in MelanctoÌ„s correlatiues whereof ye make mention in the ende of your booke of fayth and of promyse And that the cause whye we be iustified by faith sayth he not by charitie is because promise can not be receaued but by fayth And in this poynt they meruayl of the grossenes of our wit that vnderstande not the nature of correlatiues and se not howe a promise can onely be appreheÌ„ded by fayth and that is the grounde that moueth them to saye Onely faithe iustifieth And thus they reason Seinge our saluatioÌ„ dependeth vpoÌ„ goddes promise a promise can not be apprehended but by faith onely we must nedes saye only faith iustifieth And to make the matter playne they brynge in a similytude If one man promiseth an other xx.li howe can he to whome the promise is made apprehende the promise but onely by beleuynge him that promiseth And this is the newe scoole of Germany where sophistry is not banished but hath a newe garmente and is clothed with a pretence of simplicitie For in this teachynge is a meruelouse apparaunce of playnnes and throughlye considered conteynethe a meere deceyte And note well reader that thou mayest perceyue this iuggelinge sophistrye where it deceyueth the. It is not denyed but onely faythe apprehendeth the promyse therin is no controuersy but marke well this when god iustifieth man god ministreth mercy to vs which was the thing god promised to giue vs as the prophet zacharie prophecied god wold giue him self who is all mercy whervpon is grouÌ„ded oure saluation wherin we must coÌ„sidre distinctly a parte the promyse of god and the thynge by hym promysed whiche is mercy The promise is one the thinge conteined in the promise is an other As in their exaÌ„ple for I dare make no newe when one freÌ„d promiseth an other Goddes promyse of mercy sheweth the promyse to be the boÌ„dâ— mercye the thinge promised xx.li. the promise is the bonde the thing promysed is the xx.li In which example though I graunt that I apprehend my frendes promise with beleuing him yet I apprehende not that is conteined in my frendes promise with beleuing him for I appreheÌ„d that with my haÌ„des yf it be payed me And so although we apprehend gods promise with our belefe yet the exhibicion of the mercy of god which is the thinge coÌ„prehended in gods promyse we apprehend that with all such partes of vs of bodye and soule as be comforted and healed by that mercye And in the workynge of chrystes myracles the promysse of helthe in body and soule was receaued by fayth in the vnderstandynge lyghtened by God but the healthe was receaued in all the partes healed of body and soule Nowe if he wyll yet wrangle and saye that the promyse of god is mercye and god wyll surely fulfil his promyse So as he that apprehendeth the promyse apprehendeth also mercye I wyll not vary with him therein to saye that the promyse is for the certaine hope of the thing promised mercy For as our Ladye sayde in the spirite of prophecy Suscepit Israell puerum suuÌ„ recordatus misericordiae suae God hath taken to him Israel his seruaunt remembryng his mercy that is to say according to his mercifull promise which the nexte verse declareth Sicut locutus est c. yet ye shall note here a distinction in degre of mercye betwene the mercy in the mercyfull promise when our Lady sayth recordatus miseri cordiae suae the very receyuyng of Israel to his seruice which god doth in iustification of man for then he taketh Israel the beleuer that seeth god to his seruauÌ„t whiche is a further mercy and the very mercy promysed So as Israel apprehendeth the mercifull promyse by faith but beynge taken to seruyce receiueth the further mercy ê“mised in receauing a newe hart a new spirit which god createth in man with the gift of charite resuscitateth in man lyfe beyng al lyfe and charite hym selfe Wherefore we may not properly saye we apprehende iustification by faythe whiche is the exhibition of mercy promysed by god to iustifie man onlesse we wolde call the promise of god and the exhibition of the thinge promysed all one God wyl do assuredly that he promyseth yet his promyse the thynge promysed be distincte the promise the exhibitioÌ„ of the promise distinct but assuredly knit together without fayling for god can not faile yet disseuered in consideration of the scripture And herein is the sophistry in this newe scoole slythly to passe ouer and iuggle as this man speaketh of vnder bord from the promise to the exhibition of the thing promised which their sleight is not of the rude easelye espied bicause in common speach we vse sometime to signify by the worde promyse the thynge promysed and so we do when we saye we be saued by gods promisse meaninge his mercy promysed and yet be the promysse and mercy promysed diuers in coÌ„sideration of the thinge as afore As soone as man beleueth God procedeth to the fulfillynge of his promyse for his part and giueth vs a newe spirite and a newe harte and so iustifieth vs if we receiue it and assente by our free choice vnto it and worke with it which is the effectual receiuyng and the worthynes on our parte whereby we be iustified And note wel this that there must be on our parte a worthynes and therefore howe so euer ye wyll smyle at it The churcâ— hath alwaâ— labored in â—membraunâ—â— of gods pâ—mises to pâ— vs in remeâ—braunce oâ— our wortâ—nes it is a good prayer Ora pro nobis sancta dei genitrix ut digni efficia mur promissionibus christi In this prayer we call vpon our Ladye as a lyuely membre of christes misticall body to praye to god for vs and with vs that we maye be made worthy the promises of christ In which prayer we acknowledge and truely professe that the promises of god require in vs a worthynes For the promyses of god be not to all men withoute condition absolute for then all shulde be saued but onelye to suche as be worthy to enioye theÌ„ And of this worthynes the scripture speaketh the thyrde chapiter in the booke of wisedome â—sedome â—archeth seâ—nge them â—at be worâ—ye her sayenge god hath teÌ„pted them and founde them worthy him And Centurio in the gospell when he humblye wold haue auoyded the comminge of Christ into his house sayde Lorde I am not worthye that thou shouldeste entre into my house Nowe if we shall so presse the signification of this worde worthy as we meane somtime when we say Dignus est operarius mercede sua no man can be founde worthy the mercy of god but if we can be content in the vnderstandynge to absteyne from the extremite and take worthynes for metenes after gods acceptation then all such may be accompted worthy as coÌ„forme them selfe to goddes pleasure and vse suche giftes of god as whereby god maketh vs worthy both the
