shall preserue vs. For to kepe them without his spirit is no keping of them ▪ but playne hypochrisie and dissimulation The Lorde hath set before vs both fyre and water lyfe and death good and euyll that is asmuche to saye as he hath set before vs the kepynge of his diuine wyll and pleasure and also the transgression offendynge of the same wyll He hath set before vs eternall health and euerlastynge perdicion To whether of these we wil le◠vs reache furthe our handes Yf so be that we do chuse to apprehend the transgression of the lawe being bounde in the wynges of the spirite of fornicatiō falsheade we shall haue death and perdition of our soules withoute remedye If we do applie oure selues to the wyll and commaundementes of the Lorde by the cōfort drawyng of the holye spirite of God health lyfe euerlasting shal folow By the spirite of the Lorde we do apprehende seke after the lyfe prepared for the faithfull By the spirit of our flesh and of falshed we loke after no goodnes but al wickednes traūsgression of the cōmaundemētes If we haue the spirite of the Lorde wee shall not faile of lyfe most happi and blessed If we be led by the spirite of fornication of the fleshe what remayneth but death vtter destruction There is no man which can mislike this exposition except it be those whyche are led wyth a peruerse spirite which holde opinion that the wyll of man of it selfe can wyl that thyng whych is good and also of his owne power kepe the cōmaūdemētes Hereby you mai perceiue that nether this text of the scripture nor any such like doth make any thyng at al for this forged fained libertie of oure fre wil. Obiection Against this do they argue reason saying If man had no knowledge nor iudgmēt of him self to know good and euyl to iudge also what is the wyll of the Lorde It oughte not to be imputed to hys faulte if he did chuse and take that way whyche is euil Obiection An other reason If so be mans wil be not fre at libertie wherefore should he be blamed for sin for as muche as sin is to him no sin if it be done by coaction not voluntarie of hys owne wyl Solution of the fyrste ob ∣ iection To the fyrste reason we saye that if their obiection be true thē must it folowe of necessitie that all the reprobate persons are punished wrongfully whych dyd neuer know perfectlye the wyl of the Lorde for as much as they are blynde for the whyche cause the Lorde prayinge his father for them whyche dyd crucifie hym sayed Forgeue thē father for thei do not know what they do And trulye they dyd not know For euery euil persō is ignoraūt blind And therfore it was spokē of them whiche did murmure speake againste the lawe of God in Deuteron .xxxii. I woulde to God they were wise had vnderstandyng Deut. xxxii as though he would haue said they haue nether wit nor knowledge Wher fore to our owne destructiō are we so busye serchers of the heauēlye maiesties hidden secrets syth that we know that he is in al thinges iust true our selues wretched blind ful of lies He doth iustly reiect cast from him the reprobate blind whō he hath suffered to be blind and indurate that in no wise they can cōfirme thē selues be agreable to the cōmaundemēt wyl of the Lorde The profounde and hyghe depenes of hys iudgement what manne can vnderstande I wyll holde my lyppes therefore togyther kepe scilence worshyppynge the inscrutable iudgementes and decrees of the Lorde Solution of the second obiection To theyr second reason I saye that sinne is voluntarie in the wicked whyche syn cometh not of a free wyll but frome that will whyche is bounde and captiue by the spirite of fornication whych is the sence and vnderstandynge of the fleshe For the wyll of the fleshlye that is to saye of theym whyche do lacke the spirite of the Lord is nothyng lesse then free and at libertie bycause it is not vnder the lawe of God nor neuer canne be as to the Rom. viii Chapter Rom. viii It doth not folow therefore after theyr reason that sinne should not be imputed to the reprobate and wicked which syn is imputed to thē that most iustly To the faithful to thē which do beleue Rom. iiii Psalm xxxi The author doth lamente the fall of certayne men which are gon from syn that is to say cōcupiscēse is not imputed for theyr faith sake as Paule teacheth to the Romains the .iiii. Chap. and the Psal in the .xxxi. Psal beareth also wytnes But Alas there be certaine howe they haue bene deceued the Lord knoweth which sometime as al the worlde almost can testifye abhorrynge and detesting the fowle and stinkynge synagoge of Antichriste wyth all the abhominable rites and craftes and lyes therof wyth all theyr vaine curiouse phātasticall maner of speakynge are nowe turned to theyr madnes forsakeynge the veritie of the Lorde Christe to Antichrist in preachynge and teachinge of men those thynges whyche by the power of the worde of God hath hytherto bene reiected and forsaken bicause they myght therby stablishe and confirme theyr opinion which is that the wil of man is fre and at libertie The which men peraduenture in theyr selues shal fynde true by experience Yea they do fynde it alreadye what a pore and small libertie that is whych is in the wyll of man or rather howe certayne a bondage and seruitude it is for as much as by no studye no crafte no knoweledge they are able to vanquish or to ouercome theyr own propre affectiōs Yt had bene better for thē more profitable for al men yf they had not so vndiscret lie and vnwysely as they did confirme their blynd libertie brought and leyd forth before men the folyshe phantasies dreames particions and distinctions of Duns It can not be spoken how much hurt these brablyng questionaries do of Thomas of Aquine of Capireold wyth suche other brabling and scoldyng sophisters in whom a man can fynd no substance nor pyth of substanciall matter but a fewe folyshe and idle termes and wordes as these be which do folowe It semeth to be so it maie be so it may be saied c. Which wordes to the godly and faithful sorte are nothing els but the strong deadlye and deceauable poyson of the deuil spokē and writtē without good foundation It a uidetur fieri potest dici potest without substance strength of godlie confirmatiō which do knowe that to cleaue and stycke only to the eternall word and testimonie of the veritie of God is the only shote anchor of oure healthe ⧠The secōd text of the scripture wrōgfully taken and alleged THey do alledge forthe of the fyrste boke of Moyses called the Genesis in the iiii Cha. these wordes
