els then dayly commit fornication◠departynge and goinge from the Lord we are dayly hardened From the electe the Lord taketh awaye the industrie of the wisedome of the fleshe pourynge into them the industrie and diligence of hys spirite Obiection They do laye agayne agaynste vs the words written in Ezechiell the .xviii. Chapter In these wordes cast a way and make to you is ther cauell Caste awaye frome you all youre iniquities wherein you haue fayled and gone asyde and make your selfe a newe herte and spirite You maye se saye they in thys place that a manne maye do some thynge of hym selfe that is good And yet they are deceyned For the Lorde doeth requyre that wee shoulde worcke not of oure owne power and diligence but by the power and diligence of hys spirite Bysides that thys commaundement and all other commaundementes of the Lord are vnpossible to be done if the spirit of God be not in vs whyche maketh all thynges to be possible as in other places we haue proued Trulye the Lorde wylleth that hys commaundementes be obserued and kept of vs not by oure owne spirite of fornication but by hys spirite For that whiche the Lord cōmaundeth can not of anye man but by hys owne spirite be kepte What mā of his own power can caste of frome hym selfe hys olde accustomed wickednes and corrupte desyres of the fleshe What man can renue turne alter hys owne herte to Godwarde keepe hys wyll without hys spirite It is the Lordes owne worcke and no mans els Wherunto the wordes of Ieremy are respondente and agreynge whyche sayeth Is it possible that an Ethiop can turne the coloure of hys face Hieremy xiii This is a strong and an inuincible bulworke agaynst frewyll and put on a newe skynne Cā the Leopard take frō him self the spots which are in hym Can youre selues do worcke goodnes whiche haue learned al naughtines and euyll By the whyche texte it is declared openlye that a man by hys owne power can do nothynge to the alteration of hys herte nor anye other thynge whiche pertaineth to eternall felicitie Yet the defenders of this moste false and deceytfull libertie do go about stil to deceiue vs makinge vs beleue that we do expownde the scriptures on thys maner Make you a newe herte that is to saye Lette grace make you a newe herte And also Streche forthe your hande wherto you wyll that is to saye Let grace streach forth your hande whereto you wyl Againe in an other scripture Euerie man that hathe this hope He doeth sanctifie hym selfe in hym that is to saye grace doeth sanctifie hym Let vs caste awaye the worckes of darckenes that is to saye Thus dothe antichristes disciples sclaunder wyth ther lyese the true preachers of fayth makyng the people beleue that they woulde haue no good workes Lette grace caste awaye .c. What man euer I pray you as for the reste of theyr sclaunderous lies here I wil not speake of did heare me at any tymes reade and expownde after thys maner What man knowynge them to be suche shamful and shamles lyers wyl beleue them in anye thynge they speake For oure exposition declaration of those textes hath bene alwaye after thys maner Make you a newe herte by the spirite of God What man can make hys herte new wythout the spirite of God Considerynge that by our owne deceytfull spirite we are made worsse and worsse much lesse can we be altered of our selues from the worsse to the better Streach forth thy hande that is by the wyl and dede of the spirite of God to goodnes or to euyll by the spirite of fornication and of the fleshe Also he doeth sanctifie him selfe by the spirite of Christ not by his own deceiuable spirite Furthermore let vs caste awaie the worckes of darckenes by the spirite of God whyche we are not able to do wythoute it There is none of vs whyche doeth saye that god commaundethe grace to doe anye thynge as thoughe he would saye let grace doe this or that For grace is nothynge els but the fauour of the lord Grace by that reason we shoulde saye that god doth commaunde him selfe to doe thys or that if we did expounde the scripturs as they doe falslye belye vs. For to saye these wordes folowynge Lette grace extende let grace do Let grace caste awaye what is it els then a precepte or commaundemente let them therfore cease from there blasphemous reportes and dyuelyshe lyefe wher wyth they doe nothynge els but declare to al men their peruers and froward malice of their hertes Wherfore do they go aboughte to make darcke and obscure the grace of god and the goodnes of oure fauiour Iesu Christe Wherefore do they make so muche of mans strenghte whyche of him selfe can do nothynge but go and depart frō the Lorde The spirite of god draweth to good the spirite of the fleshe to all euell and not that neyther of theyr own free wyll but by the spirite of fornication whyche plucketh theym that they canne not chose but do euyll If they do make so much by theyr vnhappy and lewde libertie or