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
receyuinge and reteynynge of that is promised Note that I say not eche manshal but â—ay and also eche man may And therfore the admonitions and exhortacions in scripture to eschewe fallyng and to arise agayne be fruitfullye made to the electe not so as thoughe Thomas electe myght be dampned for that is impossible but so as Thomas speakynge of the same Thomas may be dampned Onely god worketh election and predestinacion and onely god can ioyne theÌ„ truely with Thomas or IohnÌ„ mary Thomas and IohnÌ„ may presume and that waye play the foole to ioyne them selues by suche newe belefe as the deuyll by his postelles frameth now a daies to election and predestinacioÌ„ and saye as one hath sayde to me I know my self predestinate I meruayle where he had learned that lesson beyng yet quycke and quethynge and suche one as myghte fall S. Austen although he knew the lesson very harde and wolde we shulde not searche whome god draweth and whome he draweth not yet in his worke de predestinatione he semeth to giue a forme to lerne predestinacion sayenge Disce excursu predestÃnacÃonem c. So as they that flye vyce and chose vertue and runne in vertue gladlye and ascend frome vertue to vertue they may well be assured that the profyt in vertue is by goddes helpe and grace and when they are in payment of the generall tribute for synne which is corporall death The lessoÌ„ oâ— predestinacion in eche maÌ„ tyll he hath made an end of his course in cunninge at whiche paiement they may say Cursum consummaui they may theÌ„ lyke good scoolers reioyce in the knowledge of the lesson of predestination and acknowledge the election of god in them with a certayne hope and expectation of that is prepared for goddes electe but whiles men be wauerynge in the see of this worlde before they be arryued in the hauen of passage from this lyfe suche talkers and reasoners of goddes election and predestinacion to persuade necessite do it not for any godly fruite but for a worldely lewde pollicie to exclude from sinne both shame and blame to the worlde which twoo amonges manye let and hyndre many carnall pleasures and where necessitie is persuaded can not in dede haue place For who is to be blamed for that he can not eschue â–ª or who shulde be a shamed of that he can not auoyde Wherefore shulde saynt Paule excommunicate the Corrinthian and blame hym for his fornicacion or saynt Peter against Ananie and Saphira his wyfe gyue a sentence of such efficacie as wherevpon shuld folowe corporall death for lyenge wherein they myght haue pleded if necessitie had ben by the lerning of these two chiefe apostelles approued that they did as they were ordered and walked as personnes not chosen but indurate whether necessitie ledde them by god appoynted But the true teachynge of christes churche abhorreth necessitie and yet worshyppeth for moost certayne truthes goddes prouidence election and predestinacion whereby we be taughte that god is auctor of al our helth welth and saluacion the cyrcumstaunce of which workyng in god in his election and predestinacioÌ„ althoughe it be as impossible for mans wit to frame with our choyse and free wyll as to deuise howe a camell shulde passe through the eye of an nedle withoute makyng the nedles eye bygger or the camell lesse yet that is impossible for man is not impossible for god And in that belefe we ought to acquite our selfe and not be ashamed to lerne and confesse ignoraunce in these high misteries wherein an arrogante proude curiouse wit should clerely be put to silence yet neuerthelesse a sobre humble spirite by a deuout searche and consideracion may lerne somewhat wherewith to represse and subdue the temptacioÌ„s of carnall reason euer murmuringe to the contrarie For which purpose all the holy fathers of the greke church and besides saynt Austen other of the latten also haue reuerentlye spoken somewhat of lyght in the matter of election and predestinacion by distincting goddes knowledge from his election as the cause from the effect and thus coÌ„sidered of god That god in his hye counsayle determining to create man he sawe and knew mans fall whiche knoweledge coulde be no cause of thalteration of his decree to create man for then we shulde graunte in god mutabilitie of his decree by his knowledge but there with god decreed to repare and restore that falle in man and by the aboundaunce of his goodnes and by the renouacion of man in his redemption to encrease mans felicitie In which renouacion of man god choseth as he seeth in his diuine prouidence those that shall receyue and vse his gyftes accordynge to his wyl and reproueth them that he seeth before wyl refuse them and worke theyr owne confusion and so predestinateth such as he hath choseÌ„ by whiche ordre gods knowledge is the cause of his election goddes election the cause of his predestination predestinacion the cause of callynge c. After which declaration