what we ought to beleue that his mercye is shewed in them that are delyuered and hys truthe in them that are punyshed neither let vs go aboute to serche out suche thynges as are vnsercheable nor to fynde out suche thynges as are paste fynding out For out of the mouthe of infantes and suckelynges he hath made perfyte hys prayse Psal 8. that that which we perceyue in them whose delyueraunce no good merites of theirs wente before and in them whose damnacion only original synne cōmon to them bothe wente before the same we should not doubt to be done to them also that be of age discrecion that is to saye that we should not thynke Grace is not geuē to ani mā for hys merites either that grace is geuen to any man for his merites or that any man is punyshed but for his merites whether that they whych are delyuered and punyshed haue theyr euel causes lyke or vnlyke that he that semeth to stande should take hede that he fall not and that he that doth glorye 1. Cor. 10. Iere. 9. should not glorye in hymselfe but in the Lord. But why can not these men abyde as ye wryte that the cause of infātes should be brought forth for an ensample of suche The Pelagians and Maniches deny original syn as are of age and discrecion whyche doubte not to confesse agaynst the Pelagians original sinne that thoroughe one man entered into the worlde and that by one man damnacion is come vpon all men The which also the Manicheis do not allowe which haue in no reuerence not only the scriptures of thold testament but also they do receiue the scriptures that belonge to the newe testament after suche a maner that by a certaine priuilege of their owne yea rather sacrilege they allowe what they wyl what they wyll not allowe they reiecte Agaynste whome I wrote in my boke of fre choise out of the whych these brethren thynke to prescribe against vs. Prescripcion Therfore would I not clearly dissolue the moste besy and harde questions that ther happened lest my worke should haue bē to longe wheras the authorite of Goddes worde dyd not helpe me agaynst these that are so peruerse and wycked And I could haue concluded as I dyd wyth an vndoubted reason whyche soeuer of these should be true whyche I dyd not then determinatlye auonche that God ought to be praysed in al thinges The wicked heresie of the Maniches wythout any necessitie to beleue that there should be two coeternall substances of good euell myngled together Furthermore in the fyrst boke of retractacions whych worke of myne you haue not yet redde whē I was come to the retracting of the same bokes of free choise thus I spake In these bokes I saye many thynges are disputed after suche a maner that certein questions happenyng whiche I was not either able to dissolne or els required at that present a longe declaraciō myght be to that ende deferred that vpon both partes or vpon euery of the partes of the same questions it dyd not appeare what was moste consonant vnto the trueth oure disputacion myght be yet concluded vpon thys point that whyche soeuer parte should be true men myght beleue and also perceiue that God oughte to be praysed The fountaine of euell That disputacion was takē in hande for theyr sakes whych denye that euel do originally sprynge of the free choise of wyl and do contende that God yf thys be so the creator of all natures oughte to be blamed willynge by thys meane accordyng to their vngodlye error for they are Manitheis to bring in a certeine nature of euel vnchaungeable and coeternal to God In lyke maner a lytle after in an other place After these it was declared sayde I oute of what mysery moste iustly throwē vpon synners the grace of God dyd delyuer because mā was able willyngly that is by free choise to fall but not in lyke maner to ryse agayne vnto whych mysery of iust damnacion ignorance and difficultie do apperteine Difficulte troble painfulnes daūger trauel whych euery mā do suffer from the beginnynge of his natiuite neither is any man delyuered from thys euell but by the grace of God The whych myserye the Pelagians would not haue to sprynge of iuste damnacion denyeng originall synne Altho ignoraunce and difficultie dyd apperteine vnto man in their natural beginninges yet ought not God to be blamed but praysed as in the same thyrde boke we haue disputed The whiche disputacion ought to be had agaynst the Manicheis whych do not allowe the holy scriptures of the olde testament wherin original synne is declared And what soeuer is redde in thapostles wrytynges that is taken out of tholde testament they contende with detestable vnshamefastnes that it was thruste in of them that corrupted the scriptures as tho it had not be spoken of thapostles But agaynst the Pelagians that ought to be defended that both the newe testament and tholde do approue whyche they professe that they do allowe These wordes dyd I speake in the fyrst boke of my retractacions when I retracted my bokes of fre choyse Neither are these thynges only there spoken of me cōcerning these bokes but many other also whych I thought to longe and not necessarye to be put into thys worke written to you whych I thinke you wyl also iuge after ye haue redde altogether All tho we dyd then so dispute of infantes in the thirde boke of fre choise that notwithstandynge that were true whych the Pelagians do afferme that ignoraunce and difficultie without whych no man is borne be the begynnynges not the punishmentes of nature yet shoulde the Manicheis be ouercome whiche wyl haue two natures of good and euell to be coeternall shoulde therfore the faythe be called into doubt or els forsaken whyche the catholyke church do defēde against the selfe Pelagians which do confesse original synne the gylt wherof is drawen by the fyrst byrth and losed by the seconde byrth But yf they also together wyth vs do acknowlege thys that we may bothe together in thys matter destroye the Pelagians error Why thynke they that it should be doubted that God doth also delyuer from the power of darkenes Collo i. and dothe transtate into the kyngdōe of the bryghtenes of hys sonne those infantes vnto whome thorow the sacramēt of baptisme he hath geuen his grace Grace is not geuē to all In that then that he geueth this grace to some but to some he dothe not gyue it why wil they not syng vnto the Lorde mercye and iudgement But why thys grace is rather gyuen to some then to other who hathe knowen the Lorde hys mynde Roma 11 Who is able to serche out suche thynges as ar vnsercheable Who is able to finde out suche thinges as are paste fyndyng out The .xii. Chapter YT is therfore broughte to passe that the grace of Gōd is gyuen not accordynge to the
¶ Two bokes of the noble doctor and B. S. Augustine th one entiteled of the Predestinacion of saintes thother of perseueraunce vnto th ende whervnto are annexed the determinacions of two auncient generall Councelles confermyng the doctrine taught in these bokes by s Aug. all faythfully translated out of Laten into Englyshe by Iohn Scory the late B. of Chichester very necessary for al tymes but namely for oures wherin the Papistes Inabaptistes haue reuiued agayne the wycked opinions of the Pelagiās that extolled mās wyll merites agaynst the fre grace of Christe Yf ryghteousnes commeth by the lawe then Christ dyed in vayne Gala. 2. ¶ Reade fyrst and then iuge who haue preached the true catholyke doctrine of the Churche of Christ we or our aduersaries ¶ Vnto the Christean reader Iohn Scory the late B. of Chichester wysheth grace and peace frō God oure Father thorowe Iesu Christe our alone and onely mediator and Aduocate HE wrote not amysse whiche notynge thignorancie ingratitude and vanite of mās nature said that men cōmend prayse and wonder at thynges past and auncient they despyse and set nought by the thynges present whych they haue before their eyes and in their hādes they earnestly desyre and gredely couet thynges to come In the first we maye beholde mans ignorance because nothynge namely in religion and doctrine be it neuer so auncient is worthye any commendacion excepte the same be also grounded vpon truthe In the seconde we may consyder thingratitude of mā whych contemnynge goddes goodnes presently callyng all men to lyght lyfe and lybertie had rather abyde in darkenes death