wee bee accounted as though we had neuer sinned, (that is to say to be vndefiled of our sinnes,) if the spots of our sinnes be not first washed out? and that cānot be don without suf­fering of the punishments dew to them

Answere. Thou sayest righte. Therefore whereas I sayde that Christ not onely brake not the lawe, but also dyd most fully and perfectly performe the lawe: thou must take his so dooing to compre­hende in especially a satisfaction for al the sinnes of them that beleue: for euery man is bounde by the lawe to loue god and his neyghbour perfectly, not inde­finitely [Page 42] but defynitelye, that is to saye, as hauinge regarde of hys owne peculiar callynge. As for examples sake, if a ma­gistrate loue God but as some other pri­uate person dooth, hée cannot bée saide too haue done his duetie, because he is bound to loue god as a magistrate, whiche ma­ner of dealinge is too bée vnderstoode of all other kinde of callinges. And Christ was sent to suffer for vs the punishmen­tes dew for our sinnes: which thinge hee performed all his life longe, but special­ly in that Sacrifice of his, wherin he bée­came Phil. 28 obedient to hys father vnto death, euen the death of the Crosse. Therefore by woorkinge in sufferinge, and by offe­ringe himselfe for vs, he both fulfilled the lawe for vs, and also made satisfaction for our sinnes.

Quest.

But in respecte that Christe is bee­come Obiection against the sufficiēcy of christs righ­tuousnes for any but himselfe man, it seemeth he was bound by nature to performe the rightuousnesse of the lawe, that is to saye too loue God and his neighbour perfectlye, because the said law is laid vpon the very nature of mākind. And therfore it semeth that his fulfilling of the lawe was not for vs, but for himself, that he might purchace [Page] himself life, which thing cannot be said of the punishmentes that were to be in­dured by him for our sinnes.

An. Althoughe we should say, that christ as touching his flesh, purchased himselfe eternall life by fulfillinge the lawe wher­vnto hée was bounde: yet were it no ab­surditie to saye also, that the force of this desert is so great, that it floweth also euē vnto the beleuers. But the former parte cannot well be iustified. For seynge that this manhoode of his was ioyned too the woord by personall vnion, yea and so ioy­ned, as it was moste holy in it selfe, who cā think (if y • said humane nature be con­sidered without the charge of mediator­ship, which is not of it selfe coincident too the manhoode, but inioyned to the sonne by the father of his owne good wyll, and willinglye vndertaken by the sonne) I say, who can thinke that there was anye defaulte in this manhoode whiche hée had taken vnto him, so as it should not foorthe wyth haue byn moste woorthye of the e­uerlasting lyfe, euen from the very fyrst moment of the saide vnion? Therefore this his beinge bounde too the perfor­mance of the lawe, is not properlye by [Page 43] nature, but of good will: nor simplye for that Christ is a man, but bycause he bée­came man for our sakes: which condition he vndertooke of his owne accorde, and performed it, not in his owne behalfe, (for by good right he was moste blessed Gall. 4. 45 already) but in our behalfe, for whom it was his will to become subiecte too the lawe, to the intent to redéeme them that were vnder the lawe. Furthermore, sée how vncertaine a sayinge that is whiche thou spakest laste of all concerninge the satisfyinge for our synnes. For that is euen the chéefest parte of hys obedience or fulfillynge of the lawe, as wée haue prooued a little afore. So then if he fulfil­led the lawe in his owne béehalfe: you must néedes confesse that he dyed for his owne sake also.

Quest. You say then, that we be iustified The partes of rightu­ousnes: before god that is to say, that we be coū [...]ed and denounced rightuous, beecause Christes obedience is imputed vnto vs, [...]hich consisteth chiefly of two partes: [...]amely of satisfaction for our sinnes, & [...]f full performance of all rightuousnes [...]f the lawe.

An. I say so.

Quest. To what purpose then is Christ Sāctificatiō or holinesse. furthermore made our sanctificatiō? for doubtlesse he that is accepted for righ­tuous, is also accounted for holy.

Ans. Whosoeuer is rightuous, muste al­so of necessitie be holye: but not contrary­wise, (except there come newe grace too the former graces) after the maner that we haue auouched the terme Rightuous too bée taken in this present matter, that is too wyt for suche a one as not onely is not hild for a transgressor of the lawe, be­cause his sins be clensed away in Christ, but also hath fulfilled the rightuousnesse of the lawe in him. To bée shorte I saye, that this holinesse is the goodnesse and [...]. Iohn. 3. 9 vncorruptnes of his person: and y • this rightuousnesse whereof wee intreate as now, and whereof the beléeuers are ter­med rightuous in themselues, is not the rightuousnesse that commeth by impu­tation, but the imp of that holinesse: so as the former is as the trée, and this other is as the fruite of it▪ After this sorte was Adam created holye, that is too saye, good and faultlesse, and hée had also béecome rightuous if he had kept the lawe whiche his creator had appoyncted him.

Que. But al men are corrupt by nature.

An. Agein except Christ the second Adā Mat. 1. 18 20. Luke. 1. 35 Rom. 8. 3. who was conceiued by the holye ghost, too the ende y • the nature of man might in him not onely recouer the clennesse which it had loste, but also be aduaunced too a degree of goodnes far higher with­out measure. For the fyrste Adam was but created after the image of God: but Col. 2. 9 2. cor. 5. 19. the latter Adam is also God, bycause he is vphild in the euerlasting sonne of god, who hath by vnutterable meanes sanc­tifyed the nature that he hath taken vn­to him: and that is doone too the intent the same should also make vs holy.

Quest. And wherefore do you call christ Christe the second A­dam. Rom. 5. 18 19. 1. co. 15. 45 the second Adam?

An. Bicause y • like as Adam was crea­ted too the end y • al men should be borne of him by naturall generation: So christ [...]ath taken mannes nature vpon him, [...]oo the ende that all suche as beleeue in [...]im should bee spiritually borne a new [...] him by grace.

Quest. VVas it not ynough for vs to be Of our dub­ble birth [...]orne once by naturall meanes?

Ans. Yes as apperteyning to this lyfe: Iohn 3. 4. 5. [...] respect wherof it were a folie to think [Page] wée bée borne any oftener. But for as­much as Adam hath put himself in daun­ger of dubble death, both for himself and for his ofspring: it behoued vs eyther to perishe or too bee borne againe intoo e­uerlasting life after a far other sorte. And therefore this other Adam is geuen vs, that both holinesse and euerlasting life Rom. 5. 18 might flowe spiritually out of him intoo vs by grace, like as sin and death were sprede into vs from the first Adam bodily and by nature.

Quest. Layforth yet more plainely this Our sanctification in Christ layde forth more plainely sanctification of ours in Christ.

Ans. That thing is sayd too bee sancti­fied or made holy, whiche is sorted out from the common vncleannesse, that it may bee moste pure and wholly conse­crated vntoo God the vtter enemy of all vnclennesse. After this sort is our na­ture Rom. 8. 3. 4 sanctified or halowed in Christe, e­uen from the very instant of his concep­tion, and that too the intente to sanctify vs: whiche thing is done two wayes. For first, like as I sayde that wee be ac­counted throughly rightuous afore god by imputation of Christes rightuousnes not in ourselues, but in him too whome [Page 45] wee bee vnited by faith: Euen so also I say, that by the imputation of his perfect holinesse and sowndnesse, our persones are accounted throughly holy and sound, and so consequently are acceptable too the father, not in ourselues, but in christ. Further I say, that the force and effica­cie of this moste pure holinesse which is in the fleshe of Christe, floweth euen in too vs by the working of the holy Ghost in vs, so as we be halowed in ourselues, that is to say, wee bee segregated from the defilinges of this worlde, and serue God both in spirit and body. Which benefite is euerywhere in the scriptures called Sanctification, or holinesse, rege­neration, or newbirth, Illumination or Inlightening, the new man, the new creature, and the Spirite or Spiritual­nesse.

Que. you say then, that this latter san­ctification, An obiectiō against sanctification by imputatios. is not a thing without vs nor ours by imputation only: but a new in­dowment perfectly greffed & stickinge in vs, bestowed vpon vs in christ, by the mere grace of the heauenly father, and wrought in vs by the vertue of the ho­ly Ghoste

[Page] An. So say I.

Que. What neede then haue wee of the other sanctification of our nature which is imputed to vs?

An. Forasmuch as this holinesse that Rom. 7. 25. Gal. 5. 17 sticketh in vs, is but onely begonne in vs, according as it appeareth by the con­tinual debate betweene the flesh and the spirit, euen in the best sort of men: Therfore to the intent our persones may bee acceptable vnto god, and so cōsequently the thing that proceedeth from vs may please him, (for the life of holy men is as it were a continuall offringe vp of themselues, wherunto the Apostle ex­horteth Rom. 12. 1 vs) there had neede to steppe in a farre other holinesse, namely the same whiche is moste full and perfecte in Christe: at the sight of whome, our most gracious father, (who notwithstandinge is a continuall enemy to al vnclennesse and filthynesse,) may holde himself ap­peased, as he that is both singularly iust and singularly mercifull.

Quest. But why dooth he not sanctifi vs vvhy vve be not fully holy in this life. fully out of hand?

Answere. Nay rather you may maruel at his goodnes, in y • he drepeth any litle drop of regenerating [Page 46] grace into any man. And yet why he should delay the full sanctifiynge of vs vnto another worlde, there be many cau­ses, wherof the chéefe are twoo. The one is, for that wee be but of a weake faith, & therfore (as much as in vs lieth) we hin­der the effectualnes of y e holy ghoste. The other is, that in as muche as we be saued by mere grace & not by works, he y • glo­rieth shoulde glory onely in the lord. For 1. Cor. 1. 1 [...]. if this holinesse were perfecte in vs: then shoulde our rightuousnesse also bée per­fect or cleauing in vs, and so consequent­ly Christ should not substantially & pro­perly bée our Sauiour, but onlye an in­strument to dispose vs after suche maner as we might afterwarde iustifye our sel­ues by our owne rightuousnes, which is flatly the foule & detestable errour of the halfepelagian Sophisters.

Que. You saye then that betweene our The proportionable re­semblance betvveen h [...] linesse and rightuouse­nesse. sanctification & our rightuousnes, ther is such a proportionable resemblaunce, that looke how great the one is, so great also is the other.

An. Yea in deede. For trewe sanctifi­cation cannot bée ydle: and suche as a Luke. 6. 44 fruitefull trée is, suche also is the verye [Page] fruite of it. Wherfore inasmuche as our 1. Cor. 13. 12 vnderstandinge is partlye inlightened with the knowledge of the trew god: wee doo also partlye knowe him. Forasmuch also as wee partlye assent to Gods pro­mise, and applye the same to our selues: therefore wee doo partly beléeue. And be­cause our will is partly chaunged: there­fore we partly will well & worke well.

Que. VVhat meane you by this partly?

An. That is to say, not perfectly, but on­ly so farfoorth as wée bee borne anewe: so as in one selfsame ground (howbeit in diuers respectes) there is cleannesse and vncleannes, light and darkenesse, beliefe and vnbeliefe, good will, and will decli­ninge from good, and spirite and fleshe.

Quest. VVhat meane you by Spirite? Spirite An. All the powers in man, aswell su­perior as inferior, so farforth as they bee sanctified or regenerated.

Quest. And what call you fleshe? Fleshe Ans. In a man that is not regenerated, I meane thereby the whole man, euen as muche as is of him, wythin and wythout, from toppe too toe. And in a man that is regenerated, I meane agein al his powers so farfoorth as they bée not [Page 47] sanctified or regenerated. 1. Iohn. 3. 6 Of sinninge and not sin­ninge 1. Ioh. 1. 8

Quest. But Iohn saith that the children of god sinne not.

An. The same sayeth also that they are [...]yars whiche say they haue no sinne.

Therefore they be said not to sin, bicause that although sinne dwell in them, yet it reigneth not in them. For the spirit figh­teth in them against the flesh, & at length shall gette the vpper hande. And in consi­deration hereof, the regenerated onelye Rom. 7. 15 may rightly saye, the euill that I would not doo, that doo I: and the good that I would doo, that doo I not.

Quest. Euen the natural reason that is in Of naturall reason & the poure therof any man vnregenerated, dooth often­times striue against his lustes. And thou knowest that vertue consisteth in sub­dewinge the vnreasonable parte of the minde, vnto reason.

An. What is to be thought of the Phi­losophicall vertues, I haue aunswered afore. I graunt there is a certaine ware­nes, & a certaine conscionablenes lefte in man, to reprooue (and after a sorte also Rom. 1. 20 Rom. 3. 11 12. to restraine) the headinesse of the affec­tions, too the intente that euerye man maye bée vnexcuseable. And therefore [Page] as for the philosophicall distribution, a [...] it were of the partes of the soule, and the thinges that y • Peripatetikes write cōcer­ning meannesse: I not onely reproue th [...] not of any vntruthe: but also praise and commend them as remnants of y • image of god. Neuerthelesse I saye, y • the distri­bution of mans partes whyche the holye ghost teacheth vs, is farre after another sorte, matchinge the naturall man & the spirituall man, the inner man and the outter man, the new man & the old man, and the flesh and the spirit one against a­nother. And in those names by whiche vice is noted, he betokeneth also euen the souerein and ouerrulinge part of y • mind He meaneth Reason whiche the philophers make so great ac­count of, and finallye whatsoeuer man hathe of nature without the grace of re­generation.