mans reason coulde not gather that gods knowledge of that is to come shulde more be the cause of that he knoweth before to come after then mannes knowledge to be the cause of that is past whiche by gods gyft man knoweth with god Herein god is not compared with man but aunswer is made to the carnall reason whiche men make amysse of god Gods knowledge they saye is infallible in all thinges that shal be and that is moost true but the infallibilitie is no kynde of cause of the thynge thereby so to be caused to be but onelye an assuraunce that the thynge as it is knowen of God â–ª shall so be God is the cause of all causes and in the creacion of all natures and recreacion of mans nature by grace hathe ordered thinges to moue and worke by theyr immediate speciall causes not all necessarilye but some with interruption and some casuallye and principallye aboue all man by fre choyse of that is offred him by whiche excellent gift man differeth from other creatures Now as god hath ordred the worlde so he most perfytely knoweth it that is to saye that is necessary euen so necessary that is casual casual that is of mannes free choyse as wroughte by mannes free choise And euery thing as it is wrought God knoweth it wroughte knowynge them as doone by the inferioure causes not orderynge them so to be done by his prouydence or infallible knowledge Here reason spoorneth and sayth god myght haue chauÌ„ged it when he sawe it shoulde so be and not haue made man inclineable to fal when he sawe he wolde fall before he made hym Here is a homelye talke of god And hitherto men come when they forget their reuerence and dutye to God to be so perte with god as to controll his workes Nowe men be suffred to loke on gods secrecies they wyll begyn to tell hym howe he myght haue done better But yet he that thus replieth must fyrst confesse that the knowledge of god although it
discerninge one man from an other withoute acception of persons and yet leauynge therewith to all men fre choyse and election to vse goddes gyftes or reiecte them We that be thus curiouse shal be eiected and cast out by the aungel of god and thrust into the darknes and blyndnes of our sensuall reasonyng and so confound oure selfes with doubte vppon doubte as we can not tell what to saye Here some wyll percase replye that I haue spoken a meany of good wordes whyche serue rather to wynde vp the matter agayne then to declare it For that I haue said hetherto of predestination â—re myght â—n ende if 〈◊〉 wâ—re â—ent is the sense of a fewe wordes of the wise man saieng Seke not for thynges that be aboue thy capacitie and let gods secrecies alone And after this sorte saynte Paule handled this matter to the Romayns in the .ix. chapiter and continueth in that matter to the xii concluding there with an exclamacion of the height of the wisdome of god and of his counsailes and iudgementes not able to be comprehended by mans vnderstandynge but the proces of that matter well digested shuld muche satisfye all men in consideration of this highe mysterye For when saynt Paule for declaration of his aboundaunce of charitie towardes his nacion of the Iewes with a zeale of the settyng forth of goddes glorye as he wisshed him selfe abiecte from goddes fauour so all the Iewes myght be saued to whome God hadde shewed so manye prerogatyues He aunswered then as it were to the obiectyon of a murmurynge Iewe that wolde impute the falle of the Iewes to the chaunge of goddes pleasure meaninge as it were blasphemouslye that God hadde fayled of his worde and promysse And fyrst saynt Paule sayth The wordâ— of god fayleth not buâ— is sometym noâ— well vnderstanded The worde of god hath not fayled for the promysse was not made of God to all the Iewes but only to the very true Israelites And al the sede of Abraham be not the sonnes of Abraham of whome God mente but onelye in Isaac Abrahams seede shal be estemed And not they that by carnall generation onelye came of Abraham shoulde be the sonnes of God but they alone that were the chyldren of the promysse By openyng whereof saynte Paule mynded to put suche a Iewe to silence with declaracioÌ„ of the Iewes ignoraunce that he vnderstode not the promysse of god as it was made but vnderstode it carnally as though it had ben made to a carnall generatioÌ„ And then saint Paule to declare further to them that wolde fynde out the cause of the Iewes reiection on gods behalfe â—ods iudgeâ—eÌ„tes excede 〈◊〉 capacite how farre gods iudgementes and choyses excede our capacite sheweth howe god without al difference to be atteyned by mans iudgement dyd chose Iacob and reproue Esau hauynge both one father one mother in one tyme begotten neyther of theÌ„ yet borne neither hauyng done any worke why to be preferred the other not onlye hereby hidinge from vs the cause of suche election and preferment of the yonger to the elder but also takynge away all coniecture of causes to the intente all suche wayes of searche and