aboundaunt and plentifull fulnes of ryches in al goodnes to whom only euery good gyft and euery perfect gifte from heauen aboue from the father of lyght is to be attributed ascribed as witnesseth Ia .i. Thou must be also in this case lyke a man which through long sicknes is so feble and weeke and brought so low that he is not able to stand without a staffe fearynge to set his foote to the ground least he shoulde fall doune not able to ryse agayne of hymselfe without the helpe of another This mā getteth to him a staffe to stande vp or to go by or els he leueth on another mās arme which is stronger than he and so goth furth by lytle and lytel euer fearing to fal So doyng thou shalt not fal nay though thou dost stōble or trippest a litle with thi fote that is the carnalconcupiscēce of the flesh yet shalt thou not fal to the ground the spirite of the Lord is so strong that he wyll holde the vp But if thy staffe be weake or rotten or that man whom thou dost trust be not altogether thy frynd thou canst not chose but fall and that miserably to thine vtter confusion with out another takyng compassion and pitie on the of his goodnes wyll come and take the vp Lykewise is thy doyng whē thou dost trust and put thy confidence in thyne owne merites in thyne owne workes in thyne owne strength in thyne owne wit and power thē is thy fall moost greatest when the truste of thyne owne power semeth moost strongest and when thou art most inflamed wyth the loue of thy selfe that is of thyne owne deades and workes which are altogether flesh if they be not wroughte by the spirite of the Lord the which spirite of the Lorde being in the the Lord doeth make althy wayes godly straight be fore his eyes so that thi sinne is not imputed to the nor thou art not fleshly yea though the fleshe hath some pryckyng in the. For to the iust man the lawe is not made as witnesseth Paul that man I saye whose iustice is Christes iustice which alredy in his hert hath done al that thing which the law requireth not of hymself but by the power of the spirit of the Lord which worketh his wil in hym What hast thou saith Paull that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued wherfore art thou proud of it as thoughe thou hast not receiued it but as it were thyne owne of thy self For asmuch then as al godlines is receiued we must cōsider cōfesse that ther is a geuer in whose hande and power it dothe rest whether he wil geue it yea or nay so that we must say not vnto vs Lord not to vs. but to thi name be glory prayse What worke dyd Paull worke to optayne the fauoure of the Lorde When he was most strongest in persecutiō and sheddyng of the christian bloud sodenly he was taken from hym selfe that is to say the Lord alterid him of his owne goodnes and mere mercy his cruel affectiōs and in the steade of the spirite of persecution he put in hym the spirite of mekenes the spirit of loue of preaching his glory of preaching Iesu Christ crucified and in the steade of a persecutour of Christ he became a sufferer for Christ When Peter was most stronge to fyght wyth dente of sworde as appered by his bolde and manly deades and great crakes how sodenly became he in the stead of a defēder a denier And wher as he wold dye with Christ he would not so much as once knowe hym nay he denied him vtterly Who did subdue the naughtie spirite of Paul when he was in his most rage fury agaynst the preachers of Christes glory Was it ani other thā the power of the lord vnder whose fete all thynges are made subiect yea from the reasonable to the vnreasonable as oxen and sheepe At the whiche tyme of persecution Paull was in durate because he had not in hym the spirite of the Lord and therefore he coulde not chose but with al extremitie persecute the lord as far as the fleshe woulde geue hym leaue The flesh alway as Paul wytnesseth resystyng and strinyng agaynst the spirit The cause then why that Paull had not the spirite of the Lord was only the pleasure of the Lord whiche taketh mercye on whom it pleaseth him selfe Paul myndyng nothing lesse thā to be called it pleased the Lorde to cal hym frō dishonour to honor to the setting furth of his glory Paull for this tyme of persecution was indurate none otherwyse than was Pharao in the persecution of the children of Israel If it had pleased the Lord to haue taken Paull as he dyd take Pharao the one shulde haue perished as well as the other Yf the Lord had lefte Peter in his deniall and styll to hym selfe if he had not loked on hym wyth the eye of fauoure it had ben euyll with hym as it was with Pharao But to declare that all men are lyars and God only true as the prophet saith The Lord toke the spirit of stedfastnes and knowledgyng of God from hym leauyng hym to hymselfe to fraylenes to the verye counsel and motion of the flesh which flesh had rather lyue a whyle and dye for euer than