Que. Is not reason, reason then?

Ans. Yes vndoubtedly, and it alwayes becommeth better sighted by serchynge, Reason is vt terly blind in matters concerninge god, & mai­med in matters concer­ninge ma [...]. but yet it is alwaies faultie till it bée re­generated. For first & formest, euen whē it vnderstandeth and discerneth the good: it vnderstandeth it not, ne discerneth it not as it ought and shoulde doo, by rea­son [Page 48] on of the original corruption, which the Philosophers could not so much as once [...]istrust. Moreouer, in many euen of y e [...]eightiest matters, it not only séeth not the truth, but also vtterly and of set pur­ [...]ose fighteth against the truth.

Quest. I beseeche you confirme these thinges with examples.

Ans. I will. Although the Philosophers write many things notably and very ex­ [...]ellently concerning God the souereigne good: yet notwithstanding, which of thē [...]ll hath by his naturall insight perceiued [...]he one substance of the Godhead in the Iohn. 5. 23 Iohn. 17. 8 thrée persons? And yet there is none o­ther knowing of the souerein good, that [...] either true, or that worketh saluation.

Que. But yet it is sayd, that Trismegistus & specially the disciples of Plato taught [...]ome such like thing.

Aunswere. It may bée that some men haue come to what the knowledge of the olde philosopher was as tou­ching God, & how litle too be regarded. Rom. 1. 12 [...]ome darke knowledge of this misterie [...]eliuered ouer by y e Patriarks & written [...] holy writings: but away with y • toyes [...]f those men, y • séeke for the truth of these [...]hings in y • writings of y e philosophers. For when they come to the poinet, to lay [...]rth y e nature of god, after they haue said [Page] many thinges accordinge to truthe, ho [...] sodeinlye do the cunningest of them sly [...] away to fondnes, as the Apostle ryghtly sayth? For from whence comes they [...] multitude of gods? from whence commeth their deuidinge of the godhead in [...] greater goddes and lesser goddes? From whence comes the frantyckenesse of the Epicures? From whence comes the stoicall necessitie too binde euen the god▪ head it selfe? Frō whence hath Aristotle his dotages, dreaming that the worlde i [...] without beginning and without ending and takinge awaye all particuler proui­dence? And yet I wyll ouerslyp other toyes innumerable confuted in so many places by Aristotle himselfe. To whom I pray you may we wyte the comming in of all superstitions, but too this noble Ouer ruler? Furthermore if wée come That is too say Reason downe vnto man: whiche of the philoso­phers coulde know himselfe, seyinge hée knewe not the originall of the firste man and his fall? Yea truely what can be ima­gined more awk, more brainsik, or more monstruous, than the sayinge which ma­ny men cease not to father vpō Aristotle the wittiest of all philosophers, namely [...] [Page 49] that in all mankind there is but onely one soule? Besides this, these wise men are not euen yet agreed vpon the immortality of the soule. And what quarelyng is there amonge them about the affecti­ons? And if we come downe to the mu­tuall dewties betwene man and man: how many things not onley fondly, but also wickedly and shamefully haue the best cōmended lawmakers of al nations ordeined? which of them did euē bethink him of the trew remedy against y e headi­nes of affections? and no maruell, seing they knew neither y • causes, nor the ef­fects of that deadly disease. You sée ther­fore y • euen very reason it self, (so longe as it continueth but naturall,) is starke blind in the matters of greatest weight. And how many things be there, wherin it not only is blind, but also stark mad? for besides y • eche of thē defendeth those fewe errors which I haue reckened out of a great sorte mo, so wilfully as they cānot abide to be taught righter things: That the world should be created of no­thinge, that the woord should become fleshe, that any man shoulde bee borne of a virgyn, that we should bee counted [Page] rightuous for another mannes rightu­ousnesse, that the dead bodies shoulde rise againe, and many other such things: rea­son not onlye admitteth them not, but al­so lotheth and skorneth them: yea and if ye presse ouer far vpon hir, at length like a bedlem shée trampleth all the whole heauēly wisdome vnder hir féete,, except she be made spirituall by y e grace of god. Yea and euen then also shée ceaseth not too wrestle against the knowē wisdome, so farfoorth as shée is not chaunged. And therfore I trowe ye sée the thinge too bee trew which I spake.

Quest. But you diuines also (be ye neuer Obiection of misagre­ing of the christen di uines so spiritual) agree not throughly among your selues in all thinges.

An. That cometh not to passe through faulte of the scriptures, wherein the pointes of trew religion are set forth plainlye and manifestly ynough: but wée may blame the selfsame reason for it, whiche is both blinde and also stubborne. Neyther sayd I that wée bée regenerated throughlye, but onely in part: for were wée regene­rated thurrowlye, wee shoulde all of vs agrée fully too the truth in all poynctes. And therefore I denye not but there re­mayne [Page 50] the remnantes of that ignorant and stubborne nature, but they shalbée done awaye by little and little.

Quest.

VVell then, let vs graunt that what soeuer pure knoweledge, or right iudge­ment, or iuste desire there is in vs: the same procedeth of the mere grace of the heauenlye father in his sonne: but wylte thou not graunt that this rightuousnes Rightuous­nes by comparison. which sticketh in vs, is rightuousnes, & therefore also exceptable too God?

Ans. I graunt it is rightuousnesse. For Math. 7. 17. a good trée bringeth foorth good fruyte: howbeit, but by way of comparison, that is to witte, if it be compared wyth suche fruites as are rotten in déede. But if the verye beste woorkes euen of the holyest 1. cor. 4. 4 Rom. 4. 2 Tit. 3. 5. men, shoulde bée tryed by the rule of Gods wyll, that is to saye by the lawe: I saye they bée sinnes, and albeit they bée not suche as fyght full but agaynste the lawe, (suche as aduoutrye, stealinge, lyinge, and suche lyke bée): yet are they synnes because they shrynke from that degrée of goodnesse, whiche the lawe dooth iustlye exacte at mannes hand.

[Page]And therefore as I haue saide afore, wée must rest our selues vpon the onlye obe­dience of Christ imputed to vs by fayth, as the only rightuousnes that is absolut­ly perfect and full in all pointes.

Quest. Nay rather, by what right should Obiection in excuse of mans vnablenes by nature god exact any thing at mens hādes, whō he knoweth to be vnable to make pay­ment, euen by nature whereof he him­selfe is the aucthor?

Ans. That we be not able to make payment, it is not of nature, which both would and could yelde vnto hir creator (after whose image shée was made) the thinge that both he required and she owed, in asmuch as she was created to the same purpose: but it sprange of the willinge corruption of the same nature, whiche bringeth too passe, that no man eyther wyll or [...]an acknowledge that dette, and muche lesse pay it. Nay rather, all of vs do nothinge else but increase that det. But too speake euen after the manner of men: doothe anye man cease to bee a detter, which throughe his owne faulte is not able too Rom. 5. 15 16. &c. paye? Furthermore where the crea­tor maye of verye good right and dewtie, require at our handes, that whiche h [...] [Page 51] doth, yea and peraduenture somewhat more too: if hee take the same in so good worth at our handes that beléeue in hys sonne Christ (whom he hath geuen vnto vs most liberally and fréelye) that of hys lyke liberalitie he géeues vs fayth also, whereby to take the giftes y • hee offereth vs: who would not rather honour the fa­thers so infinite goodnesse, than stande in contention with him?

Quest. To God therefore the souereine A suttle shift to cha­lenge some peice of rightuousnes vn to man. good, be glory & praise euerlasting. Ne­uertheles giue me leaue to ask you thus muche. At leastwise this rightuousnesse that cleaueth vnto vs, so farfoorth as it hath regard of rightuousnes, must ne­des please God who delighteth in righ­tuousnesse.

Ans. I perceiue the wylinesse, not of you as I thinke, but of Sathan. For inasmuche as he cannot bereue Christe quyte and cleane of the glory of our sal­uation: therefore he goeth about at least­wyse to nippe of some péece of it: whiche thynge woulde surely come to passe, if he coulde make men beléeue that thynge whiche the filthye Sophisters beare folk in hande: namelye that Christes rightu­ousnesse [Page] dooth but simplye that whiche is wantinge in our rightuousnesse. Thus therefore standeth the case. God beareth suche a loue towardes rightuousnes, that whatsoeuer hath any spark of rightuous­nesse and cleannesse at all, hee alloweth it after a sorte: but that is of his owne infi­nite Psal. 5. 5 Rom. 2. 10 goodnes, and not for anye desert of suche maner of rightuousnesse, whiche is but shadowish. So allowed he the repen­taunce of the Niniuites, and of Achab, al­though it were no trew repentaunce, but a certaine shrinkinge of themselues vn­der the mightye hand of god. For he is so excéedinge good, that he doth good euen too them that be most vnworthie, and much more too suche as bée by any meanes tou­ched with the feelinge of his maiestie. Then delighteth he muche more in the woorkes of them that bee regenerated, althoughe they bée vnperfect. But first I saye, that these woorkes of the regene­rated doo please hym, not for anye woor­thynesse of them, but of the méere grace of the father, who pardoneth that whiche is missinge of rightuousnesse, and ac­cepth that whyche proceedeth of hys owne spirite. Agayne I deny, that our [Page 52] iustification, and so consequently that life euerlasting shall bee giuen too these workes, after one manner (that is to wit as the cause of them), please they God neuer so much through his mere grace. Rom. 1. 17 &. 6. 23. Heb. 12. 2 For this is a sure ground, that the righ­tuous shall liue by faith, and euerlasting life is the gift of God.

Question.

But if they please, they seme wor­thy A pursew­ing of the former ob­iection. to please at leastwyse in somme be­halfe?

Answete. Most falfe is this consequence. For God cannot (no not euen of couenant) allow any other rightuousnes, as wor­thye of that name, than such as is fully answerable to the law in all pointes, ex­cept he wilbe repugnant too himselfe, which thynge were a sinne to say. Thus therefore oughtest thou too haue gathe­red. The woorkes of the regenerated do please God though they bee vnperfect: [...]rgo God is exceeding mercifull.

Question.

Besydes this there is mention made Hire, wages, reward and recompence euerywhere of hyre, wages, reward, re­quiting, and recompence,

[Page] An. The name of Wages hath a lar­ger scope than the name of euerlastinge life. And it is certain, that God of his passinge liberality, rendereth temporal blissinges euen too the vngodly, be they neuer so vnworthy. Againe whither you referre the name of wages too eter­nall life, or too other benifites: yet doth it not folow, that the same is payde as dewe det. But rather this dooth most of all commend Gods mercy, that he vout- Rom. 4. 4 saueth to geue the name of Wages, or hyre too the vndew reward which he be­stoweth vpon vs of his owne mere grace in Christ, too the end y • we, although we bee but vnprofitable seruantes, (for who Luk. 17. 10 is able too bestow any thing vpon god?) might notwithstandinge perceiue, that wee haue not lost our labour. Finallye although this wages be promised fréely, and geuen fréely: yet is it geuen too hym that woorketh and therefore it is called a wages or hyre. Of geuing to the wor­ker.

Quest. If it bee geuen too him that wor­keth, ergo it is geuē him for his works.

An. Nay rather if it bée geuen, wée bee sure it is not payde as a dewtye. Agayn there is farre difference betwéen geuing [Page 53] too a woorker, and geuinge for workes. I may well say therefore, that eternall life is geuen to them worke, (bicause faith shall bée esteemed, by the frutes of it and rightuousnesse by faith,) but not payde them for theyr works sakes. And after this manner must that text bée ex­pownded 2. Cor. 5. 10 where it is sayde: Euery man shalbee iudged accordinge to the thinges that he hath done in his body, and suche other like sentences.

Quest. VVhy so?

Ans. Bycause good woorkes make not woorkes make not men rightuouse. Math. 7. 17 18. men rightuouse, but folowe him that be leeueth and that is aredy becom righ­tuous in Christe: like as good fruytes make not a tree too bee good, but a tree is knowen to be good by the good fruites of it.

Que. But alitle afore, you fetched good works, not out of iustificatiō, but out of Sanctification. Ro. 15. 16

An. I graunt it. For there is no man iustified by imputation of Christes righ­tuousnes, but he is also sanctified by his spirit. good works bee needfull to saluation.

Quest. Say you then that good woorkes bee needefull to saluation?