made the sonnes of god For as sone as a manne beleueth straight waye he is made the sonne of God so that whē they do beleue they do receyue the said power to be therbi without delaie made etc. Then is the spirite of fornication and all vncleannes crucified in theym and bounde that he shall not playe the tyrante anye more nor presume to rule in the herte of manne where the spirite of God oughte to be ruler and gouernour The fayethfull manne is deliuered from the wycked and deceyuable spirite and the sens of the fleshe wherto he was before subiecte and bonde and nowe is gone to serue and folowe the commaundemente of the spirite of God whyche hath bounde man with the swete and pleasaunte bondes of charitie Thys text therfore of Iohn doth make full littel for theyr purpose to confyrme and stablyshe that thing whyche they do go aboute ⧠The .x profe THe Lorde demaunded thys questian of hys Apostles sayinge Wyll ye also depart and go from me By the which wordes they do reason that it had bene a uery foleish demaund of Christe if they were not at libertie and at choise whether they woulde go frome hym or byde and styke by hym styll I answere that God had bound thē with hys spirite and therefore they coulde not go from hym but rather sayed Lorde to whom shoulde we go Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe There were other whyche beynge also bounde with the euyll spirite that wroughte in theym sayed These are verye hard wordes what man can heare him So at the laste they dyd forsake hym I doubte not but that Christ did demaūd this questian of them whether they would depart c. Principally bycause that after it was suffitiently perceiued what the wycked spirite had wrought in the vnfaithful that men I saye myghte perceyue and se what the spirite of God had wroughte in the fayethfull that it shoulde be putte in writyng to the instruction and learnynge of other men in tyme to come Thys texte maketh little or nothinge for theyr libertie by the whyche texte it is made open how these .ii. spirites do alwaies worcke cōtrary thynges one to the other in the fayethfull and in the vnfayethfull ⧠The .xi. texte HE shall render and geue to euerye man after hys worcke Psalm lxi Whereby they wyl cōfyrme stablishe not onelye the fredome of mans wyll but also the iustice of workes which is light to be answered Eyther our worckes be of oure owne naughtye and deceyuable spirite and then they are wycked and dānable worckes or els they be of the spirite of God and not of oure fleshlye and carnal spirite wher fore they are good worckes beinge vnpossible to be any otherwyse You se that by this texte they do proue nothynge lesse then that which they do purpose pretēd The whych wordes do declare nothing els then that the Lorde doeth geue euerlastynge lyfe to them whyche haue the worckes of fayeth and of the spirit of God and those whych haue the worckes of fleshe he rewardeth with euerlastynge paines and punishment ⧠The .xii. profe IT is wrytten the .i. Epistle and syxt cha to Timothe Fayght a good fayght Laboure as a good souldiour of Iesu christ the seconde Epistle to Timothe .ii. Cha. To hym that ouercommeth I wyll geue c. Reuelation of Iohn the seconde thyrd Chapt. We saye that thys fayght againste wyckednes and thys laboure in the war of the Lorde and thys Victorye canne not be but by the spirite of God Ergo not by our owne wyll and industrye Then canne not thys libertie be proued and stablished by thys texte of the scripture ¶ The threttenth text IN the seconde Epistle and fyrste Chap. of Peter Bryngynge al diligence se that you do minister in your fayth vertue c. Wherfore brethrē rather endeuour your selues to make stronge and affirme youre vocation and election If you do thys you shall neuer fal By thys place they do proue that Peter would our industrie and diligēce should worcke with the spirit If they do vnderstād by this industrie diligēce that diligence whyche the spirite of God worcketh in vs then they do make a good exposition For of hys greate goodnes he calleth those dedes our dedes whyche he worketh in vs. The which spirite of him doeth worcke and draw our wil making it obediēt agreable to the cōmaundemētes of the Lord. The wil of vs beynge so drawē cānot chuse but run straight way after the Lorde not of it selfe that is to say of mans wil but by the wil of God If they do hold opiniō that this place is to be vnderstand of our propre industrye or natural inclanation motiō as though a mā of him selfe might worke any thing at al or be coadiutor with god it is boeth a wicked also a pernitiouse opiniō For of hym selfe mā is altogither flesh therfore he can not rise vp to those thinges which are of the spirite of god wherefore these textes whiche are rehearsed for frewyl in this place muste be thus takē vnderstād You brethen beynge adourned and decked with the spirite of God by God made partakers of hys veritye in that