The aunswer of Iohn Gough preacher, to Maister Fecknams obiections against his sermon, lately preached in the Tower of London. 15. Ianurie. 1570.

¶M. Fecknams first Article. 1 That it is not impossible to keepe God hys com∣maundement.

Which I did affirme to be impossible. Your scriptures you alledge, are these that follow: whereof the first is Christ in Mat∣thew. 11. where he saith: Tollite iugum meū super vos. &c. Take vp my yoke vpō you. &c. Wherin you triumphe ouer my poore lump of leade at your pleasure. But if you weyed the text, with a litle more déeper considera∣tion,

you should sée, that you are fowly decei∣ued. For in that Christ calleth it Iugum me∣um, my yoke, he maketh a differēce betwene his doctrine and the law, and that in respect of the straightnes of the law, and of the easi∣nes of his doctrine, and of that he requireth of his Children and Scholers. But howe heauy a lumpe the law is, S. Peter describeth in the .15. of the Actes, thus: Nunc ergo quid tentatis Deum, vt imponatur iugum super ceruices discipulorum, {quod} ne{que} patres nostri, ne{que} nos portare potuimus. That is: Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put on the Disciples neckes the yoke, which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare. Pe∣ter telleth vs here that the law, which he here calleth Iugum, a yoke, is impossible to be borne, and teacheth vs where we shall séeke to be eased, in these wordes which im∣mediately follow: vz. Sed per gratiam do∣mini nostri Iesu Christi, credimus nos saluos futuros, quemadmodum & illi. i. But we beleue that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ, we shall be saued, as well as they. Therefore in Christ the law is ful∣filled, Ephes. 2. and we are at peace with God through Christ, Rom. 5. Christ his yoke is easie. For wherto tendeth els his words a little before, where he saith: Et ego refo∣cillabo

vos, and I will refresh you? Not that we should be idle, but seing our infirmities, we should acknowledge the same, and ac∣cording to Christes councell Luke. 7. say Ser∣ui inutiles sumus, we are vnprofitable Ser∣uauntes. And that thys yoke is eased in Christ, S. Paul teacheth vs, Roma. 8. say∣ing: Etenim quod lex prestare non pote∣rat, ea parte qua imbecillis erat per carnem, hoc Deus, proprio filio misso sub specie carnis, peccato obnixie praestitit. i. For what the law could not do by reason of the weakenes of the flesh, that God performed in sending his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh. By which wordes you sée, the impossibilitie in vs, and the ease by Christ. For what néede the perfection of our works by him, if possibilitie remayned in vs? But S. Paul telleth vs an other tale, Galath. 3. Thus: Etenim si data fuisset lex, que possit viuificare, vere ex lege esset iustitia, sed con∣clusit scriptura omnia sub peccatum. &c. i. For if there had bene a law geuen, which could haue geuen life, then no doubt righte∣ousnes should haue come by the law: but the scripture concluded all vnder sinne. &c. Reade the place. Thus (M. Eecknam) you sée your wrested place righted, and my leady lumpe remaineth heauy still.

Wher you alledge S. Iohn. 1. Epist. 5. Quod mandata eius grauia non sunt, that his com∣maundements are not greuous: and ther∣vpon will infer, that if they be not Grauia, greuous, then they are farre from myne so heauy a lumpe. And here you are likewyse deceiued, in vnderstanding by Mandata, his commaundementes, the absolute accom∣plishment of the law, of our selues. For the law is here of S. Iohn sayd, not to be heauy, in this respect, that the cursse of the law is by Christ remoued, and our imperfection performed by him, as afore Rom. 8. and the spirit of God working in the hartes of hys Chyldren, a déepe consideration of Gods mercy in Christ towardes them, worketh in them also, an vnfained loue to God, and of loue desire (through his spirite) to please God: knowing assuredly, that though the perfection herein be not such as Gods iu∣stice doth require, yet God for Christes sake will accept the same as perfected, Ephes. 2. And in this respect they are by S. Iohn here, called Non grauia, not greuous: Not be∣cause we absolutely performe them: but be∣cause they are perfected in Christ per fidem, through fayth.