diuinacion of goddes secrete doinges shuld be taken away from the curiosite of mans wyt And where any thinge altereth otherwise theÌ„ man loketh for there for to confesse that god is all truth and all wisedome and we without gods gyftes be all foly and faultie Gods wyl is cause of all causes but not cause immediate of al thynge so as we ought to worshyppe gods wyll as cause of all causes directinge all thinge in equitte and iustice numbre and measure the perticuler discussion whereof Man can nether comprehende god nâ— his workes no mans wyt can perticulerly comprehende For as no man hath sene god as he is so no man can se througly al the secrecie of gods workemanshyp but only so much as is opened vnto vs. Wherefore saynt Paule as he dyd in the first declaration of Abrahams seede and posteritie laye before the murmuringe Iewe his ignoraunce in the vnderstandynge of goddes promysse So doth he in openynge of gods election of Iacob and Esau God hideth his secretes from vs teache by this occasion all the worlde howe goddes determinacions be hydden frome vs and euery wyndowe shyt vp where we myghte pere into them And yet man can not let this matter alone And the more secret it is the more busye we be to knowe And therefore saynte Paule in the personne of a murmurer deuiseth this encountrynge with god What shall we saye Is iniquitie with god mary god forbid And yet I se that god preferreth the yonger to thelder And I can not fysshe out any cause or coÌ„iecture to call the dede equitie in mans reason but rather because the yonger is preferred there appereth to mans reason a cause of iniquitie Wherfore we be lerned by saynte Paule that we must in such wise subdue our vnderstandynge to fayth that beleuyng vndoubtedlye god is all iustice we may not esteme any thinge certainly affirmed to be done by him to be vniuste For as saynte Chrisostome sayeth God seeth with other eyes then we do And as the carpenter choseth a peece of timbre we can not atteyne the reason of goddes woâ—kes to serue his purpose the reason wherof a man vnskylled can not discerne So god to buyld his church choseth after his knowledge wherevnto we can not attaine And therfore we must submytte and humble tharrogancie of oure vnderstandynge to goddes wisedome we must beleue fortrutâ— that we caâ— not deuyse how it shuld be truth beleue that whiche God teacheth and byddeth to be all true although the matter in consideracioÌ„ of our iudgement be impossible to be sette together For so dydde Abraham beleue god in his promysse of the multiplication of his seede by Isaac and beleued god also when he badde him go offre vp Isaac in sacrifice and yet if Abraham vpon the coÌ„maundement of the offrynge of his sonne had debated with him selfe howe the former promysse and the last commaundement myght haue agreed together he should not haue fouÌ„d howe to haue ioyned them in one truth Whiche Abraham dyd not but without stay as the scripture reaporteth the storye went about that he was commaunded to do and leauyng the curiositie of reasonyng beleued in hope agaynste hope And therefore lykewyse where scripture signifieth to me gods prouidence predestinatioÌ„ whiche shoulde seeme to take awaye and be repugnaunt to the free choice of man forasmuche as the scriptures be neuerthelesse in that matter of fre choyce also euident I muste beleue both to be true as Abraham dyd although I can not set them together But lette vs returne to saynte Paule who reiectyng such blasphemy of god as to say that god hath iniquitie doth not go about to proue that god hath no iniquitie for we maye not require the profe therof but as it is most true so must we
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
be infallible yet it is not the cause of all that is knowen for in knowledge god onely seeth moost perfitly the workes of al natures as they be and mannes reason that wolde fynde faulte can not considre goddes knowledge to be in prioritie to goddes decre to create man wherby that knowledge as it folowed and was no cause of it so it coulde be no cause whye to alter it and then carnall reason muste be aunswered as in the lyke a carnall man wold iudge A carpenter that determineth to make a house and therein a doore yf he hadde therewith the gyfte of prophecie to knowe thynges to come and so to se that theues shoulde after go in at that dore and robbe the house wolde ye call in mans reason the carpenter the cause of the robbery because he made the house with a dore at whiche dore he sawe the theues shulde entre If the carpenter were charged in reason therewith and with his knowledge before he wolde for him self say I made a house whiche of conuenience to be a house required a doore and therefore I made the doore not for the theues thabuse it which I sawe wold folowe but for the owner to well vse it and then if the carpenter did therewith before bydde the owner take hede of the daunger lyke to folowe what canne be sayde further to