fredome of theyr wyll whyche they haue not in dede lette theym thense if they canne be riche whē them pleaseth Let thē se if they cā saue thē selues therbi And that is vnpossible We do esteme regarde their goodlye false libertie to be muche more vyle and stinking then the ordre of man then anye other stynkynge donghyll whyche is nothyng els but the inuentiō deuise of the Deuyll Fre wyll inuented by the deuell to obscure the glory of god of Satā that intendynge nothynge els thereby but to minish and hynder the veritie of the Lord obscurynge and hydynge frome the eyes of men the mooste mercifull gentilnes of hys goodnes to make theim to be ingrate vnthankefull people The dreame and phantasye of thys frewyl is suche a thynge Either God must be true and the wyll captiue or els god must be faulse and the wyll fre that if it be true as they do saye and holde that it is then the veritie of the worde of God can not stande And contrarywyse if the worde of God be true whyche the deuyl and all hys disciples can not denye then of necessitie muste thys forged wyll be as it is false and contrary to al trueth But lette the speache of veritie of the hygh Lorde be parmanent and stande styl for euer Let this false perswation of fre wyl with al other inuētions of man contrarie to scripture perishe fall awaye Amen Let therfore thys false wycked and bond libertie be put forthe of the doers Let the libertie of the chyldrē of God be sought forth by the fayeth in the Lord Iesu Christ which is our Sauioure Thys libertie the churche of God hath loked for manye yeres it hath desiered it of longe tyme and many dayes From this desyre did the wordes in the cāticles springe of
onely the spirit of Christ Our impiâ—tie and sinfulnes can go no further than it hath pleased the Lord from the beginnynge to suffre For he hath limitted al the thoughtes cogitations and willes of men within certayn limittes termes the which no man caÌ„ passe or go beyond Wher is now becoâ—â—e that free election and libertie to do what we lust which thei affirme to be in vs. Is it not altogether captiue and in bondage Another diffiniâ—ioâ— of freewyl Ther be also which do make this diffinicion of free wyl saiyng that frewil is a power and strength of mans will wherewyth he doth apply or plucke awaye hymselfe to or from those thynges which do leade vs to eternal felicitie and euerlastynge saluation But I pray you what strengthe and power haue we when the vnderstandyng and wyl of man can do nothynge of it selfe but that which is carnal fleshly What thynges can mans knowledge of it selfe perceyue and attayn to Our owne vnderstaÌ„dynge knowledge dothe iudge richesse health of bodye honoures promotions the glory of this world to be good thinges and the coÌ„trary to these for to be euil naughtie As for the knowledge of good and of godly matters of those I say which partayneth to eternal saluation it perceiueth nothyng at al of it selfe Yea though a man would peruse and reade ouer all the holye scriptures and teach them also to other meÌ„ or els be taught of other hys owne vnderstaÌ„ding and knowledge of it selfe shal neuer truely and as he ought to do knowe the Lorde and his wyll his power his iustice his goodnes his mercie his anger He shal not beleue and rest on the truth and veritie of God but after a liyng fashioÌ„ and hypocrisie The which thing is nothing lâ—sse then to beleue For it is written The folyshe man sayd in his hert there is no God Beholde the knowledge of man of himself doth not only not know god but also doth deme god to be God saiynge that ther is no God i. Corin. ii The carnal man dooth not perceiue those thinges which be of the spirit of God for the spirit of God the thynges therto pertaining ar folishnes to hym He caÌ„ not vnderstaÌ„d iudge that thei ought to be spiritualy demed takeÌ„ These wordes ar to be takeÌ„ not onely of the vnderstaÌ„dynge but also of the wyl of man For lykewyse as the vnderstandyng doth se nothynge of it selfe but that whych is carnal euen so the wyl of man doth hate and abhore of it selfe al thing which is good and loueth that which is euil carnal and nothyng durable The profe of bond wyl by the scripturs It can neither loue nor feare God nor his truth It foloweth then that the wyl of man is not free but captiue and bond as nowe we wyl proue by the testimonies of the scriptures of God And fyrst of al by this testimony of Ose the Prophet saiyng The spirit hath bouâ—de him in his wynges The which wordes are manifest to bee spoken of the carnall people of Israel The whiche people the Prophet declared before to be deceiued by the spirite of fornication that is to sai by the iudgemeÌ„t and sens of the fleshe in the wynges wherof he affirmeth them to be bound fast First he declareth theim to be deceiued afterward to be bound that nowe thei colde do nothyng els but commyt fornication beyng seperated from God