[Page] An. If faith bee needefull too saluation, and woorkes doo of necessity accompany tre [...]e faith, as whiche cannot bee ydle: surely the other foloweth also, that good woorks bee needefull to saluation, how beeit not as a cause of saluation, (for we bee iustified and therfore also do liue by faith only in Christ) but as a thinge that of necessity cleaueth vnto trew faith. So saith Paule, that those bee Goddes chil­drē, which are led by gods spirite, & Iohn Rom. 8. 14. 1. Iohn. 3. 7 saith that those be rightuous which work rightuousnes: And Iames also declaring, not by what meanes we be iustified, but wherby trew faith & insticatiō are discerned, Iam. 2. 21 22. proueth by Abrahams exāple, y • those are not iustified which vtter no workes of faith. For in such wise must. Iames be made to agree with Paule, too the ende it may playnely appeere, how they bee but brabblers which condemne the necessity of good workes for false doctrine.

Question.

VVhat if a man should neuer be Of faith that worketh not till it be very late endewed with fayth tyl the laste instant of his death? for so it seemeth too haue happened too the theefe that hunge by Christ. VVhat manner of good works [Page 54] [...]halll such a one bee able to bring forth?

An. Uerely the faith of that théefe was Luk. 23. 40 &c. vnspeakably workful in that short time: [...]or he rebuked the blasphemies and wic­ked dooinges of the other theefe: he dete­sted his owne crimes: with an assured and passing wonderfull faith, he acknow­ledged Christ for the euerlasting kinge, euen in the reprochefulnes of his crosse, when all his disciples hilde their peace: he called vppon him as his sauiour: and finallye hée openlye reprooued the merci­lesse cruelty and wicked spéeches of the [...]ewes. But, the acknowledginge of sin, the callinge vpon god the father in christ, and thankesgeuinge, are the excellentest woorkes of the firste table, whiche can­not bée vtterly seperated from fayth in no man. And admitte that some man beeing preuented with death: is able too shewe no woorkes of the seconde table: Yet is not the faith in him therefore too be counted ydle, because that althoughe it haue not Charitie in actuall deede, yet is it accompanied with it in possibilitie.

Quest.

I haue yet one doubt more behinde. [Page] VVhy any man shoulde be damned for Damninge for euill woorkes. euill woorkes, if no man be iustified for good woorkes.

Ans. The reasone is, manifest: namely because that euen the lightest sin that is, deserueth, althoughe not the extreamest paines in euerlastinge death, yet euerlas­tinge death it selfe, whiche generallye is the hyre of sinne: but no rightuousnesse can worthely deserue eternal lyfe, except Rom. 6. 32. it be suche a rightuousnes as the law re­quireth, that is to wit a perfect and sound Rom. 3. 20. state. Therefore shew me one that fulfil­leth y e law (as there is none found which is not a breaker of the lawe) and I will graunt the foresaide argument.

Quest. Saye you then that there shalbee Oddes or difference in punishemēt oddes in the punishements of the dam­ned sort?

An. Althoughe this matter bee to be in­quired of verye soberlye: yet haue I not spoken it vnaduisedly. For besides that the order of Iustice requireth, that hee whiche hathe sinned more greeuouslye should be more greuously punished, con­sidering that all sinnes are not alike hey­nous, sauing so farforthe as they matche in generalitie: (for it is a Paradoxe of [Page 55] the Stoykes, & not of christians, to auouch that all sins bee equal) christ himself wit­nesseth the same thing expresly, saying y • Mat. 10. 15. the case of the Sodomites shalbee more to­lerable in the day of iudgement, than the case of them that had reiected him.

Quest. Then shall therebe oddes in the Oddes in glorie. glory of those that shalbe saued.

An. Verelye so doothe the reason of con­traries require. And wheras the Apostle sayeth, that suche as haue sowen sparelie 2. Cor. 9. 6 shall reape sparelye: it séemeth not that the same shoulde be restrained to tempo­rall blessinges onely.

Quest. But of sowinge cometh reapinge: Obiection to proue that workes deserue. ergo rightuousnes and life proceede of good workes.

An. Truely, similitudes must neuer bée racked further, than the nature of the thinges that are treated of, and the pur­pose of him that vseth the similitudes, will beare. For else ther wil ensew most fond & false things out of nomber: which thing whē vnskilful interpreters marke not: they must néedes setforth manye foo­lishe and false thinges. But in the fore­saide place, the Apostle setteth foorth the proporcionable resemblance of woorkes [Page] and glory, and not y • cause of glory. For in all places he stedfastlye defendeth, that rightuousnesse is the mere gyfte of God, without the woorkes of the lawe, and is not payde as a dew det, but bestowed vp­pon the beléeuers as a grace.

Que. He meaneth but the works of the A popish & Epicurish obiection. Rom. 4. 4 Ceremoniall lawe.

Ans. A fond answer. For hys matchinge of duty & grace one againste another cānot stand onles all y e workes of the lawe bee excluded without exception: and yet I wil ouerpasse other argumēts of paules, which are bent directlye against the very law of the tenne hests: bent I say, not to [...] deface y e law (which is the madnes of the Rom. 7. 7 Manichees) but too take away from it the power of iustifiyng. Again I besech you, if works may be thanked for any maner of rightuousnes: why should yee exclude the ceremonies y • bée rightlye vsed? For truly they be comprehēded in y • sowerth commaundement of the ten hestes, & as longe as they were rightlye vsed, they were most excellent workes.

Quest. But ceremonies be abolished by Ceremonies abolished by christe the comming of Christ.

An. I confesse they be abolished, because [Page 56] they bée fulfilled in Christ. But the mat­ter it self declareth that where Paule dis­puteth of the causes of Iustification: his reasons tend not to proue that the Cere­monies bee abolished, but too shew that saluatiō rested alwaies in the only righ­tuousnes ef christ imputed to thē that beleue: & for confirmation therof, among other things he alledgeth y • examples of Abraham and Dauid.

Quest. Then may wee say, that paule ex­cludeth workes of preparation. but onely the good works that go before the grace of Iustification.

An. No lesse fond is this answere also. For besides that the Apostle alledgeth manifeestly the examples & testimenies of them that were iustified, namely of Abraham and Dauid: to the intent I may Ro. 4. 6. 15 [...]et passe his other reason grounded vp­pon the very nature of the lawe: what a madnesse were it to busie a mannes self aboute the excludinge of those thinges, whiche are not at all? for why? to déeme that they wiche are not iustified, can d [...]o anye good woorkes: it is no lesse folie, than if a man should say that a tree can bringe forth good fruite, before it be g [...]od [...]t selfe.

Quest. But although the hyre of eternal Obiection of reward dew by couenant. life be not dew for the worthines of the very workes: yet is it dew at leastwise by couenant.

An. What couenant meene you I be­seeche you.

Quest. The couenant of the lawe, which is, Do this and thou shalt liue: And if thou wilt enter into life, kepe the communde­mentes.

An. How this couenant is to be vnder­stoode, it is to bée sene by the threatning which is set against the promyse. And that is this, by the witnes of the apostle: cursed is euery one that abydeth not in Gal. 3. 10 all the thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe, that he may kepe thē. But the law requireth perfect loue: And no man but onely Christ hath euer per­formed the law to the full: therefore life is dew to none by the couenant, but on­ly vnto Christ. As for vs, we haue it gi­uen vs by mere grace, from out of him, who also is himselfe giuen vnto vs by why works bee called good wher­as they me­rit not. mere grace.

Quest. VVherfore call you them good woorkes then, if they deserue not eter­nall lyfe?

[Page 57] An. Surely, the Latin diuines, yea euen the aūcient sort of them, haue vnproper­ly vsed the word Merit or Deserue, in sted of Obtein: and the woord Desirt or deser­uing, or Merit, for a good worke: whiche thinge ye shall neuer finde in the holye scriptures. Now although the works of y • regenerate are not so good as thei shold deserue eternall life: yet are they good so farforth as they proceede from the good spirit of God, & from a hart y • is clensed by faith. And agein they be good, bicause y • by thē the lorde is glorified, our neigh­bor helped, and we our selues also reape this excellent fruite of thē, that they bee witnesses vnto vs of our faith, and con­sequently of our election.

Quest. Let thus far then suffice concer­ning both the partes of Sanctification. Now remayneth that which the Apos­tle saith also, namely that Christ is be­come our redemption.

Ans. By the woorde redemption, the what is mēt by redemp­tion. Apostle meeneth in that place, not the verye act of redeeming, but the effect of it: that is too say, the end whervnto the sayde Iustification and Sanctification lead vs, the which is this: that being re­deemed [Page] from synne and death by Christ we should also be made partakers of e­ternal life in him, whose pledge and ear­nest penny wee haue euen in this lyfe, that is to wit the holy Ghost by whom we bee sealed vp.

Que. But Dauid groūdeth this redemp­tion and blesing in the release of sins. VVhy then adde you also the imputa­tion of the sanctificatiō that sticketh in Christ, and his fulfilling of the law?

An. What if I shold incounter thee with these textes: Blessed are the cleane in hart, blessed are the blameles in y • way, and suche other like? woldest thou gather here vpon, y • the releasing of sinnes is ex­cluded? I think not. So now & then sanc­tification is ment by the terme of iusti­fication, bycause these twoo go neuer a sunder. And why maye I not make an­swer thus also? that somtimes there is mention made but onely of y • releasing of sinnes, not to the ende to exclude all o­ther pates that make men blessed, but by cause the rest are couerfly comprehended vnder it? And if thou wilt vrge mee yet further: I may also fitly answer, that a [...] the other are ment by y • releasing of sins. [Page 58] For who can denye, but that euen origi­nall sin hath néede of clensinge? Ergo it is comprehēded in the releasinge of sins. Also who can saye that he only is too bee taken for an offender y • doth some thinge which he is forbiddē: & not he also which performeth not that which is inioyned him? Ergo not to haue fulfilled the lawe is also sin, whiche also hath néede too be released. Now remaine the sinnes (that is to say the déedes) that are don ageynst the law, wherof there is no question but they haue néede too bee satisfied for. All these are released by Christes satisfacti­on whiche is imputed too vs all. Nowe let vs come too the name of Release.

That man is properly saide to release a dette, whiche fréely yea and vtterly dis­chargeth his detter, so as hee reserueth no action too himselfe ageinst him. Now then, wee bee all of vs the children of wrath, not onely bycause we be corrup­ted, or bycause wee fulfill not the lawe, or bycause wee doo the thynges that are forbidden vs: but also bycause wee ought too appeare pure béefore God, such as he made vs: and not only not too be transgressors of the law, but also to be [Page] performers of the law. Therfore too she ende that we, who else must perish, may haue full & perfecte release of all sinnes: this foresaide release muste of necessitye matche with the other release wherof we spake afore, which taketh awaye but the one parte of our sins. And we haue found both these releases in Christ whom wee haue taken holde on by faith: who not on­lie hath suffered for all those sins of ours, but also hath fullye sanctified our nature in himselfe for vs, & fulfilled all rightu­ousnes therein for vs, so as wee not only bee set free by hym from death, but also obteine the rewarde of euerlastinge lyfe in hym.

Question. You conclude then, that all thinges ne­cessarye The conclu­sion of the things afore saide for our saluation are founde in Christ alone, too whom wee cleaue by faith, so as ther is no damnation for thē that be greffed in Christ.

Ans. I conclude so in déede: yea and al­so that the same is the onely knowledge of saluation.

Quest. You say also that this faith is the Acts. 16. 14 Ephe. 2. 8 Phil. 1. 29 gift of god bestowed vpō vs of his owne mere grace, & therfore that the first en­terāce of it is of god & not of our selues.

[Page 59] Ans. I say so.

Quest. Then I pray, let vs serche to whō To whom faith is giuē it is geeuen. For the thinge it selfe wyt­nesseth, that it is not geuen vnto al men in asmuch as the beleeuers haue alwayes bin so feawe.

An. Yet doth it not folowe, but that it is offered vntoo all men. And therefore it séemeth y • we shoulde first séeke whither it bee offered too all or no. Whiche de­maunde wyll leade vs to the very head­springes, that is too witte too prouidence and predestination.

Quest. Bee it so: and therfore I pray you shew me what you call Prouidence.

Ans. I meane by it, not onely that vn­speakable What pro­uidence is. power, wherby it commeth to passe, that God hath foreséene all thinges from euerlastinge, and most wisely pro­uided for all thinges beefore hande: but also that eternal decrée or Ordinaunce of the most wise and rightuous god, where­by euerye thinge that hathe bin, hathe bin: and euerye thinge that is, is: and euerye thinge that shalbée, shalbee, accor­dinge as it lyked hym too appoyncte from euerlastinge.

Que. Say you then that this Prouidēce [Page] is the brynger to passe and the disposer of all thinges.

Ans. It is so, and that in such wise, as it The prero gatiue of Prouidence. deserueth some excellenter name, than to be called a cause. For this is it that or­dereth all causes, and ruleth euen the particularest fallings out of them, so as they may bee guyded to theyr appointed endes.