and bondage In the thyrde mans vanitie is bewrayed whych gapyng alwayes for newes is neuer cōtented nor satisfyed wyth the manyfest truthe obteyned and had The tyme of Christes cōuersacion in thys world wāted not these kyndes of men whych despysynge the present lyght of the worlde the foūtayne of lyfe truth Ioh. 8. whom they beheld wyth theyr eyes and handeled wyth theyr handes they commended and praysed the mooste auncient Moses with whome they knewe they sayd that God hadde talked wyth Ioh. 9. they made none ende of garnyshyng the monumentes and graues of the olde prophetes Mat. 23 and iuste men they bosted them selues to be the sonnes sede of olde father Abraham Ioh. 8. not for any loue or zeale they had to tholde fathers prophetes and their true worshippyng of God but onely for the hatered they bare to Christ and hys heauenly doctrine Wherfore God dyd after moste iustely accordyng to Christes threatnyng take away his kyngdome from them Mat. 21. and. 23. makynge theyr habitacion waste and desolate And bycause they loued not the truthe presently offered vnto them 2. Thes 3 be sene them streng delusion that they myght beleue lyes I came sayeth the sōne of God in my fathers name Ioh. 5. and ye receyued me not yf an other shall come in hys owne name hym wyll ye receyue Thus were the blynde vnthankfull and vayne Iues most iustely punyshed Whether our age be not ful of suche godles men I reporte me to thyne owne conscience gentle reader That God hathe in thys our age Ioel. 2. powred out aboūdant lye the manyfolde gyftes of hys holye spirite vpon the the chyldren of men to open our eyes that we myght be conuerted from darkenes to lyght and from the power of Satā vnto God Act. 20. that we myghte receyue the remission of sinnes and a felowshyp amonge them whych are sanctified thorowe fayth is more manyfest then the noone daye Neuerthelesse suche is the wylful ygnoraūce and vnthankfull vanite of mē that these present manyfolde and wonderfull gyftes of Goddes spirite beynge contemned and set at nought whyche we dayly se wyth our eyes hear wyth our eares and as it were grope wyth our handes they neuer cease cryenge fathers fathers the churche the churche to the intents onely to deface the cleare and open truthe reueled vnto their owne age They wolde make the worlde beleue that tholde auncient Ecclesiasticall wryters whose onely errores they adore and worship but the truthe whyche both they taught and we defende they either hyd and dissemble or els depraue and corrupt as they do the holy scriptures taught an other religion and an other waye of saluacion then was of late taught and by common consent and authoritie receyued in Englande in the dayes of the moste excellent and famous Henry the father and moste vertuouse and Godlye Edwarde the sonne the ryght myghtye and noble kynges lately of Englande whose moste worthy fames and memories tho some moste vngodly vnnaturally do continually endeuoure themselues by all maner of meanes to deface shall euermore cōtinue and be celebrate cōmended set out of all such as were their true and louyng subiectes They wolde I saye beare men in hande that in the dayes of these moste worthy kinges abhominable and new fangled doctrine was openly taught and a lyke religion receyued and vsed So vnthankfull they are vnto God for hys present benefites Neuertheles thou mayst euidētly perceyue deare brother by readyng of these bokes of S. Aug. whych I haue faythfully translated out of laten into Englysh wherunto I entend yf god wyl to adde an other entiteled of the spirit and letter what was thold doctrine of the catholyke churche touchynge our saluacion For teachynge and defendyng wherof chiefly accordyng to the truthe of the holy scriptures and the same auncient doctrine of the true catholyke church our aduersaries are not ashamed to saye that we the preachers that truely preached goddes holy worde in the dayes of thaffornamed moste noble kynges preached nothynge but newfangels and abhominable doctrine And therfore they thynke Ioh. 16. that they do God hye seruice to molest trouble vs in euery place to robbe and spoile vs of al maner of worldly lyuynges liberties and goodes to reuyle and slaunder vs to rayle and lye vpon vs openly euen in the pulpettes from the whych goddes holy worde ought onely to soude and be heard and not maliciouse slaūders and manyfest lyes These notwythstandynge they desyre to be coūted catholykes not onely vnlustly vsurpyng that name to them selues only but also vncharitably excludyng from the same al suche as be true catholykes in dede They haue many yeares iugled wyth the worlde vnder the tytle of the catholike church and notwythstandyng that by sondry meanes theyr leigerdemayne haue ben openly discouered wherby the moste parte of men perceyue well enowe theyr ypocrisie yet haue they nowe agayne put vpō theyr vnshamefast and horyshe face the vysar of the catholyke churche whiche S. Au. in these bokes do so pluck of that all men maye perceyue that in deprauyng the true catholyke dotrine of saluacion whyche we haue moste truely preached they shewe themselues to be the great hore that sytteth vpon many waters Apo. 17 the mother of horedome and abhominacions of the earth rather thē that catholike churche which is the
veray and only spouse of Christ Iesu our Lord Thou shalte therfore in these bokes gentle reader perceyue as I haue sayd the true catholyke doctrine of our saluacion and of all matters that depēde and are annexed to the same as what is the veray original cause of our saluaciō after what maner and sorte we are fyrst called vnto saluacion by what and whose meanes and deseruynges we so continue that we attayne the fruicion of the same in th end why al are not so called that they may folowe and obey the caller howe weake and vnable mans wyll is either to come to God or to continue in hym vnto th ende whether we be saued that is predestinate called iustifyed glorifyed frely thorowe the onely grace and fauoure of God by faythe in Christe Iesu or by the preceptes of good lyfe For thus S. August speaketh De spiritu littera Cap. 13. we conclude sayeth he that a man is not iustifyed by the preceptes of good lyfe but by the fayth of Iesu Christe That is not by the lawe of workes but by the lawe of fayth not by the letter but by the spirite not by the merites of dedes but by grace frely geuen I praye you whiche of vs all whych are iudged and proclamed by our aduersaries to be new fangled and lyeng preachers dyd euer preache more largely or otherwyse of the doctrine of saluacion and iustificacion then S. Aug. haue here wrytten I beseche the cōsyder and marke S. Aug. wordes well and then I doubt not but that thou shalt perceiue manyfestly that our aduersaries declare themselues moste shameles reprobates whyche are not afrayed in theyr frantyke furious mode to call that doctrine whych is onely auncient true and heauenly new fangled and abominable 2. Tim. 3 Neuertheles as the madnes of Iannes and Iambres that resysted Moses was euidēt vnto al mē euen so I doubt not but that thou mayest perceyue that S. Aug. dothe discouer here the madnes of these sorcerers whyche can none otherwyse beyng destitute of the trueth mayntayne their madnes but by violence and tyranny as theyr cruell enterpryses and procedinges do manyfestly declare to all the worlde thys daye That thou be not therfore deceyued and bewytched thorow their incantacions Gala. 3. reade diligētly I say these bokes of S. Aug. whervnto I haue in th ende annexed the determinaciō of two auncient councels that conferme the truthe of S. Aug. doctrine And yf any thynge peraduenture shall seame vnto the harde to be vnderstāde I wolde haue the to consyder that S. Aug. do in some places here intreat of goddes secret councelles and iugementes which can not be perceyued either by external senses 1. Cor. 2. Mat. 11. or naturall reason but by fayth only that beleueth and resteth in the true vnderstandynge of Goddes worde The beleuyng man therfore that calleth vpon God shal as easely vnderstande thys true catholyke doctrine of saluacion Ioh. 10. as the shepe knoweth the voyce of hys owne shepherd altho the wyse of the world that do peryshe whose vnbeleuynge myndes Satan hath blynded 2. Cor. 4. 