For al their iudgementes knowledge vnderstandinge and wyll al their dedes were nothynge elles but fornication from the lorde bycause thei wer not of fayth The carnall are tied wyth bondes Who bee the bonde daughters of Syon To the captyue and boÌ„d prisoners is preached remission of syn As before in the exposition of this Prophet I haue made opeÌ„ to you Thus it foloweth that al those which be carnal and fleshly ar tied and made fast in bondes The carnal Sinagoge is called in the scripture the bond daughter of Sion As Esaye liii Our sauiour also preached remissioÌ„ of sinne to the captiue and bond and deliueraunce to them which were shit fast in prison Esa lxi Luke iiii The second profe by the scripture Genes vi THe Lord said in Genes vi My spirit shal neuer be parmanent in man because he is fleshe Hierome and other writers dooe wryte that these wordes are in the Hebrue rog after this traÌ„slation My spirite shal neuer iudge in maÌ„ because he or thei be fleshe The fyrst traÌ„slatioÌ„ is good inough by the which wordes a certayne writer doth vnderstand and expound the clemencye and great mercy of God towarde man and but his most dreadful austeritie and anger But the Lorde kepe vs from that clemencie For the blyndnes of that man as by his writing oppereth did take this worde iudgement to signifie in this place no thyng elles but punishment as though the lord would say The iudgement is not takeÌ„ for a dreadful senteÌ„ce of God as of a iudge but for the godly and spirituall knowledge my spirit shal not punysh man which is a verye wrong sens For the vniust shal be punished and the seede of the wicked shall perishe as Psalm xxxvi And the fire whiche is prepared for the deuyl and his angels wherwyth the reprobates and vngodly persons shal be tormented is euerlastyng Therfore this is not the right sens and meanyng of this text as he hath expounded but contrarye wyse My spirit shall not iudge alwayes amonge these menne bicause they be fleshe that is to say the iudgement of my spirit shall not alway be permanent in theym because thei be flesh that is altogether natural carnal The iudgement of the spirit of God is not in the wycked and deceiueable because I say the wicked iudgemeÌ„t of the flesh which is repugnaunt to the iudgement of the spirit doth reigne in them Is this the clemencie and mercie of God to be destitute of the right iudgement of the spirit of God to be forsaken and left to the wycked and execreable iudgemente of the spirite of Fornication and of lyes that is to say of the spirit of man which is a lier Psal C.xv. I do beleue verely that ther is no punishment of God more bytter more sharpe then to be forsaken of him There is no plage more sharpe theÌ„ to be forsakeÌ„ of of God and lefte to thy selfe to be left to thine owne iudgement without the iudgement of his spirit I pray the good Lorde kepe from me this most fearful and dreadful wrath of the. Let thy spirit whiche is true and holye and not my spirit ful of fornication and lyes iudge and geue true knowledge and vnderstanding in me Whippe me good Lord and scourge me rather then to forsake me to my selfe if it semeth to the expedient for the settyng furth of thy glory Confyrme make thi seruaunt stronge with thy spirit and neuer take it from me In the same .vi. of Gen. the wycked are
the lord The Lord may turne his hert which way soeuer it shal please him In this place first thou dost see that the riuars and the diuision of waters are the worckes of God and all other thynges which can be named in heauen or in earth or in the waters The text is so playn that it neadeth no long declaration The herte the will is all on in scripture by the which we dooe perceyue that the herte or wyll of a Kynge for in the scriptures the hert and wyl is taken for one thing is not free and at his libertie and pleasure but captiue and bond to the pleasure wyl of the Lord causynge it to encline and leane to whych part it pleaseth hym to godlines and to the fulfyllynge of hys wyll or contrarye Yet for all that good Reader be ware you do not mistake wronge vnderstande me bycause I saye that God doeth turne incline the herte What is signyfied by these wordes god turnethe god makethe to inclyne as though he shold in so doynge worcke vngodlines For this worde and vocable to incline or to turne is asmuch to say after the speaking of the scripture as to indurate or harden or to let a mā runne into a reprobate mind holding away his hand frō him whyche is asmuch to saye to make it more playne as the Lorde doeth relinquish and leaue hym to hys owne mere naturall frailenes To harden thy hart is to leaue the to thyn owne weaknes as in many places specially in that boke whyche I dyd write intituled the causes of our blyndnes I haue declared That lesson which you do reade here of the hert or wyl of a king take it as wel to be vnderstande of all other men for if