kepte the lawe of Moyses agaynst whom Paule with so great labour farre otherwyse instituted his churches preachyng wrytyng constantly our synnes to be knowen shewed vs by the lawe and not therby to be taken awaye onely the grace of fayth through Christe to iustify all nations Happy it was that these heretiques spronge vp in his dayes whose epystels we haue yet so myghtlye and clearely confutyng and pressyng downe these heresyes nowe crepte vp agayne by Winchester The chiefe articles of the christen religion vpon the whiche all other are stayed and grounded is that in Christ Iesu is al sufficieÌ„cie and perfection of forgyuenesse of synnes saluacyon of whose fulnes we receyue grace for grace as sayth IhonÌ„ Wherfore as many as be iustified are iustified by thonely fayth in hym and by nothyng els as by any subsidiary atteynement as Winchester wold haue his helpyng wylworkes vnto his full iustification in Christe the perfection of the lawe This is the suÌ„me of the hole Gospell This is the station of the cause the argument â–ª and material of all Paules pistels euen the tredsâ—le or ground-sole whervpon as the dore is turned returned so are all his argumentes and proces thervpon treated and retreated And specyally in his pystels to the Romaynes Galath Hebrues And now syth this Bysshop sterith vp afresshe these olde heresies we can haue no better armoure argumentes then Paule made agaynst hym fyrste warnynge vs of such sedicious secte sowers sayeng There are many runners abrode of whome I warned you often but nowe with wepynge teares I warne you agayne euen of the enemyes of Christes crosse whose ende is dampnatioÌ„ whose belly is theyr god and theyr glory shall ende with shame whose care and study is set vpon earthly thynges I can not maruayle ynough at this Bysshoppe fyghtyng so earnestly for good workes to iustify that he doth none hym self but persecuteth Christes church so cruelly pryson pitiously and destroye the poore innocent lambes of God christes owne blode I passe ouer his luciferine pryde ambytion arrogancye viciouse lyuynge c. aboue Nero Iulian Traiane Herod or any softe Sardanapale By lyke he beleueth not his owne articles for yf he dyd he wolde do better workes for his owne iustification The frutes of Paules fayth beynge ones a Pharisaie of Winch. opinion were the persecution of Christes churche aboue measure as hym selfe testifieth And as all lyke pharisees haue euer done and do yet styll vnto this day God coÌ„uerte them ones as he dyd Paule So be it We therfore with Paule and Christe affirme our onely one alone sauioure Christe for his owne merites and oure fayth into hym through the fauour of his father appeased in hym to iustifye that is to absolue vs from our synnes and to gyue vs lyfe eternall This our onely sauyour we preache write to be the only rightwysnes wisedome holy maker redemptioÌ„ and satisfactioÌ„ sufficient for all that beleue in hym And yf there be any that thynke Christes rightwysenes his satisfaction his merites redemptioÌ„ made for vs of his father not a sufficieÌ„t iustificacioÌ„ forgyuenes of theyr synnes but that they must set theyr own workes checkmate with his passyon redemption to helpe furth vnto the atteynement of this effecte of Christes passyon well lette them couple and wrappe in theyr owne workes to for theyr iustification and then in so doynge shall they procure theyr owne dampnatioÌ„ For al our good workes or ryghtwysenes sayth I say are ryght fylthy and nought so much the worse then nought for that they be set in so hygh a place eâ—all with Christes bloud whiche is a playne blasphemye These vnryght rightwyse makers wolde serue two contrarye maysters at ones the pope and god to the gospell the popes lawes but whyles they thus haulte on bothe sydes with Baals preestes they serue truely the deuyl which hath no concorde with Christe neyther shall there any papyst nor chrystian beleue them for in conclusion ye shall se them to be iustified neyther by workes nor fayth but dampned for theyr vnbelefe no man beleuyng nor louyng them by theyr wicked workes procurynge them selfe the hatred of all men VvintonÌ„ WIthout I wolde encountre with you in rayling I haue nothynge to saye hereunto but that ye spende a great meany of wordes in vayne whiche shall more playnly appeare by then ye come to th ende of mine aunswere and that youre propre termes of subsidiarye atteynement wyllworkes â—euisers of â—we termes â—e noted by â—ynt Paule â—â— men of â—issension â— religion and workes checkemate with such deuises of newe wordes whiche saynt Paule noteth as a marke to tel what ye be be all to no purpose And besides the issue of the matter in hand ye disproue troublers of the churche with euil opinions as though ye were none of them that troubled it ye crye stowe the thefe to hyde your selfe with the noyse and thereby escape thattachement of the folowers I for my selfe boost not my workes to the worlde but do the offyce of an hande at a