A Christian Instruction Containing the Law and the Gospel, Exposition 1 · Dialogue 11
The eleuenth Dialogue is of the gifts of the holie Ghoſte, belonging to the only elect.
Of the number of the gifts of the holy ghoſt, & of the diſtributiō of them.
MATHEVV.
HOwe manye be the giftes of the holy Ghoſt?
P.
If then couldeſt number all the graces whyche God giueth vntounto men, thou moughteſt alſo number al the gifts of ye holy ghoſt.
M.
It foloweth then that there is no number certain.
P.
No in deede, excepte we wil preſume to number that which is infinite.
M.
That notwithſtanding, it ſeemeth to me that the Theologians accompte ordinarily ſeauen giftes and graces of the holy Ghoſte.
Peter.
Theſe Theologians of whom thou ſpeakeſt, are Papiſticall Theologians, whiche knowe neyther what is the holye Ghoſte, nor yet his giftes, and therefore leſſe the numbre of them. But bycauſe they hauehave read neare ſuche a number of giftes of the holie Ghoſte, in the paſſage of Eſaiah, which I euen nowe alledged, they hauehave concluded, that they were all comprehended in that number, or at the leaſt they ſaye ſo.
M.
Thou haſt yet for all that a number of others, whiche are not there comprehended. Saincte Paule ſpeaketh yet of many others chéefly in the Epiſtles written to the Romans,Ro. 12. b. c 1. Cor. 12. a b. & to the Corinths, which ar not comprehended in this nūber, as ar ye gifts of tōgs, of prophecie, of healing, & ſuche like, which he ſaith are all of one ſelfe ſpirite, whiche giueth and diſtributeth to eueryevery man according as is expedient for him.
M.
He dothe not then diſtribute them all to eueryevery man.
P.
Séeing he dothe diſtribute them according as it is expedient, it followeth, that he diſtributeth to eueryevery man ſo much as is neceſſarie.
Of the diuerſitie of the giftes of the holie Ghoſte, and of the difference of them.
M.
SEing hée diſtributeth them not to all, it followeth then that they bée not all neceſſarie to mans ſaluation. For if they were all neceſſarie therevnto, no man coulde be ſaued, except he had them all.
P.
Thou haſt here to note, that albeit there is but one onelyonly and one very ſpirite of God, whiche diſtributeth all hys giftes, yet notwithſtanding his giftes bée diuers. Wherefore there muſte be difference put betwene them.
M.
How takeſt thou this difference?
P.
In that that ther be ſome that are ſo neceſſarie to euerye mans ſaluation, that no man can be ſaued except he be made partaker of them in his proper perſon.
M.
Be there others without the whiche we may well be?
P.
There is none but they be verye profitable and neceſſarie to the Churche. For if they were not profitable and neceſſarye, they ſhoulde be ſuperfluous and vaine: whiche thing we may not thinke of god. For he hath not doone and ordeyned any thing without good and iuſt cauſe, without neceſſitie or greate profite and commoditie.
M.
I doe well vnderſtand it ſo.
P.
And therefore we muſt here conſider, that a thing may bée profitable and neceſſarie in two ſortes.
M.
Whiche is the firſt?
P.
I wil giuegive thée example touching the giftes whereof wée ſpeake: For there be ſome whiche profyte nothing, but only to thoſe which hauehave them in their own perſon, and withoute the whiche none may be agréeable to God nor ſaued. Ther be others whiche may profite thoſe whiche hauehave them not, and not thoſe whiche hauehave them, albeit they hauehave them not in their owne perſones: and the Infidells may hauehave them, and they not ſerue them but to their condemnation.
Of the giftes of the holie Ghoſte neceſſarie for euerie man to obtayn ſaluation therby.
M.
GIueGive mée example of the one ſort, & of the other.Rom. 3.4. a &. 5. a Gal. 2. a. Rom. 8. c
P.
For the firſt, ſéeing that none can be iuſtified nor be made the Sonne of God but onelyonly by fayth in Ieſus Chriſte, it foloweth well, yt none can be ſaued without this gifte of faith. And therfore S. Paule doth call this gift and grace of God, the ſpirite of adoption, by the whiche hée adopteth vsus for his children in Ieſus Chriſte, by the meane and worke of his holie Spirite.
Mathevv.
What vnderſtandeſt thou by that adoption?
Pet.