Now to your third alledged scripture out of the Rom 2. 2. thus: Non enim qui audiunt

legem, iusti sunt apud Deum, sed qui legem factis exprimunt, iusti habebuntur. 1. For in the sight of God they are not righteous which heare the law, but the doers of the law shall be iustified. Whereupon you ar∣gue thus: If they do the law, then it may be done, then it is possible. &c. So followeth your consequence, Ergo the law is not im∣possible to be kept. If you consider wel this text, with the circumstances, you shall wel perceiue, that S. Paul meaneth nothing les hereby, then that a man may absolutely ful∣fill the law, and thereby be iustified. For first the Apostle goeth about to refell the foo∣lishnes of the Iewes, which supposed that the hearing and vnderstanding of the law, was sufficient to the accomplishing of the same, although they in no part fulfilled it, which S. Paul here confuteth. As though he wold say vnto them: You brag that you are iu∣stified by the lawe, when in no part you do fulfill the law, but bragging of a litle su∣perficiall vnderstandyng of the law, per∣swade your selues strayght, that you do fulfill the law, as though the accomplish∣ing of the law, consisted in knowledge and vnderstanding, and not in fulfilling: But herein you are deceiued, for not the hearers, but the doers of the law are iustified. And

because none fully accomplisheth the law so absolutely as Gods iustice requireth, ther∣fore our iustification commeth not by the law (whereof the Iewes bragged) Rom. 10. And therefore in the same chapter the Apo∣postle concludeth thus: Nam perfectio legis Christus, ad iustificationem, omni credenti. i. For Christ is the fulfilling of the law, to iustifie all that beleue.

And lastly for your example alledged out of Luke. i. Erant ambo iusti coram Deo, in∣cedentes in omnibus mandatis & iustificati∣onibus Domini irreprehensibiles. i. They were both righteous before God, and wal∣ked in all the lawes and ordinaunces of the Lord without reproofe: These wordes (M. Fecknam) are not to be vnderstanded, as though Zacharie and Elizabeth, absolutely fulfilled the law, for then they had no néede of Christ, and Christ had not said truly then in the .17. of S. Luke. Dicite, serui inutiles su∣mus. &c. i. Say ye, we are vnprofitable ser∣uauntes. &c. But therefore they are sayd to be iust, because God in Christ imputed not vnto them, their sinne, for they were not without their faultes. And Dauid is true, who sayth: Psal. 14. Omnes declinauerunt, & simul inutiles facti sunt, non est qui faciat bonum, non est vs{que} ad vnum. i. They are

all gone out of the way, they are all toge∣ther become abhominable, there is none that doth good, no not one. And in thys number I am sure, are also comprehended both Zacharie and Elizabeth. And the same Prophet in the .142. Psalme hath thus: Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo Domine, quia non iustificabitur in conspectu tuo om∣nis viuens. i. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt O Lord, for no man lyuing shall be iustified in thy sight. And it is to be supposed, that in these wordes, the Pro∣phet ment not onely such as lyued in hys time, but also in times, both past, then pre∣sent, and to come. But now let vs sée, what the Fathers say to this matter. And first S. Ambrose hath thus.

Ambros. ad Gal. 3. Et lex habuit iustitiam, sed ad presens, non quia iustificaret apud Deum. Remittere enim peccata non potu∣it, vt de peccatoribus faceret iustos, sed ad hoc data est, vt terrori esset, prouocās homi∣nes, ad bonam vitam, irreuerentes puniens. Ideo{que} nō est data lex, que possit viuificare, sed condemnare. The same in English.

And the law had righteousnes but for a tyme▪ Not because it could iustifie before the Lord: For it could not so forgeue sinnes, that of Sinners it could make them iust. But to this end it was ge∣uen, that it might be a terror, prouoking men vnto

good life, punishing the disobedient or vnreuerent persons. Therefore is not a law geuen which can geue lyfe, but condemne.