Quest. But there bee some Angels euill, Obiection against gods Prouidence. and men are euill by nature, and what so euer procedeth from either of these (except it be from mē that be regenerated) must needes bee euill, as the thing that procedeth frō an euill begīning: but god cānot be the author of euil things. Ergo he is not the author of all thinges, consi­dering that so many euill thinges are to bee excepted.

Ans. As well eche one of the Angels (for Note this there can no offpring bee graunted in a spiritual nature) as also the first persons of mankinde, (that is too wit Adam and Eue,) were created good. And therefore Another obiection a­gainst the same. none of them both are too bee displaced out of Gods ordinance.

Quest. Admit it bee so, as touching that originall and first state of theirs. But se­ing [Page 60] they be nowe corrupted and full of lewdenes, how can ye bring them with­in the compasse of that eternall ordi­nance of god whiche is so workefull, but you must wrape god vp in their naugh­tinesse?

Ans. Do you suppose it could stand with equitie, euen by the iudgement of them­selues Gods prouidence resembled by a clocke (bee they deuilles or bée they the wickedest sort of men,) that they shoulde therfore be exempted from subiection too their maker, bicause they haue bin stub­borne ageinste him? And yet muste this néedes follow vppon your sayinge. But thus standeth y • case. I pray you did you neuer beholde a clocke, wherin a certein wheele greater than the rest turneth to y • right hand, and carieth all the rest aboute with him, some to the right hande, and o­ther some too the left hand, with a mere contrary motion one too another?

Quest. Yes: & truly I haue wondered of­tentimes, that mannes cunning shoulde be able to represent too mine eyes, the thinge that mannes minde is scarce able too atteyne vntoo in the compasses of the skyes.

An. Assure thy self that y • same is a trew [Page] image of the diuine prouidence, so thou except this thing whervnto nothing can bee found fully like, no not euen in the compasses of the skies, and much lesse in those handwrought Instruments, by­cause nothing is equal, no nor (to speake properly) like vnto the highest (namely, that God almighty whome I nowe com­pare too the greatest wheele which is the mouer of all the rest) is in suche wise in the worlde, as that he is no parte of the worlde, and yet hath geuen selfmouing too eche one of the wheeles that mooue themselues: and that in suchwise, as he himselfe is by no meanes mooued, and yet mooueth al things according too his eternall prouidence. And this mistery of Gods prouidence was represented to vs by gods appointment in the vision of Ezechiell, wherin wee haue this to mark Ezechiel. 1 5. &c. further, that those fourfold images were ouercouered with wings, & the wheeles folded one within another, and that God was plased highest aboue al things: least wee might surmize the mouer himselfe to be moued togither with the causes, or least wee might ouercuriously imagine ourselues able to perceyue the reason of [Page 61] those seueral mouings. This foundation being laid, I Answer three things. The first is, that the instruments which haue life & are endued with reason, (of which sort bee Angells and men) are so styred by god their maker: as that they also stirre themselues by an inward selfmo­uing of theyr owne, and therfore that in the bringing to passe of one action, there mete two causes, that is to wit god who is disseuered from the Instrumente and yet geueth y • Instrument beginning to moue it selfe: and the very instrument moouing it selfe. Another is, that these instruments are so mooued by God, as that he himselfe stirreth alwayes well, but the instruments, (if they be euil) go a contrary motiō, that is to say, alwaies amisse: but if they be good, so as the first author who mooueth alwaies well, and the instrument which mooueth it, doo a­gree: then foloweth a good and commen­dable worke. The third is, that god so mooueth the euil instruments, (for it is they only whō we haue now in questiō) & they on the other side are so moued by thēselues, that by reason of the dublem [...] ­ning beginninge, there is also a dubble [Page] work, (which seemeth notwithstanding to bee but all one,) and the same is good in respect of the good beginning, and euil in respect of the euill beginning.

Quest. I would haue these things inligh­tened with some examples.

Ans. I will so, and that with assured and Examples of Gods pro­uidence. euident examples: but first I will put to this distinction. That God the notable workmaister, vsing the euil instrumen­tes well whatsoeuer they be, doth either match thē one againste another, or bene­fite the good by y • seruice of them: & whi­ther of these two thinges so euer he doth, no man y e is in his right wittes wil deny but it is good, namely either to punishe the bad, or to benefite the good. Now let vs alledge examples. That Ioseph came Ioseph. Gēn. 45. 7 &. 50. 20 by Gods prouidence intoo Egipte, and was aduaunced there vntoo great pre­heminence, that hee might bee the pre­seruer of the Churche: both hee himselfe sayeth it, and the matter it selfe declares it. And what instrumentes did the lorde vse too the compassinge of the matter? Sathan an instrument of Gods prouidence. Euen Sathan who stirred his brethren againste their most innocent brother, the very wicked intēt of the same brethren, [Page 62] the couetousnesse of the merchantmen, and the lust of a moste mischeuous wo­man. All these sinned most gréeuously, in asmuche as they were the beginners of their owne doings. But God, vsing wel those moste vngracious instrumentes which thought vppon no such thinge, de­fended his seruauntes from the famine, settled them in a fruiteful soile, nurtured his faithfull seruaunt Ioseph, and final­lye aduaunced him too the highest degrée of honour. Is it not a moste rightfull worke of gods iustice, that naughty per­sons shoulde fordoo themselues? So pu­nished he the Madianits, vsinge thervn­too Madianit [...] Iudg. 7. 22. the spirit of discorde, and the vngraci­ous wilfulnes of the murtherers them­selues, so as they made assaulte one vpon another, doubtles with a wicked minde, 2. Kings. 12 22. Achitophell 2. Kings. 15 34 &. 17 14 23. Absolon. but yet by the rightful iustice of God. It was good that Dauid shoulde bee chasti­sed, euen after his sinne was acknow­ledged and forgiuen. It was good also that Achitophilles trecherie & Absolons trayterous minde shoulde bee discouered and sorely punished. To y e performance of these matters, y • lord vseth the outrage of sathā, Achitophells own falshartednes [Page] and Absolons owne traiterous ambiti­on, horrible lecherie, and vnnaturalnes: by which euill instruments the lord exe­cuted many thinges excéeding well. For hee shewed howe muche hée mislyketh whooredome and craftinesse: hée chastised 2. kinges 17. 23. 2. Kinges. 18. 9. &c. Dauid fatherly: hee punished Achitophell by his owne handes: and finally he made Absolon to cast away himself. The scrip­ture beareth witnesse, y • our being tryed and consequently our chastisement is of 1. Pet. 3. 17 1. thes. 3. 3. 4 Gal. 6. 14. 2. cor. 12. 9 the good wyll of our heauenly father, that thereby he maye be glorified and his po­wer made perfect in our weakenes. And except we bee of that minde: what com­fort is there for the godly in so great my­series? For in the triall of Iob after this maner, there is vsed the spitefulnesse of Sathan, and the couetousnes and exces­siue crueltie of the robbers. Sathan ther­fore dyd sinne in heaping so manye my­series vpon the seruaunt of god: and the robbers did wickedly in stealinge awaye another mannes goodes. But the Lorde did excéeding well in triynge his seruant and in shewinge y e all sathans attemptes againste the churche are in vaine. Final­lye you will not denye, but that the excel­lentest [Page 63] of all Gods workes, was the re­emption of mākinde. For the father de­ [...]uered Act. 2. 23 &. 4. 28 Rom. 8. 22 Eph. 5. 25 his owne sonne for our sinnes, [...]y his foredetermined purpose, and by [...]he foreappointment of his eternall or­ [...]inance, according as Peter & the church [...]f Ierusalem saye, and the father is hée [...]hat hath not spared his owne sonne for [...]ur sakes. And what maner of instrumē ­ [...]es hath he put too the performinge of so The Instru­ments of christs death great a matter? Surely the woorst that [...]oulde be (for no good mā could haue foūd [...]n his hart too pursew a giltles person, [...]nd much lesse to betraye him, condemne him, & crucifice him): Namely euen the malice of Sathan who was entered into the harte of Iudas, the cursed couetous­nes Luke. 22 3. 4. Iohn. 12. 6 Mat. 27. 18 Iohn. 19. 8 and treason of Iudas himselfe, the moste desperate enuye and vnrecouera­ble malice of the Iewes, and finally Pi­lates nicenesse and vntowarde dealinge. So is there none of these whiche sinned not moste heynouslye, and all of them were payde afterwarde wyth most sore punishement at Gods hand for the same. And yet in the meane whyle, by thys selfesame worke he saued vs from sinne and death.

Que. But hereby there seemeth not any Obiection against the foresaide ex­amples. other thing to be gathered, thā that the purposes of euill persones are turned by God to a contrary ende.

An. Yes: hereby also it is cōcluded, that God mooueth euen the euill, wel & effectually, to bring his owne worke to pas [...]e by them. But you must beare in minde that whiche I haue sayde: namely, y • god dooth in suche wi [...]e mooue euill persons well, too bringe his owne good worke a­bout, not as a hammer or a hatchet in a­workemans hand, which are tooles that can do nothinge at all of themselues: but in suche wise as the euill persons doo al­so mooue themselues ill, too will amisse and to do amisse, bicause that they them­selues are the woorkinge causes of their owne euill dooinges. Nowe also this muste bee added, that God (truely) wor­keth in the good and by the good: and that hée woorkes by the euill, but not in the euill.

Quest. VVhat difference then is there Difference betweene [...] and By in these little woordes?

Ans. Vndoubtedly greate. For God vseth both the one and the other as in­struments as ofte as he listeth: and ther­fore [Page 64] he is rightly sayde too woorke his worke as well by the one as by y • other. But God worketh in those only, whom he breatheth vppon with his holy spirit, and whom he ruleth with his holy spirit Rom. 8. 14. 1. cor. 12. 11 Eph. 1. 11 eyther strengthening them in goodnes (namely the Angells, and the men that bee regenerated) or else indewing them with new goodnesse, as when he sancti­ [...]teth Ioh. 14. 17 Rom. 1. 26 &. 28. 2. tim. 2. 2 [...] his seruantes first of all. But as for the rest, he worketh not in them by do [...] ­ing any thing within them himself: but giueth them vp to be moued and misru­led partly by their own, lustes and part­ly by the deuill, howbeit in such wise as theyr lewdnesse can neyther will nor worke any thing, but that which he [...]ath most rightfully ordeined.

Question. Permission or sufferāce. VVhat thinke you then of the name of permission or sufferance?

Answere. If by the name of Sufferance, there bee ment that difference which I spake of euen nowe, namely that God woor­keth not in the euyll persones, but leaueth them vp to Sathan and to their owne lustes: I myslyke it no whit.

[Page]But if Sufferance bee matched agayn [...] willingnes, I reiect it, first as false, an [...] willingnes. secondly as vtterly against reason. That it is false it is manifest by this, that i [...] god suffer anything to bee done again [...] his will, then surely is he not God, that is to say Almighty. But if he be said to suffer a thinge as though he were reche [...] lesse: how farre are wée of from the opi­nion of Epicure. It remayneth then, that looke what he suffereth to bee doone, he suffereth it willyngly. Willyngenesse therefore is not to bée matched agaynst Sufferance. Agayne if it bee false it must néedes also be against reason. And I say that this absurditie may appeare sufficiently too any héedefull person by this, that the Aucthors of the distiction wherby Sufferance is matched agaynst willingnesse, doo by that meane not only not attein to that which they would, (that is to wit, that god should not be accoun­ted the author of euill, which thinge wee acknowledge with al our harts) but also bryng the flatte contrary too passe. For who is more in faulte then he, whiche a greate way of foreseeyng a mischéef that is too come, and being able too disappoint [Page 56] the same with his only becke not onely disappointeth it not, but also suffereth it that is to say giueth leaue to execute the mischiefe, (for not euen they that bee of that opinion, doo deny, but that Sathan (and much rather wicked men) haue not any power to doo any mischeef, but by appointment) in case as if a man hauing a cruell Lion shet vp in a cage, myght with ease kepe him in from hurting folk and yet not only wold not, but also wold let him loose and suffer him to runne vp­on this man or that man? Perchaunce thou wilt say, that so mennes sinnes de­serue. I graunt it. Yet notwithstanding it remayneth still, that Goddes willing­nesse matcheth with hys sufferaunce, (lyke as when a Magistrate delyuereth an offender into the executioners hand, appoynting him the manner of hys pu­nyshement) and therefore that there is no reason to say, that sufferance striueth against willingnes.

Quest. VVhat then? doo euill persons How euill persons per­forme Gods will. performe Gods will.

Ans. If you take will in his generall singnification, that is to wyt, for that thinge whyche God hath willingly de­termined [Page] too haue come too passe, and refer the woord Doo, not too the in­tent and purpose of the wicked, but too the very falling out of the matter: then surely God executeth his will (that is to saye the thinge that he hath determined from euerlastinge (euen by the wicked also: according too this saying, who shal resist gods will? But if that by the name Rom. 9. 19. of Will, yee meene the thinge that of it selfe is acceptable vntoo God, and will haue the woord Doo, too importe a ryght affection of obeying: then truely I aun­swer, that the wicked sorte, not onely Psal. 5. 5 Mark. 3. 35 doo not Gods will, but also are caryed wholly to the contrary part.