1. Cor. 1. wyl esteme thys not onlye new fangled but also folyshe and abhominable Further yf any thynge that S. Au. here teacheth of the state of infantes that dye wythout baptime shal peraduenture offende the I muste desyre the diligently to wey and consyder bothe the horrible deformite of that originall synne wherin we were all borne Rom. 5. Psal 51. and also the moste iuste and secrete iugement of God vpon the chyldren of wrathe for the same whych S. Aug. in the .xii. chapter of thys seconde boke do set forthe moste playnly Ephe. 2. And thē I doubt not but that thou shall either be persuaded to credite also s Aug. in this mater or els thou wylt with quietnes modeste discent frō him For s Aug. intēded neuer either in these bokes or in any other tyrānically to cōpelle any mā as our aduersaries do to folow his iugement in religion but desyreth onely to be credited so far forth as a mā may perceyne that he dyd not erre That he was of thys mynde you maye in many places of hys other workes and namely in the. 21. chapter of thys seconde boke manyfestly se Neither haue I translated these bokes to call the from the certeine and infallible truthe and authoritie of Goddes worde to hange nowe vpon S. Aug. but that bothe thou and all other that wyll maye perceyue by the testimonye also of S. Aug. what was and is The cause of trāslatynge these bokes thold aūcient and true catholyke doctrine of the churche touchynge our saluacion whych cōsysteth vpon our eternall eleccion or predestinacion vocacion iustificacion and glorificacion as S. Paule testifieth to the Romanes wherby thou mayest the more truly iuge betwene vs oure aduersaries which cease not to crye out affermyng moste vntruly that we haue preached new fangled and abhominable doctrine But thys ought not to be passed ouer wyth silence that S. Aug. both in these bokes and in diuerse other places of hys workes do teache and afferme that infantes can not be saued wythout the receyuynge of the Sacramentes of Christes body and blood Of thys iudgement was also S. Cipriane wherby it is manyfest that in theyr dayes the Churche of Christe dyd vse to mynistre Theucariste to infantes The euchariste gyuen to infantes Thys was an olde and auncient tradiciō of the church And notwythstandyng that our aduersaries haue omitted the same as they do diuerse other suche lyke yet are not we so captiouse or so vncharitable eyther to condempne them for thys omission or to enforce that they shulde receiue the same tradicions againe Wherfore by right and equitie they ought to graūt that the churche of Englande accordyng to the lyberties of the same in the dayes of the moste noble and excellet princes Henry the .viii. and Edward the vi by cōmon consent of al the states of the realme and their supremest authorite in earthe vnder Christe myght omitte or chaunge tradiciōs in religion as it dyd altho the same were auncient and mencioned in olde wryters as longe as it dyd cōstitute or ordeyne nothyng against goddes wrytten worde Wherupon I may also iustly conclude that those our aduersaries whiche do nowe condemne the hole churche of Englande that was in the dayes of thafornamed kynges for omittyng or alteryng of tradiciōs that they wet false dissemblyng and pariured traitores against theyr moste naturall kynges and countreye malicious ypocrites against the true catholyke churche of Englād For what thing as touchyng the cōmen order for religion haue God cōmaunded by hys wrytten worde to be done that was then omitted except thonly vse of Christes true discipline whyche in dede was then resisted by some that haue ben and are by the iuste iugement of God compelled to submitte their neckes vnto the heuie burden and greuous yoke of Antechristes vicare a wretched
fortunate sucesse of their Antechristean kyngdome whyche is compared vnto an horne that hadde a grymme vysage and a mouthe speakynge presumpruouse thynges sayeth Dan. 7. I behelde and the same horne made battayle agaynst the sayntes yea and got the victorye of them vntyll the tyme that the olde aged came c. And agayne he sayeth he shall speake wordes agaynst the hyest of all he shall destroye the sayntes of the moost hyest and thynke that he maye chaunge tymes and lawes Iohn also in hys reuelation comparynge theyr Antechristean kyngdome vnto a beast that rose out of the Sea sayeth Apo. 13. And all the worlde wondered at the beast and they worshipped the Dragon whiche gaue power vnto the beast and they worshipped the beast sayeng Who is lyke vnto the beast who is able to warre wyth hym And ther was geuē vnto hym a mouth that speaketh greate thynges and blasphemyes and power was geuen vnto hym to do 42. monethes And he opened hys mouthe vnto blasphemy agaynst God to blaspheme hys name and hys tabernacle them that dwel in heauen And it was geuen vnto hym to make war wyth the saintes and to ouercome them And power was gyuen hym ouer all kynredes tonges and nacions and all that dwell vpon th earth worshipped hym whose names are not wryttē in the boke of lyfe of the lambe whych was kylled from the begynnyng of the world yf any mā haue an eare let hym heare Wherfore as it behoued that Christ shulde be delyuered into the handes of the wycked that the scriptures myghte be fulfylled that tolde aforehande of the same Euen so it muste nedes be that their antechristean kyngdome shulde preuaile as it doth and that they shulde make warre and ouercome Goddes churche as touchyng all worldly victory that may be had agaynst theyr bodyes and temporal lyues bothe that these scriptures suche lyke maye be fulfylled And also that we whyche vnthankfullye abused the moste gracious tyme of Goddes mercyful visitacion which haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde our God Dani. 9 to walcke in hys lawes whiche he layde before vs by hys seruauntes hys prophetes that faythfullye playnlye and earnestlye spake vnto our kynge hys coūcellers nobilitie and to all the people of the lande that they shulde conforme theyr lyues vnto the moste holy doctrine whych they dayly herde wyth their owne eares and redde wyth their eyes the we I saye whiche receyued the grace of the Gospel in vayne 1. Cor. 6. and made it a cloke of our wantō lustes gredy couetousnes 1. Pet. 2. vnsaciable ambicion myght be called thorowe thys affliccion vnto repentaunce For as the author of the seconde boke of the Machabees sayeth we haue thys grace more then other people that God doth not suffer vs longe to synne vnpunyshed lyke other nacions 2. mac 6. that when the daye of iugement cōmeth he maye punyshe them in the fulnes of theyr synnes c. Yf we synne he correcteth but he neuer wythdraweth his mercy frō vs and tho he punysheth wyth aduersitie yet dothe he neuer forsake hys people Therfore lykewyse as the luckey successe of the ydolatrose and wicked Moabites Cananites Philisteans Madianites Ammonites Ammorites Sidoniās Amelikites Philisteans Egiptiās Assirians Babilonians and other whyche they had agaynst Goddes people the chyldren of Israel dothe not proue that the false and supersticious religions of these abhominable ydolatrers wer gods true worshipping or that they were Goddes true churche euen so the luckey successe wherof oure aduersaries in their barbarous and cruel interprises do so muche bragge do neither proue theyr supersticious worshippinges to be true religion nor their moste bestly Sodome to be Christes true catholyke churche Yf thou be desyrous further to knowe Goddes wonderfull iugementes in prospering thongodly in thys worlde reade the .12 of Hieremye the .1 of Abacuc the .21 of Iob the .36 and the .72 psalmes And yf thou be in lykemaner willynge to knowe what afflictions and troubles tholde and propheticall churche suffred in thys lyfe reade the latter ende of the .ii. to the Hebrues But as for the Church of Christ she ought alwayes to prepare her selfe after then sample of her heade captaine Christ to denye her selfe and to take vp her crosse Mat. 16 and so to folowe hym into hys kyngdome Into the whyche she muste enter by sufferyng many troubles For thys is a true sayeng Actū 14. sayeth S. Paule yf we be dead with Christe we also shal liue wyth him 2. tim 2. yf we be pacient we shal also reigne wyth hym yf we denye hym he shall also denye vs. And agayne he sayeth all that wyl lyue godly in Christ Iesu muste suffer persecution 2. tim 3 Thys is therfore the very and true badge of Christes Churche Act. 5. Rom. 5. 