fayeth whyche you receyued of the Lorde minister wyth al diligence and vertue c. And endeuoure to make your vocation and election stable and fyrme that is to saye do all that you maye to declare wyth good worckes that youre vocation election is substanciall stronge ¶ The .xiiii. texte OVt of the thyrtye Chapter of the fyfte boke of Moyses they do obiecte Wher as the Lorde had laied before Israell good bad life and death It was sayd Electe and chuse to you lyfe cete Whyche wordes they do thynke verye slender and of small effecte if mannes wyl were not fre We haue oft tymes saied that the lawe doth require of vs thinges vnpossible to be done for oure owne strengthe whyche the spirite of God doeth make possible For Christe is the fulfillynge and perfectnes of the lawe Therefore lyke as it is vnpossible to obserue and kepe the commaūdementes wythoute the spirite of God so is it impossible for vs to chuse life with out the spirit of god For we can not chuse life except the spirit of perfecte libertie were in vs that is to saye of Christe and where as often tymes wee do offende and cleane to the euyll oure election whereby we be elected of God is not the cause thereof but the workynge of our captyue and bond nature ⧠To diuers obiections whyche are obiected and layed for the defence of free wil we haue answered somthing briefly but so that hereby anye man maye dissolue and put a syde all maner of obiectiōs whiche for this matter the defēders of frewyll can deuise Therefore with fewe wordes we wil cōclud al the whole matter so procede further ¶ The fyrste conclution OVr opinion and certayne beliefe is that the wyll of man is
aboundaunt and plentifull fulnes of ryches in al goodnes to whom only euery good gyft and euery perfect gifte from heauen aboue from the father of lyght is to be attributed ascribed as witnesseth Ia .i. Thou must be also in this case lyke a man which through long sicknes is so feble and weeke and brought so low that he is not able to stand without a staffe fearynge to set his foote to the ground least he shoulde fall doune not able to ryse agayne of hymselfe without the helpe of another This mā getteth to him a staffe to stande vp or to go by or els he leueth on another mās arme which is stronger than he and so goth furth by lytle and lytel euer fearing to fal So doyng thou shalt not fal nay though thou dost stōble or trippest a litle with thi fote that is the carnalconcupiscēce of the flesh yet shalt thou not fal to the ground the spirite of the Lord is so strong that he wyll holde the vp But if thy staffe be weake or rotten or that man whom thou dost trust be not altogether thy frynd thou canst not chose but fall and that miserably to thine vtter confusion with out another takyng compassion and pitie on the of his goodnes wyll come and take the vp Lykewise is thy doyng whē thou dost trust and put thy confidence in thyne owne merites in thyne owne workes in thyne owne strength in thyne owne wit and power thē is thy fall moost greatest when the truste of thyne owne power semeth moost strongest and when thou art most inflamed wyth the loue of thy selfe that is of thyne owne deades and workes which are altogether flesh if they be not wroughte by the spirite of the Lord the which spirite of the Lorde being in the the Lord doeth make althy wayes godly straight be fore his eyes so that thi sinne is not imputed to the nor thou art not fleshly yea though the fleshe hath some pryckyng in the. For to the iust man the lawe is not made as witnesseth Paul that man I saye whose iustice is Christes iustice which alredy in his hert hath done al that thing which the law requireth not of hymself but by the power of the spirit of the Lord which worketh his wil in hym What hast thou saith Paull that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued wherfore art thou proud of it as thoughe thou hast not receiued it but as it were thyne owne of thy self For asmuch then as al godlines is receiued we must cōsider cōfesse that ther is a geuer in whose hande and power it dothe rest whether he wil geue it yea or nay so that we must say not vnto vs Lord not to vs. but to thi name be glory prayse What worke dyd Paull worke to optayne the fauoure of the Lorde When he was most strongest in persecutiō and sheddyng of the christian bloud sodenly he was taken from hym selfe that is to say the Lord alterid him of his owne goodnes and mere mercy his cruel affectiōs and in the steade of the spirite of persecution he put in hym the spirite of mekenes the spirit of loue of preaching his glory of preaching Iesu Christ crucified and in the steade of a persecutour of Christ he became a sufferer for Christ When Peter was most stronge to fyght wyth dente of sworde as appered by his bolde and manly deades and great crakes how sodenly became he in the stead of a defēder a denier And wher as he wold dye with Christ he would not so much as once knowe hym nay he denied him vtterly Who did subdue the naughtie spirite of Paul when he was in his most rage fury agaynst the preachers of Christes glory Was it ani other thā the power of the lord vnder whose fete all thynges are made subiect yea from the reasonable to the vnreasonable as oxen and sheepe At the whiche tyme of persecution Paull was in durate because he had not in hym the spirite of the Lord and therefore he coulde not chose but with al extremitie persecute the lord as far as the fleshe woulde geue hym leaue The flesh alway as Paul wytnesseth resystyng and strinyng agaynst the spirit The cause then why that Paull had not the spirite of the Lord was only the pleasure of the Lord whiche taketh mercye on whom it pleaseth him selfe Paul myndyng