more â—â—ym iii â—oma 9 〈…〉 â— The selfe sameâ—is the predestination of the saynt 〈◊〉 whiche was of christ 〈◊〉 bâ— otherwise predestinated * he proueth by the testymonie of paule that christe was predestinated of the. number of thr commethe this vocablâ—◠〈◊〉 wher nowe are becom oure greace merits that we boaâ—te of so much yf we loste them in one fore 〈◊〉 Adam if christ had of him left no merittâ—s wherby he was made our sauâ—our out only 〈…〉 of grace then our merites ar 〈…〉 he toucheth 〈◊〉 whiche 〈◊〉 that thei haue faythe of the self ther ar two kindes of 〈◊〉 roma 9 Esaye 5 * be â—â—â—oundeth the sayinge of the aâ—â—stel 〈…〉 on with the aunswer he proueth that the Iewes dyd no more to christe than was ordeyned of god that he may make his aÌ„swer good Styl he toucheth their opinion Ihon. vi Ihon. 2. Eph. 1. Ihon. 15â— Pelagians obiection The aunswer to pelagians obiection ephese 〈◊〉 〈…〉 pelagians whol opinyon concernyngâ— the grace of god Ihon. 6. Gala. 6. These 2 colloss 4 By these wordes he ment that god wolde 〈…〉 Corin 16. Ihon. 6. 2. Cor. 2 As thoughe he had said no man is mete therto of hym selfe The praier of a thinge doth argue prouerâ— the gyfte of the thinge prayed for â—cius 16 god workeâ— both y â— wyl the dedâ— of y â— wyll As though god dothe rule the hart of men in wordly maters and not in heuenly Here 〈…〉 the opinion of the contrary pastâ— PerseueraÌ„ce to the ende is the gifte of god What man â—oth perseâ—er to thend Obiection Aunsuere Matheu x. Philip. 1. i. Peter 〈◊〉 He maketh an obiection prouing that in all meÌ„ perseuerance is the gyfte of God The gifte of perseueraÌ„ce is giuen to some more easelye then to some to some with persecution to som without persecution By the promyse of god he prouethe that stedfastnes is the gyft of God â–ª He exhorteth men to the readinge of the expositioÌ„ of Cyprian upon the lordes prayer The thre capital hereseis of the pelagians contrary to these godly opynyons defended of the churche Halowed bâ— thy name â–ª He proue the that we doe pray for perseueraunce is in the firstâ— petition of the lordes prayer wherfor do we aske of god that thinge which we haue receâ—â—â— Let thy kyngdom come â–ª perseueâ—â—â— in the second petition â–ª Let thy wil be done What is meÌ„t by these uocables heaueÌ„ and yearth PerseueraÌ„ce 〈◊〉 prayed for of god in our thyrd petitioÌ„ Another 〈◊〉 and understaÌ„ding of the thyrd petitioÌ„ The fourth petition in the Whiche perseueraÌ„ce is desyred of god Ciprian calleth this sacramente by the name of breade of thankes geuynge of the bodye of Christe Forgeue us 〈◊〉 â—respaâ—â—e â–ª Pelagians â—eâ—resye that a iust man may be withoutâ— ut 〈◊〉 world and that of suche conâ—â—teth the chuâ—che of Chriâ—â— here in earâ—â— Bring us noâ— into teÌ„ptatiâ—â— A man can not stobernly caste awaye and leâ—se the gyft of perseueraunce after he hathe once receiued tho gyft Obiection Aunswere Math. vi The temptation of â—â—oâ—ernes Obiection Aunswere psal lxxxiiâ—â—â— psalmus lxâ—â— God teÌ„ptethâ— no man to hurt him Two kynds of teÌ„ptatioÌ„â— To be temptyd and to be brought iÌ„ to temptatioÌ„ ar different Cypriane Mathe. xxvâ—â— Agenst fre wyll Man in his fyrst creatioÌ„ had fre wil. Neither our commyng to god nor 〈◊〉 dinge styll in him is in any parte of our power but in the grace only of god psalm lxxix what is meÌ„â— by the hande of god upon the man of thy right â—ad Hierem. xxiiâ— The cause whyc god doth not giue it to vs that of our owne power we may come abyde styl in him why the grace of God is not giuen for our merrits Marke wel this doctrine If non were saued we had but right and God dyd therein no wronge Herin is both the goodnes ryghtwyse iustice of god knowen 〈◊〉 aunswereth to a contrary questionÌ„ These sayinges I wyll have it percyneth to 〈◊〉 and his Tâ—ke â—hat thou hast â—eserued percyneth to iustice The more benefyt the greter thankes Obiection Obiection Aunswere wherefore doth god suffer the wycked and the godlye to be mixt together God wyll haue his sainctes to be alway in feare i. Corinth x To fall is in mans power but to stande 〈◊〉 not It is not the going into a cioister that putteth such thinges oute of a mans mynde Galathia v. ii Corint iiiâ— Predestination i. Ihon. ij For what cause wer thei not of them Of this he spake largely in his firste booke This is the fayre flower of oure free wyll He throweâ—â— them downe with theâ—â— owne argumente New coÌ„meth 〈◊〉 â—o the matter of infantes whiche reade with iudgemente He recyteth a certain doctors mynde whiche he derideth as folysh Oure merits deseruing to goo warde are all one of goodnes The begynnyng of euill commeth of fre wyll The Manaches errour Ignoraunce blyndnes of harte are borne and brought with us into thys Worlde Augustine retractethe his bokes of free wyll Ignoraunce and hardnes is the payne iuged to the nature of man for his fyrst fall Grace is not in his righte kind except it come frely The pelagians do deny original syn in yong chyldren The pelagians do call originall syn nothynge els but a natural infirmitie weakenes Romanos ix By the prouidence of god all is ordeined gouerned not by destenye Into what blynd errors the opinioÌ„ of merits doth bringe men For what cause hathe god myxt the wycked amonge the godly Oure hartes thoughteâ— ar not in our power Psal lxxxiii Colos iii. Obiection Aunswer By the teaching of thapostel he proueth the doctrine of predestination to be byd What is predestination The cause why the people of Tire SydoÌ„ did not beleue It profeteth small to here with thy fleshly eares yf the eares of thy soule be stopâ— He concludeth by the example of the doctryne of Christe and of his apostels that predestination hindereth nothynge to teachinge of good liuinge The effecte and ende of the doctrine of predestinacion And yet he taught predestination Ihon. vi Mathe. xix i. Corint uii No man can exhort Well excepte it be giuen to him of god so to do Our obedieÌ„t is the gift of god Who hathe eares to here All these are the wordes of hym whiche make the â—â—obiection Thaunswer when mann doth se hymâ—selfe oute oâ— the lawe oâ— god let hym doubte theâ— worsteâ— anâ— hast him that he may be iâ— that waye whiche is of thelectes Obiection Thanswer PerseueraÌ„ce muste be obteined by petition A caus why it oughte not be â—yd The greate inconuenieÌ„ce whiche commeth of predestinatioÌ„ not taught wherin thes men do dyffer from the pelagians PerseueraÌ„ce is the gyft of god By their own techiÌ„g he prouethe that the openinge of predestination doth not hinder but further godlye lyuynge Obiection Aunswere Iames. 〈◊〉 i. Corin. iiii Iames. â— â–ª He teachethe theim howe they shuld exhort peple to uertues The begynninge the ending and the middes of our lyfe are the gyftes of god PrescieÌ„ce is sometyme taken in the scripture for predestinatioÌ„ Mark how he deth weyâ—ge words of the lorde Ephe. 〈◊〉 Ciprian Ambrose Whither this word it liketh me wel is spoken of our own wil or of the workinge of god of that same wyll in us so to speake Marke this great note of ambrose and the free wyl masters shal fynde smal comfort therat That is to coÌ„fes thre persons one god Here you do fynde boothe the heade the foote and the whole bodye of al uertues godly dedes to be the onely gyft of god That is too good works The final eÌ„d of the preachynge of predestination This is thee laste ancor holde of them which wolde not haue predestination openly taught He prouethe the wordes whiche he wrote in his boke of confessions to be true and catholique God maketh his enemyes to be his frâ—ndes when as often as it pleaseth him New heresies do brynge new questioÌ„s and new questions newe solutions new solutioÌ„s do aske new laboures and more diligent serching of the scriptures S. Augustine woulde haue no man bouÌ„d to his works 〈◊〉 all thinges if he doth appeare to erre in any poynt but wherein he errethe to forsake hym God maketh men of hys enemies hys louers But that it is geuen by the grace of god Bring us noâ— into temptation A warnyng how predestination sholde be taught An example of unlearned unaduised doctrine This is his counsel how they shoulde teach this doctrine He sheweth that the teachyng of the prescience of god after the same ways that predestination was taughte is both unfruytfull hurt full All mans lyfe euen to the end is in hope then to be out of hoope and into certaine securite wheÌ„ he shal departe from this lyfe The faythe whiche the churche of christe hathe held froÌ„ the begynnynge as touchyng the grace of god For al these things doothe the church of christe praye whereby he proueth that all and eueri part of these thinges are the giftes of god This is a greate bulâ— wark of fre wyll maysters