that one be true that the kynges herte and wyll is subiecte to the wyll of God muche more all other mennes cogitations thoughtes wylles and dedes They saye and obiecte agayne that the inclination and mouynge of the hand of the Lorde doeth not cause or worcke bondage or necessitie in the will of man When dothe the lorde moue to godlynes wherein they be foule deceyued not geuynge glory to the Lorde as they oughte to do For the Lorde doeth moue and stirre a manne to Godlines as often as he doeth poure into hym hys spirite and true fayeth Then canne not that man sinne by the vertue and strenght which he hath receyued of the Lorde Faythe cannot do euell wherby he is moued For fayeth can not worcke euyll Agayne although the fleshe in the fayethful men do synne yet the spirite of God whereby the fayethful do lyue canne not sinne The rightwyse man lyuethe by faythe Peter by the strength of the flesh synned being offended and displeased at the wordes of his maister Christe sayinge that he shoulde suffer Whiche Peter dyd saye before to hys maister by the power and strength of the spirite The faythfull synneth not Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Math. vi Chapter To be short in al thinges wher the spirite of God doth moue and stirre vs is conteined a necessitie bondage of the spirite beinge so decreed and ordeyned from the begynnynge Lykewise also of all those thynges whyche a man doeth worcke inclined to vngodlynes that is to saye geuen to a reprobate minde beyng left to the spirite of fornication to hym selfe to hys owne natural fragilitie and weakenes For the wicked cā not chose but do wickedly for as muche as he is fleshe The prescience and for knoledge of the lorde is vnfallible and therfore all hys worckes synne It is also vnpossible but that wyckednes muste be committed at that tyme whyche the Lorde by hys prescience and fore knoweledge dyd knowe frome the begynnynge woulde be done Hereby we do reason and gather that all these thinges whereto they do moue and styrre vs or otherwyse doeth harden leauynge vs to our owne selfe are done or committed of necessitie ineuitable Take hede once agayne gentyll reader and beware thou doeste not reason to farre in thys matter least thou doeste fall into inconuenience and wronge iudgement or opinion of the Lorde to thyne owne destruction and death Reuerence thou alway hys most blessed iudgemente to the profound deapnes whereof no man at anye tyme is able to attayne ⧠The .v. profe and authoritie Hieremy x HIeremye sayeth the .x. Chapt. I do knowe very wel good Lorde that the wyl of man is not in hys own hande nor yet in hys owne power to rule and gouerne his owne steppes and goinges which wordes are not to be meant and vnderstande of sadde or pleasaunt thinges as some mē do interpretate but of euerye thought wyll and dede of man As appeareth by that whiche foloweth Chasten vs O Lorde but wyth fauour not wyth thy wrath But if thys can not satisfy their mindes nor perswade them suffitientlye that it is spoken of all the wayes of man boeth of hys thoughte wyll and dede let theym answere me by theyr own experience Let euery man aske him selfe this question in that uicious affection wherto he is most inclyned whyther theyr owne wayes be in theyr owne power yea or naye to do or to forsake all that shall please them to wyll or nyl that them lusteth If he be an aduonterouse person an hunter of whores a couetuouse man a man full of Enuye and suche lyke can he hym selfe as he woulde of hys own strength roote oute and put awaye cleane all these lewde affections forth of hys herte that nothynge therof shall remayne behynde If he find that he cānot do it of hym selfe howe can he saye that the waye of man is in hys owne hande and power Verely no man hath the rule of hys own wayes as he woulde Therfore let vs pray wyth holy Dauid Lorde do thou directe and make straight my waies before thy syght Dauid sayeth in thy syghte that is as muche to saye that it maye please the as though he woulde saye suffer not my wayes to be inclined and turned against the. Such like saying of him is in the Psa cxviii Turne my eyes good Lord that they se no vanitie quyckē and make me liuelye in thy wayes Also Turne and incline my hert to thy testimonies not to Auarice ⧠The .vi. profe and authoritie Esay lxiii THe electe and chosen people do cōfesse and graunt openlye that oure wyll is captiue and bonde as Esai lxiii Thou Lorde our father oure redemer thy name is and alwaye hath bene Wherfore hast thou made vs to erre and to declyne frō thy wayes Wherfore hast thou hardened our hertes that we should not fear the the whyche place Paule doeth alleadge for that same purpose in the .ix. Chapter to the Romaynes ⧠The .vii. profe and authoritie Pharao hardened THys veritie is confirmed in Pharao whose herte the Lord dyd harden as Exodi ix Chapter and to the Romaynes .ix. Chap. ⧠The .viii.