2. Cor. 11. and. 12. wherof Peter thapostles reioysed wherof Paule dyd glory wherof we are at this present no more ashamed then we are of Christ crucifyed For because we do not suffer theyr raylynge lyes wrongfully enprisonments malicious pursutes euen vntyll banyshement from our natiue coūtrey barbarous and cruell robbynges and spoylynges of lādes houses lyuynges lyberties goodes we do not I saye suffer these moste bocherlye persecucions because we maye be truelye charged to be murtherers 1. pet 4. theues horemongers sodomites ydolaters or busye bodies in other mens matters but only because we are christeās glorieng onely in the Lorde Christ and in hys moste holy and precious death whyche we beleue alone wythout mans merites 1. Ioh. 2 or satisfactory Masses or other lyke inuencions what so euer to be oure redemption and satisfaction the Lorde Christ to be our onely omnisufficient redemer and mediator 1. timo 2. by whome and wyth whome vnto the Father and holy Gooste be all honor dominion and rule c. Anno. 1555. 10. Calen. Martij To the Reader LEt no man be troubled that S. Augustine maketh no mencion of thys worke that foloweth in his Retractacions He had his bokes of retractaciōs in hande / whē he wrote these as he himselfe doth witnesse in the secōde boke of thys matter The fyrst boke of the Predestinacion of saintes made by S Aurelius Augustine bishop of Hippone and translated into Englyshe by Iohn Scory the late bishop of Chichester Cap. i. VVe knowe that the Apostle haue sayd in his Epistle to the Philippians Philip. 3. It greueth me not to write one thinge to you For to you it is a sure thynge Notwithstandyng the same wrytinge to the Galathians when he sawe that he had sufficiently wrought that thynge amonge them which he perceyued to be necessary for them by the ministery of his doctrine he sayd Frō hence forth let no mā put me to busines or as it is red in many bokes let no mā trouble me Gala. 6. But I altho I do confesse that I am greued that ther is no place geuen to so many
manifest authorites of Goddes word wherby the grace of God is cōmended which is vtterly no grace yf it be geuen for our merites yet your diligence and brotherly loue most deare sonnes Prosper and Hilari Grace is no grace yf it be geuen for merites that wolde not haue these men so fondly erre insomoch that after so many bokes and epistles made of this matter yet agayne you desyre me to wryte of the same I do so muche loue as I am not able to expresse but that I loue it so muche as I ought I dare not afferme Wherfore lo I wryte vnto you agayne and althoo I am not nowe present with you yet by your meanes I take in hande agayne that thynge whyche I thought that I had sufficiently entreated already For when I had consydred youre letters me thought those brethren for whome ye are so Christeanlye carefull lest they should folowe the sayeng of the Poete which is let euery man trust to hym selfe and should fal into that which was not spokē by the Poete but by the Prophete Cursed is euery one that putteth hys trust in man ought to be handeled after that maner Iere. 17. Cursed is he that trusteth in man Phi. 3. as thapostel handeled them to whome he sayd and yf you be otherwyse mynded God shall open euen the same vnto you For they are yet deceiued in the question touchyng the predestinaciō of saintes But they haue wherby yf they be otherwyse mynded in thys matter God may reuele thys also vnto them yf they walke in that wherunto they are come Wherfore thapostell when he had sayd yf you be otherwyse mynded God shal open euen the same vnto you notwithstandyng sayeth he let vs procede in that wher vnto we are come But these our brethren for whō your godly charite is so careful are come vnto this point that they beleue with the Churche of Christe that mankynd is borne subiecte to the synne of the fyrst man and that no mā can be delyuered from this euel but only by the ryghteousnes of the seconde man They are also come vnto thys that they acknowlege that the wyl of mā is preuented by god his grace that no mā is able of himselfe either to begin or to finishe any good worke These thinges therfore whervnto they are come beyng retayned do seperate them farre from the Pelagiās error Wherfore yf they shall procede in these By what meanes a ma mai attaine to the true knoulege of al matters in religion the come in to controuersye and call vpon hym that geueth vnderstandynge yf they haue a wronge iugement of Predestinaciō God wil reuele also that matter vnto them notwithstādyng let vs also bestowe suche affection of loue and ministery of the worde as he whome we call vpon doth giue that we may in these bokes speake those thinges that may be mete and profitable for them For howe do we knowe whether parauenture our God by this our seruice wherby we serue them in the fre charitie of Christ wil bring thys thynge to passe The seconde Chapter FYrst therfore wy muste declare that Fayth where by we are Christians is the gyft of God yf neuerthelesse it were possible for vs to do this with more diligence thē we haue alredy done it in so many and so great bokes But now I perceyue that we muste make answer vnto them which say that the wytnesses of the holy scriptures whiche we haue alleged for this matter proue onely that we haue the selfe fayth of our selues but thencrease of it we haue of God as tho fayth were not geuen vs of God but onely encreased in vs of hym for that meryte sake that it began of vs. They do not therfore varye from that opinion which Pelagius hymselfe in the iugement of by shoppes in Palestina was compelled to condemne as the actes of the same do wytnesse that the grace of God was geuen accordyng to our merites as tho the beginning of our fayth apperteined not to the grace of God but rather that for the begynnyng sake it were added vnto vs that we might beleue more fully and perfytly and by this meane we should first geue vnto God the beginnynge of our fayth that we myght be recompensed with thencrease of the same and with what soeuer els we should faythfullye aske But against these why do we not rather heare who hath geuen vnto hym fyrst Rom. 11. and he shal be recōpensed agayne For of him and by hym and in hym are all thynges And therfore the very selfe begynnyng of our fayth of whome is it but onely of hym For not only other thynges this except are of hym but of hym and by hym and in hym are al thinges But who can saye that he whiche now haue begō to beleue do deserue nothing of hym in whome he dyd beleue wherby it is brought to passe that other thinges are nowe counted to be added as Goddes recompence to hym that haue deserued thus the grace of God is geuē according to our merites When thys was obiected against Pelagius he condemned it that he should not be cōdemned hymselfe It is a damnable opinion to afferme the grace of God to be geuen according to our merites Phil. 1 Whosoeuer therfore wyl vtterly auoyde this damnable opinion let hym truely vnderstande what thapostel sayeth vnto you it is geuen for Christes sake that not onely ye shoulde beleue on hym but also suffer for hys sake He teacheth that either of these is the gyft of God because that saieth he either is geuē Neither doth he say that ye myght beleue in him more fully and parfitly but that ye myght beleue in hym Neyther sayd he that he hym selfe obteyned mercy that he might be more fayth ful but that he myght be faythfull For because he knewe that he had not fyrst geuen vnto God the begynnynge of hys fayth and was recompensed of hym wyth thencrease of the same but that he was made faythfull of hym of whome he was also made an Apostell For the veray begynnynges also of his fayth are wrytten and are mooste manifest by the solemne readynge of them in the churche For he beynge contrary to the fayth whych he destroyed an exceadyng great enemy therof was sodēly by a more myghty grace cōuerted to the same he cōuertyng hym which was sayd by the prophet should worke thys conuersion Thou conuerting vs Psal 84. shalt quicken vs that not only of onwillinge he myghte be made willyng to beleue God graunt thys grace to al Magistrates that of ignoraunce thorow onbeleue do persecute the right christen fayth 2. Cor. 3. but also that of a persecutor he myght suffer persecucion in the defence of that fayth whych he dyd before persecute For it was geuē hym of Christ not onlye to beleue in hym but also to suffer for hym And therfore he praysyng thys grace which is not geuē for any merites but worketh al
