ascribed al vnto God lest paraduenture any mā myght glory or be extolled Wherfore the only maister and Lorde when he had said the wordes which I afore rehersed thys is the worke of God to beleue in hym whome he sente in the same his sermon he sayeth a lytle after I haue sayd vnto you that you haue sene me and not beleued al that the father geueth me shall come vnto me The .viii. Chapter VVhat meaneth thys that he sayeth he shall come vnto me but only that he shall beleue in me but that thys may be brought to passe it is the gyfte of the father In lykemaner a lytle after he sayeth murmure not amonge youre selues no man can come to me except the father which sent me drawe hym I shal rayse hym vp in the last daye It is written in the prophetes and they shal be all taught of God Euery one that hath herde of the father learned cōmeth vnto me What me aneth this euery one that hath herd of the father and learned commeth vnto me but only the ther is none which do heare learne of the father but that he cōmeth vnto me For yf euery one that haue herde of the father and learned cōmeth out of doubt euery one then which cōmeth not haue not herde of the father nor learned for yf he hadde herde and learned he should haue come For ther is not one that haue herde and learned that cōmeth not but euery one as the truthe sayeth which haue herde of the father and learned The subril worldly wyse dome wil not be a scolar in this scole cōmeth This scole wherin the father is herde and do teache to come to the sonne is farre aboue the vnderstandyng of the fleshe In this scole is the sonne hymselfe for he is the very worde of hym by whom the father do thus teache neither dothe he worke this in the ear of the fleshe but in the ear of the herte Ther is also together the spirite of the father the sonne for he dothe also teache together with the father and the sonne For we haue learned that the workes of the Trinitie are inseperable And thys is verely the holye Goost of whome thapostle speaketh but we hauyng sayeth he the same spirit of fayth 2. Corin. 4. But therfore chieflye is this attribute vnto the father because that the only begotten is begotten of hym and of him doth procede the holye Ghoste of whome to dispute more exquisytly woulde be very lōgerand further I do suppose that our labour of the Trinite which is God that is cōprehended in xv bokes is come into your hādes This scole I saye wherin god is herde and doth teache is farre aboue the reache of the wysedome of the fleshe We perceyue that many come to the sonne because we perceyue that many beleue in Christ but where howe they haue herde this of the father and learned The grace of thelccre is secret wherof hard hertes at not partalers ▪ we perceyue not For thys grace is verye secrete but that it is grace who douteth This grace therfore that is thorowe Goddes gyfte powred priuely into mens hertes is not receyued of any harde herte For to that ende is it geuen that the hardnes of herte myght fyrst be taken awaye Therfore when the father is herd within and teacheth to cōe to the sonne he taketh away the stony herte Ezech. 11. and. 36. and geueth a fleshy herte accordynge as he promysed by the preachyng of the Prophet For after thys maner dothe he make the sonnes of promyse and the vessels of mercy whych he hath prepared vnto glory Wherfore the doth not he teache al that they maye come to Christ Al are not taught to cōe to Christ but because that of mercye he teacheth all whom he teacheth but whome he teacheth not of iudgemēt he teacheth not For he hath mercy vpon whome he wyl whō he wyll he doth harden but he hath merci geuing that is good he doth harden recompensyng that is deserued Or els paradueture accordyng as some men thynke the distinction to be made these may also be the wordes of hym vnto who thapostle sayeth Rom. 9. Thou sayst then vnto me So that we maye vnderstande that the aduersary had said therfore he hath mercy on whome he wyl and whome he wyl he doth harden and so forth that is why dothe he yet blame vs For who tan resyst his wyl Dyd thapostell answere this aduersarye thus O man it is false that thou hast said no forsoth But he answered O man what arte thou that disputest with God shall the worke saye to the workeman why haste thou made me on this fashion hath not the potter power ouer the claye to make euen of the same lompe and so forth as ye knowe very wel And yet notwithstādyng after a certein maner the father do teache all to rōe to his sonne For it is not written in vayne in the prophetes and they shall al be taught of God the which testimony as sone as Christ had first recyted he added by and by euery one that haue herd of the father and learned commeth vnto me As we therfore speake trulye when we speake of any one scolemaister which is only in the cytie this scolemaister teacheth all in this cytie not because al do learne but because none that learne there any letters lerne of any other but onlye of him euen so we say truly God do teache al to come to Christ not bycause al do come but because no man do come any other waye But why he doth not teache al the Apostle hathe opened so muche as he thought mete to be opened because sayeth he God willynge to shewe his wrath and to make hys power knowen Rom. 9. suffred with longe pacience the vessels of wrath ordeyned to damnacion that he myght declare the ryches of his glorye on the vessels of mercy whiche he had prepared vnto glory Hereof it commeth that the worde of the crosse is folyshnes to them that peryshe 1. Corin. 