were apostatas and forsaken of the Lorde yea wheÌ„ they were in Egypt as you may se in Ezechiell the .xxxiii. Chapter And agayne after that HierusaleÌ„ was ouerthrown wheÌ„ they came into Egipte they did sacrifice to the quene of heauen Hierem. xliiii You caÌ„ not therfore say that God doth molifie make softe and turne the hertes of men when for theyr synnes he doeth chasten and punishe theÌ„ When dothe the lorde conuert man to his will and wher wythe dothe he it For theÌ„ Pharao shold haue bene turned and not indurate still as he was But what tyme that the Lorde doeth poure forth hys spirite into the herte of man that the obstinate hardnes of an euyl false and liynge herte myght be broken then you maye say that God doth molifie turne that is to saye doeth make man to incline to hys wyl and commaundementes As Ezech .xi. Cha. and in the .xxxvi. testifieth saying I wil take away sayth the Lorde the stony herte for t he of youre fleshe A herte of stone A herte of fleshe I wyll geue you an herte of fleshe I wyl geue you a newe herte and put my spirite in the middest of you Truly neither infirmities nor syckenes neither honger norswerd nor any other kynd of correction no nor anye externe and outwarde gyfte of God The lacke of the spirite is the cause of oure reuocation or induration nether knoledge and vnderstanding of things nor any maner of carefulnes and sorow caÌ„ make the hert of maÌ„ to be either a rebell or to be pliable obediente to the wyll of the Lord but onely the fruition and lacke of the holye spirite As for the correction and chastisynge of the Lorde it profiteth if the spirite of God be presente otherwyse it driueth to desperation The correction and punishmente of the wicked maye outewardlye cause theÌ„ to refrayne abstaine from doing of euyll What dothe correction worke in vs But the herte is not the better The correctioÌ„ of the wicked maketh theÌ„ to be hypocrites and not the seruauntes of God as the .iiii. Chap. of Oseas declareth Bycause the harte is not the better The Lord threatened the Israelites bycause they dyd forsake hym in theyr fornication saying that theyr doughters and wynes should be polluted defiled with fornication and adultry The Lord also declared to theÌ„ that he would not punishe theyr daughters nor theyr wyues bicause they should not ameÌ„d their liues outwardely from theyr vnchaste liuinge to the greate ignominie and shame of their husbandes and pareÌ„tes beynge a iuste a mete correction of the carnall and naughty affections of the meÌ„ which were carnal in Israel which detested and abhored the defilinge of their wyues and doughters a thyng whych al men may se outwardli theyr owne hertes beinge full of al fylthynes fornication froÌ„ the Lord Bicause they feared the ignominiouse opprobry and shame of man God is to be feared more then man more then the rebuke of God the Lord most iustly suffered them to fall into that whiche they feared most Likewise as the Lorde doeth indurate harden so he doeth also deceiue and begile as Hieremie .xx. Chap. The lorde deceyueth For Hieremie him self being strickeÌ„ of Phassur cast into prisoÌ„ for declarynge of the veritie did make his praier to the Lord saying Thou hast deceyued me good Lord I am deceiued Thou art stroÌ„ger theÌ„ I haste preuayled I am made a mockyng stocke al the day long This place of Hieremie is bi those meÌ„ which I dyd speake of before wroÌ„ge expouÌ„ded as they did the place scripture of induration saiyng that the Lord deceiued begiled him wheÌ„ he did not straight way rebuke him of his erroure But it is otherwise to be taken For the prophete beynge beaton and cast into prison and as you do ther reade being of all menne skorned and made a laughynge stocke for the veritie sake he dyd abhore and despise those whyche dyd sette lyghte by the worde of God and yet peraduenture other whyles thorowe the weakenes of the fleshe was in daunger to haue fallen froÌ„ the word of God and so to haue prophesied no more But the Lorde dyd conforte hym as it is manifeste in the sayed chap. But yet before that the Lorde dyd conforte hym Hieremi sayed Thou haste dereyued me c. For the Lorde commaunded hym to go and he went boldly not knowynge that therefore he shoulde haue bene so handeled as he was Therfore he sayed thou hast deceyued me As though he woulde haue sayed Thou Lorde dideste not geue me warnynge before that I should be scourged emprisoned and that thou wouldest that I whom thou dideste send shoulde be taken of them to whom I was sent whoÌ„ thou myghtest haue saued and kept forth of theyr handes In fewe wordes thys doeth declare thre thynges to vs. What is declared to vs by the taking of hieremy Fyrste the heauines and sorowe of the Prophete bycause the worde of God was dispised Seconde hys own griefe for the euilles whych he suffered whyche he thought not on Thirdelye that hys takynge and