to suffre a smal temporal death and al way after to lyue Therfore if any manne do fall let not hym dispayre for the Lorde is merciful It is not the fall whiche declareth induration it is the contempte of the Lord when thou dost delyght in thy synne not fearyng the Lordes iudgement that is a fearful token of induration What canst thou tel whether the Lorde wyl take the in this tyme of thy wyckednes and vnfaythfulnes yea or nay as he dyd Pharao in the mydest of hys madnes If he so doo what shall become of the Thou caust not denye but that he may if it please hym so to doo Thou hast a good cause therfore alway to fear and mystrust thy wayes for thou arte altogether of thy selfe fleshe thou canst do nothyng of thy selfe but synne And lykewyse as the trust of the mercy of God promysed for Christes sake whiche foloweth streyghtway the hatred of vyce and synne with ful intent and purpose to liue after the wyll of the father is a certayn token of election and of the fauour of God wherin so long as thou doste remayne and continue thou art sure that thou art of the ryght fort Euen so the loue to lyue vngodly to wallow in all kynde of vyce and to lye styll in impuritie of lyfe declareth to the that for that same season thou art nothing ells than the chyld of wrath curssed of God indurat as was Pharao This is a good cause to make the to be alway in feare to make the suspect thyne owne selfe and begyn to hate synne the deuyl and the fleshe with al concupiscence then the spirit of God beginneth to worke his worke in the to crucifie thi spiritual
mooste perfecte and vnfayned loue as Let him kisse me with the swete kysse of hys mouth as Plucke me after the. as Come hyther my beloued as Shewe to me hym whome my soule doeth loue wyth suche other lyke sayinges The sinagoge of Antichriste in the daye whych is dedicated and hallowed to the natiuitie of the Lorde do graunt thys pronoūcynge wyth theyr owne lyppes The prayer of the church on Christmas daye the holye prayer of the churche of God sayinge after thys wyse Graunte to vs good Lorde we pray the that thys newe natiuitie of thy son in fleshe maye deliuer vs and make vs fre whom the olde seruitude and bondage doth hold fast bownd vnder the yoke of sinne The yoke of synne c. The yoke of synne is the yoke of concupiscence As Paule in manie places but speciallye to the Romayns communelye vseth to speake By synne cōcupiscence sayeth he c. The whyche concupiscence maye well be named a yoke bycause it holdeth manne in moste cruell seruitude in so muche that excepte he be fyrste deliuered from that he can do nothynge that canne be pleasaunte to the Lorde Thys is the yoke of bondage to the beleuynge people Thys is the rod of hys shoulder and the scepter whych the litle child borne into thys worlde and geuen vnto vs hath ouercome The names of god Whose empyre is aboue his shoulder which is called by these names The marueilouse the counseler The strōge and myghty Lord. The father of the world to come The prince of peace Esai ix As Esay ix O moste ioyfull libertie to the electe which is annexed ioyned vnseperablye wyth the most blessed seruitude bōdage of the Lord. This libertie is far from the power of Satan most miserable sinagoge of Antichrist whyche is departed fallen from the Lorde and sauiour The sinagog of antichriste hath not this lybertie that the faythfull maye do seruice to the Lorde without impedimente and afterward one to an other for Christes sake This holy and sacrete seruitude bōdage of the Lord is not a bitter hard or heauy yoke Math. xi it is lyghte amiable and swete As Christe wytnesseth Mathew xi Chap. My yoke is swete my burthen is lyghte By thys yoke whyche is to be coueted of all men and by thys bonde al men do kepe the commaundementes of the Lord frely gladly diligentlye For they be neuer wythout the spirite of the Lord and hys gyftes whyche are these Wisedome vnderstandyng counsel strēgth of the spirite knowledge Godlines feare of the Lorde ioyfulnesse peace of conscience a sure and certayne hope c. After these thinges foloweth the loue of the Lorde Confidence in hym onelye charitie and loue towarde thy neyghboure pouertie and lowlines of the spirite mournyng and lamenting thy neyghboures hurt griefe full of compassion and all other goodnesse Wyth thys yoke very necessarie for vs wyth these amiable bondes it pleaseth the goodnesse of the Lorde to bynde vs so that therby we should attayne to perfecte libertie in him ⧠The fourthe parte wherein you are taughte howe to vnderstande those textes and places of the scriptures whyche do applie to permit and geue libertye to the wyll of man WE haue sufficiētly taught and proued to you what the wyll of man is Secondelye that it is verye captiue and bond Thyrdly that it is in Christe boeth fre and also moste ioyfully and pleasauntly bonde You haue sene and learned in