1. but to them that are saued it is the power of God All these do God teach to come to Christ Whyche al are those that god wyll haue saued 1. 11. 2 al these wyl God haue saued and come to the knowlege of the truthe For and yf he would teache them to come vnto Christ which esteme the worde of the Crosse as folyshnes without al doubt they also should come For he neither deceyueth nor is deceyued that fayth euery one that hath herde of the father and learned Ioh. 6. cōmeth vnto me God forbid therfore that any mā should not come whiche hath herde and learned of the father Wherfore saye they dothe not he teache al yf we shal saye be cause they whome he teache not wyll not learne we shal be answered what meaneth that then Psal 84. The lord maketh of vnwillīg willyng Math. 5. that is sayd vnto hym
death yf the sinnes to come be punished which were neuer committed Neuertheles he sayeth very plentifully and excellently that daungers to synne wante not in this lyfe that after this lyfe ther remayne none Where as he doth also allege this testimonye out of the boke of wysedōe he was takē a waye Sap. 4. that malice shoulde not chaūge his vnderstandyng The which in lyke maner beynge alleged of me you sayd that these brethren haue reiected as that which was not taken out of a Canonicall boke as tho besyde the wytnesse of thys boke the thynge it selfe whiche we would teache by it were not many fest For what Christiā dare denye that the iuste man yf he be preuented wyth death Sap. 4. Popyshe purgatory pyck purse dare deny thys shal be in refreshyng whyche doctrine yf any man shall teache what man hauynge a sounde fayth wyll thynke that he should be resysted In lyke maner yf he shall teache that yf the iuste man shall departe from his ryghtfulnes wherin he hath lōge lyued and shall dye in that vngodlynes wherin he hath liued speake not of an hole yere but only one daye shall go from hence into paynes dewe vnto the wicked and that his formare ryghtfulnes past shal nothynge profyt hym what faythful man wyll agaynesaye thys open truth Furthermore yf it be demāded of vs whether yf he had dyed when he was a iuste mā he should haue founde paynes or reste shall we doubt to answer that he should haue founde reste Thys is all the matter wherfore it was sayd of whome soeuer it was sayd he was taken awaye that malyce shoulde not chaunge hys vnderstandyng For it was spoken of the daūgers of thys lyfe not of the foreknowlege of God whyche knewe aforehande that whyche was to come not that which was not to cōe that is to saye that he would preuente hym with vntymely death that he myght be taken frō the vncerteintie of tentaciōs not that he should synne whych should not abyde in tentacion For of thys lyfe it is red thus in the boke of Iob Iob. 7. is not mans lyfe vpon earth a tentacion But why it is graunted to some to be taken awaye from the peryls of this lyfe whyles they are ryghtful but other beyng iuste are kept in the same daungers by a longer lyfe vntyil they fall from ryghtfulnes Vn sea cheable iugementes but yet iust who knoweth the mynde of the Lorde And yet herby we maye vnderstāde that those iuste men whiche do lyue godly vntyll their olde age and the last daye of thys lyfe ought to glory in the Lord and not in theyr owne merites For he that hath thorowe the shortnes of lyfe taken away the iust man that malice shoulde not chaunge his vnder stādyng doth also in the lōgestlyfe kepe the iuste that malice may not chaunge hys vnderstandyng But why he hath holdē in thys lyfe the iuste that wyll fall awaye whome before he dyd fall he myght haue taken awaye hys iugementes are certeinely moste iuste but yet vnsercheable Seyng that these thynges are true the sentence takē out of the boke of wysedom ought not to haue ben reiected whyche haue ben so muche estemed in the churche of Christ that it haue ben many yeres redde in the place where the readers of lessons do vse to red to the church of Christ haue ben also herde as Goddes worde of all christians euen from the byshoppes vntyl the poorest laye faythful men The scriptures wer redde in the vulgare tonge to the poeple according to s Paulus doctrine 1. Corinti 14. the penitētes and the yonge scolers