enprisonynge was of God that is to saie it was the wyl of God that he shoulde be taken They do obiecte also agaynst our opinion of bonde wyll sayinge that our wyl doth nothing of necessitie bycause that al thinges are in the hande of the Lorde They confesse also that God after hys own secrete couÌ„sell doth turne mans purpose and endeuers ofteÌ„ tymes other wayes then man hym selfe entended the whyche entent purpose and first endeuoure of man they do ascribe to the fre wyl of man saying that the fyrst mâ—tion and styrryng is in mannes libertie and power Wherto I saye and answere that the wil of man worcketh of necessitie and by violeÌ„ce bycause that all thynges are in the handes of the Lorde and vnder the euerlastynge wyll of god whych they do confesse of their owne gentilnes whose will what man is able to resiste What is the wyll of God but hys worde and the spirite of the scripture And the worde of the Lorde is permanente for euer Psalme Cxviii and Esai xl The scotyst diuinitie hath made darcke the diuinitie of Christ before mennes eyes What neade the fayethfull menne passe or care how the Dunse scholemaisters haue brawled amonge them selues of the wyll pleasure of the Lorde they can not tell what theyr selfes Hys purpose hys decre hys ordinaunces must neades be perpetuall stand for euer The Lorde purposed frome the begynnynge yea and before the begynnynge that the kynge of Egypte shoulde be indurate and styfnecked agaynste hym that he should lyue wythout his spirite in the spirit of fornication that is to saie in his owne naturall and fleshly sence and vnderstandinge for the whyche cause he coulde not chose but be agaynste the Lorde and hys people The affectioÌ„ of the flesh The spirite of god and of the fleshe are at continuall warre
God lette them shew me whyther God hath any nede of vs that we shoulde ascribe to hym anye thyng that is not hys own already No verely Let them gyue credite and hearynge to the trueth whyche sayeth The earth is the Lordes and all that is therein Then is his manne and other thynges whyche he worketh in hym To whom onely be glory and empyre worlde wythoute ende Amen Yf our will be bond how do we merite They haue an other obiection wherein they do demaunde when howe and whiche waye we do beginne to merite If we do all thynge of force by a continuall vrgent necessitie If our wyll be fre at no tyme Christ dothe merite for vs To thys obiectiō I answere and say that all merites are the merites onely of Christe and that all confidence and truste of the merites of oure worckes must be taken awaye from vs In what workes must we perseuer and yet we muste perseuer and cōtinewe styll in good worckes those I saye whyche are of fayeth For trulye we maye pype in an iuie bushe for anye thynge that we can merite vnto our selfe As the .iiii. cha of the reuelation What is ment by the eldars leying downe ther crowns befor the throne of god Cornelius Centurio The .xxiiii. elders did laye downe theyr crownes before the throne and seate of the Lambe of God knowledginge therby that by the merites of Christe they dyd receyue the same crownes of glory at the Lords hād Cornelius the Centurion did not obtaine by hys owne merites worckes to be praysed cōmēded of the Lord but by the grace of the Lorde and goodnes of Christ Paule What shoulde I speake of Paule whiche dyd not wynne the crowne after he had ended hys course by hys owne deades but by hym by whose healpe he ended and finished hys course Finally neyther cornelius obteined the fauoure of the Lorde nor Paule the crowne of glorye by the merites of theyr owne industrie and trauaile but only by the gyfte of the Lorde by the lyghtenyng of his spirite and by the fre election of God ⧠The ningth proffe I Maruayle that men wyll so steflye contend and stryue agaynste so open and manifest texte of the scriptures and testimonies of the Lorde to proue the wil of man which is bonde captiue for to be fre and at liberty the which bōdage we do find proue dayly by experience in our selues The similytude of the potter euery one of vs beynge in the handes of the Lord none otherwyse then is the cleye in the handes of the potter to be fashioned to what vse the potters mynde and pleasure is as it is written Esai xiv Chap. Woe be to hym that striueth wyth hys maker the potshard with the potter Esai xlv Wyl the clay say to the the potter what doeste thou make Hieremy xviii Thy worcke serueth for nothynge Also Ieremie speaketh more plainely the .xviii Chap. Maye not I do with you as the potter doeth O house of Israell Ye are in my hande euen as the clay in the potters hande Rom. ix Paule to the Rom. the .ix. Chap. Hath not the potter power and libertie of one clotte of claye to make one vessell to honoure an other to vilenes What so euer did cause the Prophetes the Apostles to write this I am sure that this is true that the potter hath no more power