the carpenter who myghte reasonablye alledge yf he shoulde haue made no dore at al he shulde not haue made a coÌ„uenient house for withoute a doore it hadde not ben perfitelye a house Can anye man further replye to this carpenter onlesse a man wolde saye that the carpenter was also after the thefe hym selfe as men wyll not feare to saye of god blasphemouslye that he is the auctoure of euyll Nowe if carnall reason muste nedes admytte this in the carpenter whye shoulde the same reason spurne agaynste God to make hym the cause because when he sawe howe man wolde abuse free wyll which he gaue hym that yet god gaue it hym where the deuyll entred as at the doore and robbed him God gaue man that excellente gyfte of free wyll for an ornamente and a conuenient vse and admonysshed man to beware of the misusynge of it to disobedience gyuynge a lawe to be obserued as matter wherin to exercyse his free wyll If God hadde made man withoute free wyl and immutable he hadde not ben then properly man hauynge mutabilitie to good and euyll as a difference from god a body corporall to differre from aungels and free wyll and free choyce to differre from other beastes vnreasonable And is not he a ioylye workeman that wolde deuyse to haue God doone otherwyse then he hathe or elles because malyce haue wrought in maÌ„ malyce wold take god for immediate cause of all the is done which were abhominable blasphemouse abhominatioÌ„ withoute all reason and agaynste all lerninge God is the superior cause without which nothinge worketh â—ynne is of â—an and the â—uyl and caÌ„â—t be of god â—ho is all â—odnes as lerned men haue discussed it in actu substracto but mans free choyce and the deuyll adde the myschief to euerye acte where any is and be the immediate causes thereof who although they haue god author of their beynge yet he is not author of their noughtines whiche is caused by their corruption engendred in them by their fall from god And thus thou seest good reader that yf reason shulde contende with reason in discussion of goddes workes necessite shuld be excluded and not implyed in goddes prouydence election or predestinacion For god Quos presciuit predestinauit of whiche worde presciuit the holly fathers learned men and deuoutlye learned as afore haue noted goddes election to be accordynge to his knowledge of them who shuld receyue and reteyne with perseueraunce gods giftes Saynte Aâ—gustine in â—sideration â— goddes eleâ—on agreeâ— not througâ—ly with othâ— Mary sainte Austen troubled with the pelagians who for confirmation of their error searched out places of scripture and writhed them violently as heretiques alwaies do to their purpose so extollinge mans endeuor as they dyd iniury to the speciall grace and gyftes of god for auoydynge thencombre of these subtyll heretiques thoughte not necessarie to folow the rest in that poynte whereby to note the cause of goddes election to be any wyse referred to thendeuor of man but only to be in gods wyll whych is most iust and wherein is no acception of persons And yet s Austen doth not so dissent from the other fathers for auoyding the pelagians as he doth any thinge fauour thopinion of them â—aynte Auâ—yne abhorâ—th necessite who nowe a daies by vnderstandynge of those actes of election and predestinacion in god wolde establysh mere necessitie And as for my selfe myndynge to speake of this matter Forasmuche as I haue sene saynt Austen in this poynt dissent from other not with contencion but rather thereby to exclude the matter of argument that myghte serue the Pelagians I haue not made foundacioÌ„ to discusse thelection predestinacion of god after those deuout mens consideration but by declaringe what blyndnes men haue in goddes workyng to put men in remembraunce to worshyp that truth and confesse oure ignoraunce â—ccasion taâ—en of a disaâ—ement in â—mine part â— contemne â—l But somewhat wyll here be gathered by the waye that men dissente from men doctours from doctours fathers froÌ„ fathers and why shulde we then saith your sect regarde men doctours or fathers but all resort to the very fountayne of gods word and thence fetche pure syncere clene vndefiled water and not to resorte to mens puddelles that bâ— myerie troubled and not clene If saynt Austen dare disagre froÌ„ the rest whye may not I disagre from him ê™ you and from the rest also and cleaue onely to goddes worde Gods worde is the lyfe whether shulde we go but thither and there is playnes God sayth he is omnipotent and he sayeth truely He saith he knoweth all and he sayth trulye He sayeth he worketh all in all and he sayeth trulye He sayth I haue made the wycked to the euyl day he sayth truly He sayth there is none euyll in the citie but he hath made and he sayth trulye God sayth he hath indurate the harte of pharao And he sayth trulye And alwaye god sayeth truelye And all men be lyers as Dauyd sayth Filij hominuÌ„ vsquequo diligitis uanitatem queritis mendacium Ye chyldren of men ye loue continually vanitie and searche out lyes Hereunto I wyll say somwhat â—n aunswer that of God here be rehersed manye truthes as they be spoken trulye And yf they were also truely vnderstanded then al were well and playne And they say men be lyers therein they saye also trulye â—en â—e all â—ned to lie â—ut do not in â—ll thynges â—e saynt Peâ—er lyed not â—onfessynge 〈…〉 But yf the scripture affirming men to be lyers shulde be also perpetually verefied in them whom god endueth