Also S. Augustine saith: Dominus iustam legem,* 1.1 iniustis hominibus dedit, ad demon∣stranda peccata eorum, non auferanda. Non enim aufert peccatum. nisi gratia fidei. &c. i.

The Lord hath geuen a iust law, to vniust men, to make manifest their sinnes, and not to take them away. For it taketh not away sinnes, but by grace of fayth. &c.

The said S. August. de spiritu & lit. ca. 19. saith: Lex ergo data est, vt gratia quereretur, gratia data est, vt lex impleretur. That is.

The law therefore was geuen, that grace might be sought. Grace was geuen, that the law might be fulfilled. And who is this Gratia, grace, M. Eecknam, but Christ?

Againe the said Augustine, writing vpon the .118. Psalme, saith: Noli ergo superbire, noli de tuo, que nulla est virtute presumere, & intelliges, quare sit a bono Deo, bona lex data, que tamen viuificare non possit. Ad hoc enim data est, vt te de magno paruulum faceret, vt te ad faciendam legem, vires de tuo non habere monstraret, ac sic inops in∣dignus, & egenus, ad gratiam confugeres & clamares: Miserere mei Domine, quoniam infirmus sum. That is.

Be not therefore proude, do not presume of thine own power, which in deede is none, and thou

shalt vnderstand wherefore a good lawe was ge∣uen by a good God, which neuerthelesse cannot geue life. For to this purpose was it geuen, that of great it might make thee little, that it myght shew vnto thee that thou haste no strength of thy selfe to do the law. And so being needy, vnworthy and poore, mightest flee vnto grace and cry: Haue mercy on me O God, for I am weake.

S. Bernard also in Epist. omniū sanct. ser. j. saith: Beati qui esuriūt, & sitiunt iustitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. Sed quid potest esse omnis iustitia nostra coram Deo? Nōne iuxta prophetam, velut pannus menstruate reputabitur, & si districte iudicetur, iniusta inuenietur, omnis iustitia nostra, & minus habens? Quid ergo de peccatis erit, quando ne ipsa quidem pro se poterit respondere iustitia? propterea obnixe, cum Propheta clamantes: Non intres in iudicium. &c. Tota humilitate, ad misericordiā recurramus, que sola potest saluare animas nostras. That is.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righ∣teousnes, for they shall be satisfied. But what can all our righteousnes be before God? Shall it not, according to the saying of the Prophet, be counted as a most filthie and defiled cloth? And if all our righteousnes be straightly iudged, it shall be found vniust, and hauing lesse force. What ther∣fore shall become of our sinnes, where as not euen our righteousnes it selfe, shall be able to aunswer for it selfe? Therefore, with all our might, crying out with the Prophet as lowd as we can: Enter not into iudgement. &c. with all humblenes let vs

runne to the throne of mercy, whych onely is able to saue our soules.

I wyll therefore conclude with S. Augu∣stine thus: Quoniam ab ipso, & per ipsum, & in ipso, sunt omnia, Ergo non ei aliquid dedimus, & tenemus debitorem. Vnde de∣bitorem? Quia promissor est. Non dicimus Deo: Domine, redde {quod} accepisti, sed redde quod promisisti. That is.

Because from him, and by him, and in hym, are althinges: Therefore wee haue not geuen any thing vnto him, & hold him as a debtor. Whence is he our debtor? Euen because he hath promised. We say not vnto God: Lord, geue agayne that y^e hast receiued; but geue vnto vs y^t thou hast promised.

The law therefore can not absolutely of vs be obserued, because God doth not one∣ly require of vs an outward obseruing of the same, but also an inward. For not one∣ly he is giltie of whoredome that committeth the act, but he also that lusteth after an o∣ther mans wife. Math. 5. He is not onely a murtherer that killeth a man: but he also that hateth his brother in his hart. 1. Iohn. 3. But who can say he lusteth not. &c? Finde him, and I will graunt, the law is not im∣possible to be kept of vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  August. in prefat. E∣pisto. ad Galat.