crosse to saye this is the ryght waye and whether I stere or no to enter the waye my selfe I haue god to my iudge to whome I stande or fall and ye take vpon you to iudge an other mans seruaunte I styrre vp no heresies but as ye prouoke me say my conscience to the disproue of such blasphemouse heresyes as ye styrre vp Wherein your asseueracions and myne sette aparte lette the matter shewe it selfe The scryptures ye haue broughte in agaynste me reade them ones agayne and marke them for your owne parte to whome moost properlye appertayneth to be called the runners aboute to me that speake to no man of the matter but as I am prouoked or you that in your writinges wander abrode and be in euery mans eares and where ye dare appeare shewe youre selfe and specyallye at Antwerpe to corrupte the youth frome whense one came of late to serche proufes agaynste youre personne to dysproue the false wytnesse as he saied ye had borne with your tongue whether he belyed you or no I will not affirme for albeit ye gyue me cause to doubte of youre truth throughlye yet I wyl not comdemne you in that I knowe not as ye do me But lette vs se what foloweth in your booke Ye entre into myne articles thus Nowe to his articles Vvynch Fyrst article Theffecte of Christes passyon hath a condicion The fulfyllynge of the condicion dyminisheth nothynge theffecte of Christes passyon Ioye God is thelyghte and wyll not be taught with darke and coÌ„fuse termes Isay prophecyed of Christe that when he should come he should not be darke and dyfficyle or harde in his doctryne Nowe speakest thou playnely said his disciples And Paule reioyced greatly that he hadde so syncerelye and frelye preached the gospell Christ toulde his that they shoulde be the lyghte of the worlde purely and clearely to teache especially the chief principilles of the christen relygion
without the workes of the lawe that he mente by the workes of the lawe but cyrcumcysyon and the other ceremonies nowe abrogated and not the lawe of the commaundementes Then let him heare Paule expownynge hym selfe of what lawe he mente aunswerynge to suche obiections By the lawe sayth he cometh the knowledge of synne and I hadde not knowen concupyscence to haue ben synne hadde not the lawe sayde Thou shalt not haue any concupiscens or lust And then when he wrote his pysâ—les circumcision and the rytes and ceremonyes were abrogated amonge the christen Iewes and the Gentyles neuer were bounde to them as was Abraham iustyfyed by fayth onelye ere the lawe was wrytten and before he was cyrcumcysed And Peter sayd that this same lawe whyche Paule excludethe from iustificacion and Wynch calleth his condicioÌ„ is a yoke importable whiche proueth it not to be circumcysion nor anye of their ceremonyes of Moses lawe for these were lyght enoughe to beare lyghter and easyer then to not luste or desyre any thynge agaynst goddes wyll or for a ryche man to forsake all and gyue it to the pore or for Wynchester to caste of his pride his bisshopryke with all his vaynglorye and to become the humble poore pure persecuted preacher of goddes worde It is redde that therewas one man that by suffring doynge and fulfyllynge the lawe of the commaundementes came to heuen euen christe onelye In Math. we reade of a nother yonge man that wolde go to heuen by doynge some good workes askynge Chryste Good Mayster what dedes shall I do to haue lyfe eternall whose mynde Chryste seynge dydde set hym but certayne of the easyeste commaundementes to fulfyll them And he sayde as for these I haue done them alredye wel then sayd chryst or rather so thought If ye wyll nedes go to heauen by doyng I shall set you to do such dedes as I knowe well ye wyll neuer do yea they be impossible for you to do theÌ„ euen to sell his substance and to geue it to the poore and so to folow hym now goyng forth to Ierusalem to suffer death What dydde this man I praye you howe farre went he with Christ thinke you went he not his waye heuyly from christ And yet wyll Wynchester go to heauen by doynge and fulfyllynge his harde condicion I dare saye he wolde skratche his head twise as dydde this ryche man ere he solde his bysshoprike and hadde gyuen it to the poore And therefore christe pronounced that it is impossible for such riche men to come to heauen God therfore trusted vs so litle with the fulfyllynge of the lawe and so by this condicion to come to heauen that he toke it out of our handes layd it vppon his sonne christes backe to be fulfilled For yf he had left our saluacion in our owne handes to be deserued by our workes we had ben al dampned VvintonÌ„ Your haÌ„deling of this my conclusion declareth plain that ye vnderstaÌ„d not what ye say nor of what thing ye affirme and that I leaue to the iudgement of the reader with remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of that I haue before written For ye fondely improue a conclusion which myght stand be true with your fonde paradox of only fayth iustifieth onlesse in teaching ye wyl so handel the matter as Barnes did that a maÌ„ is iustified before he beleueth For and if beleue go before iustification as a cause doth theffecte then seing in scripture belefe is called a dede and proceding from the gift of god must nedes be a good dede it foloweth necessarily Ergo I may by gods gift do a good deede before I am iustified But I moued Barnes of a deede before belefe that is that lerning to beleue by hearing sermons or reading wherin the grace of god prepareth mans wyll as scripture sayth So truly do you saye wheÌ„ ye cal me pelagian I asked Barnes of that deede whether it were good or no and proued it good And then bicause it is done before iustification I brought the conclusion aforesayde wherof ye take occasion to be ioyful in the mery moneth of May. All which your iestinges I can so wel digest as