called Cathecuumini But yf by the testimony of the interpretores of holy scriptures which wer before our dayes I would defende thys doctrine which nowe we are cōmpelled to defende agaynst the newe error of the Pelagians more diligently and more aboūdauntly thē we were wonte that is to say that the grace of God is not geuen after our merites and that it is fre lye geuen to whomsoeuer it is geuen because it lyeth not in mans wyll or runnyng but in the mercy of God but yet to whome so euer it is not geuē by iuste iudgemēt it is not geuen forbecause ther is no vnryghtfulnes wyth God Yf I would I saye defende thys doctrine Men are bent rather to credite doctors then goddes worde by the catholyke interpretures of the holye scriptures that were before our dayes the brethrē for whome nowe we take thys labour would geue place For so you haue sygnifyed by your letters But what nede is it that we shuld serche out theyr workes whych be fore thys heresye dyd sprynge vp had no nede to occupie themselues in aunswerynge to thys hard questiō which out of doute they would haue done yf they had ben by suche heretikes compelled thervnto Whi man of thold doctores speke litle of grace Whervpon it happened that they dyd but briefly and by the waye declare in certain places of their wrytynges what they thoughte of the grace of God but theyr chiefe exercyse was in other matters whych they dysputed agaynst the enemyes of Christes churche notwythstandyng in theyr exhortacions vnto all vertues wherby men serue the lyuynge and true God to attayne eternal lyfe true blessednes and in their assembles or prayers it dyd plainlye appeare of what strength goddes grace was For the thynges that he hath commaunded to be done should not be desyred of God except the doyng of them were his gyft But they that would be enstructed by the testimonies of Ecclesiasticall wrytters or doctours muste preferre thys boke of wysedom wherin it is red Goddes wordepre ferred aboue all doctores he was taken awaye that malice should not chaunge his vnderstandynge before al doctours Forbycause the-noble doctours that wer euen nexte vnto thapostles dayes dyd also preferre it before themselues whych when they dyd aledge it for a wytnes did beleue that thei dyd allege nothyng but the wytnes of God And surely it is manyfest that the moste blessed Cipriane to commende the benefyte of a swyft death dyd dispute that they were delyuered from the daungers of thys lyfe whych do ende thys lyfe wherin men may synne In the same boke amonge other thynges he sayeth Why seyng that thou shalt be wyth Christ and beyng certeine of the Lordes promyse that thou arte called vnto Christe doest not embrace thys reioyce that thou shalt be deliuered from the deuel And in an other place he sayeth Chyldren by death auoyde the daūger of slippery youth In lyke maner he sayth in an other place why do we not make haste and runne that we maye se our countre that we maye salute our parentes A great nombre of our dere beloued parentes brethren and chyldren do tary ther for vs. A'great multytude beyng now sure of theyr own saftie yet careful for oure health desyre our company Wyth these suche lyke sentences in the moste cleare
lyght of the catholyke fayth thys doctour dothe manyfestly testefye that the daungers and tentaciōs of sinning are to be feared vntyl the puttyng of of thys body after the whych no man shal suffer any suche thynges But and yf he dyd not thys wytnesse whē would any christiā doubt of thys matter How then to a man that is fallen and in the same falle myserably endynge thys lyfe and goynge vnto paynes dewe to suche how I say should it not haue ben exceding profytable for hym yf he had ben takē out of the place of tentaciō by death before he had fallen And thus yf we set asyde rashe contencion thys question touchyng hym that was taken awaye that malyce should not chaunge hys vnderstandyng is fully aunswered Neither ought therfore the boke of wysedome to haue suffered thys iniury whyche haue so many yeres ben redde in the churche of Christe wherin this sentence is also redde because it is agaynst them whych are deceyued in thextollyng of mans merites Who be the ennemys of grace ennemyes agaynst the moste manyfest grace of God whych do appeare chiefly in yonge infantes amonge whome for as muche as some departe thys lyfe beyng baptised and other without baptisme is euidently declared mercy iudgement but mercy that is frely gouen and iudgement that is dewe For yf men should not be iudged accordynge to the workes of theyr lyfe whych they had before deathe but accordynge to suche as they should haue had yf they had lyued longer he had receiued no benefyt whych was taken awaye that malyce should not chaunge hys vnderstandyng it should nothynge haue profyted them whych dye in theyr synne yf they had dyed before whiche no christian shall dare afferme