the trinite whiche is god whiche bokes I do think are come to your hands or this tyme. This scholl I saye is set farre from all humaine fleshly vnderstanding wherin the father is harde doth teache We do se many whiche do come vnto the sonne bycause wee doo see manye whiche do beleue in Christ But where and howe they haue herde and learned this of the father we do not se Truly this is a secret grace And what man doth doubt therein but it is grace Therfore this grace whiche is secretely put into mans hart on the mere liberalite of god is receyued of no harde and stony harte For this cause is it poured into mans hart that it may firste take awaye the hardnes of the hart Therfore when the father is herd in the hart and teacheth that they shuld come vnto the sonne then doth he take away the hardnes of the stony harâ— and geueth in the steade therof an hart of flesh as he promised by the prophete For after this fashyon doth he make y â— chyldreÌ„ of promyssion and y â— vessels of mercy which he hath prepared to glorye But wherfore doth he not teach al men that they shuld come vnto Christe but bycause he teacheth of his owne mercye and compassyon al those whom he doth teach And the cause why he doth not tech the other is of his rightwysnes iudgement For on whom he willeth he taketh mercye and compassion and whome hym pleaseth he doth obdurate and harden But in geuyng y t which is good he sheweth hym selfe merciful in that he hardeneth he rewardeth worthely But yf thou wylt say that these wordes are not the wordes of the Apostle but of some other spoken vnto hym that they shuld seme to say then god is merciful on whom he wyl haue mercy and hardeneth whoÌ„ he wyl harden w t such other wordes as do folow as wherfore doth he complayne who is able to be against his wyl or to resyst hiÌ„ Dyd the Apostle make aunswere to them againe with these wordes O man thou doest say vntruely No â—orsoth but he aunswered too them againe yf I shulde graunte them to be the words of som other man spoken to the apostle sayeng agayne to them O man what arte thou whiche doest reason and murmur againste god Doth the poâ—sheâ—de saye vnto the potter wherfore haste thou made me thus Wherfore hast thou thus fashyoned me hath not the potter power and lybertie to make of the selfe same claye c. as you do know the wordes of the Apostle And yet after a certayne fashioÌ„ the father doth teache all men to come vnto the sonne For it is not in vayne wrytten in the prophets and all men shall be taught of god Which testimony after he had rehersyd vnto them he added these wordes saying euery man saith christ which hath harde and lerned of my father doth come vnto me Lykwyse as when we do speak and saye when ouâ— talk and communication is of a master which teacheth in town or cyte we doo say This man teacheth all oure towne or cytte or ells al the children of the town or cytte not bycause al the children of the town or cytte do learn but bycaus no maÌ„ doth lern or go to schol but they whiche do learne or go to schole with him euen so do we say very wel and truely God teacheth all men to come to Christ not that al do come but because noone doo come but they whiche are learned â–ª and taught of hym But the cause wherfore god doth not tech al meÌ„ the Apostel hath declared so far as he thought necessary and expedieÌ„t to be opened saying these wordes bicause he wold shewe his wrathe and make his poure knowen he brought forth with great pacience the vessels of wrath which at ordeinyd and made to perdition that he might declar the ryches of his glory on the vessels of mercy whiche he hath prepared to glory This is y â— cause wherfore the word of the veryte is folishnis to them which do peryshe but to theÌ„ which ar saued it is the vertu of god Al these god doth tech to com to Christ all these he wyll haue saued and comme to the knowledge of the veryte For if he woulde teache them also to comme to Christ which do esteme the prechiÌ„g of the cros to be folishfolyshnes there is no doubt but they wold com also as wel as the other For he deceuyth no man nor is deceyuyd of anye whiche doth say euery man which doth here of my father and is learned of hym commythe vnto me God forbid therfore that we shulde saye that ani man shold not com which hath hard and is lernyd of the father But for what cause say they doth he not teache al men If we sholde say that they wold learn whom he dothe not teache answer wolde be made vnto vs on this wyse of theÌ„ againe saying What saye you to that which is wrytten O lorde when thou dost conuert vs thou shalt quyckeÌ„ vs and gyue vs lyfe Or els yf god doth not mak them whiche are not wyllinge for to be wylling wherfor doth the churche praye as god commaundeth for the persecutours thereof For so wolde holy Cypryane haue that to be vnderstanded when we doo saye iu oure dayly prayer Thy wyl be fulfylled and done in earth as well as it is in heauen That is to saye after the mynde of Ciprian as it is fulfylled in them which do beleue and are therfore as it were in heauen so it maye be fulfyiled in them whiche do beleue and therfore are yet but in yeaâ—the Wherfore do we praye for them whiche do not beleue but that god wolde worke in them the wyll to beleue â–ª The Apostell speakynge of the Iewes doth saye Brethren the wyll of my harte is good and my prayer is for them that they maye be saued He doth praye for theym which do not beleue Doth he in so doynge praye for any thynge ells but that they shulde beleue for otherwise then by beleife they can not come to saluacion If the faythe then of them which do praie doth preuent the grace of god doth the faythe of them for whome they do praye preuent and go before the grace of god or nayâ— for we do praye for them which do not beleue y t is to saye which haue not fayth that faith might be geueÌ„ to them When the euengil is preched som do beleue som do not beleue but they whiche do beleue when the preacher doth pronounce his wordsoutwardly those I sai do here and lerne inwardly in the hart being taught of the father But they which do not beleue do here wyth there outward eares they haue no maner of inward heatinge or lerning of the father that is to saye to them it is gyuen that they do beleue to the other it is not gyuen For no man sayth he
whiche was worthy of it who that had it not was not worthy therof And from the fyrst tyme that man was mad ther hath byn alway preching to some to their iudgment coÌ„demnacion to som again to ther saluacion And to whom the word of god was not prechyd god knew from the begynnyng y â— they wold not beleue where it was prechid and not beleuyd it was shewyd to them to ther great iudgment And wher it was taught and beleuyd they are preparyd to the feloweshyppe and companye of angells and of his sayncts in the kingedome of heauen Do you not now perceaue that I was in mind yea and dyd speak these wordes of the pâ—escience and foreknowledge of Christ nothing preiudicatynge the secreate and hydde counsell of God nor hynderynge any cause or reason that may be shewed and spoken therwhiche me thought to be sufficient to conuince the pagans of their in froâ—litie whiche dydde obiect this question vnto me Therfore wher as â— sayde that Christ wold then shew hym selfe amonge men and haue his doctrine preached vnto them where when he knew wold be suche as woulde beleue in hym it might be sayde also that Christ woulde then appeare vnto men haue his doctryne preached vnto them when he knâ—we and wher he knewe to be suche as were elected in hym from the fyrst foundacion of the worlde But yf I shuld haue saide so muche then I shulde haue gyuen occasion to the reader to haue required and demaunded of me those thinges whiche nowe are necessary geuynge them warnynge of the Pelagians error to be dysputed more substancyally with greater diligence I thought it therfore for that tyme sufficient to speak breifly therof not dyscussynge the profounde depenes of the wysedome and knowledge of god nor yet medelynge wiâ—h other causes therto belongynge which not theÌ„ but at other tymes I thought more mete and conuenient to be reasoned and dysputed of The tenth Chapter ALso where as I said that the saluacioÌ„ of this religioÌ„ fayled neuer anyâ— maÌ„ which was worthy thaâ— he was not worthy whiche hadde it not yf it shoulde be demaunded howe and whiche waye a man is worthy there are whiche wyll say that the wil of man maketh the maÌ„ to be worthy But we do saye that man is made worthy by the grace and predestination of god Nowe what dyfference is betwene grace and predestination I wyl tel you Predestination is a preparation of grace Grace is the free gyfte it selfe That sayinge therfore of the Apostell which is not of workes that no man shulde reioyse for we are his worke created in Christ Iesu into good workes is the grace wherof we do speke And y t saying of y e same Apostell which foloweth afterward which god hath prepared y t we shuld walke in theÌ„ is predestination which cannot be w tout prescience or forknowleg but y e forknoledg or prescience of god â–ª maye be w t out predestination whereof it is sayde he hathe made wroughte those thinges whiche shall be He hath also y â— prescience or foreknowledge of those thynges whiche he worketh not as of al sinnes