nothing lesse thā to be called it pleased the Lorde to cal hym frō dishonour to honor to the setting furth of his glory Paull for this tyme of persecution was indurate none otherwyse than was Pharao in the persecution of the children of Israel If it had pleased the Lord to haue taken Paull as he dyd take Pharao the one shulde haue perished as well as the other Yf the Lord had lefte Peter in his deniall and styll to hym selfe if he had not loked on hym wyth the eye of fauoure it had ben euyll with hym as it was with Pharao But to declare that all men are lyars and God only true as the prophet saith The Lord toke the spirit of stedfastnes and knowledgyng of God from hym leauyng hym to hymselfe to fraylenes to the verye counsel and motion of the flesh which flesh had rather lyue a whyle and dye for euer than to suffre a smal temporal death and al way after to lyue Therfore if any manne do fall let not hym dispayre for the Lorde is merciful It is not the fall whiche declareth induration it is the contempte of the Lord when thou dost delyght in thy synne not fearyng the Lordes iudgement that is a fearful token of induration What canst thou tel whether the Lorde wyl take the in this tyme of thy wyckednes and vnfaythfulnes yea or nay as he dyd Pharao in the mydest of hys madnes If he so doo what shall become of the Thou caust not denye but that he may if it please hym so to doo Thou hast a good cause therfore alway to fear and mystrust thy wayes for thou arte altogether of thy selfe fleshe thou canst do nothyng of thy selfe but synne And lykewyse as the trust of the mercy of God promysed for Christes sake whiche foloweth streyghtway the hatred of vyce and synne with ful intent and purpose to liue after the wyll of the father is a certayn token of election and of the fauour of God wherin so long as thou doste remayne and continue thou art sure that thou art of the ryght fort Euen so the loue to lyue vngodly to wallow in all kynde of vyce and to lye styll in impuritie of lyfe declareth to the that for that same season thou art nothing ells than the chyld of wrath curssed of God indurat as was Pharao This is a good cause to make the to be alway in feare to make the suspect thyne owne selfe and begyn to hate synne the deuyl and the fleshe with al concupiscence then the spirit of God beginneth to worke his worke in the to crucifie thi spiritual
of the Lorde almyghtie to his ordinaunces to do al thynges so far as it is commaunded and no more What more euident token and ergument can you haue of the captiuitie and bondage of mans wyl theÌ„ thys Vnder this decree all thynges created and made are obedient and subiect to the Lorde bycause thei can do nothing but after the pleasure most free wyl of the Lorde whych wylleth what hym listeth alone and none but he Example of bondage in beasts and in the elements â–ª The Lyons could not deuoure Daniel The fyre in the fornace coulde not consume the .iii. chyldren because it was not the Lordes pleasure whyche alone of hymselfe is free to whom al creatures aswel reasonable as contrarye although thei do seme and appere to our reson in thynges disobediente yet for all that thei are in very dede in the selfe same thynge to the pleasure of God most of al obediente and bond albeit the iudgement of man is to the contrary For hys godly wyl pleasure must alway be fulfilled Our vnderstandyng is bonde Wherby it foloweth that the vnderstandynge of man is captiue and bonde to the commaundement and vnuariable decree of the Lorde To this Lorde not onely the vnderstandyng whiche in man as they saye is bothe iudge and counseler Wil and wil not are the dedes of the wyl but also the wyl which thei do cal the lorde president is also captiue and bond For to wyl or to not wil any maner of thyng are the deedes and the actes of the wyl I maruel wherfore some men dooe wryte and holde opinion that the actes and dedes of our wyl are free and at libertie eyther to be done or vndone as the wyll wylleth Ther is no freedome verely in theym For if al thynges which are made and created The fyrst reson prouyng the wyll bonde be vnder the decree and vnuariable sentence of the Lorde then it foloweth that the wyl of man must be vnder the decree and seÌ„tence of the Lorde And lykwyse as we haue written of the vnderstandynge of man that it can nether knowe nor yet seke for any further knowledge then the Lorde doth permyt and suffre Comparison euen so muste meÌ„ vnderstande of the wyl of man Which is a very easy thing to perceiue to him that wyl marke and considre the diuersitie of affections wherewyth maÌ„ is combred and led oftentymes agaynst his wyl The seconde reason The affections of menne declareth boÌ„dage If the wyl of man be free then may he wyl and nyl what shal please hym at his owne free election But what is that manne that can so do Lette vs haue knowledge of such one Bryng hym furth that we may extoll and prayse hym Howe often haue you sene that a man would wyth al his hert that he myght not couet and desyre The coÌ„firmation of the second reason that thynge which he cannot chose but wyshe and desyre after Contrarywyse there be many whych woulde that they coulde wyll and loâ—e that thynge whyche they cannot chose but hate Wher is nowe the libertie of this mans wil A man oftentymes casteth his mynde on an euyl woman whose conuersation he cannot hate abhorre bycause he is bounde in most harde bondage and captiuitie Manye men done abhorre their owne filtie conditioÌ„s and maners and lewde vices Wherfor do we folowe those vices who came knowe euyll and yet they caÌ„not those but loue them folowe them kepe theÌ„ styl bicause the affections and desyres of the fleshe are not subiect