The catholike faith is contrary to the pelagians errors Wherfore oure brethren whyche wyth vs in the defence of the catholyke fayth do impugne the pernicious error of the Pelagians ought not so muche to fauour this opinion of the Pelagians wherby they thynke the grace of God to be geuen accordyng to our merites insomuche that they go aboute to destroye thys true auncient and christian sentence he was takē away that malice should not chaunge his vnderstandynge because they can not abyde the hearyng of it and to afferme that opinion whyche we thought no man would haue beleued no nor yet haue dreamed that is that euery dead mā should be iuged accordyng to suche workes as he should haue done if he had liued longer in the bodye Thus it appeareth that that whyche we afferme that the grace of God is not geuen accordyng to our merites is inuincible insomuche that wytty men ropugning against thys veritie wer compelled to afferme that the Pelagians errors ought to be banyshed from the eares and thoughtes of all men The .xv. Chapter Christ ys a cleare light af predestination THe saueour himselfe the mediatour betwene god and men the mā Christ Iesus is also a moste cleare lyght of predestinacion grace and that he myght so be by what merites of his goyng before eyther of workes or of fayth dyd the nature of man that was in hym purchase thys Let it be declared I praye you whereby that man deserued to be assumpte of the worde coeternal to the father in the vnitie of persone the he might be the only begottē sonne of God Dyd there any maner of goodnes of hys go before What dyd he aforhande what beleued he what axed he that he myght attayne to this vnspeakable dignitie begā not the selfe mā whych was made and assumpte of the worde to be the only sonne of God euen from the tyme that he began to be man Dyd not that woman full of grace conceiue the only sonne of God Was not the only sonne of God borne of the holy goost and the virgine Mary not by the luste of the fleshe but by the singular gyft of God was it to be feared lest that man should syn thorough fre choise whē he should come to the yeres of discrecion Or had he not therfore frewyll that somuche the more that he could not serue synne For all these most wōderful gyftes and other yf ther be any more that maye be counted moste iustely and peculiarly hys mans nature that is our nature receyued in hym after a syngular maner wythout any merytes of hys goynge before Let man here dispute with God yf he dare say why haue not I also the lyke and yf he shal thus be answered O mā what arte thou that disputest with God and wyll not so be satisfyed but wyl augment his impudency and saye why do I heare O man what art thou Rom. 9. Seyng I am that I heare that is to saye a man and so is he also of whome I speake but why am not I also that that he is For thorough grace cam he to this excelient dignitie why is grace dyuerse where as nature is one Surely ther is no acceptiō of persons wyth God Acto 10. What I say not a christian but what madde man would speake these wordes In our heade then maye appeare vnto vs the selfe fountaine of grace from whence it doth spreade it selfe into all hys membres accordynge to the measure of euery one Ephe. 4. By the same grace is euery mā from the begynnyng of hys fayth made a christiā by the whych that man from hys begynning was made Christ of the same spirite is man also borne agayne wherof thys man was fyrst borne thorowe the same spirite there is wrought in vs remissiō of synnes by the whyche it was wrought in hym that he should haue no sinne God knewe aforehande that he would do these thynges wythout al doubt The selfe same is therfore the predestinacion of sayntes whiche dyd moste euidently appeare in the moste holy whych who can denye that do ryghtlye vnderstande the wordes of truthe For we haue learned that the Lord of glory him selfe inasmuche as mā was made the sonne of God was predestinate The doctor of the Centyls do crye in the begynnyng of hys Epistles Rom. 1. Paule the seruaunt of Iesu Christ called an Apostle put a part for the Gospel of Godwhych he promysed by his prophetes in his holy Scriptures of his sonne which was made vnto hym of the sede of Dauid after the fleshe whych was predestinate the sonne of God in power by the spirite of sanctification of the resurrection of the dead Iesus was therfore predestinate that he whych after the fleshe should be the sonne of Dauid myght be neuertheles in power the sonne of God by the spirite of sanctification because he was borne of the holy goost and of the virgine Mary The selfe same is that syngular takynge of mās nature vnspekeably wrought of God the worde that the sonne of God and the sōne of mā together and the sonne of mā for mās sake that is taken and the sonne of god for the only begottē sake that dothe take should truly and properly be called