Thou knoweſt well that men doe call children adoptiue, thoſe whiche be not naturall children to them whiche doe chooſe and accepte them for their children: but they are it onelyonly by the louelove and fauoure of him whiche taketh them for his children, and giueth them ſuche righte as he mought giuegive to his naturall children.
M.
Sayeſt thou then that the lyke is with vsus towarde God?Ephe. 2. a Iohn. 1. b. Ephe. 1. b.
P.
Séeing that of nature wée be the chyldren of wrathe, it dothe then folow that wée bée not Gods naturall children, but that hée maketh vsus his children, and accompteth vsus for ſuch by his onelyonly grace, which hée ſheweth vsus bicauſe of the louelove wherwith he hath loued vsus in his welbeloued Son Ieſus Chriſt, without any of our deſeruings, but wholly the cōtrarie.
M.
Thou calleſt then that grace & that gift of God, Spirite of adoption?
P.
S. Paule calleth it ſo, for thoſe cauſes which I hauehave alredie declared vntounto thée.
M.
Séeing it is ſo, there is no one of all the elect of God whyche is not made partaker of thys gifte.Rom. …. f
P.
Forſomuche as God hathe predeſtinate all his choſen, to make them lyke to his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, and enheritors of his heauenly kingdome wyth him, ther is no doubt but yt this gift is ſo ioyned wt the eternal election of God, yt it may in no wiſe be ſeparate, no more than the effect from his cauſe.
M.
It foloweth then yt this gift is cōmon to al the elect of God, and propre to eueryevery of them, & that on the contrarye, all the reprobates are cléerely ſhutte from it. It is certaine that the reprobates are neuer made partakers of thys gyft: For if they were made duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page partakers, it ſhould be a very ſure teſtimonie that they were of the elect, and not of the refuſed: forſomuche as it is written, that they whiche are choſen, are choſen to be afterwarde called,Rom. 8. f iuſtified, and glorified, and to be made fully lyke the Sonne of God.
M.
Wilte thou ſaye the lyke of the gifte of fayth?
P.
Not only of the gift of faith, but alſo of the gift of charitie, of hope, of the feare of God, and of perſeuerance, and other ſuch lyke, which are in ſuche ſorte propre to the electe of God, that none others are made partakers of them.
VVhether charitie iuſtifie with faithe, or elſe faith onelyonly, and what difference there is betwene faith and charitie in ſuche a caſe.
M.
IF it be ſo as thou ſayeſt, we are not then ſaued onelyonly by faith, but alſo by charitie, and conſequently by works, and by all the other vertues which thou haſte nowe named.
P.
Why ſayeſt thou ſo?
M.
Bicauſe that thou haſte placed thoſe ſame vertues among the giftes of the ſpirite of God, which are neceſſarye to ſaluation.
P.
In this thou haſt to conſider, the difference that is betwene the cauſe and his effects.
M.
I vnderſtand not what thou wouldeſt ſay.Rom. 8. e.
P.
I wil ſay that the gifte of faith is neceſſary for our ſaluation, as the gifte which Saincte Paule doth call the ſpirite of adoption, bycauſe that faith is the meane whereby me doe communicate of the iuſtice and of all the benefites of Ieſus Chriſt, as we hauehave declared heretofore. And therefore the holy ſcripture doth aſcribe vntounto it iuſtificatiō.
M.
What ſayeſt thou then of charitie?
P.
I ſay that it is a gifte which dependeth of the gifte of faith, as the effect of his cauſe, and as the frute of the frée which bringeth it foorthe.
M.
But for ſomuche as charitie cannot be ſeparated from faith, if faythe be true faith, it followeth then, that if we cannot be iuſtified without faith, no more may we then alſo without charitie neyther conſequently be ſaued withoute the one and the other, ſéeing that our ſaluation procéedeth of our iuſtification.
P.
It ſéemeth at the firſt ſight that thy concluſion is rightly framed, but it is farre wide.
M.
Shew me then the fault that is in it.
P.
Shouldeſt thou conclude well, if thou diddeſt conclude in this ſorte: The light of the fire cannot be ſeparated from hys heate, it followeth then that the light cā not ſhyne withoute heate, and that the heate doth ſhyne as well as the light?
M.
Me thinketh if I did ſo conclude it were not muche amiſſe.
P.
That notwithſtanding in making ſuche a concluſion thou ſhouldeſt confounde the things which are diſtinguiſhed. For albeit that the lighte and the heate be in the fire ioyned togither, as they are alſo in the Sunne, yet thou ſéeſt plainely, that the office and propertie of the light is other than that of the heate, and that of the heate other than that of the light, and that the effects alſo be diuers.
