A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell. Also a summarie of the principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certayne dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Prouince. Translated by I.S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.

The twelfth Dialogue is of the giftes of the holie Ghost, whiche are common to the elect, and to the reprobates.

Of the gifts of the holie Ghost which mē may haue & not be chosen of god, and without the which the elect may be saued touching themselues.

MATHEVV.

I Doe nowe better vnderstande than before, why thou doest call the thirde worke of God, the whiche thou attributest to the holy Ghoste, worke of viuification, and for what cause the holie Ghost is cal∣led the quickning spirite. There resteth nowe that we speake of other of his gif∣tes, whiche thou haste sayde maye serue to the Saluation of them whyche haue them not, withoute seruing at all them whiche haue them to their saluation.

P.

I will shewe thee by example that whiche thou askest, we maye place in this ranke the gift of toungs, the gifte of prophecie or preachyng, the gifte of miracles, and suche other lyke.

Math.

Dothe GOD sometyme communicate these guifts vn∣to the reprobates and vnfaythefull?

Peter.

Thou doest not doubte but that hée dothe distrybute them to the electe and the faythfull when it pleaseth him.

Math.

I may not doubt thereof, séeing I haue the examples of the prophets and of the Apostles whiche witnesse it vnto me.

P.

But albeit that these gifts be commu∣nicate to diuers of the elect and faithfull, yet they are not giuen generally to all, neither to euery one specially, and as the others wherof we haue alreadie spoken: and on the other syde, they be not giuen in equall and one measure to all those to whome they be giuen. For the one sorte haue them in greater number and grea∣ter abundance than the others.

M.

Giue me example of that whiche thou sayst.

P.

Saint Iohn Baptist was so excellente a Prophet,* 1.1 that he was by Iesus Chryste preferred to all the other Prophets whi∣che were before him: and yet wee reade not that he had the gift of tongues, as the Apostles had.

M.

It séemeth also to mée, that it was not necessarie, forsomuche as he was not sent but to those of his owne nation.

P.

And therfore I say with Saint Paule, that the holy Ghoste distributeth his giftes to euery man, as is expediente for him. But to come againe to S. Iohn Baptist, no more had he the gifte of mi∣racles. For it is written of him playnly, that he did none at all.

M.

I thinke also, that there were many of the Prophetes

which had but the gift of prophecie, with∣out the gift of eyther miracles or toungs, forsomuche as they did prophecie but in the Churche of Israel,* 1.2 and among people which vnderstod their natural speach

M.

We fynd not many prophets y^t haue had the gift of miracles, as had Moyses, Elie, and Elizee. But the Apostles hadde bothe the gifte of prophecie, miracles, toungs, and suche lyke.

Of the giftes of the holy Ghoste gi∣uen to the wicked.

M.

I I knowe nowe well by these exam∣ples, in what sorte these giftes hée distributed to the faithfull, albéeit they be not distributed to euery one in verye number and portion, euen of those which are made partakers of them: but thou haste not yet proued how these giftes are also somtyme bestowed vpon the repro∣bates and vnfaithfull.

P.

I wil shew thée first the testimonie of Iesus Christ which sayth,* 1.3 that many shal say vnto him at the later day, Lorde, Lorde, we haue prophe∣cied, and driuen out diuels, and wrought great effects in thy name: vnto whom he

shall saye: I know you not, depart from mee ye workers of iniquitie.

M.

Perad∣uenture they shall boast them selues fals∣ly of that whiche they neuer did.

Pet.

To resolue this difficultie, thou hast beside it the examples,* 1.4 not onely of Balaam, of Saule, and of Cayphe, whyche haue prophecied, but also of Iudas, vntoo whome not onely the gifte of prophecie and office of Apostle was giuen, as it was to his other fellowes, but also the gifte of miracles.

M.

Howe mayst thou knowe for certayne if that Iudas hadde the gift of miracles?

Peter.

Bicause that when Iesus Chryste did giue it to hys Apostles, Iudas was not put out of the number, but was comprised in the num∣ber of twelue, vnto whiche the Euan∣gelistes witnesse, that this gifte was gi∣uen by Iesus Christe.