which haue ben are shal be coÌ„mytted For although there is certayn syn which of it self is the payn ponishment of syn wherof it is writteÌ„ God hath deliuered theÌ„ ouer into a reprobat miÌ„d for to do those thiÌ„gs which are not mete to be done â—her it is not the faulte of God but the iudgement of god Wherefore the predestination of god which is in goodnes is as I sayde the preparation of grace and grace is theffect of y â— same predestinatioÌ„ Therfore wheÌ„ god dyd promyse to Abraham in his seede the fayth of the gentyls sayeng I haue ordeyned and set the to be a father of manye nations vpon the which wordes the apostle speakynge sayd For y t cause by faith saith he y t y e promis might be firme sure to all sedes he dyd not make this promyse too the power and strength of our wil but vpon his owne predestinatioÌ„ For he promysed that he hym self woulde do it not that men shulde do it For although that men doo manye good thynges whiche pertayne to the worshyppe of god yet it is god which maketh them to do these thinges which he hath commaunded to be doone Their workes and dedes do not cause hym that he shuld performe that which he hath promysed For if it shuld be so then were it in mans power and not in the power of God that the promyse of god shulde be perfourmed that also whiche god dyd promyse they shoulde be the cause that it is perfourmed vnto Abraham Abraham beleued not after that fashion He beleued and gaue glorye vnto god because he knewe that he was able to performe those thynges which he dyd promyse He doth not saye he is able to tell theÌ„ therof before nether doth he say God is able to haue the foreknoledge of these thinges for he cann bothe shewe before and also know before those thinges which he doth not but he sayth god is able to do them as wel as to promyse them and so they are his own workes dedes and not other mens dedes which cause him to perform that which he promised Or wylt thou saye that god dyd promyse to Abraham nothing but the good workes of the gentyls which he would worke in his sede that he might promyse to him that thiÌ„g which he doth work and perform him selfe and that god dyd not promyse ther fayth to hym by bycause it is not his worke as thei saye but thers And wilt thou say that y â— forknoledge which god had of thier fayth which was that they wold beleue of them selfe did cause and make hym to promyse y t thinge to Abraham which he doth worke The Apostell speaketh no syche wordes â–ª He sayth that god promysed to AbrahaÌ„ childern which sholde folow the steppes of his fayth which thing he speketh plaiÌ„ly openly But yf so be god promysed the workes of y â— gentyls not the faythe of them truly bycause good workes can not be except they be of faythe for the rightwyse lyuethe by fayth and al that whiche is not of faythe is sin and without faythe it is vnposseble to please god it must nedes folow by that there reason according to the apostels saying that it is in mans power that god shal perform that thiÌ„g which he hath promysed â–ª For by ther saing except man doth perform that thing which perteineth vnto them to do of them self without the gyft of god which is there fayth as they lay God doth not perform that thing which he hath promysed that y â— workes of rightwysnis shold be giuen vnto them And so after ther mynde that god may perform his promyse it stondeth not in the poure 〈◊〉 of god but in thâ— power and wyl of man Which thinge
thou wylt saye vnto me is grace so dyffereÌ„t more greater in hym than in me wheras is all one nature Truly God thou wylte say is no acceptor of persons What christian man yea what madde man woulde speake these wordes yea thinke any such thing Let vs therfore beholde the fountayn of grace in our head wheÌ„s he dothe power oute the same grace vpon all his members to euerye man accordyng to measure By the same grace euery maÌ„ whatsoeuer he be ye from the begynninge of his faith is made a christiaÌ„ maÌ„ whiche grace dyd make that man from his begynnyng to be Christ Of the same spirite that he was borne of whosoeuer is a christian is also regenerated borne a new By the selfe same spirit we do obteyn remission of our synne which made hym to be without synne God verelye knew before that he woulde do all these thinges That same therfore is y â— predestinatioÌ„ of sayntes which doth shyne so cleare aboue all brightnes in hym which is the holy one of all holye whiche predestination no man can denye hauynge the right knowlege and vnderstandyng of the scryptures For we do se that he hym selfe which is the lord of glory in that he was made the sonne of god was predestinated The doctor of the gentiles S. Paul in the beginning of his epistels speaketh these wordes openlye sayinge Paul the seruaunt of Iesu Christe called to the rome of Apostelship put apart to preache the gospell of god whiche he promysed before by his prophetes in the holye scriptures of his sonne whiche sonne he made to hym self forthe of the seede of Dauyd after the flesshe beinge predestinated to be the sonn of god with power after the spirit which saÌ„ctifieth sinse the tyme that he dyd ryse agayne from the deade Christe then was predestinated that he which shold be the sonne of Dauid after the â—leshe shoulde be that notwithstaÌ„standing the son of god with power after the spyrit of sanctyfication which is borne of the holi ghost and of the virgin Mary This maÌ„ Christ was after a meruaylous straung manner begotten of god by the worde that he shold be the son of god the son of man bothe togyther the son of man bycause of the manhod whiche he toke on hym the son of god bycause god receuyd hym and made hym to be his only begotteÌ„ son that the nomber shoulde not excede the nomber of thre which is the trynyte to be beleued on of all men That this humayne nature was exalted so hyghe to be the only begotten son of god nothing being in y â— worlde that can be greater as ther was nothinge more basse and lowe wherto the godhede myghte submytte it selfe than to take vpon hym the nature of man susteininge and beating the infyrmite of man yea to the deathe of the crosse all this was by the predestination of god Wherfore lykwys as he only was predestinated of god to be our hed so we are many predestinated that we shold be his members Therfore in this matter let al humayne merytts be put asyde lett them not be spoken of For when Adam fell the merittes also of man decaied with hym were lost Lett the grace of god beare reule and raygne as it doth thorowe oure lorde Iesu Christe whiche is the only begotton sonne of god oure lorde Who so euer can fynde any merites in CHRYST our head whiche dydde precede this heauenlye and singular generation then lette him seeke also in hys members the merits of the regeneration of so many as are regenerated and borne a new in Christ For that byrth and generatioÌ„ was not geuen nor rewarded to Christ for any of his merits but frelye it was geuen to hym that he shulde be pure and cleane from all maner of contagion and bondage of syn and be borne of the holy ghost and of the vyrgyn Euen so it was not geuen to vs for anye of our deseruinges that we sholde be regenerated and newe borne oute of the water and the spirite but frely by the grace of god And therfore if faith dyd bring vs to the fountayne of our regeneration yet we may not thinke that there was any thinge of oure selfe fyrste whiche was the cause thereof For he dyd make vs to beleue in Christ whiche made Christ for vs in whom we shulde beleue Yt is he which worketh in men both the begynnynge and endinge of our faith in Iesu which did make man to be the head and fore of our faithe Christ Iesu So is he called by name as ye knowe in the epistell which is to the Hebrewse The .xvi. chapter FOr god doth call many whiche are his chyldren predestinated that he might make them to be the meÌ„bers of his onely begotten sonne which was predestinated not with that maner of callynge as they were called which woulde not come to the mariage For with that vocation were y â— Iewes called to whome Christ crucyfyed is an effundicle and a cause of sclander also the gentyles to whom Christ crucified is taken for folyshnes But he doth cal theÌ„ which ar predestinated with that vocatioÌ„ which y â— Apostel speketh of seuerally from the other making a dyfference betwen them saynge that he doth preche Christ to be the poure and the wysdome of god to those Iewse and greks which ar called For thus he speaketh that he myght shew to them whiche are called those whiche are not called knowing y t ther is a certayn vocation of them whiche are called after y â— purpose of god whoÌ„ he knew before predestinated to be lyke to the ymage of his son This vocation dyd he meane when he sayde Not of workes but of hym which doth cal it was said hym that the elder shoulde serue to the yonger Dyd he say I pray you Not of workes but of hym whiche beleueth-Nay he toke this thinge cleane from man that he myght geue altogether vnto god And therefore sayde he but of y â— caller and not that after euery maner of vocation but with that vocation whereby he is made faythfull This vocation dyd he consyder when he sayde The gyftes and callyng of god are without repentaunce For I woulde haue you marke and loke wel vpon it what thynge the Apostle wente then about when he spake these words For when he sayde I wold not haue you be ignoraunt brethreÌ„ in this secrete least ye should stande in youre owne conceyttes that that partely blyndenes is happened vnto Israell so longe tyll the fulnes of the gentyls be come in and so all Israel shall be saued as it is written â–ª Ther shal come forth of syon he whiche doth delyuer whiche wyll tourne awaye vngodlines from Iacob And this is my couenaunt with them when I shal take awaye their sinnes â–ª And after these wordes the Apostell sayde As concernynge the gospell they are enmyes for your sakes but after election they are