but contrary to the law of God Rom. viii I my selfe myseâ—able maÌ„ oftentymes do those thynges whyche I doe abhorre and hate Truth it is that I do those thynges in dede yet it is not my selfe which doth them for in my hert I do abhorre theÌ„ It is synne that is to say the concupiscences of the fleshe whych dwelleth in my fleshe kepyng me in bondage and captiuitie What thyng worketh euyl in vs. Therefore in many thynges our wyl is redye and at hand but how and which way to brynge our wyl to passe beyng led captiue of synne and of the deuil with al the wittes we haue we cannot thynke nor deuyse I desyre often tymes with al my hert that I myghte haue my desyre pluckt away from thys thyng or that and yet in spyght of my teeth I am violently drawne into the loue therof whyche I would fayne haue in hatred and cannot For although that outwardli I do seme and appere to hate a thyng The coÌ„cupiscences of the flesh be so roted naturally in vs that thei cannot be pluckt out all together and therfore we caÌ„ not do that we woulde which is not good yet at the rote of my hert I do loue it which I would not if I myght chose Let euery maÌ„ in hymselfe wey this matter and so doynge he shal tel me a newe tale He shal fynde hys libertie very pore and bare As for my selfe I wil render glorye prayse and thankes to the Lorde I wil in the presence of his church confesse and knowledge myne impietie with fayned and paynted holines in Hypocrisie not doubtyng but to optayne mercye at the handes of the most mercifull Lorde What time a great whyle agone I was of the sect and church of Antechrist I did lead my lyfe many yeres in the coÌ„cupiscences and naughtie desires of the body burning in vnlawful and stynckyng lustes of the fleshe the which affections truelye I dyd hate and abhorre yet I could not resist nor cast theym awaye furth of my mynde For to punyshe the body with labour with watching with fasting yea and with scourging and such other like hard and sharpe punyshmentes of the fleshe maye well tame and make weake the power and strength of thy body But as for the coÌ„cupiscences of the mynd it could not thereby be drideled Wherfor serueth the chastening of our bodyes yea those harde chasteninges of the fleshe dyd rather profet to the increase of hipocrisie and counterfeited holines in vs causyng the outward man to appere godly and holy The coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh reigning styl in our hertes which from the eyes of the lord cannot be hyd You dose the great seruitude bondage wherein we are knit tied Howe are we theÌ„ fre and at our owne libertie Truely no maÌ„ lâ—uyng can either wyl or not wyl this thing or that more or lesse then the Lorde doeth geue strength For lykewise as fire and all other creatures ar in bondage and seruitude vnto the firme decre and ordinaunce of god euen so is man Fire doth consume al thyng that the fire hath power ouer Fyre except the lord doth take away the natural strength therof Man also caÌ„not chose but thinke that thinge which is ful of all impietie and wickednes Manne and sinneth in all his doynges except he bee brideled with the spirit of Christ The bridle of our affections is
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.
profe and Authoritie Exodi ix Rom. ix IT is wrytten in Exodi the .ix. Chap. and to the Romaines the .ix. Therfore haue I kepte the sayeth the Lorde to shewe in the my strength and that my name should be spredde and blased thorowe all the erath Thys place the flesh wyl not haue to be vnderstande aryghte as it oughte to be in hys owne natural meanyng But after the fleshly wysdome reasoneth on this fashion â–ª It is a foule inconuenience saye theye to say that the Lorde hathe hardened anye mans herte to the entent that by the wickednes and vngodlines of him which is hardened he shold sette forthe and shewe abrode hys myghtye power and glorye This is the reason of the fleshe But I praye you brethren lette vs be wyse and sober not to rashe nor more wyse then nedeth or is profitable Wherefore do we go aboute to fynde faulte and to reprehende the worde of the Lord. The miserable vngratiouse flesh doeth fynde fault at that whiche she doth not vnderstande nor knowe Let not the fleshe anye more be in vs a iudge But let the spirite of god iudge in vs by his worde Let vs not iudge and deme after the sygnes and vnderstandynge of the flesh The wycked and forsaken people of God in this place myght reason and gather that the Lorde hathe nede of the vngodlines of man to the settynge forthe of hys glorye to the worlde Suche kynde of gatheringes cometh from the deuyll and so lette it go agayne to hym from whom it came God nedethe none of our helpe for God hathe nede of nothinge it pleaseth hym so to do to vse his creatures after hys deuine and most Godly pleasure wyl The Lord did leaue Pharao in the spirite of fornicatioÌ„ that is to saye in the vnderstandyng and iudgemente of the fleshe What is to be hardned Thys is to be hardened or stirred againste God For the sence of the fleshe is harde and ryseth alwaye agaynste the spirite of God Wherefore he beynge so lefte and forsaken of God coulde not chose but be hardened and so to striue agaynst the Lord whose decre and ordinaunces Pharao went about to stop and let the Lorde preuaylynge agaynst him ouerthrowing casting downe the pride and glory of Pharao treadyng it vnder his fete Whereby the greate strength and myghtye power and glorye of God was made manifest and open to al the worlde thorowout al the earth I haue kept the howe is it to be taken Therfore the Lord sayed vnto hym these wordes I haue kept the whiche is as muche to say I haue lefte the wythoute my spirite and