the same thyrd parte how and in what thinges the wyll of man is fre and howe likewyse it is bonde Nowe there remaineth nothynge els behynde but to make playne certayne places and textes that you maye vnderstande them The which textes the maisters and founders of free wyll do falselye alledge and as them thynketh do sufficiently proue theyr purpose and entent ⧠The fyrste text IT is wryten in the boke of Iesus Syrach the .xv chap after thys wyse The Lorde from the begynnynge dyd make man and left hym in the hande of hys owne counsell and minde he hathe gyuen him cōmaundementes and preceptes sayinge if thou wilt obserue my commaundemētes and kepe acceptable faythfulnes for euer they shall preserue the. He hathe set water and fyer before the reache out thy hand to which thou wilte Before man is life and death good and euel that whiche dothe lyke and please hym beste shal be gyuen to hym By this authoritie they do thinke that they can proue man to haue fre will from his first creation If they wyll vnderstande and also graunt that the holy spirit was also at the beginning geuē to mā we wyll striue no lēger wythe them ther in But if they do saye that god made the nature of manne to be alwaye fre of hir owne selfe and at lybertie it is altogether agaynste god and his honour that they do speake wherfore in fewe wordes we wyl declare and open to your eares the plain and true vnderstandynge of thys texte The lorde from the begynnynge created manne deckyng and adornynge hym wyth hys spirite this do I graunt to them though we be be not able to proue it leauinge man before he dyd fall in the hand of hys owne counsell that is to saye to hys own selfe to his owne nature whyche is the most greuouse fearfull iudgement that can be For he whyche is so lefte in the hande of hys owne counsell is forsaken and made a straunger to the spirite and counsel of the Lorde And so becommeth strayght waye indurate blynded and brought into temtatiō c. and can not chuse but erre from the waye of the Lorde Therefore as sone as oure fathers were lefte to theyr selues in the handes of theyr owne counsell they strayghte waye traunsgressed the commaundemente of the Lorde Mankynde dyd fall by little and little to synne Wherfore the lawe is gyuen in so muche that synne so increased that they could not deserue and iudge good frome euyll For the whyche cause that men myght haue the knowledge of synne and of that whyche is euyll and naughty the Lord gaue to theym a lawe or preceptes whyche lawe was and is vnpossible to be kepte and obserued of vs but wyth hys spirite it is made not onelye possible but also easye and lyghte The lawe is spirituall What is the worke of the lawe For the lawe beynge spirituall can not be kept but by the strēgth of the spirite The lawe teacheth what is euyl what is good what we ought to do and what wee ought to refuse But the lawe doth not gyue to vs a spirit to do that whiche it commaundeth It doth sende vs to Christe that we beleuyng in hym maye be made parteners of his spirit The lawe sendeth vs to Christe for helpe The kepyng of the lawe wythout the spirit of god is hypocrisie by the whiche spirit we maye kepe the lawe Wherfore if we do kepe these cōmaundementes and preceptes by the spirite of God then they
called flesh The wicked are called fleh after the maner of speakyng of Paul in many places of hys Epistles For the wicked with al their cogitations affections and workes are nothyng elles but fleshe because they want and lacke the holy spirit Yea the very spirit of manne is fleshe bycause it cannot beholde the spirit of God but al carnal thynges therto beyng geuen and addicte This sens and meanynge of this texte which I haue declared is not true sayth he bycause this texte of Genesis doth not pertayne to al men as he sayth but to those meÌ„ only which liued in the time of Noe. What thyng can be more aslycke spoken and sayd than this Were not those men also fleshe which lyued after the floud as well as thei which were before the floud Verely so was Cam the sonne of Noe whiche did mocke scorne his father as was Cain and Iudas the traiters as Lamech which did slei Cain Peraduenture this manne doth thynke and coniecture in his mynd that ther was an other maner of spirit of fornication in manne before the floud then was after or elles he fantasieth in his brayne that God hath altered and chaunged the nature of man other wyse then it was from the begynnyng makynge an other nature differente from that which he hath made with his most mightie and strong hand in them which do beleue on hym The nature of man of it selfe hath ben alwaye lyke We do reade and fynde that the yeres and tymes hath bene chaunged and altered but we fynd not that the nature of man was euer altered I do graunt that those wordes were spoken at that tyme of those which lyued in the tyme of Noe. But not