Quest. Surely I haue not any thing too alledge ageynst it. Notwithstanding, I Obiection against pro­uidence, by­cause God created all things good come backe ageyne too that which you haue aunswered: namely that God crea­ted all thynges good at the beginnyng. From whence then commes their faul­tinesse? For if it entered without Gods appoyntment, then is your saying im­peached: namely that nothynge at all is exempted from goddes Prouidence, no not euen from hys working prouidence. But if Goddes appoyntment forewent [Page 66] it: (I speake it not of purpose too blas­pheme hym) howe is he not the author of all euill?

Ans. The cause of the faultinesse of the Angelles and of the firste man, was the willing inclination of their owne willes vnto euill. For god had created them but chaungeably good: for, too bee of it selfe vnchaungeably good, is peculiar onely vnto God alone.

Que. Then both the Angels that neuer fell nor neuer shall fall, and also all they that shalbee gathered vp into euerlas­tinge life, should be Gods.

Ans. I deny the consequence. For, that Why the blissed An­gelles neuer fell nor ne­uer shall. the blessed Angelles neuer fell nor neuer shall fall, and that there shall not bée any ende of their euerlasting blessednesse: it commeth not of their vnchaungeable na­ture, (for y • is peculiar vnto God alone) but bycause they bee continuallye vn­derpropped wyth the power of the vn­changeable god: whiche power if it shold forsake them (as forsake them it might if god would) then doubtlesse might they not onlye bee chaunged, but also vtterly banishe awaye & be brought to nothing. And therefore I haue sayde, that the [Page] cause of faultinesse is the willinge incli­nation of the will (which was made good in déede, howbeit yet able too bée chaun­ged) vnto euill. For the saide wyll was chaungeable, by Gods ordinaunce who created it so, bicause that otherwise looke howe many vnchāgeable natures he had made, so manye Gods had he made. And chaunged it was at Gods forsaking of it (for too whom is hee bounde) but yet by chaunging it self of it owne accorde, so as the cause of faultinesse maye séeme to bée imputed, rather to forsakinge, than to in­for [...]inge.

Quest. But if this chaūge happened not An obiectiō that God should be the author of euill without gods foredeterminatiō, verelye it may seeme that al this inconuenience is to be fathered vpon him.

Ans. That foloweth not, forasmuche as gods determination tooke not awaye the will of y • first man, & so also neyther hys aduisement or choosing, but only ordered it. For he was chāged by falling vtterlye of his owne accorde, which thing is to bée vnderstoode muche more of the falling of the Angels, whose faultines krept vpon them frō at home, and perhappes y • was the cause that mooued God to haue pitye [Page 67] vpon men whiche fell by the stepping in of the diuell, and not too haue pitie of the diuell and his Angelles.

Quest. But otherwise it could not come to passe, than god had ordeined should come to passe.

An. I graunt both. For neither were it reason that the said euerlasting ordināce (wherein I shewed a little erst, that all things and euery thing without excepti­on, are comprehended) should be shet out from the changinge of the chéefe péece of worke. And too [...]uouch y • such maner of ordinaunce were changeable, it were a poinct of wickednes. Let both o [...] thē ther­fore be most trew. Yet doth it not there­vppon folow, eyther that thē faulte is in God, who (as I sayd) doth alwayes well yea euen then also when his instrumen­tes offend: or that man is without fault, as who hath not offended but willingly. For this necessitye where throughe the thing that god had ordeined must néedes come to passe, hath not takē awaye either will or happening, but rather hath orde­red and disposed them: consideringe that amonge the causes of mennes doinges, euen the chéefest cause is will.

Quest. Your meaninge then is, that the The necessitie inforceth not mannes will. necessity of chosig that which god hath ordeined from the beginninge repug­neth not against will. But happening is saide to be that whiche maye either fall out or not fal out.

An. Yea and I say more plainly, y • wil­lingnesse or happeninge are not taken a­way by necessity, but by compulsion. As for example: It was of necessity y • christe Math. 26. 54. 56 Iohn. 13. 11 18. should die in the age, time, and place fore ordeined from euerlastinge, for else the Prophetes might haue lyed. And yet if yée haue an eye too the naturall disposi­tion of Christes flesh by it selfe, without the foredetermination of God: there is no doubte but by nature hée might haue liued longer, and therfore that in that re­spect hée dyed by happe. Christes bones might haue bin broken, if ye looke vpon the nature of bones by themselues: but Ioh. 19. 36 if yée looke vntoo Gods ordinaunce, they coulde no more bee broken, than it is possible that God shoulde alter his deter­mination. And therefore the vnchaunge­able necessitie of Goddes ordinaunce, dooth not take awaye the happeninge of the seconde causes, but dispose it. Also it Actes. 17. 3 [Page 68] was of necessitye that Christ dyed by the ordinance of his father, & yet he dyed willingly: yea and God forbid that euer wee should dye vnwillingly, who not­withstanding must of necessitie dy once. And what more? God himselfe is most fréely, yea & most willingly good: and yet is it vtterly impossible that he shold not bée good. Ergo willingnesse and necessity are not repugnant. For whereas it was of necessity y • of two repugnant thynges Adam must choose but the one: although none of them both was within the com­passe of his owne wyll: yet surely the one of them was set downe in the euer­lasting ordynance of God, which ordy­nance was bothe out of Adams will and aboue his will, & yet compelled not his will: but rather forasmuch as his will could not take bothe of them, it willing­ly and of it owne accord inclined finally too that part, which the ordinance of god had foreset.

Quest. But surely, that necessity which is Necessitie of sinning excuseth not sinne entered in together with lust, into mans hart, in such wise as he cannot but sinne, (according as thou hast declared afore) seemeth too take away happening.

[Page] An. Although I shoulde graunt it too be so, yet cannot men bee exempted from blame: first because this necessitye of sin­ning wherwith mankinde is now ouer­whelmed, cometh not of the Creat [...] ▪ but of the willing inclination of mans natu­rall will vnto euill, as I saide afore. And who wil think it strange, y • he shoulde be burned, whiche hath willingly cast him­selfe into the fyre? Againe, althoughe it bee not of hap but of necessitie, that man is now caried vntoo euill, (consideringe that sith he is corrupted by sin, hee is (as the Apostle saieth) become the bondslaue Rom. 7. 14 Iohn. 8. 36 of sin, and so remaineth til he bee set free by y • sonne of god) yet notwithstanding, that which he dooth, he dooth it willinglye Rom. 8. 7. and vnconstreined. For like as he cannot but doo euill, so also hee delighteth not in any other than euill, albeit that the euill lurkinge sometime vnder the coloure of good, do make him take it for good. And therefore not euen this necessitie whiche was brought in by willinge fall, taketh awaye the willinge moouing of the will. Which thing being graūted, it foloweth that man is verely the cause of sin, inas­much as although he sin of necessity, yet [Page 69] he sinneth willingly. And yet say I not that happeninge is taken away by this necessity nother. For although that in mā which is hild bound vnder necessity of sinning and is not yet regenerated, there remaineth nowe no deliberating whether he may choose the trew good, or the euil, as there was in mans nature a­fore his fall: yet notwithstaning there remaineth a deliberating betwene euill and euill. For where the case standeth not vppon choise of this or that, there is no deliberating or debating. Now then, euen the headiest and hastiest men that be, doo deliberate: but neither can they vnderstand anye thinge, nor thinge any thing, and therfore much lesse deliberate of any thing but eyther w t straying from y • good, or else plainly ageinst their con­science: ergo al their deliberating is bu­sied aboute the choosing betweene twoo euilles or mo. And their preferringe of the one or the other, commeth altogether by hap as in respect of their owne volun­tary will, which happening y • vnchange­able ordenaunce of God dooth no more take away now in men corrupted, than it tooke it awaye in olde tyme in man­kind [Page] vncorrupted.

Qu. The sum then of the thinges which The conclusion of the discourse cō cerning prouidence thou hast spokē concerning prouidence is this: that nothing in the whole world cometh too passe agaynste Gods will or without his knoweledge (that is to say▪ rashly & casually) but altogether in such wise as God himself hath ordained them from euerlasting, disposing all the mean causes most mightely and effectually, so as they be caried on to their appoynted end of necessity as in respect of his ordi­nance: and yet that he is not an authour or allower of any euil, bicause he dealeth alwaies most rightfuly, with what instrumentes so euer he execute his woorke.

An. So it is.

Quest. This is yet againe the thing that troubleth mee. For although I see that God worketh rightefully by the euill sorte: yet not withstandinge, if all and euery thing be done by gods eternall or dinaunce, so as nothinge at all may bee excluded: then it remaineth that the e­uill doinges of the euill persones, euen Of fatherige euill vppon god. in respect that they be euill, are not ex­empted from Gods ordinaunce, whiche thing me thinks cannot be said without [Page 70] wickednesse.

An. Neeedes must he be sore troubled & to no purpose which laboreth to compre­hend gods wisdom within the bounds of his owne reason. For I pray you, if you woulde go aboute too conteine the whole Ocean in a drinkinge Cup, what should you else doo but onely lose your labour, & bée counted a foole for so doinge? And yet more tollerable (thoughe not too bée talkt of) is the proporcioninge betwéene the maine sea and the least cup that can bée, than betwéene gods wisdom, and the foo­lishnesse of mans most corrupt wit. Ne­uerthelesse, I suppose y • this whiche thou obiectest may also be fitlye answered vn­too. Therfore I graūt thée euē this also, that the euill workes of euill men, euen in that they bée euill in respecte of them­selues, are not done againste gods will or without his knoweledge: for were it so, then should eyther Godlesnesse or else Epicurishenes folowe of necessitie. But I saye further, that if thou haue an eye too Gods ordinaunce: the verye e­uill it selfe hath a respecte of goodnesse, althoughe, it bee euill in it selfe, so as [Page] this Paradox of Austins is verye trewe namelye that it is good also that there should bée euilles, too the ende that God should not suffer euilles to bée: and truly in not sufferinge: hée is not vnwillinge, but willing.

Quest. VVhat then? Shall wee saye that god willeth none iniquitie. God willeth iniquitie?

An. God forbid for it is the horriblest of all blasphemies to saye so. But staye thy self awhile I beséech thee, that I may ex­pound that whiche I haue sayd so truely and godlilye as it cannot bee denyde, but god must also bée auouched not to bée the Iudge of the world. The name of Will is taken sometime in the largest signi­fication, for that whiche god ordaineth or appointeth. In whiche signification wee must vtterly say, either y • god willeth all thinges, (y • is to say y • nothinge commeth to passe which God will not haue done): or that God is not almightye, if neuer so smal a thing com to passe which he wold not haue don: or else y • god regardeth not all thinges, if any thing come too passe he cares not how. And somtime by y e name of Will there is ment onely that which liketh him bicause it is good of it owne [Page 71] nature: and after this manner the faith full onely are saide too obey God and too execute his will, béecause y • in this sence God is saide too wyll (that is too saye too Psal. 5. 4▪ allowe and except) onelye that whiche is good, and not too wyll iniquitie. Which will of his is vttered fully vnto vs in his lawe: but his other will is not so, but in part. For who knoweth what shal befall but this one daye? And nothing shall bée­fall but that which God hath from euer­lastinge both willed and ordeyned too befall.

Quest. Can God bee thought too haue How God willeth or not willeth euill. willed or ordeined any thinge which he misliketh, and so consequently which is euill?

Ans. Truly it must néedes bee confessed, that whatsoeuer god hath ordeined, it is ordeined altogether willingly: but euen herein also appéereth rightly his infinite wisedome, that with him euen the dark­nes hath a respect of light, (yea and that in such wise, as it neuerthelesse both is & continueth darknesse still) that is to saye, it is good that there shoulde be also some euill: bicause god findeth the reason how it may come too passe, y • the thing whiche [Page] both is and contineweth euil still of it owne nature, maye neuerthelesse haue a respect of goodnes before him, and howe the thinge that is against his wil, (that is to say, which of it own nature is vnrigh­tuous, and therefore pleaseth not God) may not come to passe without hys will, that is to saye, without his ordinance. As for examples sake. That God saueth his elect by redemption fréelye geuen in hys sonne Christe, it is too his owne exce­dinge great glory, which otherwise shold not haue shone forth. But man shoulde not haue needed redemption from sinne and death, excepte there had béene sinne and death: Ergo in respecte of Goddes ordinaunce it was good that sinne and death shoulde enter into the worlde.