thynges He therfore that worke all thinges do also worke our beginning to beleue For faith selfe dothe not go before that callyng wherof it is sayd Rom. 11.9 the gyftes and callyng of God are suche that it can not repent hym of them and wherof it is sayde not of workes but of the caller when he myghte haue sayd but of the beleuer Ioan. 15. Faithe is the effecte of Goddes election and callyng the election whych the Lorde signifyed sayeng you haue not chosen me but I baue chosen you For he dyd not chose vs because we beleued but that we myght beleue that we should not be counted to haue chosen him first and then this should be false whych God forbydde you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you neither are we called because we dyd beleue but we are called that we maye beleue by thys callyng wherof God caÌ„ not repent hym thys is Certeinly wrought and performed that we maye beleue Neither is it nedeful to repete the great multitude of suche thynges as we haue before spoken in thys matter To be shorte thapostle also in the wordes that folow this testimony gyueth thaÌ„kes vnto God for them that dyd beleue not because the gospel was preached vnto them but because they beleued For he sayth In whoÌ„ also ye beleuyng the word of truthe the gospel of your saluacion wherin you beleuyng Ephe. 1. are sealed wyth the holy spirite of promes whych is the pledge of our inheritance to redeme the purchased possession vnto the prayse of his glory Wherfore I also after that I herd of your fayth in Christ Iesu loue vnto all saintes cease not to gyue thankes for you Their faythe was newe and freshe after the Gospell was preached vnto them For the whych fayth thapostle wheÌ„ he herd therof gaue thankes to God on their behalfe PeticioÌ„s and thâ—â—keste of deparâ—ed what be thei Gal. 6. Yf he should haue gyuen thankes to a man for that thynge whych he either supposed or els knewe that he had not done it myght be counted rather flatery or mockery then thankes gyuyng Let vs not be deceyued god wil not be mocked For the beginning faith is also his gyft otherwyse the thankes gyuyng of thapostle myghte worthely be couÌ„ted false or of false glorye What meaneth thys is it not euident of whome the ThessaloniaÌ„s had the beginning of faith for the which neuertheles the same apostle geueth thankes vnto God 1. Thes 2. sayng For this cause we also giue thankes vnto God wythout ceasyng forbecause when ye had receiued of vs the worde wherwith god was preached ye receiued it not as the worde of men but euen as it was in dede the word of God whiche worke in you that haue beleued it What meaneth this that he geueth thankes vnto God for this matter For it is a vaine and foolyshe thynge yf he geue thankes to any for that he hath not done But bycause thys is neither vaine nor folyshe certeinlye God hymselfe wrought this worke for the which he geueth thankes vnto him That when they had receiued of thapostle the worde wherwith God was preached they might receiue it not as the worde of men but as it is in dede the very worde of God The maner of Goddes working in his chosen God therfore do so worke in the hertes of men by that callyng that is accordyng to hys owne purpose wherof we haue spoken abouÌ„dantly that they should not heare the gospel in vayne but that they maye after they haue herde it be conuerted and beleue receiuyng it not as the worde of man but as it is in dede the veray worde of God The .xx. Chapter THys also do teache vs that the begynnynge of mens fayth is the gyfte of God when the Apostle wryteth thus in his epistle to the Collocenses Collo 4. Continue in prayer and watche in the same with thankes geuyng prayeng also for vs that God maye open vnto vs the dore of his worde to speake the mysterye of Christe for the which I am also in bandes that I maye declare it so as it behoueth me to speake Howe is the dore of the worde opened but when the vnderstandynge of the hearer is opened that he maye beleue and that after he haue receyued the begynning of fayth he may allowe whatsoeuer is preached and disputed to the edificatioÌ„ of holsome doctrine lest that his herte beynge shute vp thorough vnbeleue he should improue reiecte those thynges that are spoken Wherfore he sayeth to the Corintheans also 1. Cor. 16. I wyll tarye at Ephesus vntil whitsontyde For a great dore manyfest is opened vnto me and ther are many aduersaries What other thynge caÌ„ here be vnderstande but onlye that the gospel beyng ther by him first preached that many beleued and also that ther were many aduersaries of the same beleue accordynge to thys sayeng of the Lorde no man coÌ„meth to me except it were geuen hym of my father Ioan. 6. and vnto you Luc 8. it is geuen to knowe the secretes of the kyngdome of heauen but to them it is not geueÌ„ The dore therfore was opened in theÌ„ vnto whoÌ„e it was geuen but the