therfore in his forknowledge chosen any mans workes which he should gyue hym but he hath in hys for knowlege chosen fayth so that he hath chosen hym whom he knewe aforhāde would beleue in hym to whō he myght geue the holy Goost that by workynge of good workes he myght also attaine to eternal lyfe I had not yet diligētly sought The cause why s Aug. continued solonge in this error Rom. 11. nor yet foūde out what maner a thing the election of grace was wherof the same Apostle sayeth The remnaunt are saued by the election of grace whych verely is no grace yf any merites at al go before it leste that whych is now geuen shoulde not be geuen accordyng to grace but rather as dewtye recompensed to merites Wherfore thys that I sayd immediatly For the same Apostle sayeth it is the selfe same God that worketh all in all 1. Cor. 12. but in no place it is sayde that God beleueth all in all and then after I added For in that we beleue it is our owne but in that we worke wel it is his that geueth the holy goost to them that beleue suerly I would not haue sayd thus yf I had then knowē that the self fayth had ben also founde amonge goddes gyftes whych are gyuen of the same spirite Both then are oures for the choise of wyl yet that notwythstandyng both are geuen thorowe the spirite of fayth and charitie For not charitie only but as it is wrytten Charitie with fayth frō God the Father and the Lorde Iesu Christ And where as a lytle after I sayd thus Ephe. 6. for to beleue and wyll is oures but to gyue to them that beleue and wyl power to worke well thorowe the holy goost by whome the loue of God is spred abrode in our hartes is his This is true but by the same rule both these are also his forbecause he doth prepare the wyl both are oures because they are not done excepte we be wyllyng And by this whiche I sayd also after For neither can we wyll except we be called and whē after callyng we shall wyl our wil and runnyng are not sufficient except God geueth strength to vs rūnyng and brynge vs thether whether he do cal vs And then after I concluded thus It is therfore manifest that it lyeth neither in the rūner nor in the wyller that we worke well but in God that hath mercye thys is a moste true sayeng Rom. 9. There is one peculier callīg that belōgeth only to gods chosen wherof is men on made Ro. 8. this is accordyng to the purpose of God But I dyd speake but lytle of that callyng whyche is wrought accordyng to the purpose of God For thys maner of callynge belongeth not to al that are called but onlye to the electe Therfore this that I sayd a lytle after For lykewyse as in them whome God hath chosen not workes but fayth begynneth the merite that they maye worke thorowe the gyft of God Euen so in them whome he condemne infidelitie and vngodlynes begynneth the merite of paine that by the self paine they may also worke wyckedly this I said moste truely but yet I sayd not that the merite of fayth was also the selfe gyft of God neither dyd I thynke it a thynge worthy to be enquyred for And in an other place For vpon whom sayd I he hath mercy he maketh hym to worke wel and whome he dothe harden he leaueth hym to worke euel But bothe that mercy is geuē to the merite of fayth goynge before and also thys harding to the precedynge wyckednes The whyche verely is true but yet we ought to haue serched further whether that also the merite of fayth do preuent gods mercy that is whether thys mercy is therfore only wrought in man because he was faythfull or whether it was also wrought that he myght be made faythfull 1. Timo. 1. For we reade as thapostle sayeth I haue opteined mercy that I myghte be made faythful he sayeth not because he was faythful It is then geuen vnto the faythful but it was also geuen that he myght be made faythfull Wherfore in an other place of the same boke I sayd most truly For yf not of workes but thorowe goddes mercy we be both called that we mai beleue and also when we beleue it is geuē vs that we maye worke well the Gentyls are not to be enuyed for this mercy neuerthelesse I dyd not there so diligently entreate of that callynge which is accordyng to goddes purpose as I ought to haue done The fourth Chapter YOu se verely what was then my iudgement of fayth workes althoo I traueled in the cōmendacion of god his grace in the which iugement I perceaue that these oure brethren are at thys present because they haue not so muche endeuoured thēselues to profyt and to go forwardes wyth me in readyng my bokes as they they haue in the onlye readyng of them The common fault of al papistes in redyng the doctores whyche gnawe only vpō their errors and depraue al that they haue writtē well as they do the scriptures For yf they had thus endeuored them selues they should haue founde this matter dissolued accordyng to the truth of the holy scriptures in the first boke of the two which I wrote in the begynninge of my Byshopryke vnto Simplitianus of blessed remembraunce by shop af the Churche of Millane successour vnto S. Ambrose except peraduenture they neuer sawe them Which yf it be so I pray you cause that they mai haue the sight of thē I dyd fyrste speake of the fyrst of these two bokes in the second boke of my retractacions where as my wordes by these Amōge the bokes sayd I which I made beyng Byshoppe I wrote the first two vnto Simplicianus byshop of the churche of Millane the successour of the moste blessed Ambrose of diuers questions wherof I bestowed two in my first boke that touche matters that are entreated to the Romanes The first of these questiōs is of that which is wrytten what shal we thē say is the lawe synne God forbyd Rom. 7. vnto that place where he sayeth who shal delyuer me frō this body of death The grace of God thorow Iesu Christ our Lord. These wordes of the Apostle the lawe is spiritual but I am carnal and the reste which declare the battayle betwene the spirite and the fleshe I dyd so expounde as thoo thapostle had described a man beyng yet vnder the lawe and not vnder grace For longe after I came to the knowlege that those wordes and that more truely myght be also vnderstand of the spiritual mā The latter question in this boke reacheth from that place where he sayeth neither was it so wyth her only Rom. 9. but also when Rebecca was with chylde by one I meane by our Father Isaac vntyl these wordes where he sayeth except the Lorde of hoostes hadde left vs seede we should haue ben made
profytable when that we are not deceyued or opprest but proued accordyng as it is sayd Psal 25. Proue me O Lorde and tempt me That tentacion therfore is hurtful whiche thapostle sygnifyed sayeng 1. Thes 3. lest paraduenture he that doth tempt should tempt you and our labour should be inuaine God as I sayd doth tempt no mā that is he bryngeth or leadeth no man into tentacion For to be tempted and yet not to be led into tentacion is not euel yea rather it is also good For this is none other but to be proued Where as thē we saye vnto God leade vs not into tētacion what do we saye els but suffre vs not to be ledde Wherfore many do praye after this maner suffer vs not to be ledde into tentacion and so is it redde in many bokes and so dothe blessed Cipriane allege it Neuertheles I haue not founde it in any place in the gospel wrytten in the Greke tonge after any other maner but after thys when are we in moste sauegarde leade vs not into tentacion We do then lyue in moste sauegarde yf we ascribe al vnto God But we do not committe our selues partlye to hym and partly to our selues whiche thynge thys reuerent martyr perceyued well enough For when he dyd expounde the same place of of the Lordes prayer after other thynges he sayd But when we do praye that we maye not come into tentacion we are put in mynde of our infirmite and weaknes when we so praye that no man shoulde