Math.

That whi∣che thou sayest, hath some apparance.

Peter.

And on the other side, thou mayst not fynd it strange, that the gift of mira∣cles was giuen vnto him, whiche is far lesse necessarie to the Churche than the gift of prophecie and office of Apostle.

For vvhat cause God sometime dothe cō∣municate to the wicked of the giftes of the holie Ghost, the which he doth not cōmunicate to the electe.

M.

SEing that these gifts be so noble & so excellēt, it abasheth me that God somtime distributeth them to y^e vnfaith∣ful & reprobate, rather than to the faith∣full & elect. For albeit that in the time of Balaam, Saule, Cayphe, & Iudas, many of the faithfull and chosen were endowed with these gifts, yet notwithstanding the greatest nūber of thē had thē not at al, but had only those gifts which are proper and cōmon to al the elect and faithful.

P.

It is true: but thou muste note that God will haue it so, chiefly for two causes.

M.

whi∣che is the first?

P.

It is that he will giue vs to know what difference we ought to put betwene these gifts, to the ende that his elect mought know which ar the most excellent, and what fauour he hathe she∣wed to them more than to the others, in communicating them vnto them.

Math.

Whiche is the other reason?

P.

It is that God will shewe howe passyng excellent

a woorker he is, whiche can vse al instru∣mentes bothe good and bad, yea the very diuels to make them serue to his glorie, and to the edification and saluation of his Churche when it pleaseth him. But see∣ing that he may well do by his elect that whiche he dothe by these wicked instru∣ments, why dothe he not rather this ho∣nour to his children than to his enimies.

P.

He dothe no dishonour to his children, but doth them great honor, when he con∣strayneth the very wicked to serue them will they nill they.

M.

There is a point wel worth the note.

P.

On the other side he honoureth the enimies the more, but putteth them to greater confusion, and maketh them more inexcusable, in so muche as thorough their owne fault, they haue abused his giftes.

Of the giftes of God which are moste ex∣cellent and most to be desired.

M.

FOr so muche as I can vnderstande by thée, thou estéemest the first gif∣tes whereof thou spakest, to bée muche more excellente and necessarye to eue∣ry one in his particular, than the others

wherof thou spakest in the seconde place.

P.

Thou mayest well thinke, that the gifts which God hath chiefly prepared for his elect, are the most principall, and those whome he most estéemeth, and of the which also he willeth that we haue most care, & namely for two causes.

M.

Shewe me the firste.

P.

It is, that these giftes make vs more like to God than the o∣thers do. For we are refourmed in déede to his Image by them:

Mat.

Shewe me something more plainely what thy mea∣ning is.

P.

Albeit that all vertues are in God in all excellencie and full perfection, yet notwithstanding the chéefe vertue that he will haue acknowledged in hym, and by the which he will chiefly be glori∣fied, and that also whiche maketh him to vs most amiable, and whiche is most con∣uenient and necessarie for vs, and whiche doth best declare vnto vs his true nature, it is his goodnesse.

M.

Wilte thou also cō∣clude thereby, that he doth more estéeme those giftes whiche make good those who haue them, than the giftes which may bée in men withoute making them good, and yelding those better which are partakers

of them, albeit they mought serue others, to bring them to the communion of these other more excellente gifts.

P.

It is so.

Hovv the gifte of prophecie may serue to the saluation of those vvhich haue it not, and not of them vvhiche haue it.

M.

THy meaning is, so farre as I can vnderstande, that a man may haue the gifte of prophecie, by meane whereof God will call his electe to his knowledge, and notwithstanding he by whome he shall call them, shal not himselfe haue the same true knowledge wherewith God maketh himselfe knowen to his elect, and by the which he maketh them like to him selfe, and are broughte to honoure him.

P.

I do so vnderstāde it.

M.

But how may a man giue that whiche he hath not?

P.

How may a whetstone make sharpe an yron, séeing it is but a stone and it selfe cannot cut? And how may a bell call and cause people to come to the sermon wher∣vnto it selfe goeth not, nor may go.