onely of them but also of them which came after the floud For al men of them selfes are flesh all fleshe haye and the glory of it as the floure of the fielde Esay xi Al the children of AdaÌ„ of their selfe ar of an heuy and sad hert thei do loue vanitie thei do seeke after lyes and vntruth Psal iiii Omnes declinauerunt simulâ—â—utiles facti sunt Non est qui faciat bonum non est vsque ad vnum All men without exceptioÌ„ haue gone out of the rightwaye and are become vnprofitable There is none that can do any good no not one in the world Ps xii If he wyl not he satisfyed with this answer but wyll contende that this text of the iudgement spoken and written in Geneses pertaineth to the time of Noe. I wil demaÌ„de this question of hym For what cause were those men of Noes tyme rather called flesh then thei which folowed after Noe and lyued after hym Syns now a dayes ar mor greuous and detestable theÌ„ were in the tyme of Noe. Truely of muche more greuous vices and offeÌ„ces haue we read of many other men yea and with oure eyes haue sene in our tyme then was written of those men in those dayes of whom the wordes were first written and spoken Of them we do read in Genesis the .vi. these words The sonnes of God did see perceiue the daughters of men that thei were fayre and bewtiful CoÌ„pare oure smale fautes and dayly vsed vices with this offence of the sonnes of God it shal be no vice but a singuler vertue For they dyd take the Maydens to their wyues in Matrimony and not to make theÌ„ harlotes in whordome and they toke to theÌ„ wyues from amoÌ„g them those which thei had chosen Thei did not seke after those daughters whiche were good but for those which were goodly and fayre the children of whom became myghtie men and of greate renowme The Lorde sayd then that the malice of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations and thoughtes of his hert were euyl euery daye The which wordes are to be vnderstande not onely of that age and tyme but of al meÌ„ in al tymes of ages as in the .viii. Chapi in the same booke apereth The imaginacions of mans hert are euil from his youth Therfore it is vngodly done to wrieth and wrest those wordes to the tyme of Noe onely Yet thei doe go further saiynge and reasoning on this maner The propens and redy inclinatioÌ„ and towardnes to euyl whiche is in many men as though it were not in al men doth not take away al together the lybertie and fredome of maÌ„s wil yea though the said naughtie inclination cannot be ouer come and cleane subdued without the helpe as thei confesse of the grace of God Is it not a great bondage and captiuitie not to be able to ouercome and subdue that thynge which we would fame haue furth of vs By these premisses it dooth folowe that we are seruauntes to that coÌ„cupiscence and naughtie inclination to euyl tyl the tyme that we be deliuered and made fre in dede by Christ The .iii. profe by the scripture It is said in the Prouerbes xvi The Lord doth al thynges for his owne sake yea wheÌ„ he reserueth the vngodlye for the daye of wrath This place is manifest and open declaryng to vs that the Lorde hath alredye iudged the reprobate and outcast persones from the begynnyng to eternal punishmeÌ„t Ther be many which contrary to all ryghteousnes do inquire busely search to know those thinges which do partain to the onely maiestie of God in this place and such other lyke A ful wicked question puttyng furth this question Wherfore did the Lorde make the wicked man sâ—eâ—h he hath decreed from the begynnyng that the wicked shal peryshe Wherfore did not the Lorde reuoke and plucke hym from hys impietie and wickednes after â—hat he had made hym Wherfore hath he not geuen to al men of his spirit With these scrupulous and curious questions more then nedeth The great in conuenience and foule absurditie whiche foloweth these questioÌ„s thei are blynded and deceiued beynge at the last by such reasonyng brought to that poynt that they do make the Lorde not to be a merciful Lorde but a cruel Lorde and as it were a tiraunt I wyl desire and exhort all men that wyth al reuerence they haue in fear and sted fastly beleue the iudgementes of the highest that he is in all his workes iust faythfull true and that we be of oure selues myserable false vniust and synnefull The Lorde then hath made the wicked man for the euil day beyng hymselfe iust and ful of clemencie The wicked man of himselfe tan do nothyng that is pleasaunt and exceptable to God O the profound depnes of the iudgementes of the Lorde howe vnsearcheable how incomprehensible are his wayes For of hym by hym and in hym are all thynges To him therfore be only glory and empire for euer and euer Amen The .iiii. profe by the scriptures IT is written in the Prouer. The kynges herte is in the handes of the lorde xxi Lyke as the riuers of the waters euen so the herte of a kyng is in the hand of