I am not ashamed to cause theÌ„ to be rehersed in this boke bicause the buddes of your fruteful lerning may appeare to considre what frute we may loke for of theÌ„ As for the matter of iustificatioÌ„ by faith and workes was not ment betwene Barnes and me to be spoken of in this conclusion and so therin ye striue not with me but with your self beat your owne shadow in stead of an aduersary Where ye thinke I am not so ignorauÌ„t in my graÌ„mer as to englyshe the text of saynt Paule Fides que per dilectionem operatur Fayth which is wrought by charitie and make operatur a uerbe passiue ye thynke not amisse if I shulde englysshe it worde for worde But as for the sense because scripture doth attribute life to charite withoute which fayth remayneth dead I se no suche cause of absurdite as ye fynde to saye fayth is set a worke by charite The enterprise of thesâ— sâ—eres is worldly anâ— they set it furthe witâ— prophecies other worldly vanities and the good lerned men of the Greke churche expounde saynte Iames after that sorte And as for suche vanitie in prophecies if ye do regarde them in the peruerting of iustification you and Barnes with your secte were that company who haue so confusely handled that matter as ye make iustificatioÌ„ before al faith in hym that is onely moued to beleue Considre with your self whether this turnynge vpsidowne in consideratioÌ„ of the doctrine in iustificatioÌ„ .xl. yeres past may be verified on you or me I affirme the same iustificatioÌ„ that was theÌ„ taught you be the turners Ioyes prâ—phecy noteâ— him self anâ— he seeth it not so by your owne prophecy be noted for Antechrist I gyue no credite to suche prophecies but because you do I allege youre owne prophecie for your owne confusion Blynde men â—ee nothinge and as ye can not se goddes truth whiche ye beleue not so ye can not se the true sense of your owne prophane prophecie whiche ye beleue And yf ye wyll nowe go backe from youre backewarde iustificacion after your accustomed maner then must you place the studyouse worke of learnyng our belefe and likewise the worke of baptisme the worke of beleuing and the worke of loue to be before iustification and some of them in the thefe hangynge on the crosse God iustifieth no man without the gyftes of fayth and loue this ye graunt whiche when man receyueth he receiueth by theÌ„ iustification wherin I call mans deserte and merite onely the vsing of the benefites offred of faith and loue And other deserte and merite man can not haue For what hath any man good that he hath not receyued And therefore the commaundemente of loue with oure hole hartes c. is not so extreme as ye make it to a christen man whose faythe speakethe to
of God do I not make god auctoure of fayth wher by is assured knowledge of gods wyll and pleasure conteynynge the condicion of oure estate required to enioy theffecte of christes passion whiche is the summe of that I said hitherto Nowe when ye reherse for mine article as foloweth This faith is a good gyft it is good and profitable to me It is good and profitable to me to do well and exercyse this fayth Ye note me to haue spoken a sorte of good wordes but suche as I spake not in dede be in dede nothynge to the purpose And it had ben a coold speache to say fayth is a good gifte it is good and profitable it is profitable to me to do well I that had called faith the gyfte of god necessaryly before all requyred for knowledge it had ben worship fully spoken afterwarde to saye fayth is a good gyfte by laken as though any gyfte of god coulde be otherwyse then good Barnes wyt was more fresh â—râ—de that exâ—ed grace â—rred al in â—arnes and many mo our matter more lyuely quycke theÌ„ to make these articles as ye note them And they serue nothyng to the coÌ„clusyon that ye reherse afterward ergo by the gyft of god I may do well before I am iustified And that was in dede the mater proponed betwene vs. whether a maÌ„ myght haue grace to do well before he were iustified For maister Barns had affirmed that albeit god saith we must forgyue our neyghbour to obteyne forgyuenes of god yet he said that god must forgyue vs first before we forgiue our neighbour For elles to forgyue oure neyghbour were synne by the texte that ye brynge in All that is not of fayth is synne A true sayeng but brought in to subuerte truth as the deuyll dyd scripture And in this dreame was Barnes that folowyng the newe scoole of extremites he denyed al degrees of grace as you do said A man could do nothyng good or acceptable before the grace of iustificatioÌ„ For coÌ„futation wherof I agreed fyrst with hym and he with me of the former proposicions and came to this that we must haue fayth firste of all to knowe what we shulde beleue After this I asked him if a gentile felte him self moued to go heare a preachynge or rede some parte of scripture whether wolde he cal it wel done of him to go to the sermoÌ„ rede the scripture or were it synne because it was before faith He said it was good And then I said it must nedes be so for it was of God profitable to hym And thereupon folowed the conclusion that ye laughe at ergo a man may do good before his iustification Barnes was not contente in dede with the conclusion And wheÌ„ he sawe that he coulde improue none of the partes wherof it folowed Then began he to saye that suche a gentyle so moued to go to the sermon or to rede scripture was then iustified of god in that mocion And then I replied Ergo men be iustified before fayth and so were it by Barnes false that onely faith iustifieth for this man was iustified without faith For howe shulde he haue faith before he hadde harde when faith is of hearinge as saint Paule sayth But to defend and maintaine his first fonde saieng that a man can do no good thinge before he be iustified he was faine to maynteyne that a