multitude of aduersaries were of them vnto whome it was not geuen In lyke maner the same Apostle in hys seconde Epistle vnto the same people sayeth 2. Cor. 2. wheÌ„ I was come into Troaâ—a for the Gospel of Christ and a dore was opened to me in the Lorde my spirite had no reste forbecause I dyd not fynd Titus my brother but dydding them farewel I went out in to Macedonia Whome bad he farewel but onely them that beleued in whose hertes de dore was opened thorough his preachyng But marke what he addeth but praysed be God sayeth he whyche dothe gyue vs the victory alwayes thorough Christe and doth declare the sauoure of his knowlege in all places by vs For we are the swete smelle of Christ vnto God bothe in them that are saued and in them also that do peryshe to some verely the sauour of death vnto death but to some the sauour of life vnto lyfe Paule ys an inuincible defendor of grace this cause wil then preuaile agenst the tyraÌ„ny aÌ„d subtelty both of deuel and worlde Lo for what cause the valeant sougeor and inuincible defendour of grace gyueth thankes Lo for what cause he geueth thankes because thapostles are the swete smelle of Christ vnto God both in them that are saued thorough his grace and in them also that peryshe thorough his iudgemeÌ„t But that they might be the lesse angry which vnderstaÌ„d not these thynges he warned wheÌ„ he addeth and sayeth And who is mete vnto these thinges Not withstandyng let vs returne to the openyng of the dore Wherby thapostle dyd signifye the begynnynge of the fayth of the hearers For what is this prayeng also for vs that God maye open vnto vs the dore of the worde but a moste
mercyfull why grace is not geuen to all But why then sayeth he is not thys grace geuen to all Here also I anâ—were because God is a ryghtfull â—udge And therfore is grace geueÌ„â—f hym also frely and by his ryghtâ—ull iudgement in other it is declaâ—ed what benefyt they haue receyued by grace vnto whome it was geuen Let vs not then be vnthaÌ„kâ—ull that the mercyfull God dothe delyuer so many from so dewe daÌ„nacion accordyng to the good pleasure of hys wyll vnto the prayse of the glory of hys grace So that yf he delyuered no man from thence yet should he not be vniust For by one Roma 5. Ephe. 2. all men brought into condemnacion are ryghtfully and not vniustely iudged the chyldreÌ„ of wrath He therfore that is delyuered let hym loue grace he that is not delyuered let hym acknowlege dette Yf in the forgeuyng of dette be vnderstande mercy and in requiring the same be vnderstande iustice by no meanes is there sounde any iniquitie wyth God But why sayeth he not only among infantes but also amoÌ„g them that are borne at one tyme hauyng one the selfe same cause the iudgement is so diuerse Is it not a lyke question to aske why in a dyuerse cause ther is one iudgement Let vs therfore cal to remembraunce those labourers whyche laboured the hole daye in the vyneyard and those that laboured but an houre For the cause is dyuerse of the labour that was bestowed and neuertheles the iudgement in rendryng the rewarde is one Mat. 20. Dyd the murmurers in thys place also heare any other thynge of the good man of the house but thys I wyll For suche was hys lyber alite to some that he dyd no maner of wronge to the other And both these verely are in good thinges notwythstanding as touching that whycy apperteyneth to ryght fulnes and grace it maye be also truly sayd of the gylty that is delyuered I wyll and also it maye be sayd of hym that is damned Take that whyche is thyue and get the hence For I wyll gyue vnto this man that which is not due to him is it not lawfull for me to do what I wyl is thyne eye euel because I am good but yf he shal saye here why dyd not he gyue thys grace also to me he shall worthelye heare O man what arte thou that disputest wyth God Roma 9 whome thou doest certeily perceiue to be a most merciful geuer to one of you but to the a moste iuste exactor and demaunder neuertheles not vnryghtfull to neither of you For seynge he should be iuste altho he should punyshe you bothe he that is delyueted hath wherfore to gyue thaÌ„kes he that is damned hath nothynge that he maye reprehende But yf nowe sayeth he thys muste nedes be that in that al are not damned he myght declare what should be dewe to all and so he myghte more graciously coÌ„meÌ„de his grace in the vessels of mercye why in the selfe same cause wyl he rather punyshe me then hym or wyl delyuer hym rather then me To thys I make none aunswere Yf thou demaund why because I coÌ„fesse that I haue nothynge to saye Yf thou wylt also aske why because that as in this matter his pre is iuste so also hys mercy is great Vnsercheable iugementes and in lyke maner his iudgementes are vnsercheable He goeth on yet and demaundeth why hath he not geueÌ„ to some that haue truely worshipped hym perseueraunce vnto the