therto whiche wyll he hathe pourposed in hym that is to saye in hys welbelouyd sonne that it sholde be prechyd when the tyme was full come y t al thinges shold be gatheriâ— togither by Christ which ate in heueÌ„ whiche ate in yerthe by him by whom we haue obteined then heritaunce we which wer predestined before according to the pourpose of hym which doth work al thinges acording to the counsel of his own wil that we myght be to the laâ—de and prayse of his glory It were to longe to stond and dispute vpon euery word herof For I know wel ye do perceue w t how playn open wordes the Apostel doth defende this grace against the whiche grace the merittes and workes of men are extolled as though it were in mans power to gyue to god som thing first as a present wherby he myght deserue to be rewarded of him again God hath chosen vs therfore in Christ befor the beginning of the worlde predestening vs to be his chyldren by adoption not bicause we wold be holi pure of our selfe but bycause he hath chosen predestenid vs that we shuld be such And this did he worke after y â— pleasure of his owne wyll that no man shold haue ani cause to reioyse of his own wil but of y â— wil of god toward him This did he work after the riches of his grace accordiÌ„g to his owne good wyl which wil he pourposed in his welbeloued son bi whoÌ„ we haue our enherytaunce which ar predestiÌ„ed after the pourpose not of our self but of hiÌ„ which doth work al thiÌ„ges not so much as the wyl of maÌ„ exceptid but it is wróght by hym in vs. He doth worke it after the counsell of hys wyll that we maye be made to the prayse of hys glory And therfore do we crye out that no man shulde reioyse in man so not in hym self but he whiche doth reioyse let hym reioyce in the lorde that we maye laude prayse his glorye For he doth work after the porpose of his own wil y â— we shuld be holy pure to the laud praise of his glorye for the whiche thinge he hath called vs predestenyng vs before the begynnyng of the world Of this pourpose of god is this vocation which is proper to the elects to whom al things are wrought to ther commodite and profet bycause after the pourpose of god thei are called holy For the gyftes and vocation of god are without repentaunce The xix Chapter BVt these our brythren for whose sakes we do take this payne do sai per aduentur that the pelagyans are easy to be convynced and brought from their error by the testimonye of the Apostell wher he doth saye that we are electyd in Christe and predestined before the foundacion of the world that we myght be holi and pure in hys light in charite For the pelagians do thinke that after we receiued the commaundementes we aâ—e made puere clean in his syghte by oure owne ste wil whiche thing bycause god knewe before saye they therfore he hathe electyd vs and predestenyd vs before the beginnyng of the world in Christe Whiche is not according to the wordes of the apostel whiche sayeth not bycause he had in his foreknowledge that we wolde be such but y t we might be such by the election of his grace with the whiche he hath accepted vs thorowe his welbeloued sonne Forsomuche then as he hath predestened vs he knewe before his owne worke whiche doth make vs holy and immaculate And therfore by this testimonye the Pelagians errour is conuinced For we do say sayth Pelagian that oure God dydde no more but know before that same saith wherby we do begynne so beleue and then dyd he chose vs and predestinate vs that we myghte be holy pure by his grace and helpe But let them marke a lytell better the selfe same testimonye of the Apostell where he sayeth we haue obteyned the enheritance we I say whiche are predestyned after the purpose of his wyll whiche worketh al thing Then doth he work in vs the self same that we do beleue whiche dothe worke al thinges For this vocation wherof it is wrytten the gyftes and calling of god are without repentaunce Wherof it is wrytten also not of workes but of the caller when he myght haue sayde but of the beleuer And this also election which y â— lord dyd meane when he sayd ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you this vocation I saye no not fayth dooth precede or goâ— before but faith is preuented of it For he dyd not chose vs because we do beleue but bicause we might beleue that it should not be sayde that we dyd fyrste elect and chose hym And so we shold make Christ a lyar which sayd ye haue not cholen me but I haue choseÌ„ you Godforbyd we sholde thinke ani suche thinge And we at called not bycause we beleued before but we are called that we myghte beleue And the selfe same vocation whiche is withoute repentaunce dothe performe and worke thorowly in vs that we do beleue What nede me reply any more in this matter We haue sayde ynoughe therof Fynalli y â— apostel after these wordes gaue thankes to god for them whiche beleued not bycause the ghospel was declared vnto them but bycause thei beleuid For he speketh after this wyse on whoÌ„ ye also beleued after that ye hard the worde of the truth namly the gospel of youre saluacion wherin ye beleued ye wer sealyd with the holy spirit of promyse whiche is the pledge and earnest of our inheritaunce to our redemption that we myght be his owne to the praise of his glory For this I also sayeth he after I harde of your faith in Christe Iesu and of your loue to all the saynctes do not cease geuynge thankes for you The faith of them was yet but yonge and tender when they harde the euangell preached vnto them of the which their faith wheÌ„ the apostell had hearde he gaue thankes to God for them If one man shuld giue thanks to another for a thinge whiche he thought or knew well that he coulde not perfourme or do it myght be named a mocke or a scorne better than a thankes geuynge Lette vs not brethren in no wyse be deceaued for God wyll not be mocked nor skorned of vs. For faith ye y â— begynnynge thereof is the gyfte of god or elles the apostle shuld haue gyuen thankes and prayse to him â–ª where he deserued none What say you to this Was not the fayth of the Thessalonians perceiued what tyme they begann to beleue for the whiche the Apostell gaue thanks vnto God saying Therfore doo we geue thankes to god without ceasynge because when ye hearde the worde of god preached and taughte of vs ye receyued it not as the worde of man but as it is in deede as the worde of god which worde doth worke in
answer to make to thy demand If thou askest me wherfore I cā fīd no aunswer to make I do say vnto the that in this matter as hys wrathe and angere is moste iust and rightwyse so is his mercy greate and his iudgmentes inscrutable Yet let hym make an other obiectiō vnto me say for what cause hath he not gyuen to somme men which haue faythfully beleued worshipped hym the gyft of perseueraunce and stedfastnes to the ende that they myghte continewe styl in ther good beleffe to the end ▪ Wherfore thinkest thou But because he is no lyar which saith they went forthe from amonge vs but they were not of vs for if thei had byn of vs they wold haue contynnuyd styl wyth vs. Are men then made of two natures God forbid Yf there were two naturs of men then were the grace of god nothīg then saluation and delyueraunce from condemnation sholde not be of the fre gyft of god if it wer the deseruinge of nature To mans iudgement it semeth that al those men which do apere good faith ful oughte of dewtye to haue the gyft of perseuerance continuance to the end gyuen vnto them But god iudgeth a better waye than that and that it sholde be a thinge more conueniente for his pourpose to haue som among his sayintes which wolde not contynew to the ende And also that his sayntes sholde not be carles w t out all feare which is not profytable for them so to be For being in this feare doothe abate the arrogancy and pryde of men that thei shoulde not thinke ought of them selfe accordynge to the sayinge of the Apostell Wherfore that man whiche doth thinke hym selfe too stand lette him beware take hede that he falleth not For he whyche falleth doth fall by his owne consent and