on the piece of claye thē the Lord hath ouer man Nay the power that the Lorde hath ouer man is much more a thousande tymes Also it is certayne that lykewyse as the potter doeth make certayne vessels to honeste vses seruice as to receiue and kepe meate and drinke and water wyth suche other lyke and other to a more vile office euen so the Lorde hath created the electe to hys glorye the reprobate to perpetual ignominie and shame Furthermore the potter doeth breake the vessel and maketh it anewe greater or smaller as it doth lyke hym best at whose workmāshyp the vessel is content resisteth not nor grudgeth any thynge at al but that he maye make thereof what so euer shall please hym As longe as thou dost delight in synne thinke and beleue that thou art indurat tyl thou doeste abhorre it So trulye the Lorde worcketh and fashioneth man The Lorde doeth harden and make indurate he doeth agayne take awaye and remoue the hardnes frō the hert of man And as long as the mā is hardened so long is the vessell full of all ignominie and filthines After that hys hardenes of herte is taken awaye and hath receyued a newe herte he is then made agayne the vessell of glorye So you may se that it is not in the hande of hym that wylleth or that runneth but in the Lorde whyche is full of mercy Obiection They make a certayn obiection to proue the wyll of man free by a sayinge of Paule the seconde epistle to Timothe and .ii. chap. If a man sayeth Paule doeth purge him self from suche men he shall be a vessell sanctified to honoure mete for the vses of the Lorde These wordes saye they were foleishly to be spoken to a potsharde but to the sharde whyche is indued wyth reason it maye be wel sayd I do graunt this but that whyche they do inferre and gether hereof I wyl not graunt to Indeuour of mans wyll is when a man purposethe and settethe his mynd to do thinges and begynneth to go about it which is called in latē Conatus The reasonable shard say they beynge warned and admonished maye accommodate and make mete it selfe to the wyll and pleasure of the Lorde The whiche thynge they do call the endeuoure of frewyll I do holde the contrary opinion affirmynge that no man haue he neuer so fyne quycke a wytte be he neuer so muche well learned thoughe he were euery houre in the daye admonished and taughte hys dutye that he is not able to accōmodate and make mete hym selfe to the wyll of the Lord with out he haue receyued the spirite of Christe the whyche spirite doth make hym apte and readye to the wyll of the Lorde An other obiection they do laye agaynste vs sayinge If you do speake thys thynge playnlie without any exception that we are in the handes of the Lorde as the elaie in the handes of the potter then must we say saye they that likewyse as the potter is the cause why the vessell is a vessell of ignominie seruynge for a vyle office and so folowing not the vessell to be blamed bycause it was no better euen so it is wyth the reprobates the cause of theyr reprobatiō whi they be naughty vessels to be imputed to the Lorde which myght haue made theim vessels of honoure if it had pleased him and not the reprobates worthy to be blamed To thys obiection I answer saiyng that these argumentes and reasōs are altogither of the fleshe and carnall makynge conclusion of the premises whyche they
vnderstand not aryght beynge not able to attaine to thē wherein manye thynges do lie hyd passinge all mens vnderstandynge and power to aryse vp to the knowledge therof It is good therfore in thys casse to staye and search no further But rather with all humilitie to reuerence those thynges whyche the Lorde kepeth for his owne knoweledge An other obiection of oure aduersaries is thys If they wyll saye they that the similitude of the potter whyche Paull speakethe of muste be vnderstande and taken simplye and playnlye as it lyeth whye shoulde we not saie they vnderstand that place of Paule as it lyeth in the letter saying If a manne do pourge hym c. Wherto I saye that we do take it none otherewyse then as it doeth lye so that they do take it and vnderstande it after that maner as all such places of the scriptures are vsed to be taken For thys poynte you muste marke well that to kepe the commaundementes which we are commaunded to kepe it is vnpossible for manne wythoute he haue the spirite of the Lorde the whyche no sophisticall cauillation can denye By the commaundemēts we do know what is sinne our owne weakenes Naye they graunte theyr selues that it is vnpossible that anye man can kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde after the mynde intente and wyl of the Lorde whyche doth cōmaund them wythout his spirite It foloweth that what so euer the Lorde cōmaundeth vs to do is to vs vnpossible Yet the Lorde willeth vs to kepe and obserue hys cōmaundemētes Wherby both we haue the knowledge of synne The lawe is spirituall and therfore it