man is iustified before he heareth and before he beleueth and so confounded he the degrees of gods workynge in time in vs. Fyrst to call vs and then to iustifie vs as saint Paule declareth it Those he hath knowen he hath predestinate and those he hath predestinate he hath called and those he hath called he hath iustified and those he hath iustified he hath glorified So as callynge whiche god doth by many meanes is before iustification at the lest in ordre or els if we considre no prioritie in gods workinge in time in vs we must aswell say god hath glorified vs when he doth iustifie vs as that he hath iustified vs â—erard that â—ffred with â—arnes had preached at the callynge of vs. And in dede one of Barnes companions had preached that God had iustified vs before the beginninge of the worlde puttynge no difference betwene iustificatioÌ„ in time and predestination and election that God worketh aboue tyme and such a coÌ„fusion ariseth where men will take vpon them to affirme that they vnderstande not And because they neyther done mind to do anye good dedes they wold perswade to the world the we caÌ„ do no maner of good dedes tyll we haue no nede of them for our saluacion that is to say til we be iustified and clerely in goddes perfyt fauour and assured by our owne belefe of lyfe euerlastynge I speake coÌ„fuselye of workes of iustice and workes of penaunce together whiche they do not distincte as appereth by Ioye in the laste article but for doctrine I saye with saynte Austine that bona opera iusticie sequuntur iustificationem and opera penitencie precedunt and as though we shulde saye to god Giue me my wages aforehande and make me sure that I shal haue heauen and then I professe I wil forgeue my neighbour Then I wil fast the true fast from synne Then I wil pray Then I wyll do almose Then I wil loue mine enemy For then I can do it And before the al our dedes al our thoughtes be synne Ne man can haue grace to do any of these before iustification And so if belefe be requyred before iustification there aryseth then a maruelouse perplexytye howe I shuld worke well the worke of beleefe before I am iustified But as we say my synnes be forgiuen because I beleue so bycause my synnes were forgyuen I dydde beleue And for defence hereof they enter into a darker matter of goddes priuie counsayl of predestinacion and make predestination the next and immediate cause to our saluacion Predestinacion And then as all the worlde hath almost lefte doynge so they shulde leaue talkynge of workes yea and faith also and saye that men be saued by predestination For god hath so appoynted whose wyll in them that be predestinate shal be fulfylled and in them that be reprobate can not be withstanded Voluntati enim eius quis resistit And so when men haue so longe stryuen to atteyne knoweledge of the truth and babled of faith and workes without atteynynge eyther of both then as men do that be wery of all together they resort to the ydle reasonynge as the Grekes cal it That shal be shal be And as god hath appointed so must it be and god knoweth who be his and he wyll lose none of them And al beleued that were preordinate to euerlastynge lyfe and they that be indurate can not heare or se for god hath blynded them finally all thinges come to passe by an absolute necessite and so mannes lyfe death manours behauour state condicion and
moste certeynlye beleue it A busy wittâ— must be confounded and so tamed like a yonge coltâ— in a newe falowed lande broughte to knowe his imbecillite â–ª But saint Paule doth rather go about to confounde mans iudgement more and more that wolde enterprise to discerne gods secrete iudgementes to that purpose bringeth in the aunswere of god to Moises when he prayed god to pardonne the synne of Idolatrye committed by them that worshypped the golden calf which auÌ„swer of god was that god wold haue compassion of theÌ„ that he thought good to pardon and shewe mercy to suche as it pleased him wherby appeared that amonge a multitude that offended a lyke to mans iudgement god in ministracion of mercy vsed the pleasure of his wil makynge a difference in distribucion of his mercy where mannes reason coulde perceiue no difference in the offence So as neyther mans wyllynge or runnyng atteyneth the effecte but by the mercye of God And after thys saynt Paule bringeth in the scripture of Pharao whome God stirred vp to shew his vertue in him and to shewe forth gods name in the hole earth in which Pharao the withdrawynge of gods mercy which he obstinatelye withstode notwithstandyng so many myracles wrought by goddes powre to call him to mercye the saide Pharaos induracion grewe and folowed in such sorte as mans reason wyll thereof gather and conclude whom so euer god wyll haue mercy on he ministreth it vnto hym and whose hart god wil harden he hardeneth And then it foloweth that if this be so god hath no cause to complayne of man as the murmerer sayth who is fashioned and placed after gods wyll which no man can resiste Preyde by boldnes encresith and stayeth not til it come to the highest Wherein saynte Paule learneth vs to what issue the presumptuouse searchynge of goddes secrete iudgementes commethe vnto whereby manne studyeth to impute hys faulte to goddes ordenaunce to arrecte all the blame to God and excuse our self And further saynt Paule teacheth vs howe to represse suche mennes arrogante temeritie to encountre with god and pertely to aske hym why he complayneth of that he hath hym selfe ordeyned for as he hathe wylled all thynge is such a rebuke as foloweth is verye mete and conuenient as what man art thou that canst vse suche language to god Shall the worke that is made aske the craftes man whye madest me thus may not the potter of one lumpe of claye make one vessell A presumptuous boldnes must be put to sylence