M.

Is it the like of the matters whiche we now handle?

P.

Thou hast two point is to l••••e

in this.

M.

Whiche is the firste?

P.

It is that the ministers by whome God is ser∣ued, doe not communicate the giftes of God, but as instrumentes, but it is God himselfe whiche doth communicate them by them, as he which is the Lord and ma∣ster, which hath them in his power to di∣stribute and retaine at his pleasure.

M.

I thinke in déede if these giftes were in the power of the ministers and instruments wherewith God serueth himselfe, al those whiche shoulde heare their doctrine, and which should receiue of thē the outwarde Sacramentes, whiche they administer, should be made partakers of the giftes of God whereof they be ministers and dis∣pensators so farre as toucheth their mini∣sterie.

P.

Experience teacheth vs y^t which thou sayest. Yet notwithstanding we may not contemne the ministerie of man, whē it pleaseth God to serue himselfe with thē whatsoeuer they be, prouided that we bée assured that they set foorthe to vs purely the things of God.

Of the true knovvledge of God proper only to his elect, and of the generall vvhich is common to all men.

M.

WHich is the other point that thou sayest I had to note vppon thys matter?

P.

It is that we must consider the knowledge of God in two sortes.

M.

How is that?

P.

There is one knowledge of God whiche causeth men as soone as they haue it, to glorifie him as belongeth vnto him. That is the true knowledge of God whiche deserueth suche a name, and which is proper to the only elect of God, and is neuer separate from true faith in him.

M.

What other sorte of knowledge is there yet?

P.

There is one generall and common to all as well faithfull as vn∣faithfull, the which is sufficient inough to condemne all men before God, but not to saue them.

M.

Howe doest thou vnder∣stande that it is sufficient to condemne, and not to saue? For it séemeth to me that it were better not to haue suche a know∣ledge than to haue it.

P.

It is the know∣ledge of God, whereof Sainct Paule spe∣keth in the beginning of the epistle to the Romaines, the which condemneth men, in somuche as they haue sufficient know∣ledge of God to know that they oughte to honoure and glorifie him, and yet not∣withstanding,

they neyther honoure nor glorifie him according as he hath declared himselfe to them, and as they know him:* 1.5 wherein they shew their malice, peruer∣sitie, and ingratitude, the whiche maketh them wholly inexcusable.

M.

But séeing that this knowledge is not so greate that it can induce vs to glorifie God as is méete, is there at all no excuse for them?

P.

If they did glorifie him according to the measure of their knowledge, there shuld be yet some apparance in that which thou sayest, albeit that ignorance shall excuse no man, forsomuche as it procéedeth of sinne, whereof the faulte cannot be im∣puted but to man. But they shew theyr naturall peruersitie and malice in the same, that they make none accoumpte to glorifie God as God, accordingly as they know him.

Hovv that the vvicked vvhich prophecie do vnderstand or not vnderstand, their ovvne very prophecies.

M.

THy meaning thē is, that they whi∣che haue the gifts of God, wherby

they may serue to the saluation of others and in the meane time do not profite thē∣selues, haue euen suche a knowledge of God, as is that whereof thou nowe haste spoken.

P.

There are yet diuers conside∣rations vpon the which thou concludest. For there are some whiche haue prophe∣sied of things which they themselues wel vnderstoode, and there be others whiche vnderstoode not their owne prophesies.

M.

Gyue me example therof.

P.

Balaam did well vnderstande that whiche he pro∣phesied of the children of Israell. For he well did know that people to be blessed of God. But Cayphas prophesied not vn∣derstanding what he sayde, for he ment of one, and the spirite of god who made him to speake so, made him to speake an other which he vnderstood not himselfe.

M.

Cai∣phas was then the mouth of God and the mouth of the Deuill all at once.

P.

He was the mouth of God, in so muche as God made him to say, that his people coulde not be saued but only by the death of his sonne Iesus Christe, but he was the mouth of the Deuill according to hys intente after the whiche he so spake. For

he did not speake according to the mea∣ning of the holy Ghost, but as a murderer an enimie of truth, pretending the deathe of Iesus Christe, bycause of the hatred which he had toward him.