the winges of fornication as it is written Where is become oure libertie For that one thou canste not do wythoute the spirite of God the seconde can not chuse but be done after the spirite of euil whiche leadeth the. We do good or euel as the spirit doth drawe It is vnpossible that thou of thy self canste ouercome the spirite of fornication in the whiche he draweth the whither it pleaseth that spirite bi the whyche you maye perceyue that our wyl is farre from al libertie and fre workynge beynge drawen on boeth sydes eyther by the spirite of God or els by the sens of the flesh As towchyng to the ministers of the church if they preparynge them selues to preach do studie and ponder before what they shal say they do wel in so doyng All oure studies and labours must be referred to Christe so that they do not put theyr trust and confidēce to theyr owne studye and laboure but to the goodnes and promise of the Lord. Where as we alleged the texte of the .vi. Chap. of Iohn that is No man can c. some do thynke that that drawynge wherewyth the father draweth is no violente drawinge whyche importeth anye necessitie Whether the drawinge of the father do importe any uiolence or necessitie in it yea or maye that thou maiste not chuse but go whereto thou arte drawen but that a man maye as they saye haue the wyll to do or to leue vndone as it pleaseth him Which opinion of theyrs they do proue by an exemple saying Likewise as a chylde when a man doeth shewe to hym an apple doeth runne to the man for the apple And as a shepe doth folowe the man which hath a grene wilowe bow in his hande euen so saye they doeth the Lorde moue and styrre our mindes with this or that leauyng to our choise whether we wyll come or not I do thynke this exposition to be erroniouse peruerse heretical the solution wherof must be made as I haue to you before sufciētly declared For this entēt haue I shewed to you other writynge of the scriptures that you maye se howe they do striue and struggle agaynste the veritie of the Lorde Suche maner of drawynge is thys that a man can not chuse but folowe him that draweth For euery man that is drawen of the father and taught by hym cometh to Christe as Iohn the .vi. Chap. When the Lorde doeth drawe the and in the time of hys drawing the wicked spirite of fornicatiō is bound faste within the by the spirite of Christe that he cā not styrre Wher the spirite of god is in place the spirit of the fleshe is made subiect of force that he can do nothinge in the to lette the frō that wherto the spirite of God which is in the doth draw the so long as the spirite of God reigneth in the so long the spirit of fornication can do the no maner scathe nor beare anye rule in the. It geueth place agaynste hys wyll to hys better and superioure Therfore the spirite of God doeth vse the at hys libertie wythoute anye stoppe or let and kepeth the commaundementes in the of the high Lord. Thou maiste not chuse but runne whē he draweth the after him in those thynges wherto the spirite wyll haue the to folow him For he hath put a bridle a strōg bit into the month of the spirite of fornicatiō whyche before was all thy hinderaunce and let that thou myghteste not be appliant and agreable to the wyll of the Lorde Therefore we are drawē of God It is an euydent knoweledge that we are not drawen when we are not folowers Who is the drawer and are forced to run after hym whyche goeth before drawynge vs as his owne wyll pleaseth If there be anye man whyche thynketh that he is drawē and yet runneth not he is fowle deceyued for he is not drawen Christe which suffered death for vs doeth drawe al men after hym Which al mē be the childrē of Israel that is to saye the elected for whom onelye he was sent To them pertayneth the heritage of the worlde thorow Christe as appeareth Paule the .xiiii. Chap. to the Rom. For when the elected be drawen they do hye theym as faste as they can after Christe bycause they can not chuse the spirite of Christe bearyng rule in thē It is a great token of election if thou doest fele in thy selfe the hatred of sin To the elect their sinne is not imputed Although the elected do offende and sinne sometime by weakenes and infirmitie the cōcupiscence beyng not altogither quenched in them yet they do lyue by the vertue of God by the whyche vertue they do hate sinne that same vertue beyng the cause wherfore theyr synne is not imputed to them For the fleshe hath hyr concupiscence against the spirite yea in them whych be elected but she doeth not preuaile or beare any great swing in them beynge made subiecte to the spirite In the elect is some carnalitie whyche is of higher dignitie and power kepinge the spirite of the fleshe vnder and short frome ragynge to farre For the spirite of god hathe the spirite of the fleshe fast bounde As the hattred of synne is token of election