wyll but he whiche standeth doth stand by the wil of god For god is able to stable hym and to make him stedfaste then not he hym selfe but god It is good therefore not to be hyghe mynded nor to be to wyse in a mans owne selfe but to feare For euerye man in his knowledge doth ether stand or falle For as the Apostell dothe saye whose sayinge I haue rehersed in my fyrste booke We are not sufficiente of oure selfe to thynke anye thinge as of oure selues but all our sufficiencye is of god The whiche wordes the blessed man Ambrose was not afrayde to rehearse as foloweth For our hartes and our thoughtes sayth he are not in our owne power as euery humble and true faythfull man knoweth to be true and nothinge more true These wordes Ambrose dydde speake in a certayne booke whiche he wrote entituled of the flyenge from the world wherin he taught that we shulde voyde shone the incommodities of this worlde not with the body but with the mynd And that thinge he prouyd vnpossible to be done of oure self w toute the helpe of god For these are his words We do talke mich and make many wordes howe we shoulde flye and aparte vs frome thys worlde but I woulde that that our hartes were as ware and as careful therfore as our tonges are busy to talke therof But there is a worse thing For often tymes the entisementes of the yerthly desyres do come stealing and creping on vs and an heape of vanities doth ouerwhelme our myndes in so muche that that thing whiche thou wuldest haue furthest of frō the thou do doest moost of all thinke on beynge therwith in thy mynde moste troubled whiche is harde for any man to beware of and so to put it clean out of his head that he be no more combered therwith it is vnpossible And fynally thou mayste sooner wysh and desire to haue it taken from the than to bringe it to effect thy selfe as the prophet witnesseth sayinge Inclyne turne my hart to thy testymonies and not to auaryce For our hartes and thoughtes ar not in our owne power which beinge sodenly ouerwhelmed do confoūd both our wittes our mindes settinge vs in that case that we can not tell what to do pluckinge and drawynge our myndes otherwise than we were purposed They do call vs awaye other whyle to seculyar worldlye busines they doo thrust worldlye matters into oure heades they do put vs in mynd of suche such pleasures diuers entysementes are layde before vs ye and when we are most readyest to lyft vp our mynde then being fylled vp with suche vaine cogitations are often times sodenly throwen doune to the grounde It is not then in the power of man that men shuld be made the children of of god but in the power of god For of hym truely they do receiue that same poure who gyueth to mēs hartes good thoughts wherby they may haue fayth whiche worketh by loue Whiche gifte y ◠we maye ether receue or kepe styl and so to contynew stedfastly in it to the ende we cann of oure selfe thynke no maner of thing whiche is able to performe it but al oure abelnes is of god ī whose power ar our hartes and al our thoughtes Therfore of the two yonge chyldren which are bounde wyth the bond of original syn wherfore the on is taken to mercy ▪ and the other not and also of y e it persons being both of lawful age ▪ bothe wycked why the one is so called y ◠he dothe followe the caller the other ether is not called or ells is not so called that he dothe followe the caller I say the iudgments of god herein are inserutable But of this one point al faythful mē must be certayne and oute of doubte that the on of them is predestined the other not For if they were of vs sayde one of them which were predestyned and dronk this secret out of the breste of the lorde they wolde truly haue bydden styll w t vs. I praye you what is ment by these words they were not of vs for if they had bynne of vs theye wold haue taryed w t vs Were theye not bothe creatyd of god Came theye not bothe of Adam Were they not bothe made of the yerthe and receuyd of hym which sayed I mad al thinges that hath breathe sowls al of one nature making and fynally were thei not both called Did they not both folow y e caller wer thei not both iustified from there owne wyckednes And wer thei not both renued by y e foūtayn of regeneratiō beīg so made new persons But if so be a man hard these wordes whiche knoweth what they are what y ◠meaning of them is he myght wel aunswere and saye that all these words are true And after the reason of these wordes it can not be denied but that they were of vs. But after another difference respect they were not vs. For if they had ben of vs they woulde haue contynued with vs. What difference is that I pray you whiche
theÌ„ sufficieÌ„tly proued y t y e grace of god is not gyuen after the merits of theÌ„ but after y e pleasure of his wyll to the praise glory of his grace that he which doth reioyse may reioyce not in him selfe but in the lorde which doth gyue his grace to whoÌ„ it pleaseth hym because he is merciful And although that he wolde not gyue it yet were he not therefore vniust Also he doth giue it to none but to whome it is his wyll to geue it that he may make knowen the ryches of his glorye vpon the vessels of mercye For in that he doth geue it to some whiche do not deserue therin he wil shew his grace to be fre without deseruyng â–ª so to be grace in the right kinde And again in that he doth not giue his grace to al men he doth declare what al meÌ„ do deserue He is good in his liberalitie towarde some he is iuste in takynge punyshment vpon the other and yet he is good in all thinge For it is a good thinge when that deuty right is payde And he is iust in all thinge For it is a iust thinge when that y â— deutye and right is payd without doinge wronge to anye man But we do hold defend that the grace of god is geuen withoute meryts And that is in dede the ryght and true grace And althoughe it were true as the pelagians do say that yong chyldreÌ„ which ar taken out of this lyfe after thei are baptysed are not deliuered pluckt away from the power of darknes because thei had no synne in them wherof they shulde be gyltie as they do think but y t they ar no more but transposed takeÌ„ out of this lyfe into the kyngdome of the lorde yea so it is graunted that the kingdome of god is gyuen frely withoute anye merits or good workes to whoÌ„ it is not giuen it is not w tout their euyll merits that they haue it not And thus do we make aunswer agenste the Pelagians when they do obiect vnto vs castyng vs in y â— teth that we do attribute ascribe grace vnto desteny because we say that it is not gyuen after oure merits But they rather do make the grace of god in yonge children to be destenye whiche do saye that wher as no merit or deseruing is there is destenye For accordynge to the saying of the pelagians ther can be found no merits in younge chyldren for the which some of theÌ„ are sent vp to heauen and som shit forth from thens And lykewise as I haue declared and proued now that the grace of god is not giuen after any merit whiche thinge I thought good to proue as well by their own wordes sayinges as by our iudgements mindes that is by our opinion which do hould that yonge children ar born in original syn and by theirs which do deny y â— there is original syn And yet for all that we haue made our matter good and prouid it trew bi ther owne saying we muste in no wyse doubte but that yonge chyldren haue in them that whiche he must forgeue to them which doth saue his people from ther synnes Euen so was I fayn in the thyrde boke whiche I dyd wright on frewyl to resyst the Manaches with ther owne sayings as well as w t oure demonstrations proffes about that question whyther ignorance hardnes of harte were the ponyshment of oure nature comming of iuste damnatyoÌ„ as we do saye or ells as thei do say nothing other than naturali infyrmitie weaknes perteiniÌ„g naturally to al men for no man is borne without them or naye And yet I am not of there mynd And also in y t same boke I proued suffycyently y t ignorance hardnes of harte ar not y e natural beginnyngs of man as he was fyrst instituted made but y t it is the playn ponyshment of maÌ„ whiche is condemnyd Therfore they do labor in vaine in y t thei do go about to bring y t my bok which I wrot a greate whyle ago nowe against me that I shold not nowe dispute the cause of yong chyldern as I ought to do and so to proue euydently that al men maye se perceue the truth that the grace of god is not gyueÌ„ for the meryts of men For and if what tyme I dyd begynne fyrst to wryght thos bokes which I dyd wryght vpoÌ„ fre wyll being at Rome wheÌ„ I was a temporal man endyd them in Afrik after I was prest I had byn as they do say in doubt as tochinge the condemnation of infants not regeneratyd yet I do think no maÌ„ to be so vniust but he could be content y â— I shold amend increase in knolege rather thaÌ„ to contynue alwaye in doubt But yet if it hadde pleased them they myght haue vnderstod the matter other wyse that I dyd not then doubt therof asthough I had