therfore of necessitie thou must nedes resiste me striue agaynste my wyll For the studies and cogitations of men worcke allway agaynst my wyl thei can not chose but resiste and striue contrary to it Therefore I haue set and lefte the in thyne owne sence knowledge of the fleshe by the whych sence and vnderstandynge of thine owne selfe as of man naked without my spirite thou shalt be stirred and raysed vp agaynst me Thou shalt withstand me with all thy power wheÌ„ I wyll brynge and leade forthe my people out of Egypte Thou shalt not rest but euery day thou shalt growe more styffe necked agaynst me But I shall in greate sygnes maruayles brynge oute of Egypte Israell treadynge the and all thy people whiche resisteth me to pouder to dust wherby al the whole earth shall knowe my strengthe and power Whether the sufferance of the lorde be a token of induration ye or naye Be thou nothinge the bolder to synne for this but feare the great wrathe of god Some men do thinke that if a synner be not straight waie punished and chastened of the Lorde but suffered of the Lorde born wyth to the entent that he should repent his former lyfe whiche ameÌ„deth nothing at all but rather waxeth worsse worsse they saye that by this token he is strayght way indurate hardened The which thing is not alway true For ther be many synners whom the Lorde doeth not punishe as sone as they haue offended yet before they be punished by the gift of God they do amend correct theyr life Wherfore to vnderstaÌ„d this point wel you must coÌ„sider that ther be .ii. kind of meÌ„ that one is of the faithful Two kindes of men the other is of the sort whiche be indurate hardened The faiethfull are they whiche haue the spirite of Christ by the whiche spirite beynge taughte learned enstructed they do cleane to the coÌ„maundement of the Lorde obeying his word voice without long tarying The faythfull Those which be indurate are they which haue not the spirite of Christ without the whiche spirite The indurat people no maÌ„ can do any thing that is good The waÌ„t lacke wherof causeth that thei wil not herkeÌ„ to the Lord but shew theÌ„ selues to be hard herted and rebelliouse agaynste his mooste Godly wyll and commaundemente Therfore they whych do make this doubt do holde opinion that God doeth harden make man go frome hys wayes what tyme the Lorde doeth prolonge and differ hys punishment for theyr synne The Lorde deceyueth him say they wheÌ„ he doth not straight waie as sone as he hath offeÌ„ded plucke and reuoke hym wyth sharpe punishment from his lewednes Thys is theyr expositioÌ„ in diuerse places of the scripture These worldly simylituds and carnally imagined examples do deceyue and blynde the eyes of many men from the syghte of the scripturs whiche are spirituall Correction is no token of induration nor of the contrary prouynge their exposition minde to be true by the exemple of a father hauynge an vnruly disobedieÌ„t chylde whome for hys vngraciousnes he hath not corrected Wherfore men saye that he hathe caste awaye hys sonne for lacke of due correction in tyme. Contrarye wyse by the selfe same reason and exemple they do thynke that if God do correct and punishe a man strayght way for hys faulte that then he doeth not indurate and hardeÌ„ him whoÌ„ he hath chastened for his offence Al thys is but phantasies peruers imaginations interpretations of mannes mynd far from any soundnes of the trueth For we do se daylye that there be manye whyche are wyth punishmentes corrected beyng for al that not a whitte the better but the worsse and more indurate If that correction shoulde make a man not to be indurate but to reuoke hym frome hys synne and to be obediente to the Lorde wherfore was not Pharao nor the Israellites therefore the better Pharai Israelites Idolateye The Israelites in the myddest of theyr bitter sharpe correctioÌ„ committed fornication goynge frome the Lorde in worshyppyng of images stockes and bâ—ocbes made wyth mannes hande perpetratynge mooste filthy stinkynge and abominable Idolatrye not onely not minisshynge but augmentyng and encreasynge theyr detestable and moste damnable vices Euerye wher they
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
the winges of fornication as it is written Where is become oure libertie For that one thou canste not do wythoute the spirite of God the seconde can not chuse but be done after the spirite of euil whiche leadeth the. We do good or euel as the spirit doth drawe It is vnpossible that thou of thy self canste ouercome the spirite of fornication in the whiche he draweth the whither it pleaseth that spirite bi the whyche you maye perceyue that our wyl is farre from al libertie and fre workynge beynge drawen on boeth sydes eyther by the spirite of God or els by the sens of the flesh As towchyng to the ministers of the church if they preparynge them selues to preach do studie and ponder before what they shal say they do wel in so doyng All oure studies and labours must be referred to Christe so that they do not put theyr trust and confidēce to theyr owne studye and laboure but to the goodnes and promise of the Lord. Where as we alleged the texte of the .vi. Chap. of Iohn that is No man can c. some do thynke that that drawynge wherewyth the father draweth is no violente drawinge whyche importeth anye necessitie Whether the drawinge of the father do importe any uiolence or necessitie in it yea or maye that thou maiste not chuse but go whereto thou arte drawen but that a man maye as they saye haue the wyll to do or to leue vndone as it pleaseth him Which opinion of theyrs they do proue by an exemple saying Likewise as a chylde when a man doeth shewe to hym an apple doeth runne to