so the reioysynge of synne is tokē of induration causeing that the sinne of them in whome some sparkle of the fleshe remayneth is odyouse and detestable to thē selues They whyche be elected doe hatte ther owne naughti dedes with al ther herts the whych hatred doth come of the spirite of god Therfore the man which is lede by the spirite of god can not syn the whiche is lede by the concupiscence of the fleshe must nedes worke synne and wickednes The doienges of Christe and the dedes or worckes of man are contrary Marke this well and examyn thy self after this lesson and feare not That spirite in the which thou haste thy delyghte wherto thou art addicted and geuen in thyne herte that same doeth reygne in the. Thou art geuen addicted to one when thou doest beleue and workest by faith after the worde of the lorde Thou art seruante to that other when thou arte vnfaythefull and bringest forth deadly frutes of thy infidelitie that is to saye workes agaynst the worde of god which be not of fayth The electe hathe the pryckynge of the fleshe in them durynge ther lyfe The fleshe is not all togethere subdued quelled in the electe as longe as they be on lyue And yet it is dayly crucifyed in them if is mortified by the prescence of the heauenly spirit wherin the fleshe is bounde brydeled made subiecte The spirite of the lorde if it please hym maye drawe the quyckelye altogyther and whole after hym quenchyng in the power strength heat of the fleshe Wherfore doth not the lorde take a way cleane the pryckyng of the fleshe in his elect But it pleaseth hym not so for to do bycause he knoweth it to be better
folowing which the Lord dyd speake to Cain Vnder the shal thy appetite desire be and thou shalt gouerne and rule it The whiche wordes are nothing els but a precept or cōmaūdemēt being in the Hebrue tonge the presente time as to the pertayneth the desyre therof Otherwise the Lord hadde not prophesied that thinge which was true For Cain had not his own wyl in subiectiō at his cōmaundemēte But cōtrarywise he did follow obey his owne wyl desyre to his own destructiō He myght not chuse but folowe that lewde desire appetite bicause he did lacke the spirite of the Lord. Therfore it is a precept and cōmaundemente cōmaundyng Cain to forsake not to obey folow the desyres of the flesh whych thing to hym was so vnpossible as all other commaundemētes to be kept without the spirit of God Wherfore this text doth no more make for the profe cōfirmatiō of the liberty of mans wil thē al other precepts cōmaūdemēts do ⧠The thyrde texte THine eares haue hearde the preparyng of theyr hertes And also it is writtē in the Pro. the .xvi. Chap. Psalm ix Prou. xvi A mā may wel purpose a thing in his herte but the answer of the tonge cometh of the Lord. The fyrst text you must vnderstād after this maner O Lorde thine eare hathe harde c. that is to say to thine eare the preparatiō of their herte is acceptable I saye of thē which are pore of whō the Psal speketh The whiche pore men are not to be taken in this place for those whiche do axe the almes charitie of other mē but for such mē as do gyue thē selues altogyther to Christ whiche haue renounced the affectiō loue of al their substaunce riches for Christes sake beinge in a redines to sel geue awaye al that they haue to the setting forth of the word of God to the succoring of their neyghbours necessitie if nede shold require These men do alwaies say my hert is ready Lorde my herte is ready by whom they are euery daie made more apt readye then they were before Thys is the preparation whyche is only acceptable to God it is not the endeuour or begynnynge of oure owne wyll as the defēders of frewyll do cal it For they do thinke that by these endeuours and begynnynges they may prepare and make them selues apt to receyue the grace of the Lord The which can neuer be For thorowe Christe onely to them whyche do beleue in hym is hys grace geuē not for our own preparing or workes As towchyng the Prophetes ministers of the word of god of those whose office is to expound and declare to the people the word of God maye not thynke that they shoulde neglecte and not regarde to prepare theym selues to the doinge of theyr office that is to saye to studie to ponder and waye with thē selues to premeditate what they wyll saye and declare It is a thyng to be done and yet they maye not ascribe any thynge thereof to theyr owne studyes diligence and preparation hauing and putting theyr trust and confidence in their own dedes and laboures but onely in the Lorde For we do knowe that though a man do speake and preach neuer so well preparynge him selfe with all diligence that maye be yet he can pronounce nothynge well and to the edifiynge of the audience excepte the Lorde with his spirit doth gouerne his tonge The whiche thyng is proper only to the Lord. The lorde must gouerne