gyftes receaued and other more So as the sense of the prayer that we may be made worthy is that we may be conformable to the fulfillynge of goddes wyll And it is to be noted that we praye that we maye be made worthy for we can not make oure selfe worthye but must receaue all of god of whome is all worthynes and of our selfe vnworthynes and yet in the atteining of worthines we be workers with god by his grace as before is declared And thus much I speake hereof how this praier which many wold depraue is agreable with the sense of scripture bicause it is necessary we be put in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce that the promises of god require the condition of worthines on our behalfe wherein is required oure endeuour Ye bringe in at the last a text of saint Paule lyke a keye to cleue a logge For saint Paules speakynge in that place nothinge perteyneth to the iustification we speake of as ye know wel ynough but only vse it because ye delite in copy Then foloweth that ye call my .viii. article Vvin. viii â—rticle Euerye thinge is to be called freely done whereof the beginninge is free and at libertye without anye cause of prouocacion Ioye So is there nothinge frelye done For man hauyng his humane natural affectes as loue hatred feare ioye heuines gladnes concupiscence honger thirste c. Besides these also hauing any celestial gyftes as faith hope c must nedes be prouoked of them to do or to suffer al thinges But the libertie of the spirite coÌ„ceiued by faith wherof christ Paul speke affirming by faith him selfe to be fre by loue to be bondman to al men is of an higher diuinite then this popissh lawer or cowrtly ruffler caÌ„ attayn vnto VvintonÌ„ YE reherce mine article right tyl ye come to the latter word where in steade of the worde compulsion ye put in the worde prouocation I wolde neuer haue gyuen Barnes and his scolefelow such a cause of prouocatioÌ„ to haue iested of me Howe Ioye here prouoketh me to call hym by his name as to say as ye reherse For not onely vice besides the instigation of the deuyl hath a material cause of prouocatioÌ„ to vice but also vertue besydes the callynge of God hathe a materyal cause of prouocation to vertue In prouocation of vertue and vice this differethe that a man maye playe the deuylles parte and tempte hym selfe and so exercyse the materiall cause of vice but man can not playe goddes parte and of hym selfe put in worke the materiall cause of vertue vertuously for al goodnes coÌ„meth froÌ„ aboue But with Barnes it came in by the way to speake of maÌ„s fre working either in sinne or vertue or any other action indiffereÌ„t This maxime I tolde him that euery thinge is to be estemed of the begynnyng For if the begynnyng hath no compulsion the acte is to be called free yf the begynnynge hath force and compulsion al that foloweth hath the nature of necessitie We discussed this in many specialties and amongeste other in the state of preistes whether they that lyued vnmaryed suche as wold nowe marrye I meane suche as those be whether they maye complayne of wante of fredome to vse the world at libertye as god hath permitted And herein bicause the beginninge of that state of preisthode hath no cause of compulsioÌ„ for no man is compelled to be a preiste and yet there be many causes of prouocation so as eche man hath ones in his lyfe lybertie and choice whether he wyll entre the state of preisthode or no. After anye man hath entred that state yf he lyketh it not he maye well lament his owne folye in the choyse of it but he hath no cause to complayne of the state wherevnto he was neuer compelled but myght haue chosen whether he wolde haue entred it or no. And therefore to euerye man that murmurethe at the presente condition of his lyfe it is obiected in common reason thus Ye might haue chosen Wherevnto yf any man could truelye replye and saye I coulde not choose euerye man lamenteth the state of hym that sayeth and declareth he coulde not choose and condempneth the complaynte of hym that myght haue chosen So as these two commeÌ„ speaches I could not chose and might haue chosen be worthelye allowed amonge vs whereby to excuse or blame all oure doynges To our frende that is offended with oure doinge we say I praye you blame me not for in good fayth I coulde not chose If you coulde not chose sayeth the frende I am not so fonde to fall out with you I wyll neuer blame a man saieth he for that he coulde not chose Nowe on