M.
It is true.
P.
And therefore, eyther they muſt be diſtinguiſhed the one from the other, without ſeparating of thē notwithſtanding, or elſe they muſt bée ſo confounded togither, that it muſt be one very thing, to witte all light or all heate.
M.
Thou meaneſt in myne opinion, that albeit that faithe can not be ſeparated from charitie, yet for all that it is ſo diſtinguiſhed from the ſame, that it hath an other office and an other proprietie, than hath charitie.
P.
It is eaſie to ſée. For the office of faith is to preſent vsus before God all naked and voyde of all iuſtice, and in his promiſes to take holde of his graces and merciemercy, the whiche he offereth to vsus in Ieſus Chriſte his ſonne, by whoſe meane we hauehave communion with hym, and are made partakers of all his benefites, as we hauehave already declared.
Ma.
Thy meaning is then that charitie hathe not that office.
Peter.
It is true. For albeit that faithe cannot bée withoute charitie, yet faithe goeth before it in order, the whiche doth engender it afterwarde.
Mathevve.
How ſo?Iames. 2. d
Peter.
After that we are made partakers of the benefites of Ieſus Chryſte thorough faythe, after that GOD by the ſame hathe iuſtified vsus by his holye Spirite in Ieſus Chryſte oure Lorde, he dothe alſo ſanctifye vsus, communicating vntounto vsus his gyftes and Graces whyche are the frutes of Faythe, to the ende that we ſhoulde bée dedicated and conſecrated vntounto hym all the dayes of our lyfe, to ſerue and honour hym as hys childrē, regenerate by his holy ſpirite into a newe life.
Ma.
Thou doeſt reporte faith to iuſtification, and charitie to the worke of ſanctification whiche are both works of the holy Ghoſt.
P.
Thou maieſt vnderſtand it by the diſcourſe whiche we hauehave already made of iuſtification and ſanctification.
In vvhat ſorte charitie is neceſſary to ſaluation.
M.
CHaritie is not then neceſſarie to ſaluation, nor other like vertues, but faith only.
P.
It is neceſſary there vntounto and not neceſſary.
M.
I do not well vnderſtand this ſpeache, for it is contrary in it ſelfe.
P.
I ſay yt faith is neceſſary therevnto as cauſe of ſaluation, withoute the whiche we cannot obtayne it, for the cauſes which I hauehave alredy declared. For ſomuch as it is the inſtrument the whiche the holy Ghoſte giueth vsus wherewith to receiue him, when he is offered vntounto vsus by Ieſus Chriſt, and the meane whereby he doth communicate him to vsus in hym and by him. But charitie is not there ioyned as a cauſe of ſaluation, without the which we cannot be partakers of it, but as a thing ioyned vntounto it, the whiche followeth faith in ſuche ſorte, whiche is the true cauſe of ſaluation, as I hauehave already ſayde, that ſhe cannot be ſeparate, no more than the heate from the lighte, or the mouing or féeling from the life and from the ſoule. But yet notwithſtandyng we hauehave not ſaluation thereby, no more than brightneſſe by the heate, the whiche we hauehave of the lighte, or elſe life by the motion and féeling.
M.
Charitie then and good workes may not be taken for cauſes, by the which, or by whoſe meane we obtaine ſaluation, but onelyonly ſo farre as they cannot be ſeparated frō true faith,Iames. 2. d by the which we ar made partakers of it.
P.
It is euen ſo.
M.
Thou haſt here opened vntounto me one point that was very harde to vnderſtande, the whiche ſéemeth to me very well worthy to be diligently noted. For there bée fewe whiche do well vnderſtande it.
Peter.
If all men did well vnderſtande it, there woulde be no more differente betwene the Chriſtians touching iuſtification, and touching faith and workes, and grace and merites, and the cauſes of oure ſaluation for that whiche we hauehave ſayde of charitie, is alſo vnderſtoode, of all the other vertues and workes of the regenerate man, as I hauehave alredy ſayde, whiche are the frutes the which Saincte Paule doth call the frutes of the ſpirite,Galath. 5. c.d. and the which he doth oppone to ye frutes of the fleſh.
Of the regeneration of a Chriſtian man.
M.