Hovv that the true knovvledge of God comprehendeth both the vnderstan∣ding and the vvill.

M.

IF Cayphas vnderstoode not his pro∣phesie, I do not greatly maruell al∣though it profited him not. But I do more maruell of Balaam, that he did not bet∣ter proffite by his, than he hathe done, forsomuche as he hath had sufficiente vn∣derstanding to leade him rather to follow the people of GOD than his enimies.

Peter.

There are yet two poyntes to be noted herein, by the knoweledge whereof thou mayest vnderstande the better the cause which letted Balaam to proffite better by hys prophesie, and by the knowledge of God whiche he had. And in like sorte thou mayest iudge of all others like.

M.

Whiche are those two pointes?

P.

A man cannot well honoure God, if firste he knowe hym not as

he ought to know him, & he cannot know him in such sorte excepte he be first deli∣uered from two great euils which are in him by the meane of sinne.

M.

Whiche are these two great euils?

P.

The one is the ignoraunce that hath possessed his vn∣derstāding.

M.

And the other?

P.

The ma∣lice whiche hathe corrupted not only his vnderstanding, but also his whole will, and consequently all the affections which are in him.

M.

Doth the true knowledge of God comprehende the vnderstanding and the will of man?

P.

If the true know∣ledge of God doth cause man to honoure him, it muste then necessarily come to passe, that thereby manne is refourmed as touching his vnderstāding, harte, will, and all other his affections, séeing that he cannot well honoure God,* 1.6 if he loue him not with all his vnderstanding, and with all his harte, and with all his soule, and with all his power and forces.

Of the true and full reformation of man, and of the partes thereof.

M.

BY what meane may a man be so perfectly reformed as thou sayest?

P.

After that the vnderstandyng of man thorow sin hath ben blinded by the dark∣nesses of error and ignorance, the which it hath brought to himt, he vnderstāding, can not be well reformed, if God by his heauenly light doe not dryue awaye these darknesses, and the ignorance that there is, to giue him true knowledge of God his Creator.

M.

In what sort also is the wil reformed?

P.

When God hath chan∣ged it from euill into good, and where it is rebellious to his, he maketh it lyke vn∣to the same.

M.

Wilt thou then say that a man is not fully regenerate if his will and vnderstanding be not also reformed?

P.

Hée can not be fully, if that all that which hath ben corrupted in him thorow synne, be not repaired and restored by the grace of God.

Hovv that ignorance and malice are con∣trary to true regeneration and reforma∣tion, and hovv there is either more or lesse ignorance and malice in some than in other some.

M.

BVt if a man be not thorowly rege∣nerate & reformed of all these two

partes, may he not at the least be of one of them?

P.

If he be not of them bothe, we maye not proprely call him regene∣rate and reformed. And yet notwithstan∣ding, I confesse that among them whiche are not regenerate and reformed by the spirite of God, some haue more malice than ignoraunce, and others more igno∣rance than malice, whiche are the two vi∣ces the most contrarie to true regenera∣tion and reformation that may bée, whi∣che comprehende the vnderstanding and the will. For ignoraunce is proprely re∣ported to the vnderstanding, and malice to the will.

Of those vvhiche offende more thorow malice than by ignorance.

M.

SHew me by exāple what thy mea∣ning is.

P.

Lette vs take againe in hand y^e example of Balaam. Thou mayst wel know by what he hath sayde & done, that he was more malicious than igno∣rant. For he knew well inough the way that he ought to walk: but couetousnesse wherewith he had his hearte filled, did let his will not to agrée with the know∣ledge of God which he had.

M.

If I haue

well vnderstode that whiche thou haste alreadie said of the knowledge of God, it seemeth to me, that a man maye not call that of Balaam true knowledge of God, forsomuche as it was not suche that hys vnderstanding was so well lightened by the spirite of God, that he did foorthwyth drawe and guyde hys hearte and wyll to glorifye GOD as hée oughte.