doubted in ded but bycause I thought that waie best to ouercome the aduersarys that whyther ignoraunce and hardnes of heart were the ponysshmente of the original syn which is in chyldren as the truth is or not as many being out of the right waye do suppose yet for al that the error of the manaches could not make vs to beleue that there is a myxture of two contrary naturs in god of good euyl God forbyd we shold be so negligent in the cause of yoÌ„g chyldren that we shold doubt whither those chyldren which do dye after thei be regeneratid do depare to eternal saluation and they whiche are not to the second deth For that same scripture by on maÌ„ syn enteryd into the worlde by sinne death and so into al men can non otherwyse be vnderstonded And also from eternal death whiche is most worthely rewarded for syn no man olde or yong can be deliuered except he whiche suffered death for to forgeue both our original and oure owne syn also hauing in him self no maner of syn doth delyuer vs. But wherfore he doth deliuer som more thaÌ„ som I haue tould you diuerse tyms yet wyl tel the agayne O thou maÌ„ what are thou which wylt reason with god Hys iugments ar inscrutable hys ways ar inuestigable And more than that I wyll saye vnto the â–ª Serche not for thos thinges which do excede thy capacyte and such thinges as are myghtiar stronger thaÌ„ thy selfe mâ—del not with them Do ye not se how foul an heresy it is how farre from y â— purnes of our faythe to hold opynyon that yong chyldren wheÌ„ thei do depart hens do receue ther iudgment acording to those workes which god knewe before that thei wold do if they had lyued any lenger tyme on the yerth Into this error which al men hauing any reason in the worlde specially those whiche haue professed Christe do abhore ar they constreyned to fall in which haue so forsaken the pelagiaÌ„s errors y t yet they
habelnes is of god For our harts and our thoughts are not in our own powr And therfore saynt Ambros doth saye what man is so blessed whiche dothe continualy assend ryse alwaye in his harte But how can this thing be don without the help of god By nomeans forsoth Forthermore the sayd godly man speking and treating vpoÌ„ the said scripture alledged these words of the psalmyst which ar That man is blessed whose helpe is from the O lorde and whose assendynge and rysynge vppe in harte is of theâ— The cause wherfore he sayde so he dyd not only fynde in the holy scripture but he felte it in his own hart Therfore those wordes whiche are spoken by the minister at the time of the ministration of y â— sacrament commaunding vs that we should lift vp our hartes vnto god that very same thing which is to lyfte vp our hartes to god is the gift of god for the which gifte â–ª they are admonished of the preiste to geue thaÌ„kes vnto god to whose wordes â–ª they do make aunswere say it is worthy and righte that it be so Forsomuch therfore as our hartes are not in our owne poure but are lyfte vp by the help of god that they maye assend ryse vp so vnderstond be wise in heauenly thinges where Christ is sitting on the right hand of the father not in yearthly and worldlye thynges who doth deserue to haue thaÌ„kes for that same but he only whiche doth the thinge our lorde god whiche by so great his benefits delyueryng vs hath chosen vs from the bottom of this worlde predestened vs before the foundacion of the worlde was layde The .xiiii Chapter BVt they do saye y t the declaration openinge of the matter of predâ—stination is a thing whiche hyndereth is much against the right order of preachiâ—ge As though the preching and teaching of the Apostel was let hyndered therby Dyd not the doctor maister of the gentyls faythfully and truely manye tymes commend praise predestination and yet ceassed not to prech and teach the word of god I pray you because he saide that god is y â— worker in vs both of the wyl and of the worke also according to hys owne good wyll dyd he therefore not exhort them to whom he spake those wordes that they shuld both wyll and desyre yea and to worke those thinges which ar acceptable pleasaunt vnto god Or els bycause he said that he whiche began that good worke in you wyll alsoo perfourme it bringe it to an end in you euen tyll the daye of oure lorde Iesu Christ did he not for al that exhorte and counsel men both to the begynnynge and to the continuance therein to the ende The lorde also hym selfe commaunded men to beleue saying If ye do beleue in god then beleue in me Yet that same sentence was not false nor the definition therof vnprofytable whiche the same lorde spake also sayinge No man commeth to me that is to saye no man beleueth in me but to whom it is geuen of my father And againe it doth not folowe because this diffinition is true that therfore the commaunde mente that they should beleue is voyde or vnprofitable For what cause then should we thinke that the openinge of predestination shulde be the cause that men myghte not preache and teach and in preachinge commaund exhorte reproue yea and correcte whiche thinges are muche vsed in the scripture wherin predestinatioÌ„ is commeÌ„ded set forth vnto vs As there any man so bolde whiche wyl saye that god did not knowe before to whome he woulde gyue the gyft to beleue Or ells that he knewe not before what they were whom he would giue to his sonne of whoÌ„ he shuld lease none Which thinges if god knewe before he knew also before those his benefites by the which benefites he doth vouchsafe to delyuer them This predestination of saintes is nothinge elles but a foreknowlege and a preparation of the benefits of god by the whiche benefites al men are saued which haue shall obteine saluacion Al other besyde these in what case are theyâ— wher are they left but in the dow of perdition and that by the moste iuste right iugement of god In that same state condition were y â— people of Tyrus and Sidon left whiche might also haue beleued if they had seene those greate sygnes miracles of Christe whiche he wrought But bycause it was not gyuen to theim that they shoulde beleue the sygnes tokens wherby they myght haue ben broughte to beleif were withdrawen kepte awaye from them denied them By this a man may perceaue that many men naturally haue such an heuenly gyft of vnderstandinge y t they maye thereby be moued to the faith â–ª if eyther they be taughte by wordes or elles do sâ— sygnes tokens accordinge to the disposition of their minds And yet for al that yf they be not by the profounde depe iugemente of god thoroughe the predestination of grace separated from the dow of perdition they are suffered nether to hear the wordes nor to se the meruellouse workes wherby thei myght be broght to faythe yea nor yet they cannot beleue although thei did both here and se them In that state of perdition were the Iewes lefte whiche coulde not beleue the great works and wonderous vertues whiche thei saw wrought before ther eyes The cause wherfore thei could not beleue the euangill doth not hyde from vs sayinge when he hadde wrought so great wonders sygnes among them they beleuyd not in hym that the saying of Esay the prophet myght be fulfylled which he spake sayinge who hath gyueÌ„ credyt and beleif to that which we haue harde Or to whome is the arme of the lorde knowen And therfore they coulde not beleue for Esay sayd more â—He hathe shyt vp their eyes hardened their hartes that they shoulde not se with their eyes nor vnderstande with theyr hartes conuert be healed The eyen hartes of the people of Tyrus Sydon were not shyt vp and hardened after such a fashion for they woulde haue beleued if they had seene the sygnes wonders whiche these men dyd se But it profyted them nothyng that they coulde haue beleued bicause they weare not predestened of hym whose iugementes are inscrutable whose waies are not to be serched out And again it shulde not haue hyndered thother y t they coulde not beleue if they had ben so predestened that god would lyghten their eyes which were blinded molefy y e stony hartes of theÌ„ which were hardened But as touching that which the lord spake of y e Tirians the Sidonites it mai peraduenture some otherwayes be taken vnderstanded But y t now no man dothe come to Christe but to whome it is geuen that it is gyuen to them which ar elected in him before the foundacion of the