to an honeste vse and a nother to a vyle vse In this wyse and wyth suche sort of aunswere shoulde the mouth of eche proude presumtuouse arrogante wytte be stopped that wolde attempt so to dispute goddes workes as in conclusion he myght deryue the verye cause of mannes iniquitie to be attribute to goddes ordenaunce as directed by his onelye wyl Howe vnsemely is it that the worke shulde stryue with the craftes man we shoulde be all in the hand of god as the claye is in the hande of the potter folowyng obedient styll quyet without reasonyng or murmuringe at goddes ordenaunce Note thiâ— vnderstandynge of saint Paulâ— in this placâ— And here saynte Chrisostome notethe that this simylytude of the potter is not broughte in by saynte Paule to declare that God hathe created men in the worlde as the potter makethe pottes specyallye appoyntynge thys man or that man to be dampned as the potter makethe certayne vyle pottes for then we shoulde affyrme a mere necessitie But this similitude of the craftes man and potter is broughte to declare oure parte towardes God not to reason with god of our state and controll his doynges but to honoure him obeye hym with contentemente of our selfe in our estate without all irreuerent encountryng with our craftes man god no more the other workes of men do with their craftes man Manes free choyse hath â—en a perpetuall true doctrine in christes churche So as in this passe of saynt Paule saynt Chrisostome is very diligent to note and conferme vnto vs that saint Paule myndeth not to empayre the true doctryne of mannes free choyce gyuen of God to be the cause of his owne dampnacion by refusynge goddes gyfte of grace whereby he myghte be saued and that the induracion of Pharao grew of his owne malyce only by goddes sufferaunce and permission and this doctrine hath euer ben in Christes churche from the begynnyng Symon Magus the fyrste auctor of mere necessite which Symon Magus dyd fyrste impugne and was the fyrste auctour of the heresie of mere necessitie whyche heresie hath ben in sundry ages renued as it hath ben of late by luther other and not yet extinct But let vs returne again to saynt Paule who after he hath stopped the vnshamefast mouth of the murmuringe Iewe that wolde unpute the reiection of the Iues to gods ordenaunce Saynt Paule entendynge to declare where the cause of the Iewes fall is to be sought and founde after certayne textes broughte oute of the prophetes Osee and Isaye sygnyfyenge before suche a reiection to be of the Iewes Saynte Paule asketh what shall we saye then yf if be not to be attributed to goddes faulte or iniquytye whyche is ouer greate blasphemye that the Iewes were caste oute and the ientyles receyued Quid dicemus what shall we saye where shall we fynde the cause of theyr reiection Wherunto it is aunswered and a cause declared as foloweth that the ientyles not folowynge the iustyee of workes embraced the very iustice by faith And the Israelites folowinge the lawe of iustice atteyned it not because they wente about to obteine it by workes and not by faith So as finallye this lesson we muste learne wherof saynt Paule spake in the begynnynge of the epistle Deus uerax est omnis homo mendax And we muste worshyp gods truth and accuse our owne iniquitie The cause â—f maÌ„s damâ—ation in â—ym selfe We must sâ—ke the cause of our dampnacion in our owne malice not in gods ordenaunce Perditio tua ex te Israel We must acknowledge the inscrutable wisedome of god that so disposeth all thinge swetely as all men haue cause to magnifie his mercy and no man by goddes ordre tempted to murmur of his iustice Those that be dampned muste lamente their owne miserie Those that be saued muste glorye in god who hath predestinate them called theÌ„ iustified them and glorified them And therfore death is a due sould for synne and lyfe euerlastynge due by the grace of god What shall I saye nowe haue I lerned you what is predestinatioÌ„ throughly nay for sothe Nor I haue taken that vpon me But thus much I know that predestination doth not impugne the free choyse of man ne restrayneth the goodnes of god with acception of persons or diminissheth that sentence of saynt Paule Deus uult omnes homines saluos fieri ad agnitioneÌ„ ueritatis uenire God wylleth all men to be saued and come
matter abrode whom I wolde gladlye satisfye and I trust could also if they were indifferent to haue the very truth haue place rather then that they wolde haue truth But to the matter mā can not of him self in dede flye no more then he can withoute gods gyft clyme to heauen And yet scripture saith Quis dabit michi pennas sicut columbe et uolabo et requiescam who shall gyue me fethers as it were of a doue and I shal flye and reste me Thus Dauyd enspired by god desyred fethers to flye which whē they were offred him then Dauid mighte chose whether he wolde vse them or no. Dauid knewe withoute fethers he coulde not flye and also when he had obteyned thē might chose whether he wold flye or no but marke that I say further in the parable of distribucion of Talentes he that had but one talent layde it vp myght haue vsed it as thother dyd but he mysused his iudgement laide it vp idelly So as when thaccōpt was asked of him of that he had receiued and vpon knoweledge that it was laide vp idle was asked why he dydde not giue the mony to vsury His aunswere was not that he laide it vp bycause he coulde not choose but he declared the reasons by him deuised and excogitate which he said moued him to laye it vp wherby appeareth that as they that had fyue Talentes and myght haue layed them vp did chose to be industriouse and faythfull and encrease their talentes by exercyse were of theyr lord considered therafter in lykewyse he that was slouthfull and dyd chose to laye his talent vp idle was of his lord so taken and vsed