Pet.

That which thou sayest is true: And therefore I did not cleane exempt Balaam of igno∣rance, when I sayde, that there was in him more malice than ignoraunce, but I would giue to vnderstand that ther was ignorance in him, albeit the malice was the greater: For if hée had knowne God as he ought to haue done, he hadde forth∣with loued him, and woulde haue ende∣uored himselfe rather to please him than the king Balaac, and woulde not haue preferred the worldly honour and profit which he loked for at his hand, to y^e honor of God, and to his giftes and graces.

M.

Giue mée yet some example to thys pur∣pose, by whiche I may better vnderstād this matter.

P.

Take Annas, Cayphas,* 1.7 y^e Scribes and Phariseyes, and suche lyke.

For albeit they did not truly knowe Ie∣sus Christ as y^e apostles & the other faith∣ful did, yet had they knowledge inough to cōdemn them bicause y^t their own ma∣lice did more let thē to acknowledge & re∣ceyue him as their Sauiour,* 1.8 than did the ignorance that was in them.

Of those whiche sinne more through ig∣norance than through malice.

M.

I Am satisfyed wyth the examples that thou haste alreadie alledged of those which sinne more of malice than of ignorance, Giue me now examples of the others whiche offend more of ignorance than of malice.

P.

Séeing we haue spokē of phariseys, thou haste an euident exam∣ple of S. Paule,* 1.9 if thou do cōsider whē he was a pharisey and a persecuter, before y^t he was conuerted to the Gospell.

M.

I know wel that he was then a greate per∣secuter of the Christians.

Pet.

Hée dothe playnly confesse it himselfe. But he did not persecute them with so euill a con∣science as the Scribes and Phariseis did persecute Christ and his apostles For he did more of ignorance than of malice, as he himselfe dothe witnesse.* 1.10

M.

But was

there also no malice in him?

P.

As I doe not cléerely exempt from ignorance those which offend more of malice thā of igno∣rance, euen in like sort do I not exempt cléerely from malice those which offende more of ignorāce thā of malice.

M.

Thou meanest then that bothe sorts haue both ignoraunce and malice in them, and that there is no difference betwéene them, but only in the muchnesse or litlenesse of the ignoraunce and malice of eyther sorte.

P.

Thou moughtest well vnderstande it by that which I haue sayd: And therfore we say, that they whiche offende more of ig∣norance than of malice,* 1.11 offende by zeale without knowledge, and the others whi∣che fight against the knowledge whiche they haue, do sinne and fight more open∣ly against their owne conscience, and in very déede oftentimes go so far, that they sinne agaynst the holie Ghost,* 1.12 the which as Iesus Christe wilnesseth, shall neuer be pardoned of God, bicause that he figh∣teth openly against the grace and the gif∣tes of the holie Ghost, without the whi∣che no man may euer obtaine pardone.

M.

I woulde gladly that thou diddest ex∣pounde

vnto me some thing more fami∣liarly what this sinne of the holy Ghost is: for there be verye fewe that are fully resolued therin.

P.

I woulde shewe thée myne opinion, but the matter would be too long for this present, wherfore let vs folow our purpose which we haue begon.

Of the comparison betwene those which offende of malice, and those whiche offende through ignorance.

M.

I Iudge these last which offēd of ma∣lice to be much worse than the first, and further off frō the kingdom of God.

P.

Thou iudgest right well: For ther is yet better séede of Religion and greater testimonie of the feare of God, and of loue toward him, in those which sin of ig∣norāce and thorow zeale, without know∣ledge, than in them whiche sin as of pur∣pose determined, and against their owne conscience, which testifieth vnto them of the good which they will not folowe, and condemneth the euil which they do.

M.

It séemeth to mee also that they whiche of∣fend more of malice than of ignorāce, be further of from the nature of God, & that

they haue more of the nature of the di∣uell than the others.

P.

It is euen so: for the diuell hath muche more malice than ignorance.

M.

I thinke in déede that he doth not often offende of ignorance, but only of malice that is in him.