arrogantlye extolle hymselfe that no man should proudly and arrogantly challēge any thynge to him selfe that no man should saye that either the glory of confession or of suffering were his owne seyng the Lorde hymselfe teachyng humilite sayd watche and pray that you cōe not into tentacion Mat. 26. The spirite is ready but the flēshe is weake that when we do humbly and mekelye fyrst knowledge our infirmite and attribute al vnto God what soeuer wyth his feare is humbly asked it maye be graunted thorow his mercye The .vii. Chapter YF therfore we had none other proue but onelye the Lordes prayer it would alone suffice to proue the matter of grace which we defende For it hathe lefte vs nothyng wherin as in our owne we maye glorye For this also that we should not departe from God it dothe declare to be the gyft only of God when it dothe teache vs to aske the same of God For he that is not ledde into tentacion dothe not departe from God But this lyeth not in the strength of fre choyse by anye meanes as the strength of it is nowe what power free wyl hath nowe notwithstādyng it was in man before his fal Nuertheles it dyd appeare in angels of what power the lybertie of wyll was in the dignitie of mans fyrst creacion which dyd abyde in the truthe whē the deuel with hysfel from the same and haue atteyued a perpetuall sauetye from fallyng wherin we are most certeine that they do nowe remayne Howe muche belonge to grace But after mans fall God would haue it apperteine onli to his grace that man maye come vnto him neither would he haue it belonge to any other thynge but to grace that man should not departe from him God hath put this grace in him in whō we haue optained the inheritaūce Ephe .i. predestinate accordyng to hys purpose that worketh al thynges and therfore as he worketh so that we maye come vnto hym So dothe he also worke that we should not departe from hym For the whiche cause it is sayde vnto hym by the prophete Psal 79. let thy hande be vpō the man of thy ryght hande and vpon the sonne of mā whome thou haste made stronge for thine owne selfe and we do not departe from thee Thys sonne of man verelye is not the fyrst Adā in whome we departed from God but thys is the laste Adam vpon whome was the hāde of God that we should not departe from hym For thys is hole Christ wyth his members The churche is Christes bodye Ephe. i. for hys church sake which is his body his fulnes When therfore the hande of God is vpon hym that we maye not departe from God certeinly goddes workyng do reache euen vnto vs. For thys is the hande of God for by Goddes workyng it is brought to passe that we may be in Christ abydyng with God not departing from God as we dyd in Adam For in Christ we haue optained the inheritaunce beynge predestinate according to hys purpose that worketh all thynges Thys therfore is the hande of God The had of God not our hande that we should not depart frō god Thys I say is his hande that said I wyll gyue my feare into their herte that they may not depart frō me Iere. 32. For the whych cause he would haue vs to aske also of him that we be not ledde into tentacion wherinto yf we be not brought we do not departe from hym by any maner of meanes The whych myght be geuē vnto vs also wythout prayer but he would haue vs to be admonished by our prayer of whom we may receiue these good gyftes For of whome els do we receyue them but of hym Vnto whōe we ought to praye of whom we are cōmaunded to aske them Let not the churche in any wyse loke for any labored and studyed disputacions in thys matter but let her marke well her dayly prayers She prayeth that the vnbeleuers maye beleue God doth therfore cōuerte them to the fayth She prayeth that those that beleue may continue God dothe therfore geue perseueraunce vnto th ende Thys dyd God knowe aforehande should come to passe The selfe same is the predestinacion of saintes whome he chase in Christe Ephe. i. before the makyng of the world that they might be holy and blameles in his syght in charitie predestinating them to make them hys sonnes by adoptiō thorowe Iesu Christe thorowe the self same according to the good pleasure of hys wyll vnto the prayse of the glory of hys grace wherby he hath made vs accepted in his beloued sonne in whome we haue redemption thorowe his blodde the remission of synnes accordyng to the ryches of his grace which was plentefully in them in all wysedōe and prudency that he might shewe vnto them the mystery of his wyl accordyng to his good wyl whych he purposed in hymselfe vntyl the tyme were full come to repaire al thynges by Christ bothe the thynges that are in heauen also that are in earth thorow hym Agaynst the truth mans doctrine ought not to be alowed by whō we are also made heires beynge predestinate according to his purpose that worketh all thynges Agaynst thys so shirle a trompe of the truthe what mā hauyng a sober and circumspecte fayth can allowe any mans doctrine The viii Chapter BVt why sayeth he is not the grace of God geuen accordyng to mens merites I aunswer because God is
mercyfull why grace is not geuen to all But why then sayeth he is not thys grace geuen to all Here also I anâ—were because God is a ryghtfull â—udge And therfore is grace geueÌ„â—f hym also frely and by his ryghtâ—ull iudgement in other it is declaâ—ed what benefyt they haue receyued by grace vnto whome it was geuen Let vs not then be vnthaÌ„kâ—ull that the mercyfull God dothe delyuer so many from so dewe daÌ„nacion accordyng to the good pleasure of hys wyll vnto the prayse of the glory of hys grace So that yf he delyuered no man from thence yet should he not be vniust For by one Roma 5. Ephe. 2. all men brought into condemnacion are ryghtfully and not vniustely iudged the chyldreÌ„ of wrath He therfore that is delyuered let hym loue grace he that is not delyuered let hym acknowlege dette Yf in the forgeuyng of dette be vnderstande mercy and in requiring the same be vnderstande iustice by no meanes is there sounde any iniquitie wyth God But why sayeth he not only among infantes but also amoÌ„g them that are borne at one tyme hauyng one the selfe same cause the iudgement is so diuerse Is it not a lyke question to aske why in a dyuerse cause ther is one iudgement Let vs therfore cal to remembraunce those labourers whyche laboured the hole daye in the vyneyard and those that laboured but an houre For the cause is dyuerse of the labour that was bestowed and neuertheles the iudgement in rendryng the rewarde is one Mat. 20. Dyd the murmurers in thys place also heare any other thynge of the good man of the house but thys I wyll For suche was hys lyber alite to some that he dyd no maner of wronge to the other And both these verely are in good thinges notwythstanding as touching that whycy apperteyneth to ryght fulnes and grace it maye be also truly sayd of the gylty that is delyuered I wyll and also it maye be sayd of hym that is damned Take that whyche is thyue and get the hence For I wyll gyue vnto this man that which is not due to him is it not lawfull for me to do what I wyl is thyne eye euel because I am good but yf he shal saye here why dyd not he gyue thys grace also to me he shall worthelye heare O man what arte thou that disputest wyth God Roma 9 whome thou doest certeily perceiue to be a most merciful geuer to one of you but to the a moste iuste exactor and demaunder neuertheles not vnryghtfull to neither of you For seynge he should be iuste altho he should punyshe you bothe he that is delyueted hath wherfore to gyue thaÌ„kes he that is damned hath nothynge that he maye reprehende But yf nowe sayeth he thys muste nedes be that in that al are not damned he myght declare what should be dewe to all and so he myghte more graciously coÌ„meÌ„de his grace in the vessels of mercye why in the selfe same cause wyl he rather punyshe me then hym or wyl delyuer hym rather then me To thys I make none aunswere Yf thou demaund why because I coÌ„fesse that I haue nothynge to saye Yf thou wylt also aske why because that as in this matter his pre is iuste so also hys mercy is great Vnsercheable iugementes and in lyke maner his iudgementes are vnsercheable He goeth on yet and demaundeth why hath he not geueÌ„ to some that haue truely worshipped hym