the tonge of the prechar if he shall edifie It is also conueniente and meete that a man do premeditate and thinke with him selfe before what he wyll declare wyth a full truste and confidence in the Lorde and not in his owne worcke laboure or payne The fourthe texte IN the fyfthe boke of Moyses called the Deuteronomie Deut. xxx and xxx chap. it is wrytten This commaundemente which I do cōmaund the thys daye is not aboue the nor seperated frome the nor farre from the. It is not in heauen that thou shouldest complayne and saye what man shall ascende vp to heauen and fetch to vs the commaundement that we maye heare it do it It is not beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall go ouer the sea for vs and fet it vs that we may heare it and do it It is hard by the yea it is in thy mouth hert that thou maist do it The defylers of the ryghte iustice whiche we haue by Christe the patrones of free wyll do make exposition of thys place as foloweth It is not aboue the that is to saye aboue thy strength so that thou mayst obserue it with thy owne strength power Agaynste whom Paule speaketh whiche is more to be beleued then they writing to the Roma the .x. Chapter The iustice whyche is of fayeth speaketh thus Say not in thine herte who shall ascende to heauen that is to plucke Christe downe frome aboue to make vs partakers of iustice and of the grace of God Or who shall go downe into the depnesse that is to call and to reuoke agayne Christe from death that we myght be iustified by hym But what sayeth he the worde is nyghe to the not far of in thy mouth and in thy hert Confession Belefe that is the worde of fayth which we do preache Trulye if thou doeste cōfesse wyth thy mouthe the Lorde Iesus Christe beleuest in thy herte that God hathe raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For by the beliefe of the herte cometh our iustice and by the confessiō of our mouth This is not auricular cōfession Esai xxviii we do obtayne oure saluation The scripture sayeth in Esaie the .xxviii. Chapter All men whyche do put theyr confidence in hym shall not be confounded Beholde howe openlye the Apostle doeth teach that thys texte of the scripture is not to be taken and vnderstande of the strengthe and worckes of man What is to do the commaundementes but of a pure faieth on and in Christe in the professynge of the trueth and veritie of the Lorde For the wordes of the commaundemētes of the Lorde are nigh at hande in our herte and mouth to do them that is to saye to beleue to professe Christe For the fulfillynge and ende of the lawe is Christe as to the Rom. x. By whome onelye the lawe is fullfilled in vs. The lawe doeth require of vs those thynges whyche to fleshe and bloud are vnpossible And for that cause sin is multiplied increased aboue al measure the cōcupiscēs Rom. x. The requeste of the lawe are vnpossible strynynge and struglynge agaynste the lawe yea although we do seme outwardely to kepe and fulfyll the lawe For verely the lawe doeth commaunde and require a perfecte iustice and ryghtuousnes at oure handes whyche iustice neyther the lawe can geue nor no man of hym selfe eyther hath or cā perfourme But wher a pure fayeth in
enemy in the and to subdue them in the. Then hath the Lord put a new his spirit into the which before he dyd plucke frō the leauyng the to thyne owne stynckynge affections and carnal cōcupiscences What caused the proud heady and obstinate Pharises that thei would not beleue in Christe for al the myracles that he wrought Thei beleued not in him saith Christ in Ihon .xii. that the saiyng of Esay the prophet mighte be fulfilled whych he spake Lord who shal beleue our saiyng and to whō is the arme of the Lorde declared Therfore coulde not they beleue because Esay sayth agayne he hath blynded their eyes and hardened their hertes that they shuld not se with their eies and least they shuld vnderstand with their hertes et c. So because they were blynded the could not se What thing can moue and styrre vs to the loue of God what thynge can setfurth the glory of God and his honour more thā the perfit knowledge of this article whiche maketh hym a whole God which setteth hym in his owne seat a highe which declareth him to be authoure worker of al goodnes he that doth both begyn and maketh an ende Whych article I saye setteth mā in his owne place here in erth naturally geuen to the earth to al curruption both bodely and gostly disposed to doo nothyng of himself that is good What thing to man is more necessary thē that doctryne whych teacheth hym howe he shall knowe when he is the sōne of God and of the chosen sort that he may pray the Lorde to preserue his spirit in him wherbi he shal know which way he is the sonne of the deuil of out cast furth of the fauour of God Ther is nothing more necessary thā this I wold wysh and desyre wyth all my hert that