ende Why thynkest thou but only because he lyeth not that sayeth 1. Ioan. 2 They wente out from amonge vs but they wer not of vs For yf they hadde ben of vs they would vndoubtedly haue continued wyth vs Are there then two natures of men God forbyd For yf there were two natures there should be no grace at all For the fre delyueraunce should not be geuen to any man yf it were dewe to be rendred to nature But it seameth in mans iudgement Mans iugemeÌ„t that all they that appeare to be good faythfull men ought to haue receyued perseueraunce vnto th ende But God hath iudged it better to myngle some that shall not continue amonge the appointed nomber of saintes that they should not lyue in securite Securite Vnto whome securite in the tentacion of thyslyfe is not expedient 1. Cor. 10. For thys sayeng of thapostle wherfore he that seame to staÌ„d let hym take hede that he fall not hath kept downe many from pernicious pryde For he that falleth falleth thorow hys owne wyl and he that standeth standeth thorowe the wyll of God For God is able to set hym vp he dothe not then set vp hym selfe but it is God that dothe thys Neuertheles it is good not to be hye mynded but to feare Rom. 12. For euery man dothe either stande or fall in his owne thought For as thapostle sayeth wherof we haue also made mencion in our former boke we are not able to thinke anithynge as of our selues 2. Corin. 3 but oure ablenes commeth of God Whome blessed Ambrose folowed Ambro. in his boke of fleyng the worlde cap. i. our thoughtes are not in oure owne power the whyche thynge euery one perceyueth to be moste true that hath humilitie and truthe ioyned together wyth godlynes But that Ambrose myght thus saye he spake it in that boke whyche he wrote of fleyng the world teachyng that thys worlde oughte to be fled not wyth the body but wyth the herte which he declared could not be done but only by the helpe of God For he sayeth we do many tymes speake of the fleyng of thys world and I woulde to God our affeccion were as ware and carefull aboute thys matter as it is easy for vs to speake therof but that which is worse the flickerynge inticement of earthy lustes do oftentymes crepe preuely in and the spreading abrod of vanities do occupye the mynde so that thou doest ymagyne thynke vpon that thyng whych thou woldest fayne eschewe whych is verye harde for a man to beware of but clearly to put awaye it is vnpossible Furthermore the Prophete do wytnesse that thys thynge may be desyred rather theÌ„ gotten sayeng Bowe my herte into thy testimonies Psa 118. not into couetousnes For our herte and thoughtes are not in our owne power whych beyng sodenly darkened do confounde the mynde vnderstandyng drawe them an other waye then thou dyd dest purpose They call them backe to the worlde they do intermingle worldly matters they throwe in voluptuouse pleasures they weaue in flickeryng entisementes and in the selfe same tyme that we go aboute to lyft vp the mynde we hauyng vaine thoughts engrafted in vs are often tymes throweÌ„ downe to earthy matters It lieth not therfore in the power of meÌ„ but in the power of God that meÌ„ may haue power to be made the sonnes of God Ioh. 1. For of hym do they receyue this power which do put into maÌ„s
can not be expressed wyth tonge For he that searcheth the hartes knoweth what is the meanyng of the spirite for he maketh intercession for the saintes accordyng to the pleasure of God What meaneth thys the spirite maketh intercession but onely that he maketh vs to make intercessiō with vnspeakable gronynges but yet which suche as are true because the spirite is the truthe For the self same is he of whome he speaketh in an other place God sent the spirite of his sonne into our hertes cryeng Abba father And what meaneth this cryeng Gala. 4. but makyng vs to crye by the same fygure of speache that we vse whē we call that a merye daye that maketh mē meri The which ī an other place he declareth where he sayeth For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoptiō wherby we crye Abba father Rom. 8. There he sayd that the spirite dothe crye but here he sayeth by whome we cryer declaryng certeinly what he mente when he sayd cryeng True spiritual prayer is goddes gyfte that is as I haue nowe expowned makyng vs to crye Wherby we do vnderstand that it is also the selfe gyfte of God to praye vnto God with a true herte and spiritually Let them therfore consyder howe farre they are deceyued whych thynke that to aske to seke and to knocke come of our selues are not gyue vnto vs. And thys they say vnto thys end that grace might be preached to folowe oure merite when we in askyng do receyue and in sekyng do fynde and when it is opened vnto vs knockyng Neither wyl they vnderstande that to praye that is that we maye aske seke and knocke is also the gyfte of God For we receyue the spirite of the sonnes of