perseueraunce vnto the ende Why thynkest thou but only because he lyeth not that sayeth 1. Ioan. 2 They wente out from amonge vs but they wer not of vs For yf they hadde ben of vs they would vndoubtedly haue continued wyth vs Are there then two natures of men God forbyd For yf there were two natures there should be no grace at all For the fre delyueraunce should not be geuen to any man yf it were dewe to be rendred to nature But it seameth in mans iudgement Mans iugemeÌ„t that all they that appeare to be good faythfull men ought to haue receyued perseueraunce vnto th ende But God hath iudged it better to myngle some that shall not continue amonge the appointed nomber of saintes that they should not lyue in securite Securite Vnto whome securite in the tentacion of thyslyfe is not expedient 1. Cor. 10. For thys sayeng of thapostle wherfore he that seame to staÌ„d let hym take hede that he fall not hath kept downe many from pernicious pryde For he that falleth falleth thorow hys owne wyl and he that standeth standeth thorowe the wyll of God For God is able to set hym vp he dothe not then set vp hym selfe but it is God that dothe thys Neuertheles it is good not to be hye mynded but to feare Rom. 12. For euery man dothe either stande or fall in his owne thought For as thapostle sayeth wherof we haue also made mencion in our former boke we are not able to thinke anithynge as of our selues 2. Corin. 3 but oure ablenes commeth of God Whome blessed Ambrose folowed Ambro. in his boke of fleyng the worlde cap. i. our thoughtes are not in oure owne power the whyche thynge euery one perceyueth to be moste true that hath humilitie and truthe ioyned together wyth godlynes But that Ambrose myght thus saye he spake it in that boke whyche he wrote of fleyng the world teachyng that thys worlde oughte to be fled not wyth the body but wyth the herte which he declared could not be done but only by the helpe of God For he sayeth we do many tymes speake of the fleyng of thys world and I woulde to God our affeccion were as ware and carefull aboute thys matter as it is easy for vs to speake therof but that which is worse the flickerynge inticement of earthy lustes do oftentymes crepe preuely in and the spreading abrod of vanities do occupye the mynde so that thou doest ymagyne thynke vpon that thyng whych thou woldest fayne eschewe whych is verye harde for a man to beware of but clearly to put awaye it is vnpossible Furthermore the Prophete do wytnesse that thys thynge may be desyred rather theÌ„ gotten sayeng Bowe my herte into thy testimonies Psa 118. not into couetousnes For our herte and thoughtes are not in our owne power whych beyng sodenly darkened do confounde the mynde vnderstandyng drawe them an other waye then thou dyd dest purpose They call them backe to the worlde they do intermingle worldly matters they throwe in voluptuouse pleasures they weaue in flickeryng entisementes and in the selfe same tyme that we go aboute to lyft vp the mynde we hauyng vaine thoughts engrafted in vs are often tymes throweÌ„ downe to earthy matters It lieth not therfore in the power of meÌ„ but in the power of God that meÌ„ may haue power to be made the sonnes of God Ioh. 1. For of hym do they receyue this power which do put into maÌ„s
dyd not receyue him the selfe same Euangelist declareth sayeng because hys face was Luce. 9. as thoughe he would go to Ierusalem the disciples verely desyred to be receyued into Samaria But God dothe call whome it pleaseth hym and maketh whom he wyl deuoute or religious what is more plaine what do we seke more euident of the interpretor of thys worde of God yf we delite to heare that also of them whych is manifest in the scriptures But to these two whyche ought to suffice let vs adde also a thyrde I meane holy Gregory whych do wytnesse bothe that to be leue in God Gregory nazianze ne not Gregory the. b. of Rome and also to cōfesse that whych we beleue is the gyft of God sayeng we beseche you that ye wil confesse the Trinitie of one Godhead But yf ye wyl otherwyse say ye that they be of one nature and God shal be beseched to gyue you a voice from hys holy spirite that is god shal be prayed vnto that he wil permitte suche a voice to be gyuen you wherby you may cōfesse that whych you beleue For I am certeine that he that hathe geuen the fyrst wyl gyue the seconde also he that hath geuen you beleue wyl gyue you also confession These excellent and noble doctors affermyng that ther is nothynge wherof we maye glory as of our owne which God hathe not gyuen vs and that not so muche as our owne herte thoughtes ar in our owne power but ascribyng all vnto God confessynge that we do receyue all of him that we may be conuerted vn to hym cōtinue vnto th ende that that whych is good maye also seame good vnto vs and that we may wil the same that we may honour God and receiue Christ that of vn dououte we maye be made deuoute and religious that we may beleue in the selfe Trinite confesse with mouth also that whych we beleue These certeinlye do they ascribe to goddes grace these do thei acknowlege to be Goddes gyftes They do wytnesse that we haue not these of our selues but of hym But wyl any man saye that these doctors did so confesse this grace of God that they durst deny his foreknowlege the whyche not onely the learned but also the vnlearned do confesse Furthermore yf they knewe that God dyd gyue these gyftes after suche a sorte that they were not ignoraūt that he knewe aforehande that he would gyue them and that he could not be ignoraūt to whome he would gyue them out of al dout they knewe predestinacion Thapostles preached predestinacion the whiche beyng preached by thapostles we defend agaynst newe heretikes wyth great payne and diligence yet neuertheles it could not be iustlye obiected agaynst thē preaching obedience and ernestly accordyng to their power exhortinge men to the same yf you wyll that obediēce whervnto ye exhorte vs shall not waxe colde in our herte preache no more this grace of God vnto vs whych we confesse that God doth gyue whervnto ye also exhorte vs that we maye do it The xx Chapter VVherfore yf both thapostles and also the doctors of the churche that succeded them and folowed their ensample dyd obserue bothe these thynges that is They dyd bothe truely preache the grace of God whych is not gyuen accordyng to oure merites and dyd also teache godly obediēce wyth holsome preceptes what is the cause that these our brethren beyng shutte vp wyth thinuineible power of the truthe do thynke that they themselues yet speake trulye sayeng altho that whych is spoken of the predestinacion of gods benefytes be true whether predestinacion ought to be preached yet ought it not to be preached vnto the people It ought to be preched in any wyse that they which haue eares to hear mai hear But who is that that hath eates of hearynge yf he haue not receyued them of hym whych sayeth I wyll gyue them an herte to knowe me and hearyng eares Truly let hym that taketh not refuse retect whiles yet he that taketh maye take drynke may drynke and lyue For lykewyse as godlynes ought to be preached that God may be trulye worshipped of hym that hath cares to heare Chastite ought to be preached that no vnlawfull thynge be commytted wyth the priuey members of hym the hath eares to heare Charitie ought to be preached that God and the neyghbour may be loued of him that hath eares to hear euen so also thys predestinacion of goddes benefites ought to be preached that he that hath eares to heare maye not glory in hymselfe but in the Lorde But where as they saye that ther was no nede to trouble so many hertes of suche as do not wel vnderstande wyth thys vncer teintie of suche disputacion because the catholike fayth hath bē no lesse profitably defended wythout thys determinacion of predestinacion so many yeres both agaynst other he retikes specially against the Pelagians as well wyth oure owne formare bokes as also wyth the bokes of many catholyke writters and others I maruel muche that they wyll thus speake and do not consyder the selfe bokes of oures that I maye at thys present passe ouer other mens with silence both written and publyshed before also the Pelagiās beganne to appeare wherin they may perceyue