accordingelye And here note wel reader and thou shalte perceyue the craftye sophistry of the deuyll in the person of hym that pretendeth symplycitie In the parable aforesaide these men to whome Talentes were gyuen could not chose to haue the Talentes gyuen vnto them for that was in the pleasure of hym that was lorde of the Talentes hereunto all must agree wherein is resembled goddes choice But when the owner of the Talentes beynge at lybertye to distribute or not dystrybute hys Talentes hadde thought good and so chosen to distrybute the Talentes of his owne mere clemencye to one moo and an other lesse Then the receyuers of these Talentes myghte lykewyse choose as it appeareth they dydde whether they wolde vse them or no. For some of them dydde vse them and some dydde not And here thou mayest see playnly a resemblaūce of gods choice that the sely soule spake of and of our choice whiche I haue entended here to intreate God choseth to geue vnto vs his giftes God choseth and man choseth and in that part we haue no choyce and thē we choose whether we wyll vse the gyftes or no and in this part we haue fre choyse as appeareth in declaration of this parable For in oure inclynatyon to good or euyll there is neyther necessitie nor compulsion fre wil in the ful significacion shulde implye free choyce Bytwene free wyll and free choice I put no differēce but in the termes of free choice whiche expresseth the greke and latin wordes Liberum arbitrium and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter may be more clerely opened in my iudgement For albeit free wyll and free choice were ment to signifie one thynge yet they that be more fine in their consideracions by abuse of the wordes from their ful signification haue deuysed howe to graunt free wyll because they sawe the world so much abhorre the deniall of it and yet therewith to defende styll theyr abhominable dreame of mere necessitie which mere necessitie can in no wyse stande Necessite cannot stande with free choyse with mannes fre choice For necessitie signifieth one poynt and no mo whereunto any thinge is directed Nowe euerye choice must be of twoo at the least for one hath no choise so as he that is necessitate to be dāpned hath no choice ne he that is necessitate to be saued hath any choice A man may wyll that is necessary i◠some sense But not chose that i◠necessarye i◠any sense ▪ and both these sortes of men haue no free choice at al. But as for fre wyl as we take it onely for a desirouse appetite which is not the ful signification of free wyl may stād with necessitie as in example a mā beinge necessitate to dye as euery man is may also gladly willinglye and desirouslye dye as many haue done for christes sake many for glorye manye for werines of their lyfe And muche more if men were necessitate to be saued they shulde gladly willingly and desirouslye do the workes of saluacion And so the Captaines of the secte haue studied oute a deuyse howe deceyuyng men in the signification of fre wyll as thoughe it signified no choice at all but only a desirouse appetite they haue graunted that man hath free wyll to his saluacion whiche they call a wyl newe create of god to be desirous of saluacion and therewith defende styll their mere necessitie there withall say this also that a good man doth necessarilye wel also frely well and an euyll man doth necessarily euyll and frelye nought They saye also that god doth compell no man for compulsion saye they is contrary to free wyl But not necessite and for this they alledge the ethnyke philosopher Aristotell bicause he maye helpe forwarde who considering Aristotell speaketh of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commen to man beaste and so is not volūtas nor arbitrium the naturall partes of the soule sayth that uiolentum opponitur voluntati non necessitas And yet Aristotell vseth such a word in the steade of uoluntas as signifiethe Lubentiam or libidinem that is commen to man and beast and not uoluntatem whiche is propre to man and yet thus they shyft in the wordes to deceiue the simple whom they wold seme to desire to teache goddes truth and vnder pretence therof do sowe abrode the deuyls falshed But Aristotel their author saith that absolute necessite which is properly necessitie is contrarye to fre choice which man must haue or he is no man And what a Sophisme is this to say that a good man doth necessarilie well and an euyll man doth necessarilie euyll and therewith say also that man is not compelled by god to good or euyll For euerye meere necessitie that can not be eschued and is o◠it self a necessitie doth enforce and compell all the meane causes to do hym seruice for meere necessitie wyl be by no meanes disapointed ▪ And it is said therefore Nothinge more violent thē necessite that there is nothynge more violente then necessitie absolute And marke we◠these teachers for in doctrine they conclude eche mannes saluacion or dampnacion vnder mere necessitie and yet they say god compelleth no man And then because th◠philosopher sayth that compulsion onelye is contrarye to fre wyll