the man for the apple And as a shepe doth folowe the man which hath a grene wilowe bow in his hande euen so saye they doeth the Lorde moue and styrre our mindes with this or that leauyng to our choise whether we wyll come or not I do thynke this exposition to be erroniouse peruerse heretical the solution wherof must be made as I haue to you before sufciētly declared For this entēt haue I shewed to you other writynge of the scriptures that you maye se howe they do striue and struggle agaynste the veritie of the Lorde Suche maner of drawynge is thys that a man can not chuse but folowe him that draweth For euery man that is drawen of the father and taught by hym cometh to Christe as Iohn the .vi. Chap. When the Lorde doeth drawe the and in the time of hys drawing the wicked spirite of fornicatiō is bound faste within the by the spirite of Christe that he cā not styrre Wher the spirite of god is in place the spirit of the fleshe is made subiect of force that he can do nothinge in the to lette the frō that wherto the spirite of God which is in the doth draw the so long as the spirite of God reigneth in the so long the spirit of fornication can do the no maner scathe nor beare anye rule in the. It geueth place agaynste hys wyll to hys better and superioure Therfore the spirite of God doeth vse the at hys libertie wythoute anye stoppe or let and kepeth the commaundementes in the of the high Lord. Thou maiste not chuse but runne whē he draweth the after him in those thynges wherto the spirite wyll haue the to folow him For he hath put a bridle a strōg bit into the month of the spirite of fornicatiō whyche before was all thy hinderaunce and let that thou myghteste not be appliant and agreable to the wyll of the Lorde Therefore we are drawē of God It is an euydent knoweledge that we are not drawen when we are not folowers Who is the drawer and are forced to run after hym whyche goeth before drawynge vs as his owne wyll pleaseth If there be anye man whyche thynketh that he is drawē and yet runneth not he is fowle deceyued for he is not drawen Christe which suffered death for vs doeth drawe al men after hym Which al mē be the childrē of Israel that is to saye the elected for whom onelye he was sent To them pertayneth the heritage of the worlde thorow Christe as appeareth Paule the .xiiii. Chap. to the Rom. For when the elected be drawen they do hye theym as faste as they can after Christe bycause they can not chuse the spirite of Christe bearyng rule in thē It is a great token of election if thou doest fele in thy selfe the hatred of sin To the elect their sinne is not imputed Although the elected do offende and sinne sometime by weakenes and infirmitie the cōcupiscence beyng not altogither quenched in them yet they do lyue by the vertue of God by the whyche vertue they do hate sinne that same vertue beyng the cause wherfore theyr synne is not imputed to them For the fleshe hath hyr concupiscence against the spirite yea in them whych be elected but she doeth not preuaile or beare any great swing in them beynge made subiecte to the spirite In the elect is some carnalitie whyche is of higher dignitie and power kepinge the spirite of the fleshe vnder and short frome ragynge to farre For the spirite of god hathe the spirite of the fleshe fast bounde As the hattred of synne is token of election so the reioysynge of synne is tokē of induration causeing that the sinne of them in whome some sparkle of the fleshe remayneth is odyouse and detestable to thē selues They whyche be elected doe hatte ther owne naughti dedes with al ther herts the whych hatred doth come of the spirite of god Therfore the man which is lede by the spirite of god can not syn the whiche is lede by the concupiscence of the fleshe must nedes worke synne and wickednes The doienges of Christe and the dedes or worckes of man are contrary Marke this well and examyn thy self after this lesson and feare not That spirite in the which thou haste thy delyghte wherto thou art addicted and geuen in thyne herte that same doeth reygne in the. Thou art geuen addicted to one when thou doest beleue and workest by faith after the worde of the lorde Thou art seruante to that other when thou arte vnfaythefull and bringest forth deadly frutes of thy infidelitie that is to saye workes agaynst the worde of god which be not of fayth The electe hathe the pryckynge of the fleshe in them durynge ther lyfe The fleshe is not all togethere subdued quelled in the electe as longe as they be on lyue And yet it is dayly crucifyed in them if is mortified by the prescence of the heauenly spirit wherin the fleshe is bounde brydeled made subiecte The spirite of the lorde if it please hym maye drawe the quyckelye altogyther and whole after hym quenchyng in the power strength heat of the fleshe Wherfore doth not the lorde take a way cleane the pryckyng of the fleshe in his elect But it pleaseth hym not so for to do bycause he knoweth it to be better