the other parte he that leueth his occupation to be a seruynge man or selleth his lande bicause he lyketh better redy mony or marieth for his lust without godly consideration if that man can alledge nothynge that shulde haue enforced his so doing yet wyl grudge at his fortune accomptynge hym selfe miserable he is put to silence with these fewe wordes Ye might haue chosen It shal be saide to me percase that here is a longe talke withoute scripture of I myghte chose and I coulde not chose And some shall call it wylye wyt and some ianglynge sophistrie some haly water reasons The deuil deuiseth to depraue euerye thinge with prety termes for with suche pretie wordes the deuyll chereth his gestes whome he feesteth with talkynge and ianglynge abrode in the worlde wherewith to ouerwhelme the verye truth To the matter I say thus that this peace of truth of mans free choyse to do good or euyll confirmed in the scriptures because it hathe ben truely planted and roted in oure common speache I haue thought good to stirre vp the remeÌ„braunce of it by discussinge the commen speche to the intent when it appereth to agre with scripture it may be more regarded not bicause it is a commen speche but bycause it is the truth of scripture wherby the better to resist suche peruerse doctrine as some wold persuade to be in scripture of mere necessitie vpoÌ„ their wronge coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of gods prouidence election and predestination Goddes secret iudgementes I leaue vntouched and god worketh after the purpose of his will Whiche is moost iust He calleth some in the morning some latter and at diuerse houres of the day as the parable sheweth But to vs whom he calleth at the tyme of workinge whiles it is daye and hath endued vs with the giftes of reason vnderstanding If a synner myght saye to god for defence of his actuall synne I coulde not chose but do as I dyd whiche no such man can do it were an excuse for his synne But bycause god may truely saye to the synner Thou mightest haue chosen therein is the confusion in euery synners conscience This speach shal percase offende many And some wil say may not the infant that perissheth in the mothers wombe vnchristened say to god I coulde not choose May not the
vs in that when we were synners christ wolde dye for vs muche more therefore nowe we beinge iustified in his bloude shall be preserued by hym from wrath What faithfull herte towched with this incomparable loue out of fayth knoweledge is not humbled with feare and confession of his synnes to god and is not heuye and repentaunte detesting his synnes saieng Shall I any more commyt that thinge whiche hath broughte this my so louynge a sauyour to so shamefull and paynefull a passion This is oure faith which cleaueth to the mooste certayne promyse of god and not to Wynch waueryng vnstable condicion This is our faith and substaunciall certitude the most ferme persuasion without any wauerynge of the merciable free forgeuenes and gracyous absolucyon of oure sinnes by the promyse of our father celestial in christes bloud hath her own proper correlatiue the promyse of god euer correspondent and not Win. knowledge of the fulfillynge of his condiciō This is the forme of oure iustification by fayth onely whiche attributeth all glorye to god as dyd Abraham and his chylderne and as many as haue vnfaynedly receyued christes gospell But let Wyn. worke on styll his wycked workes vnto thattaynement of his pharisaicall iustification before men vntyll the axe nowe bent vnto his rotis he be sodenly smiten downe of god For Passur must be turned as Ieremy sayth into Pauor his arrogant vpclymyng extollynge of him selfe aboue god must haue a shamefull soden fearfull fall These arrogant articles maye be well called the false articles of Winchesters false faith and not of christs faith For Christ confirmed his articles euermore with the law and prophetes but Win. bringeth not one worde of god for him to proue his Wherfore let them be his owne articles armed wyth his owne proud autoritie For we may not beleue hym thus exaltynge hym selfe aboue Christe whiche euer alleged the scryptures for his doctrine to be confyrmed we may not beleue my Lorde vicare generall for his high lordely supercilious pharisaicall lookes Wherefore if this Gardiner will seme to be learned lette him aunswer now with goddes worde and not dispute with poore men in his fetters and presons with his fumisshe threates fyery fagottes presonyng and persecutyng the pore innocent membres of christ for weldoinge purely frelye faithfullye preachinge goddes worde castinge of his blodhoundes into euery citie and towne to hunt out the christen simple sely flocke of christ as he of late made Wyllyam Castelyn Gouerner of the marchaunt aduenteres at Anwerpe cheiflye to hunt out such as purely and frely write and set forth bookes vnto the glory of god edifienge of christes churche and to warne men of Wynch false