in how many places we not knowyng the Pelagians heresye to come dyd beleue in preachyng grace wherby God dothe delyuer vs from our euel errors and maners workynge thys not for our good merites goyng before but for hys owne free mercye The whyche thynge I beganne more fully to vnderstande S. Aug. was more sincere in doctrine after he was byshop then he was before God graunt that oure b. maye be so in that disputacion whych I wrote vnto Simplicianus of blessed remē braunce byshop of the churche of Millane in the beginninge of my byshopryche whē as I both knewe and also defended that the begynnynge of faythe was the gyfte of God For whyche of my workes could be better knowen and more gladly redde then the bokes of my confessions seyng I had also published them before the Pelagians he resye sprange vp In these bokes I sayd verely vnto our God and I sayd often gyue that thou commaundest and commaunde what thou wylt The whych my wordes Pelagius could not abyde when they wer rehersed of a certeine brother a felowbyshop of myne in his audiēce at Rome and he speakyng agaynst them somwhat angerly dyd almoste falle oute wyth hym that had recyted them But what els dothe God fyrst and chiefly cōmaunde vs but that we should beleue in hym and thys then doth he gyue yf it be well sayd vnto hym gyue that thou commaundest And in the same bokes also that I myght shewe my conuersion when God conuerted me vnto the fayth whiche I had wasted wyth moste myserable furious bablyng do you not remember that I declared the same after suche a sorte that I myght shewe that I was conuerted by the faythfull
and dayly teares of my mother that I shoulde not peryshe wheras I dyd certeinlye preache that God by hys grace do conuerte mens willes not such only as are turned from the ryght fayth but suche also as are aduersaries vnto the same Furthermore howe I prayed vnto God For perseueraunce that goeth forwardes ye bothe knowe can also declare when you lyste Who therfore I wyl not saye dare denye but dare once doubte that God knewe not a forehande that he would gyue all his gyftes whych I either desired or praysed in the same worke and that he could neuer be ignoraunt to whome he would gyue them Thys is the manifest and certeine predestinacion of saintes whyche necessitie after compelled vs to defende more diligently and painful lye when we dyd nowe dispute agaynst the Pelagians For we haue learned that euery heresye haue brought into the churche their proper doubtes The catholike doctorce confuted heretikes wht God desiwode against the whych the holy scripture myght be the more deligently defended then yf no suche necessitie had compelled For what is that that hath enforced the places of the scriptures where by predestinacion is commēded to be defended more largely and manyfestly by thys oure trauail but because the Pelagians saye that the grace of God is gyuen accordynge to our merites whyche what els is it but a manyfest and vtter denyeng of grace The .xxi. Chapter THat thys therfore opinion whyche displeaseth God myght be destroyed whyche is ennemye to the free benefytes of God wherby we are deliuered we haue defended by the holy scriptures out of the whych we haue now alleged many places that as well the gegynnyng of faith as also perseuerance in the same vnto th end are the gyftes of God For yf we do say that the begynnyng of fayth is of our selues that by it we maye deserue to receyue other gyftes of God the Pelagians do conclude that the grace of God is geuen accordyng to our merites The whiche the catholyke faith hath so muche abhorred that Pelagius fearynge to be condemned dyd hymselfe cōdemne it In lyke maner yf we saye that we haue oure perseueraunce not of the LORDE but of our selues they wyl answer that we haue aswel the beginnyng of fayth of our selues as th end reasonyng thus that we haue muche more of our selues that beginning of fayth yf we haue of oure selues the continuaunce in the same vnto th ende Forasmuche as to performe is more then to begynne and so in lyke maner they cōclude that the grace of God is gyuen according to our merites But yf bothe be the gyftes of God and that god knewe aforehande that he woulde gyue these his gyftes whych who can denye then ought predestinacion to be preached that the true grace of God that is whych is not geuen accordinge to oure merites maye be defended wyth an inuincible fortresse And I verely do suppose that in that boke whose tytle is of correccion and grace whych could not satisfye all our frendes that I haue so playnly declared that perseuerance also vnto th end is the gyft of God as I dyd either in no place or almoste no where before write the same so expressely and so manyfestly yf my memory do not faile me But I dyd not so speake these as tho no man before me had spoken the same For blessed Cipriane dyd so expounde oure peticions in the Lordes prayer as we haue before declared that in the selfe fyrit peticion he taught vs to aske perseueraunce affermynge that we prayde for thys when we sayd thy name be sanctifyed that forasmuche as we were alreadye sanctifyed by baptisme we myght continue in that wherein we had be gonne Neuertheles let these brethren consyder vnto whom for the good wyll they beare me I oughte not to be vnthākfull whych do professe as ye wryre that they do embrace all my doctrines excepte this that is nowe come into question let them I saye consydre whether in the latter part of my fyrst boke of the two bokes whych in the begynnynge of my byshopryche I wrote vnto Simplicianus byshop of Millane before the Pelagians heresie dyd appeare ther were left any thynge that myght cause this to be called in to doubte the grace of God is not geuen accordyng to oure merites whether I dyd not there sufficiētly proue the the begynnyng also of fayth was the gyft of God and whether vpon those thinges that are there spoken it dothe not consequently folowe altho the same be not expressed that also perseueraunce vnto th ende is gyuen of none but of hym whyche hathe predestinated vs vnto hys owne kyngdome and glory Furthermore dyd I not publyshe many yeres agone the selfe epistle which I had nowe wrytten against the Pelagians vnto the holy Paulinus byshop of Nola against the whych epistle they haue nowe begonne to barke Let thē also loke vpon that epistle whych I wrote vnto Sixtus priest of the churche of Rome when we stroue against the Pelagians in a sharpe bickerynge and they shall fynde it lyke vnto that whych was wrote vnto Paulinus Let them therfore call to remembraūce that these were now many yeres agon spoken and wryttē against the Pelagians heresye whyche that is wonderful do nowe displease thē Neuertheles I would haue no mā so to embrase al mine that he shuld folowe me in any thynge but in suche wherin he shal perceyue that I do not erre Howe farre S. Aug. wold be folowed For therfore do I nowe make bokes wher in I haue taken in hande to retracte my workes that I maye declare that I haue not folowed myne owne selfe in all pointes but I suppose that I haue thorowe goddes mercy wrytyng as one that goeth forwardes altho I was not perfecte in the begynning Folowe then sample of S. Aug. but beware ye folowe not lottes wiffe nor demes that loued this present worlde For I do speake more arrogātly then truly yf I should yet saye that I were nowe in this age come to perfectiō in writyng with out any maner of error But ther is great difference how farre and in what matters a mā dothe erre and howe easely a man dothe either reforme or howe stobernly he laboureth to defende his error For the is a good hope to be conceyued of the man whōe the last day of this lyfe shal fynd thus goyng forwardes that the thynges whych he wanted in hys trauaillinge may be geuen hym and that he may be iuged rather worthy to be made perfyt thē to be punyshed Whefore yf I wyll not be vnthanckfull vnto men whych dyd therfore loue me because they had receiued some profyte of my labours before they loued me howe muche more shoulde I not be vnthanckfull vnto God whome we should not haue loued excepte he had fyrst loued vs had made vs hys louers for charitie cōmeth from him as they sayd whōe he made not only his great louers but also his chiefe preachers For what is more