SEing that thou arte lighted vppon the pointe of regeneration, me thinketh that it ſhould be alſo comprehended among thoſe giftes of the holy Ghoſt, the which thou ſayeſt do belong but to the elect of God, and be ſo neceſſarie to ſaluation, that none may attayne vntounto it without them.
P.
It muſt be ſo vnderſtoode, for it is of the chiefe of them, and in very déede it is the principall pointe whiche maketh vsus to vnderſtande the cauſe, why we do cal worke of viuification and ſanctification that thirde worke of God, whereby we ſay that God hathe declared himſelfe vntounto men.
Ma.
Expounde the ſame to me ſomewhat more plainely.
P.
Thys worde of regeneration, as thou mayeſt well vnderſtande, emporteth as muche, as a man moughte ſaye newe birth, as if after that we are once borne, we are borne yet agayne.
Mathevve.
I ſée well that the worde of regeneration, importeth euen ſo.
Peter.
And therefore it importeth foorthwith a reformation of the man, whiche is a riſing agayne from the deade, whiche is wroughte in the Spirite, as the laſt reſurrection ſhall be wroughte in the fleſhe.
Mathevve.
What meaneſt thou by that reſurrection of the Spirite?
Peter.
Séeing that thorough ſinne man is deade of ſpirituall death, whiche bringeth afterwarde death of the body, he is as it were riſen from that deathe, when by Ieſus Chriſte he is in ſuche ſorte delyuered from ſinne, that he is by the vertue of hys holye Spirite made as it were a manne thoroughly newe, or as a manne who hauinge béene deade ſhoulde hauehave recouered hys lyfe, and ſhoulde bée rayſed agayne.
Mathevve.
Thou putteſt then ſo great difference betwene the man whiche abideth ſtill in his firſte nature corrupted through ſinne, and hée which is deliuered from the ſame corruption, and is quickened and regenerated by the holy Ghoſte, as thou putteſt betwene a dead and a liuing man.
P.
There is no difference, but in aſmuch as the ſpirituall death is much more worthy to be called death, than is the corporall death, and that the eſtate of the man dead thorough ſinne, is much more perillous and daungerous than is the eſtate of the man which is dead but bodily.
Of the life of the regenerate man.
M.
Séeing that man is as it were riſen from death and borne a new, when he is regenerate by the holy Ghoſt, it followeth then neceſſarily that he do other works, after that he is regenerate, than he did before his regeneration.
P.
Thou mayeſt wel vnderſtand that if there be ſo greate differēce betwene the mā regenerate & the not regenerate, as is betweene a dead and a liuing man, it muſt alſo neceſſarily come to paſſe, that there bee as great difference betwene the workes of the one and the other.Iohn. 3. …
M.
I do euen ſo vnderſtand it.
P.
And therfore Ieſus Chryſt hath ſayd, that what is borne of fleſhe is fleſhe, and what is borne of the ſpirite is ſpirit. For euen as a dead bodie can bring forth but infection and corruption, euen ſo on the contrary, a liuing body doth the works of lyfe, bicauſe of the liuing ſoule that he hath more than hath the dead bodie.
M.
It foloweth then, that the faith wherby man is viuified and regenerate, is vntounto him as the ſoule, which bringeth to him ſpiritual life, and that the vnfaithful, and not regenerate man, is as a body without a ſoule.Abac. 2. a Rom. 1. b
P.
S. Paule following the prophet Abacuk, giueth thée playnly to vnderſtand that it is ſo, by that whiche he ſayth: The iuſt man ſhall liue of his faith. Wherefore if the iuſt man do liue of his faith, it followeth then, that Faith is to his ſoule, to giuegive it ſpirituall lyfe, that whiche the naturall ſoule is to the bodie, to giuegive it corporall lyfe.
Mathevv.
There are then two things to be conſidered in the regenerate & ſpiritual man: to wit, Faith which is in him as the ſoule whiche giueth him ſpiritual lyfe, euen as the ſoule naturall which giueth corporall lyfe to ye body, & then the workes of ye ſpirite are ioyned to it, which are the works of faith, which is the ſpiritual ſoule, euen as the works of life, procéeding from the ſoule are in the liuing man.
Peter.
Thou mayſt well iudge, that as the liuing man hath not onelyonly lyfe, but alſo mouing and féeling by the power of the ſoule that is in him, euen ſo the mā regenerate by the ſpirite of God, is diſpoſed by the ſame to doe ſpirituall works, which are the workes of lyfe, where as he did the works of death, whileſt he was dead thorow ſinne not being regenerate by ye ſpirite of God.