not know what the scripture speketh in Hâ—ly how he called on y â— lord against Israel â–ª and so forthe But what answere made the lorde vnto him saythe the Apostel I haue lefte vnto me sayth the lorde seuen thousande men which haue not oâ—s bent ther kne before Baal He sayd not ther are left vnto me or ells they haue lefte them selfâ— vnto me But he sayde I haue left vnto me And so then sayth the apostel in thys time the remnaunt is sauyd by the election of grace But if it be of grace theÌ„ doth it not com of works For then grace were no grace And so ioyning and knitting thes things vp togyther as I haue rehersed what theÌ„ sayd he And to that he sayde That whych Israel sought after it dyd not obteyne election dyd obteyne it the rest were blynded It foloweth that in thys loue of god and in the remnant which is saued thorowe the election of grace the Apostell wyll haue the people to be ment and vnderstonded whiche people for that cause god dyd not cast of because he dyd forknow them This is that same eleccion wherby god did chose theÌ„ whom hym pleased in Christe that they shuld be holy and pure in his syght in charite predestening them into the adoption of chyldren No man therfore whiche doth vnderstande this matter can ether denye or doubt but these wordes which thapostle doth speke He hath not cast of y e people which he hath forknowen do signifi non other thing than predestination For in his for knowlege he knew before the remnaunte which he wolde make after the election of grace that is to say which are predestened And without doubt if he did predestinat theÌ„ he knew it before that he would so do But to predestinate is as much as to know before what he wold do afterward What thing then shuld let vs when we do rede in holy writers these wordes the prescience of god specially when thei do treate of y â— vocation of the elects but that we may vnderstond and cal it predestination For peraduenture thei do vse this word vocable prescience the more because it is more easy to be vnderstonded besyde that it is not against ye it is ryght agreable to the vetitie whiche is taught as touchinge y â— predestination of grace This I am sure of that no man except he woulde erre wyllingly can dispute agenst this predestination of grace whiche we do defend by the authorities of the holy scripture The .xix. Chapter ANd me thinketh to those men whiche at desyros to know the mynds and iudgements of those which ar wrytars concerninge this matter these two holy and vertuose men Ciprian and Ambrose being men hyghly commended bothe for ther purenes of fayth great knowledg in al godly doctryn whose testimonis we haue rehersid shold be sufficient both that they sholde throughly beleue and so preche tech that the grace of god is a fre gifte as it oughte to be beleued taughte also that they shold not think the preching of y â— said grace to be ani hinderance or let to y â— preching wherin we do exhort those which are slothful to go from ther slothfulnis rebuke those whiche are noughtye and euyll from their leudnes forsomuch as these godly meÌ„ did so highly extol set forth the grace of god insomuch that thâ—ne of theÌ„ said we must be proud of nothing becaus nothiÌ„g is our own thother said That nether our harts nor our thoughtes ar in our own power And yet they in their prechyng dyd both exhort rebuke as they saw cause y e the coÌ„maundements of the lord might be wrought don They fered not lest any wold say to theÌ„ wherefore doest y u exhort vs wherfore dost y u rebuke vs if we haue no good thinge of our self if our harts and thoughts ar not in our own pour Thei wer afraid of no such words being of so godlâ— a iudgmeÌ„t y â— they knew wel ther wer very few or noÌ„ which had receuid suche a gift at y â— mouth of god or els by som angel that they shuld haue the knowlege of the heuenly doctrin without the helpe of any man preaching vnto them But coÌ„trarywise they knew many to whom it was geuen that by the preaching teaching of meÌ„ they shuld come to faith beleife in god How be it which waye soeuer the word is spoken and declared to a maÌ„ he that doth giue such eare vnto it that he doth follow obey it that same is y â— gift of god So these foresayd holye wrytars being most godly expositors of the worde of god dyd both preach the grace of god as it ought to be preched that is to say which grace no humayne merits do precede and also dyd most instantly and earnestly exhort men to the keping of the commaundementes of the lorde that they which haue the gyft of obedience maye here and perceaue wherin they shold be obedient For if any of our meryts do precede the grace of god it must be y â— meryt ether of soÌ„ dede or word or thought of ours in the whiche the wyll of man is vnderstonded to be good But that man dyd in fewe words comprehend al kind of merits which sayd We must be proud of nothing forsomych as nothinge is ours to be proud of That man also which sayde that our harts and our thoughts are not in our powr he left nether words nor deds vnment For there is no ded or word which any man doth work or spek but it commith out of the thought of y â— hart What thing could this holi matter and godly doctor Cyptyan do more concerninge this matter than where he taught vs speking vpon the lords prayer y â— we must praye for the enemies of Christs faith in the which lesson we are taught that the begynning of our faith is the gift of god after his mynde and iudgment He taught vs also y â— the church of Christ doth dayly praye for perseuerance that it may perseuer and continue to the end For god doth gyue that to non â–ª but to them which haue perseuered to the end Blessed Ambros also where he treateth vpon these words of the Euangelist Luk whiche words ar It semed to me wel and good it might well be sayde Ambrose that the thinge did lyke please hym wherof he spake For thinges said he doo not only lyke vs wel in our own conceyts wils but euen so as it plesed him which doth speke in vs which is Christe which doth work in vs y â— that thiÌ„g which is good in dede may so sem appere vnto vs. For on whom he taketh mercy compassion him he calleth And therfor that man which doth folow Christ beyng demaÌ„ded y â— question For what cause he wolde be a christian man may well make aunswer and say it lyked me well and it thought
did I not write it a good mani of yers befor Let theÌ„ also rede that epistel which I wrote to Sixtus the eldar of thee churche of Rome what time we contended most vehemeÌ„tly against the Pelagians and they shal fynd it siche an other as that was whiche we sent to Paulinus Hereby thei maye cal to remembrans that diuers yers past thes thinges wer both spokeÌ„ of and also put in writiÌ„g which I do meruayl mich now to discontent ther minds And yet I wold not that any man shold so mich regard and make of my workes that they sholde follow me in any thinge but wherin thei do perceue and se that I do not erre but wher as I am in the right waye For for that cause do I now wryght certain bokes wherin I go about to retract my work as that I maye testefye and shew howe that in all thinges I didde not folow min own self But yet I trust that by the helping mercy of god I did good with my wrytings although at the beginning I was not perfect in al thinges For euen now I shold both lye speke arrogantly if I sholde saye that I am com to sich a perfection yea being so olde as I am that I am with out al error in writing But ther is a gret difference bitwene how mich and in what things a maÌ„ doth err and how quickly he wil amend it that man which stobernly wyl stonde in the defence of his error For that man truly is happy whiche hath lerned profited so well that at the last day of his lyfe hath that thing gyuen to him which he wanted al his life before therfor may be then iudged rather worthy of perfection which hath so proffited thaÌ„ of punyshment for y e contrary Wherfore if I ought not to be vnthankful to theÌ„ which did fauor loue me becaus they had som profit by my woorks yea before they dyd loue me howe muche more ar we bouÌ„d to be thaÌ„kful to god whoÌ„ we could not loue except he had loued vs first made vs to be his louers For loue charite doth come of hym as thos godly men do bear witnes whom he hath made grete oratours myghtye preachers of his name What thing caÌ„ be more vnthankeful than to deny y e grace of god which is in that we saye it is gyuen after our merits Thys saying dyd the catholyque vniuersal fayth abhorre in the Pelagians as a cryme of most haynous wickednes This error Pelagian hym self dyd condemne not for ani loue he did bere to the veritye but for feare lest he hym self shuld haue ben condemned Whoso euer wyl sey that the grace of god is giuen after our meryts agenst the beleif of al faythful men doth not deny y t faith is of the grace of god by the which grace he hath obteyned to be faythful by that same reson let hym also gyue to the grace of god the gyft of perseueraunce to th end as wel as thother by the whiche grace he obteyneth mercy which perseuerance he prayeth for dayly in y t he desyreth y t he might not be brought into tentacion In the myds betwene the begynnyng of fayth th end whyche is perseuerance to the end are al thos vertuse wherwith our lyfe appeareth good and godly which vertuse thei them self do graunt to be the gyfts of god at the respect of faith But God knew that he wold gyue to them whom he hath called al thos thinges that is to sai both y e beginning of faith al other his giftes euen to the ende It were therfore a matter of to mich contention other to spek against predestination or ells to doubt any thing therof Yet men must take hede be ware now after what