adoption by whome we crye Abba father The which the blessed Ambrose perceyued to be true for he sayeth to pray vnto God appertaineth to spirituall grace as it is written 1. Cor. 12. no mā sayeth that Iesus is the Lorde but in the holy Gost These thynges therfore whyche the churche askethof the Lorde and whych she hath alwayes asked syns her begynnyng The same God knewe aforehande that he wolde gyue to suche as are hys called according as he had now already geuen in the self predestinacion whych thapostle declared with out all maner of doubte For he wrytynge to Timothe sayeth 2. Tim. 1. suffer thou aduersitie wyth the Gospel thorow the power of God whych saued vs and called vs with an holy callyng not accordyng to oure dedes but accordyng to hys owne purpose grace whych grace was geuen vs thorowe Christ Iesu before theternall tymes but is nowe declared openly by the cōmyng of our sauiour Iesu Christe Let hym therfore saye that sometyme the churche beleued not the truthe of thys predestination grace which is nowe more diligently defended agaynst these new heretikes let him I saye thus saye whiche dare afferme that some time she prayed not at all or els that she praied not truely both that the vnfaythfull myght beleue and also that the faythful myght continue The whiche good thynges yf she alwayes prayed for she dyd vndoubtedly alwayes beleue that they were the giftes of God It was neuer lawfull for the churche to denye the truthe nether was it at any tyme lawful for her to deny that the same were euermore knowen of hym And thus it appeareth that the churche of Christ haue alwayes beleued thys predestinacion whych against newe heretikes is now wyth a new trauell defended The .xxiiii. Chapter BVt what shal I say more I suppose that I haue sufficiently taught or rather more thē nedeth that both to begyn to beleue in the Lorde and also to continue in hym vnto th ende The true worshippīg of God are the gyftes of God But as for other vertues that belōg to a godly lyfe wherby God is truly worshipped they also for whome we wryte these do graunt that they are the gyftes of God Furthermore they can not denye bothe that God knewe aforehande all hys owne gyftes and also that he knewe afore to whome he wolde gyue them As other gyftes therfore ought to be preched that he whych preacheth them may be obediently heard euen so also predestinacion ought to be preached that he whych obediently hear these thynges shulde not glorye in man and therfore shulde not glorye in hym selfe but in the Lorde because also thys is Goddes cōmaundement that we shulde obedientlye heare that is that he whyche glorieth myght glory in the Lorde is the gyft of God in lyke maner as other gyftes be To glory in the Lorde is goddes gyfte The whych gyfte whosoeuer wanteth I am not afrayde to saye that what so euer gyftes he hath besydes he hath them in vaine Thys gyft we wyshe vnto the Pelagians that they maye haue but vnto these our brethren we wyshe that they may haue it more fully Let vs not be therfore readye to dispute stoo to praye Let vs pray moste derely beloued let vs praye the God maye also gyue grace to our enemies and namely to our brethrē and louers that they maye vnderstande and cōfesse that no man after that great and vnspekeable ruyne wherby all we fel in one man can be delyuered but by the grace of God and that the same grace is not recompensed as dewe True grace for the merites of them that receyue it but is frely gyuē as true grace for no merites sake goyng before it For there is no clerer ensample of predestinacion then Iesus hym selfe wherof I haue nowe disputed both in my fyrst boke and the same I haue also chosen to cōmend in th ende of thys for there is no ensample I saye of Predestinacion more cleare then the selfe mediator What so euer faythfull man is desyrous truely to vnderstande predestinacion let hym beholde hym and in hym he may also fynd hymselfe Let the faythfull I saye do thys whyche do beleue and confesse that the true nature of man that is oure nature is in hym notwythstādyng that it be syngulerlye exalted to be the onelye sonne of God by that that God the worde dyd take it so that bothe he that dothe take and it that was taken myght be one persone in Trinitie For by the takyng of man there was not a quaternite made but the Trinite continued when the truthe of one persone in God and man was vnspeakeablye wrought by the takynge of mans nature For we saye not that Christe is God onely as the hereticall Manicheis saye neither that he is Man onely as the hereticalle Photinianes saye neither do we saye that he is man after suche sorte that he shoulde haue anye thynge lesse then other haue as touchyng that whyche is certaine to belonge to mannes nature whether it be the soule or in the selfe soule the reasonable mynde or the fleshe not taken of the woman but made of the worde beynge