P.

And ther∣fore I said heretofore that there was no∣thing wherein man didde more resemble God, and wherein he did better expresse his image, than in goodnesse. For it is a vertue the whiche God doth neuer com∣municate but to his elect.

Of the difference which God vseth in the dispensation of his gifts betwene the e∣lect and the reprobates and how the wicked corrupt and abuse the giftes of God.

M.

ANd doth he communicate his o∣ther vertues to the reprobates?

P.

To speake proprely, God doth not cō∣municate his vertues to the wicked and to the reprobate: For albeit he bestowed vpon them of his gifts and of his graces, yet are they not vertues in their person, as they be in God and in his electe.

M.

Why so?

P.

Bycause they doe abuse

and peruert them as dothe the diuell, in such sorte that whereas they should serue to the honor of God, it is no thank to thē that they dishonor him not by them: And on the other side, bicause they do so foule thē, not reporting thē to the glorie of god as they ought to do, but do cleane contra∣rie, they do infect and enpoyson them, as muche as in them is, by the venim which the diuell hath put into their heartes and vnderstandings, in suche sorte that they be in them, so farre as concerneth theyr person, as a meate, whiche of his nature béeing good, mought be corrupted by poy∣son.

M.

Declare this to mée some thing more easily, and giue mée some exam∣ples.

P.

We consider in God chiefly his power, his wisedome, and his goodnesse, whiche are thrée excellent vertues, to the whiche all the others may be referred. Nowe if his goodnesse were not ioyned with his power, and his wisedome, his power should be tyrannie, and his wise∣dome cautele & craft, as it is in the diuell. But the goodnesse that is in him, is the cause that hée neuer abuseth his power & his wisedome, but maketh it alway to

serue his iustice and clemencie, his mer∣cie and charitie, and all his other like ver∣tues which procéede al from that infinite goodnesse whiche is in him, whiche is the fountayne, and which is goodnesse it selfe.

M.

Wilte thou say by this that God doth communicate of his power, of his know∣ledge, and of his wisedome to the wicked and reprobates?

P.

I say more than that, for I say he communicateth of it ouer to the very deuilis: but not of his goodnesse nor the true vertues which procéede of the same.

M.

How vnderstandest thou it?

P.

We cannot denie but that the deuills he maruellous strong and mightie, & muche wiser than are all men. No more may we in like sorte denie but that they haue re∣ceyued this power, knowledge and vn∣derstanding of God, wherefore we maye call them mightie, and wise in the sense that men take these names.

M.

It séemeth to me that we may saye the like of Ty∣rants and of many other men, of whome the one sorte are mightie and strong, & the others skilfull, wise & graue according to the world: & an other sort haue both these qualities togither, and yet for al that they

be not honest and vertuous men, but vi∣cious and wicked.

P.

It is bycause they do abuse these giftes of God, and therefore their power is violence and tyrannie, and their wisedome and vnderstanding cau∣tele and malice. For the true power and wisedome maye neuer be separate from goodnesse and other vertues.

VVhat cause men haue to glory of the gifts of God, and of vvhat qua∣litie, and vvhiche be those men that ought to be most esteemed.

M.

I Sée nowe well that men haue no greate occasion to glory in the giftes of God which they haue receyued, if they haue not receyued those same, whereby they may be made the children of God, and made like to him, in goodnesse, iustice and holynesse, and by whose meanes they are fashioned and framed to make all the others to serue to his glory, who hath gi∣uen them vnto them, cōsidering that they serue them not but to greater condemna∣tion, if that they haue not those which are the principall.

P.

There is yet this more,

that withoute these giftes whereof thou speakest, the most excellente and most of estimation in the world may not greatly glory in any thing whatsoeuer, wherein the deuill hath not more iust occasion to glory than they, yea verily, if they should prophecie or shoulde do miracles.

M.