manner thei do prech yt to the people And that thei do not so preche it that bi there rude preching amonge the vnlearned people it shold be sclanderyd spoken euyl of as apereth they haue done by the prescience foreknoledge of god which trueli they canne not deneye As if theye wolde saye vnto the people whither you do slepe or wake as god who can not be deceuid hath you in his foreknoledg that same shal you be For crafty and vnlerned phisicions do often tims ley and bynde a good playster vnto a man after that fashion that it doth not only not profet the parte which is syk but maketh him often tymes worse But they shold rather haue sayd to the people So roon that ye maye come to that you do roon after And in your ronning ye shal perceue and know that ye ar so for knowen of god that ye shulde run wel And if they can deuyse anye other waye to preach and teach the prescience of god by the whiche theyr teaching man myght be driuen from his sloggishnes I wuld they shuld vse it Cap. xxii ALthough this be the certaine and determinid wil of god concerning predestination y â— som haue receuid the wyl of obedience and ar tornid from ther infydelyte vnto fayth in Christe and so haue the gyfte to continew in the same som other which do lye styl in the delyghte pleasur of ther damnable synne if they be also predesteâ—yd therfore ar they not yet rysen vp from ther sin bycaus the help of grace which is pyttyful take the mercy hathe not lyft them vp For if there be som which ar not yet called whom thoroughe his grace he hath predestyned to be hys elect chosen theye shall also receue that same grace wherby they may haue the wyl and desire therof be also elected in dede And again if there be any which do obeye that ar not predestined to his kyngedome and glory those are but tymlyngs and shall not continue styl in that same obedience to th end Although therfore I say these thinges are true yet they must not be spokeÌ„ of after so plaine a fashion to a multitude of herers as thoughe the wordes were spoken vnto theÌ„ which ar the hearars or after sych a fasshion as ye do wryght me of in your lettres as if a man shold say This is the wil of god in his predestination y t som of you shal receaue y â— wil to be obedient and torn from youre infydelite to fayth What nede is it here to say som of you For if we do speake to the churche of god if we do speke vnto none other but such as do beleue wherfore do we say somof you are com to y e fayth For in so sayinge we do apper to do wrong vnto the rest when we myght spek more comly and aptli if we shold saye This is the very wyl of god in his predestination that ye shold receue the wyl of obedience torn from youre vnfaithfulnes to belefe and to receue the gyft of perseuerance that ye maye continew therin The reste of the words
me good so to do For when he speketh those words he denieth not but that it pleased god that he shuld so be For the wyll of men is prepared of god For it is also the grace and gyft of god that he shuld be honoured of his saynetes Also in the self same worke that is to say in the exposition of y â— said ghospel when he cam to this place wher we do rede that the Samaritans wold not receue Christ comming toward Ierusalem â–ª marke also sayeth Ambrose lern this w t you y â— Christ wold not receue them whiche were not with a symple and an vnfayned harte mind coÌ„verted vnto hym For if he wold he might haue made them deuout and godly wher as they were not But the cause whye theye receuid him not y â— EuaÌ„gelist him self opeâ—iâ—h sayng Bycaus he had tornid his face awaye to go to IerusaleÌ„ But his disciples wold fayn haue byn receuid But god doth cal whom he wyl maketh holy whoom hym pleaseth What thinge more euident and plain than this do we loke for in the holy wrightars and expositors of the worde of god if we haue any pleasure to her lern of them that thing which is open and manifest in the scripturs But although these two doctors were sufficient yet will we ad and ioyn Gregory for the therd man vnto them whiche witnesseth that both to beleue in god also to confesse that thing which we do beleue is a gyft sayinge after this wyse We pray you confesse the trinite of on deyte and we wyl praye vnto god that the voyce of that confession may be giuen to you of the holye goste that is to saye he shal be desired that he wold suffer the voice to be gyuen to you with the which voyce ye may confesse that which ye do beleue he wyll gyue it I knowe wel For he whiche dyd the fyrst wil gyue also that foloweth And he which dyd gyue to you the gift to beleue wil giue to you also the gyft to confesse your beleffe Forsomych then as thes whiche are so noble doctors do saye that we haue nothing as of our self to be proud of but that it is the gifte of god whatsoeuer we haue yea that nether our harts nor our thoughtes ar in our own power wher wherby we do geue al to god knoledging confessinge that we doo receyue al of his liberalite that we may so continew and be conuerted to god and that that thinge which is good may appeare also to vs to be good and that we may wyl the same that we may honor god receue Christ â–ª that of vndeuout vnholi we may be made vertuouse godly fynally y t we may beleue in the trinite contes that same with our mouths al euery one of these things these forsayd doctors do attribut to y e grace of god knolegiÌ„g y t they at y â— gifts of god so testifieng y t we haue al thes good things of hym not of our selfe Is ther any man which wil say that these men dyd so knowledge and confes the grace of god that they durst or wold be so boulde to deny his prescyence and forknowlege which not only the lernyd but also the rude vnlerned do confes alow Finally if these men did so know that god was the geuer of these thinges that they do graunt that he knew the same before that he wold gyue them that he could not be ignorauÌ„t to whom he wold geue his gyftes doubtles if they knew al this them knew they alsoo predestination which the apostels preched we do defend al that we may withal diligence agenst a sort of new heretiques And yet for al that when they preched obedience and exhorted men diligently to the keping therof no man could well and iustly say to them If you wil not haue obedieÌ„ce wex cold whervnto you do exhort vs and make it faynt in our stomachs prech no more to vs this grace of god whiche we confesse that god doth gyue and you do exhorte vs alsoo a that we sholde woorke it The .xx. Chapter WHerfore syth the Apostels doctors of the church which succeded after them did both that is to sai both preche truly the grace of god whiche is not gyuen after our merits also wyth holsom precepts lessons tech exhort men vnto godly obedience what cause haue thei against the invincible veryte that they can somych as think y e they do speke wel in that they do saye although it be trewe that is spoken of the predestinatioÌ„ of the benifits of god yet it shold not be taught a brode to the people Yes truly it oughte and must be preched that they which haue ears to here may here Yf any doth not perceue and vnderstond it let him refuse it and medel not w tal so y t he which doth receue and vnderstond yt may receue it to him self drynk it into his hart and so lyue For lykwise as the loue to god warde must be preched that god maye be worshiped of him which hath ears to here with and lykewise chastite that he which hath ears to here may commit no vnlauful and vnclean dede with his fleshly members and so charite that of him whiche hath ears both god and his neighbour maye be loued euen so as wel must the predestination of the benefits of god be preachid that he which hath ears to here may reioyse not in him selfe but in god But as to that which they do saye that it is no nede that the harts and the minds of the vnlernid and of those which haue smal intelligence vnderstonding shuld be trobled w t such doubtful disputatioÌ„ reasoning forsomich as y â— catholyque vniuersal fayth hathe byn many yeres wel sufficientlye defended yet this matter of predestination not medelyd with all both against the erronious opinyons of diuerse specyally against the pelagyans in so many bokes works of good catholyque men ye in myn own workes also before thys matter was taken in hand I do much meruayl at their thus spekyng that hey do not consyder way I wyl not spede of other meÌ„s doyngs those yea min own works which I wrot set forth befor ther was any name or mention of the pelagians wherin they may se that not yet kowing of any heresi y â— pelagian shulde be author of in manye places of my bokes I beleued and also taught the same grace by the which god doth deliuer vs froÌ„ euil opynions and noughtie maners which grace no good works or me â—ituose dedes do preced god working that same grace acordinge to his bounteful and fre mercy This matter I begann to perceue more fully in that disputation which I wrot vnto the holy father SympliciaÌ„ of most godly memory byshop of the church of MylaÌ„ what tyme I was fyrst