folowing which the Lord dyd speake to Cain Vnder the shal thy appetite desire be and thou shalt gouerne and rule it The whiche wordes are nothing els but a precept or cōmaūdemēt being in the Hebrue tonge the presente time as to the pertayneth the desyre therof Otherwise the Lord hadde not prophesied that thinge which was true For Cain had not his own wyl in subiectiō at his cōmaundemēte But cōtrarywise he did follow obey his owne wyl desyre to his own destructiō He myght not chuse but folowe that lewde desire appetite bicause he did lacke the spirite of the Lord. Therfore it is a precept and cōmaundemente cōmaundyng Cain to forsake not to obey folow the desyres of the flesh whych thing to hym was so vnpossible as all other commaundemētes to be kept without the spirit of God Wherfore this text doth no more make for the profe cōfirmatiō of the liberty of mans wil thē al other precepts cōmaūdemēts do ⧠The thyrde texte THine eares haue hearde the preparyng of theyr hertes And also it is writtē in the Pro. the .xvi. Chap. Psalm ix Prou. xvi A mā may wel purpose a thing in his herte but the answer of the tonge cometh of the Lord. The fyrst text you must vnderstād after this maner O Lorde thine eare hathe harde c. that is to say to thine eare the preparatiō of their herte is acceptable I saye of thē which are pore of whō the Psal speketh The whiche pore men are not to be taken in this place for those whiche do axe the almes charitie of other mē but for such mē as do gyue thē selues altogyther to Christ whiche haue renounced the affectiō loue of al their substaunce riches for Christes sake beinge in a redines to sel geue awaye al that they haue to the setting forth of the word of God to the succoring of their neyghbours necessitie if nede shold require These men do alwaies say my hert is ready Lorde my herte is ready by whom they are euery daie made more apt readye then they were before Thys is the preparation whyche is only acceptable to God it is not the endeuour or begynnynge of oure owne wyll as the defēders of frewyll do cal it For they do thinke that by these endeuours and begynnynges they may prepare and make them selues apt to receyue the grace of the Lord The which can neuer be For thorowe Christe onely to them whyche do beleue in hym is hys grace geuē not for our own preparing or workes As towchyng the Prophetes ministers of the word of god of those whose office is to expound and declare to the people the word of God maye not thynke that they shoulde neglecte and not regarde to prepare theym selues to the doinge of theyr office that is to saye to studie to ponder and waye with thē selues to premeditate what they wyll saye and declare It is a thyng to be done and yet they maye not ascribe any thynge thereof to theyr owne studyes diligence and preparation hauing and putting theyr trust and confidence in their own dedes and laboures but onely in the Lorde For we do knowe that though a man do speake and preach neuer so well preparynge him selfe with all diligence that maye be yet he can pronounce nothynge well and to the edifiynge of the audience excepte the Lorde with his spirit doth gouerne his tonge The whiche thyng is proper only to the Lord. The lorde must gouerne the tonge of the prechar if he shall edifie It is also conueniente and meete that a man do premeditate and thinke with him selfe before what he wyll declare wyth a full truste and confidence in the Lorde and not in his owne worcke laboure or payne The fourthe texte IN the fyfthe boke of Moyses called the Deuteronomie Deut. xxx and xxx chap. it is wrytten This commaundemente which I do cōmaund the thys daye is not aboue the nor seperated frome the nor farre from the. It is not in heauen that thou shouldest complayne and saye what man shall ascende vp to heauen and fetch to vs the commaundement that we maye heare it do it It is not beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall go ouer the sea for vs and fet it vs that we may heare it and do it It is hard by the yea it is in thy mouth hert that thou maist do it The defylers of the ryghte iustice whiche we haue by Christe the patrones of free wyll do make exposition of thys place as foloweth It is not aboue the that is to saye aboue thy strength so that thou mayst obserue it with thy owne strength power Agaynste whom Paule speaketh whiche is more to be beleued then they writing to the Roma the .x. Chapter The iustice whyche is of fayeth speaketh thus Say not in thine herte who shall ascende to heauen that is to plucke Christe downe frome aboue to make vs partakers of iustice and of the grace of God Or who shall go downe into the depnesse that is to call and to reuoke agayne Christe from death that we myght be iustified by hym But what sayeth he the worde is nyghe to the not far of in thy mouth and in thy hert Confession Belefe that is the worde of fayth which we do preache Trulye if thou doeste cōfesse wyth thy mouthe the Lorde Iesus Christe beleuest in thy herte that God hathe raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For by the beliefe of the herte cometh our iustice and by the confessiō of our mouth This is not auricular cōfession Esai xxviii we do obtayne oure saluation The scripture sayeth in Esaie the .xxviii. Chapter All men whyche do put theyr confidence in hym shall not be confounded Beholde howe openlye the Apostle doeth teach that thys texte of the scripture is not to be taken and vnderstande of the strengthe and worckes of man What is to do the commaundementes but of a pure faieth on and in Christe in the professynge of the trueth and veritie of the Lorde For the wordes of the commaundemētes of the Lorde are nigh at hande in our herte and mouth to do them that is to saye to beleue to professe Christe For the fulfillynge and ende of the lawe is Christe as to the Rom. x. By whome onelye the lawe is fullfilled in vs. The lawe doeth require of vs those thynges whyche to fleshe and bloud are vnpossible And for that cause sin is multiplied increased aboue al measure the cōcupiscēs Rom. x. The requeste of the lawe are vnpossible strynynge and struglynge agaynste the lawe yea although we do seme outwardely to kepe and fulfyll the lawe For verely the lawe doeth commaunde and require a perfecte iustice and ryghtuousnes at oure handes whyche iustice neyther the lawe can geue nor no man of hym selfe eyther hath or cā perfourme But wher a pure fayeth in