must be spiritually obserued or els you worcke in hypocricie we knowe also how weake feble and of no strength we be of our selues For the lawe is spirituall whych can not be kepte wythout the spirite of God And therfore he hathe geuen hys spirite to the electes to kepe hys wyll whyche they were not able els for to do Iames hathe suche an other sayinge as they do rehearse forth of Paules sayinge Clense your hertes you wauering of mynde The whyche thynge they cā not do without the hertes be purified and made cleane by fayth in Iesu Christ Thus ought these wordes purifie your hertes to be takē and vnderstanded that is Beleue you in Christe that by hys spirite you maye be purified But no man can beleue but he which is drawen of the father as witnesseth Iohn the syxte Chapter Whiche we muste nedes graunte Let vs desyre and praye that God wyll kepe in vs his cōmaundemētes whiche of our selues We can not call on the lord wythout the spirit of the lorde in our selfe we are not able to do Let vs aske cal and crye after that with greate diligence and fayeth and it shall be graunted to vs. But se how captyue bond our wyll is that for to desyre and aske anye thing of the lord we ar not able of ourselues They wil answer to me againe saying that the sayinges which are spokē of the saintes godlye faithful people Man worketh good or euell as the spirite drawethe are fales not true that is Thei haue purged made clene ther hertes they haue sanctified thē selfes They loued the Lorde they prayed wel they dyd good workes and so fourth suche other lyke sayenges The whyche wordes are not false but true so that you do presuppose these thinges to be done by them thorowe the spirite of god fayth so that we must confesse all thinges well done to be the dedes of the spirite of god of whom they be wrought Ther is none of vs whyche denye the that man worketh but we do denye that he workethe at his owne frewyl For either he workethe that whiche is euell being drawen bye the spirite of fornication or els he doth worke that thinge which is good by the spirit of the lord allmightie A similitud by a knyfe Marke this similitude which folowethe whiche makethe not small for this purpose A man takethe a knyfe and cutteth bread wyth it The knyfe also doth cutte but not wyth out the hand of hym which holdeth the knyfe This knyfe cutteth well or yll not of hym selfe but by the cutter For the knife is not fre of him selfe either to cut or not to cut Yet for all that whē a man doeth cut any thynge wyth a knyfe he sayth this knyfe cutteth well or yl althoughe of hym selfe he doeth cut nothynge at all but by the power and force of the cuttar So wee can do nothyng of our selfe that is good and ryghe except the spirite of god worketh it in vs we do no euyll excepte we be bound with the spirite of fornication and of thē fleshe To the which spirite the lorde by his most rightwyse iustyce dothe leaue vs by his iudgment I saye whych we knowe not And so he suffereth vs to be hardened In this place muste the fayeth full be taught to take heade and be ware of that pestilent opinion which sayethe that euery man is made the vessel of honour or reproche by our own merytes goynge before What thynge is or euer was before the eternal decre and ordinaunce of the lorde If thou wylt saye that god hath decreed and ordeined these thynges whyche is euerlastynge bycause of those thynges whych he knew bye his forsyght and knowledge that euery man woulde do in tymes we answer seynge that-no thyng whych is done in tyme and is temporall can be the cause of a thynge whiche is eternal before all tyme. We shold do greate wronge and iniury to the lorde to saye that he was cōpelled to ordayne and decre any thing in hys euerlastyng beynge The electes for those thynges sake whyche are done wythe in the lymyt of tyme By the onely worthynes and grace of God the elect are predestinated to be in tyme vessels to glory and honoure The reprobates by whose moste iust iudgemēt to vs vnknowen the reprobates are made in tyme the vessels of ignominie to dishonour shame The Lorde is marueylouse in al hys iudgmētes ⧠The .x. profe THe captiuitie and bondage of oure wyl is proued by Esay the .x. chap. Shall the ax boste it selfe agaynste hym whiche doeth hewe wyth it Esai x. Example by an ax and by a sawe or shall the saw make any braggynge againste hym that ruleth it That were euen lyke as if the rodde whyche a man doth beare wold exalte hym felfe and rise vp against the bearer An euel kyng is called an axe a rode a sawe or as though the stafe would magnifye it selfe whyche is made but of wod and tre Behold the Lorde doeth call a wycked king an axe a saw a staffe a rodde whych thyng men do vse to occupie to one thynge or an other to declare that the Lorde doeth make al men to be hys instrumentes Man kynde is the lorde his instrumēt by the whyche he doth fulfil accōplyshe hys