doctrine For this Gouerner of other men whiche coulde neuer wel gouerne hym selfe is more mete to rowe in a galey or to holde the plough then to gouerne so worshiple and honeste a company But the lorde is a lyue and heareth of these Moabites pride and blode thirstinge he seeth their secrete wiked counsels and heareth their bostinge proude crakes their supercilyous arrogancy is well knowne vnto me sayth the Lorde but yet for all their luciferine pride promotyng and extolling them selues and one an other to serue their traitourouse turnes and mutuall mischeif yet shall they neuer bringe about their wicked enforcementes For it is God that deposeth such myghtye mischeuouse from their seates and exalteth the humble It is the lorde that skatereth their wiked counsels trappeth them in theyr owne pride blodye cogitacions But let all christen kinges and Prynces beware howe they geue their swerde into suche popisshe prelates handes lest the innocent bloude be-required of god at their handes to whome be praise for euer Amen Truth it is that he whiche knoweth nether the father nor christ shall neuer beleue Christ to be an hole perfyt and sufficient sauyour and forgeuer of synnes but he shall wynde in this croked condicion of Wyn. and deuyde his iustificacion part if he geue not all to workes and part to god as did the Iewes and nowe the Turkes and suche like heithen miscreauntes whiche neuer knew god the father in by christ yea they shall deuyse and imagyn in their own opinions for true faith haue they none such workes for goddes honour as thē selues thinke to make most for a great kynges honour as to be accompanied with many men fetched in with many torches candels at none daye lyghted to hym whiche is the very lyght it selfe These blinde worshippers wyll make god an image thereby to worship him whiche idollatrye the seconde commaundement vtterlye forbyddeth They wyll worshyp him with golde perle precious stones veluete clothe of golde c. They sence synge rynge hym in with belles as they were wont to do the bishops They pipe hym vp with orgaynes all the costly pleasaunt externe rites and ceremonies as sencinge processions that can be deuysed for to please great men they vse the same to worshyppe god withall when Christ sayde God my father is a spirite and in spirite and truth wyl he be worshipped ▪ yea these wordly wicked blind Bisshops are so farre caste away for their wickednes turned vp of god into their owne hertes lustes and into a reprobate dampned mynde that they know not god fro man mortal Oh good god what mynde may this be Verelye Paule expresseth it and the cause whye god worthelye thus casteth them vp sayenge What so euer men oughte to know of god the same hath god shewed them as his almyghtye power godbeade yea that by the creacion creatures of the worlde if they wolde diligently and humblye loke vpon and expend them so that they be without any excuse of anye ignoraunce But when god had geuen Wynche this knoweledge of hym then yet he worshypped nor glorified hym not as god but as he wolde worshyppe anye other worldlye prince with outwarde rites and ceremonies neither doth he geue him thankes but sheweth his owne vaine curiosite and curiouse vanite in his owne reasonynge and disputinge for goddes moost glorious honour in so much that he hath nowe blindened his owne ignorant herte and wherein he thought to haue done moost wisely for gods worshyp and glorye there doth he mooste folyshlye and cruellye shewynge hym selfe a very foole as Paule saith turnynge vp the worshyppe of god incorruptible through his owne imaginacions to worshyppe hym after his owne fonde deuises And for this cause hath god thus cast him vp through his owne hertes lustes into al maner prodigious and beastlye fylthynes receiuinge into hym selfe the worthye rewarde of his owne erroure And forbicause sayeth Paule he doth sette at naughte so presente knoweledge of god nowe opened vnto hym and to all other that wyll embrace christ and his word therefore doth God turne him vp into this detestable opinion of his owne false iustification into so lothelye and abhominable reprobate bloudye mynde that in prisoninge persecuting fagottyng burnynge and slayeng
world not to cōtente your eyes but haue shewed my self not dismaied with your controlementes yet I confesse I haue by your occasion at some time called for grace to refrayne worldly tentacions Your cause I iudge extremely nought to thextinction of goddes honour and subuersion of the worlde and therfore the more ye mislyke me and the wurse ye speake of me the more cause haue I to thanke god to suffer so easely for his sake as your malyce and enuye shuld engendre me an honest reputacion in the world in honest mens hartes to be noted aduersary to you And as I lerne in the scriptures and suche holy men as haue expounded them whereby to iudge your enterprise abhominable So the malicious rayling of you that be the maisters and the spitefull