all men would reade this boke with a godlye desyre and entente not to contention and mayntenaunce of their lewde lyfe whose dampnation is iust ▪ but to know God how strong he is howe myghtie a prynce he is howe good and mercyfull he is on whose mercy all thyng dependeth and to knowe mā howe weake and how myserable he is that he can do nothynge of hymselfe that he is the instrument of God to al goodnes and the instrument of the deuyll in al vyce and synne The euyl and most iustly condempned personnes come to this boke to fetche a lycense of synne to make their lyfe more lycentious more dissolute to make them selfe more bolde in all kynde of vyce most like to the spider venemous worme which from the swete flowers doo drawe and sucke furthe venym and poyson The vertuous and godlye disposed meane no thyng lesse they do gather hence all goodnes Here fynde they a brydle to plucke in their vicious affections Here fynd they the swete libertie of God and bondage of the deuel Here do they learne their owne condemnation and theyr saluation by Christ The flesh taketh al thyng fleshly and lyke itself But therfore the faythful may not be depriued of theyr foode and sustenaūce Let vs therfore pray the Lorde to put in vs hys spirit that it may be our guyde to al godlines and vertue that we be none occation of slaūder to his worde but that al our actes dedes and alwrytinges teachyng reading and communicatiōs maye bee to edifie to the settyng furth of his glory to whom be honour and praise for euer and euer wythout ende So be it IN the declaration and exposition of the holy scriptures both the olde and new ther be many places whych can not be wel perceyued what they do meane except the article of the wyll of man whyche troubleth mens myndes very much be made playne and open that is to say whether a man can of him selfe perfourme and do any thynge which pertaineth to eternal felicitie and life euerlastyng yea or nay Proposicion As the kepyng and obseruyng of the Lordes commaundementes The whiche thynge to be declared and made playn that it myght be perceyued of all men that al men may know the truthe therof manye places of the scripture but a mōg al other these places and texes of this Prophet do moost ernestly requyre and in specially this verse followyng of the sayde Prophet that is to saye The spirite hathe bounde hym in hys wynges Osee .iiij. For by these wordes it is euydent as appereth by that which is written before in the sayd chapiter That by this spirit is mēt a reprobat mind and the vnderstandyng or knoledge of the flesh which is the spirit of fornication Fyrst of al therfore before that I do take on me to interprete and declare my mynde in this matter I desyre the gentle readers that they would not thynke and coniecture that in the declaration hereof I do folowe the mynde and iudgement of many and diuers writers But only the very mynd and sence of the scripture as nygh as I myghte and as it pleased Christ to geue me knowledge and vnderstanding therin not mynishyng therby nor improuyng the iudgemētes of other christian writers and doctours those principally which do cleaue and stike fast to the true and pure word of God whō we also do couet for to immitate and folow And after whose godly myndes and iudgementes we can geue and ascribe nothynge to the wyl of man of hymselfe as we shall hereafter plentifully God willyng declare and shewe Furthermore in discussyng of thys matter I would be loth that men shuld thynke that I do runne hedlong into a thing which is depe and far from all mens knowledge as they say and therfore not necessarye to be knowne Which thyng I do for none other cause but to search furth the truth and also to satisfie the myndes of those whych are desireous of the knowledge therof For truely I can by no meanes alow nay I cānot but much disalow and discommend the manifolde contentions and reasonynges in darcke and hyd matters whyche are more mete as some men do wryght for the excellencie and profound depenes thereof to be had in a godly reuerence and to be committed to God rather than with contentious and brablyng reasonyng of euery man to be discussed But as for this matter it is no such thyng How necessary the knowledge of thys article is for all men the knowledge wherof that is whither the wyll of man be free or bonde doth geue vs to vnderstand and know how weake we bee of our owne selfes howe we can dooe nothynge our selues and contrary wise how meruelous how myghtie and howe stronge the Lorde is whiche is not a voyde or an vnprofitable matter to be declared and set open to al mē For this thing being opened we do learne to perceiue and se howe glorious and triumphant a Lord the Lord is in vs and howe brickel miserable we be on euery syde on our owne selfe The obiectiō of the papistes against the opening of this article Notwithstanding al this ther