And yet the same sinne, both is and con­tineweth so sinfull of it owne nature, as Rom. 5. 15 amendes coulde not bee made for it, but by most terrible punishement. Agayne wée recouer muche more in Christ, thā wee forwent in Adam: Ergo Adams fall was the best and profitablest thinge that coulde bee for vs, as in respecte of God, who by this wonderfull meane prepareth a kingdome of euerlastinge [Page 72] glory for vs in Christe: & yet this fall is so euill of it owne nature, that euen wee that beléeue and are iustified, doo feele many misteries and mischaunces which springe of it, euen too the death. Also it is grealy to the glorye of god, that he she­weth himselfe a moste sore punisher of all sinne. But if there had beene no sinne there had bin no gap open for this iudge­ment to come in at: Ergo in respecte of gods ordinaunce, it was good that there shoulde bee sin, and that the same should afterward bee spred abroade, too bee pu­nished with euerlastinge paines in the Deuilles and in all that bee set without Christe. Also Sainct Peter sayeth, It is 1. Pet. 3. 17 y • will of God, (that is too say it is his or­dinaunce) that when wee doo well, wee shoulde bee misintreated. But hee that [...]ooth well, cannot be hurte but by sinne: Ergo in respecte of God that willeth it, (that is to saye whiche ordayneth it) it is good that there shoulde bee persecutors of the Churche, whome notwythstan­ [...]ynge hee iustlye punisheth afterwarde moste seuerelye as offenders agaynste [...]is will, that is to say as dooers agaynst [Page] that which he alloweth. Therfore euen by the expresse words of y • Apostles, the thing that is ageinst Gods will (that is too saye against that which he alloweth and commaundeth) commeth not to passe without his will, that is to saye without his ordinaunce: and yet can it not there­fore be said, that god is contrary to him­selfe, or that he willeth iniquitie: accor­dyng as Austin doth rightly conclude a­geinst Iulian, out of the word of god.

Quest. Therefore it seemeth right that Of sufferāce & willing­nesse. sufferance should be distinguished from willingnesse.

An. What I deeme meete to be thought of this distinction, I haue spoken a little afore. Truly if Sufferance bee matched ageinst Will, that is to say ageinst ordi­nance: such ouersetting is not only false but also foolish and fond, considering that euen in suche actions as are not of free choise by themselues, (as for example; when marchantmen that be in daunger doo cast out their goods, and generally as often as men choose the lesse euill too auoyde the greater inconuenience) euen the heathen menne ackowledged free will too beare sway. But if Suffe­rance [Page 73] bee matched ageinst willingnesse, that is to wit ageinst that which God is willing withal, as well liked and accep­ted of him by it selfe & of it owne nature: so as the thing that is good of it self may bee matched ageinst that which is good but by well falling out, and which hath some respect of good in it, not of it owne nature, but in respect of the ende that it is guided vntoo by God, through whose incomprehensible wisedome, euen the darknes doth seruice vnto the light: theu truely I admit it, so that this also be ad­ded to it, namely that the same is not a vaine and idle sufferance (as a number dreame) but a most workful; and yet ne­uerthelesse a most rightfull Sufferance. for the better vnderstāding wherof, take the matter in feawe woordes too stande thus. I thinke thou wylt not saye that a iudge is but as an ydle loker on, when vppon the heering of a transgressors case he deliuereth him too the Shreefe too be put too this kynde of punishement or that. For surely the Shreefe doth not so muche put hym too death, as he is the instrument of the Iudge that putteth hym too death: so as if anye cruelty bee [Page] extended in that behalfe by the sentence of the iudge, the same may bee imputed not so much too the executioner, as too the iudge that commaunded him.

Quest. I graunt all this. But how manye Obiection against the foresaide al­legations vnlikely hoddes be there betwene these and the thinges that we intreate of?

Ans. I confesse that. For else there shold bee no difference or at leas [...]wise verye small betwene a like thinge and a same thing. Neuerthelesse I woold haue y • r [...] ­ken vp at leastwise the cheefe of them, that I may answer to them one by one.

Quest. In the sentence of Iudges there goeth tryall before: but in these thinges wherof you intreate, there is oftentimes no such thing perceiued.

An. How many thinges are done iustly by the magistrats of this world, y e tryall wherof is not sene of their subiects? And wilt thou attribute lesse vnto God, who sercheth throughly all thinges y e lye hyd euen in the bottoms of mens hartes, as well past as too come?

Quest. The Shref doth nothing but by cōmis­siō receiued. But where haue the wicked me receiued any such cōmaūdement as to kil one another, or to hurt good men

[Page 74] An. In this thou art deceiued, y • whatso­euer god appointed to be don, thou ima­ginest him to giue knowledge of it with some loude voyce, vnto thē whose seruice he purposeth to vse in the dooinge of it. But experience it selfe teacheth, that y • is not alwayes trew in neither of both the cases: that is too say whither he haue de­termined to vse mercye or to vse iustice: no not euen then when hee vseth instru­mentes that haue vnderstandinge. For who doubteth but that Pharao was ordei­ned Gen. 45. 8 Psa. 1 c 5. [...] of God to intertaine Ioseph, and too prepare harborow for his Churche? And yet he receiued no suche cōmaundement outwardly, no nor so muche as thought of anye suche thinge in himselfe. Neuer­thelesse that was ordeyned of God, and the couert motion of Pharaos harte ten­ded too the executinge of that whiche the Lorde had ordeined. That the Chaldies were ordeined to punishe the euil Israe­lites, & to narture the good, the prophets had foretold it a thousand times, yea and that in such wise, as Nabuchadnezer had receiued expresse commaundement con­ceruinge Iere. 25. [...] the same thinge: in so muche as the Lord doth also call him his seruaunt. [Page] Yet did not the lord cōmaund the Chal­dies anye suche thinge by name: but (as Ezechiell wryteth,) giuing ouer y • kings Ezechi. 21 21. &c. hart partly to Sathan and to his Sooth­sayers, and partly to his owne lustes, he inclined him of his owne swaye to per­forme that which God had determined. How much more must wee beleeue the same to be doone, as oft as the lord vseth the thinges that want reason, or also that bee vtterly without life, as his executio­ners? For so did he call y e Flyes, Froggs Exod. 7. 18 Gressehoppers, Hayle, and death too pu­nishe Pharao. So also sayeth the wysest Prou. 16. 33 of all men, that euen the very Lottes fall not out at aduenture. For all thinges serue by a secret motion, to execute gods ordināces. But this difference there is, Difference betweene the good in strumentes & the bad in executing Gods vvill. that the good instrumentes do nothinge but through faith, (that is to say vpon as­surance that they be called to that which they doo,) and with a minde settled too obey. But as for the euill instrumentes, forasmuch as they bee led with a blynde bayrde by Sathan and their own lustes, and haue an eye too nothinge lesse than to the obeying of God, against whose ex­presse woord they eyther know or ought [Page 75] too know that all their intentes and pur­poses doo fight: therefore they serue not the Lord, although God doo secretly vse the trauell of them, euen agaynst their willes, in suche wise as they doo not any thinge else, than that which the wonder­full woorkn [...]aister himselfe hath ordey­ned.

Quest. Then let vs stay heere cōcerning Gods eternall prouidence, frō the which I se not that any thing at all may be ex­empted: and let vs (if it please you) pro­ceed to predestinatiō, which I wold first and formest haue described vnto mee.

An. Predestination being considered in vvhat pre­destinacion is. generall, is nothinge else but the same thing that wee haue called gods determi­nation or ordinance, howbeit as hauinge regarde to the end or worke of the very ordinance. For there is nothinge whiche the wise creatour of all thinges, (who doubtelesse hath neyther made any thing [...]naduisedlye, nor can bée deceyued or [...]lter his purpose,) hathe not ordeyned [...]othe too myddle endes, and speciallye [...]oo some one vttermoste poyncte of all. But custome hath wonne, that predesti­ [...]ation is considered chéefelye in the go­uerninge [Page] of mankinde. Thus therefore doo I describe it. I saye it is gods euerla­stinge and vnchangeable ordinance, go­inge in order before all the causes of sal­uation & dampnation, whereby god hath determined too bee glorified, in some by sauinge them of his owne mere grace in Christe, and in othersome by dampning thē through his rightfull iustice in Adam and in themselues. And after the custom of the scripture, wee call the former sort the vessels of glorye and the elect or cho­sen, that is too say folke appointed to sal­uation from before all worldes throughe mercy: and the other sort wee call repro­bates or castawayes, and vesselles of wrath, that is to say appoincted likewise too rightfull dampnation from euerlas­tinge: eyther of both whiche, God hath knowen seuerallye from tyme without beginninge.

Question.

But it is a harde case too saye, that A worldly & ouer scru­pulous dout there be some foreappointed to damnation, and therefore thou knowest that many referre the woorde predestinatiō onely too the chosen, and that they say rather that the Reprobates are fore­knowen.

[Page 76] An. I Inow what that meaneth. Many were afraide least they should make god the cause of the destruction of the repro­bates, and also report him too bee cruell, if they should confesse that the reprobate also are predestinated of God. But they needed too haue feared none of both, as shalbe shewed in dew place. Againe, that is but a fond startinghole. For if fore­knowledge (as they call it) cary the force of a cause, no lesse than predestination doth: then say they that which they wold not say. But if it haue not: thē may they also say y e God is not the cause of the sal­uatiō of them that be predestinated. For why? The Apostle in reckeninge vp the Rom. 8. 19. causes of the saluation of the chosen, set­teth downe [...] (which these men Actes. 2. 23. interpret foreknoweledge) in y • first place Yea and Luke setteth downe the same foreknowledge as the grounde worke of Augustin de Ciuit. Dei lib. 19. ca 1. our redemption. Rightlye therfore dooth Austin acknowledge predestination on both sides, althoughe he do now and then shole out the predestinate sorte from the foreknowen. But let vs away with this stryfe aboute termes. My meaninge [Page] was only too shew that I had don aright in setting down predestination for a ge­nerall terme, wherof there bee two par­ticular Twoo sorts of predesti­nation sortes, which notwithstandinge doo meete together (and that is a thinge inespecially to bee marked) no lesse in the ende, than in the head and originall beginning. For the headspring of them both is the ordinaunce of God. And both the wayes (which are as it were cut out from this head,) doo meete agein in the vttermost poynt, that is too witte in the glory of God. These thinges being set down, too the end I may answer to that The answer to the doure or obiectiō last afore named. exception of thine, namely that it see­meth a hard case, that ther should be som predestinated vnto death: I say that these thinges insewing, séeme vnto mee much harder. Namely that god shuld not haue forepurposed som certain end with him­self in creating men, howbeit that (euen as the vnwisest woorkeman of them all doo rightly witnesse) the end is the firste thing in the intent of the dooer. That god in creating men purposed an end to himselfe, which aferwarde should fall out incertainly, that is too wit in such sorte, as it shold rest in the power of the clay & [Page 77] not in the power of the potter, too make the thinge come too passe or not come too passe which the workmaister had purpo­sed. That god knowinge the will of hys owne handywork, should alter his owne purpose, so that whereas he had determi­ned too saue all in Christe, yet notwith­standinge hée should alter his minde and destroy all such as would not incline too that purpose. For all these things (say I) do of necessitie folow their opiniō, which vphold that such as perish, do perish con­trary to Gods appoyntement. And least wee may séeme too wander without our listes, that is to say, not to deale by onlye consequences of reason: First I say that all opinions whiche striue agaynste the iuste proportion of faithe (of which sorte this must needes bee one, the graunting whereof is accompanied with so manye wicked things) are plucked in péeces by the holy Scriptures. Secondely I saye, that as oft as the scripture maketh men­tion of the predestination of the chosen sorte: so often is the predestination of the Reprobates confyrmed lykewise, in as­muche as the cause it selfe requireth, that whereas some bee chosen vntoo life, the [Page] refidewe must bee vnderstode too be ap­poynted vntoo death. Furthermore se­inge that the vessels of glory bee said too bee predestinated too glory: the ouerset­ting Rom. 9. 22 23. of flatte contraries doth vtterly re­quire, that wee should conster the vessels of wrath to bee such as are predestinated vntoo death.

Quest. But here it is noted, that when the Apostle intreateth of the vessels of Another obiection vpō a distinctiō of termes glory, he vseth a woord that importeth doing: & when he speaketh of the ves­sels of wrath, he vseth a woord that im­portteth suffering.

Ans. I graunt that if it be demaunded of the middle causes whereby the vessells of wrath are caried too the wrath that is appointed for them, they themselues are the onlycause of theyr owne damnation. But truly this distruction is toyish. For Acts. 13. 48 Luke, iutreating of y • elect, vseth a parti­ciple of the passiue voyce, saying, as ma­ny as were ordayned to euerlasting life. What? was that of themselues, and not rather of the mere grace of god? Besides this, it is nothing to the matter. For we intreat not of saluation or damnation: but of the ordinaunce too Saluation or [Page 78] dampnation, which disposeth & ordereth the very causes of executing thē & there­fore in no wise hangeth vpon them, for that is altogether aboue the skies as the old prouerb sayeth. To be short, whither is it harder to say y • some bee predestina­ted to dampnatiō, than to saye y • they bee registred to dāpnatiō long agoe as sainct Iude. 4 1. Thes. 5. [...]. Iude speaketh, or to say y • they be appoin­ted to wrath, as Paule speaketh? Lastly, I said not y • the dampnation of the repro­bates is the ende y • god purposed vpon in his fore ordinance: but his owne glorye. Neither also did I simply saye y • the Re­probates were appoincted to dāpnation: but I saide they were ordeined too Iust damnatiō: shewing therby that although no man be dampned but such as the lord hath ordayned to damnation, (for other­wise the aforesaide blasphemies that I spake of wold folow of necessity): yet are none damned but such as are founde too haue in themselues iust causes of damp­natiō. What falsnes thē or what rough­nes hath my foresaid sayinge in it.