hatred without cause of them that be your scolers daily more and more confermeth vnto me the detestable noughtynes of that ye intend The falsehed ye teache in the vnderstandynge of scriptures corrupteth all other truthes in you and transformeth them into lyes Your learning can not be of god that preache so lyke the deuyll How so euer ye diffame me of crueltie I knowe it is not my faulte and yet I am a synner and haue many other faultes I neuer enterprised to defende the truth but in my place of ordre where the kynges moost excellent maiestie hath placed me farre aboue my deserte and expectation You triumphe out of your place make your self high iudge of the realme whereunto god hathe not called you Can ye fynd in your hart to do so much iniury to the kinges maiesty as to thinke the state of this realme to be directed not by his high wisdom to whom god hath cōmytted it but as I such other for our purpose as ye note wolde haue it gouerned And if ye thinke therin otherwise then ye saye as for the mutual intelligence in the fraternite ye can not in your absence but knowe howe publique thinges go is this the charitable diuise in the brotherhed to chose out me for a raylynge stocke and in iestinge at your pleasure of me brynge to the kynges maiestees knowledge that ye wold he shuld here spoken of you Suppose ye the kinges maiestie can not vnderstand what ye meane by Winchester when ye attribute all the fashion of the state of the realme to Wynchester call the actes that myslyke you Wynchesters all statutes Wynchesters all iust punishmentes howe so euer ye cal them Winchesters and charge al vpon Wynchester that in so doynge ye name Winchester not for Wynchester but vse the name of Wyn. in stede of that ye dare not name and speake oute Ye abuse herein to muche the kynges maiesties moost excellent giftes I am ashamed that any part of his maiestees glorye in defense of religion frō your corruption shulde be deriued vnto me by any meane who haue deserued no part of it And so shall it appeare in th ende howe soeuer ye sclaunder it in the meane season I wyll no further aunswer to your raylinges in the conclusion of your boke but exhorte you to call for grace that ye maye turne as Ieremie saith and clappe your selfe on the hyppe remembre with repentaunce how many mens consciences ye haue perplexed with your controuersie in religion and labour as ye can to refourme what ye may Ye haue scourged vs sharpely with youre owne torment in the meane seasō If I delited in your punishmente as ye wolde it were persuaded of me I coulde not wysshe you a more myserable state then thus to here you rore and crye oute lyke beastes by excesse of malyce to speake ye wote not what Prison bodelye death be not estemed of al men alyke and ye haue vsed them for a tyme as false wytnes to conferme youre falsehod for truthe with sclaunder of the iuste mynysters therof Nowe that hath for a whyle ceased and ye by lurkinge be at libertie in talke ye haue so disgorged your abhominacion that laye hydden in your breste as no man lenger nede doubte what ye be We coulde neuer get so muche by examinacion as ye confesse in bookes and professe Ye shulde by iustice haue died with opinion of symplycite amonge some nowe ye lyue with a manifest declaracion what ye haue euer ment and intended Ye sette your selfe in pryson of an encombred conscience dye dayly yet liuing in prosecutynge youre mischeuouse enterprise But returne you vnto God returne to youre soueraine lordes obeysaunce returne to be a good christen man and an english man For what so euer our faultie workes haue ben they nothing serue to the iustificacion of youre doctryne Let vs all praye together for mercye mercye mercye nowe mooste necessarye vnto vs. The name and workes of god haue ben so familiar in our talke that the reuerent feare of his maiestie is almost extinct amonges many Vnhappy be we in whose tyme learnynge shulde be ministred to suche effectes God graunte vs to knowe hym truely and according to his wyll so to worshyp and honoure him in bodye and soule togither as all contencions debates malice and hatred clearely extirpate and pulled out we maye lyue here lyke christen men with christen men and englyshe men with english men which of a good season hath ben by dissention of opinions somwhat letted and hindred whereof those haue mooste cause to be sory to whom any part of the faulte may be ascribed And yet all must be sorye for that is amysse eche man for his part begyn to amende with the prayer of the churche continually praye Deus qui errantibus ut in uiam ueritatis possint redire ueritatis tuae lumen ostendis da cunctis qui professione christiana censentur illa respuere quae huic inimica sunt nomini quae sunt apta sectari Per christum dominum nostrum Amen ¶ Imprinted at London in Aldersgate strete by Iohannes Herforde at the costes and charges of Robert Toye dwellyng in Paules church yarde at the sygne of the Bell. Anno dn̄i 1546.