And yet mē do muche more estéeme those same gifts, and power, knowledge, wisedome, eloquence and such like gifts, than they do goodnesse, iustice, holynesse, innocencie, & such other vertues which followe and ac∣companie them. For if a man be but an honest and vertuous man, not hauing those other gifts which are of more great shewe before men, and whiche men haue in greater admiration, he shall not bée estéemed, but shall bée contemned as a poore vile and abiecte man. On the con∣trarye if a man haue these other giftes, althoughe he bée otherwyse vyciouse and wicked, yet shall hée bée euermore estéemed and aduaunced among men.

Peter.

I confesse that whiche thou sayest. And so by the same verye meane the Deuyll myghte bée preferred vnto the honestest manne of the worlde. For as

I haue alredy sayd, he is more excellente than any man in all those thinges wherof the most braue and most excellente of the world may glory and vaunte them.

M.

I sée well they do greatly deceiue thēselues therein, & that an honest man, which hath the true feare of God and liueth holy, is much more to be estéemed, than al y^e most mightie, skilfull, wise, experimented and discréete, and all the most excellent that a man mought finde in all things, if y^e feare of God, goodnesse, iustice and holynesse be wanting.

P.

Thou concludest very well. And therfore Iesus Christ sayd to hys A∣postles, whiche did glory bycause the de∣uills were subiect to them, by meane of y^e gifte of miracle which was giuē to them: Reioice not,* 1.13 saide he, in that that, the spi∣rites are subiecte to you, but reioyce in that that your names are writtē in Hea∣uen.

M.

What meaneth he thereby?

Pe.

That they should much more estéeme the fauoure whiche God had shewed vnto them in that that he had chosen them to bée his children and heires,* 1.14 and that hée had made them partakers of the giftes, by meane whereof they haue obtayned such

a benefite, than in that that he gaue them the gifte of miracles, yea indéede, than in that that he made them Apostles. For Iudas was chosen an Apostle, and had the gifte of prophecie and of miracles, as we haue alredy sayde, but for that he was not of the true chosen which were chosen to be the children of God, the gifts which he had receiued of him serued him not but only to more greiuous condemnation. And therefore Iesus Christe did call hym Deuill, bycause he had not those other more excellente giftes of God,* 1.15 by whiche he moughte haue béene reformed to hys Image as the other Apostles were.

M.

Thou touchest here thinges whyche doo well deserue to be noted, to the ende that we please not our selues nor glory at all but in the grace that God doth shewe vs in Iesus Christe.

Peter.

For that cause Saincte Paule dothe also witnesse, that if a man had the gifte of tongues in so great perfection that he could speake the very language of Angells,* 1.16 and although he coulde by the gyfte of miracle remoue mountaines from one place to an other, yet notwithstanding it should be nothing

if he had not charitie, the which doth testi∣fie, that there is true faith in the man that hath it, but also maketh the man like vn∣to God,* 1.17 insomuch as Sainct Iohn saith, he is charitie it selfe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth. 11 b Luke. 7. d
• * 1.2

  Iohn. 10. g Exod. 7.8.9.10. 1. Kings. 17. d 2. King. 1. c.d 2. a. 4. f.g. 5. c. d. 6. c
• * 1.3

  Matth. 7. d These are cō∣mrers, sorce∣rers, and suche lyke,
• * 1.4

  Numeri. 23. a 6. a. 24. a 2. Pet. 2. d 1 Sam. 19. a ••••hn. 11. g Matth. 10. a Luke. 9. a
• * 1.5

  Rom. 1. c
• * 1.6

  Deuter. 6. a. Matth. 22. d Luke. 10. c.
• * 1.7

  1. Cor. 2. b Act. 3. c.
• * 1.8

  Matth. 12. b Iohn. 5. g ••. g.
• * 1.9

  Act. 8. a. 9. a 1. Tim. 1. c
• * 1.10

  1. Tim. 1. c
• * 1.11

  Rom. 10. ••
• * 1.12

  Matth. 12. ••
• * 1.13

  Luke. 10. d
• * 1.14

  Iohn. 17. b.
• * 1.15

  Iohn. 6. g.
• * 1.16

  1. Cor. 13. a
• * 1.17

  1. Iohn. 4. b.