Quest. You seme to be disproued by this 1. tim. 2. 4 saying, God will haue almen saued, and by such other like vniuersall sentences.

[Page] An. Then say thou that some bee damp­ned The right vnderstan­ding of all generall or indefinite propositions concerning prouidence and predesti­nation whither God will or no, or else con­fesse that the saide text must bee taken o­therwise: which thinge the promises also doo shew: namely (which th [...]ge euen the scholemē themselues haue espied) y • ther­by must be ment, not y e particulars of all kinds, but all kindes of particulars: [...] speake more plainly, so as it may be, not an vniuersall but an indefinite proposi­tion, which ought to be interpreted thus rather: that is to wit, that god will haue anye maner of men too bee saued, which self kinde of spéeche Mathew vseth when he sayeth, that the Lorde healed all syke­nesses and diseases, that is to say al sorts or kindes of diseases, accordinge as bothe Math. 4. 23. Latinmen and Englishemen doo nowe and then speake. For I praye you dare anye man saye, that God will haue all men saued, yea euen thoughe they con­tinewe in vnbeléefe too the verye laste gaspe? Truelye no. For if it bée the fa­thers wyll, that hée whiche beléeueth in the Sonne shoulde not perishe: it folo­weth Iohn. 6. 40 that it is his will also, that whiche beléeueth not in the Sonne, shoulde pe­rishe. And therefore those two thinges, [Page 79] namely Too bee saued, and too come to the knowledge of the truthe, must bee yoked together, so as it maye bee vnderstoode, that God will haue those onely too be sa­ued, whom he vouchsaueth to com to the knowledge of the truth. But faith (which Eph. 28 2. Thes. 2. 3 is this trewe knowledge lyghteth ney­ther vppon all men, nor yet vppon the ronner or willer (as the Apostle witnes­seth): Rom. 9. 1 [...] but commeth of Gods mercye, and lighteth vpon them only which (as Luke sayeth) are ordeined to euerlastinge life, Acts. 13. 48 Acts. 16. 14 and whose harts (as the same Luke wri­teth) God openeth so as they take heede to his word. Then must we vnderstand, that gods predestination extendeth to all sortes of men, that is too wit both Iewes and Gentiles, priuate persons and magi­strates, men and women, olde men and yongmen, slaues and gentlemē, suche as bee giltye of manye sinnes and suche as be giltye offeawer sinnes. For these on­ly & such [...] other like, are the circumstan­ces y • are included in y • foresaid sentence.

Quest. VVill you then make electiō to Election must needes bee particu­lar. bee particular?

Ans. And I woulde fayne knowe if the man bee in hys right wyttes, that ima­gineth [Page] Election too bee vniuersall. For trulye he that taketh all, maketh no choyce: and hee that chooseth a thinge out frō two other things or mo, must needes bee saide too refuse or forsake the things that he chooseth not.

Quest. But surely the calling and promis are vniuersall.

Ans. Understande them too bee indefi­nite vvithou [...] an [...] peremptory or precise. excepting of any per­sons. (yea and that, in respecte of certaine circumstances of whiche I haue spoken) and thou shalt thinke the rightlyer. And so altogether are those things also too bee taken whiche diuerse lerned men of our time haue written about this controuer­sie. Or else see, how very reason of ne­cessity confuteth that vniuersall callinge. For if yee meane it of the calling by the preaching of the woorde: it is not trewe that all men are, or euer were, yea or euer shalbee called so seuerallye hereaf­ter. For howe manye haue died, doo dye and shall die, before they haue hard aught at all of this woorde? But if ye take it to bee ment of the other calling whiche hath a muche larger scope, namely of the bee­holding Rom. 1. 19. of nature wherby is vnderstoode that whiche may be knowen of god: not [Page 80] euen this nother is so vniuersally trew as that it comprehendeth euery seuerall person. For how many haue died & day­ly doo dye in such age as is vtterly vnfit for that contemplation? There can not nor may not any calling, and muchlesse any election bee warranted too bee vni­uersall, but onely too bee indefinite: and that must also be only with an exclusion of these certein circumstances aforesaid.

Quest. But what if wee say, that all men are called vniuersally to saluation vnder condition, that they beleue: & therfore that saluation is offered vniuersally as in respect of God which calleth, and that the fault why this calling is not vniuer­sally of effect, is not in God, but in the stubbornnes of the vnbeleuers which re­fuse the good turne that is offred them?

Ans. This doubtlesse is trew in some re­spect. Stubborn­nes is the let of the effec­tual workīg of gods pro­mises. Mat. 20. 16 For no doubt but the stubbornnes of the vnbeleeuers, is the thinge that disappointeth the application and efficacy of the promises that bee offered. No dout also but calling hath a larger scope than election. But yet your supposalls are nei­ther truly ynough nor fitly enough spo­ken. For first wee haue shewed, that not [Page] euen the outward calling. (whither yee looke to that which is naturall or to that which is doone by the woord of the Gos­pell) pertayneth too euery seuerall per­sone. Wherfore as touching those that wee speake of, there is found in them no stubbornnesse against the Gospell, but onely originall corruption, whiche not­withstanding is euen of it self alone suf­ficient Conditiō of beleeuinge to damne the reprobates. Besides this, although the condition of beléeuing bee annexed: yet doth not the ordinance hang vpon that, but rather that hangeth vppon the ordinaunce, as which goeth in order before all other inferior causes.

Else, see howe false and vnreasonable thinges insew. For it will folowe that Absurdities folowīg vp­pon the fore said questiō God in deuising with himselfe, did firste set before him his whole woork as al­ready finished, and that accordinge as he saw his woorke should bée disposed of itselfe and not by him that made it, he should therupon take occasion too deter­mine, that is too say, too appoynt eyther too saluation or damnation. Or if yee like better that god himselfe was vncer­teine how the performing or not perfor­minge of the condition woulde fall out: [Page 81] Then must it bée concluded, that Gods ordinance hangeth in suspence, and that the determination of the case (as Austin trimly sayeth) is not in the power of the potter, but of the clay. And herevpon wil be grounded another false opiniō: name­ly, that faith hath not his beginnyng of God, but of the will of man, if it bee so that Gods foresight gaue him cause too determin vpon his choise. Neither is it too the purpose to obiect, that faith is not foresene, forasmuch as it is a gift of god that commeth in by the waye: but that corruption and vnbeleefe are foresene, which are naturall in man after his fall. The nature of contraries in reasoning For the reason of the contraries requi­reth in any case, that loke in what degrée faith is placed in the ordinance of Electi­on: euen in the same degree must faith­lesnesse or vnbeeleefe bee placed in the ordinance of reprobation. Therefore if ye make faith foreknowen, too bee the cause of the ordinance of election (which is vtterlye a poynte of a Pelagian and therefore repealed by Austin) you must needes deeme the same also of vnbeleefe in the contrarye ordynance of reproba­tion. And on the othersyde, if yee submit [Page] faith vnto the sayd ordinance, (as you needes must, for wee be chosen to the in­tent to beleue, and not bicause wee wold or should beleue) you must nedes also in the contrary member submit vnbeleefe to the ordinance of reprobation.

Quest. VVill you then make the ordi­nance The causes of vnbeleefe and of faith are subiect to gods or­dinaunce. of reprobation to be the cause of vnbeleeue, as wel as you make the ordi­nance of election too bee the cause of faith?

Answer. No. For the ordinance of election is in déede the efficient cause of faith. But corruption or vnbeleefe with the fruites therof, are in such wise put vnder the or­dinance of reprobation, as that the will of man is the first efficient cause of them and yet notwithstanding they be subiect too the ordinance: bycause that although it bee not throughe the ordynance, yet is it not besydes the ordynance nor with­out the ordynance, that those thinges happen, whereof the fayling cause and not the efficient cause is grrounded in God, as I sayde afore, For like as they onely beléeue in whom God createth fayth: euen so through Gods forsaking [Page 82] of mannes wil, sinne is krepte into man­kynde and there abydeth yelding ill fruit in as manye as God listeth too leaue vp too their owne lustes, that they may bee the cause of theyr own damnation, wher­vntoo they are also inregestred and ap­poyncted from euerlastinge. Further­more, that I may retyre vntoo the other question: whatsoeuer is sayde of the fore­named condition whiche is annexed too the ordinaunce, as who should saye that the ordinance depended vppon the condi­tion: Difference betweene Gods ordi­nance & the execution of his ordi­nance. it is vnfitly spoken.. For the ordi­nance of sauinge the elect sort, is another thinge than the verye glorifiynge of the elect: and the ordinance of dampning the Reprobates, is another thinge than the verye damninge of them, in somuche as the ordinaunce it selfe must needes bee distinguished from the execution of it. The execution than of the ordinaunce of election, (that is too wyt, the saluation of the chosen,) dependeth vppon faythe that taketh holde of Christe: and the ex­ecution of the ordinaunce of Reprobati­on,) that is too wyt the dampnation of the castawaies,) dependeth vppon synne [...]nd there fruites thereof, accordinge t [...]o [Page] this saying of the Prophet, thy destructi­on O Israell commeth of thy selfe. And Iocl. 13. 9. of this ordinance of choosinge some men too bee saued by grace, and of refusing o­thersome too bee dampned through their owne sinnes, we know none other cause but this one, namely that the Lord, who is both incomparablye mercyfull and in­comparablye rightfull, will bee glorifyed in that wise. He that holdes not himselfe contented with this, for asmuche as hee seeketh some hygher thynge and some rightfuller thinge than Goddes will: hee is worthely reprooued by the Apostle for a [...]rabler.

Quest. Ergo God hateth some, not for A right po­pishe and worldly obiection. their sinnes sake, but because he listeth so too doo.

An. This is a slaunderous obiectiō. For it is certeine that God hateth no mā but for sinne: for otherwise he had hated hys owne work. But it is one thing to hate, Differnce betwene hating and ordeining too iust ha­tred. and another thing to ordeine one to iuste hatred. For the cause of y e hatred is ma­nifest, namely euen sinne: but why God appoynteth whō he listeth vntoo iust ha­tred, thoughe the cause bee hid from vs, (sauinge too the ende hee may bee glori­fied) [Page 83] yet cannot it not be vnrightuous, tō ­sideringe that the will of God is the only rule of rightfulnes. For if wee speake of this soueraigne will of God, which orde­reth & disposeth the causes of all thinges: wée must not say that a thinge ought too be rightful before God should wil it: but contrarywise, that God must firste wyll the thynge beefore it can bee ryghtfull: whiche who so considereth not, shall rea­son but confusedly of this matter.

Quest. But yet for all this, God seemeth Whither there be any accepting of persons with God. too bee a regarder of persons if he yelde not alike vnto all that haue done alyke. For in this poincte all men are like, that they bee corrupted by nature spred in­to them from Adam.

An. Nay trulye, it foloweth not of neces­sitye that whosoeuer yeeldeth not alyke vnto like, shoulde bee an accepter of per­sons: but he onlye whiche yeldeth not a­lyke vnto lyke, because hee is parciallye mooued by some circumstaunces that ac­company the person it self: as if two men were offenders alike, & the iudge shoulde acquit the one of them bicause he is rich, or his kinsman, or his countrieman. For these be the persons that may not bee re­garded [Page] of him that will iudge vncorrupt­lye. But I pray you, let vs put the case, y • two men bee indetted vnto you, both in like somme, and both vppon like conditi­ons. Nowe if of your liberalitie you for­giue the one his dette, and exact the other mans dette accordinge too extremity of law: shall there bee any excepting of per­sons in this behalfe? What if some soue­reigne hauing a cupple that offend alike, doo of his meere grace parden the one mans offence, and punishe the other ac­cording to his desertes, shall there be any parciality in the matter? Nay truly, if there be any fault in such dealing, it is not towardes him that is punished, but towards him y t is borne withall, & that is but a gentle fault. Muchlesse therefore can any parciality or regard of persons be deemed to be in y • case which we haue now in hand, considering how God ac­quiteth not the elect, but by the imputa­tion of christs satisfaction: & if any thing may be called in question as scarce indif­ferent in this behalf, mē may seme to ca­uill rather vpon the mercy towardes the elect, thā vpō the rightfull rigor towards the castawaies. Finally to what ende is [Page 84] all this? For in order of causes, gods or­nance gooeth before the very creation of mankind: onlesse thou wilt make god so vnwise a workman, as too create man­kind before he had determined with him self, to what end he wold make him. And what could he sée in them that as yet had no being, whereby he might be moued to determine this or that concerning them? Therfore this discourse also perteineth not to the ordinance, but to the execucion of the ordinance: wherin notwithstāding (as I sayd euen now) there can no par­cialitie or accepting of persons be found.