haue no scripture so framed for faith as to say faith iustifieth neuerthelesse to auÌ„swere you according to your folysshnes and to stoppe your mouth who begynne to appose me as chyldren were woÌ„t eche one another in their primers to aske where they found two deus neuer a meus An aunsâ— mete for 〈◊〉 that wyll 〈◊〉 stryue for â—lables Thus much I say I fynd in saint Paul deus iustificat and then I fynd in saynt Ihon deus est charitas And so I fynde charitas iustificat For quicquid predicatur de subiecto predicatur de predicato And so if deus predicatur de iustificare to saye deus iustificat and then charitas predicatur de deo deus est charitas the scripture that sayth deus iustificat sayth also charitas iustificat And thus I gyue you wordes for wordes who deserue none other For els I knowe that charitas que de deo predicatur est increata and so differeth a charitate qua iustificamur Thus for my recreacion I aunswer you as you be worthye who from seriouse discussion of the true sense wyl bring the matter to sillables and yet in dede ye haue no suche syllables for fayth what so euer ye saye as you wolde haue me fynde to serue for charitie for scripture hath neither fides iustificat nor charitas iustificat in syllables but the sense of both is conteined in scripture as before is declared As for workes of the lawe serue you only for matter to talke on As for frenes in iustification I affyrme al to be of gyft and there is nothing freer then gyfte I speake of no glorye but only of gods glory in whome we shulde glorye as saynt Paule teacheth vs. Nowe where ye saye that if the effecte of christes passion shoulde depende of the condicioÌ„ of our workes we shuld neuer be sure and certayne of our iustification for all our workes are vnperfite and foule Thus I auÌ„swer you that what surenes ye wolde haue I can not tell but of this I am sure that god hath thus ordeyned that baptysme is necessary to attayne saluacion and yet all chyldren be not sure to be baptised And this doth scripture tell me assuredly that a maÌ„ must perseuer in good doing to th ende or elles he shall not be saued and that he that standeth in vertue may fal and be cast oute I am assured by saynt Paules admonition in his epistle to the Romaynes byddynge the gentyle take hede that he fal not And saynt Austen sayth If we continue in goodnes we may be assured of god that he wyl not fayle but whether we shal continue no man knoweth And therfore suche assuraunce as ye speake of without regarde of the condicion and obseruing of it also I haue not redde Thus haue I lerned in scriptures yf we turn when god turneth to vs If we beleue when god illuminateth vs. If we loue as god kyndleth vs. If we be baptised as God commaundeth vs we shal be iustified Conditions required in scripture of man for his saluacion If we walke in iustification as god by christ hath taught vs and therein perseuere we shal be saued and glorified And I knowe none other englyshe for so many iffes but to call them condicions and workes also to be done by vs whiche workes be vnperfite in vs that be our selfe vnperfite and as touchinge vnperfitenes faythe therein differeth not from charite for they nede both daylye increase of perfection and therefore Iob sayde Verebar omnia opera mea whiche maye comprehende fayth also But al oure imperfitnes is supplied in christes perfitnes and so christ supplyeth vs and we supply not christ We shulde do all as christe dyd for he is our example to folowe but we can not for we haue the dregges of synne and be compassed about with infirmities as punyshmeÌ„t for the synne of our father Adam So as the powers of oure soule vpon occasion of the worlde and the flessh and suggestion of the deuell be ready to rebellion And herein aswel the power of the soule the properly receyueth fayth to diffidence and doubt agaynst the certaynte of godly fayth as also the power of the soule that receyueth charitie to contempte or negligence towardes the obseruation of gods pleasure with some confusion in hope also as aduersities encombre vs or pleasures make vs wanton For althoughe the gylte of oryginall synne be taken awaye in baptysme yet the scarre of it as it were the matter of it doth remayne whiche as it troubleth and letteth mans perfection in vertue and therby is maynteyned a continual strife and debate so is it not to be accompted our synne tyll we conceyue it by enbracyng agreynge to such carnall motions And therefore saint Iames sayeth that concupiscence when it conceyueth bringeth forth synne And lyke as in euery kinde the female is commenlye barren onlesse it conceyueth of the male so is concupyscence barren and voyde of synne onlesse it conceyue of man the agreymente of his free wyll consentynge to the euyll motion And bycause no man hath ben so perfytte but hath in the contynuall fyghte yelded althoughe men myght be by grace wythoute synne yet bycause no man hathe excepte oure Ladye as saynte Augustyne sayeth who is alwayes to be excepted yf we shoulde saye we hadde no synne we were lyars as saynte IohnÌ„ sayeth and therefore after saynte Austens mynde do not onelye for humilite but also for trueth praye in oure common prayer dayly for remission of our synnes And so mayster Ioye to returne to oure matter yf ye wolde for policie flee froÌ„ the worke of loue to the worke of fayth because ye wolde be assured ye be no more assured in respect of your owne worke by faith then ye be by charitie but all oure assuraunce is in goddes promyse For deus uerax et omnis homo mendax and therefore howe so euer ye and yours wyll Ieste at it I wyl returne agayne to the common prayer of the church Omnipotens sempiterne deus da nobis fidei spei charitatis augmentum ut mereamur assequi quod promittis fac nos amare quod praecipis Which prayer beynge so olde in the churche they haue ben affrayed for reuerence of auncientie to banishe in Germany although it repugneth and disproueth their teachynge in this matter Wherefore as the suÌ„me of our helth beginneth continueth is accomplysshed by gods mercy Quia neque volentis neque currentis sed miserentis est dei so the assuraunce of our helth dependeth vpon goddes promyse Mary ê™ you and that is truthe and here ye wyll clap your handes and extolle the strength of truth that bresteth out although we pharisais as ye saduces call vs wolde oppresse it The promise of god is all Et ideo ex fide say you and these wordes scrypture hath ut firma sit promissio A consideration of the argument how fayth apprehendeth the promyse And nowe ye wyll percase bringe