Quest. Dost thou not then by the terme lump (which the apostle Paul vseth) vn­derstand Rom. 9. 21. the created & corrupted man­kinde, whereout of God ordineth some to honour and some to dishonour?

An. There is no doute but God taketh How God shapeth both the chosē & the reprobates out of one lump. both the sorts out of y e same lump, ordei­ning them to contrary endes. Yet doo I say and plainely auouche, that Paule in the same similitude, mounteth vp to the said souerain ordinance whervnto euen the very creation of mankind is submit­ted in order of causes, & therefore much lesse doth the Apostle put the foreséene [Page] corruption of mankinde before it. For firste by the terme Lump, there is many­festlye betokened a substance as yet vn­shapen, and onely prepared too woorke vppon afterwarde. Agayne in likening God too a Potter, and mankinde too a lumpe of Clay wherof vessells are too be made afterwarde, out of all doubte the Apostle betokeneth the firste creation of men. Furthermore hee shoulde speake vnproperly, too say, that vesselles of wrath are made of that lumpe. For if that lumpe betokened men corrupted: then were they vessels of dishonour al­ready, and the potter should not be saide too make them, other than such as they had made them selues already.

Finially so shoulde the cause as well of the ordinaunce of Reprobation, as of the execution of the same ordinance (that is too wit of the damnation of the Repro­bate) bee manyfest: for men should see, it were corruption. But why then shuld the Apostle mount vp too that secret wil of God which is rather too bee honored than searched, if he had so ready an aun­swere at hande, specially which might earye alikelyhood of truth with it euen in [Page 85] the reason of man?

Quest. Truly thou compellest mee to a­gree vnto thee euen in this poynt also. But yet this is another thing that trou­bleth mee. If this ordinaunce be of ne­cessity & vnchaungeable, as it is indeed? to what purpose doo men disquiet themselues? The wilfull & vnreaso­nable obie­ction of the worldlinges. for whether they doo well, they must neuerthelesse perishe if they be or deyned toodamnation: or whither they doo ill, they shalbe saued if they bee or­deined too life.

Question. Certeinly it is a fond obiection, too surmize that thing which neuer shall nor can come to passe. For from whence coms Repentaunce and the fruites ther­of? Truly euen from regeneration tho­rough the spirite of Christ taken hold on by faith: But trew faith is geuen to the chozen sort onely: Ergo onely the elect doo repent and geue themselues too good workes. The rest haue not so much as the will too thinke any thing aright, and much lesse too doo it, considering that too will aright and too doo aright commeth of Gods grace, which is peculiar only to the chozen. And therfore as fonde also is the saying of them, which holde opinion [Page] that they shalbe saued if they bee chosen, what kynd of life so euer they giue them selues vnto. For as many as bee chosen, are the children of God, but if they bee Gods children, then also (as the Apostle Ro. 8. 14 sayeth) they beeled by Gods spirit. And therfore the elect truely cannot perishe: (for then should gods ordinance faile, or else at least wise God should bee change­able), but like as they cannot perishe, so also are they in their seasonable time in­dewed with faith, and ingreffed in christ in whom finally they be iustified, sancti­fied, and glorified.

Que. But yet must they needes perishe Nedes must the repro­bates perish & the cause therof. that are ordeined too damnation.

Answere. I graunt: but yet it is bycause they bée sinners. For euermore betwene the ordynance and the execution of the ordi­nance there steppeth in sinne,, which wil stoppe the mouthes of any men bée they neuer so captious. For what is more rightfull, than that God should punishe sinne? And too whom is he bounde too shewe mercye? Therefore I am not wont too maruell that anye man peris­sheth, but rather I maruell that Gods [Page 86] goodnesse can bee so great, as that all doo not perishe.

Question. Bicause thou hast so often distin­guished the middle causes frō the ordy­nance that disposeth them: I would also haue them rehersed on eyther part.

Answere. Forasmuch as God (as it may bée perceiued by the falling out of thinges) The middle causes be­tweene the ordinance of predestina­tion and the end of it. had determined from euerlasting, to set­forth his glory cheefly in mākind, which glorye consisteth partly in extendinge mercye, and partly in extending hatred ageinst sinne: he created man sound both within and without, & indued him with right vnderstanding and will, but yet he made him chaungeable. For he hymself beyng singularly good, coulde not create and will any euyll: and yet except euyll had entred into the world, there had bin no roome neither for mercy, nor for iu­stice. Man therefore being changeable, brought himselfe and all that should bee borne of him in bondage of sinne and of Gods wrath, willingly & altogether by missehap as in respect of the beginning that sticked in man himselfe, that is too [Page] say in respect of his owne wil, albeit that it were of necessitie if yee consider Gods ordinance and the sequele of the matter. From thensforth the Lorde, (accordinge as he had determined frō euerlastinge,) bringing forth now som and then some, doth so leade them forth too their appoin­ted endes too bee glorifyed in them on either side: that of them in whom he wil haue his glory to appéere by their salua­tion, some he remoueth out of hande too eternall life as freely comprised within his couenant: and othersome (whome it pleaseth him too haue too continewe lon­ger in this life,) he calleth by the effectu­all Rom. 8. 28 &c. woorde of the Gospell, sometime ear­lyer and somtime later, at what time he listeth, and greffeth them into Christ, in whom he iustifieth them, sanctifieth thē, and finallye rewardeth thē with eternall life. And as for y • residew whiche are ap­pointed too his rightfull vengeance, (for to whom is he detter?) either he destroy­eth Rom. 11. 35 them out of hande, or else pacientlye giuing them respit (that they maye not Rom. 9. 22. bée altogether without taste of his good­nes) either he voutsaueth not too call thē at all, or he calles them no further but too [Page 87] make them the more vnexcusable. Here­vpon it commeth to passe, that being left vp too their owne lustes, they harden themselues, vntill they haue filled vp the full measure of wickednes, and then they passe awaye vntoo iudgement. In what wyse these causes of the dampnation of the reprobates, doo come to passe besides the ordinance of God who forsaketh the reprobates and deliuereth them vp too Sathan and too themselues, as that the whole blame doth notwithstāding sticke altogether in themselues: I haue shewed already in dew place.

Quest. Then must the vessels of mercye praise the lord, and the vessels of wrath blame themselues. But whither maye I flee for succour in the perilous tempta­tion of perticular election.

Ans. Unto the effectes whereby the spi­rituall Remedies ageinst the temptation of particuler predestinati­on. life is certeinlye discerned, and so consequently our electiō, like as the lyfe of the bodye is perceiued by feelinge and mouing. For wee that walowe as yet in the puddle of this worlde, are not able too lyfte vp our selues vntoo that soue­reyne lyght, excepte wee mount vp by those steppes whereby God draweth [Page] his chosen vntoo him accordinge too hys foresaid euerlasting ordinance, as whom he hath created to his own glory. There­fore that I am chosen, I shall perceiue first by y • holinesse or sanctificationbegon Phil. 2. 13. 1. Ioh. 3. 10. Ro. 8. 15. 16 in mée that is to say by my hating of sin and by my louing of rightuousnes. Here vnto I shall adde the witnes of the holy ghost comforting my concience, like as Dauid said, why art thou heauye O my soule, & why doost thou gréeue thy selfe? Put thy trust in the lord. Hereto pertei­neth Psal. 42. 11 the earnest minding of Gods bene­fytes, which though it rather frayeth vs than comforteth vs for a time whyle we thinke therwithall vppon our owne vn­thankefulnesse: yet at the length it must néedes lyft vs vp, forasmuch as therein are alwayes too bée séene the manifest tokens of his free and vnchangeable fa­therlye loue towardes vs, not shado­wed, but playnelye expressed. Upon this Sanctifycation and comforte of the ho­lye Ghoste, wee gather fayth. And ther­by wee ryse vp vntoo Christe, to whom whosoeuer is geeuen, is of necessitye chosen in hym from afore all worldes, and shall neuer bee thruste oute of the [Page 88] doores

Question. VVhat if those witnessinges be faint?

Answere. Then it beheueth vs too knowe that Other [...]o comfortable remedies wée bée tryed, and therfore that our slug­gishnesse is then most too be found fault with. Yet withstanding our hartes must not in any wise shrinke, but wee must strengthen thē with those indefinite promises, and throw dartes at our aduersa­rie agein. For although the incounter of the fleshe ageinst the spirit doo comber our consciences with great doubtinges of the trewnes of our fayth, specyally as ost as the spirit seemeth too quayle and in a manner too bee quite quenched: yet notwithstandyng, it is certeyne, that thys spirite whiche setteth it selfe true­lye (thoughe but faintlye) ageynst the as­saultes of the fleshe, is the spirit of adop­tion, the gift whereof is not too bee re­pented of. For otherwyse the electe myght peryshe, and they that bee once iustifyed myght fall away from Christ. Wherevppon it woolde folowe, either that God is chaungeable, or that the sal­lyng out of his ordynance is vncertein, [Page] wherof none of both can bee imputed too God without blasphemie.

Quest. But the garlond is geuē to those onely that holde out.

Ans. I graunt so. And therfore whoso­euer Perseuerāce or holding out to the ende. is elected craueth perseuerance and obtaineth it.

Quest. Think you then that the spirit of adoption is neuer shaken of?

Ans. I confesse that the spirit is now and then interrupted in sore temptations, & that the testimonies of his dwellinge in vs are oftentimes so brought a sleepe, that hee seemeth to bee quite gone from vs for a time. But yet for all that, I say he is neuer quite taken away: for needs must gods determination of sauing his seruaunts stand sure, and therfore when▪ time serues, at length the mistes of the fleshe are chaced away, and the gladnesse of the lordes sauinge health alwayes re­stored, which shyneth as the Sonne into the troubled consciences of the elect. Fi­nally Howtrewe faith & the effectes of it ar interrup­ted. I say, that trewe fayth and the ef­fectes thereof are in likewise interrup­ted in the elect as the powers of y • mind bee hindered in them that haue the slee­pye disease or in drunkenmen: in whom [Page 89] the soule is not taken awaye, (for there is great oddes betwene the sleepy disease or drunkenuesse and very death) and yet that they which haue the spirit of Adop­tion haue an assured pledge of eiernall life. Therefore in this most daungerous incounter, the same thing wherwith Sa­tan assayleth vs, both can and must war­rant vs assured victory. For except the spirit of adoption (which is also the spi­rite of holi [...]esse, rightuousnesse, faith, and life) were present in vs, there should bee no striuing in vs, but sin should reygne quietly at his pleasure. For the man that Marke too know an e­lect from a worldling vnelected▪ or from a re­prob [...]te. Rom. 7. 13 Rom. 7. 15 19 Rom. 7. 25. is not indued with that spirit saith thus: I doo the euill that I haue a mind vnto: I do no good, nor I haue no list too do it. But the man that is regenerated, and so consequently elected, (howbeit as yet still wrestling,) sayeth thus: I doo the euill that I wold not, & I do not the good that I woold doo. Wo is mee, who shall deliuer me out of the body of this death? And in crying out in this wise, the elect person casteth hys Anchor in the verye Throne of God the father, whom he be­holdeth in the preached woord and in the Sacramentes. Finally when the elect [Page] shall haue gotten the full victorye in the other world, he shall say thus: I doo the good that I woold doo, and I doo none euill, nor none I list to doo.

Question. VVhat if a man neuer feele the testimonies of such spirit in himselfe?

Answere Yet must it not bee deemed that he is one of the number of the reprobates. No man must bee hastely dee­med for a [...]eprobate For the lord calleth those that bee his, at what time he himself listeth. And there­fore such manner of men must bee sent away too the woord and the Sacramen­tes, where they maye heere God spea­king and alluryng synners vntoo hym. For although they receyue not the fruite and operacion of those thynges for a tyme: yet must they incorage themsel­ues and also bee diligently styred vp by others, too continewe in heeringe the word of God euen ageinst their wills: & then one tyme or other they shall obtein [...] that whiche the Lorde as yet deferreth, not too the intent too cast them of, but contrarywise too sharpen their desyr [...] and earnestnesse.

Quest. I would therefore that wee might talke amonge ourselues concerning the Sacramentes also, about the which in e­speciallye there is nowe adayes so greate strife betweene the churches.

Ans. Truly I refuse not so to doo. Not­withstandinge (as I thinke) we shall doo that more conueniently another time.

In the meane while, if you bee satisfied in the thinges you haue demaunded, I am very glad, and I would with you too minde these thinges earnestly night and [...]aye.

¶ All honor, glory, praise, and thankes bee onely vntoo God the Father through our Lorde Iesus Christe. Amen, (⸫)

¶ EINIS.

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